Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The Colombo High Court today issued summons on former minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, ex-Welikada OIC Sudath Asmadala and the then minister Ranawaka’s driver Dilum Thusitha Kumara to appear in court on August 20 over the Rajagiriya accident case.

Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga issued summons over the accident which took place at Rajagiriya in 2016.

The summons were issued after considering the case filed against the defendants by the Attorney General.

Earlier, the Attorney General filed indictments in the Colombo High Court against Mr. Ranawaka for causing grievous injury to a person by rash and negligent acts and other charges.

Courtesy Adaderana

The total number of coronavirus cases reported in the country so far has increased to 2,730 following the detection of two more cases of Covid-19.

Two persons who had returned from Saudi Arabia and were in quarantine had tested positive for the virus.

Accordingly 678 patients infected with Covid-19 are currently being treated at hospitals while the toal number of recoveries stands at 2,041.

Covid-19 tally rises to 2,728 with four more cases

Four new cases of novel coronavirus have been detected bringing the total number of confirmed cases reported in Sri Lanka to 2,728.

The four new cases include 03 returnees from Saudi Arabia, who were in quarantine, and a resident of Rajanganaya, who is a close contact of a Covid-19 positive patient from the Kandakadu rehabilitation center.

Accordingly a total of 675 patients infected with the virus are currently under medical care while the total number of recoveries has climbed to 2,041. 

Courtesy Hiru News

The CID has commenced an investigation into the death threats made by Kosgoda Tharaka, a drug dealer detained at the Boossa Prison, to three senior officers of the Prisons Department.

A senior spokesman of the prison headquarters stated that a team of officers had recorded statements from the relevant prison officials today.

Several inmates of the Boossa Prison, including Kosgoda Tharaka, went on a hunger strike recently demanding an extension of their stay outside the cell.

Later the Commissioner General of Prisons – Administration Chandana Ekanayake, Commissioner of Prisons – Thusitha Uduwara and Assistant Superintendent of Police Prasad Premathilaka visited the Boossa Prison to inquire into the matter

The officers had separate discussions with the detainees. They have said that they have guns, that they have people and their network is active. Kosgoda Tharaka had also threatened these officers with death.

The Mirihana Divisional Anti-Corruption Unit today arrested two persons named Roda and Naliya with heroin in connection with the drug trafficking of Podi Thilina, a member of an organized crime gang.

The suspects, aged 32 and 35, were arrested in the Hanwella – Diddeniya area.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Elections Commission has instructed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to postpone the summoning of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen until August 10 to make statements regarding the 2019 Easter Sunday attack.

Leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Party Bathiudeen is the Wanni District group leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya and is set to contest the forthcoming General Election.

The Elections Commission in a letter to Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) C. D. Wickramaratne, stated that the members of the Commission had taken this decision unanimously.

The Commission further said that the President and the Attorney General have been informed of this decision.

Courtesy Hiru News

Before 2015 price of pepper per kilo gram stood between Rs. 1,500-1,300. However, it had now come down to Rs. 450-500. The price of raw pepper per kilo is between Rs.150-175.

During recent visits by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to several districts, farmers requested him to safeguard the cultivators by taking measures to increase the pepper price.

A discussion was held at the Presidential Secretariat today (20) to review actions that need to be taken to find a long-term solution pertaining to the pepper price.

Sri Lanka is among the world’s best pepper producers. The demand is high for Sri Lankan pepper in the world market. India buys around 75% of Sri Lankan pepper exports. There is a high demand from America and European countries as well.

In recent years, low quality pepper from Vietnam had been imported, mixed with locally grown pepper and re-exported to the world market. In this context, the demand for pepper in countries including India has decreased drastically.

After my assumption to office the importation of pepper was halted completely. As a result of this step yet again the environment has been created to export high quality pepper. We should win the foreign market by appraising the buyer countries through all the diplomatic missions”, President stressed.

The attention was drawn to increase quota for pepper following consultations with India. The President pointed out that our key strategy should be to supply pepper as a value-added product to the world market.

It was discussed in detail how to increase the demand for pepper worldwide, by encouraging new exporters and the development of post-harvest techniques.

President instructed the institutes led by the Ministry of Agriculture to jointly plan necessary steps for drying, sterilization and setting up of processing centers at district level to add more value to pepper. It has also decided to allocate funds for equipment from the next budget.

President also advised the officials to take steps to encourage farmers towards pepper cultivation and to provide required knowledge to them.

President Rajapaksa emphasized that the end result of all the decisions should be to ensure maximum price for the pepper harvest. The President giving advice to implement all the decisions immediately said that the target of the next year should be to receive higher prices for the pepper productions.

Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, S.R. Attygalle, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Major General (retd) Sumedha Perera, Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Export Agriculture, Ravindra Hewavitharana, Secretary to the Ministry of Industrial Export and Investment Promotion, M.P.D.U. K. Mapa Pathirana, Secretary to the Ministry of Industries J.A. Ranjith, pepper exporters and officials participated in this meeting.

Courtesy Hiru News

The Prime Minister stated this while participating in a public meeting held in Badalkumbura area in Moneragala.

A public meeting to confirm the victory of the Sri Lanka Podua Jana Peramuna in the forthcoming general election was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Badalkumbura in Moneragala yesterday afternoon.

Courtesy Hiru News

The sangha nayaka of the North Western Province, Chief Incumbent of the Tissawa Rajamaha Viharaya Ven. Mugunuwatawana Siddatta thero says that all those involved in the demolition of the royal palace of King Bhuvanekabahu II, which is of archaeological value, should be removed from their positions immediately. 

He made this statement convening a press conference in Kurunegala today.

Courtesy Hiru News

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) says that former Member of Parliament Rishad Bathiudeen is aware of the circumstances surrounding the Cinnamon Grand bomb blast during the Easter Sunday series of terrorist attacks.

A statement has to be made in this regard, but Rishad Bathiudeen, who did not appear on three occasions, had been infromed in writing to appear before the CID but he did not appear today.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has sent a letter to the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) asking him to postpone investigations into Rishad Bathiudeen, a leader of a well-known political party, as his election campaign has been hampered by repeated summonses to the CID.

by Dr Palitha Kohona

We have been hearing lengthy and, at times learned, discussions on Treaties in the last few months, especially in the lead up to the Presidential election. This rich discourse, occasionally not well informed, has not ceased. The Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) was the main focus of many and generated a highly charged range of views, including a fast unto death, (thankfully, it was called off at the last moment), and the Free Trade Agreement with Singapore also featured prominently in the discussions, especially in professional circles. Earlier it was the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India that caused animated debate, particularly in business and professional circles. We have also heard many views on the Acquisitions and Cross Services Agreement (ACSA) and the proposed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Both with the USA. Against the background of the raging debates, on November 6, 2019, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) filed a fundamental rights petition seeking to stay all approvals and decisions in respect of the MCC as well as the ACSA and the SOFA. The petitioners asserted that if signed and executed, the MCC would violate the fundamental tenet of sovereignty of the country, which the constitution expressly upholds to be “free, sovereign and independent.”We are still uncertain whether the SOFA has been concluded. The Cabinet spokesman certainly suggested that this was the case and no denial or retraction has been forthcoming. The Gunaruwan Committee appointed by the Government to examine the implications of the proposed MCC has recommended that it not be concluded, at least in its present form.

Let us first dispose of some of the basic issues which provide the backdrop to this discussion on treaties. Sri Lanka follows the ‘pluralist’approach to international law, like many others. It basically means that in our approach there is a difference between national and international law, and requires the translation of the latter into the former. Without such translation, international law cannot be implemented as domestic law. Thus, if a treaty concluded by the State is intended to have domestic legal consequences, including the MCC, it must be properly adopted by the legislature. This legal premise states that international law and municipal law are two separate and independent legal systems, one national and the other international.

International law regulates relations between States (and now even between states and intergovernmental organizations and among intergovernmental organisations) and is broadly based on treaty law and customary law. Under a dualist approach, national law attributes rights and duties to individuals and legal persons deriving their force from the national Constitution. This principle was discussed at length by the former Chief Justice Sarath Silva in the Singarasa case. (The other eminent judges on that bench were, Nihal Jayasinghe, Judge of the Supreme Court, N.K. Udalagama, Judge of the Supreme Court, N.E. Dissanayake, Judge of the Supreme Court, Gamini Amaratuga, Judge of the Supreme Court. S.C. Spl(LA) No. 182/99 Nallaratnam Singarasa).

This discussion of the principle in Singarasa is consistent with the framework of Sri Lanka’s Constitution, which is based on the understanding that municipal law and international law are two distinct systems. Accordingly, when Sri Lanka ventures to conclude international treaties with domestic legal implications, this basic premise must be borne in mind. The constitutional premise of the United Kingdom, from which we derived inspiration, adheres to the dualist theory.

Under the “monist”theory, international law and municipal law constitute a single legal system. Accordingly, in countries which subscribe to the monist principle, the generally recognized rules of international law constitute an integral part of the municipal law and produce direct legal effect without any further implementing law being required to be enacted within those countries. Treaties, thus, are considered part of domestic law. In fact, in the USA, Article 2 Section 2 of the Constitution states that “The President) shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur” The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution of the United States (Article VI, Clause 2) establishes that the Constitution, made pursuant to it, and treaties made under its authority, constitute the “supreme Law of the Land”, and thus take priority over any conflicting state laws.

Given that Sri Lanka subscribes to the dualist model, it is understandable that the draft MCC, which will have wide ranging implications within Sri Lanka, requires it to be submitted to and enacted by the Parliament (MCC Article 7, Section7.1). One can also detect the influence of the US lawyers and their thinking in its drafting.

The MCC itself is intended to be of treaty status. (Article 6 Section 6.4 , This Compact is an international agreement and as such shall be governed by international law.). It is between two entities capable of entering into treaties, the MCC ( The Preamble to the Compact states that it is a US Government Corporation acting on behalf of the US Government) and Sri Lanka (acting through its Ministry of Finance and Mass Media). It is intended to create legally binding rights and obligations. The draft itself says that it is governed by international law. This may suggest that the Compact and all its activities will be above the Sri Lankan law and Sri Lankan citizens may not be able to seek legal assistance from their country’s judicial system. Moreover, Sri Lanka could be taken to an international court or tribunal if it backs out of the Compact or contravenes any of its clauses. Sri Lanka, unlike the USA, has only limited experience in international adjudication and is likely to be confronted by serious constraints in such a situation.

It is important to note that the MCC’s provisions are carefully drafted and also includes a sunset clause (Article 7 Section 7.4, The compact shall remain in force for five years after its entry into force, unless terminated earlier under Section 5.1). It contains provisions on termination (Article 5 Section 5.1, Either Party may terminate this Compact without cause in its entirety by giving the other Party 30 days prior notice. The MCC may also terminate this Compact or MCC funding without cause in part by giving the Government 30 days prior written notice.) While Sri Lanka could theoretically terminate the Compact under this provision, the practicalities of doing so and incurring the displeasure of the US superpower needs to be kept in mind by our policy makers. On the other hand, the US and the MCC could and have, in other instances, terminated MCC Compacts without cause and for reasons not connected with its stated goals of alleviation of poverty or development. E.g. in the case of Madagascar where the Compact was terminated after three years for political reasons.

The above provision would enable the MCC to terminate the Compact or the funding for reasons that would be purely political. That is where the risk for Sri Lanka lies. The US and the MCC could walk away, even for political reasons, perfectly in accordance with the provisions of the Compact, without incurring any liability.

Political factors are never too far from even the economic decision making processes of a major power. In 2007, the US withdrew the MCC offer made to Sri Lanka after the Tsunami for exactly such political reasons. A diplomatic cable sent by Ambassador Blake on January 14, 2008 (reproduced in Wikileaks), 12 days after the Sri Lankan government decided to abrogate the CFA (Ceasefire Agreement)”on January 2, states that in December 2007, the Board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation removed Sri Lanka as a country eligible for MCC lending for 2008.”The cancellation of Sri Lanka’ eligibility status was one among a number of measures taken by the US to signal its “displeasure”at “the escalating violence and growing human rights problems”in Sri Lanka. The determination that there were human rights problems in Sri Lanka was made by the US in accordance with its own criteria with no input from the affected country, Sri Lanka.

The MCC draft, as it stands at present, would enable the US to adopt similar measures without incurring any liability for resulting loss or damage. Given the implications of the MCC for the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals, the ability to walk away without incurring any liability raises serious legal and other issues.

Very importantly, the MCC explicitly provides immunity to the Government of the USA, the MCC, its employees and contractors for a range of actions and omissions. (Article 6 Section 6.8. “CC is a United States government corporation, acting on behalf of the United States Government in the implementation of the Compact. MCC and the United States Government assume no liability for any claims or loss arising out of activities or omissions under this Compact” “he Government agrees that MCC and the United States Government or any current or former officer or employee of MCC or the United States Government shall be immune from the jurisdiction of all courts and tribunals of Sri Lanka for any claim or loss arising out of activities or omissions under this Compact”

Should the US Government or the MCC decide to walk away from their commitments under the MCC at any stage of the five year Compact period, for whatever reason, they would assume no liability for any claims or loss. Furthermore, it is not only the US Government and the MCC that would enjoy immunity from the jurisdiction of our courts and tribunals for loss or claims arising out of the activities under the Compact but also current and former officers and employees of the US and the MCC. We note that all these provisions protect only the US side.

The fact that the MCC is a treaty does not leave room for any degree of complacency. A treaty is different from a contract. A treaty is governed by international law and recourse in the case of a dispute with regard to a treaty is international courts and tribunals while a contract is governed by domestic law and is enforced in the domestic courts.

The international law on treaties has mostly been codified by 1969, which codifies the rules and procedures for creating, enforcing, amending, and interpreting treaties. As one of the earliest manifestations of , treaties are recognized as a . A treaty can be labeled under different names, compact, convention, agreement, covenant, accord, protocol, etc. What is important is whether the agreement is intended to create international legal rights and obligations.

Only the head of state, the head of government or the foreign minister or someone duly authorised by one of these entities could conclude a treaty on behalf of a State. Thus it is not possible for an official or a Minister, to conclude a treaty without proper authorization, which is termed “ull Powers” Treaties are binding at international law.

International law requires that once entered into a treaty must be implemented faithfully by the parties. It is not an excuse to argue that domestic legal constraints prevent the implementation of a treaty solemnly concluded. Article 26 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, which substantially reflects customary international, states, pacta sunt servanda, “very treaty in force is binding upon the parties to it and must be performed by them in good faith” Article 27 states, Internal law and observance of treaties, “A party may not invoke the provisions of its internal law as justification for its failure to perform a treaty. This rule is without prejudice to article 46”

If domestic legal constraints exist, it is for the party concerned not to enter into the treaty or bring the domestic legal framework in line with the provisions of the intended treaty. Usually, the practice is for this to be done prior to the conclusion of the treaty. Once a treaty has been concluded, it is not possible to plead that even the Constitution is a constraint without incurring adverse international legal consequences.

Once concluded, a party cannot simply walk away from a treaty. It remains binding as it must either be terminated according to its own provisions, customary practice or modified (amended). Thus it would not be possible for Sri Lanka to walk away willy nilly from the MCC, or from any other treaty, once it had become party to it.

Failure to comply with the provisions of a treaty solemnly concluded could result in the activation of sanctions incorporated in the treaty itself, a dispute resolution provision being triggered (some Treaties contain dispute resolution mechanisms, including judicial and arbitration provisions), the aggrieved party suspending its obligations, or attract retaliation. Unilateral retaliation for the breach of a treaty provision can take different forms such as the imposition of economic and political sanctions, denial of the benefits intended under the treaty, suspension of cooperation, and exclusion from international initiatives. The US has not been reluctant to impose sanctions on many countries that have incurred its displeasure.

The United States has signed but not ratified the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Sri Lanka has not even signed. But it is widely accepted that the VCLT is reflective of international custom. As a treaty, if concluded, the MCC should be registered with the United Nations in accordance with Article 102 of the UN Charter. “. Every treaty and every international agreement entered into by any Member of the United Nations after the present Charter comes into force shall as soon as possible be registered with the Secretariat and published by it.

2. No party to any such treaty or international agreement which has not been registered in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article may invoke that treaty or agreement before any organ of the United Nations.”This provision has been effective since the Charter came in to force in October 1945 and the UN has been performing this Charter mandated function since then. Member States of the UN have registered with the UN over 55,000 bilateral treaties, covering almost all aspects of international interaction, including human rights, terrorism, the seas and oceans, disarmament, outer space, the environment, organised crime and money laundering, cultural cooperation, development assistance, border demarcations, etc. In addition, over 555 multilateral treaties, most deposited with the UN Secretary-General, are also registered with the UN. There is even a multilateral treaty on white slavery inherited from the League of Nations. (International Agreement for the Suppression of the White Slave Traffic, signed at Paris on 18 May 1904, amended by the Protocol signed at Lake Success, New York, 4 May 1949). These treaties provide a rich framework of law governing international relations. Today this vast body of international law has been placed on the internet and can be accessed by clicking a few buttons on a computer.

Not all treaties concluded by the Member States of the UN have been registered in accordance with Article 102. It is quite likely that around 40% of treaties concluded by Member States have not been registered which prompted the Treaty Section of the Secretariat to organise a high level event to promote the signature of treaties at the Millennium Summit. Following the success of that event, now an annual Treaty Event is held during the UN General Assembly to encourage participation in and registration of treaties. Not surprisingly, most defense and security related agreements have not been registered with the UN.The widely accepted view is that registration per se does not add to the legal quality of an Agreement while non-registration would preclude a treaty being invoked before a UN tribunal. Sri Lanka has concluded over 900 Treaties. It would be interesting to see if the MCC would be registered with the UN if it were to be concluded.

The is a bilateral US foreign aid agency established by the US Congress in 2004. It is said to be an independent agency, separate from the State Department and USAID. But this statement has been challenged by many. The (Chair), Secretary of the Treasury, US Trade Representative, Administrator of USAID, CEO of the MCC, and four private sector members appointed by the US President with the advice and consent of the US Senate. The current Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation was nominated by President Donald J. Trump on January 8, 2018 and sworn in on June 24, 2019. Against the above background, it is difficult to resist the suggestion that the MCC is yet another arm of the US foreign policy establishment.

Although the MCC’ primary commitment is said to be poverty reduction, many have argued that it is all about “the legal, institutional, infrastructural and financial contexts of poorer countries to better suit US economic and commercial interests.”The MCC is seen as an instrument of the “new imperialism”pursuing “economic hegemony through the extension and ever-deepening penetration of “

The MCC will be funding in Sri Lanka –the transport project focuses on improving traffic management, improving the road network along the Central Ring Road for better connectivity between the Western Province and peripheral provinces, and the modernization of the public bus system.

The land project, which has caused considerable disconcert, focuses on creating a parcel fabric map and inventory of state lands, digitizing the deeds registry, facilitating the ongoing work to move Sri Lanka from a deed registration system to a title registration system, digitizing key valuation information for properties in targeted districts, and establishing land policy councils to support the Government’ work on land policy and legislation.

Sri Lanka’ project proposals for the compact were submitted to the MCC Board in November 2017 and the in April 2019, just a few days after the disastrous Easter Sunday bombings. Curiously the MCC was negotiated in secret. In response to persistent public demands for transparency, a was at last published on the website of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Finance last November 5, just 11 days before presidential elections.

Asok Weerasinghe Ottawa

Your Excellency David McKinnon:
Kindly read my response to your Canada Day message to Sri Lankans

19 July 2020
Your Excellency David McKinnon
High Commissioner for Canada in Sri Lanka
33A, 5th Lane
Colpetty
Colombo 3
Sri Lanka

Dear High Commissioner David McKinnon:Re your Canada Day (July 1)  Message to Sri Lanka

We must stand together and embrace our diversity as strength”.

Canada would continue to support the reconciliation process through their long-standing collaboration on national languages and by assisting with demining work.”

Wow”, what Charity, what Compassion, specially your saying that …Canada would continue to support  the reconciliation process …..through collaboration on national languages and by assisting with demining work.”  

Come again, High Commissioner McKinnon.  I am confused. I am stymied with what you are trying to convey to the Sri Lankan people.

There is one thing that I must stress up on you, which you may have found out by now.  That Sri Lankan’s are very intelligent people with 92.4% of the population being literate, that means they can read and write, and easily figure out which forerign diplomat is trying to hoodwink them with their ‘hokus-pokus’ diplomacy. Like the Swiss Mock-Mock diplomacy lately.

