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හිටපු මහාධිකරණ විනිසුරු පද්මිණී එන්. රණවකට අමතරව තවත් විනිසුරුවරියන් කිහිපදෙනෙකු සමඟ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රන්ජන් රාමනායක සමීපව කටයුතු කර ඇති බවට සිංහලේ ජාතික සංවිධානයේ මහ ලේකම් පූජ්ය මැඩිල්ලේ පඤ්ඤාලෝක හිමියන් චෝදනා කළා.
ඒ, කොළඹ අද පැවති මාධ්ය හමුවකට එක්වෙමින්.
වැඩ තහනම් කළ අපරාධ පරීක්ෂණ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ හිටපු අධ්යක්ෂ ශානි අබේසේකරට ඇති චෝදනා පිළිබඳව සති දෙකක් ඇතුලත විමර්ශනයක් සිදුකර වාර්තාවක් ලබාදෙන්නැයි ජාතික පොලිස් කොමිසම විසින් වැඩබලන පොලිස්පතිවරයාට නියෝග කර තිබෙනවා.
අපරාධ පරීක්ෂණ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ හිටපු අධ්යක්ෂ ශානි අබේසේකරගේ සේවය වහාම ක්රියාත්මක වන පරිදි අත්හිටුවා තිබෙනවා.
හිරු ප්රවෘත්ති අංශය කළ විමසීමකදී පොලිස් මාධ්ය කොට්ඨාශය ප්රකාශ කළේ දුරකථන සංවාද මගින් පොලිස් සේවය අපකීර්තියට පත් කිරීමේ චෝදනාව යටතේ මෙම පියවර ගෙන ඇති බවයි.
ඒ අනුව ඔහු වහාම ක්රියාත්මක වන පරිදි පොලිස් මූලස්ථානය වෙත ස්ථාන මාරු කර වැඩතහනමට ලක් කර තිබෙනවා.
ඔහුට ඇති චෝදනා සම්බන්ධයෙන් වහාම මූලික විමර්ශනයක් සිදුකර සති දෙකක් ඇතුළත වාර්තාවක් ලබාදෙන ලෙස වැඩබලන පොලිස්පති සී.ඩී. වික්රමරත්නට ජාතික පොලිස් කොමිෂන් සභාව නියෝග කර ඇති බවයි එහි ලේකම් නිශාන්ත වීරසිංහ කියා සිටියේ
වත්මන් රාජ්ය ඇමැති මහින්දානන්ද අලුත්ගමගේ මහතාව පසුගිය රජය සමයේ දී වෙඩි තබා ඝාතනය කිරීමට කරන ලද කුමන්ත්රණයක් හෙළිදරව් වී තිබේ.
එවකට රාජ්ය ඇමැති රංජන් රාමනායක මහතා විසින් සිදුකරන ලද දුරකතන සංවාදයකින් මේ බව හෙළිව ඇත.
රන්ජන් රාමනායක මහතා එම සංවාදය සිදු කරන්නේ එවකට අගමැති රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ මහතා සමගයි.
අත්වැරදීමකින් ගිනි අවිය පත්තු වූ බව පවසමින් මහින්දානන්ද අලූත්ගමගේ මහතා ඝාතනය කිරීම සඳහා කුමන්ත්රණය සිදු කරනු එම හඬපටයේ සටහන් වී ඇත.
ඒ සඳහා එවකට අගමැති රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ මහතාද උපදෙස් ලබාදෙමින් දෙනු ඇසේ.
පොලිස්පතිවරයාද තමනට උපදෙස් දුන්නේ යයිද රාමනායක මහතා විසින් එහිදී හිටපු අගමැතිවරයාට කියයි.
The Vadukoddai Resolution was written by the best of Tamil political theoreticians / activists who encapsulated their version of the history to justify their political claim for Eelam, a separate state. In it the history of an imagined past was tailored to fit into the politics of the present. Overnight it became the Bible of the Tamil separatists. Their main objective was to demonise the Sinhala-Buddhists. Turning the Sinhala-Buddhist into a bogeyman is the best argument they could manufacture to press their claim for a separate state. So it listed a litany of complaints to project the Tamils as the victims of the Sinhala-Buddhist majority in the post-independent age.
Victimology happens to be the primary base on which they lay their claim for a separate state. Predictably, being a politicised document, the narrative in the Vadukoddai Resolution contains a quota of inaccuracies, distortions and exaggerations. At one point the Resolution claims that the Tamils have been reduced to slaves of the majority”. Now this is a deliberate departure from the truth to distort history for political ends. No Sinhala society or state engaged in slavery the way the Tamils of the North have done throughout the main part of their existence. The legalised slavery and oppression of Tamils by Tamils had been the dominant political culture of Jaffna, enforced mainly under the laws of Tesawalamai – a legal code endorsed by the Vellala mudliyars in 1707, the Dutch period. No other community in Sri Lanka has endured and suffered the indignities of legalised and institutionalised slavery and oppression as the low-caste Tamils of Jaffna under the ruling Saivite Jaffna Vellala (SJV) elite.
Though Jaffna was ruled by Tamil kings in feudal times and Christian rulers in colonial times it was the SJV elite, acting as sub agents of kings and colonial masters, which had a firm grip on the political culture of the peninsula. As power- brokers and managers of the commanding heights of the peninsular political culture the Vellalars deprived the low caste of their liberty, dignity, security and individuality. To eke out a living, escaping cruel punishment, the low-castes had to submit to the oppressive laws and customs of SJV elite. The non-Vellalar slaves of Jaffna, though Tamil, were never treated as human beings equal to that of the high-caste Vellalars. The low-castes were kept under the heel of the Vellalars as an inferior species though they were Tamils. The subhuman fascist culture of the Vellalars deprived the basic human rights to their fellow-Tamils in the low-castes.
It can be argued convincingly that the Tamils – meaning the Tamils of all castes and just not the SJVs – had their first and enduring taste of freedom and dignity only in the last 72 years of independence. Throughout their history, which began in the 11th and 12th centuries, the dignity and the liberty the Tamils had can be compared to the freedoms and dignity they had under Velupillai Prabhakaran. Those who had the freedoms were those who cooperated with the fascist regimes, from Sankilli to Prabhakaran. Those who did not conform had to either flee from Jaffna (Prof. Rajan Hoole) or were killed (Rajini Thiranagama).
Prior to independence, all Tamils, particularly the low-castes, had to live under iron fist of the Vellalar rule. Though there was a greater measure freedom for the low-castes in the post-independent age, particularly to question and rebel against Vellalar fascism, Vellalar fascism fought back with all their fury (Maviddipural Temple entry case) to keep the low-castes in their subhuman status.
Fascist Vellalaism took root as a ruling ideology in the pre-colonial period when the Tamil kings gave their daughters in marriage to the Vellalars. The Vellalars were always in cahoots with the ruling powers of the day. They never failed to sidle up to the powers-that-be to retain their supremacy, powers and perks in Jaffna. They were the most dominant, numerous (52%) and powerful caste in Jaffna. No colonial master had dared to take on the powerful Vellalars since casteism, slavery and Vellalar fascism were codified by Claas Isaacks, the Dissawe of Jaffnapatam, on January 30, 1707. In the final stages of the codification the Dutch Governor asked twelve Vellalar Mudliyars to scrutinise it. It was officially codified only after the endorsement of the Vellalar Mudliyars. (p.27, Chapter II — The Laws and Customs of the Tamils of Jaffna, H. W. Tambiah).
Tesawalamai virtually capped the power of the Vellalas to rule Jaffna as subagents of the colonial masters with an iron fist. Tambiah wrote : Though slavery was abolished legally many of the depressed classes remained as de facto slaves of their masters for economic reasons. In spite of the fact that slavery was abolished in 1844 it is surprising to find that arguments have been advanced in case on the footing that it existed long after 1844.” (Ibid – p.85). Tambiah cites the instance of Ponnamabalam Ramanathan arguing in court that slavery was still valid in a case where the higher caste objected to the beating of tom-toms at a low-caste burial. (Ibid – p.85). The Vellalars determined the inviolable rituals from the womb to the tomb. Tesawalamai endorsed and enshrined the status quo of the hierarchical caste system with the Vellalars at the top, empowered with the legal cover to own and employ slaves. The combined force of the legal, religious, ideological, traditional and feudal powers made the Vellalars the most formidable force in the peninsular.
The Vellalars owned most of the land, all the Hindu temples which were religio-cultural centers of power, owned or managed some of the non-governmental schools, generated ideologies through SJV leaders like Arumuga Navalar, to maintain the casteist grip of the Vellalars to oppress the non-Vellalar low-castes, produced the political and intellectual leaders who were committed to Vellalar casteism ( e.g. Arumuga Navalar and his disciple Sir. Ponnamabalam Ramanathan) , occupied practically all the key positions in the colonial and post-independent governments and, most of all controlled and managed the political ideology that incrementally drove Jaffna to mono-ethnic extremism, preventing peaceful co-existence among other ethnic entities.
In short, what were projected as the interests / grievances of the Tamils were essentially the vested interests / grievances of the Vellalars. The Vellalars have consistently disguised their interests / grievances as that of the Tamils. But neither the interests of the Tamil-speaking communities, nor all the castes in the North have a place in the overwhelming Vellalar political agenda or net work. The Vadukoddai Resolution is a classic example. It is the one and only overarching, comprehensive and historic manifesto to come out of the peninsula expressing the totality of the SJV political agenda. It begins by narrating their version of history and ends with a declaration of war against the rest of the nation, urging the Tamil youth to take up arms and never rest until they achieve Eelam.
Though it was meant to express the collective goals of the Tamils in essence it represents only the political interests / grievances of the Vellalars. Eelam, for instance, was never a part of the Muslims or the Indian Tamils. Like the Tesawalamai it was also approved by Vellalars because it was written for the Vellalars. The SJV- led Thamil makkal Iyakkam, the pan-Tamil movement, never took off as a common front of the Tamil-speaking people, because the Vadukoddai Resolution and all other political movements initiated by the North represented essentially the political agenda of the Vellalars only. This put off the other Tamil-speaking communities who had their own interests to pursue.
