Dr Sarath Obeysekera 

Elevated highway: Govt. accepts unsolicited proposal from Chinese company

By Namini Wijedasa

The Government has accepted an unsolicited proposal from China Harbour Engineering Company (Ltd) for the elevated expressway from Athurugiriya to New Kelani Bridge via Rajagiriya — a project for which bid documents had already been finalised to call an open tender.

The CHEC bid was directed via the Board of Investment (BOI) and discussions are underway, the Highways Ministry Secretary has told media. However, a three-volume Request for Proposals comprising at least 300 pages each was earlier drawn up with the aim of attracting prospective bidders on a level playing field.

Note 

Hook or crook government should move on and implement projects to generate employment and material sales WTC for the benefit of the country

It is high time we forget the bureaucracy and try to find funds to continue to build  the infrastructure in the country

Dr. Sarath Obeysekera
CEO Walkers Colombo Shipyard
Colombo
Sri Lanka

නීතිඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col)

1.)  ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 70වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනය කරමින්, වසරකට පසු පාර්ලිමේන්තුව විසුරුවීමට ජනාධිපතිවරයාට තිබූ බලය ඉවත් කිරීමට 19වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත මුල් වරට වර්ෂ 2002 දීපාර්ලිමේන්තුවට ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබූණි.

2)  එකී 2002 ඉදිරිපත් කළ පනත් කෙටුම්පත සම්බන්ධයෙන් ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ විනිසුරුවරු 7දෙනෙක් ඒකමතිකව “තීරණයක්”

(Determination)  ලබා දෙමින්, එකී සංශෝධනය එනම් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 70වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනය කරමින්, වසරකට පසු පාර්ලිමේන්තුව විසුරුවීමට ජනාධිපතිවරයාට තිබූ බලය ඉවත් කිරීමට අවශ්‍යනම්, ඒ සදහා ජනමතවිචාරණයක් මගින් ජනතාවගේ අනුමැතිය ලබා ගත යුතු බව දක්වා තිබුණි.

එකී තීරණයේ අවසන් ඡේද මෙසේය,

(3)    The  inconsistency  with  Article  3  read  with  the  relevantprovisions  of  Article  4  would  cease  if  clauses  2,  3,  4  and5 are deleted and substituted with an appropriate amendmentto proviso  (a)  to Article 70 (1) of the Constitution by removingthe  period  of  one  year  in  the  proviso  and  substituting  thatwith  a  period  not  exceeding  three  years.

SARATH  N.  SILVA,  CJ.

S.  W.  B.  WADUGODAPITIYA,  J.

DR.  SHIRANI  A.  BANDARANAYAKE,  J.

A.  ISMAIL,  J.

P.  EDUSSURIYA,  J.

H.  S.  YAPA,  J.

J.  A.  N.  DE  SILVA,  J.

Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution unconstitutional and requiresto  be passed by  the  special majority and approved by the  peopleat a  referendum  subject  to  item  3  of the  determination.)

3. එකී 2002 ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ තීරණය අධිකරණ අමාත්‍යාංශය පවත්වාගෙන යන www.lawnet.gov.lk වෙබ් අඩවියේ පහත සැබැදිය මගින් දක්වා ඇත.

(මේ ලියුම්කරු විසින් එකී ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ තීරණය ඉදිරියේදී සිංහල භාෂාවෙන් ලබා දීමට ක්‍රියා කරනු ඇත.)

4. 2002 දී පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට ඉදිරිපත්කර තිබූ 19වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත සදහා ජනමතවිචාරණයක් මගින් ජනතාවගේ අනුමැතිය ලබා ගත යුතු බව ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් දක්වා තිබූ හෙයින් එකී 19යේ කටයුතු ඒ අවස්ථාවේදී නතර විය.

5. නැවත 2015දී ද ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 70වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනය කරමින්, වසරකට පසු පාර්ලිමේන්තුව විසුරුවීමට ජනාධිපතිවරයාට තිබූ බලය ඉවත් කිරීම සහ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ තවත් විධිවිධාන 16 ක්  සංශෝධනය කිරීම සදහා 19වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත 2වන වරටත් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබුණි.

( 2002 ගෙනා වසරකට පසු පාර්ලිමේන්තුව විසුරුවීමට ජනාධිපතිවරයාට තිබූ බලය ඉවත් කිරීමේ  විධිවිධානය සහ තවත් අලුත් විධිවිධාන 16ක් එනම් එකතුව 17ක්)

6. එකී 2වන වරටත් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට ඉදිරිපත්කර තිබූ 19වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා  සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පතේ විධිවිධාන 17න් 16ක් සදහා ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයේ විනිසුරුවරු 3දෙනෙකු විසින් 2015 දී ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ තීරණය ලබා දී තිබුණි.

7.). එකී 2015 ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ තීරණය පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ www.parliament.lk වෙබ් අඩවියේ පහත සැබැදිය මගින් දක්වා ඇත.

(මේ ලියුම්කරු විසින් එකී ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ තීරණය ඉදිරියේදී සිංහල භාෂාවෙන් ලබා දීමට ක්‍රියා කරනු ඇත.)

8.) වර්ෂ 2002 දී ඉදිරිපත් කළ 19යේ තිබූ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 70වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනය කරමින්, වසරකට පසු පාර්ලිමේන්තුව විසුරුවීමට ජනාධිපතිවරයාට තිබූ බලය ඉවත් කිරීමට අදාල විධිවිධානය සම්බන්ධයෙන් ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරයේ විනිසුරුවරු 7දෙනෙක් තීරණයක් ලබා දී තිබූ හෙයින් ඒ විධිවිධානය හැර අනෙක් ව්ධිවිධාන 16 සම්බන්ධයෙන් ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය 2015දී තීරණය කර ඇත.

9.) වර්ෂ 2002 දී සහ වර්ෂ 2015 දී  ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් 19වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පතට ලබා දුන් තීරණ 2කම (විධිවිධාන 17ම) සළකාබලා ක්‍රියා කිරීම නීතිමය ලෙස අවශ්‍ය වුවත්, ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 79 ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ අවසන් විධානයත්, 80.2 ව්‍යවස්ථාවත්, 2002 ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයේ තීරණයත් උල්ලංඝනය කරමින් 2015 පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ සිටි කථානායකවරයා ක්‍රියා කර ඇත.

10.) ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 70 ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනය කිරීමේදී ජනමතය විමසීමට ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් නියම කළ විධානය කථානායකවරයා විසින් උල්ලංඝනය කිරීමෙන් ජනාධිපතිවරයාගේ, ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ විනිසුරුවරුන්, අනෙකුත් සියලු විනිසුරුවරුන්, නීතිඥවරුන්, විශ්ව විද්‍යාල කථිකාචාර්යවරුන්, ගුරුවරුන්, රජයේ සේවකයන්, මාධ්‍යවේදීන් ඇතුලු ඡන්ද බලය හිමි සෑම පුරවැසියෙකුගේම ඡන්ද බලය අහිමි කර ඇත.

11.) ජනතාවගේ ජනමතවිචාරණ ඡන්ද අයිතිය ආරක්ෂා කරමින් 2002දී ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් ලබා දුන් ඒකමතික තීරණයට පටහැණිව 2015 දී පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ කථානායකවරයා ක්‍රියා කර

ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් ජනතාවට ලබා දුන් ජනමතවිචාරණ ඡන්ද බලය අහිමි කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් විධායකය සහ අධිකරණය නිහඩ පිළිවෙතක් අනුගමනය කිරීම ජනතාවගේ පරමාධිපත්‍යයට අයත් ඡන්ද අයිතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක කරන ආකාරය පිළිබද බලවත් සැකයක් ඇති කරයි.

12.) වර්ෂ 2002 දී 19යේ දී ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් ජනතාවට ලබාදුන් ජනමතවිචාරණ ඡන්ද බලය ඉංග්‍රීසි කුමන්ත්‍රණයකින් 2015 දී අහිමි කළ (මහා) ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදියෝ යැයි කියන අය කවුද? ඒ ඇයි.?

(2020.05.17)

නීතිඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col)

විද්‍යුත් තැපැල් arunaunawatuna@gmail.com

Mahinda Gunasekera 84 Tambrook Drive Agincourt, Ontario M1W 3L9 Canada

Mayor Bonnie Crombie
Mayor of the City of Mississauga

Dear Mayor Bonnie Crombie,

Your statement delivered on the day referred to as Tamil Memorial Day
<https://www.facebook.com/TamilEelamMay18/videos/201602127308030/> _

I received a video statement made by you at the City Council carried in the Facebook of an organization named Tamil Eelam on a day referred to as Tamil Memorial Day.  The substance of your statement is totally fallacious as it is obvious that you as the Mayor of the City of Mississauga has failed to previously verify the information apparently given to you by the “Tamil Eelam” group which you repeated in public, to the effect that hundreds of thousands of Tamils had been killed in Sri Lanka in their fight for human rights which you called a ‘genocide’ of the Tamil people.

Let me try to educate you on the actual facts relating to the extremist Tamil forces led by the internationally designated terrorist group known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) banned by the UN Security Council and 32 countries including Canada, USA. UK, EU, India, Malaysia, etc., ought to establish a separate state for a period of 37 years from 1972 by force of arms.

The LTTE having extorted large sums of money from Tamil ex-pats and businesses (refer HRW report dated March 14, 2006) launched their so-called ‘final war of liberation’ in the latter part of 2005, and thereafter proceeded to cut off drinking and irrigation water to 30,000 farming families in July 2006 by forcibly shutting off the sluice gates at Mavilaru (Mahavila) causing the Sri Lanka government to respond militarily after holding off action for 12 days hoping for a peaceful resolution of the matter. It was a war thrust on the Government of Sri Lanka which they successfully ended on May 19, 2009, having militarily defeated the Tamil terrorist forces which refused to surrender despite two offers being made to them.  Along with the defeat of the terrorist forces, the Sri Lankan authorities were able to rescue nearly 300,000 internally displaced Tamils (including 12,000 fighters) that had been forced to accompany the retreating LTTE forces from the west coast of the island to their strongholds on the northeast coast.  These people were exploited for their labour, conscripted to replace fallen cadre and made to serve as a human shield for the tiger fighters in the final battle zone.

Regarding the civilian casualties in the final stages from January 1 to May 19, 2009, there is a wide gap between your numbers and actual losses verified by the UN Resident Representative’s  Office, and the census carried out by the Sri Lankan Government using Tamil teachers and Tamil public servants as enumerators the details of which are noted.

*The number of genuine civilians killed is unknown as none of the published figures

*distinguish between combatants, LTTE Auxiliary Forces, and genuine non-combatant civilians

*as half the LTTE fighters engaged in battle in civilian attire blurring the distinction between combatants and civilians.

The UN Resident Representatives office in Colombo reported
that a total of 7,721 were killed between the end of August 2008 and May 13, 2009, based on information gathered from selected sources on the ground including the lower rung Tamil employees of UN Agencies whom the LTTE refused to release. Amnesty claimed a total of 10,000 being killed, the UK Sunday Times reporter who only overflew the last battleground when he accompanied the UNSG Ban ki-Moon on his inspection tour on May 25, 2009, reported that 20,000 had been killed in the last stages.

UNSG’s so-called Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka sitting in New York estimated tens of thousands of persons being killed estimated at 40,000, the same number reported on by the Int’l Crisis Group.

Furthermore, they had based their conclusions mainly from one-sided information provided to them by pro-LTTE elements, which material they recommended be locked away for a period of 20 years till the year 2031.

Pro-LTTE reporter Frances Harrison is still counting the dead, having estimated that 70,000 to 140,000 may have been killed. Yasmin Sooka who was appointed by Ban ki-Moon as one of the three members of the Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka who attends all the propaganda meetings of LTTE groups is on the same page as Frances Harrison claiming over 110,000 persons being killed. All of these guesstimates are numbers pulled out from thin air and have been made from outside Sri Lanka without any basis to justify such conclusions.

In 2012, the Sri Lankan authorities carried out a census among the residents of the north and east to determine the number of persons who had been killed in the final stages using Tamil school teachers and Tamil public servants as enumerators and arrived at a figure of 7,432 excluding those who had died of natural causes. Strangely, on adding up the monthly number of such casualties reported in the propaganda arm of the LTTE, namely the Tamilnet, the total killed for the period January 1, 2009, to May 19, 2009, was only 7,398, a number less than that accounted for in the census carried by the Sri Lankan government.

Another interesting statistic is the total number of injured persons among the Tamil IDPs according to the ICRC responsible for ferrying them by land and sea for medical attention was 18,439 which is lower than the 40,000 supposedly killed during the last stages. Normally, the wounded WIA)is between 2-3 times the number killed per world statistics, which means that the number injured should have been 80,000 – 120,000.

The Sri Lankan forces abandoned air attacks and use of Artillery/MBRL in the latter part to prevent harm to the civilian population, while they faced a continuous barrage of artillery and mortar fire from the LTTE resulting in the loss of around 2,500 soldiers and a further 5,000 or more becoming injured. The LTTE too would have lost at least an equal number of combatants due to the intensive battles at the end stages. If one takes out 2,500 from the UN number of 7,721, one is left with 5,221. Of this number, several hundred were killed by the LTTE which ordered their cadres to fire on escaping civilians, and even unleashed suicide bombers and artillery fire on the escaping civilians who earlier formed a human shield. Some others killed would have been members of the LTTE’s Auxiliary Forces that supplied ammo, removed injured and dead fighters from the battlefront, or were engaged in digging trenches or building defensive berms for the LTTE, and yet others from the Makkal Padai, their civilian fighters. Once you adjust for the LTTE’s own killings, auxiliary forces personnel and Makkal Padai forces that were killed in battle, you will be able to ascertain the number of genuine civilians who were killed in the crossfire and ongoing battles which is far below the collateral damage observed in other theatres of armed warfare. You also referred to the situation which prevailed in Sri Lanka as genocide of Tamils citing highly exaggerated and bogus numbers of civilian casualties which we vehemently dispute. They were fighting not for human rights as you stated but to break up the unitary state of Sri Lanka and to set up a mono-ethnic, racist state of Tamil Eelam leading to continued hostilities in that country.