Like the young Tamil airport -Taxi driver who drove me from Royal Gardens at Rajagiriya to the Airport.  He was well dressed – black trousers, white shirt and a red tie with a lot of elegant class. He may have been around 28 to 30 years old. And this was the conversation we had during that short 45 minute trip.

Do you own this taxi?”  No, Sir, I work for a Tourist Company on a

daily wage and a commission on the mileage I do on trips.” His perfect spoken English made me curious. Where are you from and which school did you go to.”

I am a Tamil, Sir, from Grandpass, and studied upto Grade 10 at D.S.Senanayake College.”

How come you left College after Grade 10?”  I had to Sir, because my

father was no good, he drank his earned money away.  Someone had to look after my Mother and younger sister.  So I took over that  responsibility.”  You’re a good son and good brother.  May God bless you.” 

Where do you come from, Sir?”  I am from Canada”, I said. Are there a lot of Tamil people there?” he asked.

Lots of them”, I said.

The Canadian government is run by  bad people who let those Tamils create trouble for us Tamils, by letting those Tamils collect money to buy guns and bombs to fight the war, and create trouble for us.  I am happy here, Sir.  I don’t want to go to Canada. By the way, Sir, I am married from Grandpass. My wife is a Tamil also.”

Ah! There you are High Commissioner McKinnon, I swear that  it is a true story.  The Canadian government is run by bad people who let those Tamils create trouble for us….”  Go figure that one out.”

The words, Collaboration on national languages’ and demining work’, does not equate with the word reconciliation.”  It’s all eye-wash, isn’t it?  It is all tosh, to me.”

When  Canada’s Province of Ontario, does little for the reconciliation of the two communities, the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils, by massaging, and continuing to provide Oxygen to the separatist Tamil community to dissect my Motherland, Sri Lanka, with the  Made in Canada Halloween-Pipe-Dream.

You say you (Canada) are promoting reconciliation” in Sri Lanka, what reconciliation may I ask when the separatist Tamils still have not included  the word S-O-R-R-Y into their lexicon.

I find it immoral and insane for Canada to keep promoting reconciliation”. when it becomes a downright dishonest silly notion when Canada has rejected, ignored nor accepted the classic textbook Human Rights Act that the Sri Lankan soldiers rescued 295,873 Tamil refugees by the end of the Eelam War IV on 19 May 2009, from the clutches of the ruthless Tamil Tiger terrorists and didn’t bump them off, as theTamil Tigers did to the 700 policemen who surrendered  with the promise that they will be  sent south alive and not in plywood boxes.

These Tamil refugees were used  by the Tamil Tiger terrorists as a human shield and marched them under the scorching Killinochchi-Jaffna sun, like a herd of unwashed and hungry cattle for 30 scorching months from the west coast to the east coast.  Why,  why  ….why may I ask you a thousand times Canadian High Commissioner David McKinnon.  Not once has Canada acknowledged this humane spirit of the members of the Armed Forces which is worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize.

In addition to rescuing these 295,873 Tamil refugees, they were housed in temporary camps and prepared a million meals every day to feed them with three hearty Meals – breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

I expected the bleeding Canadian Government hearts would salute

this amazing human rights gesture, by hailing these mainly Sinhalese angelic-volunteers who provided this service.  But Oh No! Canada didn’t.   That showed how deceitful Humbugs, we Canadians are.

And now you tell the Sri Lankans … we are promoting reconciliation

in Sri Lanka.”   What reconciliation High Commissioner, when we Canadians lack the decency to be honest, understand, and acknowledge  the reconciliatory Acts that have been put in place by the Sri Lankan Government already, which Canada refuses to acknowledge. I don’t  think Sri Lanka, my Motherland,  needs Canada’s approval or rubber stamp, their  ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ efforts in reconciliation. Sri Lanka is doing alright and her people are appreciative.

High Commissioner McKinnon, remember how we Canadians reacted when the Province of Quebec tried to split away from the rest of Canada.

It was touch-and-go, and almost all the Anglophone-Canadian politicians were shaking inside their pants, like autumn leaves blown by the October’s strong chilling Quebec winds.  Remember!  Why on earth does Canada  promote separation for the Tamils, cloaked sneakily in the word reconciliation.”

And then some of our Federal and Provincial politicians couldn’t care two dead silvery capelin on the rocky beaches of Logy Bay, in Newfoundland, about the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. Whether the rich tea-garden is  dissected into two.  But I, who left my Birth Land,  (Ceylon) Sri Lanka, 64 years ago still care and romance that  beautiful island of smiling people, and resent the Canadian politicians who want to dissect it and give one-third of the real estate in the north and east bordered by 66% of the coast line to the separatist Tamils, that doesn’t even amount to 10% of the population. The Tamil population has been depleted having flown away from their cuckoo’s nests in search of  lands with gold-paved roads, as they thought that Canada was one of them..  After all, High Commissioner McKinnon, this island is not Canada’s land, this is my land, from Velvettithurai to Dondra Head, and this land is not yours but mine, according to my birth-right. ”

So some of our Canadian politicians support and massage the Tamil separatist cause, I said.

Like Conservative Foreign Minister, John Baird, who  goes to the UN and does his Nepean Jig, lambasting the Sri Lankan Government on alleged human right violations.  Really, High Commissioner McKinnon, see who was talking, a Canadian from a country which is peppered  with Human Rights violations. Shish..what disingenuous Canadian-poppycock!

But even being a Conservative  bleeding heart he couldn’t care less that the Sri Lankan soldiers gave back to the 21 million peoples their most paramount  and precious human right, their right-to-life which  was hijacked by the  Tamil Tigers for 30 bloodying years, until the last of them,  their leader Prabhakaran was shot dead through his forehead on the beach of the Nandikadal lagoon on the east coast.  And that was on 19 May 2009.  

Besides MP John Baird, there were others who wanted to nail Sri Lanka onto a UN crucifix, like NDPs, leader Jack Layton, who compared Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to South Africa’s Nelson Mandela

in front of 10,0000 Tamils at Queen’s Park. What a Do-do!

I was told that at that moment, the earth over Mandela’s buried body at his family ancestral home’s plot at Qunu, shook a little.  Very likely an angry Mandela telling off Jack Layton asking him not to insult him, like a blithering idiot, comparing him to Prabhakaran, the Tamil Tiger terrorist serial killer, just so as to bribe the 10,000 Tamils present to vote NDP, the next time.

High Commissioner McKinnon, then there was Liberal Immigration Minister Judy Sgro who got on her high-horse during post-Tsunami days, pressured by her Tamil constituents to bring their kith and kin who were supposed to have been affected by the Tsunami, to Canada as Refugees..

So this Minister tells parliament to expedite the Visas for such applicants that Canada will open a Consular Office in Jaffna and that she doesn’t need permission from the Sri Lanka Government to establish such an office.

Sweet Mother of Jesus!, High Commissioner McKinnon, that was the height of Canadian arrogance which I abhor.

I wrote to her asking her to cut out her arrogance, and not embarrass herself, nor her Liberal Party and Canada, to go back to school and audit Course 100 on Diplomacy and Protocols, as I assured her that the Sri Lankan Government will not tolerate that diplomatic crass-rubbish and will ask her to pull up the stakes of her Consular office, bundle them up in an Atlantic fishing net and vamoose on the next flight to where she came from. All that to buy the Tamil votes for her and her Liberal Party.

What insolence, what Madras curry flavoured dhal wade garlands hanging from the storefronts of Tamil Curry Huts in the Greater Toronto  Area, ready to be bought to garland Minister Judy Sgro as a ‘Thank You’ for her efforts to bring their Tsunami affected people from Sri Lanka.

And you Sir, told the Sri Lankans on Canada Day, that ‘Canada was promoting reconciliation.”  What ‘reconciliation’, may I ask.  That is unfortunate with such an arrogant backdrop of the Canadian Liberal Government that looked the other way for 13 long years when the Tamil Diaspora collected two million dollars a month to stuff the Tamil Tiger War Chest, to buy guns, bombs and bullets to kill my innocent Sinhalese, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and their infant-grandchildren who were plucked from milk-feeding breasts and bashed their little skulls against hard charnockite rocks and celebrated when the ketchup blood oozed out of those little skulls.

 And you talk of ‘reconciliation’.  Tell me High Commissioner McKinnon,  is Canada making an effort to teach these separatist-Tamils the words I AM SORRY!”  That will be a start for Canada’s dream-catcher reconciliation” between  Sinhalese and the Tamil communities. High Commissioner, you may have realized  by now that ‘reconciliation’  is a difficult proposition as only the Sinhalese community at large who might consider a ‘Reconciliation’, while that Tamil separatist community wouldn’t want anything of that other than their mono-ethnic,  racist Tamil state, Eelam.

High Commissioner McKinnon, I started this letter by acknowledging – Wow, what Charity, what Compassion, specially your saying that ‘…Canada would continue to support the reconciliation process…”

The more I think about the past, and how Canada has dealt with the separatist Tamil issue, I question Canada’s sincerity, and have difficulty to give Canada the benefit of my doubts, when Canada keeps supporting the Tamil Tiger separatist cause and almost all politicians of the three major political parties telling the Tamil community…”Here this is what I did for you all today, now give me your vote.” 

It is really hard for me to believe in Canada’s sincerity, after a realty check, like  how two senior Ministers of Jean Chretian’s Liberal Government, Paul Martin (Minister of Finance) and Maria Minna (Minister for CIDA) and nine backbenchers, on May 6, 2000, patronized a $60-a-plate fund raising dinner in Toronto, organized by FACT to collect funds for the Tamil Tigers terrorists (LTTE) to purchase war weapons to fill their armoury to fight the Sri Lanka Government for the want of their separatist, racist, mono-ethnic Tamil State Eelam,  thus undermining the global fight against terrorism.

You know what, High Commissioner McKinnon, while Ministers Martin and Minna and their nine backbenches were licking their fingers off the

Tamil Tiger Tikka Masala beef curry in Toronto,  the Tamil Tigers were mounting a major offensive called Unceasing Waves III that aimed to drive Sri Lankan Government forces out of Sri Lanka’s Northern  Jaffna Peninsula.  The conclusion that one can arrive at is that the Liberal Government of Canada, aided and abetted the Eelam War to dissect the island Sri Lanka into two.  No, ifs and buts.

Canada is guilty of this warmongering to destroy a Commonwealth sister  nation by letting the Tamil Diaspora fund one-third of the Tamil Tiger War Budget. Nasty, isn’t it?   And you, High Commissioner, McKinnon talk of

Reconciliation.”  It is a mockery of the first order of civility. And I ask you a simple question – What re-con-silly-a-shun” are you talking of?

And when Prime Minister Stephen Harper boycotted the Commonwealth Conference in Colombo in November 2013, he sent his emissary Minister Deepk Obhrai to represent Canada.  So what did he do  High Commissioner?  He acted like a Canadian High School Bully, giving the impression that he was a hired hit-man by the Tamil Diaspora to insult his host the Sri  Lanka Government who welcomed him with an excellent cup of the best Ceylon Orange-pekoe tea., not in a mug from Dollarama, but in an exquisite cup from a vintage silver tea-set fit for Royalty.

Your Excellency, you talk of reconciliation” between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities’ and our Canadian Parliamentarian Conservative Obhrai blew that for you, when he showed his hidden thuggish persona and got muddied in the salt-sands of Elephant Pass, as well as losing his shawl of Tanzanian dignity that dropped from his shoulders.

I know that you know this story how Canada insulted the host Sri Lanka

at the Commonwealth Summit,  but let me nudge your memory.

Minister Obhrai was taken to Jaffna on a well orchestrated trip, no doubt organized by your Canadian Mission in Colombo.  He was flown into Jaffna, and then took the road for an 8-hour journey to Colombo.  The reason, he said,  was because the Sri Lanka Government had deprived him of a flight back.

This was absolute false, and he was pretty well caught with his pants down as a liar, when Chief Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama, was  reported to have said, The SLAF Chief declined to say what may have motivated Minister Obhrai to alleged closure of the Jaffna airport.”

Everytime Minister Obhrai  opened his mouth todefend why he took the road, his disingenuous story kept snowballing like, Here we go gathering coconuts in November….coconuts in November…, coconut in November….”

Minister Obhrai was not telling the truth, which bombed your proposal of reconciliation”.  Returning to Colombo, by road,  he had to pass Elephant Pass, with a wreath hidden away in the vehicle, with a sign In memory of all innocent Sri Lanka victims of violence”. The vehicle stopped at Elephant Pass for a quick exit by Minister Obhrai,  to lay the wreath on the ground at Elephant Pass, where three historical battles were fought by Tamil Tigers killing 100s of Sri Lankan soldiers.  And Minister Obhrai said the wreath was laid at a neutral ground.’  That was codswallop.  He was cunning to the core of his Tanzanian bones and he was on a mission as a hit-man to satisfy the Tamil Diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area, salivating at their ballot  cards.  And with him was a photographer to record this despicable Act, which was done against the protest of a  Sri Lankan Government official.  What an act of Canadian arrogance…what thuggery…what stupidity!  And that act angered many Sri Lankans, and the majority of the Sinhalese-Canadians, and I, a card carrying Conservative tore my Conservative Party membership card and flushed it down the toilet..

And he returns to Ottawa and briefs Tamils in Toronto what he did for them hoping that they will vote Liberal again at the next federal elections.

With such provocation by a Conservative Government parliamentarian, you are so foolish, High Commissioner McKinnon, to try your hand on reconciliation” or is it re-con-silly-a-shun,”  as it doesn’t have a

Hudson Bay snowball’s chance in Hell to succeed.  I will wager my last $ on that prediction of mine.

High Commissioner McKinnon, the time has arrived for Canada to be honest with herself as we cannot pull wool over the eyes of Sri Lankans anymore.  As they are fed-up with the Hocus-pocus foreign Mock-Mock diplomacy  They are a smart lot, 94% of the population are literate, and they can read, write and can comprehend what is being told by foreign diplomats and decipher whether its a load of Humbug or strings of baloney hanging from a Byward market Deli.  

Stop fooling the Sri Lankans and giving them false hopes as you did with your Canada Day Message.  They know which foreign country  let the Tamil Diaspora collect two million dollars a month for 13 years to stuff the Tamil Tiger war chest, to buy sophisticated war killing weapons to kill their people;

 They know which country let a Tamil cut a cheque from his bank account in that country to pay for the purchase of 50 tonnes of TNT and 10 tonnes of RDX from the Rubezon Chemical Factory in the Ukraine which were used in the Truck bomb to bring down the Central Bank building, in Colombo on 30 January 1996,  killing 114 people and maiming for life 1,338 others;

They know which Head of a State that boycotted the Commonwealth Heads Summit that was held in Colombo, as a protest for alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka;

And they know which country Parliament charged Sri Lanka of Genocide” during the Emergency debate on February 4, 2009. They know the MP who lead the charge of Genocide”.  When standing in the Chamber and reading the charge, he recited it like a punch drunk Greek sailor singing the Tamil Tiger Blues” off-key.  And of course the Sri Lankans know the other parliamentarians  who joined him were like  nughty choir boys, who  had been drunk too singing off-key the ‘Tamil Tiger Blues.

High Commissioner David McKinnon, since the world is changing quite rapidly and the citizens Globally are seeking lawmakers to be honest to govern the world with geo-political honesty,  to make the world go around with decency, honesty, respect and peacefully.  With that in mind, it makes sense for Canada to be more judicious when coming to conscious decisions and conclusions about Sri Lanka, and not to be trashed, rude, be spat at or be crucified by sister Commonwealth nations and others, having sold their souls to accommodate the separatists Tamil Tiger humbug Fairy Tales,

 I say to Canada, just BACK OFF and  stop poking your fingers in Sri Lanka internal affairs, and her kiri-pani-pie.

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr.)

FB Chriss Gw

https://www.facebook.com/chriss.gw.9/videos/129963858625011/

චන්ද්‍රසිරි විජයවික්‍රම, LL.B., Ph.D.

හැඳින්‌වීම

උඩරට සිංහල, පහතරට සිංහල, මලබාර් (දෙමළ), මුස්ලිම් යනුවෙන් සුද්දන් විසින් ජන ව‌ර්‌ග කොටස් සිටි රටක, ඉදිරිපෙල නායකයින් වුයේ කල්තියාම ඉංග්‍රීසි අධ්‍යාපනය ලැබූ හා බෙදා පාලන රීතියෙන් පල නෙලාගත් දමිළයින් පිරිසය. පොන්නම්බලම් දෙබෑයෝ එහි මුදුන් පෙත්තේම සිටියේය. එහෙත්, චන්ද බලය ව්‍යාප්තවීම ඇරඹීමත් සමඟ මේ නායකකම වැඩිකල් තබාගත නොහැකි බව ඔවුන්ට වැටහුනේය. මේ නිසා 1923-24 කාලයේ, අරුණාචලම් පොන්නම්බලම් හා සිංහල ක්‍රිස්තියානි නායකයින් අතර ඇතිවූ විරසකයෙන් පසු, දෙමළකම (ටැමිලක්කම්) නමැති දෙමළ ජාතිවාදී ව්‍යාපාරය මතුවිය. මෙය නොයෙක් කරණම් ගසා, 2009 මැයි 19 දා ප්‍රභාකරණන්ගේ මිණිය සොයාගැනීමත් සමඟ යුදමය වශයෙන් අවසාන විය.

1976 වඩුකෝඩ්ඩේ යුද ප්‍රකාශයට පෙර හා පසුවද, දෙමළ පැත්තෙන් මේ ව්‍යාපාරය පීල්ල උඩ යන කෝච්චියක් මෙන් හෙමින් හෙමින් නොනැවතී එකම ඉලක්කයක් කරා ඉදිරියටම ගියේය. සිංහල දේශපාලකයින්ගේ පැත්තෙන් මීට දැක්‌වූ ප්‍රතිචාරය, කුල භේදයටද යටවූ, ආත්මාර්‍ථකාමී, වැනෙන සුළු, දියාරු, වංක, අබෞද්‌ධ ගමණක් විය. උදාහරණයක් වශයෙන්, සිංහල රාජ්‍ය භාෂාව කිරීම යුක්ති සහගත වූ අතර, එහිදී සිංහල නොදන්නා දෙමළ ජනයාට, ආණ්ඩුව හා ගණුදෙණු කිරීම සඳහා, සිංහල ඉගෙන ගැනීමට සාධාරණ කාලයක් හා අවස්ථා ලබා නොදීම අබෞද්‌ධ, මුග්‌ධ ක්‍රියාවක් විය. අගමැති බණ්ඩාරනායක, ජේ. ආර් හා ඩඩ්ලි යන තුන්‌දෙනා ඊට වගකිව යුතු විය. මෙහිදී මතක් කරගත යුතු කරුණක් නම්, ක්‍රිස්තියානි චෙල්වනාගම්ලා මෙන්ම, මේ තුන් දෙනාද හැදුනේ, වැඩුනේ, ක්‍රිස්තියානි මවගේ/පියාගේ අභාශය යටතේ බවය. මොවුන් ධම්මපදය, මධ්‍යම ප්‍රතිපදාව හෝ පන්සිය පනස් ජාතක පොත ගැන හෝ අනාගාරික ධ‌ර්‌මපාලතුමා කිව්වේ කුමක්දැයි වත් නිසිලෙස දැන සිටියා නම්, සර් ජෝන්, ඔලිවර් ගුණතිලක හෝ සමතැන් එන්. එම්. පෙරේරලාට වඩා වෙනස් නායකයින් වන්නට ඉඩ තිබුණේය.

ලෝකයම තුෂ්ණිම්භූත කරමින් ලබාගත්, 2009 මැයි ජයග්‍රහණයෙන් පසුවත්, දැන් 2020 දීත්, සිංහල දේශපාලකයින් බොහෝදෙනා ගායනා කරන්නේ පරණ බයිලාමය. වැල්ලවත්තේ පදිංචිව සිටිමින්, එම්. කේ. ශිවාජිලිංගම්ට ඉහත දැක්‌වෙන බම්බු කතාව (ට්‍ර‌ැත් විත් චමුදිත, ජූලි 14) කිසි චකිතයක් නැතිව ප්‍රසිද්‌ධියේ කිව හැකි වන්නේ සිංහල දේශපාලකයින්ගේ නිවට ස්‌වභාවය ඔහු තේරුම්ගෙන ඇති නිසා නොවේද? දැන්වත්, ධර්‌මපාල දර්‍ශණය ගැඹුරින් සළකා නොබලන්නේ මන්ද යන්නට පිළිතුර පක්‍ෂ දේශපාලකයාගේ හුදු ආත්මාර්‌ථකාමී බව යන්නය. මේ නිසා දැනට සිංහලයාට ඇති එකම බලාපොරොත්තුව ජනාධිපති ගෝඨාභය අළුත් පාරක ගමන් කරාවිය යන්නය. උතුරේ, ශිවාජිලිංගම්-සුමන්තිරන්-විග්නේශ්වරන් විරෝධී බලවේගයක් හා ඊට සමාන්තරව, සිංහල බෞද්‌ධ-දෙමළ හින්දු සහයෝගීතාවයක් ගොඩ නැඟෙමින් පැවතීම ශුභදායී උපනතියක් වන අතර, වතුකරයේද මෙය සිදුවෙමින් පවතී.

