උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

ඉදිරි මැතිවරණය හා වත්මන් දේශපාලන තත්ත්වය සම්බන්ධයෙන් විවිධ පාර්ශ්වයන් අදහස් පළකළා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

මේ දින වල රටතුළ මතුව ඇති ගැටලු සහ තමා පිළිබඳ පැතිර යන කට කතා සම්බන්ධයෙන් හිටපු ජනාධිපති මෛත්‍රීපාල සිරිසේන මහතා අදහස් පළ කළා.

ඒ ලංකාපුර කාන්තා තරුණ ගොවි සම්මේලණය අමතමින්

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

දේශපාලන හිතවතුන්ට තනතුරු දීමට රාජ්‍ය ආයතන භාවිත කළ යුගය වෙනස් කිරීමට හැකි වූ බව ජනාධිපති ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ පවසනවා.

පෞද්ගලික ආයතන ශක්තිමත් කර ලාභ ලබන තත්ත්වයට පත් කළ අත්දැකීම් බහුල පිරිසක් වර්තමානයේ කිසිදු වරප්‍රසාදයක් නොමැතිව රාජ්‍ය ආයතන නගා සිටුවීමට තමන් සමග එක්ව සිටින බවයි ජනාධිපතිවරයා කියා සිටියේ.

රාජ්‍ය ආයතන කිහිපයකට අලූතින් පත් කෙරුණු සභාපතිවරුන් සහ අධ්‍යක්ෂ මණ්ඩල සාමාජිකයන් සමග අද දහවල් ජනාධිපති කාර්යාලයේදී පැවති හමුවකදී ජනාධිපතිවරයා ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් අදහස් දක්වා සිටියා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

බැඳුම්කර වංචාව සම්බන්ධයෙන් චෝදනා ලැබ සිටින හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී රවී කරුණානායක, හිටපු මහබැංකු අධිපති අර්ජුන් මහේන්ද්‍රන්, අර්ජුන් ඇලෝසියස් ඇතුළු සැකකරුවන් 10 දෙනෙකු අත්අඩංගුවට ගන්නා ලෙස කොටුව මහේස්ත්‍රාත් අධිකරණය අද පස්වරුවේ වරෙන්තු නිකුත් කළා.

ඒ නීතිපති දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව අධිකරණය හමුවේ දැක්වූ කරුණු සැලකිල්ලට ගනිමින්.

මෙම නඩුවේ පළමු සැකකරුවෙකු ලෙස නම් කර ඇති පර්පෙචුවල් ටෙ‍්‍රෂරීස් සමාගමට ලබන 18 වනදා අධිකරණය හමුවේ පෙනී සිටින ලෙස සිතාසි නිකුත් කිරීමට ද කොළඹ කොටුව මහේස්ත්‍රාත් රංග දිසානායක නියෝග කළා.

එමෙන්ම, නඩුවේ 10 වන සැකකරු ලෙස නම් කර තිබූ ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහබැංකුවේ රාජ්‍ය ණය දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ අධිකාරි බුද්ධික සරත් චන්ද්‍රට එරෙහිව නඩුව පවත්වාගෙන යාමට ප්‍රමාණවත් සාක්ෂි නොමැති වීම හේතුවෙන් ඔහුට වරෙන්තු හෝ සිතාසි නිකුත් කිරීමක් සිදුවූයේ නැහැ.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී රවී කරුණානායක ඇතුළු 10 දෙනාට වරෙන්තු නිකුත් කිරීමේදී නීතිපතිවරයා විසින් ගොනුකළ පැමිණිල්ලේ කරුණු වලට අනුව නඩුකරයක් පවත්වාගෙන යාමට තරම්, සාක්ෂි පවතින බවට අධිකරණය තීන්දු කළා.

ඒ අනුව, සක්‍රිය ලෙස පර්පෙචුවල් ටෙ‍්‍රෂරීස් සමාගමට අයුතු ලාභයක් ලබාදීම සඳහා සැකකරුවන් බැඳුම්කර වෙන්දේසියේදී කටයුතු කළ බවට ප්‍රමාණවත් සාක්ෂි පවතින බවයි මෙහිදී මහේස්ත්‍රාත්වරයා සඳහන් කළේ.

2016 වසරේ මාර්තු 29 සහ 31 යන දෙදින තුල සිදුවූ බව කියන බැඳුම්කර වංචාවට අදාළව හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී රවී කරුණානායක, පර්පෙචුවෙල් ටෙ‍්‍රෂරීස් සමාගමේ හිමිකරු අර්ජුන් ඇලෝසියස්, එහි ප්‍රධාන විධායක නිලධාරී කසුන් පලිසේන ඇතුලූ 11 දෙනෙකු වරෙන්තු ලබාගෙන අත්අඩංගුවට ගන්නැයි නීතිපතිවරයා පසුගියදා වැඩබලන පොලිස්පතිවරයාට උපදෙස් ලබාදී තිබුණා.

ඒ අනුව, මීට පෙර සැකකරුවන්ට විදේශ ගමන් තහනමක් ද පනවනු ලැබුවා. මේ අතර, අද උදෑසන නඩුව කැඳවූ අවස්ථාවේදී නීතිපති දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී සිටි ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ සොලිස්ටර් ජෙනරාල් හරිප්‍රියා ජයසුන්දරට මහේස්ත්‍රාත්වරයා ප්‍රශ්ණාවලියක් ලබාදුන්නේ අධිකරණයට කරුණු කිහිපයක් තහවුරු කරගැනීමට අවශ්‍ය බව පවසමින්.

ඒ අනුව, එම ප්‍රශ්ණාවලියට පස්වරුවේ ලිඛිතව පිලිතුරු සපයන ලෙස කොටුව – මහේස්ත්‍රාත් රංග දිසානායක නීතිපතිවරයාට නියෝග කලා.

පිළිතුරු අධිකරණයට ඉදිරිපත් කල පසුවයි බැඳුම්කර වංචාවට අදාළව හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී රවී කරුණානායක, හිටපු මහබැංකු අධිපති අර්ජුන් මහේන්ද්‍රන්, පර්පෙචුවෙල් ටෙ‍්‍රෂරීස් සමාගමේ හිමිකරු අර්ජුන් ඇලෝසියස්, එහි ප්‍රධාන විධායක නිලධාරී කසුන් පලිසේන ඇතුලූ 10 දෙනෙකුට වරෙන්තු නිකුත් කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් වන තීන්දුව ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කෙරුණේ.  

By M D P DISSANAYAKE

Sometimes we need to call a spade a spade.  Sirisena is a political Bastard.

Any associations with Sirisena is fraught with danger. His future political moves have been explained by Sirisena himself in public.  Though he is claiming to work hard to give 2/3rd majority to President Gotabaya, he hates all Rajapaksa’s. During the recently concluded Presidential Election, Sirisena worked behind the scene to support Sajith Premadasa, pretending that he was remaining neutral during the period of the election.

During the upcoming election, massive protests are planned against Sirisena.  To bring Sirisena to the same stage with Rajapakse’s could cause voter anger against SLPP.

The Leadership of SLPP must decide to prevent Sirisena from obtaining nominations from SLPP, even if it will bring an end to the so-called Alliance with SLFP.  Most former MPs, except 4, will join the Rajapakse team if SLPP gives the nod.

ඇම් ඩී පී දිසානායක විසිනි

සිරිසේන දේශපාලන දුෂ්ඨයෙකි. ලැජ්ජා නැතිකම මහමුදලි කමටත් වඩා ලොකු යන කියමන මෙම අම්බරුවාට ඉතා හොඳින් ගෑලපේ.

මීට පෙර කුමන්තර සිතුවිලි සිතතුල තබාගෙන කිරියාත්මක කල අතර,  දැන් මදාවියෙකු ලෙස වහසිබස් දොඩවමින් බලහත්කාරයෙන් තැනකට එන්න බලයි.

මොහු පොහොට්ටු වේදිකාවට ආචොත් දරුණු විරෝධතාවන් ඇතිවේ. එමනිසා සිරිසේන පිංගුත්තරයාව පිටුදකින ලෙස නායකත්වයෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටිමි

චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ

උපාධියක් ලැබුවෙක් එය ලබන්නේ සිය ජිවිත කාලයම උපාධිය ඉලක්ක කරගෙන සිදුකරන කැපකිරීම නිසාය. එය බරපතල කාර්යභාරයකි. උපාධිය ලබාගත් ඔවුන්ට ඊට සරිලන රැකියාවක් ලබා ගැනීමට නොහැකි සමාජයක් ඇත්නම්, ඒ සමාජය යනු උපාධිදාරියෙකුට සරිලන සමාජයක් නොවේ. එය උපාධිදාරීන් ඝාතනය කරන සමාජයකට සමානය. යම් හෙයකින් උපාධිදාරියෙක් ගොඩනැගිලි කම්කරුවෙක් ලෙස රජයේ ගොඩනැගිලි දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ සේවය කරන්නේ නම් තත්වය කොතරම් බරපතලයි දැයි, ඔබම සිතා බලන්න. මෙවැනි තත්වයන් මේ රටතුල නිතරම සිදුවේ. දක්නට ලැබේ. බොහෝවිට එවැනි තත්වයකට පත්වූ උපාධිදාරින්ට එම සේවාස්තානයේ සිටින ඉහල තනතුරු දරන නිලධාරින් තමන්ට හැකි උපරිමයෙන් ඔවුන් කම්කරු තනතුර දැරුවද  යම් යම් ලිපිකරුවන්ගේ කටයුතු ඔවුන්ට පවරාදී, දැක්මෙන් ඔවුන් ඉහල තනතුරක් දරන්නන්ගේ තත්වයට පත් කරයි. මෙය මා දැක ඇති සත්‍ය කතාන්දරයකි.

එවැනි ගෞරවනීය මිනිසුන්ට නිගාදෙන ක්‍රියාවක් වර්තමාන මැතිවරණ කොමසාරිස්තුමා සිදුකොට ඇත. තම උපාධියට සරිලන රැකියාවක් උරුමව නොසිටි උපාධිදාරින්ට තම මැතිවරණ පොරොන්දුවට අනුව ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ මහතා ලබාදුන් රැකියාවන්  දෙමසක කාලයකට නවතා දැමීම තුලින් මිනිසෙක් වශයෙන් මොහුතුල ඇති මුග්ධභාවය කොතරම්දැයි මුළු සමාජයටම වටහා ගත හැකි. මේ තත්වයට මුහුණ දුන් උපාධිදාරීන්ගේ සිත් තුල පැනනගින වේදනාව කොතරම්දැයි අපිට වටහා ගැනීමට තරම් බුද්ධියක් තිබේ. නමුත් පටු දේශපාලන අරමුණු සහිත සමහර උසස් නිලධාරින් තම පදවිය අවභාවිතා කරමින් මෙවැනි පහත් වැඩ කිරීම අපි මේ සමාජය තුල අත්දැක ඇත.