Yours sincerely,

Mahinda Gunasekera

Courtesy The Guardian

Sri Lanka has lifted a ban on wedding receptions as part of an easing of coronavirus restrictions, but grooms may not kiss the bride – at least not in public.

Wealthy Sri Lankans usually hold wedding celebrations with thousands of guests, and the festivities often last for days with much eating, drinking, dancing and singing.

Under the new guidelines there should be no more than 100 guests, all of whom must stay a metre apart and wear masks, including the happy couple.

Guests should not be allowed to kiss, hug or shake hands,” the latest health ministry rules say. Greeting each other should be done without any touching.”

Sri Lanka imposed a nationwide curfew on 20 March that ruled out gatherings of any sort, but the restrictions have been eased in many districts that are not considered high-risk.

Religious gatherings remain banned, and only the bereaved family are allowed at funerals.

The capital, Colombo, and the neighbouring district of Gampaha, where the main international airport is located, are still under a 24-hour curfew that entered its third month on Wednesday.

Offices have been allowed to open with reduced staff to provide essential services.

Sri Lanka has reported 1,055 coronavirus infections with nine deaths since the first case in the country was identified on 27 January.

Courtesy Adaderana

Nine more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 as of 10.00 pm on Friday (22), says the Ministry of Health.

Accordingly, a total of 13 new positive cases of coronavirus have been confirmed so far within the day. Four naval personnel tested positive for the virus earlier today.

Sri Lanka’s total count of coronavirus infections thereby reached 1,068.

Meanwhile, 620 of these coronavirus patients have made complete recoveries so far.

According to the tally of Epidemiology Unit, 439 active cases are under medical care at IDH, Welikanda Base Hospital, Navy Hospital, Colombo East Base Hospital, Iranawila Hospital, Kattankudy Base Hospital, Homagama Base Hospital and Minuwangoda Base Hospital.

The country’s death toll due to coronavirus currently stands at 09.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe has sent a letter to the President’s Secretary, stating that he sees no impediment to holding elections in the country, President’s Counsel Romesh De Silva told the Supreme Court on Friday (22).

These developments came, when multiple Fundamental Rights petitions, filed challenging the President’s gazette dissolving parliament and the date for the General Election set by the Election Commission were taken up for the fifth consecutive day.

At the commencement of the court proceedings, the President’s Counsel, appearing on behalf of the President’s Secretary, had submitted a letter sent by the Director General of Health.

He told the court that the Director General of Health Services has given written notification to the President’s Secretary informing him that the election process can move forward hygienically, as ascertained via tests conducted by the health authorities across the island.

He further emphasized that Director General of Health Services has made evident via his letter that it is appropriate to gazette the relevant health regulations under the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance as a plan of the long-term disease prevention plan.

Director General of Health Services, in his letter, has mentioned that guidance can be provided to the Election Commission on taking the election process forward, upon request.

The Director General of Health Services has noted that he sees no impediment to holding the General Election, the President’s Counsel went on to say.

Given that is the case, he questioned as to which factions the Election Commission is still expecting a green light from. He also noted that despite the court not ordering the suspension of the election-related activities of the Commission until the petitions are heard, the Election Commission has in fact stopped all such activities.

In the meantime, Additional Solicitor General Indika Demuni De Silva has made submissions on behalf of the Attorney General and the Director General of Health Services.

She told the court that the Attorney General will be filing preliminary objections pertaining to all the FR petitions.

As such, she requested from the Supreme Court to dismiss the petitions without taking them up for hearing.

Filing the first preliminary objection, the Additional Solicitor General said all the petitioners have come before the court, after the time period of a month illustrated in Article 126(2) of the Constitution had elapsed.

She added that 304 political parties and 313 independent groups have submitted nominations and are expectant of contesting the election.

She went on to point out that in submitting these petitions, which indirectly request for the invalidation of nominations, they have not named a single political party or a secretary as parties to the petitions.

The Additional Solicitor General also argues that a decision which directly impacts the validity of nominations pertaining to over 7,400 candidates cannot be given, just at the request of the petitioners.

Following the conclusion of the proceedings, further hearing of the petitions was postponed until 10 am on Tuesday (26).

Courtesy Adaderana

A Task Force headed by the Defence Secretary will be appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to conduct a comprehensive survey of archaeological sites in the East and to take measures to preserve them, says the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Several parties have voiced their concerns regarding the destruction done to historical monuments, the PMD said further.

After considering all aspects, a broad programme will be launched with the support of the Department of Archaeology in order to preserve historic sites.

President expressed these views during the second meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat today (22) with the Buddhist Advisory Council which is scheduled to meet on the third Friday every month.

The Maha Sanga has enlightened the President on the necessity of a religious discourse due to misconduct of certain monks that will cause discredit to Buddhism and Tripitaka. President has responded that steps could be taken to rectify the situation during his tenure of office if corrective measures are proposed.

The clergy has commended the initiatives launched under the guidance of the President to protect the entire citizenry in the wake of the global pandemic of COVID-19 which has caused a devastating impact on every country in the world. President pointed out that it is a great achievement that not a single person from the community was found infected after April 30.

Those who are returning from abroad are being sent for quarantine. Of these returnees, few from Dubai and Kuwait have been infected with the virus. Safety measures are underway to examine people arriving from overseas under the instructions of health authorities,” the PMD continued.

The Buddhist Advisory Council has discussed at a length on Pirivena education and school education system in the country. Maha Sanga pointed out how attempts were made to remove the subjects of Literature and History from the school curricula during certain periods in the past. While pointing out that education is the first and foremost priority in his election manifesto, the President said preliminary steps have already been taken to implement a National Education Policy.

The Maha Sangha has stressed the need for effective implementation of a comprehensive programme to defeat the drug menace threatening the country. The Theros further said that there is a huge responsibility lies with the Maha Sangha in this regard in the same manner as that of the government.

President Rajapaksa said that large quantities of drugs that were smuggled into the country were seized within a very short period of time. He further said that he will take every possible step to control the prevailing situation to the maximum level as well as to totally eliminate the drug menace from the country.

The President pointed out that he will fulfil the responsibility for national security bestowed upon him to the highest level and he has appointed talented and expert individuals in charge of this task. Intelligence Unit has been vested with full powers to deal with issues.

President Rajapaksa said that the security forces have been given the power to closely monitor the terrorist and extremist activities.

The Maha Sangha further said that there are no words in the vocabulary to felicitate the speech made by the President at the National ‘Ranaviru’ commemoration Day and invoked blessings on the President.

The Theros said that there is a huge responsibility with the Maha Sangha to rebuild the society which has gone chaotic. The Maha Sangha criticized the practice of certain media outlets that create a rift between the Maha Sangha and the politicians.

The Theros also pointed out that while the entire world appreciates the steps taken by the government to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, the behaviour of the opposition is disgusting.

Emphasizing that Maga Sanga has an enormous responsibility in the efforts in resuming normalcy in civilian life in the wake of the pandemic the Theros pledged to work for the benefit of the society through a committee comprising Maha Sanga.

The Maha Sangha including Anunayake of the Malwatte Chapter Most Ven. Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thero, Anunayake of Asgiriya Chapter Most Ven. Venduruwe Upali Thero, Registrar of Malwathu Chapter Most Venerable Pahamune Sri Sumangala Thero, Lekakadikari of the Malwathu Chapter Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thero, Chief Incumbent of the Ruwanweli Maha Seya, Ven Pallegama Hemaratana Thero, Maha Nayaka of the Amarapura Sri Dharmarakshita Nikaya Most Ven. Rajakiya Panditha Trincomalaye Ananda Thero, Chief Sanganayaka of Dakshinalanka Most Ven. Mataraba Hemarathna Thero and Chancellor of the Sabaragamuwa University, Prof. Ven. Kumburugamuwe Vajira Thero attended the meeting. The Principal Advisor to the President, Lalith Weerathuga also participated in this meeting.

By Rohana R. Wasala

Vinod Munasinghe’s constructive feedback comments (‘A statue of Mandela will do no harm’/The Island/May 18, 2020) on my opinion piece of Saturday (May 16) titled ‘This is no laughing matter’ provided the cue for this attempt to submit my ideas, for reader scrutiny, about the subject hinted at in my title today, for what they are worth. I appreciate Munasinghe’s suggestions. Sincere thanks! I stand corrected about the location of the International Crisis Group which, I erroneously wrote, was headquartered in South Africa. It is in Brussels, Belgium as you correctly point out. My sincere apologies to the readers for the error. You have also given a better idea in outline about the history of formal and informal interactions between Sri Lanka and South Africa over a longer period of time than I suggested. But I believe that Munasinghe will agree with me that the SA High Commission’s request for a Mandela statue to be erected in Colombo needs to be interpreted in terms of its timing: May 19, 2020 marks the 11th anniversary of the defeat of armed separatist terrorism; and it is also the day that a memorial ceremony is held for the fallen war heroes; meanwhile the Cabinet’s seemimgly casual compliance with the superficially innocuous request needs to be commented on, too.  

However, the question implicit in my previous piece, i.e., ‘Why a Mandela statue in Colombo?’, was not meant to detract in the least from the great admiration that I have for Nelson Mandela as a fierce anti-imperialist, heroic freedom-fighter, and great human being. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the Sri Lankan government taking a decision to install a Mandela statue in an appropriate place in Sri Lanka so long as it doesn’t do so at the behest of some coercive outside power.

Back to my subject. Munasinghe is right about Yasmin Sooka and Navaneetham Pillai not being representative of the South African government. Of course, he doesn’t say that I think they are. My point is that Sri Lanka is being baited, particularly at UNHRC, Geneva, for alleged perpetration of war crimes, human rights abuses, non-observance of democratic norms in domestic politics, and the whole caboodle of similar offences that the country could be falsely imagined to have committed; this makes us wonder whether the powers that be are using international civil servants (like Sooka and Pillai who seem to be possessed by some inexplicable personal grudge against the majority ethnic Sinhalese community) as a cat’s paw in persecuting the whole Sri Lankan people for applying pressure on its nationalist political leaders, in pursuit of their own geopolitical ends. 

Naturally, the sovereign people of Sri Lanka who would resent their own civil servants to lord it over them, reject with the deepest contempt the current undue advances of international civil servants. By allowing them to act in an imperious manner towards Sri Lanka, these global powers are violating the collective human rights of all Sri Lankans, while compounding their already artificially complicated internal problems, rendering them even more intractable. International nosy-parkers’ unsolicited interventions turned to cases of brazen interference in Sri Lanka’s civil disputes during the Yahapalanaya. The Western imperialist powers (aka international community, neoliberalists, neocons, champions of globalization, and so on) try to manipulate internal politics in Sri Lanka under the pretext of protecting the minorities from the alleged majoritarianism of the Sinhalese, something that these selfish foreign powers do in  their own national interest back home. Nationalism is good for those imperialist powers,it seems, but when the Sinhalese majority practice nationalism (embracing all Sri Lankans as one nation), they denounce it as racism, and use that bogus criticism to suppress and persecute the Sinhalese.  

But this theme is incidental to the basic point that Munasinghe sets out to enlighten us on in his response to my piece. He touches on what could be called a tradition of delaying the setting up of statues in memory of national heroes worthy of such honour. Munasinghe says that ‘Why a Mandela statue in Colombo?’ is a good question because …..Sri Lanka has been tardy in erecting statues of people, who contributed to the country’s liberation from colonial oppression. For example, CWW Kannangara, the father of free education, in this country, did not have a statue erected to him, until 1989, 20 after his demise. It stands in front of the Matugama auditorium”. I agree. Petty personal politics, in my own opinion, is at the root of this perennial anomaly.

Actually, a more recent instance of the same phenomenon was at the back of my mind when I started writing about the proposed Mandela statue in Colombo: the case of the Lakshman Kadirgamar statue. It took eight years after his assassination for a statue of Lakshman Kadirgamar to be erected! He was an independent minded patriot but an unwilling politician who put himself in the firing line in the literal sense, as it were, out of love of his nation/country and the sincerity of his commitment to the establishment of national unity. In that, he stood in stark contrast to most average politicians who have or demonstrate little understanding of the real meaning of nation or national unity, and care less about whether these terms mean anything to the voters whose support they woo using those terms exclusively as rousing slogans. 

The apparent sloppiness of attention with which the Cabinet of Ministers seemed to have decided the matter about the Mandela statue made me a little angry. It incidentally reminded me of the shabby treatment that the late Kadirgamar was subjected to by some of his closest political allies, both in life and in death, with a single honourable exception, though. 

The Island editorial under the title ‘An overdue honour for Kadir’ on August 12, 2013 – the day that the Lakshman Kadirgamar statue was unveiled in the premises of Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies at Horton Place, Colombo on his eighth death anniversary after it had been stored away in a crate for a number of years – opened thus: 

‘Lakshman Kadirgamar, one of Sri Lanka’s illustrious sons, is honoured posthumously today. His statue which was lying in a crate for years in the backyard of an institution named after him has been taken out, dusted and installed at long last—eight years after his untimely demise. Better late than never! 

‘Oxford honoured its outstanding alumnus , Kadirgamar, while he was alive. His portrait  was unveiled at the Oxford Union on March 18, 2005 a few months before his tragic end. It was indeed a very rare honour. He was the Treasurer and President of the union in 1958 and 1959 respectively. That is the way great men and women should be honoured’.

The Island editorial of August 12, 2013 also stated: ‘It is heartening that the Kadirgamar statue has come up where it should be. But, there is no need for statues to perpetuate the memory of Kadir, who laid down his life for this country. With or without memorials, he continues to live in the heart of every right thinking, grateful Sri Lankan, who appreciated his selfless service to the nation. The erection of his statue will only serve to prove that Sri Lanka is not a land of ingrates’. 

The Island editor paid an even more moving tribute on the day of Kadirgamar’s funeral, August 15, 2005: ‘Farewell to an uncrowned king’, wherein he made this biting comment on the shamelessness of the countries that supported the LTTE that assassinated Kadir:

‘The diplomats of the countries, where the LTTE is allowed to operate need no clothes, when they pay their respects to Kadir. They can file past his coffin, stark naked. For, they have proved they have no sense of shame.’