ලංකාව ඒකීය රාජ්‍යයක් නොවේ

මේ ඒකීය කතාව ශිවාජිලිංගම්ගේ බම්බුවෙන් එහාට ගිය එකකි. සිංහලයා රවටන දේශපාලකයින් නොදන්නා හෝ උවමනාවෙන්ම සඟවන සත්‍යය නම් 13 සංශොධනයට පසු ලංකාව තවදුරටත් ඒකීය රටක් නොවේය යන්නය. සුප්‍රිම් උසාවියෙන් දුන් තීරණය නිතියකින් මිස අවලංගු කල නොහැකිය. මේ නිසා දැන් 2020 දී වත් බෞද්‌ධ ජනාධිපති වරයෙක් වන ගෝඨාභය විසින් කලයුතු හේතු-ඵල න්‍යාය අනුව, රෝගය හා රෝග නිධානය හඳුනාගෙන. ලංකාව, සිංහල-දෙමළ-මුස්ලිම් දේශපාලකයින්ගේ නොව, මහජනයාගේ ඒකීය රජ්‍යයක් කිරීමය. මෙහිලා මෙතෙක් වෙන ජනාධිපතිවරුන්ට නොතිබූ ඔහුට ඇති අධ්‍යාත්මික ශක්තිය වන්නේ, ඔහු සිය තනතුරේ දිවුරුම් දුන් ආකාරය හා ඒ අවස්ථාවේදී කල ඓතිහාසික කතාවය. එවැන්නක් කල හැක්කේ අවංකව, බෞද්‌ධයෙකු ලෙස අභියෝගවලට මුහුණ දුන් හා මුහුණ දීමට ආත්මශක්තියක් ඇති පංචස්කන්‌ධයකට පමණය. විද්‍යාත්‌මක ලෙස හා රීසනබල් ලෙස සිතන අයෙකුටය. බුද්‌ධ ධර්‌මය මේ දෙකටම අනුකූලය.

හිඟන්නාගේ තුවාල

දෙමළ-සිංහල පක්‍ෂ දේශපාලක කළුසුද්දන් අතර ඇති මේ ඊනියා දෙමළ ප්‍රශ්ණය, හිඟන්නාගේ තුවාලය වැනි යයි කියා ඇඟ බේරාගන්නට තවදුරටත් ඉඩක් නැත. ඊට හේතුව, 2012 මැයි මාසයේ බිහිවූ බොදු බල සේනාව විසින්, සිංහලයාව, විශේෂයෙන් සිංහල බෞද්‌ධයාව, හිත හොඳ ගෑණුන් ලෙස සැලකූ සමය අවසාන කලයුතු බව, නිද්‍රාශීලීව සිටි ජනතාවට පෙන්‌වා දීමය. බෞද්‌ධ ප්‍රභොධයක් ඇතිකර අකාලයේ වියෝවූ ගංගොඩවිල සෝම හිඳුන්ට මෙම සැලකිල්ල පෙන්‌වා දීම අපහසු වූයේ බණ මඩුවකදී එය කිව නොහැකිවූ නිසා විය යුතුය.

අලි මදිවාට හරක් නොහොත් ශාරියා භීතිකාව

ලංකාවේ ජනයා දිගටම දරිද්‍රතා මට්ටමේ තබා ගැනීමේ පක්‍ෂ දේශපාලකයින්ගේ උපක්‍රමයත්, ගම-නගර-නිවස මට්ටමෙන්ම මිනිසුන් පක්‍ෂ පාට අනුව බෙදා තබා ගැනීමත්, සමාජය පුරා පවතින විෂම චක්‍රය හෙවත් දේශපාලකයා-නිලධාරියා-එන්.ජී.ඕ.කාරයා යන කල්ලි තුනෙන් සමන්‌විත <දුෂ්ට ත්‍රිකෝණයත්> අන්කිසිවක් නොව, තවත් හිඟන්නාගේ තුවාලමය. භාෂාව නිසා වෙන්කරගත් වෙනම භූමි ප්‍රදේශයක් යන දෙමළ ඊළම් අර්බුදයට වෙනස්‌ව, 1920 ගණන් වල සිටම හැමෝගේම ඇස්‌වලට වැලිගසා පැල කර දළුලා, ලියලී, ලෝක ඉස්ලාම් ශාරියා-වහාබි-ඉහ්වාන් ආක්‍රමණය සමඟ, මේ වන විට ලංකාවට ඇති භූගෝල විද්‍යාත්‌මක තර්‍ජනයක් නම් හතු පිපෙන්නාක් මෙන් දිවයින පුරා විසිරී ඇති අන් එකදු පවුලකින් වත කිලිටි නොවුණ, ශුද්‌ධ මුස්ලිම් ගම්මාන රටාවය. බණ්ඩාරගම, අටළුගම එක් උදාහරණයක් පමණය. ගමේ පල්ලි වලද අමතර කඩු, කිනිසි ගබඩා කාමර ඇත! මේ සියල්ල මැති ඇමතිලාගේ රාජ්‍ය අනුග්‍රහය යටතේ වීමද ලෝකයේම විශේෂ කරුණකි.

මතවාදී මඳුරුවන් හා වතුර වලවල්

තේ හැන්ඳක් තරම් වතුරේ වුවත් ඩෙංගු බිත්තර රැකෙනවා මෙන්, ඊළම් හා ශාරීයා වාද ජයගත හැක්කේ ඒ මඳුරු වලවල් මතවාදයෙන් කඩා බිඳ හිස් කිරීමෙන් පමණය. කුරිරු ත්‍රස්තවාදයක් යුද්‌ධයෙන් ජයගත්තත්, අදටත් ශිවාජිලිංගම්ලා කොළඹ පදිංචිවී සිට ගෙනම වහසිබස් දොඩන්නේ එය නොකෙරෙන නිසාය. පලාත් සභා නමැති මර උඟුල වෙනුවට, ඊට යටකරණ රටේ සීමිත සම්පත් සිංහල-දෙමළ ඉගැන්‌වීමට, ජන සභා (ජන මූල සභා) හරහා දේශපාලකයාගේ මැදිහත්‌වීමෙන් තොරව සම්පත් ගම සංවර්‌ධනයට කෙළින්ම යොදාගැනීම ඇස් පියාගෙන වුවත් කල හැකි දේ වුවත්, එය සිදු නොවන්නේ කුමක් නිසාද? ගෝඨාභය පාලනයක් යටතේ මෙය වෙනස්වේවිද?

බේත් පෙති ඇඟිලි තුඩු වලින් අල්ලා ගැනීම

රටේ සිදුවිය යුතු, කලයුතු දේ අනන්ත අප්‍රමාණය. අබලන්‌වූ ඒ දණ්ඩෙන් ඇල දොල හරහා ලෙඩ්ඩු ගෙනයන ගම් වල සිට වැසිකිලියක්, වතුර බොන්නට ලිඳක් නැති පාසැල් වලින් පටන් ගෙන ඩිස්පැන්සරියේ බේත් පෙති ග්ලවුස් නැතිව දාඩිය ඇඟිලි වලින් අල්ලන, පාරේ කාරා කෙළගසන මිනිසුන් ද‌ක්වා මේ රට අශීලාචාර කලේ කවුද? ඉතියෝපියාවේ පවා බේත් පෙති ගණන් කර කුප්පියට දාන්නේ ලී හෝ ලෝහ පතුරකිනි. උදාහරණයක් වශයෙන් මේ ඩිස්පෙන්සරි බේත් පෙති ඇල්ලීමේ කතාව එක දොස්තර සංගමයකින් වත් පෙන්‌වා දී තිබේද? නීතිඥයින් අසරණ මිනිසුන් ගසාගෙන කෑම හෝ ගුරුවරු ලමයින්ට තම ටියුෂන් පන්තියට එන්නට බල කිරීම මෙවැනි දේ පොලොවේ ඇති තණකොළ මෙන් මිනිසුන් එදිනෙදා මුහුණ පාන දේය.

එහෙත් ඒ ගැන ඔවුන්ගේ කිසි උනන්‌දුවක් නැත්තේ ඒ තරමටම ඔවුන් භෞතික, මානසික හා අධ්‍යාත්මික වශයෙන් පිරිහී ඇති නිසාය. අන් කෙනෙකුට අසාධාරණයක් සිදුවෙනු දකිණ විට තබා (ගුඩ් සමාරිටන්) තමන්ගේ අයිතිය ගැනවත් ඔවුන් උදාසීනය. වැටත් නියරත් ගොයම් කා ඇති තරම ගැන දැනට එලිවන්නේ, නාකොටික් පොලිස්, බන්‌ධනාගාර, වනාරක්‍ෂක නිලධාරීන්ගේ හොරවැඩ වලින් ය. තව මොන තරමේ නැස්පත්ති සිදුවෙමින් පවතිනවා ඇද්ද? සංස්කෘතික ඇමති ජයවික්‍රම පෙරේරා විසින් බදුදුන් කුරුණෑගල භුවනෙකභාහු රාජමණ්ඩප යේ අරක්කුබාර් තබාගෙන යාම ඉදිරියේ ඇස්වසාගෙන සිටි පුරාවිද්‍යා නිලධාරීන් හා සජිත් විසින් සංස්කෘතික අරමුදලට විදීම මේ පරිහාණියේ තවත් පැත්තක් පමණය.
ඌරාගේ මාළු ඌරා පිටම කැපීම

1971, 1988 ජේවීපී ක්‍රියා හා 2019 නාගානන්ද කොඩිතුවක්කුගේ යෝජනාව, පවතින ක්‍රමය විප්ලවයකින් වෙනස් කිරීමේ අදහසය. ඊට පෙර, 1956-59 දී අසාර්‌ථක වූයේ පවතින ක්‍රමයක් කොනිත්තා වෙනස් කිරීමේ අසංවිධානාත්මක උත්සාහයය. ගෝඨාභය ජනාධිපති වීම හා ඉන්පසු දැන් සිදුවන්නේ පවතින ක්‍රමය ඒ තුලින්ම කණපිට පෙරලීමේ දෛනික අරගලයය. මෙහිදී මතුවන දුෂ්කර, භාධා, කකුලෙන් ඇදීම් එමටය. පරණ මන්ත්‍රී සෙට් එකටම ආයිත් නොමිනේෂන් දීලා නේද යන්න චන්දයෙන් බලය ලබාගැනීම පිණිස කලයුතුවූ රැවුලත්, කැඳත් දෙකම රැක ගැණීමකි. කෛයිරාටික උගතුන් නොව, ජාති මාමක උගතුන් පිරිසක් හරහා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට අළුත් වයින් ඇති අළුත් බෝතල් යැවීමය. මේ මඟින් ඌරු මාළු කැපීමය. එහි ආරම්භය වූයේ දේශපාලකයෙක් වෙනුවට නිලධාරියෙක් ජනාධිපති ලෙස තෝරා ගැනීමය. පරණ මන්ත්‍රීලා හෝ සිරිසේන මහතා හෝ තරහ කරගෙන එය අපහසු වන්නේය

පක්‍ෂ වලින් එහා ගිය ව්‍යවස්ථා යෝජනා

යහපාලන කාලයේදී සිදුවූ දේවල් ගැන සිතන විට, වෙන රටක නම් සිදුවන්නේ මිලිටරි එක බලය අල්ලා ගැනීමය. මේ වාරයේදී සිදුවූ විශේෂ දෙයක් නම් ඩොලර් එන්.ජී.ඕ. නඩවල නාඩගම්වලට වෙනස් ආකාරයට, හාමුදුරුවරු මැදිහත්‌ව අළුත් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම යෝජනා සම්මත කර රට ඉදිරියේ තැබීමය. ගෝඨාභය ජනාධිපතිවූ පසුද එය සිදුවිය. යුතුකම සංවාද කවයද මෙවැනි යෝජනා මාලාවක් නොබෝදා ඉදිරිපත් කලේය. මේ හැම සිංහල ජාතිකවාදී යෝජනාවලටම පොදු කරුණක් වූයේ බිම් මට්ටමින් ජනතාව බලවත් කිරීමත් හා ශක්තිමත් මධ්‍යම ආණ්ඩුවක් තිබීමත්‌ය. මෙම කාරණා දෙකේදීම, මේවා ක්‍රියාත්මක වන්නේ භූමිය මත, පොලෝ තලය උඩ නොවේද යන්න අමතකවූවා සේය. භූගෝල විද්‍යාව ඉගෙනගත් උපාධිධාරින් එක් අයෙක් වත්, වියත් මඟේවත් සිටියේ නැද්ද? විශ්ව විද්‍යාලවල ඉන්නා දුසිම් ගණන් භූගෝල විද්‍යා ආචාරීන්ට වත් දේශ-පාලනයේ භූගෝල විද්‍යාව අමතක වූවිට ඔවුන්ගෙන් බිහිවන ගෝලයින් ගැන කවර කතාද?

විශාල කෘතිම නිජ භූමිය හා පුංචි පුංචි ශාරියා බලකොටු

චෙල්වනායගම්ගේ ව්‍යාජ-කෘතිම නිජ භූමිය, භූගෝල විද්‍යාවට පටහැනිවූ දෙයක් වූ අතර, දැන් ශාරියාවාදයට තෝතැන්නක් වෙමින් පවතින මුස්ලිම් ජනාවාස (ගම්) සෑම විටම වාගේ බිහිවී තිබෙන්නේ ස්වාභාවික ජනාවාස බිහිවීමේ විධිය වන ගඟක්, ඇලක්, කලපුවක්, තෙත්බිමක් හෝ අඩුතරමින් වගුරු බිමකට හෝ පුරන්‌වූ වෙළ් යායකට හෝ යාබදවය.කාන්තාර කර්‌කෂ සම්භවයක් ඇති ඔවුන්ට මේවා ස්වාභාවික ක්‍ෂේම භූමි විය. මෑතක සිට මෙය වෙනස් වෙමින් යන්නේ අරාබි තෙල් ඩොලර් හරහා අළුත් කෘතිම අරමුණකින් පාරවල් දෙපස ඉඩම් මිලට ගැනීමේ ශාරියා ව්‍යාපාරය නිසාය. එහිදී වුවත් යම් මානව භූගෝල විද්‍යාත්‌මක සාධක (ඊසි ඇක්සස්, බිස්නස් ඔපර්චුනිටි වැනි) ක්‍රියාත්‌මක වන්නේය. මහ පාරවල දෙපැත්ත අල්ලා ගත හොත් යම් දවසක කඩු කිනිසි බලයෙන් වුවත්, සිංහලයා පාරෙන් පිටිපස ගම් වල කොටුකර තැබිය හැකිය!

කැලෑව වෙනුවට ගස් දැකීම

දැන් අළුතෙන්ම සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාසගේ අළුත්ම පොරොන්‌දුව නම් ඔහු අගමැතිවූ වහාම රටපුරා ග්‍රාම හා නගර රාජ්‍ය පිහිටුවන බවය. මේ කතාව දේශපාලකයින්ගේ පරණ කතාවක් බවවත් ඔහු නොදණී! ඔහුගේ පියාගේ කටු නොකැරකෙණ ඔරලෝසු කණු වලින් නිමවූ ගම් උදාව එක් උදාහරණයකි. මේ ගම හම ගැහීමේ ව්‍යාපාරය යහපාලන සුමන්තිරන්-ජයම්පති ව්‍යවස්ථාවේද තුන්වන පාලන මට්ටම ලෙස සඳහන් විය. ජාති මාමක නව යෝජනාවලදි හා ගෝඨාභය ප්‍රකාශණයේදීද ඇඟවුණේ පලාත් සභා නම් බොරුව වෙනුවට ජන මූල සභා ක්‍රියාවට එනවා යන්නය. මෙම රචනාවේ අරමුණ නම් මේ ජන මූල සභා සංකල්පයෙන් මීට වඩා බොහෝ දේ ඉෂ්ට කරගත හැකි බව පෙන්වා දීමය. නැතහොත්, නොයෙක් ගස් දිහා බලමින් ගොස් කැලෑව අමතක නොකල යුතුය යන්න පැහැදිලි කිරීමය. හැමෝටම පෙනී-පෙනී නොපෙනන දේශපාලන භූගෝල විද්‍යා (political geography) රහසක් එලිකිරීමය.

ජන මූල සභාවල භූමි ප්‍රදේශය කුමක්ද?

රටේ භූමිය, පරිපාලන ඒකක කෙතරම් සංඛ්‍යාවකට බෙදා තිබේද? මේවායේ සීමා මායිම් භාෂාව, ආගම, කුලය යන නිර්‌ණායක වෙනුවට ඒවා නොසළකන, ස්වාභාවික මායිම් විය නොහැකිද? අපේ රටේ පැවතියේ ගම-වැව-දාගැබ යන සෑම විටම ජල මූලාශ්‍රයක් මත පදනම්‌වූ පරිසර විද්‍යාත්මක, සමාජ-ආර්ථික ත්‍රිත්‌වයක් නොවේද? පණ්ඩුකාභය රජතුමා මුළු දිවයිනේම ගම් සීමා මායිම් කොට එක්සේසත් කලා යන්නෙන් අදහස් වන්නේ මේ සංකල්පයේ ආරම්භයද? දැනට ලංකාවේ ගම් 40,000 ක් පමණ තිබේ යයි සැළකේ. ප්‍රේමදාස ජනාධිපති විසින් 4,000 සිට 14,000 දක්‌වා වැඩිකල ග්‍රාම සේවා නිලධාරීන් වසම් 14,022 ක් දැනට ලකාවේ ඇත. මේවා රටේ ඇති කුඩාම සිවිල් පරිපාලන ඒකකය. මීට කිට්ටු තවත් සිවිල් ඒකකයක් නම් රටේ චන්ද මධ්‍යස්ථානය (පෝලින් ස්ටේෂන්ස්). 2019 ජනාධිපතිවරණයේදී දිස්ත්‍රික් 22 ක තුල මේවා 12,845 විය. මේවා නම් චන්ද කාලයේ අවශ්‍යතා අනුව අවස්ථානුකූලව අඩු වැඩි කල හැකිවන්නේය.

මෙම ග්‍රාම සේවා වසම් වල සීමා මායිම්, පරිසර විද්‍යා-ජලජ විද්‍යා (ඉකොලොජි-හයිඩ්‍රොලොජි) සාධක අනුව නැවත ලකුණු කල නොහැකිද? සෑම දෙනාගේම ඇස් අන්‌ධව ගොස් ඇත්තේ මේ දේශපාලන භූගෝල විද්‍යා රහස පිළිඹඳවය. රටේ සාමය හා මනා පාලනය සඳහා එති ඇති වැදගත්කම පසුගිය අවුරුදු 72 ක තුලම වැටහී ඇත්තේ අතලොස්සක් පමණක් දෙනාටය. එයද අප දන්නේ ඉඳහිට ඉංග්‍රීසි පත්තරයක පලවන ලිපියක් මඟින් ය. අළුතෙන් හිතනවා, අළුත් පිරිසක් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට යවනවා යන කියමනේ සැබෑ තේරුම මෙවැනි දේ අනුව අළුත් ගමණක් යෑම නොවේද? මෙසේ මෙම ග්‍රාම සේවා නිලධාරී වසම් ස්වාභාවික (නැචුරල්) මායිම් සහිත වනසේ නැවත බෙදුවොත්, එහි සංඛ්‍යාව 14,022 ට වඩා බෙහෙවින් අඩුවනවා නිසැකය. දැනට මෙම පහලම රාජ්‍ය සිවිල් පාලන ඒකකයක් තුල ස්ථිර, පූර්‌වකාලීන සේවකයින් 6 දෙනෙක් සිටී. මේ අනුව රටේ එම සංඛ්‍යාව 84,000 කට වැඩිය.