මේ මැතිවරණ කොමසාරිස්තුමා සිදුකර ඇත්තේ කුමක්ද? උපාධිදාරීන් 50,000කට අයත් මාස දෙකක කාලයක් විනාශ කර දැමීමයි. මෙවැනි කටයුත්තක් නඩුකාරයෙකුට මිස රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරියෙකුට කිරීමට කොහෙත්ම අවසර නැත. මෙය බරපතල මානව හිමිකම් කඩකිරිමකි. උපාධිදාරීන් 50,000කට අයත් දින 60ක කාලයක් මේ මිනිසා විනාශ කර දැමීමට තීරණය කර ඇත. එය තවත් ආකාරයකින් කතාකරනවා නම්. උපාධිදාරී දින 3,000,000ක සේවය මේ රටට අහිමිකර ඇත. මේ සිද්ධියම මේ මිනිහා මේ තනතුරට නුසුදුසු බව මනාවට ඔප්පු කර පෙන්වයි. මැතිවරණයක් හේතුකොටගෙන උපාධිදාරී දින මිලියන 3ක්  විනාශ කිරීමට මේ මැතිවරණ කොමසාරිස්තුමාට අවසර ඇති සමාජයක ජීවත්වීමට ලැබීමත් මහා පාප කර්මයක් බව කිව යුතුමය. මිනිහෙක් ජිවත් වෙන්නේ දින 30,000නම් උපාධියක් ලබන්නේ, වයස 25දී නම් ඔහු උපාධිදාරියෙක් වශයෙන් ගත කරන කාලය වන්නේ, ආසන්න වශයෙන් දින 20,000කි. මේ මැතිවරණ කොමසාරිස්වරයා විනාශකරන උපාධිදාරී දින මිලියන 3න තුල දින 20,000යේ ඒවා 150ක්, ඇත. ඉන් අදහස්වන්නේ මේ මැතිවරණ කොමසාරිස්වරයා අමු අමුවේම උපාධිදාරීන් 150ක් ඝාතනය කරන බවයි. මෙවන් මහා ඝාතනයක් සිදුකිරීමට මේ මැතිවරණ කොමසාරිස්වරයාට ඉඩ දෙන්නේ නම් එය ජාතිය විශාලම අභාග්‍යයි. වහා වහාම එයට එරෙහිව නැගී සිටිමු. එය ප්‍රචණ්ඩත්වයෙන් නොව බුද්ධිමය සටනක් විය යුතුය. මෙවැනි කාලකන්නින්ගෙන් රටත් ජාතියත් බේරා ගනිමු.

ප්‍රවෘත්ති නිවේදනයයි තාක්ෂණ හා නවොත්පාදන රාජ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය

උසස් අධ්‍යාපන, තාක්ෂණ හා නවෝත්පාදන අමාත්‍යාංශය (MHETI) සහ  තාක්ෂණ හා නවෝත්පාදන රාජ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය (SMTI) විසින් එම අමාත්‍යාංශ යටතේ ක්‍රියාත්මක රාජ්‍ය පර්යේෂණ ආයතන (GRI), විශ්වවිද්‍යාල සහ පෞද්ගලික අංශයේ සහයෝගීතාවෙන් සංවිධාන කරන  INNOTECH 2020  – තාක්ෂණ හා නවෝත්පාදන ජාතික  ප්‍රදර්ශනය  මාර්තු මස 11 වන දින සිට 14 වන දින දක්වා හෝමාගම, පිටිපන අධි තාක්ෂණ හා නවෝත්පාදන නගර පරිශ්‍රයේ  දී පැවැත්වේ.

සමාජයේ සියලු ස්තරයන්හි විද්‍යා හා තාක්ෂණ සාක්‍ෂරතාව ප්‍රවර්ධනය කරවීමත්, අමාත්‍යංශය යටතේ ක්‍රියාත්මක වන රාජ්‍ය පර්යේෂණ ආයතනයන්හි සහ විශ්වවිද්‍යාලන්හි පර්යේෂණ හා සංවර්ධන අංශවල පර්යේෂණ හරහා බිහිවන නව දැනුම සහ සොයාගැනීම් ප්‍රදර්ශනය කිරීමත්  යන ප්‍රමුඛ  පරමාර්ථයෙන්   INNOTECH 2020” ප්‍රදර්ශනය පැවැත්වේ.

ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිනිති තාක්ෂණ ආයතනය, NSBM හරිත සරසවිය, ශ්‍රී ජයවර්ධනපුර විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයීය තාක්ෂණ පීඨය, මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ ජාතික පාසල සහ මිනුම් ඒකක, ප්‍රමිති හා සේවා දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව යන පරිශ්‍රවල දී පැවැත්වෙන ප්‍රදර්ශනය අධ්‍යාපනික කලාපය,  නවෝත්පාදන කලාපය සහ පර්යේෂණ හා සංවර්ධන කලාපය  ලෙස ප්‍රධාන කලාප තුනකින් සමන්විත වේ.පර්යේෂණ ආයතන සහ විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයන්හි පර්යේෂණ වල ප්‍රතිඵල ලෙස බිහි වූ නිෂ්පාදන, මුලාකෘති සහ නව නිපැයුම්, ස්වාධීන නව නිපයුම් කරුවන්ගේ  නව නිපැයුම්, ත්‍රිවිධ හමුදාවේ සහ පොලිසියේ නව නිපැයුම් සහ ප්‍රදර්ශන භාණ්ඩ, අධ්‍යාපනික විනෝදාස්වාදාත්මක ක්‍රියාකාරකම් (ගණිත විද්‍යාගාරය, අධ්‍යාපනික ක්‍රිඩා ආදිය),  නවීන සහ නැගී එන තාක්ෂණයන් පිළිබඳ දැනුම, නිර්මාණ සහ ප්‍රදර්ශනාත්මක ක්‍රියාකාරකම්  (සුර්ය බල ශක්ති භාවිතය, 5G & IOT, ස්නායු තාක්ෂණය, ඩ්‍රෝන යන්ත්‍ර භාවිතය ආදිය)  ජංගම ග්‍රහලෝකාගාරය, රාත්‍රි අහස නිරීක්ෂණ කඳවුරු,, ජල රොකට් ප්‍රදර්ශනය, NSBM ශිෂ්‍යයින්ගේ ප්‍රදර්ශන භාණ්ඩ, STEM සහ වෙනත් අදාළ ක්ෂේත්‍රයන් පිළිබඳ දැනුම වර්ධනය සඳහා දැනුවත් කිරීමේ උපාංග, විනෝදාස්වාදාත්මක ක්‍රියාකාරකම් (සුනඛ සංදර්ශන, තුරඟ සංදර්ශන, වීදි නාට්‍ය, සංගිත සහ සංස්කෘතික සංදර්ශන) ආදී පුළුල් පරාසයක ප්‍රදර්ශන අංග INNOTECH 2020 ට ඇතුළත් වේ.

ප්‍රදර්ශනය පැවැත්වෙන දින හතර පුරා පෙ.ව. 9.00 සිට ප.ව.10.00 දක්වා එය විවෘතව තැබෙන අතර ඇතුළත්වීමට කිසිදු මුදලක් අය නොකෙරේ.

මාධ්‍ය ඒකකය

තාක්ෂණ හා නවොත්පාදන රාජ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය

Sangkallpa

ALI SUKHANVER

Right to information or freedom of expression, if suppressed, simply demolishes the whole structure of a society. If a society is filled with all lively activities including business, trade, politics, arts, and sports, it means it is a flourishing society. When we analyze the society of Pakistan particularly in present days, we find all these elements at their best which reflect the liveliness, sparkle, and vigour of the whole nation. Just to blame and defame Pakistan, it is a routine practice rather a tradition of the hostile forces to make hue and cry that there is no freedom of expression in Pakistan. Particularly for the last few months, there has been a notable rise in the propaganda move against Pakistan with reference to the media freedom. Different mouthpieces are doing all their best to vomit out their dirt-inside against Pakistan’s political government, Pakistan’s Armed forces and even against Pakistan’s Foreign policy; their only purpose is to please their pay-masters.

Just to make the already present media norms more effective the government of Pakistan has decided to introduce a new law comprising of a code of conduct for print, electronic and social media. Pakistan Media Regularity Authority (PEMRA) is busy giving the final shape to the rules and regulations in this context. Apprehending the expected check and balance on media, the ‘well-wishers’ have started expressing their unease and agony. Recently some ‘unknown’ type of writer penned down an article in some ‘unknown’ type of newspaper in which he blamed that the expected code of conduct for media would simply be misused as a tool against the mainstream media.  With the help of this new Code of Conduct, the PEMRA would simply threaten, browbeat and gag the voices ready to explode against the alleged ‘ineligibility’ of Imran Khan’s government. The writer has expressed his fear that the new law in the making would push offline or prosecute media for non­ compliance with strict “codes of conduct” in the context of the fifth-generation warfare. It is also blamed in the article that the government of Pakistan has banned all the news regarding the anguish of the near and dear ones of “missing” or “disappeared”   persons.  In short, the above-mentioned article is simply a misguiding piece of writing.

The actual situation is altogether different. There is no ban on any news item in Pakistan; media persons are free to say whatever they want to say in their writings and in their TV programs. However, the PEMRA never allows any of the media men to spread hatred against the ideology of Pakistan. No country all over the world allows anyone to spread hatred against its own existence; it is a common practice. In the name of liberty and freedom of expression no country ever permits anyone to dig up its roots; the same does Pakistan.

The freedom of media, the liberty of expression could be estimated by the financial prosperity of the media houses which are running different TV channels and newspapers. Media has become a very lucrative industry in Pakistan. People invest in this industry and then their investments are multiplied many times. If the media were not free in Pakistan, this progress could never have taken place. The basic difference between the days gone and the present time is that of the philosophy. Just ten or fifteen years back media houses were not run in a businesslike manner as they are being run today. Moreover, it is the basic right of media house owners to take steps necessary for the survival and progress of their business. They would say what people desire to hear; if people do not want to hear anything which could be harmful to the country; the media houses would never say that. However, the proposed Code of Conduct for media would simply regularize and channelize the things. Ultimately in media, there would remain no place for those whose real business is to spread bogus news and to bring a bad name to Pakistan. And this is the basic target of the proposed Code of Conduct.

By Hassina Leelarathna

Aeshea Jayasinghe (right) and Naseema Qureshi at the Sri Lanka Independence Day celebration in Los Angeles: Church of Scientology International 

In a message published in the Sri Lanka America Association of Southern California’s (SLAASC) souvenir to mark its Independence Day 2020 celebration, the association’s President claimed his group was back in the saddle, in organising the signature event”.

Well, not quite, as evidenced by a press release issued 19 February by the Church of Scientology.

In fact, all signs are that SLAASC, among the oldest Sri Lankan expat community groups in the US, is the latest outpost to capitulate to the mighty Church of Scientology.

In good ole cowboy style, SLAASC bartered bragging rights to the church in exchange for free use of one of its facilities and to Scientology’s leading advocates Dr. Walter Jayasinghe and wife Aesha for a cash donation of $ 7,000.

In the press release dated 19 February, the Church of Scientology International makes no mention of SLAASC, headlining the event as one where ‘The Southern California Sri Lankan community gathered at the Church of Scientology of the Valley to celebrate their freedom from English rule’.

In addition, and most importantly, the Church, represented by Way to Happiness Ambassador to South Asia Naseema Qureshi, and the Jayasinghes, got a captive audience at Sri Lanka Independence Day where it ran a 30-minute long video highlighting its work in Sri Lanka.

While the showing of the video to the largely Sinhala Buddhist audience, including monks from the local temples, was indicative of Scientology’s influence in the expatriate community, its contents provide  troubling details on the wide swath it has cut into the highest echelons of Sri Lankan Government including the President’s Office (under President Sirisena).  The Church boasts it has made inroads into various branches of Government in Sri Lanka and the Buddhist communities.

Today, The Way to Happiness is widely used in schools and Government institutions across all of Sri Lanka,” says Qureshi.

The Scientology video flashes photos of the infamous LTTE/Channel 4 propaganda picture of a blindfolded man allegedly being executed by the SL military during the 30-year civil war and ‘insurgency’. It goes on to declare that there’s rampant religious tension” in the country with 56% of districts in Sri Lanka reporting religious discrimination”. 

Qureshi then teams up with an advisor” from former President Sirisena’s Office, Dr. Samantha Kumara, and presents several Way to Happiness seminars for hundreds of Sri Lankan Police, Air Force, Army, and Navy personnel with the stated aim of providing them with a workable solution” to deal with conflicts.