The story of the Kadirgamar statue/s is related by his daughter Ajita Kadirgamar in her biography of her late father titled ‘The Cake that was Baked at Home:  Snapshots of the Man’s Life by His Daughter’ (Vijita Yapa, Colombo, August 2015). This is found in the Chapter titled ‘A Tale of Two Statues’ (pp. 324-333). She has some extracts from the editorial of The Island of August 12, 2013 mentioned above including what I have quoted above (except the last bit from the editorial written on August 15, 2005 the day of the funeral).

The story of the Kadirgamar statue is a bit complicated. However, it has nothing to do with Kadirgamar himself or his unique legacy to the nation. The delay in erecting a statue in his honour was neither caused by minor issues of a personal/family nature resulting from certain disagreements between his surviving children on the one hand and his widow on the other,  but by the determined obstructions placed by his sneaky unworthy rivals who would have been beneath his notice when he was alive; reading the account, one feels that this factor was almost entirely responsible for the inordinate delay.. 

From Ajita Kadirgamar’s account one can guess that Kadir’s unworthy successor put dampeners on the statue erection project. She writes: . ‘Three years after LK’s death, there was still no decision where the statue should be erected’. She   quotes the following from Dr U. Pethiyagoda writing to The Island on April 11, 2013: ‘His statue must surely be smiling to itself as it languishes in a box at the institution, which however is not shy to blandish his illustrious name!’ She goes on to extract this from Namini Wijedasa/transcurrent.com on ‘Foreign Minister Bogollagama’s antics and escapades’, August 24, 2008: ‘At one cabinet meeting, the question of where the Lakshman Kadirgamar memorial statue should be installed arose. The foreign ministry has been given the task of finding a suitable permanent address for the statue. Bogollagama was absent. President Rajapaksa asked Deputy Minister Hussein Bhaila where the statue would eventually be erected. Bhaila said he could not tell as Bogollagama was not in Sri Lanka. It will take another ten years for him to get back”, Rajapaksa had reportedly said angrily. As acting minister, you must make a decision. If you can’t take decisions in such a manner, I will have to appoint somebody else to your place”.  

According to Ajita Kadirgamar, among many who commented on ‘the predicament’ was former Sri Lankan Ambassador in Doha Satharatilaka Banda Atugoda, who in 2012 stated: ‘A day may also come when it will dawn in the conscience of the authorities responsible, petty-partisan-selfish-egoistic attitudes should be erased from their minds, when it comes to honouring national patriots like Lakshman Kadirgamar, by deciding to place his statue in the premises of this Institute, which is gathering dust at present.’ I think Atugoda hit the nail on the head in this case. 

Eventually, the statue was unveiled by the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Kadirgamar Institute premises at Horton Place on the late leader’s eighth death anniversary of August 12, 2013.

What upset me about the SA High Commission’s request for a Nelson Mandela statue in Colombo and the ministers’ easy-going accommodation of it apparently without considering the circumstances, if any, that make it  something imperative in the national interest was that it immediately made me wonder whether the era of politicians who allow themselves to be blinded by  ‘petty-partisan-selfish-egoistic attitudes’ is still not over.   

Sunil Yatalamatta Gamage 

Sri Lankan military did sacrifice to protect & unite the country for the future sons daughters of the country; to have a safer motherland which will prevail and prosper in the years to come”.- Defense Secretary General: Kamal Gunaratne

May 19^th is a significant day of Sri Lankan history of our country written again in golden letters as the country was liberated from the world most ruthless terrorist group. It was the victory against terrorism which was in the country more than 30 years. The victory was possible due to political leadership and his vision towards the country at that time. If we haven’t that visionary leadership we will never be able to achieve that freedom.When we recall the height of the fight against terrorism country’s political leadership was under tremendous political pressure, from the west, but the leadership stood firmly fighting against terrorism to achieve and liberate the country. The way the political leadership was stood was phenomenal even under pressure. We won the war against terrorism; and the only country in the world to do so. We as a nation starts to rise again as a one nation towards our economic, social, cultural, goals of achieving them. The war which prevailed more than 30 years, made enormous economic hardships to our people. As we are aware, some political visions of west tried their best to make our country a battle field to achieve their geopolitical ends. They used their liberal friends in our own country. I refuse to name them in this article. Those elements initiated some ground work for that in this country, but it didn’t fully worked because of true patriots of this country. Some true Politicians broad minded understood the danger of it and worked tirelessly to avoid constitutional changes which were due to happen in the country. Western people non and non governmental organizations” made every effort and in tensed their efforts to divert the achievement in a label called war crime’.They used some of our local elements to do the necessary for them. Human Rights Organization had been encircling our country through something called Accountability’ and Reconcilliation” Transparency”in justice for Justice of Tamils living abroad. Our dedicated soldiers saved the lives of Tamils from the ruthless organization, and we ended the most difficult and long standing war against terrorism. Our forces and our country is the only in this universe could do that and that is the most difficult truth for many western and Scandinavian countries.

The visionary leadership was able to protect human rights of people in north and liberate Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese of the country. Our own political leadership gave the right leadership which was much needed to our forces at that time. When the terrorism at it’s younger age we had the political leadership, but that leadership of the country not matured enough to make decisions very much needed at that time of the problem. It caused a huge economic, political, social, cultural devastation to Sri Lanka. If that political decision was in line for the best interest our country and people; we would have not loose our great military commanders of Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Wijaya Wimalaratna, Lucky Wijeratne, Parami kulatunga and so many. Due negligence of political leaderships in the past, we lost many national leaders to our country both Sinhalese and Tamils, as well as Buddhists Mahanayakas, Christian Fathers, Muslim religion leaders, and Hindu religion leaders.

In the fight of terrorism and freeing the country out from that was an eminent effort of true leadership with a patriotic vision. Over the past; different so called leaders gave the leadership to our military but it didn’t work successfully. Finally 11 years ago we were able to find true freedom to our country as we won the war against terrorism. How wonderful is to remember the patriotism and dynamic leadership of our country. When I say dynamic leadership mean to have courage and Independence to take decisions right at the moment when the whole country was at a juncture of do or die situation. There were two western foreign ministers in the country to warn our leadership to stop the war against terrorists. As everybody remembered, when those two foreign ministers at a discussion with our premier, probably it would have been a hot summers nights dream” for them. Just think about if the premier decided to withdraw troops back to their camps and started negotiations according to western method. If that happen today May 19^th will not be writing this victory note of our fallen soldiers. This is what happen when J.R. Jayawardena, R Premadasa, and Ranil wickramasinghe was in power which was a curse to our nation. Mobilizing a country towards the direction of a war footing will not a easy task. That uneasy task has been done and won the war against terrorism only because of patriotism, and dynamic leadership of our two two leaders of this country.

My request today is a promise to fallen soldiers. Those fallen soldiers did their supreme sacrifice to their motherland.There are many things happening for their benefit and for their families in the country. Tribute to them in many ways is a must as it should be. We may need to find many creative ways to keep their sacrifice as much as possible live in the hearts and minds of the nation. There will be many ideas blooming in the future more and more. Fallen soldiers is our history and when a nation rise from that ideology of emerging country, that ideology must be a live thing in the hearts an minds of the people of a country. We can create charity foundations by their names. We can name parks by their names. We know in every parts of the country every district of the country we have rural government hospitals. We can create hospital foundations in each district by the communities of each district. The charity foundations must accept donations from everybody and maintain accounts for the welfare of the hospital. At the same time community can allocate a Wall of fame with framed pictures and names with a little description of fallen soldiers, when and how he was sacrificed his life to our motherland”. That is only a perspective, but it need to be further developed as an idea. I am happy as I could brought up this idea as a tribute to our armed forces as a well deserved tribute and commemoration. 

When a nation want to rise from the sacrifices of that nature is a tribute to those fallen soldiers of the country. They sacrificed their life for the motherland. So now is the time to make that fast movement of development of social, economic, cultural development of the the country. That development will never be achieved, by selling our lands to others through treaty, by robbing central bank, or by liberal economic thinking. As we have been experienced the library economic vision already dead and gone. The Covid-19 has proved to us liberal economic visions and globalization will not develop any country. It has been a proven failure. We need to develop our own economic vision suitable to our own people and we need to use modern technology cautiously, but accordingly. Such a development plan ensure the safety and protection of our environment and must be a balanced approach.

Embassy of Sri Lanka  Washington D.C.

The Government of Sri Lanka has introduced a new bank account termed ‘Special Deposit Account (SDA)’ for all Sri Lankans living in and outside the country to remit their foreign currency earnings, savings and investments to any bank of their preference in Sri Lanka. It is in the form of ‘Term Deposits’ either in any designated foreign currency or in Sri Lanka Rupees.
 
The Embassy, while appreciating the generosity on the part of Sri Lankans living in the United States of America who have already extended their valued contributions for SDAs, encourage others who have not yet invested, to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to earn the best return for their investments as an expression of their continued solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka, during this challenging environment.
 
The salient information on SDAs is as follows; 

Eligible Persons 

• Sri Lankan individuals resident in or outside Sri Lanka
• Dual Citizens
• Citizens of other States with Sri  Lankan origin
• Non-nationals resident in or outside Sri Lanka
• Funds, corporate bodies, associations incorporated/registered outside Sri Lanka

 
Opening and Maintaining SDAs 

• SDAs shall be opened during the six months period from the date of the regulations
• SDAs shall be opened and maintained only in the form of Fixed Deposits. SDAs in the form of savings accounts may be opened as operational accounts only for the purpose of receiving funds to be placed in SDAs.
• SDAs shall be opened and maintained either in any designated foreign currency or in Sri Lanka Rupees.
• SDAs may be held as joint accounts by eligible persons. 

Minimum tenure

• Six (06) months 

Interest payable

• 1 percentage point and 2 percentage points per annum for SDAs with a tenure of 6 months and 12 months, respectively, payable at maturity of the deposit, above the deposit interest rates applicable for normal deposits of similar maturities by the respective bank. 

 
Interest Rates 

• Bank wise Interest Rates (in per cent per annum) offered for Special Deposit Accounts (SDAs) as at 11.05.2020.    

 
Repatriation of Funds

•     Freely convertible and repatriable outside Sri Lanka on the maturity of termed posits.

Exemption

• Exempted from any procedural requirements specified in the Foreign Exchange Regulation No. 1 of 2017 published in the Gazette Extraordinary No 2045/56 of 17, 2017. 

Permitted Credits

• Inward remittances in foreign currency received from outside Sri Lanka in favor of the account holder through the banking system.
• Transfers from Inward Investment Accounts (IIA) or accounts maintained in the Offshore Banking Unit by the account holder, out of the proceeds received as inward remittances during the six months period from the date of the regulations in favor of the account holder. 

Permitted Debits 

• Outward remittances of maturity proceeds upon maturity of the term deposit.
• Transfer of maturity proceeds of SDA term deposits to an Inward Investment Account or an account maintained in the Offshore Banking Unit by the same accountholder.
• Disbursements in Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka Rupees. 

Other Conditions 

• In the event of receiving funds through an Inward Investment Account or an account maintained in the Offshore Banking Unit, of the same accountholder, ADs shall ensure that such funds have been received as inward remittances into Sri Lanka.
• Funds withdrawn under the third bullet point of Permitted Debits” above cannot be credited back to a SDA.
• Outward remittances in favor of the accountholder may be effected through an Authorized Dealer (AD) other than the AD with whom the SDA is maintained, provided that a confirmation shall be obtained from the AD with whom the SDA is maintained stating that the funds were debited from the SDA of the accountholder and out of the funds credited in compliance with the regulation. 

 
For inquiries, please contact:
 
1. Mr. Sarath Dissanayake            Deputy Chief of Mission
                                                Mobile: 202 816 9666
                                                Email: dcm@slembassyusa.org
 
2. Mr. Niranga Palipana                Second Secretary
                                                Mobile: 202 579 4729
                                                Email: niranga@slembassyusa.org
 
3. Mrs. Aruni Warnakula                Accounts Officer
                                                Mobile: 202 288 8546
                                                Email: accounts@slembassyusa.org
 
 
 Embassy of Sri Lanka
 Washington D.C.
 
21^st May 2020

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

මැතිවරණ කොමිසම විසින් නියම කරන ඔ්නෑම දිනයක මැතිවරණය පැවැත්වීමට අවශ්‍ය කරන නිර්දේශ ලබා දීමට හැකියාව පවතින බව සෞඛ්‍ය සේවා අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල් වෛද්‍ය අනිල් ජාසිංහ මහතා සඳහන් කරයි.

මේ වන විට රට ක්‍රම ක්‍රමයෙන් සාමාන්‍යකරණයට පත්වෙමින් තිබෙන බවත් පවසන ඔහු මැතිවරණ කොමිසමට මැතිවරණ පැවැත්වීම සඳහා සහාය වීමට තමනට හැකියාවක් ඇති බවද පවසයි.

නමුත් මැතිවරණය පැවැත්වීම හෝ ඊට දින නියම කිරීම තම කාර්යයක් නොව එය මැතිවරණ කොමිසමේ කාර්යයක් බව ද ඔහු පැවසීය.

මැතිවරණ කොමිසම ඉල්ලා සිටින ඕනෑම අවස්ථාවක ඊට අවශ්‍ය නිර්දේශ ලබා දීමට හැකියාවක් ඇති බවද ඔහු තව දුරටත් සඳහන් කළේය.

Courtesy Adaderana

Two more individuals have tested positive for the COVID-19, the Ministry of Health confirmed a short while ago.

The identified patients are Sri Lanka Navy personnel, stated the Ministry.

Accordingly, 4 Navy personnel are confirmed to have contracted the virus within today (21). The total number of coronavirus cases identified within the day is 19.

Thereby, a total of 1,047 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, 604 of these coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals so far as they returned to health.

The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry says that 434 active cases are currently under medical care at selected hospitals.

The country’s death toll due to coronavirus currently stands at 09.