බේස් ලයින් පාර

බේස් ලයින් පාර කියන්නේ මුළු රටම මැණ බලා සිතියම් ගත කිරීම සඳහා යෙදූ මුල් ත්‍රිකෝණයේ බේස් එක වශයෙන් සුද්දා විසින් ලංකා පොලොවේ ගැසූ ඉරටය. ඕනෑම රටක් අල්ලා ගන්නා ඕනෑම බලයක් විසින් මුලින්ම කරන්නේ ඒ රට් භූමිය, සම්පත් දැනගැනීම පිණිස සිතියම් සැදීමය. මිනින්දෝරු දෙපාර්‌තමේන්තුව යටත් විජිතයේ පරණම ආයතනයන වූයේ ඒ නිසාය. රතු ඉන්දියන්වරුන්ගෙන් ඇමෙරිකාව අල්ලාගත් විට එහි සුද්දන් කලේද එවැන්නකි. මීට ලෝකයේම පවතින හේතුව නම් කාර්යක්‍ෂම ලෙස රටක් සූරාකෑම හෝ ප්‍රයෝජනයට ගැනීමේ මුල් පියවර එය නිසාය. එහෙත් 1948 නිදහසෙන් පසු ලංකාවේ කළු සුද්දන්ට, රටෙන් ප්‍රයෝජන ගැනීමට, සුද්දා පිළියෙල කල සිතියම් වත් යොදාගැනීමට, දැණුමක්, දැකුමක් හෝ ඕනෑකමක් නොවීය. සුද්දා එකතුකර දී ගිය විදේශ විනිමය ටික මුලින්ම කා දමා, අතගැසූ හැමදේම මිස්මැනේජ්මන්ට් කිරීම හරහා අදවන විට මුළු රටම කොට උඩ යවා ඇත.

භූගෝල විද්‍යාවට පටහැනි වන නීති පැණවිය නොහැක.

යම් රටක පාලක පිරිස් ඒ රටේ භූගෝල විද්‍යාවට එරෙහිව ක්‍රියා කලොත් ඉක්මණින්ම හෝ ප්‍රමාදව එහි අනිසි විපාක භුක්ති විඳිනවාමය. කඳු නායයාම, ගංවතුර, නියං යනු සරල නිදසුන්‌ය. කොරෝනා යනු ස්වභාව ධ‌ර්‍මයට හා බෞද්‌ධ දර්‌ශණයට පටහැනිව යාමේ කොසොල් රජතුමාගේ සීන දාසැය සැබෑ වීමකි! මෙම විෂය සම්බන්‌ධයෙන් මීට පෙර ලියූ ලිපි විශාල සංඛ්‍යාවක් ලංකාවෙබ් වෙබ් අඩවියේ සුරක්‍ෂිත කර ඇත. ඒ නිසා මෙහිදී කෙටියෙන් සළකා බලන්නේ ලංකාවේ ග්‍රාම සේවා වසම්, ස්වාභාවික මායිම් සහිත වනසේ නැවත බෙදීමෙන් රටේ ප්‍රශ්ණ විසඳීමට උපකාර වන්නේ කෙසේද යන කරුණය.

1. මෙම සීමා නිර්‌ණය කිරිම කරන්නේ භෞතික හා ජල විද්‍යා සාධක අනුව නිසා එය රටේ පරිසර කළමනාකරණයට අනුකූල වේ. සෑම අළුත් ග්‍රාම සේවා වසමක්ම ස්වාභාවික (නැචුරල්) පරිසර ඒකකයකි. මේ නිසා තිරසර සංවර්‌ධනය අරමුණු හා ගැටුම් අවම වේ.
2. සෑම වසමක්ම, ගංඟා ශාඛාවක්, ඇලක්, දොලක්, වැවක්, ජල උල්පතක්, භූගත ජල ද්‍රෝණියක් වන නිසා, ස්වාභාවික මායිම් තිබීමේ රීතිය කඩ නොකර ඒවා පරිපාලන අවශ්‍යතාවය අනුව එකතු කරගත හැකිය. මෙහි ඇති සිතියම විශාලම පරිමාණයෙන් (දැනට තිබෙන පලාත් නවයේ මට්ටමෙන්), ගංඟා ද්‍රෝණි ප්‍රදේශ හතක් ලෙස කල හැකි එවැනි එක් කිරීමකි. මෙය දිස්ත්‍රික් 22 ක් සමඟ ගැලපෙන සේද අනුගත කල හැකිය.
3. දිසාපති, ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම් හා ග්‍රාම සේවා නිලධාරී යන සිවිල් බෙදීමට අමතරව, මේ ඒකක එකතුකර, වෙනත් නොයෙක් රාජ්‍ය ඒකකවල මායිම් වශයෙන්ද යොදා ගැනීමෙන් (පොලිස්, වනාන්තර, වාරි මාර්‍ග, ගොවි ජන සේවා, සෞඛ්‍යය, අධ්‍යාපන යනාදී වශයෙන්) දැනට ඇති ව්‍යාකූල මායිම් රටාව සරල කර ගත හැකිය. ඒ ආයතන අතර අන්තර්-සම්බන්‌ධතා කාර්යක්‍ෂමවේ.
4. විශේෂයෙන් ගංඟා හරහා වැටී ඇති දේශපාලන බෙදීම්, ඒ දේශපාලන ඒකක අතර ජලය බෙදාගැනීමේ වැනි ක්‍රියාවලදී ගැටුම් ඇතිකිරීම ලොව පුරාම දක්නට ලැබෙන සිද්‌ධියකි. එවැනි ඒකක එක් විශාල ඒකකයක් කිරීමෙන් ගැටළුව ඒ තුලටම අවශොශනය වේ.
5. දිවයිනේ තෙත් කලාපය හා වියළි/ශුෂ්ක කලාප අතර පුරාණ වැව් නටබුන් විසිරී ඇති (වාරිමාර්‍ග) සිතියමක් දෙස බලන විට, ග්‍රාම සේවා ඒකක ජල විද්‍යාව අනුව හඳුනාගැනීමේ සාධාරණකම මතුකර පෙන්වන්නේය.
6. බිම් මට්ටමින් ජනයාට බලය පැවරීම හෙවත් ඒ කාලයේ රොබට් බ්ලේක්, හිලරි ක්ලින්ටන්, මන් මෝහන් සිං හා බැන්කිමූන් විසින් කී මීනින්ෆුල් ඩෙවෙලූෂන් (නියම ලෙසම බලය බෙදීම) සඳහා යෝග්‍යම භූමි ඒකකය වන්නේ මෙවැනි නැචුරල් බෙදීමකින් යුත් ජන මූල සභා (ජන සභා) යන්න අවිවාද ජනකය.
7. එවැනි බෙදීමක සැඟවුණු අගය නම් ජාති, භාෂා, ආගම්, කුල වශයෙන් සිතීමේ ප්‍රවනතාවෙන්, චෛතසික හිරගෙයින්, ඔවුන්ව ක්‍රමයෙන් මුදාලීමය. ඊට හේතුව එවැනි ආකාරයට බෙදූ දේශපාලන ඒකක තවදුරටත් රටේ නැති වීමය. මෙය සිදුකරණතාක්, හැමදෙනාම සිංහල හා දෙමළ ඉගෙන ගත්තත්, ජාතිවාදී විෂබීජය නම් විනාශ වන්නේ නැත.
8. රටේ යම් ප්‍රදේශවල මෙම ඒකක, 90% ක් ම එක් භාෂාවක්, එක් ආගමක් සහිත වූ වත් එම ඒකකයකට රටේ සෙසු ජන කොටස් වලට තර්‍ජනයක් වෙන ආකාරයේ තීරණ ගැනීමට ඉඩක් නොලැබේ (නිදසුණක් වශයෙන් යාපනය, ටැමිල්නාඩ් සමඟ හෝ සයින්දමරුදු ඇමෙරිකන් ඉන්‌දු-පැසිපික් බලධාරීන් සමඟ).
9. උතුරු හා නැඟෙනහිර පලාත් සභා සම්බන්‌ධයෙන් දැනට ඇති ලොකුම ප්‍රශ්ණය නම් සිංහලයාට, දෙමළ ටැමිල්නාඩ් හරහා විය හැකි අනතුරය. යම් අංශ වලින් දෙමළ ඇස්පිරේෂන්ස් (පුද්ගල අවශ්‍යතා හා ඕනෑකම් වෙනුවට දේශපාලකයින් සිය පැවැත්ම සඳහා ගේන දෙමළ හා මුස්ලිම් අභිලාශ කතාව) ලඟා කර ගැනීම සඳහා සීමාව පැන නොයන, රීසනබල් ඉඩක්ද මේ අනුව සළසා ගත හැක්කේ කුඩා නැචුරල් භූමි ඒකක නිසා සිංහලයාගේ බිය තුරන් වන නිසාය.
10. සිංහල වෙනුවට ශ්‍රී ලාංකික කියා උප්පැන්න සහතිකයේ ලිවීම වැනි යෝජනා වෙනුවට දිවයිනේ ඇති සංස්කෘතික විවිධත්‌වය උකහා දැක්‌වීමට භාධාවක් මේ නිසා නැතිවේ.
11. ලංකාවේ කාටවත් වෙන්කල නිජභූමි නැත යන්න සිංහල ජනයාට පමණක් නොව දෙමළ ජනයාටද අදාල බව ඒත්තු ගැන්‌විය හැකි වන්නේ මෙසේ නැචුරල් ග්‍රාම සේවා වසම් ලෙස රට මායිම් කිරීමෙන් පමණය.
12. මුස්ලිම් ශාරියා-ඉහ්වාන් වාදයට අනුව රටපුරා ශුද්‌ධ මුස්ලිම් බලකොටු බිහිකිරීමේ ව්‍යාපාරයටද පිළිතුර, එය නැචුරල් බවුන්ඩරීස් නමැති භාධකය මඟින් මොට කිරීමෙනි.
13. මෙවැනි ජන සභා මායිම් කිරීමේ ක්‍රමයක් මඟින් පලාත් සභා නමැති මර උඟුලෙන් ගැලවී, අවශ්‍ය නම් ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම් හෝ ප්‍රාදේශීය සභා මටටමෙන් දේශපාලන ඒකක පිහිටු විය හැකිය.
14. මධ්‍යම රජය සඳහා මන්ත්‍රීන් තේරිමේ මැතිවරණ කොට්ඨාශද මෙම ග්‍රාම සේවා ඒකක එක් කිරීමෙන් සදාගත හැකිය. එපමණක් නොව යම් ආකාරයේ දෙවන මන්ත්‍රණ සභාවක් අවශ්‍ය නම් (ඇමෙරිකාවේ සෙනේට් සභාවට සමාන) මෙම ජන සභා වල සභාපතිලාගේ චන්දවලින් 100-200 අතර සාමාජික පිරිසක් තෝරාගත හැකිය.
15. ඒකීය රාජ්‍යයක්, රටට එකම නීතියක් යනු නිකම් හිස් කතා පමණක් නොවන්නට නම්, භූමිය මත එය තහවුරු කල හැකි ආකාරයේ දේශපාලන ඒකක ස්ථාපිත කල යුතුමය. මේ සමඟ ඇති ගංඟා ද්‍රෝණි හතේ සිතියම දෙස බැලුවොත් ඉන් රටේ හැම ප්‍රදේශයකටම මුහුදු වෙරළක්ද ලැබේ. භූමි ප්‍රමාණය අතින් බොහෝ දුරට ප්‍රදේශ හත එක හා සමානය.
16. බහු ආගමික, බහු ජාතික සමාජයක් සිංහල මහජාතියේ සෙවනැල්ල යටතේ පැවතිය හැක්කේ මෙවැනි නැචුරල් ඒකක සංකල්පයක් මඟින් පමණක් මිස විදේශ බලපෑම් හරහා නොවේ.
17. ලංකාවේ පවතින්නේ භාෂාව හෝ ආගම අනුව ඇති විෂමතාවයක් නොව, භූමිය මතුපිට ඇති සම්පත් වල අසාමාන්‍ය බෙදීයාමත්, එසේ විසිරී ඇති සම්පත් භාවිතයට ඇති ඒ ඒ ස්ථානයේ/අවකාශයේ (ලොකේෂන්, රීජන්, ස්පේස්) හැමදෙනාටම සමාන ඉඩ ප්‍රස්ථාවක් නොලැබීම හා එසේ ලබාදිමට පාලක පන්තිය දිගින් දිගටම අසමත් වීම නිසා හැමදෙනාම මුහුණ පaaැති විෂම දරිද්‍රතාවය යන්න භූමිය දෙස මෙවැනි භාෂාවෙන්/ආගමෙන් තොර ප්‍රවේශයකින් එලිවෙන්නේය.
18. සුද්දන් විසින් දුන්, කෝල්බ්‍ර‌ෑක් සූත්‍රයෙන් ගැලවීම, හෙවත් දිවයින සුද්දන්ගේ වාසිය හා සූරාකෑම සඳහා 1832 න් ආරම්භවී කල භූමි මායිම් ක්‍රමය ඉවත් කිරීමට නිසිකාලය දැන් පැමිණ තිබේ. මෙය කිරීමට තුනෙන් දෙකේ චන්දයක් වත් අවශ්‍ය නැත! අවශ්‍ය වන්නේ මානව හිමිකම්කාරයින්ගේ ඝොෂාවක් එන විට, ඊට බෞද්‌‌ධ රාජ්‍ය ප්‍රතිපත්ති අනුව මුහුණ දීමේ කැපවීම හා ශක්තිය පමණය.
19. මෙම නැචුරල් ග්‍රාම සේවක නිලධාරී වසම් විසඳුමට (1) ලංකාවේ අනාදිමත් කාලයක සිට පැවත ආ ගම-වැව-දාගැබ යන ත්‍රිත්‌වය (මොඩලය), (2) කුඩා භූමි ඒකක පිළිඹද ෂුමාකර් (1973), කර්ක්පැට්‍රික් සේල් (1980) යන අය විසින් ලෝකයට දායාද කල ස්මෝල් ඊස් බියුටිෆුල් අදහස්, (3) නිතී විද්‍යාවේ එන රීසනබල් ඩොක්ට්‍රින්, (4) ප්‍රජාතනත්‍රවාදයේ තිබෙනවා කියන කොම්ප්‍රොමයිස් එකකට ඒමේ සම්ප්‍රදා (5) භූගෝල විද්‍යාවේ එන රීජනල් කන්සෙප්ට් හා ස්පේෂියල් ඩයිවර්සිටි හා (6) මොන්ටෙස්කි විසින් සිරස් ලෙසට නොව පෘතුවි තලය මත හරස් අතට (වර්‌ටිකල් නොව හොරිෂොන්ටල්) සමස්ත බලය විසිරුවා බෙදා හැරිය යුතුය යන අළුත් විවරණය, යන සියල්ල අන්තර්‌ගතය. මෙහිදී විෂ්මය ජනක හා ආශ්ච‌ර්යමත් කරුණ වන්නේ මේ සියල්ල බුදුදහමේ ඉගැන්‌වෙන මධ්‍යම ප්‍රතිපදාවේ හා චතුරාර්ය සත්‍යයේ අන්තර්‌ගත වී තිබීමය. කොසොල් රජතුමාගේ සීන දාසැයේ කියා තිබූ මේ බෞද්‌ධ දේශපාලන විද්‍යාව, ලෝකයටම ඔප්පු කර දුන්නේ කොරෝනාව මඟිනි.

සියළු සත්වයෝ (මිනිසා පමණක් නොව සතා-සිව්පාවා, ගස්-ගල් වලට පවා) නිදුක්වේවා, නිරෝගීවේවා, සුවපත්වේවා යයි කුඩා කාලයේ සිටම සිය දරුවන්ට උගන්වන, පන්සිය පනස් ජාතක කතා පොතෙන් හැඩ ගැස්වූ ජීවන රටාවක් තිබුණ හා තවමත් තිබෙණ රටකට, මානව හිමිකම්, නීතියේ ආධිපත්‍යය යනාදී කන් පිනවන නම් අත් වැසුම් දමා ගෙන ලෝකය සූරා කණ අළුත් ධනවාදී, අධිරාජ්‍යවාදී වෘකයින් විසින් දැන් කෙණහිළිකම් කරන්නේ, පාඩම් කියා දෙන්නට එන්නේ, ඇල්ලේ ගුණවංශ හාමුදුරුවන් විසින් පෙන්‌වා දුන් පරිදි බුදු අම්මෝ සිංහලයින් වෙනුවට ඕ මයි ගෝඩ් කළු සුද්දන් විසින් අවුරුදු 72 ක් පුරාම රටට කල නැස්පත්තිය නිසාය.

මතුගම සෙනෙවිරුවන්

කුමරි නැතිනම් කෝමාරිකා යන නාමයෙන් හඳුන්වන පලෑටිය දේශීය ඛෙහෙත් හේත් වලට යොදා ගැනෙන බලගතු ඖෂධයකි.පිලිස්සුම් තුවාල සඳහා සම මතු පිට ගෑම ට මෙන්ම තෙල් ඛෙහෙත් සිඳ ගැනීමටද යොදා ගන්නා කෝමාරිකා ඌව පළාතේ ජනප්‍රිය ඖසධීය ආහාරයකි.සිංහල ජනතාව මෙම අගනා ඔෂධ පැලෑටිය සිය ගෙවතු වල වගා කොට රැක බලාගන්නේ ඉතාමත් ආදරයෙනි.මෑත කාලයේ දී කෝමාරිකා පැලෑටිය විවිධ රූඵලාවන්‍ය අලේප වලට යොදා ගැනීමට කරන ලද පර්යේෂණ නිසා ලෝකයේ ජනප්‍රියතම ආර්ථීක භෝගයක් බවට පත් වී තිබේ.කෝමාරිකා වගාවට අවශ්‍ය පස දේශගුණය ආදිය තීරණයකරනු ලබන්නේ ද ස්වභාව ධර්මය විසිනි.එයට හේතුව ඖෂධයක් වශයෙන් එහි පවතින ගුණ ඉස්මතු වීමට මේ පරිසර සාධක උපයෝගී වන බැවිනි.ඖෂධයක් වහයෙන් වගා කරන වෙද කෝමාරිකා ඇරුණු කොට මස් කෝමාරිකා සහ මල් කෝමාරිකා නමින්ද තවත් වර්ග දෙකක් තිබේ. කෙසේ වෙතත් ගෙවත්තට නැතිවම බැරි පැලෑටීයක් වන කෝමාරිකා වානිජ වගාවක් ලෙසට පැතිරවීමේ ව්‍යාපෘතියක් නිසා බරපතල පාරිසරික ගැටළු කීපයක් මතු වී තිඛෙන ආකාරය වර්තමානයේ දී සාකච්ඡාවට ගෙන තිබේ.