For the first time, people were reaching out to the Police to teach and educate them on looking after themselves and their families,” Qureshi asserts showing pictures of uniformed Police and Army personnel on the streets and getting on and off buses distributing Scientology’s Way to Happiness. Thanks to the Scientology hand-outs, the Sri Lankan people were suddenly realising that fighting was not a solution, according to Qureshi.

Beaming school children, smiling three-wheel drivers, and young Buddhist monks, are all featured waving L. Ron Hubbard’s Way to Happiness. 

How much has the church and/or Dr. Jayasinghe poured into the pockets of powerful Sri Lankan politicians to get the country’s security agencies working as foot soldiers spreading L. Ron Hubbard propaganda? 

 In the press release dated 19 February, the Church of Scientology International makes no mention of SLAASC, headlining the event as one where ‘The Southern California Sri Lankan community gathered at the Church of Scientology of the Valley to celebrate their freedom from English rule’

Dollar figures are being floated in the community, upwards of $ 100,000 by some accounts.

And the numbers are believable given the size of the Jayasinghe fortunes. Publicly available documents show the Jayasinhala Foundation, a private non-profit launched in 2014, having $ 1.8 million in revenue and $ 49 million in assets.

In addition to the Jayasinhala Foundation, Dr. Jayasinghe controls the Sri Lanka Foundation, Sri Lanka Buddha Dhamma Society and the Los Angeles Medical Center Foundation which in 2015, received $ 400,000 from the Jayasinhala Foundation for the stated purpose of ‘Religious work/planetary dissemination’. The [Jayasinhala] Foundation lacks transparency and does not maintain a website, which makes it difficult to locate further information on its priority areas,” writes Stacey Suver, a senior editor at Inside Philanthropy. Suver notes that in a recent fiscal year, the foundation gave away around $ 2.3 million.  Grantees include Sri Lanka Medical Association, Church of Scientology, and Bridge Publications which publishes L. Ron Hubbard’s books in 50 languages. 

Publicly available information also suggests that virtually all the Sri Lankan Buddhist temples in the Los Angeles have received funding from one or another of the maze of non-profits under Dr. Jayasinghe’s control. Amounts have varied from the low thousands to over half-a-million dollars as a gift to one temple.  

A notable exception is the Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara in Los Angeles, whose founder Ven. Walpola Piyananda Nayake Thera politely declined to accept Dr. Jayasinghe’s gift of $ 75,000 offered for his 75th birthday.   

How important is Sri Lanka to the Church of Scientology? 

It boils down to a case of survival. If it is to endure and thrive, the Church needs new frontiers. In the US, its numbers are said to be declining. 

Author of Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ Tony Ortega believes Scientology numbers peaked in 1990s with roughly 100,000 members worldwide but that membership has declined to around 20,000. The Church vigorously contests such stats, claiming that it has millions of parishioners in 167 nations, a third of whom are in the US”.

Prof. Stephen A. Kent of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, considered a leading expert on Scientology who has been tracking its activities for several decades, shares the view that plagued in recent years by numerous scandals and public relations crises the church is in decline. Historically, most new religions die, and it’s fairly clear now that Scientology is on a downward path,” said Kent.  

Evidence abounds of Scientology actively looking for and investing in new frontiers overseas. In January 2019, it opened an elaborate new African headquarters in a sprawling castle outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. In Latin America, pop singers and television personalities are making the rounds promoting the Church. 

In Ireland, where its numbers are said to be just 87, Scientology remains undeterred and has made a multimillion-euro investment in three new facilities in Dublin.

The Church is known to show up after natural disasters such as the Indonesia earthquake, the Ugandan mudslide and the mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand where Scientology volunteers pass out Hubbard’s The Way to Happiness.   Journalist and long-time Scientology critic Mark Ebner sees these efforts as recruiting expeditions on the most vulnerable”.

Scientology debuted in Sri Lanka in 2005 when its members were seen distributing church leaflets after the devastating tsunami. It has been registered since August 2006 as a limited company under the name of ‘Scientology Applied Religious Foundation of Sri Lanka’. Its Dianetics Centre in Nugegoda offers the church’s signature ‘Dianetics Auditing’ – a controversial system used in place of psychiatry or psychological counselling for mental problems.  

At the crux of Scientology is the belief that through the utilisation of Dianetics individuals can cleanse their minds and attain ‘new state of spiritual awareness called Clear’ which is a form of enlightenment derived, in part, from the Buddhist concept of Bodhi. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard claimed he was Maitreya Buddha in his 1955 book Hymn of Asia An Eastern Poem.

While the number of Scientology adherents in Sri Lanka is not known, it might well be on the cusp of a major take-off, especially with the backing it is receiving from very powerful politicians. That Police and other government officials have been deployed to spread Scientology speaks for itself.

In Los Angeles, Dr. Jayasinghe’s generosity via his numerous non-profit foundations assures the Church of a front pew at Sri Lankan events. A musical show or other community event that doesn’t receive Jayasinhala dollars and/or staged at a venue other than at a Church of Scientology venue has become a rarity.  

Noteworthy is that while a church facility may be obtained free-of-charge, there’s still a price to pay: it requires the audience to watch a Scientology video at the start of the event. In addition, books containing the Church’s teachings are distributed at the venue.

It’s no secret that the Church of Scientology is actively trying to convert Buddhists in Los Angeles,” said Dr. Sunil Jayasinghe, author of several books on Buddhism, notably The Last Meal of the Buddha when asked to comment on these trends. I know because I myself have been approached.”  

The Church also gets a stall to distribute its literature at ‘Sri Lanka Day’ – the flagship event of the Sri Lanka Foundation usually held in mid-August to coincide with Dr. Jayasinghe’s birthday. The daylong street fair provides local artists a stage to perform while, for a sizeable fee, Sri Lankan eateries can sell their food. The event culminates in a perahera where the Jayasinghe family and the local city mayor ride in an open car waving to the crowd of Sri Lankan expats lining the street.  

While Scientology’s inroads into the community have gone unchallenged, the Church’s predominance at this year’s Independence Day event is being noticed with unease. According to Sunil Jayasinghe, there’s concern among long-time residents but they’re reluctant to talk about it. I think it’s time for open discussions on this issue, especially, as it will have a huge impact on our future generations,” he said.

(The writer can be contacted via email on hassinal@gmail.com)

By P.K.Balachandran/Daily Express Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Both parties have undergone splits before, but the current situation appears to be life-threatening.

Sajith Premadasa with Ranil Wickremesinghe

Colombo, March4: After the April 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary elections, the island nation is likely to see the virtual extinction of two of its main (and oldest) parties, namely, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) founded in 1951 by SWRD. Bandaranaike, and the United National Party (UNP) founded by Don Stephen Senanayake in 1946.

Of the two, the SLFP has already been reduced to a nullity. After the sweeping victory of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) in the November 16, 2019 Presidential election, most members of the SLFP latched on to the new SLPP government formed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Subsequently, the SLFP’s chairman and former Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena made his party a junior partner in the SLPP-led alliance to fight the April 2020 parliamentary elections. Today, the SLFP is so weak that it cannot even ensure a parliamentary seat to Sirisena. If the SLPP gets a majority in parliament, the SLFP will be obliterated because its present affiliates will have no reason to continue in it.

The United National Party (UNP) was already disunited at the time of the November 2019 Presidential election. It is now on the verge of a split with party Leader and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe leading one outfit and Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa leading the rebel outfit. The rebel outfit calls itself Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)” and not UNP.

The SJB is actually a coalition comprising a section of the UNP, small parties and parties of the minorities like those led by Rauff Hakeem, Rishad Bathiudeen and Mano Ganeshan.

On the surface, the quarrel between Ranil and Sajith is over the election symbol. After Ranil-loyalist Ravi Karunanayake refused to give SJB the Swan” symbol he owns, Sajith has been wanting to use the UNP’s Elephant” symbol. But Ranil will not allow him to do that. The SJB’s claim that the Elephant symbol had been granted to the SJB by the Working Committee of the UNP is ignored by Ranil as granting the Elephant to the SJB would make the SJB look like UNP. And Ranil would not surrender the UNP to Sajith. For Sajith, getting the Elephant” is crucial because it has been the UNP’s symbol for decades and therefore, very familiar to the voters.

UNP watchers say that if the UNP splits between the Ranil faction (the official faction) and the Sajith faction (the rebel faction), the party will cease to be a political force because the SJB is aiming to be a distinct party or a permanent alliance, not a mere temporary electoral alliance. Sajith said so in his speech at the launch of the SJB.

The split will be on ideological lines too, as the official UNP will be right wing and pro-West, and the SJB will be left wing, nationalist and explicitly Sinhala-Buddhist as Sajith openly said.

Past Splits

Both the UNP and SLFP have suffered splits in the past, but perhaps never in a way that causes obliteration of the original outfits.

The first split in the UNP occurred in 1951, when one of its top-line leaders, SWRD Bandaranaike, left it to form the Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist and center-left Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Reflecting the communal yearnings of the majority rural Sinhala-Buddhist community, the SLFP won the 1956 parliamentary elections.

After the 1951 split, the remaining UNP survived as one unit till 1990, when top leaders like Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake left, unable to get along with President R.Premadasa. But the Democratic United National Front (DUNF) the rebels formed, collapsed after the assassination of Lalith and Gamini by the LTTE.

The next big split came in 2007, when 18 senior MPs of the UNP joined President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition to strengthen his hands in the war against the LTTE. Disunity afflicted the UNP again, when many younger leaders of the party felt that the Westernized and aloof Ranil was unsuited to be a leader of a mass party. He had little or no touch with the Sinhala-Buddhist rural masses ,they alleged. The malcontents pitched for Sajith as he was not from an elite background and was thought to be more popular among the hoi polloi.

While the Sajith faction wanted him to be the UNP candidate in the November 2019 Presidential election, Ranil resisted it and agreed only at the eleventh hour. He also did not campaign for Sajith. The move to replace Ranil by Sajith gathered momentum after Sajith’s defeat in the Presidential election. It intensified as the parliamentary elections approached.

Splits in Sri Lanka Freedom Party

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party faced a major crisis in 1980 when its chief, Sirima Bandaranaike, was deprived of her civic rights for seven years and was expelled from parliament by the then UNP leader and Lankan President J.R.Jayewardene. With Mrs. Bandaranaike politically crippled, internal conflicts arose in the SLFP. Sirima’s daughter Chandrika Kumaratunga broke away in 1984 and formed the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya (SLMP). But she came back to the SLFP in 1993, and made it win the 1994 parliamentary and Presidential elections.

The next rift in the SLFP came in 2005 over the choice of its Presidential candidate. Party chief, Chandrika Kumaratunga backed her brother Anura Bandaranaike but most other leaders propped up Mahinda Rajapaksa, a dynamic and popular left-oriented leader. Mahinda won, and sidelined Chandrika totally.

Mahinda got two terms, the second and the last in 2010 after he vanquished the LTTE. But his second term was marked by corruption, scandals and high-handedness. The UNP-led opposition exploited these fully, and got SLFP’s General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena to defect and stand as the united opposition’s candidate in the January 2015 Presidential election.

Sirisena won and took over the leadership of the SLFP which was surrendered to him by Mahinda. But the SLFP was defeated by the UNP in the 2015 parliamentary elections because it was divided by the Sirisena-Mahinda conflict.Soon, the Mahinda faction broke away and formed the SLPP.

Because of the lousy performance of the Sirisena-Ranil coalition government, the SLPP swept the 2018 local bodies’ elections with Sirisena’s SLFP coming a poor and distant third. The rout triggered a flight from the SLFP to the SLPP sounding the death knell of the SLFP.

(The featured image at the top shows )

Courtesy Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Jacqueline Fernandez opened up about all kinds of ridiculous advice she received when she started out in Bollywood.

When Sri Lankan beauty queen Jacqueline Fernandez decided to pursue a career in Bollywood, she got all kinds of advice on how to fit in. In an interview with Pinkvilla, she revealed that a lot of people felt that her name was very Western” and suggested that she change it.