Fifteen returnees test positive for COVID-19 as tally leaps to 1,045

Fifteen more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 as of 6.00 pm today (21), says the Ministry of Health.

Sri Lanka’s total count of coronavirus infections thereby reached 1,045.

These new positive cases have been identified as returnees from Dubai who were undergoing mandatory quarantine procedure at the facility in Giragama, the Department of Government Information said.

In the meantime, two other coronavirus patients were reported earlier today. They were confirmed to be navy men who were being quarantined at the facility in Mullaitivu.

Accordingly, 604 of these coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals so far as they returned to health.

The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry says that 432 active cases are currently under medical care at selected hospitals.

The country’s death toll due to coronavirus currently stands at 09.

Courtesy Adaderana

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, today (21), reviewed the production, import, and distribution of pharmaceutical supplies, during a discussion with the Chairmen of the two State Pharmaceutical Corporations, held at the Presidential Secretariat.

At the discussion, the President inquired as to how the medicines supply in the country is structured, stated President’s Media Division.

In reply, Chairman of State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Consultant neurosurgeon Prasanna Gunasena said the supply is done in 03 ways; production by the State sector, production by the private sector, and imports by both sectors.

Currently there are 750 varieties of medicines in use in Sri Lanka and shortages may occur due to delays in the procurement process in respect of imports, the Chairman said.

Directing that no room should be left for shortages in the supply of medicines in the country, the President pointed out the necessity of deciding the medicinal requirement of the coming year by studying the demand pattern of the previous year.

President Rajapaksa said that the production and supply of the pharmaceutical items should be streamlined for the benefit of the people disregarding the interests of a handful of intermediaries. Formulating a simple import and supply mechanism of medicines is a priority, he added.

All medicines should be of highest standards, said the President, while warning relevant officials not to give any chance to produce or import substandard medicines.

While stressing the need for maintaining buffer stocks to prevent any scarcity to occur President pointed out that orders should be placed by calculating the date of expiry of medicine.

Chairman of State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation Dr. Uthpala Indrawansha said that his organization produces 80 medicines required by hospitals in the country.
Plans are underway to domestically produce Saline and several other items and this will save the country around Rs. 1300 million annually, Dr. Indrawansha said.
 
The possibility of investing money belonging to the Employees Trust Fund and the Samurdhi Movement in the production of medicine was also explored, at the Meeting, stated President’s Media Division. 

If such a mechanism could be put in place, these two Funds will have a permanent source of income, President observed.

Courtesy Hiru News

The OIC of the Thalawakele Police has managed to save the life of a young girl who attempted to commit suicide by jumping into the Upper Kotmale reservoir .

According to our correspondent, a 28-year-old father of two has drowned while trying to save the girl.

The girl had jumped into the reservoir near the railway bridge that had been built across the Upper Kotmale reservoir at around 10 am this morning.

Our correspondent stated that a man who was near the bridge had jumped into the reservoir to save the girl.

The young man who swam towards the girl had disappeared in the reservoir.

However, the OIC of the Thalawakele Police had jumped into the reservoir with the help of other officers and rescued her when the girl emerged from the reservoir again, using a rope and a tube.

It is reported that the OIC was able to save the girl within 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, the police lifeguards and residents of the area have unearthed the body of a father of two who drowned while trying to save the girl.

He is a resident of Rathnillakele, Talawakele.

The young woman had jumped into the reservoir near the place where he was working as a carpenter.

His body is to be sent to the Nuwara Eliya Base Hospital for post-mortem examination.

According to our correspondent, the water level of the reservoir has risen with the heavy rains experienced in the Upper Kotmale catchment areas.

Ada Derana

Courtesy aljazeera.com

Three women trampled to death outside businessman’s warehouse for annual handout to mark holy month of Ramadan.

A crime scene officer inspects the place where the stampede occurred in the capital, Colombo [Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters]

Three women have been trampled to death during a stampede for an $8 cash handout in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo amid growing desperation among Sri Lankans struggling to make ends meet during a coronavirus lockdown that has smashed the economy.

Some 1,000 people queued outside a businessman’s warehouse for his annual handout during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, local member of parliament Mujibur Rahman said on Thursday.

There was a rush for the 1,500 rupee gift – about the same amount as a labourer’s daily wage – when the gates opened, he said.

“Some people tried to break the queue and enter,” Rahman told the AFP news agency. “That is when the women at the top of the queue fell and were trampled to death.”

Nine others were seriously hurt in the stampede and taken to hospital, he said, adding that there was a larger-than-usual crowd during this year’s event, which has been taking place for decades.

“People have not earned any money for two months because of the virus lockdown [since March 20],” Rahman said.

“People are desperate. When they heard about today’s donation, over a thousand turned up.”

The businessman, who has not been named by the authorities, and five of his assistants were arrested for violating the lockdown, Colombo police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon told reporters.

Government cash handouts this month – 5,000 rupees ($27) each to 5.14 million families living below the poverty line – also sparked chaotic scenes in villages.

Colombo and a neighbouring district are under lockdown, although some of the coronavirus restrictions have been lifted in other parts of Sri Lanka.

The Federal Government of Australia needs to take a firm stand on its elected representatives. While it should be the Federal Government on behalf of Australia that should make international statements, it is unacceptable when politicians representing small areas within a state issue disparaging statements of falsehood against a sovereign country. That Australia has failed to take action against its own citizen for aiding and abetting terror has ruined the lives of thousands of Tamil children, Australian Adele Ann Wilby trained as child soldiers from 1980s to 1999. That inaction, has resulted in many White Australians being enticed by remnants of the terrorist lobby to make inroads on foreign soil. McDermott is the latest recruit. Tamils who have left Sri Lanka to live in Australia must live as per Australian rules. They are not expected to be carrying out separatist agenda living on foreign shores. The Australian government should not encourage this either. LTTE lobby are masters at propaganda and have made a living by falsifying history and distortions. By influencing and weakening the Australian politicians, it will only be, a matter of time they may even re-write history of Australia and demand a separate state in Australia. Australia would know the amount of lies these economic migrants utter simply to leave Sri Lanka and live in Australia.

Aunty Adele – the White Tiger

Adele Ann Wilby of Warragul, Gippsland, south-east of Melbourne was an Australian nurse who went on to marry British agent Anton Balasingham in 1978 who was LTTE terrorist movement’s chief advisor. This nurse having been taught to shoot by terrorist leader Prabakaran himself, went on to become LTTE’s main women & children’s trainer. From 1980s to 1999 Anton & Adele lived in Sri Lanka training women and children to kill & commit suicide biting a cyanide capsule.

Her own book authored in 1993 speaks of 3000 women Tigers – all of whom she had trained including the woman, who assassinated Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 in India.

It is to Australia’s credit that she and Anton B were refused entry to Australia to visit her family having been placed on the Australian Immigration Department watch list.

Why has Adele managed to evade prosecution – under Australia’s Foreign Incursions Act, Australian citizens are prohibited fighting in war wars.Adele B was training terrorists which included children as young as 10 years. No country can preach about human rights and rights of the child, if they ignore prosecuting this woman who inspite of being a nurse not only trained children to kill by shooting but taught them how to commit suicide by biting a cyanide capsule. Both criminal offences and violation of her oath as a nurse. Statements by children in the camps she trained, reveal she even ordered their torture and harassment upon those who tried to escape. Some children ended up dead or mentally ill. Surely, she must be made to account for these heinous crimes against innocent children turned into brutal child soldiers or killed if they refused to toe the line.

Uncle McDermott – the White Tiger

Fast forward to 2020 – we have another white ranting about Genocide Remembrance day. The term genocide has been turned into a joke by the Tamil diaspora who cannot produce names of the dead or even their skeletons but can spend on global tamashas for ‘Tamil Genocide Day’.

Hugh McDermott has recently entered the propaganda scene making social media announcements.

Firstly, Sri Lanka did not have a civil war, we had a terrorist conflict. The national army eliminated terrorists not Tamils. If McDermott wants he is welcome to commemorate Genocide of LTTE Terrorists. He may also like to speak to an authority on terrorism and rules of war, who will tell him the legality of a ‘no fire zone’ and its one-sided version in Sri Lanka given Sri Lank’s conflict was a Non-International Armed Conflict and LTTE was a non-state actor taking up arms against the State.

However, LTTE had no right to be among civilians and fire from among civilians. An army has every right to return fire against the enemy who fires (because the enemy should not be firing from civilians). If civilians were kept in harm’s way, the LTTE must be held responsibility.

There was no UN Panel of Expert Report – it was a UNSG personally commissioned report not mandated by the UNGA or UNSC or even tabled in the UNGA, UNSC or UNHRC. The Panel did not say that 40,000 were killed. McDermotte should first read the report. Who is writing these lies for him and why is he parroting a script without verifying if the details are true or not?

Anyone can estimate dead – but they need to establish the dead by identity and prove they were killed and by whom. Without such carrying out smear campaigns is just not done.

When LTTE was defeated in May 2009, it was freedom for no one else but the child soldier. Where were all the entities sponsoring McDermott when LTTE was kidnapping children from their parents and turning them into child soldiers? Did they carry out a single campaign on behalf of these kidnapped children. Today, they hold tamashas all over the world but did they hold a tamasha to free a single Tamil child from being turned into a killer? NO

It was none other than the Sri Lanka Army that rescued close to 300,000 Tamils kept as hostages and human shields. Hugh McDermott should stick to facts not fiction.

McDermott can be friends with anyone he likes but his public position should not be abused to tarnish an entire country and a community with falsehoods and slander.

http://www.hughmcdermott.com/tamil_genocide_remembrance_day

As per 2011 census in Australia – Tamils accounted for 50,151of which 19,855were from Sri Lanka. The 2016 census saw Tamil population in Australia increase to 73,161 of which 27,352 were born in Sri Lanka. However, there are over 70,000 Sinhalese in Australia. How is it that this less than 30,000 are able to get Australian MPs to utter lies?

With only 73,161 Tamils living in Australia (which includes Tamils from India and other parts of Asia) on what grounds is McDermott attempting to make Tamil a language of study in the Higher School Certificate in his electorate of Prospect which has just 96 Tamils?

What else would McDermott next resort to – putting up statues of Prabakaran and his LTTE combatants as the LTTE front he is so closely associated with was proscribed as a LTTE front in 2014 and removed with no valid reason in 2015. McDermott may soon be sponsored to change the names of Australian towns to Tamil names next May 18!

Is McDermott’s Genocide Remembrance Day speech on behalf of 591 Tamils from Pendle Hill, 1073 Tamils in Wentworthville, 760 Tamils in Girraween, 853 Tamils in Toongabbie or only 96 Tamils in Prospect.

Why is McDermott not speaking on behalf of the other communities living in Prospect the town he is elected to represent? There are 217 Indians / 143 from Philippines / 142 from Fiji & 99 from Malta living in Prospect.

Total population of Prospect – 4716 (96 SL Tamils as per 2016 census)

https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/SSC13266?opendocument

We hope the Australian Federal Government looks into these MPs of small towns who are obviously been manipulated not to work on behalf of communities in Australia but making statements beyond their mandate. If Australia has any issues, we expect it to be taken up across diplomatic channels and at government levels, not via social media and bogus Genocide Day tamashas.

Well, we cannot expect much from McDermott given the scandals he has been embroiled in.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5512051/NSW-Labor-MP-denies-sexual-assault-allegations-former-staffer.html(2018)

2015 – serious misconduct by inserting false members to catchment area

2016 – fabricating military service wearing medals never issued to him

2017 – inviting a former labor leader who had been critical of moder Labor policies as guest for a fundraising dinner.

2018 – dismissing 3 employees one who accused him of sexual misconduct.

Shenali D Waduge

Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel former Ambassador to UAE and Israel

Land is precious

Israelis Lived in most hostile conditions at the initial stages

Land is more precious in Israel being a small fraction of Sri Lanka consist of baron land with deserts with no water except Galilee at the extreme corner of the country. Most of the land is state owned and expensive for the citizens sandwiched among enemies right round the boarders. Having evicted from various parts of the world Jews chose to settle down in the Promised Land despite most hostile conditions with no water other facilities and the barren land with no natural resources except the human resources hard work and determination. Environment was harsh, Galilee was swampy, Mountains were rocky, Negav was a desert, settlers have no farming experience, no water and the sabotage of canals and burning was common and rampant. Living collectively was the most logical way to be secured and   Kibbutzim was founded as agricultural villages initially by the ideals of Ancient Sparta particularly in education, industry, agriculture and community living with a mixture of socialist communist model influenced by Russia and Western model influenced by the influx of Jews from the West. Kibbutzim is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture which means gathering or clustering. The potential of Kibbutzim  was gradually extended to dairy poultry industry arms trade  and connected fields that  provided the highest yield from a cow world over  and best poultry output supplied to the rest of the world’s, best and most sophisticated small and heavy  arms and small and heavy arms and ammunitions to the world  except the neighbours and the world sometimes hostile to them. They organized the movement is a more organize way by creating United Kibbutxz movement with a unique bonded arrangements with the private sector and the state ever prepared to help in the field of innovation promotion and Start companies and SMEs. They assumed a more prominent role in military to protect and safeguard the country and borders and protecting themselves by arming themselves with production of arms which a money spinner today. In the 6 day war when Israel lost 800 soldiers 200 of them were from Kibbutzim and Kibbutzins made up 15% in the Israel Parliament. In 2010 there were 270 Kibbutzimin Israel Their factories and farms account for 9% of industrial output worth us 8 billion and 40% of its agricultural output worth over 1.7 billion us dollars Some Kibbutzim had also developed substantial hitch and military industries For example in2010 kibbutz Sasa containing some 200 members generated millions of annual revenue from its military plastic industry. First Prime Minister named father of nation is a product of a Kibbuth as many leading figures in Israel. Education innovations and industrial knowledge is given priority with the practice and in-house knowledge on religious education and the strong culture Israel’s carrying with them for thousands of years. It is told that there are thousands of state and uncollated lands the foreign companies are eying to grab in the guise of developments when the army commander has offered to assist Agro Tec based developments.