Any threat to Vellalars hegemony was resisted fiercely by the Vellalars. Vellalar leaders like Sir. Ponnambalam Ramanathan went to London to argue that casteism – with Vellalars at the top – should be retained for the good of the Empire. He opposed universal franchise as mob rule”. The first politico- legal challenge to Vellala hegemony was initiated in 1957 when Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike passed the Prevention of Social disabilities Act. At no time in the history of Jaffna, from the feudal age to the colonial period, were any attempts made by any regime to challenge the oppressive fascism of the Vellalars who treated their own people with subhuman contempt. The Tamils of Jaffna (meaning Tamils of all castes) never had the freedom and the opportunity to walk in the God-given sun, or drink a sip of water as under the post-independent regimes.
The Vadukoddai Resolution represents, by and large, the interests / grievances of the Vellalars transiting from their feudal caste system into a modern middle class. The fundamental interests of Indian Tamils and the Tamil-speaking Muslims drifted away from the Vellalar agenda because their interests were different, if not antithetical, to that of the Vellalar-led politics. They had no direct interests in the divisive, white-collar job-oriented, middle class agenda of the SJVs.
Many anthropological and sociological scholars have documented the horrors of SJVs oppression of the low-caste Tamils. They are freely available for any researcher. It is the existential experiences of the average Tamil, down the ages, that have a greater significance and relevance than the scholarly abstracts drawn from a distance. An eye-witness account from a Tamil who lived in the British colonial times can be more vivid and telling than academic reviews. Here is an account taken from the Tamil historian, Dr. Muruga Gunasingam. He says:
A letter addressed to the editor of the Morning Star by a Hindu from Batticoloa on 17 April, 1845 is very instructive, giving us an insight in the caste system and how it worked:
……Mr. Editor, there is a cruelty manifested in Ceylon, particularly among the Tamils, which may be regarded as worse than that of slavery. I mean the distinction of caste, by which more evil results to a large portion of inhabitants of the above-mentioned places than would be the case if they were under the yoke of slavery. Suppose a man of low-caste meets with an accident, will persons of high caste assist him? When he falls will they lift him up? When his house is on fire will they attempt to extinguish the flame? Or to save his person or property? If he is thirsty will they permit him to draw water fromtheir wells? When he is sick will the doctor attend him? Will the washerman \wash his clothes? Or the barber shave him. No, when a low-caste man visits a high caste man’s house he must go and sit very far from the house and whenever he is met by one of them he must inform that person that he is of unclean caste and cannot therefore be touched, and if he acts contrary to his case he must therefore submit to punishment.” ( p.87 – Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism, A Study of its Origins, Murugar Guanasingam, MV Publication, Sydney, 1999). )
The Vellalar domination of Jaffna society is clearly demonstrated in the following table:
List of children in boarding schools
American Ceylon Mission Caste Statistics -1824
V C F W C Total
Tellippalai 26 1 1 0 0 28
Batticoloa 18 2 0 0 1 21
Panda-terrippu 19` 0 1 1 0 21
Ooduville 19 2 0 0 3 24
Manipay 13` 0 0 0 1 14
TOTAL 95 5 2 1 5 108
————————————————————————— ——————————————————–
Source: American Mission Report 1824, cited in Ibid – p.88
(V = Vellalar; C = Coviar; F = Fishermen; W = Washmen ; C = Chetty.)
The Sinhalese too had slavery and a caste system. But as Dr. H. W. Tambiah, a leading authority on the caste system, says: Slavery among the Sinhalese appears to stand on a different footing.” Quoting Dr. Hayley, an authority on Kandyan Law, he says slavery among the Sinhalese was of the mildest form. Absolute in law, it was in practice tempered by a large amount of liberty and kindness…” IIbid- p. 75).
So when the Vadukoddai Resolution talks of Tamils being slaves of the Sinhalese they were talking through their hat. As stated by Dr. Hayley, the Sinhala-Buddhist culture was tempered by a large amount of liberty and kindness.” The South was an open society. The north was a closed society. The South was inclusive. The North was exclusive. The South was multicultural. The North was monocultural. The South opened its doors and embraced all the major ideologies – from Buddhism to Marxism – that blew in from abroad. The North put up cadjan fences to prevent the Saivite Jaffna Vellalarism from being polluted by alien forces. The South was democratic. It even fought a deadly war within a democratic framework. The North was authoritarian. It fought the war under Tamil fascism which was justified by the Tamil theoreticians. Jaffna was dominated by the Sankilli culture of killing Tamils and ethnic cleansing. Prabhakaran gave the Tamils a good dose of the Sankilli culture during his stewardship. With all its infirmities common to all nations the South has maintained a liberal welfare state that has given equal opportunities to all communities. In the South a Tamil leader with only 16 MPs was given the honoured place of the Leader Opposition in a House of 225 MPs. In the North the Chief Minister passes resolution condemning all Sinhala leaders as genociders. In Tamil Nadu, for instance, the only true homeland of the Tamils, it costs (in round figures) Rs. 170,000.00 to be a doctor in a government university. Tamil students in Sri Lanka do not have to pay a cent to become a doctor or a lawyer. This is what the Tamils call discrimination!
The list is long.
More of it in the next article.
6 January 2020
Ambassador Hanspeter Mock
Ambassador for Switzerland in Sri Lanka
63 Gregory’s Road
Colombo 7
Sri Lanka
Dear Ambassador Hanspeter Mock:
Since I wrote you last year, on 29 December 2019, I have been reading the continuation of your Switzerland Saga in Sri Lanka with enormous interest.
Sweet Mother of Jesus, that is a story of Western Diplomatic intrigue, arrogance, condescension and stupidity.
The true story of this diplomatic intrigue, is good for an exciting script for a film.
The synopsis of this film, Swiss Government KO’d by a local compulsive lying staffer in an Embassy in the Orient. would read like this:
This story takes place, mainly in Asia’s Indian Ocean island Sri Lanka, and the rest happens in the Alpine capital City of Switzerland, Bern. The story changes decades of illegal migration patterns of Tamil refugees risking their lives by trying to cross the vast oceans in rickety trawlers, and some Tamils hiring rickety ships to smuggle them to Western countries and drop them off on their shores at night. This story tells us how Switzerland wanted to change all that by trying to smuggle refugees in an Air Ambulance making Asia’s refuge seekers to Switzerland, a sophisticated and a painless exercise.
In a world of terrorism and the western countries banding together to eliminate terrorists, how Switzerland decided to go on its own and be out of sync with the rest of the world by having their Federal Court’s rule that the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world, the India trained Tamil Tigers, who created the human bomb suicide body pack, and assassinated two heads of State, Rajiv Gandhi of India, and President Premadasa of Sri Lanka, is not a terrorist organization. You could hear the separatist-Tamils rejoice singing in the background heartily with a Tamil accent :
Halleluja..halleluja, we can now
continue to assassinate
and murder the Sinhalese
to claim our mono-ethnic state
of the racist Eelam.
Haro… Hara… Eelam
Hallelujah.. Eelam.. Hallelujah.”
With the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) rapping the knuckles of the Swiss Government for its high handed statement on December 30, 2019, attempting to undermine Sri Lanka’s core values in her judicial system which they had followed and treasured in abundance for more than two centuries, changed the centuries old Colonial Masters claim that little Sri Lanka and its peoples were a White-man’s burden. With that intervention by BASL, this Colonial Masters claim has taken a 180 degree turn to be portrayed as the white-faced Switzerland now being the burden of little brown-faced people of Sri Lanka. This film has new geo-political intentions, implications and intrigue. It is an intriguing expose how Switzerland viewed to lead their New World Order of the 2020s and failed miserably.”
Well, Hanspeter Mock, if your Swiss Government still wishes to smuggle the Tamils, let’s not go bonkus with an expensive Swiss Air Ambulance Shuttle. Make it simple.
Announce to the Tamils in the North and East of Sri Lanka, that the Swiss roads are paved with gold, as they love gold, and the pastures are greener than Colombo’s Galle Face Green, and hold a Refugee lottery. Spray cans of gold-paint on the road that leads to town from the airport, and don’t pave the road with the real gold you all hoarded after World War II as it would be picked at night with a dentist’s tooth pick, and you will have scores of hundreds of Tamils wanting to claim refugee status in friendly Switzerland which has given a clear bill of health for the terrorist Tamil Tigers. Siphon them out, Hanspeter. Make it fun and siphon them out in relays like the first batch being the -lingams. Pull the lingams out like the – Sothilingam, Rasalingam, Jayalingam, Suntharalingam, Panchalingam, Nagalingam, Sivalingam and so forth.
Siphon the Raja’s in the second batch of Tamil refugees like Thurairajah, Sellarajah, Senthilrajah, Waratharajah, Nadarajah, and so forth.
Don’t waste your time trying to convince the southern Tamils, especially those in the capital region of Colombo. They are the Tamils who drive BMWs and have no reason to come to live in your country when they are millionaires minting a million rupees a day from their businesses in the city and along the mile long business district’s Main Street in Pettah, patronized by the majority Sinhalese community, like Tamil Spice Stores, Thosai restaurants, Jewellery Stores, Sari Emporiums, Pharmacies, Thosai flour and rice Stores, Masala wade and Ulundu wade boutiques, etc. And of course the professionals like Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Landlords, and so forth, who educate their children abroad.
The bottom line of all these Swiss massaged shenanigans were to undermine the newly elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his new Government that were voted in by 1.3 million people of Sri Lanka. Hanspeter, you certainly weren’t smart enough to figure out that your effort to bully President Gotabaya would only bring the wrath of 1.3 million people, who would tell you Hanspeter – ‘Pox on You, keep your hands off our President, who with his military team gave us back our right-to-life which was hi-jacked from us for 30 bloody years, by your newly found friends, the ruthless Tamil Tiger terrorists. Just bug-off.’
We were told that you were a veteran Diplomat. Phew! You certainly didn’t show your smarts, on this vulgar, crude and your Embassy’s Swiss cesspit issue, did you? Pity!
Hanspeter, I see that SriLanka has a Peace offering from Bern. Hmmmm…! Quite an interesting turn of events.
The Third person note says …..The Embassy regrets that these developments have led to the Sri Lankan authorities commitment to due process being called into question and reaffirms that Switzerland, like Sri Lanka, is committed to upholding good governance and the rule of law. The Embassy hopes for a swift return to an environment conducive to resuming the -positive cooperation between Switzerland and Sri Lanka…..”