I was told, ‘Do a nose job’, ‘Change your name’. So many people! In that moment, I thought, ‘Is it really needed?’ I decided to just be me. I was quite calm and cool and collected about it, and then things worked out for me,” the actor said.

She added, I was told, ‘Change your name to Muskaan.’ I remember these suggestions. My agency also thought, ‘Should we change her name? Jacqueline Fernandez is very Western. How do we crack the industry?’ Then they were like, ‘Maybe we should just go with her name and just see where that goes.’”

Jacqueline was given all kinds of weird” advice, like being asked to make her eyebrows darker, but she stuck to her guns. She also revealed that she got a lot of grief for her accent, but has now made peace with the fact that it is a limitation for her and continues to work hard every day to improve her Hindi diction.

Not just this, Jacqueline was mocked for trying hard” to be Indian. She said, I felt really offended by this. I came for a Diwali party once in a really traditional outfit. Three of my actor friends were like, ‘Why are you wearing a saree? Why are you trying so hard? You are not Indian!’”

Also read: Irrfan opens up about his health, says ‘Now, I have an idea what running out of time actually means’

Jacqueline made her Bollywood debut with Sujoy Ghosh’s Aladin in 2009. The actor, who was last seen in the Netflix film Drive alongside Sushant Singh Rajput, has another Netflix project – Mrs Serial Killer – in her kitty. Directed by Shirish Kunder, the film will see her as a doting wife who will go to any lengths to prove the innocence of her husband, who has been framed for serial killings.

Jacqueline’s next Bollywood release is the action thriller Attack. Directed by Lakshya Raj Anand, the film revolves around a rescue operation done by an elite commando team, and also stars John Abraham.

Courtesy Mailonline

Sri Lankan authorities believe the Indian Ocean island is being used as a trafficking transit point for drugs

Two foreign trawlers packed with over $33 million worth of heroin and crystal methamphetamine were seized in Sri Lanka’s biggest-ever drugs bust at sea, a navy spokesman said Thursday.

Troops found 400 kilogrammes (about 880 pounds) of heroin and 100 kilogrammes (about 220 pounds) of the drug “ice” on board the two vessels, spokesman Isuru Sooriyabandara said.

The street value of the seized narcotics was estimated by officials to be 6,000 million rupees ($33.5 million).

The vessels, as well as a Sri Lankan fishing boat, were Thursday escorted to a harbour near the capital Colombo.

Sixteen foreign crew and five Sri Lankan crewmen were detained for questioning, Sooriyabandara added. The nationalities of the foreigners were not disclosed by authorities.

“The two foreign vessels were trying to offload the drugs onto a Sri Lankan fishing boat,” Sooriyabandara told AFP.

The foreign vessels, which carried no registration, were intercepted in international waters some 1,100 kilometres (687 miles) from Sri Lanka’s coast.

Sooriyabandara said investigators were checking GPS data on board the vessels to establish the route and the point of origin.

Authorities said initial investigations suggested the Iran-Pakistan coast was the point of origin.

In 2016, the navy arrested 10 Iranians, two Pakistanis and one each from India and Singapore for allegedly trying to smuggle 110 kilogrammes of heroin into the island nation via a trawler.

The country’s previous largest drug haul was in December 2016 when police seized 800 kilogrammes of cocaine on a ship at Colombo’s port from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah port.

Six months earlier, authorities discovered 301 kilogrammes of cocaine inside a shipping container at Colombo.

Authorities believe the Indian Ocean island is also being used as a trafficking transit point.

By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday, (5) questioned the conduct of some members of the Election Commission (EC) during the last presidential election in Nov 2019.

Rajapaksa said he had recently raised the issue in the presence of the then Speaker Karu Jayasuriya at a meeting in Parliament. He said so at a meeting with representatives of print and electronic media at the Presidential Secretariat.

The EC consists of Mahinda Deshapriya (Chairman), Nalin Abeysekera, PC and Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole.

Acknowledging the right of EC members to express views on matters of public interest, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said they couldn’t pursue personal agendas at the expense of the EC.

President Rajapaksa questioned the neutrality and the independence of the EC established by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

Responding to another query, President Rajapaksa alleged that the neutrality and independence of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) couldn’t be ensured by making that particular appointment through the Constitutional Council.

The 10-member Constitutional Council appointed in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution makes appointments to independent commissions.

President Rajapaksa expressed serious concern over EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya directive to suspend the countrywide training programme implemented for the benefit of unemployed graduates recruited to the public sector. The EC Chairman wanted the high profile project suspended pending the parliamentary election to be held on April 25.

President Rajapaksa said the government would take up this matter with the EC. Declaring that the suspension severely hampered the project, the President said that he couldn’t comprehend why the EC Chairman had intervened in that matter. Pointing out that nominations hadn’t been so far called for the general election, President Rajapakasa said there was no reason to suspend the training programme.

At the onset of the media briefing, President Rajapaksa emphasized that rapid progress in key sectors couldn’t be achieved unless the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was either amended or repealed. He said he was certainly not the only one keen to get rid of the 19th Amendment, which instead of addressing pressing issues had created additional problems.

President Rajapaksa said that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna needed to win the April 25 general election with a two-thirds majority to pave the way for far reaching constitutional changes.

Assuring that he wouldn’t seek to bring back the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which did away with the presidential term limit, Rajapaksa said that he could achieve what he wanted to within his first term unless the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was done away with.

Asked how his government intended to address grievances of the Tamil speaking people against the backdrop of his administration recently withdrawing co-sponsorship of accountability resolution in Geneva, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa emphasised the pivotal importance in addressing economic issues. He said difficulties experienced by all communities were alike and, therefore, the need for tangible measures to uplift the living standards couldn’t be ignored.

The President declared that economic problems manifested themselves as political issues.

Responding to questions on missing persons, President Rajapaksa alleged that interested parties used the issue to cause turmoil.

Recalling an operation undertaken in the Jaffna peninsula during Eelam War II, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that troops under him and Sarath Fonseka had undertaken an operation. Acknowledging they had failed to achieve the objective, Rajapaksa said that they had failed to retrieve bodies of those killed outside the Jaffna Fort. “Due to our failure to recover bodies, some families of those officers and men killed there considered them missing. Both communities suffered as a result of the conflict.”

President Rajapaksa recalled the government had not been able to recover hundreds of bodies following fierce battles, including the one at Muhamalai front line in 2006 because their identities couldn’t be verified.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that there were specific disappearance cases. Unfortunately, those with vested interests generalized on such cases, he added.

Responding to another query, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dismissed claims that there were political prisoners.

Rajapaksa said that a study undertaken by the UNICEF during the previous Rajapaksa administration had proved that a vast majority of those believed to be missing or in custody had actually died fighting for the LTTE, willingly or unwillingly.

The Island asked President Rajapaksa why Sri Lanka was without a proper strategy to expose the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and a section of the international community and civil society propagating allegations of war crimes after having backed General Sarath Fonseka at the 2010 presidential election. The Island pointed out that accusations as regards 40,000 killed on the Vanni east front became ridiculous after the war winning Army Commander had received the TNA’s backing with the blessings of the US.

President Rajapaksa strongly defended Sri Lanka’s decision to withdraw co-sponsorship of the Geneva resolution adopted on Oct 01, 2015. He said the US had quit the Geneva council in June 2018. The US alleged the UN body was a cesspool of political bias. The Sri Lankan leader said that the decision to withdraw support was in line with the mandate he received at the presidential election. President Rajapaksa said that his government had explained to those countries pursuing the accountability issue why Sri Lanka couldn’t continue to support a decision taken by a previous government. He said, “How could our own security forces were betrayed in Geneva?”

Jamila Husain Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Former Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris, former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and President’s Counsel Ali Sabry will enter Parliament through the National List under the ticket of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), government sources told Daily Mirror yesterday.

Sources said SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam and MP Wimal Weerawansa had also been nominated by the SLPP.

SLPP Chairman G.L. Peiris has held a political career since the early ’90s but lost his parliamentary seat in 2015 when he was not nominated to the National List from the UPFA. Ali Sabry and Cabraal – who was appointed last November as Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Senior Advisor on Economic Affairs – will enter Parliament for the first time.

Moreover, the premier will contest the April 25 general election from the Kurunegala District while his brother Chamal will contest from the Hambantota District. Former President Maithripala Sirisena from the SLFP will contest from the Polonnaruwa District.

Daily Mirror learns that Prime Minister Rajapaksa had informed his party that contestants would not be able to change their electorates and that they would have to contest from their respective electorates.

Several new names are expected to be added to the electoral list by the SLPP. 

Yohan Perera Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa today refuted the claims made by the government that he had got the election commission to cancel the appointments given to 44,000 unemployed graduates in the state sector and said he will provide employment to them within a week if elected as the Prime Minister.

Mr. Premadasa told a media conference that he would provide permanent employment to all unemployed graduates within a week if elected as the Prime Minister.

Asked as to how he could ensure his election victory and under which party or symbol he would contest, Mr. Premadasa said these would be finalised soon.

Mr. Premadasa said the government had ample time to provide employment to the graduates but did not do it. The government promised to provide employment to all unemployed graduates during the Presidential elections. Then a promise was given that they will be given appointment in January. Then the government said it will be done in February. This followed by another assurance that it will be done in March. Finally, they posted appointment letters shortly before the dissolution of Parliament. However, the Chairman of the Election Commission cancelled the appointments claiming them to be a move to capture votes. Why blame me for this? He questioned while stating that the graduates were to be paid only Rs 20,000, Mr. Premadasa said this allowance will be increased if he is elected as Prime Minister in April this year. 

Courtesy Adaderana

The haul of heroin and crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ‘Ice’, worth approximately Rs. 6,000 million along with the suspects and fishing vessels in connection to it, seized after a successful naval operation in high seas about 600 nautical miles (1111km) away from Sri Lankan shores, were escorted to Dikovita fisheries harbour this morning (05).

Based on intelligence information received from the Police Narcotic Bureau, the Navy deployed its Offshore Patrol Vessels ‘Samudura’ and ‘Sayurala’ on a long drug-busting mission over a period of a month. 

Accordingly, 02 Sri Lankan fishing vessels with over 75 kilograms of drugs believed to be heroin and 66 kilograms of substance believe to be ICE drug (crystal methamphetamine) were intercepted in Southern seas along with 04 suspects, the Sri Lanka Navy said.

During further investigation subsequent to this event, a vessel without Flag State was initially seized by Navy, for suspiciously remaining in high seas, to supply narcotics to Sri Lankan vessels at sea in the guise of fishing vessels. 

On suspicion of this ghost vessel it was inspected and based on information received from it a similar vessel without Flag State in high seas was intercepted after a four day long mission. As these suspicious vessels were further searched, 329 packages believed to be heroin and another 50 packets believed to be ICE drug were found. 

During the overall operation it was able to seize 400 kg of drugs believed to be heroin (in 397 packets) and 100kg of substance believed to be ICE drug (in 100 packets). This remains to be the biggest haul of narcotics seized in an operation at sea till date, the navy said. 

On successful completion of this naval operation, the haul of heroin along with the suspects and fishing vessels in connection to the event were escorted to Dikovita fisheries harbour this morning (05).

Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva and a group of senior officers from the Police Narcotic Bureau were also present on this occasion. 

Meanwhile, the Police Narcotic Bureau will be conducting further investigation in to the 21 suspects, vessels and drugs seized during this operation, the release said.

Courtesy Adaderana

The government has decided to accelerate the implementation of National Programme for the Alleviation of Poverty” for ensuring food security by providing essential food rationale for the poverty-stricken population.

During the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held yesterday (04), the Internal Trade, Food Security and Consumer Welfare Minister has drawn the attention of fellow members to several measures that are to be carried out through this programme.
Accordingly, under this programme, a basket containing essential food items will be provided to one million beneficiaries including differently-abled, widows, senior citizens without permanent income and sufferers from intense illnesses.