World’s most successful community movement

How do we adopt this to our system or any system with modifications and adjustments? In taking optimum use of land in housing, agriculture, industries, productivity and generally development and prosperity? What are main feathers and themes of the concept? Historians have called Kibbutz as the world’s most successful community movement and at one stage Kibbutzniks produced 12 percent of the nation’s exports in Israel shows the success story and how the system is integrated to the national working plan in all areas. The Kibbutz is a major   part of the overall trajectory of the Israel economic revolution. Israel politics is always volatile with controversies infighting and fights with all neighbours with bitter bloody wars which does not deter the developments agriculture or war machinery including manufacture of arms and ammunitions with the help of Kibbtuin movement too. Whether it was socialist develop mentalists or hybrid – the economic track record of Israel was impressive in par with political decisions. For few years she was in the non-alignment movement and shifted to the west for safety in order to fight and live with hostile neighbour’s right round. Original concept of the Kibbutzim was based to a large extent on sled sacrifice as incubators oneself sacrifice of its members Now that some have been transformed to large companies and the products of Kibbuths have reached the top which includes the father of the Nation theorist Prime Minister the originality may have slowed down but the nation still maintains Kibbuths as promoters on agriculture, industry and still incubators of the progress on diversified areas. Israel Jews crossed a huge desert in modern times to meet more desert and had to discover the richest of scarcity They invented new methods of living kibbutzim Moshavavin development of towns drilled and laboured and demanded much from themselves, they then turned to technology using Kibbutz as incubators they have no option but to proceed which is the success story with determination. Today they are not resting – they are enjoying and progressing despite the eternal struggle with the neighbours selling the products to the world over as leaders on technology and agriculture setting an example and on advisory capacity to her admirations. President Rajapaksa during the visit to Israel and Palestine with official meeting s with the President and Prime Minister of Israel and Prime Minister of Palestine (privilege is given to President USA Sri Lanka  and few world leaders due to complicated political climates to visit two conflicting countries simultaneously) There is a Buddhist Temple in Israel with few meditation centres with their intellectualism and it is time for us to be a party to show the olive leaf to conflicting parties for a settlement and for us to follow steps on rapid developments using their experience and knowledge with the great religions we are blessed with.

Land does not expand or multiply and limited to a land area of the nation in a country multiplying the   population at a rapid rate. Land is a precious to Israel’s as the land for them is limited having fought two thousand years to achieve the goal to reach the small Promised Land they are in possession today.   Land is very precious to us in Sri Lanka as the land area is limited and the population is rapidly increasing with invasions by invaders from time to time. We should not ruin destroy, misuse or alienate   valuable land for the construction of houses of inferior quality with law quality materials resulting destruction and waste of and valuable land. Best use of the land must be taken in construction and development whether privately owned or state owned. Land alienation, distribution and use for developments should be carefully scrutinized with strict laws, rules and regulations. This is the case in India, Israel, UK, and many parts of the world facing shortage of lands.  Very valuable estates are fragmented against law to block into small plots to give away the peasants with a part of the expenses for construction of a house of his choice and the pocket, and a closer look will show the criminal waste of valuable land otherwise could have been made use for construction of proper houses or any other use on productivity and maximum use. It is alleged that more funds are utilized for propaganda work on housing projects. Invariably the land given to peasants is either sold to a third party or the house is not constructed in majority cases is a known fact to an average citizen. It is time for us to adopt a novel system or a successfully tested concept known as Kibbutz” clusters (innovated in Israel) linked with agriculture, innovations, industry as incubators of start-up companies SMEs and multinational companies. With great success in development which has brought Israel to great heights on housing, innovations, agriculture and achieving success as a world power with the help of only human resources properly and scientifically utilized. A citizen can witness this sorry state either sides of the road and may hear sad stories on the plight of the valuable lands given on some criteria. Majority of Land in Sri Lanka is State owned, Company Owned, or encroached lands leaving the citizen a limited number due to the planned acquisitions of property  done by the British to the presents by acquiring  thousands of acres of land for few shillings forcibly which is on record. Fragmented lands to the Udagama’s” are lands belong to the state or may sometimes lands of archaeological importance and significance according to news reports with  allegations of being white elephants  of little use to the tenants.  Other countries instead of distributing lands condominiums with clusters and stories of houses are constructed scientifically with facilities for recreation, sports, saving land and making the best use of the land providing shelter to many with comfortable life. Udagama programme should be terminated forthwith to be replace by Kibbuths type of housing complexes linked to agriculture innovations education industry and community living for families and children to live study and work together in a commune with collective aims and ambitions for the development of the nation we love. By doing so the inmates will possess quality houses, goo quality of life, education on innovations industries and many areas including the children in house with freedom to be on their own, Kibbuths in Israel started small have now winded up with major Agriculture Farms, Dairy Farms Industrial Estates which one can witness by browsing the net on  the subject. We can adopt the concept with modifications to suit us with the experiences and the knowledge acquired on agriculture and innovations.

The author could be contacted on sarath7@hotmai.co.uk

Bilateral talks with President Mahanda Rajapaksa (currently Prime Minister) with President Simon Peres then President (2014) President Simon Peres is a product of a Kibbutz

රත්තනදෙණියේ මේධානන්ද හිමි

චන්ද්‍රිකා කුමාරතුංග රාජ්‍ය නායිකාව සිටි කාලයේ රාජිත සේනාරත්න සහ ඔහුගේ සහෝදරයෙක් එක්ව සේනාරත්න අසෝසියේට්‌ නම් වාණිජ ආයතනයක්‌ පවත්වාගෙන ගියා. එමගින් කෙරුණේ පිට රටින් දන්ත වෛද්‍ය උපකරණ හා ඖෂධ ගෙන්වා ඒවා රජයේ ඔසුසලටත්, ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදාවටත් සපයන කාර්ය කරගෙන යාමයි. ඔවුන් මේ ව්‍යාපාරය විශාල ධනයක් උපයන ජාවාරමක් ලෙස පවත්වාගෙන ගියා.

රහස්‌ පොලිසියට ලැබුන තොරතුරක් මත මේ ආයතනයට අයත් ගබඩාවක්‌ වටලලා පරීක්‍ෂණයක් ආරම්භ කළා. එහිදී කල් ඉකුත්වූ බෙහෙත් වර්ගවල පරණ ලේබල් ගළවා ඒ වෙනුවට ඉදිරියට පවතින දින සහිත ලේබල් අලවා ඖෂධ විකුණන නීච ක්‍රියාවලියක් ද සොයා ගැනුණා. මතක තබා ගන්න එම බෙහෙත්වල කල් ඉකුත් වූ දින වෙනස්‌ කොට ඉදිරි දින සහිත ලේබල් අලවා තිබුනේ ආරක්ෂක හමුදාවලට සපයන්න. මෙය එම පරීක්ෂණයෙන් හෙළිදරව් වුණා.

මේ සම්බන්ධ සොයාගත් සාක්ෂි මත රාජිතට විරුධව නඩුවක් මහාධිකරණයේ ගොනු කළා.ලස්සනම වැඩේ කියන්නේ නඩු විභාගය ඉවර වෙන්න ආසන්න කාලයේ මේ නඩුව විභාග කරන මහාධිකරණය විනිසුරු සහ රාජිත මීගමුව ප්‍රදේශයේ හෝටලයක දී එකට ආහාර ගන්නා අවස්ථාවක් ප්‍රාදේශීය පුවත්පත් වාර්තාකරුවකුට හසු වුණා.
එම පුවත පුවත්පත්වල පළ කළ ද වැඩි කාලයක් නොගෙනම විනිසුරු නඩුව අවසන් කලේ රාජිත නිදහස් කරමින්. ඇති හැකි අය ඉදිරියේ නීතියේ ස්වාධීනත්වය හා මහාධිකරණ විනිසුරුගේ අපක්ෂපාතීතත්වයේ තරමද මේ සිදුවීමෙන් පේනවා.

නමුත් ඊට එරෙහිව කෝවරන්ටෝ රීට්‌ ආඥවක් මගින් අභියාචනාධිකරණයේ නැවත රාජිතට විරුද්ධව පෙත්සමක් ගොනු කරනවා. දින 10 ක්‌ පුරා පෙත්සම් අංක 1164/98 යටතේ මෙම නඩුව අභියාචනාධිකරණයේ දී විභාග වුණා. ජනාධිපති නීතිඥ චොක්‌සි ඇතුළු රටෙ නමගිය ඉහළම නීතිඥ පිරිසක්‌ රාජිත වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී හිටියා. නමුත් 2000 වසරේ මාර්තු 31 දා අභියාචනාධිකරණය තීන්දුව ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කරන්නේ රාජිත වැරදිකරු කරමින්.

අභියාචනාධිකරණය ඔහු මන්ත්‍රී ධුරයක් දරන්නට නුසුදුස්සෙක් ලෙස තීන්දු කළා. වැරදි ආකාරයට ඖෂධ ජාවාරමක නියැළී උසාවියේ වැරැදිකරු වී මන්ත්‍රී ධූරය ද අහිමි කරගත් පළමු කෙනා රාජිත. එදා හමුදාවට එහෙව් බෙහෙත් සපයපු රාජිතට අද යුධ ජයග්‍රහණයේ විරුවන් ගැන කැක්කුමක් තියෙන්න විදිහක් නෑ. එදා හමුදාවට විෂ බෙහෙත් දුන් කෙනෙකුට අද ත්‍රස්‌තවාදීන් අපේම දරුවන් ලෙස පෙනීම පුදුමෙකුත් නෑ. මම හෘද සාක්ෂ්‍යයක් ඇති මිනිසුන්ගෙන් එක දෙයයි අහන්නේ. මෙවන් අයට තවදුරටත් ඔබ ඔබේ වටිනාම කතිරය ගසන්නේ ඇයි. මොවුන් පාර්ලිමේන්තු යැවිය යුතු මිනිස්සු ද ?

රත්තනදෙණියේ මේධානන්ද හිමි

Courtesy Ada Derana

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to halt payment of Rs. 5,000 allowance to the families adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, for the month of June.

The move comes after a letter was directed to the Presidential Secretary P.B. Jayasundera by the Election Commission’s chairman Mahinda Deshapriya on May 17, requesting the reconsideration of the payment of the allowance for next month.

The Election Commission, in its letter, had noted that the payment of allowance could turn into an election campaign ploy during next month ahead of the upcoming General Election which is scheduled for June 20.

The letter further stated that many complaints were received claiming that the Rs. 5,000 allowance payment is being used as a promotion of the political parties affiliated to the government.

Accordingly, the Election Commission has sought the Presidential Secretariat to remove local politicians from the allowance distribution activities.

The Election Commission’s letter has been discussed at length during the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on Wednesday (20).

A soldier of a National Army cannot be put on par with terrorist. Similarly, a mother of a solider cannot be put on par with a mother of a terrorist too. A war widow is the wife of a soldier laying down his life for the Nation. Wives of terrorists are not war widows (a different term should be created for them) But, they all have a right to mourn the deaths of their family members. The issue is with how that mourning is done.

Every parent loves their children. For every parent, their child is special. No parent brings up their child to do bad. As children grow, they decide their paths and they are responsible for their paths. Whatever, path they decide to take, the parents still cherish their child even if they disagree with the decisions of their children. There are of course exceptions. Just as there are evil parents, there are equally evil children.

How is a soldier different to a terrorist?

A soldier is a member of the country’s National Army, responsible for defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nation & its people. A soldier who joins the Armed Forces or Police are people who represent the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The soldier going to battle with terrorists face many obstacles. There may be 101 war manuals but none of them understands how a soldier can follow the rules when a terrorist in civilian clothing is about to shoot him dead. But the manual expects him to determine before returning fire whether the terrorist is actually a civilian or a terrorist. By the time the soldier decides, he has been killed. No soldier is commanded to kill unarmed citizens. But every army does have its miscreants.

How is a terrorist different to a soldier?

A terrorist is a member of an armed group taking up arms against the State. A terrorist is at war against his country & its people. A terrorist, commits crimes against the State and its people using terror.

Whatever reasons they may give to justify taking up arms, the terrorists are violating the rules that govern the state and invariably they end up attempting to destroy the nation and not defend it. Terrorists also end up killing the citizens. Yes, a terrorist is a citizen and a child of the country, but that child and citizen premeditatedly planned and killed hundreds and thousands of innocent and unarmed civilians. These killings were by command orders and followed by the terrorists. This is why LTTE has killed so many innocent civilians.

How is a soldier mother different to a mother of a terrorist?

There is no difference in the spoon of love fed from a mother to her child. A mother’s love for her child has no titles. In all probability the terrorist mother may be just as proud of her terrorist son as the pride of the soldier mother. Only a mother knows the feeling she has for her child. But there are exceptions to this too. There may be many a terrorist mother who are sad at what her child has become, knowing he has killed many innocent people. But, in death, her child remains still special for her.

When Prabakaran’s parents were ailing in their 80s and were scorned by Tamils who identified them in the refugee camp after the conflict ended, it was the soldier sons who rescued them and looked after them. None of Prabakaran’s brother and sisters wanted to come and visit their parents before their deaths and none arrived even for their funerals. It was the Sri Lankan soldiers who looked after the parents of the terrorist.

The soldier mothers produced brave men who were ready to sacrifice their life for the country and not a cause. These mothers had patriotism into the minds of their sons who came forward when brave men were needed to defend the nation. These brave men and their parents will always have a special place etched in the history. Not many mothers have produced brave men and women who have come forward to defend the nation in its darkest hour.

How is a war widow different to a widow of a LTTE terrorist?

International definition of a war widow is given to the wife of a dead soldier and that definition cannot be diluted by attaching it to the wife of a terrorist. The importance of this is because many a LTTE combatant were married to fellow combatants. Therefore, it is wrong to call a combatant widow as a war widow especially because many of the ‘dead & missing’ LTTE wives are being referred to as war widows. Wives of terrorists cannot be war widows. Call them some other name but not war widows. We see a concerted effort by mischief making NGOs purposely attempting to bring soldier war widows on par with terrorist war widows. This cannot be allowed.