Hanspeter, this is all well and good. In my opinion the aberration of the cooperation between Switzerland and Sri Lanka was too swift, too condescending, too arrogant in its quality to tell Sri Lanka, We know all about good governance and ‘due process’. ‘We are Holier than thou.’ and you were in the White-man’s Bully mode. I will not forgive you for Mocking at my people and trying to intimidate the newly elected President of Sri Lanka, who was voted in by 1.3 million Sri Lankans. And that should have said something to you. And as President Gotabaya says, in all the Swiss crap I was the victim.”
And my unsolicited advice to him is – Sir, Beware of the Geeks coming to you Bearing Gifts.” These people in Bern have burnt themselves, just be ware of them as they tried to shame you and bury you. They are now good friends of the Tamil Tiger terrorists who tried to assassinate you.”
Well…Good Luck with your conciliation efforts with the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry personnel and their Minister. Let me tell you one thing more Hanspeter. These guys
at the Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Ministry are too smart to drop down and roll over pretending they are dead, when they hear the Swiss heavy footsteps approaching them. You’re in for a surprise and so are your colleagues in Bern.
Come down your from your high-horse Hanspeter, and stopping Mock-ing at my Sinhalese people as they will Mock…Mock back at you in double quick time.
I wish you a Happy and a Good 2020. Remember to cultivate a little humility and don’t walk towards them with an uppity nose high up pretending that you are a White-Platinum Tin God. The Sinhalese people won’t buy it. They will shush you away with a Lion and Lioness’s dignity, grace and pride. You bet!
Sincerely Asoka
It is funny to find if criminal cases have been used to be a stepping stone to secure promotions using undue influence in Sri Lanka.
This is tarnishing the image of the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive. It is not just a case of instituting legal actions against certain personnel and punishing the culprits.
The issues appear to be much broader than a storm in a teacup.
A Presidential Commission with wide terms of references must be established, so that the general public will be educated on the veracity of the nature of existing climate, leading to corruption, collusion and nepotism within the members of the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive.
The proposed Presidential Commission could be established immediately, whilst cases relating to specific alleged offences could be processed simultaneously without overlapping with the PC.
The President Gotabaya Rajapakse has already won the hearts and minds of ordinary law abiding Sri Lankans. Therefore, he must call the Cleaners.
In late 1970s and early 1980s JR Jayawardane held talks with the US for allowing US use of the Trincomalee port mainly for civilian use by US commercial entities and the US military’s transport (non-military) operations. However, it irked India so much that India openly and brazenly supported Tamil separatists to split the island nation into two. India provided them training, arms and protection. India backed down only when the Cold War ended in 1991 (not when Rajiv Ghandi was killed in the same year).
MCC is a bigger deal than the attempted Trincomalee deal for many reasons. The simplest way to know the impact of MCC is to look at other countries that have signed MCC Compacts and other MCC agreements. Almost all of them are pro-US nations in terms of military affiliation. None of them are non-aligned when it comes to US military interests.
Underneath the wordings USA uses to subjugate the world (rules based order”, freedom of movement”, good governance”!, empowerment”, human rights”, democracy”) are sinister military plans well understood by the world by now.
MCC Is a far bigger danger because Sri Lanka already has at least two military deals with USA. One was signed in 1995 to allow US military personnel into Sri Lanka for what it calls military training”. The 2007 ACSA agreement turned Sri Lanka into a US military logistics hub. In 2017 it was extended even further into a multimodal US military supply hub. US air force military planes dumped an unchecked cargo pack that was transported to Trincomalee from Colombo in 2018 and craned into a US military ship berthed in Trincomalee. The MCC land corridor is easily understood looking at this incident.
Sri Lanka may enter into MCC Agreement on top of these already existing military agreements.
Pakistan had a similar economic corridor” which the US used to transport fuel (for its military vehicles in Afghanistan). Although it benefitted many private truck operators, it ruined Pakistan as it attracted rivals and their attacks devastated Pakistan. However, Pakistan had a strong land policy that prevented foreigners from owning or peeping into land. That saved Pakistan. Sri Lanka does not. Later Pakistan abandoned it and turned to China to build a real economic corridor.
If Sri Lanka enters into MCC, it will be seen as an extremely hostile act by China, Russia, Iran and India. They will be forced to tear Sri Lanka apart to safeguard their national security interests. China will not save Sri Lanka if MCC is signed and/or otherwise implemented. China’s contribution along with Russia to the tear up of Sudan and Libya is well known as these regimes slowly moved towards the US.
Sri Lankans who wish to live in peace must appeal to their leaders not to sign or otherwise implement the MCC Agreement with USA. If signed, there is no escape. There are no free lunches”.
And there is no mercy from Sri Lanka’s long-standing friends. For them, their national security comes first; friendship with Sri Lanka second.
Given the situation in the Indian Ocean today, signing MCC will be an unimaginable catastrophe for Sri Lanka. Once the need is extracted, USA will leave the island now called Sri Lanka devasted and hopeless as it left Korea, Vietnam, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and now Iraq.
The Ceasefire Agreement” (CFA) was signed on 22nd February 2002 by Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka and by Velupillai Prabhakaran on behalf of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Agreement prohibited fighting, on land, air or sea and the Eelam War ground to a halt. But that was not all. The CFA gave the LTTE full control of the lands they were holding at the time. A large chunk of territory in the north east including strategically important places came into their hands. This territory was clearly set out with ‘lines of control’. The LTTE army was allowed to continue and the state army was prohibited from going anywhere near them. A ‘zone of separation’ was set between the LTTE and the ‘government controlled’ lands. CFA also called for the disarming of all groups opposing the LTTE.
The CFA was supervised by a Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). The SLMM consisted of representatives from Scandinavian (Nordic) countries. The Head of SLMM was appointed by the government of Norway. The Head was the final authority regarding interpretation of the CFA. India and NATO supported the SLMM. SLMM had offices in Colombo, Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts. SLMM was to be given data on the defence localities in all disputed areas. It had immediate access to trouble spots. The government and the LTTE were to cooperate fully with the SLMM. However, when the Sri Lanka navy spotted a LTTE ship carrying arms the SLMM officers on board the navy patrol boat warned the LTTE and the LTTE ship escaped.
Gomin Dayasiri said the CFA was a home made cake, baked by local cooks using local ingredients. It was not rammed down Sri Lanka’s throat. Norwegian Foreign minister Eric Solheim had held discussions with Anton Balasingham in London and with G.L. Pieris and others in Sri Lanka. Pieris was the chief negotiator for the government. Others who played key roles in the matter included Minister Milinda Moragoda, Defense secretary Austin Fernando and Bradman Weerakoon. The government had agreed to conditions made by Norway and LTTE, but Norway and LTTE had refused to consider government conditions. Norway and LTTE had reached agreement on the CFA by the first week of Dec 2001. Indian officials also had met secretly with LTTE.
John Gooneratne stated that the CFA went through several drafts. Prime Minster Ranil Wickramasinghe and Pieris reviewed these drafts and approved the final document. ‘We went into it with our eyes open.’ The CFA was signed secretly with only few persons knowing about it. The President and Cabinet were not told the terms and conditions. Those who protested against the agreement were branded traitors. The CFA was abrogated by President Mahinda Rajapakse on 16.1.2008. The original document is now declared missing from the Prime Minster’s office.
The CFA was strongly condemned as an appalling act of treachery and betrayal. Critics said that ‘even thinking of such an agreement was a disgrace’. The CFA equated the LTTE army with the legally constituted state army and gave LTTE equal status with the government of Sri Lanka. Critics noted that no country in the world has given equal status to a terrorist outfit in this manner. Further, the CFA gave LTTE full control over the land, air and the sea of ‘their’ territory. Observers noted that by doing so, the government had ceded sovereignty to the LTTE. The LTTE would have used this to announce a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). The west would have promptly recognized the new state of Eelam.
Thanks to the CFA, LTTE now became legitimate. It set up a de facto state. ‘Ceasefire lines’ were converted into state borders. Customs and immigration posts were set up. There were 17 checkpoints. Place names were in Tamil and English. The LTTE set up LTTE law courts and LTTE police. This ‘police’ arrested Sri Lanka policemen when they entered the area. Twelve ‘Thamileelam policemen’ went to Northern Ireland for three month training. The government issued them passports. Sophisticated hi-tech communications equipment was obtained and LTTE set up a high powered broadcasting and TV station which could broadcast all over the world. LTTE delegations visited Europe. LTTE strengthened its defenses and established camps in strategic areas. Fourteen camps were set up south of Koddiyar bay in Trincomalee. 122 heavy artillery guns and 120 mortars were placed within striking distance of the harbour. A journalist who exposed this and other LTTE build-ups was forced to discontinue his column. SLAF spotted the Iranamadu runway when it was at an initial stage of construction They saw light aircraft on the runway but the CFA prevented them from taking action.
The CFA was decided without consulting the armed forces. This was most unusual and had no parallel in the world. The army and navy chiefs were allowed to see the CFA only a few days before the signing, after the matter had been finalized. They had requested an audience as they were concerned. They were not allowed to take away copies of the CFA. The defense forces were aghast when they finally saw the agreement. They had been pounding the LTTE successfully and Jaffna was under them. CFA put a stop to this. The armed forces had no say on security. Instead CFA wanted the High Security Zone reduced in size and army camps decreased from 152 to 88 in Jaffna. LTTE also wanted air reconnaissance and deep penetration unit operations stopped.
The army was confined to barracks while the LTTE were free to do whatever they wished. LTTE mocked the soldiers in camp, urinating and showing backsides. The army felt humiliated. The armed forces could not retaliate even on the gravest provocation. When confrontations arose government ordered the armed forces to retreat. The navy once intercepted a LTTE logistical movement at sea. There was a fierce confrontation and the government ordered the navy to pull back. The navy was furious. They had lost men. Army camps came under attack, but army was not allowed to retaliate either. The CFA said unarmed security convoys could go on the A9 road. Army remarked that only a fool would send unarmed convoys through LTTE infested jungles.
The CFA prohibited search operations and arrests under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Arrests were to be made according to the Criminal Procedure Code. The government released all LTTE prisoners over 1000 of them and made no arrests under the Prevention of Terrorism act.