2019 වසරේ සිට විල්පත්තු වන රක්ෂිතය ආසන්නයේ රාජාංගනය යාය 18 මෙන්ම අනුරාධපුර දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ ගලෙන් බිඳුණු වැව කැබිතිගොල්ලෑව සහ තවත් ගම්වල මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතිය මහා පරිමාණයෙන් ආරම්භ කිරීමට තැත් කරන බව දැන ගන්නට තිබේ. මේ වගාව පරිපාලන කරනු ලබන සමාගම් අටක් පමණ මේ වන විට සිය ව්‍යාපෘති ක්‍රියාත්මක කරමින් ඇත. ප්‍රසිද්ධ ආයුර්වේද සමාගමක් කතරගම ප්‍රදෙශයේ ඔවුන්ට අයත් අක්කර 80 ක පමණ වපසරියකද මෙම වගාව සාර්ථක ලෙසට පවත්වාගෙන යයි. මෙකී සමාගම් ගොවීන් ගේ ඉඩම් යායවල් පිටින් ලබා ගෙන ගිවිසුම් ගතව ව්‍යාපෘති ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීම අරමුණු වශයෙන් තබා ගෙන ඇත. ඇතැම් පිරිස් පවසනුයේ ගොවීන් ගේ ඉඩම් බැංකුවකට හෝ මූල්‍ය ආයතනයකට තබා ණය ලබාගෙන සමාගම සන්තකයේ තබාගෙන වගාවට වියදම් කරන බවයි. නමුත් දැනට භූමියේ ගනුදෙනු කරන සමාගම් කීපය එලෙස කරන බවට තහවුරු වූ තොරතුරු නැත. එහෙත් කෝමාරිකා වෙළඳ පළ සක්‍රීය වන විට ජාවාරම් කාරයන් එවැනි තැනකට තල්ලූ වීමට තිඛෙන ඉඩකඩද නැතිවා නොවේ. කෙසේ වෙතත් සමාගම විසින් වගාව පිළිබඳව අනුගමනය කළ යුතු කොන්දෙසි ලබා දෙන අතර අක්කර කාලේ සිට වැඩි ප්‍රමාණයකට යෑමට ගොවීන්ට නිදහස හිමිවේ. ගොවියා විසින් කල යුතු වන්නේ සමාගම විසින් දෙන උපදෙස් මත වගාව නඩත්තු කිරීම සහ පවත්වාගෙන යෑමයි.එA සඳහා ඉඩම් යාය ඩෝසර කොට සමතලා කරන අතර වගාව ලොකු මහත් වූ පසු මාස අටක සිට වසර දොළහක් දක්වා කාලයක් තුළ ලක්ෂ දෙකක පමණ ආදායමක් ගොවීන් හට ලබා ගත හැකි බවද දක්වා ඇත.
හරි හමන් ආදායමක් නොමැතිව අතැම් විට ජලය ද නොමැතිව ණය වී ගොවිතැන් කරන ගොවීන් සමාගමේ පැකේජය ඉදිරියේ දණ නමන්නේ තමන්ට ලැඛෙන ආර්ථීක ප්‍රතිලාභ නමැති මස්කට්ටට ලොබ කරමිනි.ගොවියාගේ ඉඩම බැංකුවට ඇපයට තබා සමාගම සූදූකෙළීමට සැරසෙන්නේනම් එය ෙඛදවාචකයකි. සමාගම වෙත තැන්පත් කරනු ලබන මුදල වෙනත් දේට ආයෝජනය කිරීම මහා පරිමාණ සමාගකට එතරම් කජ්ජක් නොවේ.පැළ පොහොර සහ වතුර සහ ගොවියාගේ ශ්‍රමයට වෙන්

කරන ලක්ෂ විස්ස ට වඩා මුදලක් ඉතාමත් ලස්සනට සමාගමට හරි හම්බ කිරීමට ඉඩ ප්‍රස්ථා ලබා දීමට කැස කවනුයේ වර්තමාන ඉඩම් ඇමතිවරයා බවද දැන ගන්නට ඇත. රජරට බොහොමයක්ම ඉඩම් බලපත්‍ර ඉඩම්ය. පරවේŒ ඉඩම්ද මේ අතර තැනින් තැන තිබේ.මේඉඩම් වලට අදාල නීති සමාගම් වලට මහත් හිස රදයකි. විශේෂයෙන්ම 2001 වසරේ දී ගැසට් කරන ලද අවශේෂ කැලෑ යනුවෙන් තිබූ වන ලැහැබ් වන සංරක්ෂණයට ගැසට් කිරීම මහත් හිසරදයකි.එA නිසාම ඉඩම් ඇමතිවරයා විසින් 2001 චක්‍රලේඛනය අවලංගු වන ලෙස කැබිනට් අනුමැතියක් ලබා ගන්නට උත්සාහ කරතිබේ..වන සංරක්ෂණ නීති ලිහිල් වූ කල්හි සුපුරුදු පරිදි ඉඩම් මංකොල්ල කෑමට ලැඛෙන ඉඩ ප්‍රස්ථා සීඝ්‍රයෙන් විවර වන බව ඇමතිවරයා හොඳින් දනී.මීට පෙර ඔහු හොරොව්පතාන ප්‍රදේශයේ රණ විරු ගම්මානයක් සෑදීම සඳහා විශාල වන විනාශයකට මුල පිරීය.අවසානයේ එම ගම්මානයද සැදුණේ නැත.
2001 චක්‍රලේඛනය අනුව වන ලැහැබ් පවරා ගැනීම තුළ ප්‍රායෝගික ගැටළු තිඛෙන බව ඇත්තකි. මේ පවරා ගැනීමේ දී කිසිම වග විභාගයක් කර නොමැත. ජල පෝෂක ප්‍රදේශ වැව් කුඹූරු මෙන්ම ජල උල්පත් සහිත ප්‍රදේශ ගැන අවබෝධයක් නොමැතිව සියල්ල ඇතුලත් කොට ගැසට් කිරීම ඊට හේතුවයි. රජරට පාරම්පරික ගැමියන් සතුව තිබූ පරව්‚ ඉඩම් නිරවුල් කිරීමේ ආඥා පනත මගින් බොහෝ කාලයකට පෙර ඉංග්‍රීසීන් අතින් රජසන්තක වූවා සේම 1968 අංක 30 නින්දගම් ආඥාපනත යටතේ ද රාජසන්තක කරගෙන තිබේ. හේන් ඉඩම් වැව් පිටි පිල්ලෑවන් ආදී සියල්ලම එA නම් වලින්ම ගැසට්ටුවට ඇතුලත් වී තිඛෙන්නේ එA නිසාය.මේ ඉඩම් වල පරිසර විවිධත්වය ගැන කිසිම සැලකීමක් නොමැතිව වන සංරක්ෂණය විසින්ම සමාගම් වලට බැහැර කළ අවස්ථා බොහොමයකි. වර්තමාන කෝමාරිකා ව්‍යාපෘතිය මගින් මුල් අවස්ථාවේ ලබා ගනු ඇත්තේ ගොවීන් ගේ ඉඩම් වුවද අවසානයේ සිදු වන්නේ වනයට යට කර ඇති ළඳු කැලෑද ලබා ගන්නට කැස කැවීමයි.ඉන් පසු සිදු වන්නේ මෙම ඉඩ කඩම් එක යායට තබා ඩෝසර කිරීමයි. කෝමාරිකා වගාවේ නිර්දේශ වල තිඛෙන අහිතකර පැත්ත එයයි.බිංදු ජල සම්පාදන කිරීමට මෙන්ම එAකාකාර වගාවක් නඩත්තු කිරීමට මෙවැනි දේ කරන බව සමාගම් පැවසුවද ඩෝසර කිරීම මහා විනාශයක ඇරඹුමකි.මින් පෙර බඩ ඉරිඟ= සඳහා සමාගම් විසින් කළ විනාශයට එය දෙවනි නැත. මෙයින් අහිමි වන්නේ වනය පමණක් නොව ජල පෝෂක වැව් පිටි සහ වන ජීවීන් ගේ බිම්කඩවල්ය.කොළඹ සිට කාරිය කරවන නිළධාරීන්ද දේශපාලකයන්ද මහා අන්ද මන්ද ගමනක් යන අතර ගොවීන් සිය දරිද්‍රතාවය මත තමා ගේ සන්තකය උගස් කරති.වත්ත බද්දට දී ඇස්සට දත නියවන ජාතියක් ඉදිරියේ දී නිර්මාණය වීමට තිඛෙන ඉඩකඩ බොහෝ වන්නේ එහෙයිනි.
ලෝක වෙළඳ පලේ කෝමාරිකා නිෂ්පාදන වලින් සියයට පහළොවක් දැනට අත්පත් කරගෙන තිඛෙන්නේ ඉන්දියාව හා චීනයයි.විදේශ විනිමය උපයන හොඳ වගාවක් ලෙසට එයට අනාගතයක් හිමිය.නමුත් ගැටළුව පවතින්නේ කෝමාරිකා වගාව ලංකාවේ පාරිසරික තත්වයන් යටතේ හැඩ ගස්වා ගැනීමට තිඛෙන අභියෝගයයි.සැබවින්ම මේ ශාකය ගෙවතු මට්ටමින් වුවද වගා කළ හැකිය.මෙහි පිති කිලෝවක් රුපියල් 35 සිට 70 දක්වා මිලකට අලෙවි වන අතර සමාගම් වල ප්‍රමිතිය අනුව ලබා දිය හැකි වුවහොත් ගෘහ ආර්ථීකය නන්වා ගැනීමේ හැකියාව වැඩි වන බව කිව යුතුය. යායන් වශයෙන් වානිජ මට්ටමින් කරන වගාවකදී පොළව ඩෝසර නොකොට අඹ නෙල්ලි කොච්චි ආදී ආර්ථීක වටිනාකමින් යුතු භෝග සමග මිශ්‍ර වගාවක් ලෙසට පවත්වාගෙන යෑමේ දී ගොවියාට ලැඛෙන ප්‍රතිලාභ ඉහළය.යම්කිසි වගා හානියකදී වුව ආරක්ෂණයක් ලැඛෙන්නේ එවිටය.එසේම2001 වන ලැහැබ් පිළිබඳ චක්‍රලේඛනය අවලංගු කිරීම මෙවැනි ඉලක්ක මත නොකළ යුතු බව මගේ හැඟීමයි. චක්‍රලේඛනය මගින් ඇති කර

තිඛෙන ප්‍රායෝගික ගැටළු විසඳීමට අන්තර් අමාත්‍යංශ කමිටුවක් පරිසරවේදීන් ගේ සාභාගිත්වය ඇතිව පත් කොට මෙම ගැටළු විසඳා ගැනීමට කාලය ලබා දිය යුතුය.මැතිවරණයෙන් පසුව එට ඉඩකඩ විවෘත වනු ඇත.
මතුගම සෙනෙවිරුවන්

By Norman Palihawadana Courtesy The Island

The Kurunegala police were awaiting the report of the expert committee appointed to investigate allegations that an archaeological building in Kurunegala was bulldozed, to take necessary action, a senior police officer said.

On July 14, Kurunegala Urban Council demolished a building that is said to contain historical artifacts. The Government Information Department says part of the building was constructed in the 13th century.

“We are also investigating the matter and as soon as the report is out, we can take action,” the police officer said.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who appointed the committee, said its report will shed light into the

controversy. “The committee has been instructed to submit its report before July 23,” he said.

PM Rajapaksa said that the Opposition political parties were trying to take advantage of this incident. “When they were in power so many historical sites were destroyed, but no action was taken.” He said his government would protect all archaeological sites.

The committee comprises Director General of Archaeology, Prof. Senarath Dissanayake, Kurunegala District Secretary R. M. R. Ratnayake, archaeologist T. G Kulatunga, Director General of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Cultural and Religious Affairs archaeologist Prasad Ranasinghe and Central Cultural Fund Director (Development) architect Sumedha Mathota.

By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island

July 19, 2020, 9:51 pm

Ongoing investigation into some officers and men of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) dealing in heroin, has taken an unexpected turn with SLPP Gampaha District heavyweight Prasanna Ranatunga claiming that the Minuwangoda police made the initial breakthrough on information provided by him. 

In a letter to Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, Industrial Exports and Investment Promotion, Tourism and Aviation Minister Ranatunga has reminded the Acting Police Chief that he passed vital information regarding the Minuwangoda underworld and the PNB link, to him over the phone on June 8, 2020, in the presence of the OIC, Minuwangoda.  

The Minuwangoda police on June 12 arrested a person identified as Chaminda who had received nearly 90 kilos of heroin from a Sub Inspector attached to the PNB now in remand.

Minister Ranatunga has claimed that major heroin distribution network based in Yatiyana came to light following his intervention, which paved the way for major success in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s campaign against the underworld. According to Minister Ranatunga, he summoned a meeting at the Vijaya Mangala Pirivena, Yatiyana in the wake of a spate of complaints received by him from villagers regarding heroin distribution network.

 Police headquarters stepped up investigations into the PNB-underworld operation after Attorney General Dappula de Livera advised Acting IGP to expedite investigations. The unprecedented meeting took place in the presence of Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne and Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) Maj. Gen. Jagath Alwis a few days after the arrest of Chaminda, brother of a person on Minister Ranatunga’s staff.

Minister Ranatunga assured the Acting IGP that he never interfered in the investigation.

Minister Ranatunga requested the Police Chief to set the record straight as his opponents were engaged in a propaganda campaign on both mainstream and social media propagating the lie he was behind the heroin distribution network. One-time Chief Minister of the Western Province said that those contesting the August 5 parliamentary polls were seeking an advantage at his expense. 

Alleging that a big time heroin distribution network had been set up in the Minuwangoda area at the onset of yahapalana administration in 2015, Minister Ranatunga requested the Acting IGP to take tangible measures against those propagating lies.

 So far, the police have arrested about 20 police officers and men in connection with the racket. More than half of them have been remanded while the rest held under Detention Orders. Police headquarters recently announced that death penalty would be sought for those law enforcement officers found guilty of dealing in heroin.

Addressing a public gathering at Ja-ela on Friday (17), Minister Ranatunga alleged that some of those PNB personnel who had been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation received presidential honours during Maithripala Sirisena’s tenure as the President.

Declaring that all those who were contesting the August 5 polls on the Pohottuwa ticket weren’t members of the party, Minister Ranatunga claimed that he was being targeted by beneficiaries of Central Bank-Perpetural Treasuries robberies and Ranjan Ramanayake, former UNPer contesting Gampaha District on the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) ticket.

Minister Ranatunga alleged that the yahapalana government turned a blind eye to Minuwangoda heroin ring. Minister Ranatunga claimed that heroin stocks had been moved in vehicles displaying Sathosa logo. The minister questioned what really happened to ship loads of heroin apprehended over the past several years. The Gampaha District lawmaker alleged that those who had been involved in narcotics ‘business’targeted him.

Sources close to the investigation told The Island that the sheer scale of the PNB-underworld operation was astonishing. Sources said that only a small part of heroin supplied by the Sub Inspector to Chaminda had been recovered so far though nearly ten vehicles belonging to arrested persons were taken in. Investigators have also located nearly 20 plots of land acquired by rogue police personnel from their illegal earnings from drug dealings.

Courtesy Adaderana

Nine individuals who arrived from overseas have been confirmed to have contracted the COVID-19, stated the Department of Government Information.

The new cases have been detected amongst individuals who recently arrived from Saudi Arabia.

So far, a total of 20 COVID-19 cases have been detected within today (19).

Thereby, the count of coronavirus cases reported in the country has moved to 2,725 cases.

As per the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry, 678 active cases among them are under medical care at selected hospitals.

Meanwhile, with 12 more patients being discharged today upon regaining health, the tally of recoveries in the country has moved to 2,035 cases.

Sri Lanka has witnessed 11 deaths from the virus thus far.

Four more from Kandakadu rehab center test coronavirus-positive

Four more individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 hiking the tally of virus-positive cases in Sri Lanka to 2,715 cases.

The latest cases are detected among patients of the Kandakadu Rehabilitation Center who were under quarantine.

With the new cases, 11 coronavirus cases have been reported in the country within the day so far.

As per the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry, 669 active cases among them are under medical care at selected hospitals.

More foreign arrivals add to COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka

Three recent arrivals from Qatar are confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, stated the Department of Government Information.

A total of seven coronavirus-positive cases have been identified from the country within the so far.

Thereby, the count of COVID-19 cases detected in Sri Lanka has risen to 2,711.

Courtesy Adaderana

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has stated that plans are afoot to promote pepper cultivation as a major export crop.

India is the major buyer of pepper from Sri Lanka and other countries. India purchases pepper on a quota basis. Increasing the quota given to Sri Lanka is one of the key elements of the strategy. In addition, steps will be taken to identify new markets for local pepper. Farmers are encouraged to export pepper as a finished product.”

The President pointed out that more revenue could be earned by exporting pepper in packets and developing new pepper based products to the world market. 
Issues faced by the pepper cultivators were presented to President Rajapaksa when he participated at the public gathering held at the Godakawela Pradeshiya Sabha grounds, today (19) in support of the candidates of Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna (SLPP) contesting August 5th election.

President responded positively to these issues and explained the new plans afoot to develop the industry, stated President’s Media Division.

The President paid special attention to the request to resolve the issues relating to the Nindagam and traditional lands that comes under the Sabaragamuwa Saman Devalaya.

The people also requested the President to establish an Organic Fertilizer Plant and a seed production facility. The President instructed the relevant officials to investigate and prepare a report in this regard.

Another request that made was for carpeting the Ridivita – Market Road. Responding to this issue, the President said that it would be completed swiftly under the 100,000 km road construction programme. Sand mining in Weli Oya was handed over to a private company during the previous government.  The President was informed by the people about the illegal sand mining in violation of the license conditions. President Rajapaksa instructed the officials to conduct an immediate review into the matter.

On his way back from the Godakawela public meeting, the President had a friendly conversation with the staff of the Godakawela Pradeshiya Sabha. During this meeting, the President looked into their well-being and asked what the problems they face were.
In response to yet another request by the people, the President said that the government will take steps to build a crematorium and to develop the stadium.

Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, former Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne, former Ministers of State Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Kanchana Jayaratne were also present on this occasion.

The President’s Ratnapura District tour commenced at the Mahaweli Stadium, Embilipitiya.

President also participated in a public meeting organized by candidates Sunny Rohana Kodithuwakku and Miuru Bhashitha Liyanage near the Anagarika Dharmapala Children’s Park in Embilipitiya New Town.

President paid special attention to the issue of widespread illegal drug trafficking in the area. President Rajapaksa said that a comprehensive program was already underway to bring large scale drug traffickers before the law. The President also said that the support of the people was essential to achieve success in this program and requested to provide information immediately on those who involved in drug trade in rural areas.

Issues related to Mahaweli lands were also brought to the attention of the President. PMD said.

The Ellewela Irrigation Project launched during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime has been abandoned halfway. The people of the area informed the President if the project was completed it will meet the drinking and cultivating water needs of about 70% of the people in the area. The President instructed the officials to allocate funds from this year’s budget and complete the project expeditiously.

Later, the President also participated in a public meeting held at the Rakwana-Godakawela Balawinna Maha Vidyalaya Ground. He noted the students’ request to construct a new building for the school and said that the request would be fulfilled without delay with the assistance of the Army.

Candidate Muditha Priyanthi Soyza had organized the meeting.

The President who participated in the public meetings organized by candidates Akila Ellawala and Gamini Walegoda and engaged in a cordial discussion with the people gathered at the venue.

Courtesy Adaderana

A new division is to be established under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), stated Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon.

The unit will be titled ‘Illegal Assets Investigations Division’, said the Senior DIG addresssing a press conference held at the Police Headquarters this morning (19).

The new unit will be in charge of probing assets of those who are involved in criminal activity.

Further, it is the responsibility of this division to deal with the full time confiscation of immovable and movable property and money earned through various rackets and narcotics under the Money Laundering Act.

By Garvin Karunaratne,former G.A. Matara District

Touring Northern California and Oregan now and  touring from Baltimore to Key West in Florida,  through Louisiana via Texas and Arizona to San Diego last Summer, I am passing through villages one after the other—each vibrant with life. There are Malls that have closed down due to the recession, but through it all, village life, centering on the village parish priest and the church appears dominant. The homes of the rich- the traders, farmers and public officials are well painted, the gardens spic and span, a delight to behold and well attended.

It all reminds me of the pre 1971 Sri Lanka, when I did travel daily in the Sabaragamuwa Province and later in the Southern Province based in Hambantota and Ambalantota.  I am also at home in the rural areas of Kegalle, where I worked for three years and in Matara for another three years. Then I saw a vibrant village life centered on the temple in the village, where the rich—the land owners, estate owners, superintendents, rice millers, traders, all moved well with the masses. The rich ran the ‘chekkus’ for extracting coconut oil, engaged in dairy farming and agricultural pursuits.  It was the rich that invested and brought about employment. In Nuwarakalaviya a tank was added to this picture and this was my home for long, from where I drew inspiration for my novel: The Vidane’s Daughter (Sarasavi). It has so happened that during my 18-year-long stint I traveled far and wide in Sri Lanka and I am familiar with all aspects of rustic life.

1971 was a watershed in the development as well as the life of the villages in Sri Lanka. It was on the 4th and 5th of April 1971 that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) tried to grab State power in Sri Lanka. Many have forgotten what happened. I happened to be the Government Agent of the Matara District. If not for a breakdown in the JVP communication which led to the cadres at Moneragala and Wellawaya being ordered to attack the police stations on April 4 night, most of us would not have been alive today. The attacks on those two police stations, killing several policemen were announced by Radio Ceylon at 7 am on April 5. I was having breakfast. I rushed to stop all the jeeps and key officers leaving Matara for work. They were all deployed on surveillance tasks. Radio Ceylon gave us a warning to be prepared. On the night of April 5 most police stations were attacked. It was a Fidel Castro type of attempt to attack all police stations on a particular day and take over power.  In the Matara District all police stations other than Dondra and Matara were attacked and several policemen were killed. The Superintendent of Police closed down the police stations at Akuressa, Hakmana, Kamburupitiya and Mawarala and the personnel were brought down to Matara. At Matara a lorry-load of bombs entered the fort and was challenged by an army jeep. It was a Kachcheri jeep and my driver was injured. The JVP cadres flung bombs, shot their way through and bombs were bursting the whole night through. The moment we found the lorry of bombs we clamped a curfew and everyone chased away from all roads by the army and no JVP cadres could group. Later we found evidence of two other lorries coming with bombs. The cadres could not group and the lorries could not reach the cadres and Matara was saved from a bloodbath.