While the love of a wife towards her husband makes no difference if he is a terrorist or soldier. When international laws clearly differentiate a national army from armed non-state actors – then the references to their wives must apply too. The LTTE (men, women and child soldiers) killed Sinhalese & Muslims – what are we to name the wives of the men killed by LTTE?

The term war widows must only be for wives of dead soldiers.

How is mourning the dead soldier & mourning the dead LTTE different?

Any mother, wife, child has every right to mourn their dead and we do not even mind anyone mourning the LTTE dead but when it is organized as a major event with all the paraphernalia associated with LTTE and these funerals are used to continue the quest of the failed objective of separating Sri Lanka, then we have every right to object and demand its prohibition.

When mothers, wives, children & others mourn LTTE terrorists on the pretext of mourning ‘civilians’ and use LTTE symbols and emblems and hold tamashas across the world claiming ‘genocide’ and what not, then we seriously have a problem and we have every right to raise objection to it.

This is no natural or spontaneous morning but a well-planned and well-funded program to advance a political agenda. In reality this has nothing to do with mourning only publicity.

In short, the message to any LTTE family member is – mourn your dead, but mourn them in private. There is no requirement for huge rallies, demonstrations, mass protests, huge concerts, exhibitions, LTTE posters, flags, decorations, LTTE flowers, emblems, LTTE cut outs and what not to mourn one’s son, husband or father.

Shenali D Waduge

Palitha Sennayake

May 18^th is a significant day for Sri Lanka because that was the day the country finally overcame terrorism that plagued the nation for three decades killing more than one hundred thousand people and pushing the country back economically by three decades. It is since that day that people could get about their activities freely, the children could be sent to schools with no fear of explosions, the businesses could carry on uninterrupted and most of all the investors would mull to move in, attracted by the positive prospects.  Dividends of peace were apparent all over the country and especially in the north and east where child recruitment and death of young people have stopped bringing altogether a fresh breath of freedom, that the current generation didn’t even know was possible. Therefore, this date was a date of significance for the entire nation where it came out from the shackles of the most ruthless and organized terror group, the world ever experienced.

The previous regime however, did away with the state commemoration of this day and the reason given was that this celebration could be offensive to the Tamil community whose youth died in this conflict and therefore a commemoration could infer triumphalism over that community. In the same breath they argued that this could endanger reconciliation of the different communities affecting eventual national unification. If that is what it takes to achieve national unity then a few would have qualms about suspending the commemoration.

The irony however is, with this decision to ‘let go’ this day we could observe a flurry of activity among Tamil nationalist organizations to commemorate this day with epithets ranging from ‘Remembrance day’ to ‘Day of Tamil genocide’. In this regard, it is with concern that we note that the Leader of the Liberal Democratic party in  England, Edward Davie,  proclaiming May 18^th as the ‘Tamil genocide day’ while in Canada, May 18^th is to be commemorated in grand scale as the ‘Tamil genocide day’ with the participation of the country’s Prime Minister.  However, the message people in Sri Lanka have to convey to the organizers of these events, especially if they are foreigners, is that to call what happened in Sri Lanka, a genocide, they either do not know their English or they know nothing about the conflict that raged in Sri Lanka.  ‘Genocide’ means the total extinction of a group or race of people in their own habitat. Own habitat is to mean the country in which that race fostered their civilization all that while. Tamils are the natives of Tamil Nadu, in Southern India and therefore any conflict concerning Tamils in Sri Lanka could not be called‘genocide’. Therefore, those who have launched this campaign either have not understood the world genocide or if they have, they do not know that Tamil are not an indigenous community in Sri Lanka.

The Red Indians in North America faced genocide in the hands of invading Spanish and English. In Canada the English and French subjected the native Inuit population to genocide; so are the Maoris in New Zealand, the Aborigines’ in Australia. Therefore, if genocide is to occur in Sri Lanka it is the Sinhalese that have to be annihilated and even that is not an unlikely scenario given the propaganda advantage the Tamil nationalism has gained claiming ‘ genocide’ of Tamils in Sri Lanka.   

Yet, in the end what matters is not the true situation but propaganda. As Hitler’s Natzi propaganda chief Paul Joseph Goebbels always maintained that ‘when a statement is repeated more often and constantly, the unquestioning human mind losses its guard and accept it as the truth’. That is exactly what the Tamil propaganda machine has been doing for the past 72 years.  Any unjust cause needs a lot of propaganda to sugar coat that cause. Hitler picked a very versatile propagandist to justify his ambitious world conquering campaign and similarly Tamil nationalism has a very effective propaganda campaign to support its separatist course in Sri Lanka.  There however is a difference between the German Natzi movement and the LTTE,  and that is Hitler spawned the Natzi propaganda to justify his campaign whereas the LTTE just walked in  to the propaganda campaign spawned by Tamil nationalism and justified itself.

What the successive Sri Lankan governments have tragically failed to understand is this propaganda dimension of the Tamil nationalist lobby and the fact that it overwhelmed all other tactics deployed by them up to now, including the LTTE terrorism.  The LTTE reigned for 33 years and it is now gone but the Tamil propaganda outreach is more than 72 years old and it still prevails making the biggest humanitarian operation of the world that rescued 290,000 endangered civilians in to a ‘genocide’.  That is not all, and let us now observe the issue of the number of deaths that are said to have taken place at the Nanthikadal rescue operation in May 2009.

The important point to note here is that the number of deaths recorded during the real rescue operation  at Nanthikadal has been moderate and realistic but yet is in complete contrast with  the numbers that are being claimed by Tamil nationalist today. For instance all the records available such as those of, the US military attache, the British military attache ( as quoted by  Lard Neseby), the UN Country team, the UTHR J report, the ICRC report, all gave the number of dead in the range between 7,000 to 9,000 and that number included the LTTE combatants as well. All these were situation reports that recorded the events then and there during the operation. Ironically however, the UNSG’s Panel of Experts’ report ( Darusman report) that investigated after 2 years of the conflict has claimed 40,000 deaths. Then the same report after 2 years and 6 months quoted a figure of 75,000 deaths. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, giving evidnce before the LLRC claimed  that 147,000 Tamil civilians died at Nanthikadal. Franances Harrison, the BBC correspondent,  publishing a book in 2014 ( 5 years after) titled ‘Still Counting the Dead’also claimed 147,000 deaths. M/s Yasmin Sooka, a member of the UNSG’s Panel of Experts, in a report published in 2005 by the English Bar Association titled, ‘The Unfinshed War’ claimed 200,000 deaths. And the latest now is that the Tamils in Canada are commemorating May 18^th as the ‘Tamil genocide day’ where they claim 300,000 Tamils died.

Thus, we could now see that by every month and every year that passed since the conflict was over, that the number of deaths have increased exponentially. There definitely is a correlation between the increases of the  number that died during this rescue operation and the lapse of time since 18^th May 2009 and hence it is very probable that, a few years from now the Tamil  nationalist will be commemorating the deaths of about a million Tamil civilians in  Sri Lanka on the 18^th May, every year.   

Tamil nationalism has a cogent propaganda network that can turn things upside down with little help. With the turn of independence the Tamils started fighting for the loss of privilehes that they enjoyed up to then but they turned that in to post independent ‘grievances’. July 83 was the effect of years of terrorism by 5 Tamil militant groups up to then but they made it in to a cause to futher their quest.  

Therefore, the Sri lankan government, by doing away with the commemoration on the 18^th May is contributing to the Tamil nationalist propaganda by acknowledging that some wrong has been done to the Tamil community; quite oblivious to the fcat that what matters is countering propaganda  even above the elimination of terrorism. This is because a more indepth analysis will reveal that it is Tamil nationalism and its propaganda arm that created terrorism and sustained it for 30 years  and not vice versa.  Therefore, the need of the hour is, not to be an aplogist for eliminating terror but to make a concerted and sustained effort to counter the Tamil nationalist proaganda arm that has done so much damage to the image of this country and is still continuing to do so. Capitulation to Tamil nationalist propaganda will only serve Tamil separatism making reconciliation that much more elusive.

Courtesy Adaderana

SP Shantha Wickremasinghe, in charge of Colombo Central District 01 at the time of Easter attacks, admitted to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that although there were instructions given prior to the bombings to increase security at catholic churches, no action was taken believing that such warnings would have created public panic.

This was revealed when the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the Easter Sunday attacks heard evidence from senior police officials from the Colombo Central Division 01 and the Colombo Fort Police Station, who were tasked with ensuring security in the area at the time.

Giving evidence, SP Wickremasinghe stated that, on the 12th of April 2019, SSP Upali Jayasinghe of Colombo Central Division had forwarded a 7-page document containing information about the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

The document consisted of Zahran Hashim’s photo and the details about the churches being targeted as well as clear instructions to inform the relevant parish priests on the threat.

At around 7.30 pm on the day prior to the attacks, DIG Lalith Pathinayake had communicated the high possibility of attacks, with instructions to tighten the security and surveillance on churches without delay.

SP Wickremasinghe noted that he had then issued instructions to all the OICs in the division, advising them to do so in a discrete manner to prevent public panic, hence warnings were not issued to the relevant churches.

The panel asked the witness of the distinction between informing the parish priests and the general public, however, he remained silent.

Subsequently, the Chief Inspector of Fort Police Sarath Kumarasinghe was summoned before the Commission to testify.

He told the panel that the OIC of the Fort Police failed to brief on any warnings of the attacks received within the days before he went on leave, adding that on the evening before the attacks, SP Shantha Wickremasinghe had telephones and instructed him to brief all officers on night duty of an imminent threat that night.

The Commission then questioned the witness on the steps taken to increase security and if checkpoints were placed at six key points in the area on April 20, 2019. He responded that due to the lack of sufficient police personnel at the time, only two checkpoints were manned.

The panel then asked him of the duties he engaged in that evening as the Acting OIC of the Fort Police Station at such a crucial time. He responded that he had engaged in a patrol around the Colombo Area. Including inspecting the checkpoints but failed to provide accurate details of the checkpoints in question.

The OIC of Fort Police then appeared before the Commission to witness hearing. The panel asked if Chief Inspector Sarath Kumarasinghe had informed him of the decisions taken during a briefing held on April 12, by the Colombo Central Division’s SSP regarding the warnings.

He responded that he had been summoned and briefed by the Chief Inspector Kumarasinghe before he went on leave.

However, when the Commission questioned the witness as to how the Chief Inspector could have done so if he had been on leave from April 13-18, the witness admitted that his previous statement had been faulty.

Courtesy Adaderana

Another person has tested positive for COVID-19 as of 10.15 pm on Wednesday (20), says the Ministry of Health.

The total count of coronavirus cases in the country thereby reached 1,028.

This new positive case is a returnee from Kuwait, who is currently undergoing mandatory quarantine.

In the meantime, coronavirus recoveries in the country moved up to 584 earlier today.

The Epidemiology Unit says that 435 active cases are currently under medical care at selected hospitals across the country.

The country’s death toll from COVID-19 stands at 09.

Courtesy Adaderana

No community infections of the novel coronavirus, apart from among Navy personnel, are being reported from the country, says Director-General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

Thereby, it is clear that, apart from Navy infections, the COVID-19 outbreak situation in Sri Lanka is under currently under control, he said.

Further, the focus is on controlling the infection within the Sri Lanka Navy and containing the virus from spreading to the outside of the Navy community, said the Director-General.

Jasinghe pointed out that all 35 persons who were identified to have contracted the COVID-19 virus are Navy personnel.

Courtesy Adaderana

The law will be strictly enforced against those who were arrested over intentionally violate curfew regulations, said DIG Ajith Rohana.

Nearly 6,000 individuals who were arrested as such have been imposed with penalties so far, said the DIG.

Meanwhile, 60,425 persons have been placed under arrest for violating the curfew since March 20 and 16,924 vehicles have been seized.

Further, 17,193 persons have been filed court cases over violations of curfew regulations while 6,480 have been imposed with penalties, said the Police Media Division.

By Garvin Karunaratne

It has so happened that in Sri Lanka, instead of creating employment for the youth we have had the unfortunate experience of being forced to gun down the youth twice. In the April 1971 uprising at least ten thousand and in the late Eighties some Seventy or Eighty thousand had to be silenced.

The youth of a country, especially the youth who due to either the lack of qualification or due to the lack of employment opportunity have to be confined to attend to a menial job and have to scrape the barrel for life, needs to be taken care of. They deserve to be trained and guided to become a national asset.

In this context, the achievement of the Youth Self Employment Programme of Bangladesh comes of great importance in that it is the only  development programme that can claim success in guiding millions of drop out youths to become self employed on a commercially viable basis. It is easily the only youth employment programme that has achieved world status within the short space of three decades. It is a programme that has left its imprint on the sands of time.

In  Bangladesh when the new Military Government of General Ershard took over the country in 1982, the Ministry of Youth Development was providing skills training to 40,000 youths annually but the vast majority of them failed to find employment and continued to be unemployed for life. I happened to be the Commonwealth Fund Advisor to the Ministry on Youth Development and the new Hon. Minister for Labour and Manpower, Air Vice Marshall Aminul Islam at a Conference held to evaluate youth development programmes, ordered me,:

 What can you contribute to Bangladesh”?

I would suggest that you approve a self-employment programme to supplement the skills training programmes  that are being implemented by the Ministry of Youth Development, where the lecturers who train the youths in skills will,  in addition, also guide the youths to establish enterprises to manufacture items for sale and become self-employed entrepreneurs.”

The Secretary to the Treasury, the highest official in the country who was present vehemently objected.

Self Employment is not something that can be established. The International Labor Organization (ILO) with all their unlimited resources have just miserably failed to establish a self employment programme at Tangail in Bangladesh. They laboured for three years and brought experts from all over the world and failed. It was a massive loss and this Government is not going to waste any more funds again. Self Employment is not a task that can be done. That was the conclusion of the ILO and they are the only experts of international standing”

I replied:

Though the ILO failed,  I can establish a Self Employment Programme. I hold the experience of establishing self employment units in Sri Lanka for eighteen years and also hold the Ph.D in Agricultural Economics and Non Formal Education from Michigan State University. I am a trained expert not only in agricultural economics but also in community development and non formal education.”