LTTE received their largest consignments of arms and ammunition, during the CFA. Massive quantities arrived in 13 consignments. Karuna said ‘we unloaded ammunition 40 days after the CFA was signed’. The government did nothing to stop this. There was no customs inspection. One consignment of eleven containers went without inspection to Kilinochchi. Had the LTTE succeeded in getting more equipment, such as SA-18 surface to air missiles, the war would have taken a different turn, critics said. The LTTE strengthened its army. People were forcibly recruited and put into training camps. Within one and half years LTTE had trained 6000 new cadres LTTE also created a rudimentary ‘air force’ of light planes, able to bomb government areas without being shot down. Sri Lanka Air Force had spotted two fixed wing aircraft at Iranamadu but could not bomb them because of CFA.
LTTE upgraded its navy. They obtained powerful, high tech boats. These came into Colombo harbor in containers. LTTE also acquired equipment that could cripple the state navy, such as underwater fighting craft (submersibles). Experts in sea warfare came in to train the LTTE cadres. The government had allowed foreigners unhindered access to the LTTE held territory. Ukrainian specialists trained Sea Tigers in underwater fighting skills. Japanese showed how to launch submersibles. In time, these submersibles would have put a stop to the Trinco-KKS supply route.
LTTE ships could now move freely along the coast up to Vadamarachchi. They used this to launch boats and stealth craft laden with explosives. They carried out naval exercises. The Sri Lanka Navy objected, but had to stay away. LTTE also asked for a special sea lane for their ships, 200 nautical miles off the north- east shore. The navy objected strongly to this.
CFA gave LTTE had freedom of movement in government areas while preventing non-LTTE persons from entering LTTE controlled areas. LTTE could enter government held territory, unarmed, ‘to visit family and friends.’ The LTTE used this to fan out to all parts of country. They infiltrated the hill country and established cells. They infiltrated Colombo, sent in suicide cadres set up safe houses and created sleeper cells. They systematically killed key operatives and informants of the armed forces. They were permitted political work, so they set up political offices.
‘CFA activities’ were closely watched by those who opposed Eelam. They noted that on 27.11.2002 a container with sophisticated communication equipment left Colombo, escorted by a police inspector in a Defender jeep, crossed the Omanthai security checkpoint and moved into LTTE controlled territory without any checking. They also noted that several container loads of weapons has been passed by the BOI and transported to LTTE territory in BOI vehicles. They reported that according to the official count, LTTE had violated the CFA 5461 times and the government had done nothing about it. Inspector Dale Gunaratne, President of the Police Inspectors Association strongly criticized the government for allowing the LTTE to use the CFA to its advantage. The Federation of Buddhist Organizations called the CFA an ‘agreement signed by two puppets at the hands of a gang of international looters. They welcomed its abrogation. ( CONCLUDED)
An audio recording is circulating on social media revealing how the former Minister Ranjan Ramanayake had influenced a controversial decision during the regime of the good government.
It reveals how Ranjan Ramanayake and Shani Abeysekera, the then Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), were negotiating to get the verdicts as they so required.
The audio also reveals how Ranjan Ramanayake, influenced Judge Padmini Ranawaka who was on the bench for the Duminda Silva case.
The 28-minute and 37-second long soundtrack reveals the plans formulated to get the verdicts to suit themselves.
Historical information indicates that the superannuation system to Sri Lanka was brought by the British colonial rulers and originally, it was limited to a government pension program to its employees. The superannuation system was broadened by the establishment of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the system further enhanced by the establishment of the Employees Trust Fund (ETF) by Mr. Athulathmudali. The management of superannuation system passed to deviating places such as Central Bank, ETF, Labour Department, and Government Pension Department and other private institutions. This situation created risks and ultimately the consequences of risk passed to retired personnel. At the international level, the superannuation management has allowed to diversified companies with a view to minimizing risk and to offer a competitive return to fund members, however in the case of Sri Lanka the superannuation management has been subject to higher risk by diversification in various places without proper regulation and the supervision of the government doesn’t seem effective and from the point of views of economists, government pension scheme has impacted in increasing government spending.
Superannuation systems reflect the saving level in a country and the management of superannuation has been radically changed after the 1970s and household savings cannot cover the gap between investment and savings. Therefore, the superannuation system in a country plays a monumental service role and strategic economic acumen ship for stability. However, economic policymakers were blind on this matter and were unable to make effective policies except for few fund audits. In the year 2000, I wrote to the president of Sri Lanka about EPF management as I saw that EPF has the potential to dishonest activities and the president acknowledged my letter, but nothing happened, most probably the administrator with the president was not understanding of the subject and reluctant to talk about it.
The Asian Bond Market, which began to invest Asian savings in Asia based on a great ideological desire of Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra showed the significance of superannuation management rather than investing Asian savings in the Western bonds. Employees in Sri Lanka don’t understand how their savings subject to the risk and don’t understand how to quantify the risk and threat of dishonest individuals. The central bank bond scam absorbed dividends of innocents’ employees to pockets of dishonest people and if the fund manager acted as an independent body separately from the central bank such the loss could have avoided or minimized. Arjuna Mahendran was the head of bond issuer, Central Bank and investor in bonds (EPF) and many complicated activities, which were not understood by yahapalana politicians. It was a conflict of interest. Has forensic auditor pointed out these complicated issues, I don’t know? I pointed out to the president of Sri Lanka in the year 2000 referring to the issue of treasury bonds to enhance the capitalization of government banks.
The superannuation management is in a mess in Sri Lanka and subject to dishonest deals and insolvent threats. Central Bank of Sri Lanka has been added pressure by the management of EPF and it can see that many people visit the central bank to solve problems related to EPF. When LTTE exploded the bomb in central bank building many of these EPF customers died as those people were forced to visit the bank as the EPF was in the central bank building.
The prime role of Central bank has been ignored by its executives and the managing style of EPF by the central bank was easier to cheating activities of the dishonest governor. As the regulatory authority of the financial system, Central Bank has neglected vital roles and under the management of superannuation, the central bank has become a market player, which is a conflicting role with objectives and the role of the central bank. Central Bank also played a rural credit business, which had been a market player’s role that was not appropriate to the regulatory authority, later this role changed by the establishment of a development bank.
The outcome of central bank operations reflects that the government should give freedom to the central bank to operate as a regulatory authority to protect the financial system of Sri Lanka and to providing research information on the impact of government policies. Then the Monetary Board can take the right decisions on the interest rate and other matters-based research finding trends of the economy. When a regulatory authority becomes a market player, it is a clear conflict of interest and possible for dishonest activities. Former central bank governor, Mr. Ajith Nivard Cabral recently stated that the forensic audit on the Central Bank bond scam could be not accept as the central bank audited own institute as an external verification auditor, which could be considered as an act of conflict of interest. Why Central Bank wanted to go outside for a forensic audit, what is doing its training department without training its staff about security activities and bonds and any other roles of the bank. Playing a market role by central bank is a direct engagement in creating international disgrace to the financial system of Sri Lanka and it is a crime against people of Sri Lanka, who are the owners of financial assets of the country.
When the government considers establishing a separate corporate body to manage superannuation savings it will have forward and backward linkages to economic development and growth. The super management in any country seems like a mega business and developed countries have allowed multiple organizations as the industry involved in trillions of funds. It boosts the Colombo Stock Market opening for the listing of national and international firms like Mumbai. Colombo stock Market also needs good and effective regulation and Central bank can work on such regulation as the regulatory authority.
An Independent superannuation body will be a large organization like Bank of Ceylon, which provides more than 10000 new job opportunities for educated youths. Each super fund including individual super funds of banks and other organizations should come to the proposed corporate institution and EPF, ETF and other super funds will be operated as single organizations and a government own business. The combining of funds would not much cost to the government as current fund managers are trustees not the owners, but it needs risk assessment of investment to assess the net worth.
Trading banks in Sri Lanka have a strong pressure from the corporate market to provide credit facilities and the best policy action is to release this pressure to develop a corporate bond market under the supervision, the control and guarantee of the proposed superannuation management organization. Good companies in various industry area of the country can issue bonds with a guarantee of the superannuation management institute and allow to invest in bonds by local and foreign investors. This action releases the pressure of local trading banks in providing working capital to companies and the central bank can play its regulatory role to control the interest rate of the country.
The proposed super management body would support to construction industry, building a high rise building in Colombo for the head office and decentralizing fund operations in regional Sri Lanka combining with the current role of Labour Department, which perform a various role in relation to collecting premiums for the fund and supervision of issues of premium contributions. It will be a mega business in the country as a government own institution.
The independent superannuation management body could be maintained a diversified investment portfolio to manage risks and generate higher returns to give the best retirement benefits to employees in Sri Lanka. This organization can do multiple businesses such as insurance, education and training work and many other activities. It would positively impact on controlling fiscal management and reduce the budget gap or promote make an excess budget helping to good value for Sri Lanka Rupee and most probably it will support to increase the foreign value of Sri Lanka Rupee.
Another vital aspect of reforming superannuation management is to attract business for super management in other south Asian countries to increase foreign assets of Sri Lanka. The proposed organization can manage super funds in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives Islands and others if it shows management stewardship.
The policy statement made to the parliament by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa especially mentioned four significant areas in political administration in which ordinary people may not clearly understand the meaning of such a strong statement and how should they respond at the next general election. The policy statement included the following four points.
Next general election will be a real turning point of Sri Lanka and many people have no understanding about the needs for constitutional amendments and for the amendment purpose the requirement of a two-third majority. I watched SIRASA TV promoting a strong campaign and publicity against giving a two-third majority to the government of Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa. They are reactionary elements and the supporters of Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa need to educated people about these reactionary elements.
Pupils at a school in Colwyn Bay have been sharpening their minds – by meditating in class.
Youngsters at Ysgol Pen y Bryn have taken part in mindfulness sessions since the scheme was introduced eight years ago.
Teachers say as well as helping children express themselves and explore their emotions, the technique aids concentration.
Assistant head teacher Tabitha Sawyer said: “We put a big emphasis on well-being.
“In our eyes if the children haven’t got that then they aren’t ready to learn. We’ve seen an overall benefit for our pupils.”
On Thursday, the assembly’s children committee said tackling emotional and mental health issues must become a national priority.