At Deniyaya the police station that was opened on April 1 with great pomp and pageantry, was repeatedly attacked and the police retreated all the way to Rakwana and Embilipitiya via Hayes as the roads to Matara had been taken over by the JVP. We were holding on to the stretch of the coast from Weligama to Dondra. Akuressa was under the control of the insurgents and the first expedition of the army cum police with some 14 jeeps led by Major Wettasinghe was ambushed  about ten miles from Matara and the JVP fire power was so strong that the army had to retreat leaving behind two jeeps in flames. Major Wettasinghe and Sumanapala Dahanayake the Member of Parliament who too had joined that force were severely injured and hospitalized.

It all meant that the Government had lost control of most of the District for around three weeks during which period the JVP ran their kangaroo courts arresting, charging people and punishing them even with death. Deniyaya was ruled by the JVP for around three to four weeks. In Deniyaya many well to do people were guillotined. This included Dr. Rex de Costa, a medical practitioner, who was a leading philanthropist of the area.  It was a cruel death for a doctor that charged no money from the poor for medicines he provided. In fact, it was his murder that made the then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike dispatch a platoon of soldiers to the Matara District. Till then the Army was managing to hold the coast with shotguns issued by me.  Out of around two hundred officers in the Kachcheri only a dozen reported for work and of them all that could handle a weapon were issued with guns and cartridges by me. That was my guard as the police had fortified themselves in their station.  Except for one Headquarters Inspector no one from the police dared to get out of the Police station. That was the time when my official car was shot at.

Colombo was saved because the police found weapons of insurgents the previous day and two young Assistant Superintendents dared take the initiative to clamp a curfew. The JVP cadres could not reach their weapons in the process. This was also the scene in many other districts in Sri Lanka. In Vavunia the Government Agent took charge of the police station. Areas that were totally out of control were Elpitiya, where an Inspector of Police was killed and most areas were under the JVP rule till the army restored order. A friend of mine who was compelled to travel from Mawanella to Tulhiriya passing Kegalle after the army had gone in had counted over a hundred dead bodies scattered on the main roads.

The JVP insurrection of 1971 killed the economy of the rural areas. I was inundated with requests for an allocation of a tankful of petrol from many well to do people from the rural areas to get their moveable possessions away to the towns. I had commandeered the stocks of petrol and rationed it.

The JVP insurrection of 1986 to 1987 too took a toll of the rural areas. We had a small family estate at Mawaramandiya, near Kadawatha and the community leader of the area was one Wijesinghe. He was the President of the cooperative society and was helpful to anyone that wanted anything done. He happened to be close to the leaders of the United National Party but he helped everyone irrespective of political party affiliations. I too visited his home when anyone known to me in the area had to face a problem with the government. He was hacked to pieces one night. The JVP had held him guilty of attending the funeral of a victim of its violence. Wijesinghe had arranged for a proper funeral to take place. The JVP order was that no funeral be held and the body be carried below the knee level and buried incognito. That was the time when the JVP delivered messages, which tied to stones and thrown into gardens of the intended recipients. These had to be obeyed otherwise the JVP punishment was very severe and all this happened within ten miles of the capital Colombo. Wijesinghe’s murder sent creeps through everyone in the area. His brothers too left the village and his death left a power vacuum never to be filled ever again.

This was typical of entire Sri Lanka and the well to do people- the rich, the estate owners, the rice millers and lorry owners and traders all left the rural areas for the cities.  In my subsequent visits to Matara I met many a rice miller and many a merchant who were the live wire in their rural habitat in Kamburupitiya, Hakmana etc. They had got rid of their rural possessions and migrated to the Matara town. Many people who had been living happily on their estates left for good. Some have never stepped into their estates since the JVP uprising of 1987-1989. They have allowed their workers to manage the estates are satisfied with whatever returns they got.

Generally the rich that lived in the rural areas sent their children to schools in the cities nearby. Then later life they would commence some enterprises in the village itself. After the rich left the rural areas the children were bred in cities and none of them went back to the villages to which their parents did belong. Many of them ended abroad in foreign universities, a massive loss of young blood. As I had pointed out in my book: How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka (Godage), after the 1971 JVP attack all the rich people whose homes had two-foot parapet walls for everyone to admire the well kept gardens hurriedly made them six feet  high with huge gates and security personnel to boot.

The development of the rural areas requires the services of every entrepreneur and entrepreneurs come from the rich families with enough money to invest and they are not in the rural areas now.

That was the legacy left by JVP with their two insurrections.  It is of interest to note that the first insurrection was entirely orchestrated by North Korea. Implicating evidence was found and the North Korea Embassy was immediately closed down and the diplomats banished from Sri Lanka It may be of interest to note that in the days immediately after April 5, 1971, when we were holding onto the coastal strip at Matara, a very large ship appeared on the coast and came very close to Dondra. Sri Lanka did not have a ship of that size then. Watching the drama through binoculars from the Army camp I saw a number of boats being lowered to the sea and things being put into them. Major Wettasinghe had his Light machine gun loaded but said that the boats were beyond its range.

Dondra was more or less under the JVP control at that time except for the police station and the adjacent areas and there was no possibility of conducting checks in the area. We radioed Army Headquarters and one of our planes came, hovered around the ship and we heard machine gun fire for around fifteen minutes. The ship vanished just afterwards and this is an episode known only to me and the Army on duty at that time. What I could do was to ban fishing. This order was effective for about two weeks.

The 1971 insurrection was essentially an attempt by the communist bloc, especially North Korea to take control of Sri Lanka. The JVP insurrections ate into the fabric of rural life. The development of enterprises and investment is at a standstill.

Today, the JVP has changed its tune but it is all a wolf in sheep’s clothing!  In 1971 the JVP danced to North Korea’s tune. Today, it is trying to woo the masses again. But, it stands discredited and disgraced by its own action in 1971 and the late 1980s.

චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ

බුවනෙකබා මහා රජතුමා ඉදිකළ කුරුනෑගල රාජ සැබෑ මන්දිරය පොලොවට සමතලා කර ඇත. මෙය මේ දිනවල දේශපාලන වේදිකාවේ රඟ දෙන අලුත්ම නාටකයයි. මේ නාටකයේ ප්‍රධාන නළුවා  බවට පැහැදිලිවම දකින්නේ, කුරුනෑගල නගරාධිපතිවරයායි.මේ නගරාධිපතිවරයා, මේ මහා මැතිවරණ සමයේ, අගමැති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතා තරඟ කරන කුරුනෑගල ආසනයේ, ඉතා පුරානයයි සලකෙන බුවනෙකබා රාජ සමයට අයත් රාජ සභා ගොඩනැගිල්ල හදිසියේම බිමට පතිත කර ඇත.

මේ ක්‍රියාව සිදුකල කාලය හා දේශය අපට කියාපාන්නේ, කුරුනෑගල නගරාධිපතිතුමා මෙය මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාගේ පරාජය අරමුණු කරගෙන සිදුකල  ක්‍රියාවක් බවයි. මේ ක්‍රියාව අපට මතක් කර දෙන්නේ, 2015 මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාගේ පරාජය අරමුණු කරගෙන මෛත්‍රිපාල සිරිසේන මහතාගේ රැස්වීම වේදිකාව විනාශ කල මුතුහෙට්ටිගමගේ ක්‍රියාවයි. ඔහු මෛත්‍රිපාල සිරිසේනගේ වේදිකාව විනාශ කොට එම කාර්ය සඳහා අත් අඩංගුවට ගත් පුද්ගලයින්ව පොලිසියට පැන බලෙන් මුදා ගෙන, එවකට තිබුණු මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ පාලනයට විශාල අපකීර්තියක් ලබාදී, එම මැතිවරණයට පෙර වහ වහා සිංගප්පුරුවට ගොස් යලි පැමිණ, මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාගේ මැතිවරණ කටයුතු සිදුකරමින්, මැතිවරණයෙන් පසු මෛත්‍රිපාල රජයේ කොටස් කරුවෙකු වී යහපාලන රජයත් සමග හොදින් ජිවත් වුහ.

දැන් කුරුනෑගල නගරාධිපතිතුමාට තමන් මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාගේ මැතිවරණ ව්‍යාපාරයට දුන් අවමානය වෙනුවෙන් ලැබෙන දේ ලබා ගැනීමට සිංගප්පුරුවට යා නොහැක. ඒ කොරෝනා වයිරසයේ බලපෑම නිසාය. නමුත් ඔහුට ඒ සඳහා සතුරු බල මුළුවලින් ප්‍රතිපාදන උරුම විය යුතුය.ඒ මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂයන්ට පහර දීමට කරුණු නැතිව අතරමන්ව සිටිය සතුරන්ට තම මැතිවරණ වේදිකාවට ප්‍රධාන මාතෘකාවක් නිර්මාණය කරදීම නිසාය.

දැන් රාජසභා මන්දිරය බිමහෙලා හමාරය. එය බිමට සමතලා කර නැත. කිසිදු දෙයක් ඉවත් කරගෙනද නැත. මෙය රාජසභා මන්දිරය නොවන බව, එය බිඳ හෙලු නගරාධිපති කියයි. මෙය තුල ගණිකා නිවාස මත්පැන් ජාවාරම ගබ්සා මධ්‍යස්ථානයක් පවත්වාගෙන ගිය බවත්, එය නැවැත්වීමට මෙය සිදුකල බවත් නගරාධිපතිතුමා කියා සිටි.වර්ෂ 2018 ප්‍රාදේශීය සභා මැතිවරණයෙන්,බලය ලබාගෙන පැමිණි මේ නගර සභාපති ඇතුළු කණ්ඩායම, මේ හේතුන් නිසා මේ ගොඩනැගිල්ල කඩා බිම දැමුවා නම්, එය කිරීමට තිබුනේ, මිට පෙරය.

කෙසේ හෝ සතුරන් රාජසභා ගොඩනැගිල්ල යයි කියන ගොඩනැගිල්ල නගරාධිපති කියන ආකාරයට මත්පැන්, ගණිකා නිවාස, ගබ්සා ආයතන පවත්වාගෙන ගිය ගොඩනැගිල්ලක නම,මේ සුන්බුන් අතර, එම ආයතන වලට අයත් ගෘහ භාණ්ඩ හා බිම බෝතල්ද තිබිය යුතුය. නමුත් මේ සුන්බුන් අතර එවැනි ගෘහභාණ්ඩ දක්නට නොලැබේ. ඉන්පෙනි යන්නේ, මේ කඩා දමා ඇත්තේ එවැනි තත්වයක් පවත්වාගෙන යමින් සිටි ගොඩනැගිල්ලක් නොවන බවත්, එම තත්වයෙන් මුදවාගත් ගොඩනැගිල්ලක් බව, අපට උපකල්පනය කිරීමට සිදුවේ.

දැන් මේ ගොඩනැගිල්ල කඩා දමා ඇත්තේ සෘජුවම නගරාධිපතිතුමා බව පැහැදිලිය. එය එතුමාද පිළිගනී. කුරුනෑගල නගරයේ පළමු පුරවැසියා වන එතුමා, ආදර්ශමත් බුද්ධිමත් පුද්ගලයෙකු විය යුතුය. ගොඩ නැගිල්ලක් කඩා ඉවත්කරන තාක්ෂණයක්, ක්‍රමවේදයක් ඇත. මේ ගොඩනැගිල්ල කඩා දැමීමේ ක්‍රමවේදය ඒ තාක්ෂණයට පටහැනි ක්‍රමවේදයකි. උලු කැට ගැලවීමෙන් ආරම්භ කර පියවරින් පියවර යා යුතු ඒ ක්‍රමවේදයට එරෙහිව යමින් මේ ක්‍රම වේදය සිදුකිරීම තුලින් ජනතා අවධානය මේ වෙත ලඟා වන්නේ ඉතා වේදනාකාරී අන්දමනි. එසේ කර ඇත්තේ ජනතා කෝපය උද්දීපනය කිරීමේ අරමුණින් බව ඉතා පැහැදිලිය.මේ ජනතා කෝපය අවසානයේදී ගලා යන්නේ මහා මැතිවරණයට තරඟ වදින මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ ඉලක්ක කරගෙන බවද ඉතා පැහැදිලිය.

මේ රටේ හා විදේශයන්හි මහා පරිමාවේ ඉඳීකිරීම්  කටයුතු සිදුකර ඇති අප තුල ඇති දැනුමට අනුව, මේ කඩාබිඳ දමා ඇති ගොඩනැගිල්ලේ දක්නට ඇත්තේ රජකාලයේ නිර්මාණිත ගඩොල් නොවන බවක් චායාරුප වලින් දිස්වේ. එම නිසා මේ බිත්ති කැබැල්ලක් ගෙන එම ගොඩනැගිල්ලේ ආයුෂ කොපමණදැයි නිර්ණය කිරීම සඳහා විශේෂඥයකු ගේ උපදෙස් ගෙන මෙය සැබෑ රාජ සභා ගොදනගිල්ලක්දයි නිර්ණය කල යුතුය. එය රාජසභා ගොඩනැගිල්ලක් නොවුනද මේ කල ක්‍රියාව දේශපාලන කුමන්ත්‍රණයක පලයක් ලෙස දකින අපි, මේ සම්බන්ධව විදිමත් පරීක්ෂණයක් සිදුකොට චුදිතයින්ට දඬුවම් කල යුතුයයි කියා සිටිමු.

මෙම ක්‍රියාවලිය නිසි ලෙස සිදුවුවානම්, කුරුනෑගල නගර සභාවේ සියලුම මහජන නියෝජිතයින් දැනගෙන සිටිය යුතුමය. එසේ නොවන්නේ නම් එය නගරාධිපතිතුමාගේ කුමන්ත්‍රණයක් පලයක් වන අතර, එසේ කරන බව සියලුම මහජන නියෝජිතයින් දන සිටියා නම, දැන් මෙතනට රැස්වී විරෝධය පාන දේශපාලන පක්ෂද මේ කුමන්ත්‍රණයේ කොටස් කරුවන් බව විද්‍යාමාන වේ..

Kamanthi Wickramasinghe Courtesy Daily Mirror

The NMRA yesterday issued notices of cancellation of registrations and import licenses to five pharmaceutical companies including Hemas Pharmaceuticals and A. Baur (Pvt) Ltd for arbitrarily and unilaterally increasing the retail prices of 10 medicines.

Notices of cancellation have been issued to the following companies under Section 65 of the NMRA Act No 5 of 2015 for violating pricing regulations: 

NMRA Legal Officer Pushpamala Hettiarachchi told Daily Mirror these companies had increased prices of medicines during the past few months in violation of the conditions of registration issued by the Authority causing much hardship to patients especially in the background of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The punitive action, believed to be the first for violating pricing regulations of medicines, has been taken under powers vested with the Authority to ensure affordability of medicines and availability to the public,” she said.

Among these medicines is a brand (Diltiazem) that has already been gazetted with a maximum retail price. They have repeatedly increased the price from Rs.40.70 a tablet to Rs.43.70. Once gazetted the price cannot be changed. If they want to increase the price they have to do so after discussing with the Authority.”

However, the NMRA initially wrote a letter dated May 29, 2020 to the Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries (SLCPI) which represents its constituent members on the above concerns. In a response letter, the SLCPI claimed the NMRA only has powers to determine the initial prices of medicines, medical devices and borderline products and advise the minister on subsequent price revisions. This is in reference to Section 14 (q) of the NMRA Act.

Excerpts of the SLCPI letter are as follows :

While we contest and have always contested the regulations being prescribed by the Minister of Health on price control including Gazette Extraordinary No. 2123/35 dated 15th May 2019 (hereinafter referred to as the Price Ceiling regulation”) prior to prescribing a pricing mechanism through a consultative process as provided for in Section 118 (4) of the NMRA Act, which position has already been averred by us in the Court of Appeal case bearing No. CAWA 517/2019, we wish to place on record that none of the medicines specified by your high authority in the said Letter dated 29th May 2020 and the Letters of Warning fall within the list of medicines specified in the Price Ceiling Regulation.

As you are well aware, it is with greatest difficulty, much deliberation and endless negotiations with your high authority and the Ministry of Heath that the price enhancement of 14.4% was prescribed for these price- controlled medicines, yet without imposition of an objectively formulated pricing mechanism in accordance with the provisions of the NMRA Act, as requested by the stakeholders including SLCPI.

In these premises, we are compelled to believe that the decision of your high authority to withdraw your high authority’s recommendation on proposed price enhancement of 9% for the price- controlled medicines, which in our opinion is unreasonable and capricious, is backed by male fide and unscrupulous intentions to unlawfully control the pricing of the non-price-controlled medicines. Such action of your high authority will only result in the withdrawal of some vital life saving and reliable medicines as the Importers will find it impossible to ensure continuous supply of such products to the market due to the continuous losses they will be incurring owing to the rupee devaluation and escalation of costs.

We wish to place on record that none of the members of SLCPI has violated any of the pre-conditions set out in Section 65 of the NMRA Act which warrants the cancellation of the certificates of registration and/or the relevant licenses issued thereto and if any action is taken by your high authority in terms of Section 65 of the NMRA Act, such action will be ultra vires and invalid in law in as much as it will amount to a complete abuse of powers entrusted upon your high authority by the legislature.”

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The ongoing interim school holiday has been extended by another week and the schools will be reopened for Grade 11, 12 and 13 students on July 27, the Education Ministry said today

The week long school holiday declared during a sudden spike of Covid-19 transmissions earlier this month.

The Director General of Health meanwhile reiterates that at present there is no possibility for the social transmission of Covid-19 within the community.

However, as three students have tested positive for the coronavirus, while a further 200 students and teachers in five districts are in quarantine, the Minstry has decided to extend the special holiday period in order to safeguard students and teachers. 

“As three students have tested positive for Covid-19 and the test results of a further 200 students and teachers are pending, the Ministry has decided that the most appropriate decision at this time would be to extend the holiday until July 27,” the Ministry in a statement said.

The ministry also said that new dates for the GCE A/L and Grade 5th Scholarship examinations will be announced on Monday (20).

Meanwhile, schools in the Rajanganaya and Welikanda educational divisions will not be reopened before the 10th of August, it said.

Courtesy Adaderana

Entry of pilgrims into the sacred city of Kataragama will be limited two weeks starting from July 21 to August 04, in view of the Annural Esala Perahera of Kataragama Devalaya.

Accordingly, the public will not be allowed to take part in religious activities or to watch the procession during the entire period of the Perahera festival.

The 2248th Annual Esala Festival of the Kataragama Devalaya, one of the most revered and nationally important cultural festivals of the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim people, will commence on July 21 and conclude on August 04 with the Festival of Diya Kepima at Menik Ganga.

The government has given out instructions to organize and parade the processions, including that of the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, Kataragama, Devinuwara and Sabaragamuwa in compliance with the health guidelines.

Courtesy Adaderana

Another fresh case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Sri Lanka, increasing the total number of patients to 2,703.

This patient, who is from Lankapura area, has been identified as a close associate of the virus-infected person linked to the Kandakadu COVID-19 cluster.

Further, four close contacts of a coronavirus patient linked to the same cluster and an arrival from the Philippines also tested positive earlier today (11).

Thereby, 06 positive cases of COVID-19 have been detected so far within the day.

The Epidemiology Unit says 669 patients infected with the virus are currently being treated at hospitals while 2,023 patients returned to health.

Courtesy Hiru News

An archaeological committee appointed to probe the damage caused to the Royal Assembly Hall of the Kurunegala Kingdom dating back to the 13th Century visited the site today.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed a special 5-member committee to probe the damages to the building.

Chairman of the committee, Director General of Archaeology, Professor Senarath Dissanayake said a report on the matter will be handed over on Monday.

By Rohana R. Wasala Courtesy The Island

The SLPP has called off  its scheduled  propaganda rallies for the time being in view of the rising threat of a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Its national organizer Basil Rajapaksa has instructed all party organizers to abide by this decision. This must have been a difficult decision to take in a context where the strategically scattered yahapalanites are trying to hoodwink the electorate to elect them back to parliament (I say ‘strategically scattered’ because they are probably planning to gather into one camp once again after the election). At a recent election gathering, Ranil Wickremasinghe expressed his unconvincing disinclination at repeating the yahapalana experience by partnering with (presumably) Sirisena’s SLFP  (curiously though the latter has got Pohottuwa nomination). This was probably a Freudian slip on Wickremasinghe’s part: it could be an unconscious giveaway about at least two contrary things occupying his thoughts: his feeling of guilt about having formed and led a dysfunctional coalition government with a fragment of the SLFP that spelt disaster to the country, and on the other hand, secret hopes of leading a grand post-election alliance with his former partners, now fighting the election severally, against the SLPP, either as the opposition, or the government (This, of course, is just a gut feeling of mine). No doubt, the seasoned politicians of the Sri Lanka Freedom Podujana Alliance (SLFPA) led by the SLPP have more than an inkling of the survival instincts of the former yahapalanites.  