. The Secretary to the Treasury the highest official in Bangladesh laughed loud at my attempt to make entrepreneurs out of school drop outs- the category from which the Department of Youth Development found youths for skills training. 

.. I argued that though the ILO failed I would succeed. The Secretary to the Treasury  was adamant that such a programme would never succeed, but I quoted instances where I had established  successful employment projects providing incomes to youths while simultaneously producing what the country imported.. He laughed at my telling that I had successfully guided unemployed youths to understand basic economic principles to become entrepreneurs by having a few cattle, a few dozen hens or making an item for sale. I explained that it was an easy task to provide training to the unemployed and to also guide them to open up small scale enterprises and guide them till they become successful entrepreneurs-  what  I had done again and again in Sri Lanka over eighteen years. I detailed how I would be guiding the youths to  master the art of making the right decisions and for them to develop their ability and capacity to think and act to become successful entrepreneurs. The battle went on for an easy two full hours.  The Hon Minister was listening in silence till his patience was exhausted.

 The Minister finally ordered us to shut up. He was the third in command in the military government and I was worried thick. The Secretary to the Treasury was the highest official in the land and even Secretaries of Ministries would never even dream of arguing with him. Instead of questioning us further, the Minister  asked for any  Government training programmes that guided youths to become entrepreneurs. The Secretary to the Treasury replied None”. Then the Minister asked for the  number of youths being trained in all vocational training programmes in the country..  He carefully totaled the figures of youths that were being trained.  Then the Minister asked for the number of school leavers in a year who would have not fed into the higher echelons of learning and also not finding a job and be relegated  to be under employed scraping the barrel for life. The answer for the number of youths scraping the barrel for life annually was in the millions while the number of youths under training in vocations was in the thousands. Without any hesitation, the Hon Minister ordered that I should establish a self employment programme.

The Secretary to the Treasury stumped,  stating‚  that there will be no  funds to establish a self employment programme, to which I replied that we will find savings within the  approved budgets  for the skills training of the youths and re deploy staff as necessary. The  Hon Minister  approved my suggestion.. .

We started planning work that night itself. The next morning I was addressing trainees at the training centers and also training our Lecturers and Youth Officers on how the programme should be done. The officers who had till then done traditional youth development work were trained in concepts of economics. All Training Institutes were immediately altered to Training Cum Extension Institutes where the youths in training were to be guided to become self employed. Overnight we established a countrywide special extension service for the lecturers to go out on inspections and help the youths who faced problems when they commenced enterprises.  The youths were guided to draft their own projects to become self employed, starting small farms even with a few cows or chicks. Dresses were sewn using the machines at the training centers that were kept open after work till ten at night.  The method was to intensively guide the trainees in the management of their enterprises. Every action from the planning of their projects, to the purchase of raw materials, the chicks, the feed, the process of manufacture, the process of the growth and sale of cattle, the making of garments and their sale was all monitored on a non formal education  basis where the youths were trained to look at the advantages and disadvantages of each course of action and act on their own. They were monitored closely and helped when they failed. . The trainees were taught basic economics related to their ventures‚  The training included understanding the free market economy and the youths were guided to think, understand and increase their ability and capacity in the process. This was non formal education in action. The achievement was within the village setting where the projects became family concerns with brothers and sisters becoming involved. On our Visits, Training sessions were provided impromptu where everyone could participate. Short training courses were provided as and when necessary. The effort was to make a youth movement to make youths establish enterprises and guide them till they are income bearing equal to the earnings of a clerical officer in the Public Service.

This Programme began at the beginning of April 1982 with a few trainees and was expanded to 2000 by October 1983. By the time I left Bangladesh at the end of October  1983- in  nineteen months my team was guiding 2000 youths.  The team comprised the Secretary, the Joint Secretary of the Ministry with a few hundred staff of Directors, Deputy Directors of Youth, Director for Livestock and Poultry , Directors of the 3 Residential Training Centers in Livestock & Poultry, Lecturers in Training Institutes- all of whom were taught the essentials of economics firstly to be able to analyse the economy of Bangladesh and to arrive at areas of economic activity where self employment production would be an asset.to the country This included national and regional planning culled down to the village level., where the self employment units were established.. They were also taught methods of imparting instructions in a manner that would evoke the active participation of the trainees and enable them to think and make their own decisions, developing their ability and capacity in the process.

We got down to work in earnest.. The officers were patriotic to the extreme. It was long hours every day for months.  Daily circuits in Toyota Hiace bone shakers- leaving early morning to return whenever. The officials responded to a man, patriotic to the extreme, working long hours..

 In an evaluation conducted in March 1983, eleven months from the commencement it was found that of the youths that commenced by May 1982,   283 youths had established  their own commercial ventures, with stocks of flocks and head of cattle  valued at Tk.911,630.00.  It was building up stocks, buying chicks and ducklings and seeing them grow. As much as 223 of them had reached a net income of TK 369.00 a month. Of them 83 earned over Tk. 500.00 a month. In the  Jamalpur District, in disciplines like dress making, fisheries, retail sales, electrical goods repairing workshops, welding, etc. 73 youths were involved, earning an average net income of Tk 445.00 a month with 20 of them earning net incomes of Tk. 500.00 or over:”

At that time Tk. 500.00 a month was the salary drawn by a Clerical Officer in the Government Service. Getting the youths to reach a net income of Tk. 500.00 a month was our aim.

In an Evaluation done in August 1983, 16 months since commencement  the Evaluation Report states:

A Programme of Excellence in every respect  unfolds in the results documented. .Of  500 unemployed youths who joined the programme in the early months,   479 are earning  an average net income  of Tk 596.00 in August 1983, 8 to 12 months after they commenced their commercial ventures, 55 of them earn over Tk. 1000.00 a month and 253 earn  over Tk 500.00.”

In August 1983, barely 16 months since the commencement, the achievement was hailed by the two Secretaries of the Ministry of Labour and Manpower; In their words:

Dr.Karunaratne’s significant contribution has been in the field of self employment to the drop-out youths. This programme was not only designed but also guided by him. This activity which was initially launched as a pilot experimental project has been a great success and has now being adopted as a fill-fledged Programme. The Government of Bangladesh..has been successful in providing meaningful employment to a large number of youths on this Programme” .(Asafuddowlah)

Dr. Karunaratne’s role as the formulator of the program has been particularly commendable. It was mainly through his dedication and hard work that the pilot project has now been formally accepted as one of the most important development projects. (Ayubur Rahaman)

The YSEP has stood the test of time for over three decades (1982-2019) The Five Year Plan of 1997-2002 devotes 8 pages to this program. This is easily the premier employment creation program that one can find in the world today. All other programs involve training and apprenticeship only and never include the tasks of motivating youths, involving them in non-formal education endeavor to develop their abilities and capacities, through technical guidance and management advice provided as they work on their projects aimed at their  becoming commercially viable, which are the cornerstones on which this programme  has been based.

Instead of traditional youth work, the aims of the Ministry of Youth had been altered: 

To facilitate the unemployed youth for gainful employment/self employment, providing vocational/skills development training and micro credit support.”.

To involve the youth in the mainstream of national development processes” (www.dyd.gov.bd/nyp_activities.php)

No subsidies of any sort were provided. What was provided was intensive training in residential settings, with payment of a meager monthly stipend. In many cases the youths invested their stipend to purchase chicks. They created capital by rearing chicks to become hens. Later, to the promising youths loans were arranged and carefully utilized under  close supervision. Short term training was provided whenever needed.

The above achievement of the Youth Self Employment Programme stands great in comparison to what was achieved by the ILO Project in Tangail in the earlier three years, where the number of entrepreneurs was only 626, where Tk. 1.38 million was disbursed of which only Tk. .61 million was recovered.  The best cases document people owning one milk cow or fattening one head of cattle for sale. Many of the 626 people had dropped off. The ILO had to eat humble pie, declare failure and erase the attempt from their books.

 By  August 1983, 16 months after commencement  The Department of Youth Development  was training  2000 youths. The Programme was expanded apace to involve 7000 youths by 1987, to 16,000 by 1992 and to 160,000 a year  from 1997. In 1982 we had only 3 Residential Training Centers. This was increased to 64 by 1997.

 In  2011 February  The Government of Bangladesh reported to the 34 th Session of the Governing Council of IFAD(FAO), one of the funders,   that this programme had guided as much as two million youths to be self employed‚  on  a commercially viable basis.(Statement by Bangladesh to the 34 th Session of the Governing Council of IFAD(FAO), dated19/02/2011)

My task was also to train the officers to carry on the programme after my‚  two year period of service ended.‚  True to a man Bangladeshi officers carried on the ardous task and‚   today 160,000 youths are being guided annually.. A full Department of Youth Development now devotes 95% of its time to training and guiding youths to become self employed..

Every country boasts of skills training programmes where youths are trained in the thousands but none provide training to guide the trained to become entrepreneurs- the task that was successfully done in this Youth Self Employment Programme.

It would behove  every Government to  decide that all skills training programmes should include guidance to enable the youths in training to establish enterprises of their own and become entrepreneurs. This can be achieved with little extra cost as the staff that train youths in skills can also be guiding them to become self employed.

Another important fact is that for the first few years, no new funds were provided for this Programme. . Savings were found within the skills training programme budgets for holding training workshops to create self employment..

Having a live successful employment creation programme is a great asset to any country. Guiding the unemployed  to become entrepreneurs, also enriches the economy with  produce to avoid imports..

I have detailed factually how I designed and established the Youth Self Employment Programme, a programme that has come to stay on a permanent basis for over  three decades and also find mention in the Five Year Plans of the country. The Commonwealth Fund tried to get my services  later, but I had to decline as I was employed in a permanent position in Westminster as a Lecturer. 

In actuality I converted a youth development department attending to traditional youth work to attend to economic development, training the youth and finding employment opportunities for them. I had to train the staff of the Department of Youth Development  in economics and methods of communication and educating youths to become commercial entrepreneurs. This is easily the one and only programme of this type in the world.

It may be a good idea for the Task Force to contact the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Development of Bangladesh, to find veracity  for this unique programme. The officer who will know most is  the former secretary, Mr Muhammed Asafuddowlah, of the Bangladesh Civil Service, who was Additional  Secretary of the Ministry when I designed and established the Programme and who was  later the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Development twice  and was instrumental in expanding the programme to what it is today.

The intrinsic success of this programme even merits a visit by a leading member of the Task Force to sus and find out how Sri Lanka  can learn  from this programme. 

A similar employment creation programme for the youth of Sri Lanka, if established,  will be a great credit to  the Government of President Gotabhaya and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

I would deem it  a priviledge to provide more details and be of service if called upon.

. Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D. Michigan State University‚ 

Commonwealth Fund Advisor of Youth Development to the Government of Bangladesh(1981-1983) and Government Agent, Matara(1971-1973)

Author of;

How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka and Alternative Programs of  Success (Godages)2006
Success in Development-(Godages)2010
Papers on the Economic Development of Sri Lanka-, Godages 2012
How the IMF Sabotaged Third World Development,  Kindle/Godages, 2017

May 18, 2020, Colombo, Sri Lankagarvin_karunaratne@hotmail.com

By Noor Nizam – Peace and Political Activist, Political Communication Researcher, SLFP/SLPP Stalwart and Convener – “The Muslim Voice” – 19th., May, 2020.

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THESE INTERNATIONAL FRONT LOBBIES OF THE LTTE INTERESTS COULD GET THE CORRECT MESSAGE PROPERLY.  

A wonderful speech and gesture in honour of our War Heroes. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had also stated that the president will not allow anyone to exert undue pressure on the country’s war heroes or harass them.

They deserve it now and in the future. May the “ETERNAL FLAME FOR PEACE” in Sri Lanka lighted by the sacrifice of the brave soldiers and the tri-forces during the 30 years brutal terrorist civil war against the Nation of Sri Lankans (Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Malays and other minorities) burn forever by the Grace of God AllMighty’s blessings. 

There was also another war that was ongoing during this period and it was the war conducted by the Pro-Eelaam front lobbies in the Western countries, Europe, EU, North America and especially in Canada which was supported by the LTTE support lobby NGO’s and political parties/entities in the arena of the world “MASS MEDIA & THE PRESS/ELECTRONIC MEDIA, a battle that Sri Lanka, in the beginning, found it difficult to “OVER-POWER”, but subsequently was able to “TROUNCE” such campaigns due to the undeterred commitment of a few Sri Lanka “PATRIOTS” who loved their “MAATHRUBOOMIYA” and challenged the false propaganda openly in the media/press and in public forums, TV debates and even addressing the legislatures of these countries in defence of our “MAATHRUBOOBIYA” and our brave Tri-Forces, our “RANAVIRUWO”. 

In Canada, it was only a handful of Sri Lankans, 2 or 3 moderate Tamils and 2 Muslims, the only 2 organizations – the SLUNA (Sri Lanka United National Association in Toronto and the Toronto Maha Viharaya) who were in the forefront and took the lead in spearheading this fight. Though the Sri Lankan Foreign Missions during that decade failed to stand-up to the call of the “Nation” (exceptional case – Bandula Jayasekera – Consul-General – Toronto who was energizing this small group in Canada), the few Sri Lankans who spearheaded these ANTI-LTTE LOBBY GROUPS, domiciled abroad in those countries/regions and the two above Sri Lankan Organizations in Canada cannot be forgotten in this hour of the 11th anniversary of our “GREAT WAR HEROES” being “SALUTED” by the “NATION” and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, himself a “RANAVIRU” who was in the front line of the battle to destroy the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world, which many Nations and leaders and UN agencies concluded, cannot be destroyed. 

With the destruction of the LTTE by our “RANAVIRUWO”, they have given PEACE AND HARMONY to our beloved “MOTHER SRI LANKA” our “MAATHRUBOOMIYA” and it’s people – the Sri Lankans.

“The Muslim Voice” wishes to “SALUTE” all of them along with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today.

“The Muslim Voice” also wishes to praise the “BRAVE POLITICAL INTERNATIONAL STATEMENT” quote: If any international body or organization continuously target our country and our war heroes, using baseless allegations, I will also not hesitate to withdraw Sri Lanka from such bodies or organizations,” unquote. 