The corrupt Yahapalana government did all wrong that could be done to our proud nation.
It brought humiliation and disgrace only internally and internationally.
From co sponsoring the UNHCR resolution to MCC agreement it had only one intention and that was to remain in power whatever the cost to the country.
As leaders they were incompetent and clueless and did not know what to do in the hour of need.
From the independence for over sixty years our National anthem was sung only in Sinhala.
Even during the war over thirty years there was no split.
However the yahapalanites thought it proper to sing it in two languages to create unnecessary confusion.
Confusion it did just the 19th amendment to the constitution.
It is not on any principle but knee jerk reaction at the time for the support of TNA.
Now it is revealed how TNA Sampanthan is to receive luxury official residence with services in spite of not being the opposition leader anymore.
And what did the UNP get from all that pampering to TNA at the end?
A 13+ demands that were worse than that of the murderer Prabakaran.
India is the great example for one nation one national anthem.
Our president has shown courage and vision to stand on principles.
Sinhala is the ethnic group native to Sri Lanka, forming the mainstream or the dominant indigenous community of the island for more than 2500 years. In fact, Sri Lanka is the only national sovereign motherland of the Sinhala people. Their culture, way of life and their Sinhala language originated and developed in Sri Lanka. Therefore, inevitably, the sovereign national rights of Sri Lanka rests with the Sinhala people who form the original dominant community of this country. Tamils, Muslims, and Malays are non-indigenous minority settler communities of Sri Lanka who settled in the island at different times in the past, coming from their own homelands or motherlands.
Accuracy of Historic Record
A good part of the long history of the island, has been recorded or written by its own people in an unbroken continuous manner. This written history goes back to over 2500 years and is described chronologically, in detail, in the ancient chronicles Deepavansa (3rd-4th century CE), Mahavamsa (6th century CE), Chulavamsa, besides the Rajavaliya, Pujavaliya, Dhatuvamsaya, Elu-Attanagaluvamsaya, Elu-Bodhivamsaya, Maha Bodhivamsaya, Thupavamsaya, Daladavamsaya and Viharavamsaya. This written history is supported by archaeological evidence, and reports of foreign travelers of ancient times. Among archaeological evidence substantiating recorded historic information are rock inscriptions. The written history of Sri Lanka is regarded as the second-most remarkable recorded history in existence of an ancient and cultured civilization. It is second only to the records maintained by the Shang dynasty of Chinese emperors. The historical chronicles narrate in detail the history of the country since the arrival of Buddhism in 237 BCE or 3rd century BCE or about 2246 years ago.
These historic sources provide information on Sinhala Buddhist Kings who rescued the Sinhala race, the island and Buddhism from marauding Tamil armies of powerful South Indian Dravidian kingdoms. Also about its benevolent rulers who performed deeds of piety, who made the country self-sufficient in rice by way of irrigation engineering, promoted Ayurveda medicine and medical practice, build Buddhist temples, stupas and reigned with efforts to follow Dasaraja Dharma – the tenfold righteous path of a king. The accuracy of this historical record of ancient Sri Lanka is generally accepted by means of other numerous local and Indian edicts such as the rock edicts of Indian Emperor Asoka and records of the Fa Hien the Chinese pilgrim monk, Roman historian Pliny and several others who have already been referred to. Also, by means of inscriptions, historical works, and literary works as well as by way of ruins, renovated historical and Buddhist monuments, ancient yet sophisticated irrigation networks, which extend the lifeline to date.
Traditional Name of the Island Nation
Sri Lanka is not the traditional name of the island. In ancient times, the island was referred to in many names but all implied that it is the land of the Sinhala. It was called Sinhaladveepa, Sivuhelaya, Heladiva, Heladveepa, Helabima, Seylan, Taprobane (by Greeks for the ancient name Tambapanni), Thunsinhale, Sinhale, Ceylon and Sri Lanka. Buddhist scholars of ancient times referred to the island as Dhammadveepa or the island of Buddhism. Fa-Hien’s (400 CE) writings & those of Xuan Zang and other ancient Chinese records refer to Sri Lanka as Simhala, Sinhaladipa or land of the Sinhalas. Ptolemy (2nd century) although calls the island Taprobane, referred to inhabitants of the island as ‘Salai’. Sinhale (or Sinhalay) has been the legitimate historical name, for many centuries in the past, until about the early 19th century when the people of the island were subject to European colonialism. It was at this time that the name Sinhale was corrupted by the British as Ceylon. It was 44 years after gaining political independence from the British, in 1972, that the name Sri Lanka was imposed on the island. It should be noted that in the Sinhala version of the Udarata Givisuma” or the so-called Kandyan Convention of 1815, by which the country fell into the hands of the British, the island is referred to as Sinhale. Excluding the roughly 150 years of British colonial rule, when the island was under colonial rule, Sri Lanka has existed as an independent sovereign nation for about 2500 years. In fact, it is, one of the oldest countries in the world within its present borders. The boundaries of most countries have changed in the past.
Oldest Buddhist Country in The World
As much as 70% of the total population of Sri Lanka are Buddhists. Sri Lanka is the oldest Buddhist country in the world, where Buddhism was the dominant religion since 237 BCE or for more than 2250 years. It is noteworthy that until about the 16th century, about 99% of the population of the island were Buddhists. In other words, for some 1800 years, Sri Lanka was an exclusively Buddhist country with almost the entire population being Buddhist. In terms of area and Buddhist population, Sri Lanka, is among the smallest of the 30 traditionally Buddhist countries in the world, which consist of substantial Buddhist populations. Also, it is the smallest among the six Theravada Buddhist countries, namely – Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and India. Although small in area and population, Sri Lanka is by no means ‘small’ in terms of its global significance as a Buddhist country. It has been the country where Buddhist teachings have been preserved in its original form or the Theravada tradition, for over 2200 years. Buddhists across the world respect Sri Lanka as the country where pure Buddhism prevails. It is the traditional Sri Lanka Buddhist flag that has become the acknowledged global Buddhist flag in recent years. It was the recent initiative of Sri Lanka that led the United Nations, to celebrate Vesak as an important global event.
Non-Violence and Peaceful Co-Existence
The Buddhist way of life is based fundamentally on non-violence and peaceful co-existence with others irrespective of ethnic, religious, and other differences. For some 2500 years, the Sinhala people were organized in terms of their royalty, nobility, spiritual hierarchy, their Kingdoms and Royal Capitals, and their irrigation-based farming system. Buddhist values are geared at developing a social ethic which, would contribute to co-existence, mutual understanding, co-operation, and total harmony. To strengthen impartiality, people are advised not to succumb to biases and prejudices not to give in to attachment, hatred, fear, confusion, but to rise above them and do what is righteous. This concept of righteousness, which is designated by the term ‘Dhamma’ in fact, provides the firm foundation for the whole of Buddhist culture. The general admonition is to do what is righteous (Dhamma) and avoid what is unrighteous (adhamma). On this basis, all that is beneficial to oneself and others is considered meritorious (Punna) and wholesome (Kusala) and their opposites as demeritorious (Papa) and unwholesome (akusala). As the Dhammapada (Stanza No.183) says: Not to do any evil, to cultivate good, to purify one’s mind – this is the Teaching of the Buddha. It is on this basic teaching that Buddhist values are developed, lives are molded, and social relations are cultivated. This explains why Buddhist culture attempts to nurture in the people a feeling for others, to mutually share with others moments of happiness and joy, to show respect to elders, to care for parents to attend on the sick and destitute, to honour and respect those who are deserving, to treat guests and visitors with friendliness and affection.
Sinhala Buddhist National Culture
Sri Lanka’s identity as a nation is based on the Sinhala Buddhist culture and the Sinhala language which is the defining element of Sinhala culture. Buddhist norms and principles form the corner stones of this unique culture. With the arrival and spread of Buddhism in the island, there came an era of unsurpassed attainments and achievements in the country.The island’s civilization has achieved an individuality and identity of its own that distinguishes it from its neighbors.
All salient aspects of our national culture – tangible and intangible, either grew or evolved within the borders of our country. Sinhala language and literature originated in Sri Lanka. Sinhala language in fact is the most important defining element of our nation’s culture and heritage, from historic times. The Sinhala language grew out of Indo-Aryan dialects and exists only in Sri Lanka and has its own distinguished literary tradition. Sinhala is one of the world’s oldest living languages. There have been a wide range of languages in the world, particularly in Asia which lived and died without leaving evidence of their existence, because they were never written down. This is not the case with the Sinhala language. All other languages used in Sri Lanka originated in other countries. It is significant to note that the overwhelming majority of people of Sri Lanka are distinguished by their language – Sinhala, which even today has a strong unifying effect in our motherland helping to reinforce the solidarity of our people as a unique cultural entity in the world. Almost all place names of the country from historic times, are in the Sinhala language – in the North, South, East, West and Central regions.
Rich Cultural Heritage
Cultural heritage encompasses material culture, in the form of objects, structures, sites, architecture, sculpture, paintings, and other forms of fine arts, as well as living (or expressive) culture in the form of language, literature, customs, traditions, rituals, ceremonies, and festivals, performing arts, music and so on. These unique forms of cultural expression provide this country with its distinct national identity. They are the living evidence of the outstanding cultural heritage of this nation. It was Buddhism that fashioned lifestyles, fostered the arts, and inspired the nation’s architecture, sculpture, paintings, and other fine arts. It led to the creation of stupes (pagodas), temples, monasteries, statues, and a fascinating diversity of aesthetically pleasing artistic ventures and cultural activities. It is important to note that all salient aspects of the national culture – tangible and intangible, either grew or evolved within the borders of Sri Lanka. This includes the Sinhala language and literature which originated in the island.
The exceptionally rich heritage of visual arts of the Sinhala Buddhist people of Sri Lanka, extends to a period that exceeds 2300 years, from the 3rd century BCE to the 21st CE. The Sinhala Buddhist culture is one of the World’s oldest, continuous, unchanged cultures in existence. It is one of world’s important and exemplary cultures in existence. It is a civilization unique to Sri Lanka alone. The simple and uncomplicated lifestyle promoted by Buddhist culture, is based on the five basic precepts of Buddhism. Non-violence, compassion, tolerance, morality, and peaceful coexistence with others and with nature are the cornerstones of Buddhist culture.