This basket of food, which is worth Rs. 1,007, will comprise tea, Naadu rice, milk powder (normal), dhal (legumes) and dried fish/dried sprats/locally manufactured canned fish valued at Rs. 500.

The programme will be implemented together with Lanka Sathosa, Co-operative sales network and a cluster of authorized trade outlets specially selected from rural areas.

On the 14th of January, the Cabinet Ministers approved the proposal tabled by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to execute a national program to eliminate poverty from the country.

Courtesy Adaderana

This is an era which is witnessing the end of western dominance, former Prime Minister and Chief Guest of WION Global Summit, Ranil Wickremesinghe said in his keynote address on Thursday.

He began his address by lauding India’s first international news channel WION as he said, it is a pioneer in creating a global platform to present the geopolitical analysis of recent South Asian trends”.

This is an era which is witnessing the end of western dominance,” said Wickremesinghe in Dubai.

An era is being shaped by new forces… the sudden rise of China in economic, military, political spheres challenging the unipolar world by attempting to remodel the existing global order,” the former Sri Lankan PM added.

The US is politically divided like never before. Even the European Union is divided and weaker”, Wickremesinghe also said.

Coronavirus has brought China, the factory of the world, to a grinding halt. Its impact is also being felt in Sri Lanka,” Wickremesinghe, adding, Maybe it’s only China that can face trade war and coronavirus simultaneously”.

WION Global Summit is a platform for global leaders to come together at a single platform and have a dialogue on a common global agenda.

In this year’s edition, the list of speakers include former Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe; Dr Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, the first Female President of Latvia and former president of Club de Madrid, Aleqa Hammond; The first female Prime Minister of Greenland and Mariya Didi; the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Maldives.

During the one-day event, the guests will host agenda-driven discussions on topics of global importance including, climate change, global governance, economic slowdown, and global crisis.

Source: WION

Courtesy Adaderana

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa emphasized the need for formulating a national education policy on a priority basis to suit the rapidly changing situations.

The policy should not change with the change of a Government or a President, he observed during a discussion with the officials of the Ministry of Education held at the Presidential Secretariat today (5).

The President said that the Cabinet of Ministers, Parliament and the public should be fully informed when formulating an education Policy. Views of the academics, experts in the field and international standards should be taken into consideration when formulating the policy, President added.

President commended the step taken by the Minister of Education to remove photographs and messages of politicians from school textbooks. The Ministry has to incur a large sum of money to re-print the textbooks with different images and messages once a new government comes into power, the President pointed out.

Pointing out that the ‘Nenasa’ computer technology program has suffered a setback during the recent past, President Rajapaksa instructed the officials to revive the program and continue it effectively.

Some subjects are taught using computer technology to Grade 10 and 11 students.  In order to reap full benefits from this process, computer skills should be developed from Grade 5 upwards. If we do not follow this system, our country will fail in its forward march with modern global trends”, President pointed out.

The President also pointed out the possibility of using computer technology as a solution to the shortage of English, Mathematics and Science teachers in rural areas. Children living in these areas can also receive knowledge similar to that of children in urban areas through a formal strategy. President Rajapaksa also focused on providing necessary technical equipment and high-speed internet facilities to rural schools in collaboration with government bodies and private communication companies.

President Rajapaksa highlighted the importance of a practical education system to rival the global standards and discard the exam-centered education system that continues from Kindergarten to the university, stated the PMD.

Minister of Education Dallas Alahapperuma noted that about 100 schools have not received a single application to be admitted to Grade 1. Meanwhile, the Governor of the Western Province, Dr. Seetha Arambepola stated that six schools in her province with less than a total of 200 students are located within 1km to each other. 

President, in response, advised the officials to examine the capability of integrating those schools under one roof. President added that it could assist in overcoming the shortage of teachers and elevate the standards of schools.

In addition, President Rajapaksa instructed to expedite the process of converting 19 National Colleges of Education to University Colleges that would produce teachers with a bachelor’s degree.

President stressed that the Ministry of Education must show positive outcomes in all sectors including Computer Technology within three to four years.

Minister of Higher Education, Bandula Gunawardana, Governor to the Western Province, Dr. Seetha Arambepola, Secretary to the President, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, N. H. M. Chithrananda, Additional Secretary, Hemantha Premathilaka and several other officials were present at the discussion.

Courtesy Adaderana

Both Ranil faction and Sajith faction of the United National Party (UNP) have appointed their own nomination parties for the upcoming general election.

The Working Committee of UNP convened yesterday (04) under Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, where they appointed a nomination board.

However, a group of UNP members including the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa boycotted the meeting.

Subsequently, the Sajith faction had appointed their own nomination board for the election.

The nomination board is comprised of Kabir Hashim, Malik Samarawickrema, Thalatha Athukorala, Lakshman Kiriella, Mangala Samaraweera, Ravindra Samaraweera, Harin Fernando, Eran Wickremaratne, Attorney Gunaratne Wanninayake and General Secretary of ‘Jathika Samagi Balawegaya’ Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

The inaugural meeting of the Sajith-faction’s nomination board was also held yesterday.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

එවක කැබිනට් අමාත්‍යවරුන් වශයෙන් කටයුතු කළ රිෂාඩ් බදියුදින් සහ කබීර් හෂීම් යන මහත්වරුන් තුර්කියේ ෆෙටෝ ත්‍රස්ත සංවිධානයට මුදල් සැපයූ මෙරට ව්‍යාපාර හා සම්බන්ධ වී ඇති බව පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරය පිළිබඳ සොයා බලන ජනාධිපති කොමිසමේදී අද අනාවරණය වුණා.

ඒ විදේශ සබඳතා අමාත්‍යංශයේ යුරෝපා හා මධ්‍යම ආසියානු කලාපය භාර අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල්වරියගෙන් සිදූකළ සාක්ෂි විමසීමේදී.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

වර්තමානයේ පවතින දේශපාලන අර්බුද සම්බන්ධයෙන් දේශපාලනඥයින් අදත් අදහස් පළ කළා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී රාජිත සේනාරත්න සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය ධූරය දරණ සමයේ ඖෂධ ගෙන්වීමේදී සිදුවූ අක්‍රමිකතාවයන් අත්හිටුවීමට රජය ක්‍රියාත්මක විය යුතු බව බෞද්ධ තොරතුරු කේන්ද්‍ර‍යේ විධායක අධ්‍යක්ෂ පූජ්‍ය අඟුලුගල්ලේ සිරි ජිනානන්ද හිමියන් පවසනවා.

ප්‍රකාශයක් ලබාදීම සඳහා අද (05) පෙරවරුවේ අපරාධ පරීක්ෂණ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවට පැමිණි අවස්ථාවේදී උන්වහන්සේ මේ බව සඳහන් කළා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

කාලීන වෙනස්වීම්වලට ගැළපෙන විධිමත් අධ්‍යාපනයක් සඳහා ජාතික ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් වහා සකස් කළයුතුව බව ජනාධිපති ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ අවධාරණය කරනවා.

එය ජනාධිපතිවරයා, අධ්‍යාපන ඇමතිවරයා හෝ පවතින රජය වෙනස් වන විට වෙනස් නොවන ක්‍රමයක් විය යුතු බවයි ජනාධිපතිවරයා එහිදී අවධාරණය කර සිටියේ.

අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍යාංශයේ ඉදිරි සැලැසුම් පිළිබඳව අද (05) දහවල් ජනාධිපති කාර්යාලයේ පැවති සාකච්ඡාවකදී ජනාධිපතිතුමා මේ බව සඳහන් කර සිටියා.

ජනාධිපතිවරයා එහිදී වැඩිදුරටත් පවසා සිටියේ අධ්‍යාපන ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් සැකසීමේ දී ගනු ලබන ක්‍රියාමාර්ග සම්බන්ධයෙන් කැබිනට් මණ්ඩලය, පාර්ලිමේන්තුව සහ මහජනතාව පූර්ණ වශයෙන් දැනුවත් කළ යුතු බවටයි.

දේශපාලන පණිවිඩ සහ ඡායාරූප පාසල් පෙළ පොතෙන් ඉවත් කිරීමට අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍යවරයා ගෙන ඇති තීරණය සම්බන්ධයෙන් ද මෙහිදී ජනාධිපතිවරයාගේ  පැසසුමට ලක්ව තිබෙනවා.

By Kalinga Seneviratne Courtesy Eurasia Review

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Relations, Dinesh Gunawardena, has officially withdrawn from the co-sponsorship of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution on Promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka”. His predecessor, Mangala Samaraweera, had co-sponsored it along with the U.S. and a number of European member countries, in October 2015.

Most Sri Lankans perceive the UNHRC as a ‘big bully’ who acts on behalf of major western nations to steer small nations to serving the geo-political interests of the West. The human rights body in their view is a hypocritical organisation, which accuses small nations like Sri Lanka and Myanmar of war crimes but ignores much bigger war crimes perpetuated by the U.S. and its NATO allies.

Gunawardena in his address to the UNHRC’s 43rd Session on February 26 said that the resolution signed by Samaraweera was against the wishes of the people of Sri Lanka, and that his government is committed to addressing these wishes. The prosperity of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan government’s priority to be achieved through security and development, and in the best interests of Sri Lankans.

Foreign Minister Gunawardena laid out a plethora of reasons as to why the Sri Lankan government had decided to withdraw from the co-sponsorship of the Resolution. He said that the Resolution infringed upon the sovereignty of the people of Sri Lanka as well as violated the basic structure of Sri Lanka’s Constitution.

The previous Government had violated all democratic principles of governance as it declared support for the Resolution even before the draft text was presented, sought no Cabinet approval to bind the country to deliver on the dictates of an international body, had no reference to the Parliament processes, undertakings, and repercussions of such co-sponsorship, and included provisions which were undeliverable due to its inherent illegality, being in violation of the Constitution the supreme law of the country,” the Foreign Minister told the UNHRC.

Gunawardena added that the first Resolution 30/1 of October 2015, and the subsequent Resolution 34/1 of March 2017, have eroded Sri Lankans’ trust in the international system and the credibility of Sri Lanka as a whole in the eyes of the international community”.

He added: This irresponsible action also damaged long nurtured regional relationships and Non-Aligned as well as South Asian solidarity. The deliberate polarization it sought to cause through trade-offs that resulted in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy being reduced to a ‘zero-sum game’, made my country a ‘pawn’ on the chess board of global politics, and unnecessarily drew Sri Lanka away from its traditional neutrality.”

Furthermore, It weakened national security which had allowed the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings by alleged Islamic terrorists to take place in Colombo. It is widely believed in Sri Lanka that pressure from UNHRC through these resolutions helped to undermine the military and intelligence services, that have been demoralized.

At the time of the bombing, under intense pressure from Geneva, the Sri Lankan government was drafting a watered-down new anti-terror law, that was to replace the three decades old Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) which the UNHRC resolutions asked Sri Lanka to dismantle.

In an interview with a popular current affairs program on Maharaja TV at the weekend, Sri Lanka’s former permanent representative to the UN in New York, Ambassador Dr Palitha Kohona, pointed out that the very countries that were asking for the PTA to be scrapped had much more draconian anti-terror laws to stem ‘Islamic terrorism’.

In response to Sri Lanka’s withdrawal from the sponsorship of the resolution, UNHRC chief Michelle Bachelet said that domestic processes have consistently failed to deliver accountability in the past and she regretted the approach the new government (of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) has taken (to focus on a home-grown remedy).

Commentaries in the local media in Colombo have widely welcomed the government’s move, except for a few Tamil politicians and western-funded NGO spokespeople, who want Sri Lanka to be taken up by the UN Security Council. That will be a no-go with China and Russia firmly backing the Rajapaksa government.