There is bound to be an evenly matched contest in the minds of the SLPP leaders between the conflicting demands of their understandable preoccupation with an indispensable two thirds majority at the election and their genuine commitment to beating the Corona epidemic; the outcome of the mental dilemma  stands doubtful  ‘As two spent swimmers that do cling together – And choke their art’ (that is, both the exhausted swimmers get drowned by clinging together, as the Sergeant in the Shakespeare play ‘Macbeth’ informs Malcolm, bringing the latest news from the battlefront where the armies of Scotland and Norway are engaged in mortal combat). However, finally, anxiety over potentially rampant spread of Covid-19 seems to have trumped concern with the hoped for result of the election in the government camp. No other electioneering party or faction has announced such a suspension of mass campaign rallies for fear of spreading the virus infection yet (July 16) as far as I can gather from internet sources.

The opposition’s approach seems to be the opposite of this. Apparently, they are not concerned with anything but regaining power to deliver the coup de grace to the unitary state as required by their foreign masters. SJB leader Sajith Premadasa and JVP’s Vijitha Herath have both vowed to continue holding their propaganda rallies, while hypocritically blaming the government for its alleged failure to deal properly with the pandemic from the very beginning and for its alleged haste to go ahead with the election for securing a two thirds majority even at the cost of lives lost to the corona virus. The UNP too seems determined to follow suit. Its leader acknowledges that the government’s management of the pandemic has been effective so far, but finds fault with it for ignoring his call to increase testing. But it seems the government appointed task force started doing that well before the idea occurred to the former yahapalana pm. He challenged the minister of health to account for the Covid funds he alleged the government had got from ‘friendly’ foreign countries like those of the European Union (no hint of a prick of conscience about the Central Bank bond scandals during his guard). The minister answered him ‘by return of post’, as it were, in her characteristic trenchant style. Wickremasinghe charges that the government is trying to exploit its initial success in its Covid-19 operation for hastening the holding of elections and for pursuing its two thirds majority bid.  The opposition’s tactless, politics driven targeting of the government over its handling of the emergency caused by the totally unforeseen global pandemic cannot be to the liking of the ordinary people, who are actually appreciative of the effective leadership provided by the new president and prime minister pair of brothers and the selfless dedication of the health and military and intelligence personnel working under their unobtrusive but effective direction. 

Spokesmen for the health and security services tasked with the management of the pandemic emergency (Director General of Health Services medical specialist Dr Anil Jasinghe and Chief of Defence Staff & Commander of the Army Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, respectively) have expressed confidence that it is still under control, and assure the public that there is no need to panic. According to the Covid-19 Situation Report of the government for July 16, 2020 by noon,  the total number of cases stood at 2674, of which 656 were active cases. At the Kandakadu and Senapura Treatment and Rehabilitation centres for drug addicts, 533 inmates had tested positive the previous day. But the Kandakadu cluster is being successfully contained, according to the authorities. The infected health personnel are from various places across the island such as Maravila, Rajangane, Ratnapura, and Kundasale. The DGHS said that contact tracing has found over a thousand persons potentially exposed to infection as the health workers involved have used public transport to commute between their hometowns and the workplaces; all these have been directed to self quarantine. Though there was a danger of community transmission of the disease due to this, the strict observance of the health guidelines including wearing protective face masks, avoiding physical touch during greeting, maintaining constant hand hygiene, and keeping proper social distance in crowded places will minimise this risk. Lt Gen Shavendra stated that intelligence personnel have been deployed across the country to immediately respond to emerging cases if any, round the clock. Dr Jasinghe expressed his opinion that the election could go ahead as scheduled provided the stringent health requirements laid down are met.

Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya is still head of the Constitutional Council. He has urged the government to gazette the health guidelines issued by the DGHS in order that they become legal; he believes this will enable the public officials and law enforcement authorities to impose compliance among the public for containing the possible rapid spread of the pandemic. Mahinda Deshapriya, the chairman of the Election Commission, also joined him in making this call. The prejudicial, idiosyncratic behaviours of some members of both these institutions have gravely compromised the independence of those statutory bodies and rendered the genuineness of their intentions highly suspect. EC member Ratnajeewan Hoole didn’t want the dysfunctional yahapalana parliament to be dissolved making way for elections to be held. He was later reliably reported to have advised  Tamil voters in his hometown Jaffna not to vote for the SLPP. At a recent NGO event, attorney at law Javed Yusuf, one of the three civil society members in the CC, took the liberty to make the entirely reprehensible partisan comment that, had it not been for the timely intervention of the EC, the present government would have gone ahead with the general election, originally slated for April 25, despite the deadly coronavirus threat. All these people are balking at the emergence of an opportunity for the lawful assertion by the Sri Lankan people of their democratic right to escape from the evil legacy of the yahapalana nightmare. 

For such an opportunity to emerge, it will be necessary for the SLFPA to get a two thirds majority at the forthcoming election. That will be in order to abolish the ill conceived 19A, in terms of which, by the way, the EC was created. 19A is responsible for having allowed the dysfunctional yahapalana government to complete at least the first four and a half years of its full five year term despite strong public disaffection with its performance, landing the whole country in the present misery that is being deepened by the effects of the Covid-19 global pandemic and the overhanging Sword of Damocles of the secretly introduced MCC Compact. Javed Yusuf made his questionable statement at an event organized by the new civil society grouping called ‘Freedom: People’s Collective’ in the New Town Hall premises in Colombo, as reported in The Island of July 15, 2020 (‘Fresh civil society project: ‘Forward. Not Backward’ launched ahead of Aug 2020 polls’/Shamindra Ferdinando). Mangala Samaraweera, who has left the SJB, sat in the first row of seats, while M.A. Sumanthiran was on the stage with others. But Shamindra says Mangala Samaraweera is fully committed to the this latest project. The new outfit is determined to thwart the Gotabaya-led  incumbent government’s attempt to win a two thirds majority at the August 5 polls with a view to abolishing the 19A. Among the backers of the new cabalistic clique are Sinhala professor Sarath Wijesuriya of the National Movement for Justice, Gamini Viyangoda of Purawesi Balaya, and others like them. Why spend our precious time and this paper’s valuable space by writing more about these individuals, when I can  easily and aptly quote Shamindra’s concluding sentence: Their call to place Defence and Law and Order, under Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, after him having accused his own Army of killing thousands of Tamils, seemed as ridiculous as the TNA voting for the war-winning Army Chief at the 2010 presidential poll. Politics and NGOs, in this country, are obviously dabbled in by many an opportunist and scoundrel. The forthcoming parliamentary poll is no exception”. 

The SLPP-led SLFPA is set to win the coming election. But the forces that engineered the unwanted regime change of 2015 and squashed the burgeoning hopes of the Sri Lankan people just freed from the separatist terrorism of thirty years seem to be conspiring again to frustrate their democratic efforts to restore normalcy; for them the global pandemic is a godsend. May the people be wise to their dissimulations this time and vote in those who are committed to the real national interest. 

KAMALIKA PIERIS

The Central Intelligence Agency of the USA, CIA was popularly seen  as a bungling agency, responsible for the many failures of US  policy abroad. But  it also has many successes to its credit. CIA  was powerful abroad.  CIA is responsible for planning, carrying out and providing cover-ups for USA assassinations.  CIA  can legally act only overseas.    CIA hacking of Americans in USA can only be done with permission, observed analysts.

The CIA and Germany’s BND Federal Intelligence Service had for decades used a Swiss encryption company Crypto AG, for spying. Crypto supplied devices for encoded communications to some 120 countries . Unknown to those governments, Crypto was secretly acquired in 1970 by the CIA and BND. They rigged Crypto’s equipment to break the codes  of other governments and read their messages. The two agencies were thus able to gather information during major crises such as the hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran in 1979.

Google  started its ‘street view’  in Sri Lanka in 2014, with views from the north and the east.  It had obtained government approval from the Sri Lanka Tourism Authority to image every inch of the North and east. Google is a participant in US military and CIA intelligence, said Kamal Wickremasinghe.      Google earth software was developed by the Keyhole , a company openly funded and operated on behalf of CIA.  The technology behind Google Earth is the same as that employed by US Military and intelligence system in their quest for full spectrum domination of the planet, Kamal said.   

The United States accusing Sri Lanka of war crimes is similar to the pot calling the kettle black as the US is the number one perpetrator of war crimes in the world, said critics. There is no other country than the US which is so stained with blood. What about their wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan,   they asked.

The US has the worst history of war crimes such dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  There is a long list of bombing, from Nagasaki,  china, Guatemala, Korean, Indonesia, Cuba, Congo, Peru, Vietnam, Cambodia,  Libya, Nicaragua, Iran, Bosnia, Sudan,  and Afghanistan. US has dropped  over 3000  tons of depleted uranium  through its  bombs

There were military interventions in China, France, Bolivia, Austria, Iraq, Greece, Portugal, Philippines, about two dozen names altogether, said analysts. US  also engaged in illegal covert operations  in  places like Vietnam, Chile, and Cuba.

During the Vietnam War US forces committed horrifying atrocities. There was the 1968 Mai Lai massacre of   347 and 504 unarmed citizens, most women and children, in   two villages. Information on the various Vietnam massacres is found in the Vietnam War crimes working group files, compile by Pentagon and held in the US archives.

US has had a horrifying record of human rights abuses.  There has been torture of inmates in secret US prisons.In 2006, Congress found that CIA had engaged in widespread torture. USA admitted before the UN Committee against Torture that they had ‘crossed the line’ at its CIA site at Guantanamo.

The main agency dealing with war crimes was the International Criminal Court (ICC). US armed forces have committed war crimes, as defined in the ICC and Geneva conventions, in the various US wars. US had launched an illegal war against Iraq,  on the spurious ground that it had weapons of mass destruction.  In 2004, there were photos   of US troops abusing Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib. 

But USA has made sure that it cannot be prosecuted. US does not accept the jurisdiction of the ICC.   The US is not a signatory of the ICC and does not recognize its authority over American citizens.

US went out of its way to protect its military personnel accused of committing war atrocities. USA signed some 100 bilateral immunity agreements with a number of countries, prohibiting the surrender to the ICC of officials, military personnel and US employees. No American has been indicted in ICC. US also threatened to veto  UN peacekeeping mission unless its troops were granted immunity from prosecution by the ICC.

In 2002, USA passed the American Service-Members’ Protection Act which was specifically aimed at the International Criminal Court. It prohibits any U.S. citizen or institution from cooperating with the International Criminal Court and prohibits the transfer of U.S. classified national security and law enforcement information to that court. It even bans the provision of U.S. military assistance, (with specified exceptions) to the government of a country that is a party to the court.

 The American Service-Members’ Protection Act authorizes the President to bring about the release from captivity of any U.S. military personnel or covered allied persons who are being detained or imprisoned by or on behalf of the ICC and authorizes the US President to use all means necessary to do so.

The phrase ‘use all means necessary’ enables the US government to resort to force to obtain the release of a US citizen or an ally who happens to be in the custody of the ICC. It authorizes military force to free military personnel held by ICC. 

But this is about to change. US army has been fighting in Afghanistan since 2001. For nearly two decades hundreds and thousands of American troops  have rotated through Afghanistan.  Afghanistan is a strategic hub in Central Asia bordering    Russia, China and Iran. US is building an oil and gas pipeline through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. All the US bases are located along the route of this pipeline.  Also Afghanistan has over 1400 mineral outcroppings, of iron coals, copper cobalt, gold, lithium.

There were war crimes charges against the USA in Afghanistan. The US armed forces and the CIA are alleged to have committed the war crimes of torture and cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity and rape and other forms of sexual violence in Afghanistan.

The ICC Prosecutor alleges that members of the US armed forces and the CIA had used the following torture techniques against detainees – incommunicado detention and prolonged and continuous solitary confinement, sensory deprivation, sensory overstimulation,  exposure to extreme heat or cold, exploitation of phobias and cultural, religious and sexual taboos, sexual humiliation or insults, offensive use of items of religious significance, imposition of stress positions designed to induce muscle fatigue, suspension from the ceiling, food deprivation, slamming against a wall, cramped or close confinement by placing detainees in boxes, sexual violence, including by means of rectal rehydration or rectal feeding applied with excessive force; and suffocation by water, or the practice of waterboarding, placing of detainees in icy water baths etc. 

Attempts to investigate these crimes  were blocked by the US.  US said it was not a signatory to the Rome Statute and could not be investigated without a UN Security Council order or consent of USA. Though USA is not a member of the ICC and therefore does not come under its jurisdiction, Afghanistan is a member of ICC and any crime conducted on its territory can be brought to the ICC regardless of the  nationality of its perpetrator, said ICC. Afghanistan joined the ICC in 2003 and it is on this basis that the ICC has claimed jurisdiction over deeds alleged to have been committed in Afghanistan by US armed forces and the CIA, observed Chandraprema.

This ICC war crimes probe against the USA had been in the pipeline for more than two years. In November 2017, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) had requested authorization from the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC to initiate an investigation into allegations of war crimes committed by the USA in Afghanistan since 2003. This was initially rejected.

The Prosecutor filed an appeal against that decision.  On 5 March 2020, the Appeals Chamber of the ICC decided unanimously to authorize the investigation against the USA. An investigation of alleged war crimes by the US and others in the Afghan conflict can go ahead, ruled the ICC.

 ICC chief prosecutor said that US may have committed war crimes in Afghanistan, as a deliberate policy, She spoke of war crimes of torture and related ill treatment by US military forces in Afghanistan and secret detention facilities operated by the CIA.

 The US establishment has reacted sharply to the initiative of the ICC Prosecutor. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in 2019 that they are determined to protect American and allied military and civilian personnel ‘from living in fear of unjust prosecution’ for actions taken to protect America. If the ICC persists in this course of action, they will impose travel bans on judges and personnel of the ICC and will also take further steps like economic sanctions. President Trump said that any attempt to target American, Israeli or allied personnel for prosecution by the ICC will be met with ‘a swift and vigorous response’ (Continued)

KAMALIKA PIERIS

USA was ready to take over as the centre of the capitalist world, at the end of World War II. The US President was spoken of as ‘Leader of the free world’.  But the USA   never had the easy run into a global power that Britain had. The USA was never able to acquire its own empire. Apart from the fact that times were different and sovereign rights of a country had been enunciated, the US simply did not have the military power to conquer the whole world.

In order to rule the world, the US created a Cold War with Russia, arguing that Russia was going to take over the world and that US was forced to become the champion of the Free World. Russia, China, Cuba were demonized relentlessly.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was created by third world countries that wished to remain independent of this Cold War.  But NAM also wanted reforms in the UN, Bretton Woods, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The US   neutralized the movement. Only 10 developing country leaders attended the 17th NAM Conference held in Venezuela in 2017, with India being the most notable absentee.

US devised its own method of controlling other countries. It installed puppet governments in the countries they were interested in. The modus operandi was to find a pro-US local politician, who says he wants to transform the country. Then using NGOs, ethnic and religious minority groups, opposition political parties, and the English language media in the country, low-intensity internal conflict is created and the USA nominee installed in power. USA did this covertly, in the past,    now it is done openly, said observers.

The media was paid to discredit designated popular governments.  concocted statements were put out, repetitiously and in great volume.  ‘Democracy’ and ‘human rights’ promotion groups were set up. ‘Scandals’ were created. Colors were given to newly constructed ‘opposition’ movements, and deadly weapons used at the ‘protest’ sites.   

USA took action to ensure that developing countries were kept politically unstable. USA encouraged fissiparous separatists and other groups which will keep the developing countries weak and unstable. When countries were unstable, it was easier for USA to manipulate them. National Endowment for Democracy, Freedom House,    Albert Einstein Institute and Open Society Institute of George Soros were the US agencies that funded these activities.  

US recruited anthropologists, whose methods are found to be of use for intelligence and defense. Some have entered employment in the government defense and intelligence sectors. There is a Commission on the engagement of anthropology with the US Security and Intelligence communities”.

There was also the opposing view that anthropologists should not directly assist the US military in combat, through advice or whatever.  They are expected to ‘do no harm’. Also that anthropologists should do not do secret research. American Anthropological Association had to develop an ethics code for this in 1971. An independent ad hoc network of anthropologist seeking to promote ethical anthropology emerged, the Network of Concerned Anthropologists.

Without exception however, governments brought in to power through American backed conspiracies have failed, said Kamal Wickremasinghe.  The failure is due largely to the poor quality of the persons selected to wield power. They were chosen for political expediency rather than for any level of competence in economic and other policy making or management in general. Such governments make poor economic decisions influenced by USA’s insistence on capitalist thinking. These poor policy choices drive the economy to the ground, giving rise to increased debt burden and deep social crises, leading to the demise of such puppet governments.

Prof. Levin of Carnegie Mellon University, a leading expert on American and Russian interventions in foreign elections says the U.S. has intervened  81 times in general elections worldwide between 1946 and 2000. By his estimate, the Russians have interfered in 36 elections during the same time period.  These interventions are often directed from the highest levels of US government, such as the White House/senior cabinet secretaries. Local US embassy staff and ambassadors also participate. . The CIA  attends to campaign funding and “dirty tricks.” .

The US has infiltrated, invaded, bombed, and destroyed many countries. There were unlawful US interventions in Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954), Cuba (1961), Vietnam (1964),  Dominican Republic (1965), Chile (1973), Nicaragua (1981–1984), Grenada (1983)  Panama (1989), Balkans (2000) , Iraq (2003) and Libya (2012). There were  US sponsored dictatorships in countries such as Nicaragua, Chile,  and Philippines. US dropped Agent Orange  and napalm on Vietnam, poison gas and other toxics were tried out.

USA has killed many heads of state and leaders of movements. In 1953, the democratically elected Iranian PM Mossadeq was replaced by the Shah of Iran, in a coup d ‘etat. Mossadeq was seen as an emerging strong leader with nationalist views. CIA organized and executed the overthrow with support from Britain, and Reza Pahlavi took over as Shah.

USA also killed Lumumba of Congo, Allende of Chile  and two heads of state in Iraq, Kassem and Saddam Hussein. Numerous unsuccessful attempts were made on Fidel Castro’s life. Osama Bin Laden was killed in 2011, in Pakistan with Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton watching from the White House. A photograph of this group watching was circulated to the world. The last assassination so far, was the killing of Iran’s most powerful general, Soleimani, in 2020.    Not a word was heard from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch when Soleimani was assassinated commented observers.“

US engages in illegal invasion and military attacks on foreign countries. US President does not have the power to authorize military attacks without Congress approval, but they do it all the time.” Clinton sent troops to Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Rwanda and Kosovo without Congress approval.  US Congress however, approves the action and provide funding for such interventions. It is illegal to supply arms to rebels but US as well as Europe and UK continue to do so.

The Colour revolutions of Ukraine 2004, Kyrgyzstan 2005 were actually coup d’etats. The new rulers simply shifted their foreign policy towards US interests, without any benefit to the people. In Ukraine, the west wanted to get in and clean Ukraine of all its resources. Ukraine refused. These ‘color revolutions’, later became ‘Arab Spring.’

Washington has been associated with every one of the military conspiracies and coup d’états in Central and South America, for many decades, said analysts. CIA trained and funded Nicaragua contras. USA has openly supported dictatorial regimes from Mexico to Chile. The modus operandi has been to cause food and drug shortages, then start violent mob reactions to the shortages.

USA has instigated rebellions against the governments of Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Brazil and Ecuador. The United States had never hidden its hostility towards the Cuban and Venezuelan revolutions. Any Cuban dissident, any thugs that take up arms against the Cuban system get immediate funding from US. In 2018 USA called for hardening of the economic blockade of Cuba and hinted at US plans to influence the outcome of the general election.

USA asked the neighboring governments to help overthrow of Venezuela’s President Maduro, who was elected with a large majority at a democratically held election, and replace him with Guaido. USA also hinted at military intervention. But when Guaido called for street protests against Maduro, in 2020 only a few hundred turned out, reported analysts. . ‘The rest went to the beach.’