Despite foreign invasions, threats and various forms of challenges and atrocities, Buddhist culture has remained intact in the island, unlike the case with many ancient cultures in most other countries in the world. Throughout most of its history, Sinhala kings and Buddhist institution of monks, played a major role in the development and maintenance of Buddhist culture and institutions in the island. The world recognition of the greatness of this unique Sinhala Buddhist culture is reflected by the UNESCO designating ancient sites, including the ancient royal capitals of the Sinhala people such – Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mahanuwara (Kandy), Sigiriya and Dambulla as World Heritage Sites. Ancient irrigation system developed by the Sinhala kings is still operational and is considered as – Engineering marvels. The earthen and stone dams and reservoirs systems the canal network and related water control and management structures and techniques show the skills of the ancient Sinhala people.
The Hela or Sinhala Nation
There is only one nation in this island of Sri Lanka or Sinhale. A ‘Nation’ is a self-identifying group of people who share a common history, a common language, a common culture and most importantly a homeland. In other words, a nation is the most persistent alliance or organization of three main social components -people-culture- territory. Culture can be defined as the system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that are transmitted from generation to generation through learning. In a broader sense, a subculture is any group within a larger complex culture who has interests that vary from those of the mainstream culture. In a more specific sense, it is a group with a distinct style and identity. Even though it is obvious that there are large number of subcultures within any given national culture, People live and think in ways that form finite patterns that can be mutually constructed through a constant process of social interaction. The country’s predominant culture is Sinhala Buddhist. Over the centuries, both Hindus and Buddhists have co-existed well despite occasional politically motivated power struggles. One should not be confusing the issue of citizens’ rights with that of a nation’s identity.
There were Tamils or Dravidians in Sri Lanka for several centuries in the past, most of them assimilated and appreciated the Sinhala Buddhist culture until the Europeans arrived and took control of our nation. Although we let them into our land and offered them hospitality, in return they acted to undermine our country, the Buddhist religion, and tried to destroy our culture and thereby break the harmony in our society. With the adoption of a policy of ‘divide and rule’ by the British, it has been a continuing saga against Sinhala people, especially the Buddhists. To serve their serf interests, the British were largely responsible for germinating mistrust among the various ethnic groups and among our own people.
Tamils cannot have a “right of self-determination” in Sri Lanka because the homeland of the Tamil nation is Tamil Nadu, and not Sri Lanka or ‘Sinhale’ as the island was known in early times. Only the Sinhala nation has the right to self-determination in Sinhale’. The real objective behind all this talk of a “Tamil Nation and Tamils’ Right to Self-Determination” (which even the Indian Constitution does not recognize) is to make way for the racist Tamil LTTE dream of creating a Greater Tamil Eelam linking Sri Lanka’s North and East with Tamil Nadu. The Tamils came from their motherland, the Tamilnadu where their culture and language originated. The Tamil nation of Tamilnadu is seven times bigger than Sri Lanka, where one needs to be a pure Tamil to hold any high official position. Tamils have their national heritage and aspirations protected within Tamilnadu.
Violation of National Interests
Hela nationals will not tolerate any community or person who whilst living in the Hela Nation and considering it their home, deliberately misusing such privilege by scheming and adopting violent and extreme actions or contributing to such actions violating the sovereignty, dignity, and territorial integrity of the Sinhala Nation. This includes the ridiculously false and unfounded claims made by Tamil and Muslim leaders in pursuit of carving out ethnic or religious enclaves within the Sinhala Nation, merely because some of them had lived in some specific places in the country for extended periods of time. Persons with such self-serving objectives and attitudes are traitors of the Nation and should be tolerated under any circumstances. There is no place in the Hela Nation for such traitors, double crossers, renegades, turncoats, collaborators of enemies, criminals and terrorists, conspirators, connivers, schemers and emissaries, spies, secret agents, undercover agents, and double agents of the enemies of the Sinhala Nation.
Maintaining the foremost place for Buddhism and protecting and fostering the Buddha Sasana should be essential components of any Constitution of Sri Lanka. The unitary character of the country and the supremacy of the Parliament should always be maintained thereby preventing any form of separatism including federalism or administrative units based on Race, Religion or Language. Police should operate within the entire territory of Sri Lanka under the direction and control of Inspector General of Police who is the head of Sri Lanka Police Force. State land must always be vested with the Republic of Sri Lanka. The Parliament should have full control over public Finance and no institution should be permitted to receive funds from any foreign source, without the approval of the President or the Cabinet of Ministers.
In Sri Lanka, the granting of excessive rights to minorities in the form of alien-national rights of language and culture, land rights and police powers and so on, and thereby eventually enabling them to form separate ethnic enclaves in different parts of the island should not be permitted under any circumstances. Such action as evident today, will be strongly resisted by the nation’s patriotic forces, including Buddhist monks who have from historic times been in the forefront in promoting and protecting the Sinhala Buddhist culture of the island. These patriotic forces will not tolerate any disintegration of the national sovereignty, the cultural integrity, and the long-established territorial integrity of the country. There has been serious deprivation of the legitimate rights of the Sinhala Buddhists, in recent times. In Sri Lanka, many Bhikkhus have entered the political arena to ensure the protection of Buddhist heritage, the Buddha Sasana and Buddhist values which undermined and subject to threats in recent times. Their main motive is to safeguard the national heritage and culture and thereby to secure the rights of the Sinhala Buddhists.
Merge with the Host Nation
Those settling down or have already settled down in host countries have a bounden duty to merge with the host nation into a single coherent nation of members. It is basically, a state of mindset, not necessarily physical interaction. Within these host countries, human rights and civic rights of the host nation are what the settler minorities are entitled to and not the alien-national rights of the countries of their national origins they left behind for pastures anew. Their alien-national rights will shift to the private domain when in host countries and not to threaten the national sovereignty of the host countries either.
Sri Lanka wants all non-indigenous minorities of our nation such as the Tamils, Muslims, Moors and others of whatever label, to be a part of our Nation, to join the country’s mainstream, just the way how minority communities are expected to do in all countries of the world, especially in places like Canada, Australia, USA, UK, Norway and help to strengthen our nation founded on the noble principles of non-violence, tolerance, compassion, where peaceful co-habitation has been the cornerstone from historic times. Forgiving and forgetting” has been the attitude of our people, even to those who have harmed us repeatedly from historic times, because our people know that eventually justice and truth will prevail.
Initiatives of Bhikkhus as Traditional Leaders
Our Bhikkhus, the traditional leaders of the nation, should necessarily be in the forefront in movements aimed at protecting and promoting the Buddha Sasana and important national interests, especially when they are under threat. Many Bhikkhus have voluntarily made their choice to take an open public stand on issues surrounding Buddhism and Buddhist culture which is the greatest treasure that our country could offer to the world, to humanity. Our Bhikkhus have become a thorn in the flesh of racists, religious extremists, the recent breed of inter-faith dialogue facilitators, those in the ethnic and human rights businesses and above all those who are funded or backed by extremist foreign anti-Sinhala or anti-Buddhist elements.
Why should anyone feel uncomfortable when Bhikkhus, the traditional spiritual leaders of our country, take the initiative and provide necessary leadership to protect the greatest wealth of this nation – our Buddhist cultural heritage. Like anyone else, under a democratic system, Bhikkhus are eligible to exercise their rights, including political rights. Those who object to the initiative taken by our Bhikkhus appear to be those with ulterior motives, having their own self-interests and opposed to the strengthening and consolidation of Buddhist culture in this country. They in fact are resorting to devious unwholesome activities that are contrary to Buddhist norms and principles which have been preserved and promoted for thousands of years in this country, by the large majority of its inhabitants. These undesirable elements may be feeling uncomfortable about recent changes in the country, especially with the emergence of a political leadership that is representative of the aspirations of the mainstream Sinhala Buddhist community of the island. The recent election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the President of Sri Lanka, with the overwhelming support of the Sinhala, the dominant community of the island, can be considered as a definite positive development in the country.
Sinhala Buddhist Leadership
The forthcoming parliamentary election provides the opportunity for people to elect such upright, capable and patriotic individuals to work for the welfare of the country, and for the consolidation of the Sinhala Buddhist cultural legacy of the nation. Genuine and practicing Buddhists of our country, or in general, those who strictly follow the Five Precepts, should be more actively involved in politics either directly or indirectly. Most of the ills of our nation’s political life could be attributed to the absence or withdrawal of genuine Buddhists from the nation’s political arena and the domain of the media where they could be quite influential in bringing about necessary changes in public opinion of issues that are of national importance. Genuine Buddhists have a duty by the nation, which is founded on Buddhist principles, to be fully involved and participating in organizations working for the welfare of the nation. This is particularly relevant today because our nation is severely threatened at present by diverse negative forces both local and foreign.
It is the Buddhist perspective to public life and decision-making, that is most needed today, especially in the country’s political domain and administration. We need compassionate politicians and professionals with unselfish and mindful interest in the welfare of the country. This alone can bring about needed positive changes in public life which has been for decades, infected with dishonesty, crime, and corruption. The impact and influence of genuine, selfless patriotic Buddhist leaders, can make a big difference. They can help to generate a wholesome political culture, that is characterized by Buddhist approaches and attitudes and a truly Buddhist atmosphere, conducive to the development of a healthy political climate in our nation, so that all nationals will benefit irrespective of their diverse origins and cultural-religious inclinations.
Politics in fact is simply about deciding how to live together peaceably while bringing together the wide variety of perspectives available in the human realm. It is something necessary and something creative. Politics is part of our life. If we regard all life as sacred and politics is a part of life, then politics must be sacred. Politics is not an inherently unclean and base activity. It becomes dirty in the way that everything else becomes dirty. That is, through lack of attention, through lack of mindfulness, through ego, all of which resulting in greed, hatred, and delusion. The best kind of politics can take the profound viewpoints and virtues of spiritual practice and apply them in the public realm. Buddhism can be of fundamental help in this regard. If we do not bring spiritual virtues to the public arena, we are destined to both a selfish kind of spirituality and a selfish kind of government, devoid of vision and meaning. It is time that increasingly of our genuine and practicing Buddhists entered the political arena in various influential capacities.