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THESE INTERNATIONAL FRONT LOBBIES OF THE LTTE INTERESTS COULD GET THE CORRECT MESSAGE PROPERLY.

Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel and former Ambassador to UAE and Israel

Start-up Company

If you have an apple and I have an apple then you and I have an apple each and then you and I will still have each one apple but we exchange apples and we exchange ideas we have two apples and ideas. (George Bernard Show) This is his quotation on exchange of knowledge and experience which is a prerequisite on innovations and start-up companies.

Start Up companies and SMEs are thriving on innovations and exchange of ideas and impart to be shared with visionaries to carry forward for the good of others and impart of knowledge and experience. Singapore, Malaysia, Israel, and Dubai are blessed with visions and visionaries when Sri Lanka is awaiting for a visionary with a vision on post Corona era. Start-up company or project is initiated by an entrepreneur so that it could be efficient developed and will undertake finest business models to suit him and the nation he is based on. Entrepreneur is an essential component in countries economic growth and small medium companies/enterprises as engines of economic growth. Entrepreneur is an innovator initially a novel business product or industry providing employment and /or generating income to the economy. Entrepreneur is a person with great innovative ideas that identifies the need for the creation of business to fill the void. Entrepreneur can be people with all ages though it is young in the lead today. Innovator is one who is doing things differently and in a most novel and modern way that none has done before based on his creativity. He embraces the idea and create tools and products. Initiatives and ideas derive ideas with valuable resources and ideas convert to useful products by transferring himself to an entrepreneur. Catalysing the innovator and entrepreneur environment, education and the compulsion by the society is a valuable factor depends on the environment facilities and push by the state.  Why do innovators and entrepreneurs mostly emerge in certain countries and surroundings? Is posed by those interested on the subject taking Israel as an example. 

 Bill Gate

Bill Gate is the richest man on the earth started as a small time entrepreneur is today with estimated income over 97 billion us dollars when a small time entrepreneur in a remote Sri Lanka or Israel with the potential to be a leader and a productive product to his country is influenced by the progress with humble beginnings of leading business leaders. Today world is with limited borders or restrictions for proactive entrepreneurs who are busy with leapfrogging innovations towards start-ups SMEs and multinational companies aiming to be Bill Gates. They are designing launching and running a new business which as a small business person who create a business taking high risks with confidence and future plans. Good news and sign in Sri Lanka is the current trend of emerging new and young entrepreneurs with new ideas and innovations and the current downturn on economy based on Corona may be a blessing in disguise for the bright and new future in the new world order of post Corona era. There are young and emerging entrepreneurs in the country with a penetration of 110% mobile network and computer literacy by many without lack of leadership and opportunities by leaders of commerce such as many chambers of commerce, departments spending millions on promotion of SME’s start up company’s trade and commerce in general in a traditional man inside the traditional box. IT education, training in technical and training centres paper to be following the same curriculum and attention to research an innovations appear to be nonexistence. Strangely still Sri Lankan departments depend on FAX messages when it has dis – appeared world over when Corona Debacle has brought the  use of what’s app email and modern IT trends to the surface. Data business has superseded income of gold and narcotics exploiting the public with their monopoly and silence/inaction of the Consumer groups and the regulator Consumer Affairs Authority discouraging the entrepreneurs and innovators using data for their researches. It is the duty of the State to assist, monitor, and promote Start-up and SMEs in a scientific and commercial methods by setting up a central body with dedicated and educated leaders with exposure to the world noting that we are not at all short of Sri Lankans inside Lanka and would’ve willing to take part and assist in any program/s noting what I lacking is the vision and the will of the persons concern with a note that it is necessary and urgent to place this neglected area under control. For entrepreneurs and researchers Data is a necessary tool as much as the average citizen ripped off by fat cat Data Monopoly. State should take this very seriously in addition providing more incentives and facilities to the prospective start up initiators and potential SMEs.

Why not us?

Almost half of the world’s top technologic companies have bought start-ups or opened research and development centres in tiny Israel with no resources for reasons confined to themselves. West needs innovations Israel has got it which is not rocket science for them who are living in an atmospheres of innovations every corner with facilities to share knowledge and experiences of others. Israelis are capable of providing the world necessary ammunitions to suit their needs to be utilized jointly by buying the small start-up company Why not US? Now there will be an emerging necessity to initiate SMEs in Sri Lanka- and many other countries- due to the forthcoming possible economic downturn and modern trend of IT educated young generation looking for challenges out of sheer necessity as Israel had to face a new life new country with challenges when life started 70 years before in the Barron land with no water and they worked harder to convert agriculture 95% technology with hard work innovations Start Ups and SMEs and innovations. What is lacking in us is exchange of ideas innovations with visions and creativity out of box aiming at one considers impossible. Israel’s have been pushed and chased away for nearly 2000 years until they settle down in the most hostile baron land with no water which they transferred to a world power with hard work, innovations out of shear necessity. Today Corona is chasing the world and us to be different and difficult with rapid transformation and applications of technology in all sphere of life and undoubtedly the fear will engulf us with the compulsion to change.

Start Ups in Sri Lanka

Not many start-ups  are available in Sri Lanka as in Israel or other small vibrant and developed as in Singapore, Hong Kong , UK, USA ect but the good sign is the small number of start-ups in Sri Lanka is manned by comparably young. We will name few start-ups – to complement and encourage themselves and new comers- such as Pick me, and Taksa.lk, lkaman.lk, Kapruka.com with the hope many to follow using the new world  trend learning from the leap frog world developments catalysed by Start Ups and SMEs taking control of the future in many areas on development and productivity. Sorry state is many earns less than one million with small number of foreign clients.  In Israel the start-ups are backed by the state and the system helps them to sell the business and products to the world with unprecedented profits based on the innovations entrepreneurship and productivity in a proactive society with every other citizen is an innovator out of compulsion in a society with highest concentration of graduates not demanding assistance from the state for employment as in Sri Lanka. Though Sri Lanka has few start-ups Israel has the highest Start-ups -currently 6000- in the world in number vibrant and active proportional to the population of the country.

Start Up nation-Israel

Israel is named start up nation due to activism on the subject and the abundance of start-ups as forward runners over 6000 SMEs with SMEs as engines of economic growth in an exemplary way raising the tiny nation to a nuclear world power only with the help of human resources in the absence of any natural resource water or any other assistance from outsiders fighting with all the neighbours right round. Having said that Israel is in the forefront in utilising the start-up companies and SMEs it is laying foundations for a leapfrog attempt to be major party in the field in par with the major players.

Innovations Development and Way Forward for success

Today innovations are a part parcel of development acting directly and a catalyst in reaching the targets of developments in all sectors generally with the assistance of the UN and the friendly members of the Globe with advanced knowledge and experiences in main areas of development. For example though Israel is a small nation she helps USA, India, China and many with their newly acquired knowledge on innovations and challenging models of developments. Developments will give positive changes in economy social structure infrastructure with developments on Education science and other components in life with the minimum time frame and with affordability. Quality and Quantity should be visible with the economic growth with human index in sustainable developments aimed by the UN assisting through the agencies. Continuity of water, energy, food, medicine Education with food security and public security are within the purview of development. Despite assistance from UN World Bank or friends the underline feather  for success on development is how and to what extent the counter faces challenges and the rate of innovations and plans of developments by Innovators Entrepreneurs, Start UP’s, SME’s State and the Private sector in an combined effect .

Writer could be reached on sarath7@hotmail.co.uk

President Mahinda Rajapaksa (then) currently Prime Minister in Sri Lanka and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahue (Prime Minister to date) held bilateral talks in Jerusalem on 8/1/2014 during his visit to Middle east which included Palestine (visit initiated by then Ambassador Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel)

RANJITH SOYSA

ATTN-   Mr  HUGH McDermott

ALP member for Prospect

YOUR MISLEADING STATEMENT ON THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY OF SRI LANKA GOVERNMENT’S VICTORY OVER THE TAMIL TIGER TERRORIST

ORGANIZATION IS A DIRECT INSULT TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEACEFUL AUSTRALIANS OF SRI LANKAN ORIGIN WHO STILL MAINTAIN

THEIR LINKS WITH SRI LANKA. WE WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT MOST OF US CONSIDER IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SRI LANKA TO CONTINUE

AS A SINGLE SOVEREIGN NATION AS IT HAS BEEN FOR OVER 2500 YEARS. WE ARE CERTAIN YOU WILL AGREE THAT NONE OF US WILL

APPROVE,  IF SOME ENTITY ATTEMPTS TO BALKANIZE AUSTRALIA TO CREATE A SEPARATE COUNTRY IN THE LAND MASS NOW KNOWN AS

AUSTRALIA. SRI LANKA IS SMALLER THAN TASMANIA AND ANY BALKANIZATION OF HER LAND WILL ONLY LEAD TO INTERNAL AS WELL AS

EXTERNAL INSTABILITY.

IN SRI LANKA THE SEPARATIST FORCES WHO WERE ATTEMPTING TO CREATE A RACIST MONO ETHNIC STATE CALLED ‘TAMIL EELAM’ WERE

WAGING A WAR WITH THE ELECTED SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT FOR OVER 30 YEARS. IN THIS PROCESS THERE WERE PERIODS IN WHICH SOME

WESTERN NATIONS INCLUDING AUSTRALIA  ATTEMPTED TO SETTLE THE ISSUES THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TAMIL TIGERS WHO

EMERGED AS THE SOLE SPOKESPERSON OF THE EXTREMIST TAMILS. BUT, THE TAMIL TIGERS REFUSED TO TAKE HEED OF THE PEACE PROCESS AND

RESORTED TO KILLING OF CIVILIANS AND EXPLODING BOMBS TO DESTROY ECONOMIC TARGETS SUCH AS THE CENTRAL BANK OF SRI LANKA, HOTELS

AND THE AIRPORT ETC OF SRI LANKA. FINALLY, SRI LANKA UNDER THE HON MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE’S LEADERSHIP DECIDED TO LAUNCH A WAR AGAINST

TAMIL TIGER TERRORISTS IN  2006 WHEN THE TAMIL TIGER TERRORISTS PREVENTED WATER SUPPLY TO A SECTION OF THE POPULATION. THE WAR

WAS SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED ON 19 THE MAY IN 2009 WHEN THE TERRORIST CHIEF PRABHAKARAN WAS KILLED WITH HIS FELLOW TERRORISTS.

HOW CAN YOU REFER TO THE DEFEAT OF THE TERRORIST AS ‘A MASSACRE’. ‘GENOCIDE OF TAMIL COMMUNITY’ AS THE WAR WAS WAGED AGAINST

THE TAMIL TIGERS AND NOT THE TAMIL COMMUNITY. THE TAMIL TIGERS HAD A CADRE OF ABOUT 25,000 WITH THEIR CIVILIAN MEMBERS WHEREAS

TAMIL COMMUNITY CONSISTS OF 11.5% – 2.4 million- WHO LIVED IN PEACEFUL AREAS IN SRI LANKA, IF YOU WATCHED THE TV SCREENS OF

ABC, SBS AND OTHER MEDIA YOU WOULD NOT FORGET HOW NEARLY 90,000 TAMIL CIVILIANS RAN AWAY FROM THE YOKE OF THE TAMIL TIGER

TERRORISTS WHO WERE KEEPING THEM BY FORCE AND WERE USED AS CANNON FODDER. SRI LANKAN FORCES IN FACT LIBERATED THESE TAMILS AND

SPECIALLY ABOUT 3000 TAMIL CHILDREN WHO WERE SERVING THE TAMIL TIGERS AS CHILD SOLDIERS!.

EVEN THOUGH THE SCOURGE OF TAMIL TIGERS WAS ERASED BY THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT MANY OF THE DIE HARD SUPPORTERS OF THE EEALM

LIVING IN THE WEST AND ALSO IN AUSTRALIA ARE CONTINUING THEIR ‘AGITATION’ THAT IT WAS A WAR AGAINST THE TAMILS MAINLY TO COLLECT FUNDS

FROM THE FELLOW SYMPATHIZERS TO KEEP THE ANTI SRI LANKA CAMPAIGN FULLED. SRI LANKA HAS GIVEN AN EFFECTIVE REASONS FOR THE WAR AND

IS AWAITING FACTUAL INFORMATION REGRADING THE NUMBERS KILLED AND EVIDENCE ETC NOT GUESSTIMATES AND MERE PROPAGANDA STUNTS TO

JUSTIFY ANTI SRI LANKA CAMPAIGN. SRI LANKA HAD PROVED THAT THE NUMBER KILLED INCLUDING THE SRI LANKAN SOLDIERS WERE AROUND 7000 USING

POPULATION DATA AND THE INFORMATION IS CORROBORATED BY THE US MILITARY ATTACHE AND LORD NASEBY- A MEMBER OF UK HOUSE OF LORDS.

WE REQUEST YOU TO GO THROUGH THE STORY FROM THE SRI LANKAN ANGLE AND AS MUCH AS THE WEST INCLUDING AUSTRALIA CELEBRATE EVEN

THE BRUTAL METHODS USED BY THE ALLIED FORCES TO STOP THE NAZI AND FASCIST FORCES TO USHER IN THE PEACE  IN 40s, ANY COMMENTATOR

WOULD AGREE IF HE GOES BY ACCURATE INFORMATION ,  THAT SRI LANKA DID THE RIGHT THING BY THE SRI LANKANS IN DEFEATING THE

TERRORISTS WHILE LIBERATING 21 MILLION OF HER POPULATION FROM THE GRIP OF BLOOD THIRSTY TAMIL TIGERS.

WE REQUEST YOU TO EITHER TO WITHDRAW YOUR MISLEADING STATEMENT OR TO ISSUE AN AMENDED FACTUAL VERSION ESPECIALLY TO PROTECT THE

HONOR OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

WE WILL SUBMIT YOU WITH INFORMATION PERIODICALLY ABOUT SIR LANKA’S PROGRESS FOR YOUR INFORMATION,

BEST WISHES

RANJITH SOYSA

DANDENONG . VIC