In March 2012, President Mutharika of Malawi accused USA of plotting to bring down his government. He refused to give in to USA demands. Mutharika died of cardiac arrest just two weeks later. He was replaced by Joyce Banda. Within the first week of her presidency, the USD 350 million US grant was reinstituted. Banda devalued Malawian currency by 33 per cent against the US dollar, overturning Mutharika’s refusal. Banda became involved in a corruption scandal and was heavily defeated in the presidential election by Peter Mutharika, brother of the former President. Banda went to the US and was given a position as fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Centre International Centre for Scholars.

USA has established large army bases in strategic places. Two bases of interest to Sri Lanka are Kosovo and Diego Garcia. The largest American military base in Europe today is Camp Bondsteel at Kosovo. Kosovo is strategically positioned between Eastern and Western Europe.

Kosovo Liberation Army fought a war of independence against Yugoslavia in1998, with the support of NATO. .Yugoslavia withdrew from Kosovo, in 1999 to make way for an international presence USA moved in. USA has set up a huge army base, Bond steel in Kosovo on1000 hectares of land. The details of this army base are kept secret.

Washington quickly recognized the Republic of Kosovo.  Kosovo is loyally pro-American. Kosovo has named places and streets after US leaders. There is Bill Clinton Avenue, George W. Bush Street and Woodrow Wilson Street. Support for USA is higher in Kosovo than anywhere else in the world. Kosovo has been one of the largest recipients of U.S. foreign assistance. An MCC was signed in 2017.

 In 2008, H.L.de Silva drew Sri Lanka‘s attention to Kosovo. He observed that US and NATO intervened in the Yugoslavia break up because this would give them a foot hold in a region. US quickly establish a giant military base, Bondsteel in Kosovo, and to secure the strategic oil and transportation lines of the region.

US will probably hold total dominance over Kosovo, continued H.L. de Silva. An International Civilian Representative had been appointed by US and NATO to run Kosovo. He has complete power. EU will establish a European security and defense policy mission ESDP and NATO will establish an international military presence. There with full control. So the so-called independence will be a fake. Kosovo has mineral resources which will be exploited by the giant western multinational corporations, concluded de Silva.

The US military base in Diego Garcia is of concern to Sri Lanka.  The Chagos archipelago which includes Diego Garcia was taken away from Mauritius, by Britain in 1965, paying 3 million to Mauritius as compensation. UK then rented the Chagos archipelago   to USA for military purposes for 50 years with provision for extension for further 20 years, for the sum of USD 14 million.  Since 1971 Diego Garcia was a major overseas US military base.

However, from 1980, Mauritius started agitating to get Chagos back. Mauritius went to the UN. UN asked the ICJ for an opinion. ICJ stated, in 2019, that Britain must return Chagos to Mauritius. The United Nations then asked UK hand over administration of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and gave the British government a six-month deadline.  Instead Britain challenged the decision. It is clear, however, that USA will have to give up Diego Garcia soon and find another base.  The closest roosting point is Sri Lanka .( continued)

By : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA

Upon returning to Sri Lanka he started an intensive media campaign on this subject.   I reproduce below excerpts from this traitor’s writings and appropriate counter comments  

Veteran journalist Malinda Seneviratne who was the Chief Editor of The Nation” wrote on 5^th July, 2009 that Dayan Jayatillake, with respect to the implementation of the 13th Amendment, points to two documents (a joint statement issued at the conclusion of discussions with a high-level Indian delegation and another by the UN Secretary-General. In both, there is mention of the Government’s commitment to the 13th Amendment.

He observes that some who oppose the 13th Amendment refer to Mahinda Chinthana but points out that Mahinda Rajapaksa can be safely trusted to know the spirit of Mahinda Chinthana. In other words, Dayan not only thinks the 13th is great, but trusts the President to deliver his (Dayan’s) Utopia. Nothing wrong in that of course! I, on the other hand, think the 13th was brought about undemocratically, and proved to be a ‘white elephant’ and a distraction with respect to addressing and resolving real Tamil demands.

Writing to Daily Mirror on 4^th July, 2009, Dayan Jayatilleke states upfront I don’t believe that the 13th as it stands compromises the unitary character of the state and adds that  ‘The defence dimensions of devolution’  isn’t going to be ‘full implementation’; it will always be ‘minus’ (since there was a de-merger of the North and East and hopes there will be a ‘plus’. As of now, ‘police powers’ appear set to be shoved into the ‘minus’ column while ‘land matters’ as of now are not ‘threatening’.

Malinda Seneviratne (MS) comments that as mentioned above, the utterly undemocratic manner in which it came into being, sans discussion, in secret and with more than a little arm-twisting, all this could be ‘accepted’ if it worked though. Some point out that the 13th has been legitimated by the fact that its main opponents have opted to contest PC elections. Does it make it ‘right’, though? Does the 13th as ‘solution to Tamil demands’ hold water (MS) asks? No. It is essentially a territory-based solution and such is unwarranted given that there are no ‘Tamil grievances’ that can reference territory. It is moreover a mechanism that has devolved (some) power to politicians. It is therefore for thugs and thieves, not ordinary citizens.

MS continues that some have argued ‘it is part of the Constitution, so live with it’. That’s a cop-out answer. In that case we don’t need the APRC, we didn’t need the 17th Amendment, we should not have had the 1st Amendment to the 1978 Constitution and we should not have any more Amendments. It assumes that constitutions are necessarily perfect documents and that time and society stand still. It is because something was thought to be flawed that its correction is attempted. If the 13th is flawed then it follows that it should be corrected even to the point of trashing it if a compelling case can be made.

Dayan’s fascination with the 13th on the other hand includes but is not limited to consideration of that thing called ‘geo-political realities’ that hit us with a ton of bricks and precipitated the death of 60,000 plus young people in the late eighties.

But we are not in 1987 now. We don’t have a Government enslaved to Western interests. We don’t have a West that has the kind of compelling power it used to back then. Tamil Nadu is no longer a compelling factor in how India sees Sri Lanka.

True, the statements Dayan refers to show a Government that is certainly reluctant (or made to be reluctant) to trash the 13th, but what a Government does or does not do can depend on the ability of the people and the power of the relevant arguments to sway those in power. We lived through a time when a federal arrangement was thought to be inevitable. We have suffered under 500 years of foreign rule. We were told that the LTTE was a reality that will not go away and therefore we have to accommodate terrorism. Things changed drastically. .

President Rajapaksa takes even a drastic decision on this issue, no one would be able to convince the country that he is going to bifurcate or betray the country. This is an opportunity that no Head of State in this country has been offered’. Dayan says pretty much the same thing: ‘President Rajapaksa has the trust of the Sinhalese to a degree that none of his predecessors had; he can therefore carry the Sinhalese with him into a settlement of the underlying and pre-existing issues.’

This is true. One can argue, however, that given this power of sway, president Mahinda Rajapaksa can do what, I believe, he should: trash the 13th and go for true ‘reconciliation’ and addressing of grievance by revisiting the 17th Amendment, correcting its flaws and thereby giving the respect to the citizen that has been denied and subverted by all his predecessors instead of dabbling in something that is archaic, undemocratic, wasteful and has nothing to do with the grievances that need to be resolved.

Dayan Jayatilleke who has queer passion to serve the Tamils and hinder the Sinhalese from exercising their legitimate and inherent rights, responding to Malinda Seneviratne says that the 13th amendment is historically significant and currently indispensable because it is the only structural reform of the centralized Sri Lankan state which devolves power, makes for some measure of autonomy and thereby provides a basis for the reconciliation of the Sinhalese and Tamil communities within a united and unitary Sri Lanka.

He says that the 13thy Amendment is the only such reform to take place exactly three decades after the abrogation of the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayagam pact of 1957 which proposed for Regional Councils. (It had to be abrogated because it was not discussed with the people and there was people’s consent for measures proposed in it) Those who say that the Indo-Lanka Accord and the 13th amendment were “hurried”and “externally coerced” forget the fact that from another point of view, they amounted to a Caesarean surgical intervention, bringing forth a power sharing solution that had been thwarted from 1957, through the District Councils of 1966 and the Indian facilitated negotiations of 1984 (APC/Annexure C) to 1986 (December 19th Chidambaram proposals). It is important to recall than none of these proposals for moderate power sharing were voted down democratically. They never had a chance to be. This pro-Tamil poodle accuses that leaders such as SWRD Bandaranaike, were besieged by extra-parliamentary lobbies and the parliamentary process aborted by extra-parliamentary agitation.

My strong support (“craze”) for the 13th amendment Dayan shamelessly says that is because it is already in place (by force and not with the consent of the majority of the people of this country ) and does not have to be (re)negotiated. It has only to be implemented and Sri Lanka’s military triumph would be politically reinforced instantly. Tamil nationalism would be split between the hyper-nationalists who reject it and the moderates who accept and participate, the Tamil Diaspora would be divided, the North-South gap would be bridged, a renewed cycle of conflict would be less likely or possible, the impressive weight of India in the world system would be solidly with us, (sheer imaginations and stupid hallucinations)) the international pressure on us would lift somewhat, our allies and friends in the international system would be relieved and vindicated, external financing would be more readily available, the anti-Sri Lanka global campaign would be severely weakened and the attempt to encircle Sri Lanka internationally would be defeated.

It is not any particular President I trust to deliver on the 13th amendment or its equivalent or improvement. My point was that President Rajapakse can deliver because he is the least vulnerable to a Southern backlash. (A stupid conclusion that this Colombo Baiyaa made thinking that he could easily fool the rustic Mr. Rajapajsa – a  man from the other side of the of the Bentara Ganga.  He must remember that even a kitten that has not opened its eyes coming from other side of the Bentra Ganga cannot be fooled) This poodle states that he trusts that the challenge of accommodating Tamil identity and reconciling it with Sinhala and Muslim identity will remain and that it will be necessary for any government to negotiate with the Tamil parliamentarians as India will not go away and our need for India in the face of western pressure will not go away either, and that the 13th amendment, however elasticized, will remain the saddle-point between the Sinhala insistence on a unitary state and the Tamil demand for some degree of self –rule.

MS asserts that Sri Lanka with a working 13th amendment is a far cry from “Dayan’s Utopia”, but it is a brake on a downward slide to Dayan’s Dystopia of renewed conflict in different forms, of a resumed narrative of lost opportunities, of civic violence, stagnation and decay, of a long and bitter peace and rueful mid- 21st century ruminations of “the path we never took/into the rose garden”

Dayan says that India was not the cause for the deaths of 60,000 youths in the late 1980s and if Sri Lanka had devolved power in 1957, 1966, 1981 (DDCs), 1984 (Annexure c) or 1986 (Chidambaram), there would have been no Indian intervention. (Please note that this shameless foreign servile sycophant justifies the abhorrent illegal Indian intervention) If the 1987 accord had been resisted by the JVP peacefully,(This abhorrent accord was not noly resisted by JVP but also by the SLFP and a massive sit-in protest headed by Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike was held in front of the Pettah Bodhiya and as a continuation of this protest the SLFP boycotted the first Provincial Council Elections)  there would have been no call for the Sri Lankan state to defend itself violently and adds that both the LTTE and the JVP violently opposed the 13th amendment and the North east provincial council and both movements have been militarily defeated. It must also be recalled that the JVP took up the gun before a single IPKF jawan had appeared on Sri Lankan soil and Daya Pathirana was murdered in November 1986, and the entire left was under violent siege for supporting devolution which was luridly portrayed as secessionism.

Dayan also attempts to drag China also to the dispute and says Tamil Nadu matters less than it did while China matters more and the 13th amendment matters even to China, and that is why the official Sri Lankan communiqué following the discussions between the Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka and China twice mentioned Sri Lanka’s reiteration of its commitment to implementing the 13th amendment.

Malinda Seneviratne in another article dated 14^th Jult, 2009 states that Dayan’s defense of the 13^th Amendment and his plea for its implementation is predicated on the validity of the Tamil (chauvinist) demands, or, to put it another way, the erroneous and mischievous assertion of the equation that equates aspiration to legitimate demand.

He defends the hurried and coercively introduced 13^th Amendment as a necessary Caesarean surgical intervention to bring forth a power sharing solution thwarted from 1957′ and pats himself on the back for having predicted the same.  He enumerates the advantages of going with the 13^th, painting a happily-ever-after picture of internal stability, international backing and communal harmony with an equally happy bridging of the North-South gap and a downing of the anti-Sri Lanka global campaign.  These are strategic benefits which Dayan believes will accrue automatically if we implemented the 13^th.   He implies that pandering to Eelamist mythology and burning defensible historical transcript is a small price to pay for all these goodies. 

First of all, I don’t think that the goodies are there for the taking.  There are no friends’ or enemies’ in the international, just entities playing cards as per self-interest. There is a give and take and there’s a lot of arm-twisting too. Dayan knows this and Dayan knows that India is not the do-gooder that India likes us to believe she is.   That is however not an entity that was god-made and meant to be immobile from Day One to Day Last.  Things change.  To accept current realities as overarching forces best met with acquiescence is a legitimate option, but honour, dignity and intellectual honesty demand that error in perception be resisted.  That however, is not an important entry in the diary of a politician.  I believe it was one of the First Nations in the Americas that predicated policy decision on a consideration of impact on the seventh generation down the line.  Resolving for aspirations that infringe on the rights of other communities and for grievances that can be addressed in other ways may appease ”international pals’ in the here-and-now but will amount to little more than shoving a bunch of garbage under the carpet.

 Dayan, so adept at meeting, countering and triumphing over Western mischief-making with respect to Sri Lanka, is surprisingly meek when it comes to Eelamist posturing regarding history.Perhaps this is because he is fascinated with the notion of  ”autonomous political space’ for the Tamil people in the North and East.  I will go with ”political space’ but there is nothing to support ”autonomy’ as per defined territory.  The provincial boundaries were arbitrarily drawn, to begin with. The Eastern Province is demographically divided roughly into three equal parts, and in terms of territory, ”Sinhala’ areas far outweigh Tamil and Muslim areas put together.  As for legitimacy of claim following historical evidence, it is at best paltry.  The archaeological record does not support the thesis. We could of course set the take-off point closer to the present, but then again, we do know that Chelvanayagam was not a Ceylonese, that Ponnambalam Ramanathan’s grandfather did not have an address in this country and we have to make note of the fact that the results of the first census were surreptitiously ”disappeared’.  Oh yes, Tamil chauvinism has a long history and one that pre-dates the horrendous disenfranchisement of Tamils in the estates and Bandaranaike’s swabasha adventure.

Dayan points out that our so-called”friends’ in the international community want the 13^th implemented, citing statements made.  Even if we were generous and grant that all these statements were/are made in good faith, the fact remains that they are based on their perceptions of our problem, something that is largely influenced by three factors: a) strong and sustained propaganda by the Eelam lobby, b) an ”intellectual’ community (mostly of Marxist-Leninist leanings) that was and still is quite quiescent, and c) governments and political leaders who were operating throughout in the here-and-now mode.   

 Bandaranaike cowed down to ”extra-parliamentary pressure’, yes.  But it was not a matter of going through with the Chelva-Banda pact or dumping it unceremoniously. There was a compelling argument for a instituting a reason-privileging exercise in considering ”Tamil grievances’. He could have instituted a historical audit into claims and thereafter addressed that which was legitimate and ignore that which was not. His successors could have too. That they did not is a pity, and does not in any way make a case for Caesarian section or the sanitization of belligerent bullying on the part of India.  Or anyone else.

 I agree with Dayan that the Sri Lanka state needs structural reform.  There can be structural reform without compromising its centralized form.  Devolution of power is not only antithetical to current global trends (for those who are fascinated by the Global’ with a capital G) it is not a necessary precondition for reconciliation of Sinhala and Tamil communities.  That is like saying that the United States should devolve power to the African Americans, Hispanics and Asians in clearly demarcated pieces of land in order to obtain reconciliation.  

 There is nothing wrong in any community wanting legitimate political space, in wanting equal rights as citizens, but autonomous political space is another matter altogether.  That can be an aspiration, sure, but not delivering that aspiration is not a crime against humanity and not necessarily undemocratic.  

 All communities should have political space’ to air grievances, assert identity and obtain relief where infringement occurs.  This requires an overall democratization of our institutions.  This is where my argument for the 17^th Amendment is not the apple against the 13^th Amendment orange as per Dayan’s characterization makes sense.  The 1978 constitution is anti-citizen, first and foremost and this is the structural anomaly that needs to be addressed most urgently.  It diminishes the citizen.

Reconciliation is not about pandering to a historical claim.  Aspiration clothed as right may excite those who like masquerades and cross-dressing of course, but a nation can do better than to go overboard with such things.   This is why we need to get to the basics, i.e. a historical audit of Tamil claims.  If not we will condemn our children to deal with chauvinism and the violence it tends to spawn.  We cannot afford, especially not after suffering immense costs in eliminating the military avatar of Eelamist posturing, to concede constitutionally the rudimentary structures that can later be the basis for a renewed journey towards Prabhakaran’s objective. Reconciliation, rather, is about coming to terms with realities, of privileging respect, affirming equal rights for all citizens and providing the necessary space for celebrating identity. 

ALI SUKHANVER

More than 50 people had been killed and more than 250 seriously injured by the Hindu extremist groups in the last four years; says a recent report of the Human Rights Watch, most of the attacks on religious minorities in the Indian Occupied Kashmir are led by BJP supporters. Pathetically the only allegation against all the targeted ones had been the same; they all were blamed of trading or slaughtering the cows. The Human Rights Watch says that before killing the alleged ones, the BJP extremists force them to chant Hindu slogans. The role of the local police has always been very condemnable because it always fails in doing proper investigation. There have been complaints that criminal cases are filed against witnesses to harass and threaten them. Maltreatment with the minorities is a heinous act of human rights violation and there could be no more serious and frightening example of human rights violation than maltreatment with the minorities.

Human Rights Watch is a US-based human rights international non-governmental organization with its headquarter in New York City. The basic function of this organization is to conduct research and advocacy on human rights. In mid-January 2020, this group published a report on the worst situation of the human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir. The report mainly focused on the situation after Modi government’s revocation of articles 370 and 35-A which deprived Indian Occupied Kashmir of its autonomy and its people of their basic human rights. The report said, The Indian government’s unilateral actions in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 caused enormous suffering and rights violations of the Kashmiri population. The Bharatiya Janata Party led government revoked the province’s special constitutional status and split it into two separate federally governed territories. Indian authorities also failed to protect religious minorities, used draconian sedition and counterterrorism laws to silence peaceful dissent, and invoked foreign funding regulations and other laws to discredit and muzzle nongovernmental organizations critical of government actions or policies.” Another report on the same subject says that the Modi government has failed in enforcement of Supreme Court’s directives to prevent and investigate mob attacks on religious minorities and other vulnerable communities in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Some prominent members of the Conservative Party had a meeting with the First Secretary of State Dominic Raab a few weeks back and insisted on including the names of officials from China and Hong Kong in the list of those found involved in human rights violations. In response to the demand of necessary action against officials from China and Hong Kong, Dominic Raab said, Whilst having targeted sanctions, the visa bans and the asset freezes on the individuals who may be responsible where the evidence shows that is the case, we got the mechanism to deliver it. We will of course look very carefully at any further proposals.” This said list was prepared by different investigation agencies of the UK and presented for approval in the UK Parliament. This all move is in fact the outcome of the Magnitsky legislation which has been designed to fix those foreign individuals who have been involved in significant corruption or who have committed human rights abuses. It is something very positive that this is for the first time that UK, a prominent and dominant western country, has issued a list of the human rights abusers and did not fix and frame only the Muslims. Prior to this list, it has ever been a tradition to include only the Muslims in such lists.

It was the US which passed the first Magnitsky legislation in 2012 after the brutal ‘murder’ of a Russian auditor Sergei Magnitsky in 2009. Later on some other countries also followed the US steps against human rights abusers; UK is also among those human rights caring countries. Certainly the credit goes to the US for setting such an epoch making tradition of taking to task the abusers of human rights and surely the UK also deserves appreciation for the bold steps in this context but one thing must be kept in mind that personal liking or disliking must not hinder the way of  the Magnitsky legislation. A prejudiced rather a narrow-minded approach towards the names of abusers of human rights would simply promote nothing but mar the credibility of this very sublime process. No list of human rights violators could be authentic without mentioning the brutalities of the Indian Army in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Recently on 17^th July, 2020, the Indian troops martyred three Kashmiri youths in Nagnad Chimmer area of the Kulgram district of the Indian Occupied Kashmir on. These three innocent ones were targeted during a cordon and search operation. Experts say that this fresh act of state terrorism would give birth to a new wave of agitation in the valley. In the name of cordon and search operations, such brutal activities of the Indian forces are simply a routine matter. Let us see, how the UK Parliamentarians react to this cruelty and injustice.