Socially Engaged Buddhism
Buddhism has always been engaged in various socio-political contexts. The idea of interdependence is widely associated with Buddhism. Buddhism is the religion of Human Ecology. Engaging in the lives of others through compassion, sacrifice and service is the worthy spiritual path that the contemporary world needs to observe. Buddhists need to expand our approach or shift somewhat away from those traditional customs that excessively promote monasticism and individual salvation. They should become more socially engaged and be more concerned about service to the community, the human habitat, and the environment in general. Buddhists need to broaden their spiritual practices to include both family and community and the social and environmental concerns of the broader world. We need to be better able to identify and understand social hardships, misery, and perils, and can do something tangible to relieve them. It is time that we as Buddhists involve ourselves in an organized manner, become socially engaged and apply Buddhism to matters of everyday life, individual work, family, politics, and the community. It needs to be a direct application of Buddhist principles and concepts to the overall development of our motherland, to the varied social, economic, and political issues that have implications for the short and long term welfare and development of our motherland, the only country of the Sinhala community.
Dr. Daya Hewapathirane daya.hewapathirane@gmail.com
හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී ආර්. දුමින්ද සිල්වා මහතාට හිමිවූ නඩු තීන්දුව දේශපාලන බලපෑමක් මත ලබාදුන් නඩු තීන්දුවක් බවට රංජන් රාමනායක මහතාගේ නිවසින් සොයාගත් හඬපට වලින් තහවුරු වන බව අමාත්ය විමල් වීරවංශ මහතා පවසනවා.
මේ අතර, තවත් පාර්ශ්ව කිහිපයක් අදාළ හඬපට සම්බන්ධයෙන් අද අදහස් පළ කළා.
රංජන් රාමනායක මන්ත්රීවරයාට පසුගියදා ඇප හිමිවන පදනම පිළිබඳ, හෙළි වී තිබෙන හඬ පට අනුව ජනතාවට මේ වන විට අවබෝධ කරගත හැකි බව සිංහල රාවය සංවිධානයේ මහලේකම් පූජ්ය මාගල්කන්දේ සුදත්ත හිමියන් පවසනවා.
මේ අතර තවත් භික්ෂූන්වහන්සේද මෙම සිද්ධිය පිළිබඳ අදහස් පළ කළා.
අධිකරණයේ ඇතැම් විනිශ්චයකාරවරුන්ට පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රංජන් රාමනායකගේ මැදිහත්වීමෙන් මාරුවීම්, උසස්වීම් සහ සේවා දිගු ලබා දුන් ආකාරය පිළිබඳ අනාවරණ වන හඬපට කිහිපයක් සිංහලේ සංවිධානය ජාතික පොලිස් කොමිසම වෙත අද භාර දුන්නා.
එම හඬපට අතර හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී දුමින්ද සිල්වා මහතා සිරගත කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් තීන්දුව ලබාදීමට අදාළ තොරතුරු ද ඇති බව එම සංවිධානය අනාවරණ කළා.
පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රංජන් රාමනායක විවිධ අවස්ථාවල අධිකරණයේ ඇතැම් විනිශ්චයකාරවරුන්ට මාරුවීම්, උසස්වීම් සහ සේවා දිගු ලබාදීම සදහා කටයුතු කර ඇති බවට සිංහලේ ජාතික සංවිධානය ජාතික පොලිස් කොමිසමට පැමිණිලි කිරීමෙන් අනතුරුව මාධයට අදහස් පළ කළා.
හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී දුමින්ද සිල්වා මහතාට මරණ දඬුවම ලබාදීමේ නඩු තීන්දුව ලබාදීමට පෙර මහාධිකරණ විනිසුරු පද්මිණී එන්. රණවක මහත්මියට පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රන්ජන් රාමනායක මහතා දුරකථනයෙන් බලපෑම් සිදුකල බවට මව්බිම වෙනුවෙන් රණවිරුවෝ සංවිධානය චෝදනා කරනවා.
කොළඹදී අද පැවති ප්රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡාවකදී ඊට අදාළ හඬපට මාධ්ය වෙත ඉදිරිපත් කරමින් ඔවුන් මෙම අදහස් පලකළා.
හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී දුමින්ද සිල්වා සිරගත කිරීම සඳහා පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රන්ජන් රාමනායක සහ අපරාධ පරීක්ෂණ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ හිටපු අධ්යක්ෂ ශානි අබේසේකර ඇතුළු පාර්ශව කිහිපයක් සිදුකළ කුමන්ත්රණයක තොරතුරු අද අනාවරණ කෙරුණා.
කොළඹ අද පැවති මාධ්ය හමුවකදී රාජ්ය අමාත්ය රෝහිත අබේගුණවර්ධන හඬ පට කිහිපයක් ද එළිදක්වමින් අදාළ හෙළිදරව්ව කළ අතර, රාජ්ය අමාත්ය ලක්ෂ්මන් යාපා අබේවර්ධන ද ඊට එක්වෙමින් අදහස් පළ කළා
මේ අතර, හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී දුමින්ද සිල්වා වරදකරු කරමින් නඩු තීන්දුව ලබාදීමට පෙර මහාධිකරණ විනිසුරු පද්මිනී එන්. රණවකට පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රන්ජන් රාමනායක දුරකථනය ඔස්සේ බලපෑම් සිදුකළ බවට මව්බිම වෙනුවෙන් රණවිරුවෝ සංවිධානය ද චෝදනා කරනවා.
කොළඹ අද පැවති මාධ්ය හමුවකට එක්වෙමින් එහි කැදවුම්කරු විශ්රාමික මේජර් නීතිඥ අජිත් ප්රසන්න මේ බව කියා සිටියා.
එමෙන්ම, හිටපු මහාධිකරණ විනිසුරු පද්මිණී එන්. රණවක සහ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රන්ජන් රාමනායක අතර සිදුවු දුරකථන සංවාදයක හඬ පටයක් සිංහලේ සංවිධානයේ ජාතික සංවිධායක ප්රදීප් සංජීව පෙරේරා මාධ්ය වෙත ලබාදුන්නා. ඒ, එම සංවිධානය ජාතික පොලිස් කොමිෂන් සභාව වෙත අද පැමිණි අවස්ථාවේදියි.
මේ අතර, අපරාධ පරීක්ෂණ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ හිටපු අධ්යක්ෂ ශානි අබේසේකර සමඟ එක්ව හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී දුමින්ද සිල්වා වරදකරු කරමින් ලබාදුන් නඩු තීන්දුවට බලපෑම් කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රන්ජන් රාමනායක අත්අඩංගුවට ගත යුතු බව නව සිංහල රාවය සංවිධානය ප්රකාශ කළා.
එහි මහලේකම් පූජ්ය මාගල්කන්දේ සුදත්ත හිමියන් අද මේ බව සඳහන් කළේ ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් වූ හඬපට ද මාධ්ය වෙත නිකුත් කරමින්
යහපාලන ආණ්ඩුව සමයේදී අමාත්යවරයෙකු වූ රන්ජන් රාමනායකගේ තවත් හඬපටයක් සමාජ මාධ්යයේ සංසරණය වනවා.
එම සංවාදය පහතින් බලන්න
Colombo, January 4 (newsin.asia): The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) said here on Friday that Switzerland has baselessly alleged that due process” was not observed in the case relating to the alleged abduction of a local employee of the Swiss embassy in Colombo.
Referring to the most recent statement issued by the Government of Switzerland on 30th December 2019 pertaining to the judicial proceedings currently pending in the Magistrates Court of Colombo, involving an employee of the Swiss Embassy in Sri Lanka, the President of BASL, Kalinga Indatissa, said that the statement conveyed a wrong and misconceived impression’ about the role of the judiciary in Sri Lanka and the concept of due process”.
In a statement issued here on Friday, the BASL invited the attention of the Swiss Government and the Swiss Embassy in Sri Lanka and any other individual or institution which views the incident on the same footing as the makers of the above statement, to the following matters:
The alleged incident of abduction is claimed to have taken place on the 25th of November 2019, 9 days after the recently concluded Presidential Election in Sri Lanka. However, according to the Reports filed in Court, no complaint was made regarding the alleged abduction of the employee of the Swiss Embassy until the 27th of November 2019. It is elementary knowledge that under any criminal justice system spontaneity and consistency of a complaint is considered to be extremely vital in the assessment of the credibility of such a statement.
When such a complaint is made, it is imperative that the legal enforcement mechanism requires the launch of an immediate investigation. The proceedings in the Magistrates Court reflect that this requirement has been satisfied by the investigators.
The record bears out that, for several days, the Swiss Embassy took up the position that the employee concerned was unwell and could not make out a testimony. The word testimony” is generally referred to evidence given in a Court of Law under oath and is not referred to an instance where a person has to make a statement to the police or the investigating authorities at the stage of investigations and interrogation. To this extent this term has been wrongly used.
The sequence of events would reflect that investigations have taken its normal pace. No ad hoc arrests have been made. The employee concerned was permitted to be free without being called upon to make a statement, for the purpose of the judicial proceedings, for a considerable period. She has been permitted legal representation at the CID. Embassy officials were permitted to be present as observers at the point of recording her statement. All material emanating from the investigations and the surfacing evidence had been placed before the Court.
In these circumstances, the BASL is of the view that the investigations have proceeded in this case as expected by the Law and on the basis of the normal legal norms accepted domestically and internationally.
The statement issued by the Swiss Government is a basic and a bare statement. Even though the statement makes an allegation of Due Process” not being followed, the issuer of the statement has failed to identify, at least 1 single ground that has not been followed by the law enforcement officers in this instance.
Due process” is a concept which can be traced back to the Magna Carta of 1215. The essential requirements of the Due Process” lay down that no person shall be arrested or produced or harassed without proper evidence or material or a charge.
In fact, a few weeks ago when a reference was made regarding the right of certain members of the legal profession to appear in this case on behalf of the Swiss Embassy, the BASL immediately issued a statement confirming that every person who is aggrieved or is a party to a Court proceeding has a right of representation under our law.
The matter is before Court and whenever a matter is sub judice, it is wrong and incorrect for statements to be made in respect of such matter before Court. The statement issued by the Swiss Government dated 30th December 2019 violates this basic Rule.