Malinda Seneviratne, writing in the Sunday Observer asked Bachelet to account for dubious reports they have been presenting for the past decade accusing Sri Lanka of war crimes at the end of the 30-year war with the terror group LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). Reports have been framed by their own outcome preferences, he claims.

None of these ‘reports’ are substantiated. The sources at best are unreliable”, argues Seneviratne. We’ve had a lot of that in the past and that’s what went into the substance of the infamous Darusman Report (a report on Sri Lanka war crimes commissioned by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, based on which the UNHRC needled Sri Lanka at every turn. Eventually, the movers and shakers, principally the USA — which called the UNHRC ‘a cesspool of bias” — (when they moved to investigate Israeli war crimes), got a pliant government to co-sponsor an anti-Sri Lanka resolution (30/1) in 2015.”

A figure of 40,000 missing persons has been quoted regularly by UN sources and the western media to accuse the Sri Lankan army of war crimes when they crushed the LTTE in 2009.

Dr Kohona pointed out in the TV interview that this figure has never been substantiated nor any names produced to support the claim. He said this figure includes the thousands who went missing during the Marxist JVP insurrection in the late 1980s (which were mostly Sinhalese) and those who left by boat to claim asylum in countries like Australia. Because they did not go through immigration procedures, they would be listed as missing. Those who accuse Sri Lanka of war crimes have to come clean with facts (names) and figures,” said Dr Kohona.

Meanwhile, on March 2, Sri Lanka has rejected a ‘Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief’ tabled at the UNHRC by UN Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed, following his visit to Sri Lanka in August 2019.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Dayani Mendis said that claims in the report about Sri Lanka’s security forces colluding with mobs who attacked Muslims (following the Easter Sunday attacks) and not try to prevent such attacks, was inaccurate. She also criticized the report for inaccurately suggesting that there was inaction by authorities to stem such violence, and that criminal investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks by Muslim youth, were portrayed as violation of religious freedom and belief.

Easter Sunday attacks reminded us that we are fighting a common adversary in terrorism, radicalization and extremism, which is a global threat,” Ambassador Mendis pointed out. In this context, we consider it unfortunate that the SR’s (Special Rapporteur’s) report has, to a large extent, sought to judge the space for freedom of religion or belief in Sri Lanka through the few months that followed the Easter Sunday attacks,” she said.

It is also regrettable that the report has sought to portray instances where criminal investigations have been conducted to prevent acts of terrorism in accordance with the law, as an endeavour to violate the freedom of religion or belief,” Mendis added.

She criticized the report for its failure to adequately discuss the drivers and root causes of radicalization of youth from one particular religious community (i.e. Muslims) and a lack of inputs from a broader spectrum of Sri Lankan society (i.e. Sinhalese).

In describing attacks against and desecration of places of worship, the report has failed to refer to incidents of attacks on and vandalizing of Buddhist places of worship and instances of obstruction of Buddhist devotees in certain areas of the country,” Ambassador Mendis pointed out.

Any discourse that can yield something positive cannot happen in an environment where outsiders demand that Sri Lankans inhabit their version of Sri Lanka’s reality. It has to happen the other way about. We create room for our story, with all its complexities, contradictions, trauma, despair and hope. That’s something that was ruled out by the Yahapalanists (previous government) and Resolution 30/1,” notes Malinda Seneviratne.

Kanthar Balanathan, Australia DipEE (UK), GradCert(Rel-Eng-Monash), DipBus&Adm(Finance-Massey), CEng. MIEE (UK)

Executive

It is approximately 100 days since HE GR took up a position as the President of SriLanka. Any intelligent person in SL who is able to assess the progress of the administration and the country can observe the tactical moves the President made on positive progress with his strategic goal in mind. The President may have decided on his tactical moves at important nodes of the network in order to achieve his target on a real-time frame. (Quote: Any system connected to a network is known a node)

In a real time frame, people in SL should be able to observe the country has made positive progress with respect to financial, energy resources, strengthen operations, ensure that employees (estate) and other stakeholders are working toward common goals, establish agreement around intended outcomes, assess and adjust to the organizational culture.

However, the political covetousness and greediness of some hawks and vultures instigate some media to create a crevice between the Executive and the Legislature.

Legislature

The legislature or the Parliament, in other words, is a body of people who have the authority to vote and enact laws. The encyclopedia defines the legislature as the lawmaking branch of a government . Since the forum has to be an intellectual forum the members in the legislature are expected to be intelligent, educated, knowledgeable, and have a wider knowledge in politics, social science, economics, commerce, legal studies, technical, understanding of productivity, supply and demand, GDP and income and expenditure and have a high level of perception. This means that the MPs need to have a minimum level of education with a high level of perception relative to ordinary citizens. Politicians should have a bachelor’s degree, or equivalent diploma or equivalent qualification. Most people may not be capable to read English. Since the Universal link language is English, all MPs should be able to read and write in the English language, to a certain level which then can be considered a rich parliament/legislature. Important criteria for the MPs are to be free from xenophobic attitude, racial outlook, and be selfish to be focussed in a narrow area only. Lateral thinking is a must for all MPs.

However, the SriLankan parliament has a majority of uneducated people with very little knowledge in the above-mentioned areas of studies. The MPs behave like thugs in the parliament, throwing chairs and pulling out a knife. During the last regime under Ranil, there was chaos inside the parliament. The speaker had to call the police, which indicates the barbarianism of Sri Lankan parliamentary culture.

Some years back the writer attended a meeting with a group of staff and a Minister known as Alidong Sirisena”. (අලිඩොනං සිරිසේන) The writer noted the minister could not speak English properly and could not express himself clearly even in Sinhala. Apart from speaking English properly, the Minister had a low level of knowledge and perception. The writer was laughing to himself: Is this SriLankan parliament and a cabinet Minister?

Quote: Perception is an active mental act. It is a dynamic, dialectical conflict between the self-perspective transformation and external vectors of power bearing upon us. That which we perceive is a balance between these antagonists”. (Ref: Understanding Conflict and War: vol. 1: the dynamic psychological field, chapter 11, by R.J. Rummel)  

Quote from Kanthar Balanathan s book: Humans perceive different effects about the same state, as perceptions vary from person to person. People assign different meanings to what they perceive. This is the reason for conflicts. Although all human males are born with =1.5 kg of the brain, not all perceive the same thing in the same perspective, the same way.

For an effective and efficient parliament and a cabinet, the ruling party should have people thinking of the same wavelength and have a high level of perception. A political party should have members with the same ideology. People with different ideologies should float their own political party which then will be noted whether popular or not by the votes they get from the people.

Quote e.g.: The main purpose behind an ideology is to offer a change in society, and adherence to a set of ideals where conformity already exists, through a normative thought process. Ideologies are systems of abstract thought (as opposed to mere ideation) applied to public matters and thus make this concept central to politics.

In a party member claim that they are Right”, Left”, and center-left” are noted to fool the people to get more representation. Eventually, in the legislature, it can raise conflicts and disputes only. This is why parties enter into a coalition form of government; however, they must lay strict agreement on their conditions of the coalition. As said earlier, people with leftist ideologies should not be admitted to a right-wing party.

For example, the legislature shall travel in the same wavelength as the executive. That is to say that the legislature and the Executive shall be synchronized in a developing country.

During the last regime, UNP introduced the amendment bill 19A to dilute the powers of the Executive. With a lack of understanding and through external indoctrination the last regime made this biggest blunder. Not only this, the last regime tried to bribe their MPs, by giving them expensive luxury cars. E.g. Vijayakala Maheswaran

A true citizen, who is a voter must understand that this raises conflicts and the power struggle between the Executive and the PM + Legislature equating to a third world illiterate government. Finally, the power struggle and differences can lead the country to a demise in every aspect. SriLankan culture is that illiterate MPs, in order to get a ministerial portfolio will droop down to any level and lick the foot of the power man.

Therefore, it is an appeal to the voters in SriLanka: Please study the candidates contesting, and vote for the correct candidate who will think in the same wavelength as the current President to achieve the objective of the current President HE GR and the citizens of SL. The PM-elect shall think in the same wavelength with no avidity for power. All have been elected to serve the people and the country, not to fill their pockets. The dynasty system shall be circumvented, however, if eligible they can come on their own merit.

The last UNP regime can be considered as a group that lived on Gilligan’s Island. Especially the UNP & JVP can be categorized as a group living in Gilligan Island”, with members may be targeted as Gilligan’s who do not understand Nationalistic patriotism and to work for it. (Quote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDMMqdLpR5U). Who is Gilligan and who is the skipper here?

The election targeted for the legislature, i.e. 25^th of April 2020, is considered a critical election for the growth of SL. If people fail in their voting and the elected GOSL will generate conflicts within GOSL then SL will go down the drain with economic, financial, ethnic and technological disasters.

To be continued Part II- Tamils in Gilligan’s Island

By : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA

The utterly shameless and spineless master traitor Sirisena released a UNP concocted document as his manifesto, titled A Compassionate Maithri Governance — A Stable Country, on 19 December 2014 at a rally held at the Viharamahadevi Park. The main pledge in the said manifesto was the replacement of the executive presidency with a Westminster style Parliament and a Senate but the manifesto acknowledged that Sirisena would need the support of the parliament to amend the constitution. The manifesto also made a commitment to replace the open list proportional representation system with a mixture of first-past-the-post and PR for electing MPs. It said Parliamentary elections will be held in April 2015 after the constitution has been amended. Independent commissions will be established to oversee the judiciary, Police, elections department, Auditor-General’s Department and Attorney-General’s Department. The Commission on Bribery or Corruption will be strengthened and political-diplomatic appointments annulled.

In a separate document purely focussed on pleasing the Tamil terrorists and separatists,   Sirisena pledged that he would establish an independent domestic inquiry into the alleged war crimes during the final stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War.  By this very statement, Sirisena changed the hitherto held the right concept of the war from terrorist aggression to a civil war”.  Civil war as per international lexicons is a war between two civil groups in a country and not a defensive or defeatist war by the national forces of a country against a terrorist or rebellious group and not a war against terrorism..

In addition to this, the imbecile Sirisena also presented at the above-referenced meeting a plan called 100 days government plan signed by him and said that many fundamental changes, including constitutional amendments, will be made within the next 100 days as outlined in the programme. 

However, it seems that this power greedy Sirisena has signed this 100 days programme document written by the UNP blindly without even reading it as he refuted his agreement to the contents of the programme subsequently.  A news item in the Daily Mirror on 6th June 2018 under the title MS and the 100-day-programme carried with an appropriate cartoon.  The report and the cartoon are reproduced here:

Courtesy: Daily Mirror

Who would have thought Sirisena was not in agreement with the 100-day-program marketed by the President himself, who broke the news against it last week.   

Sirisena dumbfounded the entire country, perhaps including his family members, at a function held at the Sri Lanka Foundation to commemorate the 76th birth anniversary of the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, when he questioned as to who compiled the 100-day-programme. He said with only 47 UNP MPs in Parliament, a programme was prepared in calendar form to be implemented within 100 days. He said the right thing that should have happened was to have dissolved Parliament the very next day he was sworn in. 

He baffled the entire country by implying that he was oblivious to the 100-day-programme. It is a well-known fact that the Presidential election campaign was purely planned and put into practice by the United National Party (UNP) leadership and therefore, there may be some truth in what hopper man Siriena says. The UNP might have strategized the course of action without the knowledge and consent of their common candidate, but in the belief there was no reason for him to oppose it. And also the UNP, during its two tenures under Presidents of other parties, had been exercising the habit of bulldozing through the latter’s wishes and it might have ignored the President as he implies. 

Yet, why did he wait for so long (three and a half years) to speak this truth” to his countrymen?

It is unlikely that people would believe what he said as the programme seemed to have had his blessings and the support of the SLFP group that paralyzed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s leadership along with him, throughout the 100 days when some of the 100 points of it were implemented. The President rightly boasted that it was he who gave necessary Parliamentary support as head of the SLFP to give effect to the main components of the 100-day-programme such as the mini-Budget with so many concessions to the people in the first month of his administration and the 19th Amendment which was passed in Parliament in April 2015. Did he mean support was given to implement a programme which he did not agree with? 

The common Presidential candidate of the opposition, Maithripala Sirisena had announced on the first day of his candidature that he would appoint UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister immediately after his election; he readily kept that promise. If he had not expected some programme – 100-day or else — to be implemented in days to come, why did he appoint a Prime Minister and board of ministers without dissolving the Parliament straightaway? 

One has to accept the important point he articulated about the role of the SLFP under his leadership in bringing in democratic reforms after the so-called Yahapalana Government came to power. There were 142 MPs who had accepted the leadership of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa then, and without their support, no reforms could have been brought in by the UNP which had only 47 MPs. Siirisena used his SLFP chairmanship to make his party members support those reforms. The fact that he is not only the SLFP Chairman but also the Executive President of the country might have worked towards this end. 

However, the report said his outburst points out that bickering between the UNP and the President’s group in the government was worsening. And neither party seemed to be giving in which has already adversely affected the country. They have to put up with each other for the next 18 months as the law does not allow people to replace the incumbent government with another. Hence, circumstances demanded leaders from both ruling parties to act responsibly.

In a recent interview with a Sinhala weekly newspaper, Sirisena claimed that during his tenure as the President of the country only animals had been associated with him and he only realized it after his retirement.

The newspaper said that it is the text of a discussion they had with Mr Maithreepala Sirisena just 3 months after his retirement as the President of Sri Lanka.

It is now 52 years for my political life.  26 of these years I spent in the Parliament.  From

9^th January 2015 till 18^th November 2019 for nearly 5 years I functioned as the President of this country. 

I hold a Left Progressive political ideology and respect Social Democracy as a political vision.  When I was told that I will be made the Common Candidate, I accepted it with the objective of rendering a great service to the country in accordance with my policies and vision.

Though I wanted to carry out a clean political State Administration under indigenous thinking nurturing our values the people who brought me to power wanted to get their policies implemented,

All of you are aware that I am a person who was against corruption but within two months of forming the government the Central Bank Treasury Bond robbery took place.  From then onwards there were serious conflicts of opinion between me and Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe.  He went to Parliament and said that he would accept responsibility for that and no dispute has taken place in respect of the Treasury Bonds transactions.  But public opinion got created otherwise. It was then I appointed a Presidential Commission comprising Supreme Court Judges. 

Then it became evident that those in the United National Party had links to this Scam.  In this manner, I struggled for more than four years within the government against corruption and against follies and lapses in Economic management.

Responding to a question raised as to whether he did not think at the time of appointing a foreigner, a friend of the Prime Minister as the Governor of the Central Bank as that it was unsuitable, Sirisena has responded saying that it was the beginning of the disputes between him and Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe.  Sirisena said that he strongly opposed this appointment but Mr Wickremasinghe was firmly insisting that Mahendran should be appointed.  It is not proper to have conflicts immediately after the government coming to power.  On the other hand, it was the United National Party that made me the President.  Therefore, in consideration of these matters, I conceded to the Prime minister’s request.

Responding to the question you said that the government hindered for you to work according to your policies though it was they who had presented the policies, Sirisena said that he presented a programme of work, and he submitted a plan to appoint a Cabinet of Ministers on a scientific basis.  He said that the plan was formulated by a panel of Professors. But the Prime Minister even didn’t look at it and created Ministries joining the Highways and Higher Education together.  That also was the reason for a clash between the two of us.  After that, I presented my programme of work criticizing the government and creating clashes between us.  But there was no one other than me to implement my programme of work.  The Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers were on the opposite side. 

However, I was able to carry out a considerable volume of work on behalf of the country amidst this confronting atmosphere.  These included consolidation of democracy in the country, protection of human rights, protection of fundamental rights, media freedom etc. Whatever there were criticisms about me it was during my period that after Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s rule the foreign relations became strengthened.  I was able to make Obama, Putin and Xi Jinping look at this country without differentiation between the West and the East.  Though it was not properly used by those below me, I went around the world and brought a large volume of investment proposals for this country.  I have the fullest satisfaction that I was able to do much work for this country despite the clashes we had.

During the latter part of my presidency, I issued around 62 gazette notification which was very essential for the country.  I assigned thousands of acres of lands to Sinharaja. Although Somawathiya and Madu Church had been declared as places of worship they did not have sufficient land and fulfilled this lacuna.  The 36-year-old Saman Devale perahera of Ratnapura was made a national heritage.  I loved the ministerial portfolio of environment similar to the president post I loved. That was why I made a sacrifice like this. 

Responding to a question that despite the claim of strengthening international relations, there were severe criticisms from the opposition that the government has betrayed this country, Sirisena admitted such betrayals and said that it was because of his opposition more such betrayals could be prevented. He said that he had no connection with the Hambantota agreement.  It was not even discussed with him.  He said that he suspended the Singapore pact.  He said that the country would have dwindled to the abyss further if he did not oppose for things, and he was happy about it. 

Q: You became so desperate because of the 19^th Amendment.  Didn’t you make a lot of efforts to bring in that amendment?

A: Yes.  Even votes from Mt. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s side was received for the 19^th

Amendment.  Ranil Wickremasinghe had only 42 seats and Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa had 142 seats.  After one week of my becoming the president, the party was handed over to me.

Whatever it is that blessing was a strength for me to carry out my work in the first year.

It was because of the support we received from the 142 seats of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa we were able to adopt many Bills such as Drugs Act, the Act related to the warning on cigarette packets, and Bills that needed 2/3 majority in accordance with the 19^th amendment.

Q: But you said later that the 19A was a conspiracy?

A: I say that even today.  19 was a political conspiracy.  More than curtailing powers of the President, what happened through the 19 was creating 3 powerful individuals, such as the President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker.  The Speaker has got a superpower.  The power to steer the whole State apparatus.  The Speaker got these powers from the 19.  The Independent Commissions did not become independent. The independent commissions completely acted in the way Karu Jayasuriya wanted.  It was the way he wanted that appointments to Commissions and other Institutions took place.

Additionally, see the way how the 19 was adopted.  It was debated in the Parliament for two days. On the second day, voting was adjourned for two hours to take up the existing amendments. During that short time, these amendments were made even without heeding the opinions of constitutional experts. It was done as per the wishes of those representing the Parliament. It was a clandestine act done by Ranil Wickremasinghe and his NGO cabal. Therefore the country faced a collapsing situation.

Q: The support of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party was also received for the appointment of the current President Mr Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Now it is three months since he became President.  What is your assessment about the performance of the President and the government during this period?

A: What I have noticed during this period is that President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is making a great effort to take the country forward.  Therefore it is my policy to extend unconditional support to him.  I and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party will extend our unconditional support to strengthen him. The reason is that that a single individual can never uplift a country. There should be a united responsibility either to the President or the Prime Minister to uplift a country.  There should be a united commitment of the President, the Prime Minister, Ministers, the Parliament, public servants as well as the general public.

It is not a secret to anyone about the economic problems being faced by the country. Because of the Corona epidemic, this situation has got further aggravated.  It is not only our country even the powerful countries of the world have got affected economically. Therefore we have a great danger in the future.    Therefore anyone who loves this country should extend his/her support to the President.

Q: Although you state so, yet there is no common agreement between the SLPP and the

SLFP on contesting the general election.  Isn’t it?

A: There is no conflict between the two parties although the media is attempting to invent such a thing. I even discussed recently with all these leaders.  The second and third level members are making various statements without knowing the agreements that exist at leadership levels. The other thing is that we signed two agreements prior to the presidential election with President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Hence we expect to act according to those agreements. After we signed these agreements both Mr. Gotabhaya and Mr. Mahinda told in all meetings that since the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has joined with them their victory was certain. It denoted that the members of the two parties could hold hopes, and that is why they were contesting.

There is no question about the symbol. It doesn’t matter what the symbol is.  What is needed is to have the Alliance. We are not taking those things with us when we die. Only we have to think about the country.

Q:Sri Lanka Freedom Party was one of the two leading political parties in this country. There are allegations that you zeroed this party?

A: It is like this.  Not only the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Ranil Wickremasinghe even diminished me. Ranil Wickremasinghe filed cases against 70 MPs of the SLFP.  These cases were filed in the Bribery Commission and in the Courts via the Attorney General.

All these cases were framed by Ranil’s Anti Corruption Secretariat Office operated from the Temple Trees.  By now all are aware who functioned in this office. 

Q: Do you say that the allegations were baseless?

A: Just see, a case was filed against Minister Fawzi saying that he took a vehicle.  That vehicle was not lost.  It has been taken from one Ministry to another Ministry.  Then a case was filed against a relevant Minister alleging that he had given a job to the daughter of Priyankara Jayaratne.  A large number of similar concocted and invented cases had been filed.  These things were done by the so-called Anti-Corruption Office and then they told Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa that it was not Ranil who was doing that but it was the President.   I did not have police with me, CID with me, FCID with me, and Attorney General with me.  All these were with them.  It was with all these institutions they carried out all those things. 

Q: Will you contest in the forthcoming elections?

A: Of course.  I will contest from Polonnaruwa.

Q´ But there is an objection from your district about it?

A: What is there in this country that has no objections? A few days ago there were 7 protestations in front of the presidential secretariat.  In the political world protestations and Satyagraha are ordinary things.  They are signs of Democracy.

Q: During the last period of your rule, you made a great effort to activate capital punishment for those who have been convicted with the death sentence.  Did that also become unsuccessful because of internal clashes?

A: I signed papers for capital punishment for four persons.  There was a fundamental rights petition against it.  The Supreme Court gave judgment against my ruling.  Yet this case is not completed.  Who filed this case? It was the agents of the judges. 

Regretfully I must say that at that time leaders of the government as well as the opposition said that it was wrong to carry out capital punishment.  However if those

4 persons were given the capital punishment the drug trade in this country could have gone down.  It was a national calamity rather than my set back.

Q: At the zenith of clashes between you and Ranil Wickremasinghe you dismissed Ranil

Wickremasinghe from the premiership and appointed Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime minister.  But the Cout decided that it was a decision taken against the Law?

A : I took that decision based on opinion provided by a panel of Sri Lanka’s much reputed and popular Lawyers.

Q: It was claimed that foreign diplomatic offices carried a joint operation from the time you became the common candidate until your victory.  The opposition said then that it was a foreign conspiracy? 

A: I do not accept that it was a foreign conspiracy that made me a common candidate.

Even after Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa called for elections and started the campaign work the UNP did not have a candidate capable of winning the election.  Even in 2010, the UNP didn’t have a candidate.  Then they brought in the Army Commander.  In 2015 too they did not have a candidate capable of winning the election. At that time a group consisting of Chandrika, Rajitha, and Ven. Sobhita Thero held discussions and selected me.

Q: How the former President Mrs Chandrika Kumaratunge who was instrumental in making you the common candidate fell out with you?

A: She went on Ranil worshipping.  She abandoned the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and went after a highly corrupted person who had betrayed the country. 

Q: This house that is having this discussion is reported to have been repaired by you spending a colossal sum of Rs. 80 Million. Was there any truth in it?

A: Why I should spend.  None of these is things made for me.  This was the house resided by Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.  I came to reside in it after getting it cleaned.

Is it this house or the house where Chandrika is residing more valuable? That house is in Torrington, Colombo 7.  Further, all the previous 5 Presidents got houses.  J.R.Jayawardene has adopted an Act titled Presidential Entitlement Act – Act No. -04 of 1986” This Act clearly states that a retired Presidents should be provided with all facilities entitled for a Cabinet Minister.  It was in accordance with the hat after the assassination of President Premadasa all Presidents were provided with houses.

Who said that several million were spent on this house? It is a vulgar statement.

Q: What is happening to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party?

A: We are now working with the government.  Hence I think that all of us will become successful. There had been governments based on Fronts, and Alliances concepts since

1956. Therefore, no one can form governments in the future without getting united.  Even the UNP has gone for an alliance. 

Q: You have gained experience as a President.  How it would be the experience that will be gained as a former President?

A: It was after I bid farewell from the pst of President I clearly understood the difference between human beings and Inhumans.  I identified the beasts camouflaged in the guise of human beings after retirement.  It became clear in the last month.  But it doesn’t matter because of our long-time political experience. We have been victorious and we also have been defeatists. These are very familiar now.  However, of I contest and get defeated the situation will become worse.  And the other thing is at the time of my retirement I had supported the candidate who was victorious.  That was also one reason to minimize the pressure that gets built up after retirement.

Q: Will a member of your family enter politics after you?

A: Not yet.  It has to be seen after 2025.  I have no intention to be in politics after 2025. 

After that, if one of my children had any wish they may come.  Had been a President of this country.  Therefore, I think that there is nothing wrong if my children come to politics after me. 

The treacherous Sirisena who attempted to portray himself in the aforementioned article and the interview as an innocent and flawless person has accidentally coughed out a plan to destroy the SLPP as well despite the compassion shown by the SLPP leadership ignoring the valid and justifiable objections raised by some Ministers and State Ministers who were founding members of the SLPP.

This utterly shameless and ungrateful treacherous Sirisena addressing a meeting in Polonnaruwa has said that he is similar to a merciless Falcon that snatches away the fish caught by a halcyon (a kingfisher) he would attack the SLPP at the right time in a right manner. This statement has brought a flurry of criticism from SLFP parliamentarians, SLFP party members, from the SLPP and also from some UNP parliamentarians and members and the general public. 

In a subsequent speech this Falcon fellow, who seems to be out of mind due to being out of power, has said that he will not allow all and sundry to lay their eggs in his nest.

He has said that the kidney patients hospital in Polonnaruwa is a gift given to him by the Chinese President and it is now being used by some others for their political advantage and many public servants in the Polonnaruwa district by now are being subjected to political victimization.   Criticizing the cancellation of the land deeds he has said that he will go to Courts on behalf of the farmers.

Many former SLFP MPs and members have sought SLPP to accept them as their members and also to give them nominations claiming that they will not get votes if they further associate with stupid Sirisena after his Falcon speech.

Minister Wimal Weerawansa sternly criticizing Sirisena as a historically proved betrayer has said that this Falcon fellow has no gratitude at all for the favors dome to him despite his well-known treachery since his last supper with Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa om 21st November 2014.    He urged the voters to ensure that only those who can contribute to the vision and aspirations of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa elected in the forthcoming elections so that this country can be rebuilt as envisaged by the patriotic masses.  He vehemently condemned the Falcon speech of Sirisena and said that all Falcons and Chameleons should be sent home without any mercy.

Meanwhile, the former UNP MP Palitha Range Bandara has said that Sirisena deliberately ignored Easter Sunday bombings and he is a fellow who has no concern for anything that could befall on this country.  He said if Sirisena properly acted on reports received from intelligence services all the people who lost their lives untimely in the Easter Sunday carnage could have been saved and the terrorists could have been arrested.  Referring to Sirisena’s Falcon talk he said that it was his Falcon attack that kept Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Hemasiri Fernande and the former IGP Pijoth Jayasundera under remand custody for several months as mere scapegoats while Sirisena and his family were enjoying presidential perks. 

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa responding to the recent statements of the treacherous Falcon Sirisena has said at a meeting in Kurunegala that it was the poor and innocent people of this country who had to endure unbearable hardships owing to the factional fighting among the rulers and some people trying to be falcons and snatch away the possessions of others. Mr Rajapaksa pointed out that in the Falcon/Butterfly government, the President was not agreeable with the Prime Minister and similarly the Prime Minister was not agreeable with the President and these controversies only caused the people to suffer extensively and no service was rendered to the nation.

To be continued………

By Asanga Abeyagoonasekera

Despite all the difficulties, there needs to be a concerted effort to develop a negotiating framework that can command the widest possible support. Such a negotiating framework must include at least minimal acceptance, by both sides, of the norms and standards relating to international human rights and a determination to restore peace, normalcy, civil society, and democratic governance.” Dr.Neelan Tiruchelvam

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Government concluded its first 100 days on 25th February 2020. The previous Sirisena administration maintained a website[i] to track the progress of the initial 100 days. It went defunct after most promises were not addressed. While unattainable promises are pledged during elections, Sri Lankan political history is filled with such deceived domestic and international promises and policy reforms. In the international arena, the country often loses its reputation and credibility due to unfulfilled pledges and duality of its own policy.

On October 1st, 2015 Sri Lanka committed at UNHRC to probe allegations of human rights abuse during the protracted civil war by co-sponsoring the 30/1 resolution. Three foreign Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Thilak Marapana and Dinesh Gunawardena during the last five years have taken three dissimilar actions contrary to each other on Geneva cosponsored resolution by Sri Lanka. First, Minister Samaraweera cosponsored the 30/1 resolution fully in 2015 along with 11 other nations. In 2019 Minister Marapana was articulating his position on government reservation for having international judges ‘hybrid court’ referring to a constitutional amendment with 2/3rd of parliament and a referendum is required to have foreign judges[ii] for its judicial process. This year the present Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena explained his administration’s position to withdraw from the co-sponsorship, an election pledge by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The US ‘travel ban’ on army chief, Lt-Gen Shavendra Silva[iii] and his family came as a surprise. Upon meeting Alice G. Wells, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary, in Oman at a conference a few months ago, I advised the previous government that this could be in the process. The same travel ban was applied to the only Field Marshal and the cabinet minister Fonseka a few years ago despite the former President’s intervention. Lt-Gen Shavendra Silva’s travel ban could be a revisit of US policy carried out in the past towards the Rajapaksa regime.

The consequence of moving out of the 30/1 cosponsored resolution will have a significant negative impact heading towards a confrontational course in the global arena due to its weak internal policies. Long-term implications of the withdrawal have not been considered. The  Government which is about to face a Parliament election is pushing a short-sighted ‘irrational decision’ in the global arena. The previous government rushed to co-sponsor the resolution in 2015 without prior consultation of the parliament nor any public discussion about the decision was also unaccepted in a democratic nation.  I have analyzed the duality of policy within the Government in my article titled ‘U-Turns are difficult’ [iv] published in March 2019. Some of the advisers and policy experts have ill-advised the political leadership to move out from the cosponsored resolution without calculating nor understanding its long-term impact on Sri Lanka.

 First, the country cosponsored a resolution against itself in 2015, and now it wishes to symbolically withdraw from the cosponsorship after 5 years. It is a blaring display of policy inconsistency. Withdrawing from the resolution will require 27 votes at UNHRC at the time of the vote end of the moratorium period, a rather difficult exercise. Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena explained closure is important at this stage because of the resolution violates countries constitution, a factor which should have been considered prior to the cosponsorship, not post, this was not considered nor agreed upon as a violation of the constitution by his predecessors, a serious blurring in domestic policy which will be explained and displayed how weak national policy decisions could be at the global arena. U-Turn from such statements is near impossible for the next several years and the country will face significant consequences.

 Such decisions should be taken not thinking of next month’s election but analyzing different scenarios and in-depth foresight study with much discussion along with foreign policy experts and with think tanks weighing the impact. Unfortunately, one such Government think tank that could have sent some sensible recommendations was reset last month after appointing a former military officer. The nation has failed in this regard in many policy decisions in the recent past. Meeting a distinguished Sri Lankan foreign service officer a few days ago, I was inquiring on the withdrawal, to which the officer said ‘we have not calculated the long term implications to the nation and what’s the guarantee that China and Russia will support us in every occasion?’

The country will be seen by the international community as a place of duality in its policy, changing according to the political circumstances. Political pledges and unfulfilled promises one after another proving a clear point for the diaspora and the nations supporting the

Resolution. Sri Lanka will be seen as subject to selective targeting by the West and will invite a new phase of risk factors. Firstly, the nation will tilt towards its savior nations China and Russia at the Security Council, this will directly impact the so-called executing ‘balanced and equidistance’ foreign policy of the President. Second, a clear indication that Sri Lanka will drift away from international assistance for the reconciliation process including inviting international judges, isolation from many friendly nations where our democratic values and economic interest are intertwined from the past. While we disengage from the international process we will have a systemic barrier to improve the domestic mechanism to achieve reconciliation, accountability and human rights targets in Sri Lanka. Third, working outside the UNHRC framework will limit regular visits by rapporteurs who played an important role in trust-building with the international community will be absent. How will a mechanism outside the UNHRC framework guarantee a genuinely inclusive process?

UNHRC chief Michael Bachelet has taken a stronger position on Sri Lanka due to the unfulfilled targets towards the overall reconciliation process, during the last decade which continuously identified the diminishing hope year by year. Bachelet said that domestic processes have consistently failed to deliver accountability in the past and not convinced the appointment of yet another Commission of Inquiry will advance this agenda… I am therefore troubled by the recent trend towards moving civilian functions under the Ministry of Defence or retired military officers and renewed reports of surveillance and harassment of human rights defenders, journalists, and victims. The increasing levels of hate speech, and security and policy measures appear to be discriminately and disproportionately directed against minorities, both Tamil and Muslim,”[vi]

Four years after co-sponsoring Resolution 30/1 and 40/1, the Sri Lankan government has fulfilled six out of 36 commitments on reconciliation, human rights and accountability[v].

Despite the slow progress post-2015 Sri Lankan Government did invest heavily in transitional justice, human rights and accountability along with international actors committing to international processes. UNHRC has given a moratorium till March 2021 for the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the provisions of the resolution. With lapses in the progress and the present decision to symbolically withdraw from the cosponsorship has sent the wrong message to the global arena. The past investments made by the previous government to fill in the foreign policy gap created by the pre-2015 Rajapaksa regime with the international community will be lost. Reversing the nation to a pre-2015 scenario. The government should have made amendments rather than completely resetting the process, a loss for the country. Seen as a permanent solution, the entire exercise will only sweep the problem under the carpet which will immerge at a later stage. The Government should have navigated with the international community embracing global best practices and addressed the domestic political concerns such as devolution of power to build a secular nation that will lead to prosperity rather than bandwagon towards a more ultra-nationalist stance were dominated by irrational decision-makers.

The Resolution 30/1 debacle saw Sri Lanka’s government reach a crossroads and take a step while many watched on helplessly. The choices are asserted and the path is set. Who speaks political rationale in Bedlam?

 [i] www.100days.lk was a site launched to track the progress of

the promised reforms during President Sirisena’s regime.

[ii] Foreign

Minister Referring to para 68 (C) of the OHCHR Report (A/HRC/40/23) Full

statement available

https://www.mfa.gov.lk/statement-by-hon-tilak-marapana-p-c-minister-of-foreign-affairs-of-sri-lanka-and-leader-of-the-sri-lanka-delegation-to-the-40th-session-of-the-human-rights-council-on-agenda/

[iii] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/15/world/asia/sri-lanka-us-sanctions.html

[iv] U Turns are difficult

U Turns Are Difficult

[v] Verite Research, SL resolution 30/1

https://www.veriteresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Verite-Research_UNHRC-Monitor-No4-March-2019.pdf

[vi] https://colombogazette.com/2020/02/27/un-rights-chief-rejects-sri-lankas-new-commission-of-inquiry/

*Asanga Abeyagoonasekera is the author of ‘Sri Lanka at Crossroads’(2019) published by World Scientific Singapore. He was the former Director General of the National Security Think Tank (INSSSL) under Ministry of Defence and the former Executive Director of the Foreign Policy Think Tank (Kadirgamar Institute) under Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka. The article was initially published by Hudson Institute Washington DC.