Also, it is relevant to note that none of the lawyers representing the Swiss Embassy have gone down on record regarding the failure to observe due process” as alleged in the statement.
In these circumstances, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka strongly condemns the statement issued by the Swiss Government where it is alleged that the Due Process” has not been followed. We request the makers of this statement to immediately disclose the areas of due process” that has not been followed in this instance. Without mentioning such specific instances, to issue a bare statement, as has been done in this instance, amounts to a serious undermining of the Judiciary and the other Law enforcement agencies in Sri Lanka which are more than equipped to follow the accepted norms.
We request the Embassy to refrain from making such baseless statements and if there is any concern that they have, to bring it before the relevant forum without making ad hoc and inconsistent statements which undermines our legal system and the Judiciary.
Furthermore being a responsible Nation as claimed, the Government of Switzerland should be mindful of Article 41 of the Vienna Convention which clearly states that all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities have an equal duty to respect the Laws and Regulations of the receiving State, in this instance; Sri Lanka. It is further illustrated in Article 41 that there should not be any interference in the internal affairs of the State.
It is best if the Government of Switzerland would make an attempt to understand their role in making comments about the Judicial System and the Law Enforcement System of a separate, independent and a sovereign State.
We strongly condemn the statement issued by the Swiss Embassy as we see that, as an attempt to undermine our core values in the Judicial System which we have followed and treasured for more than two centuries.
(The featured image a the top shows Kalnga Indatissa, President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka)
අධිකරණයේ විභාගයේ තීන්දුව ලබා දුන් මිනී මැරුම් නඩුවක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් රන්ජන් රාමනායක මන්ත්රීවරයා බලපෑම් කරන අයුරු දැක්වෙන හඬපටයක් ඔහු සතුව තිබී රහස් පොලිස් අත්අඩංගුවට පත්ව තිබේ.
එකී හඬ පටයෙන් ඔහු රහස් පොලිසියේ හිටපු ප්රධානී ශානි අබේසේකර සමඟ සාකච්ඡා පවත්වයි.
එහිදී ඔහු සඳහන් කරන්නේ තමන් අධිකරණයේ විනිසුරුවරියකට ඇමතු බවත් රටම බලා ඉන්න මිනීමැරුම් තීන්දුවක් යයි ඇයට පැවසූ බවත්ය.
During the Eelam war, the UNP government decided to weaken the army by sending troops abroad. UK’s General Rose was invited to study the armed forces and advise on sending Sri Lanka troops for UN assignments abroad (2002). The service commanders had no say in the matter. In 2004, Sri Lanka sent troops to the UN peace keeping forces in Haiti. These troops were not recalled when Eelam war IV started. They continued in Haiti till the UN project ended in 2015.
Sri Lanka is one of the longest serving nations in the UN mission in Haiti. They helped in the Haiti earthquake of 2010. They have also provided humanitarian services such as blood donations ,distribution water, food and school items. They had been the first to help in a bus accident, providing technical and professional assistance.
The Sri Lanka force won the UN Haiti medal in 2012. Their contribution was considered exceptional, their discipline and conduct was admired. In 2014 Sri Lanka UN contingent in Haiti has been praised by the UN for their contribution in evacuation of victim in a bus accident, they had been the first to come on the scene, provided both technical and professional assistance.
The armed forces were thereafter sent to Lebanon, Ethiopia, Congo, Burundi, Western Sahara, and Sudan. The troops in Haiti and Lebanon were admired by those working alongside them. The Lebanon team was honored with medals.
In South Sudan they were asked to build and operate a hospital. It was considered one of the fastest, well planned projects of the time. Hospital has 66 Sri Lanka army staff, including Sri Lanka army doctors. Services include medical specialists, operating theatre, intensive care unit, emergency departments, and outpatient department. In 2015 Sri Lanka sent an air force contingent to South Sudan, for VIP transportation, food and equipment distribution, and medical evacuation.
The Sri Lanka contingents have been recognized for their commitment, competence, and ability in all UN assignments. They were assigned the toughest areas during their missions and were been lauded for their splendid performance. Within a short space of time they were able to make a positive impact on UN peacekeeping efforts. We have established a UN peacekeeping training school at Kukulu Ganga, which is recognized by the UN, said the authorities in 2015. In 2012, over 100 army officers and over 1000 soldiers were abroad and their remittances are a significant addition to the national revenue. The three services rotate their overseas contingents twice a year.
The Yahapalana government has hinted that our armed forces would be increasingly sent on UN peacekeeping missions said critics. It was reported elsewhere that the government wanted to send more troops to UN peacekeeping operations. They would include combat transport companies, two field engineering platoons, Special Forces, three infantry battalions, one explosive ordinance disposal company, also two police units.
UN peacekeeping missions have now become increasingly dangerous and complex. They are employed in the middle of the ongoing conflicts, against armed groups using sophisticated weapons. They also have to face transnational criminal networks and terrorist organizations. Europe and USA do not therefore wish to send armies into conflict areas. Instead they are turning to the third world and ‘our leaders are running to oblige’, said critics.
The army was sent to Nepal for earthquake relief in 2015. They were sent to a particularly difficult area, Dolaghat .They had travelled on long and difficult routes to treat patients and clear roads, despite frequent aftershocks and danger of landslides. The engineering corps had cleared over six kms of roads, repaired water links, suspension bridges. The Medical corp had treated over 2442 patients. Sri Lanka used it own funds for hiring heavy vehicles and equipment. Nepal was very appreciative.
After the Eelam War IV victory, the Sri Lanka military forces received much praise and recognition. In 2010, Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commander, Security forces headquarters, Jaffna, was awarded the Gusi Peace Prize, Manila. In 2011, Indian Military academy at Dehra Dun, India’s most prestigious military school honored the Sri Lanka Army by inviting its commander, General Jagath Jaysuriya as chief guest of the passing out parade. This is the first ever Sri Lanka Army Commander to have been invited to the occasion as Chief Guest.
The Sri Lanka armed forces found that other countries wanted to learn the military techniques perfected by the Sri Lanka army. The ‘Joint war gaming centre’ at the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Sapugaskanda held annual training courses. In the 2014 course there were 101 middle grade officers from Sri Lanka and 16 from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan Rwanda, Senegal, and Vietnam. The newspapers showed a photograph of the group examining a large map of Vanni west and Gulf of Mannar.
Sri Lanka army’s field training exercise, ‘Cormorant strike’ was started in 2000. This is a mock field training exercise designed for joint special operations working as one team. The purpose was to share the skills the Sri Lanka army had acquired in the May 2009 operation.
The Strike was conducted at Kokilai in 2015. This was a mega exercise with commandos and Special Forces of the army, 245 sailors, and 140 airmen. There were 53 foreign participants and observers from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, and USA. In 2017, Cormorant Strike VIII was held at Infantry Training Centre, Minneriya. It had 69 foreign participants from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Sudan, Turkey, and USA.
In 2006, the Defence Ministry, on the initiative of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Defence secretary, set up Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Limited, a fully government owned limited liability company, providing security services to important government installations and institutions such as the Mahaweli dams and the Petroleum Corporation. It was a state owned enterprise coming under the review of COPE. Made up entirely of ex-armed forces personnel, this special security service was meant to eliminate the need to deploy army and police personnel to guard infrastructure and to release them for duties in the war zone. Rakna Lanka provided security services to 49 government institutions during and after the war, including Sri Lanka Rupavahini and BMICH.
The Sri Lanka navy continues to be highly recognized for its role in the Eelam War IV. The expertise of the navy personnel who retire are much sought after by both public and private sector. Sri Lanka navy organizes the ‘Galle dialogues’, an annual maritime conference on safety in Indian Ocean region. At the first conference in 2010 only 11 countries had come. There were 35 participants in 2013 and 42 in 2016.
Sri Lanka Navy said it was more than happy to share its hard-earned asymmetric warfare experience with military counterparts across the oceans. The 5th Asymmetric Warfare Course of the Sri Lanka Navy, was conducted in 2017, the course was attended by 20 foreign military personnel from Bangladesh, China, India, Maldives, Netherlands, Nigeria and Pakistan.
The three-month course comprised a wide range of Asymmetric Warfare related affairs viz. weapons training, combat shooting, small group operations, jungle warfare, clandestine maritime operations, small boat operations, field training exercises, survival at sea etc. The Special Boat Squadron, the elite force of the Sri Lanka Navy facilitated the proceedings.
Sri Lanka Navy stated ‘ we take credit for maintaining peace in our regions, even during the conflict we did not allow the terrorists to hold world shipping to ransom, like what is happening in the Gulf of Aden. We kept our ports safe for maritime trade.
After the war, Sri Lanka continued to take a lead in controlling sea piracy. It created creating a Maritime Division in the state owned Rakna Lanka, to provide weapons and ammunition to private maritime security companies engaged on board security duties. This is an UN approved activity and there are procedures to be followed. It is a very profitable enterprise and profits go to the government. Rakna became the foremost organization providing security of ships it this region.
In partnership with a local private security company, Avant Garde, Rakna also started to provide vessels with on board teams which included former navy personnel with considerable expertise in combating attacks on sea. Sri Lanka is a major disembarkation point for security teams from other countries. Sri Lanka navy provides logistical support for the movement of weapons and ammunition including the provision of bonded warehouses for their storage. Sri Lanka has also begun operating stringently regulated and secure floating armories to fulfill this requirement said the navy in 2013. Sri Lanka is increasingly gaining recognition as an important contributor to the security of the sea lanes of communication in the Indian Ocean.
In 2010 Sri Lanka offered its expertise to UN to combat piracy. Sri Lanka government has also worked with the government of India and Maldives on establishing a trilateral agreement for cooperation in surveillance, antipiracy operations and curbing illegal activities. On a request of the UN office on Drugs and crime, the Sri Lanka Navy conducted a specialized ship boarding training for the naval and coastguard officers of Madagascar and Comoros. The Sri Lanka Navy had also helped to control illegal migration to Australia.
The Sri Lanka Air Force has conducted Colombo Air symposium from 2015. The symposium is organized by the Sri Lanka Air Force on an annual basis with the objective of developing a wider perspective on global air power, and increasing cooperation, understanding, and goodwill among the represented nations.
At Colombo Air Symposium 2017, held under the theme ‘Air Power in Addressing Asymmetric Threats,’ military leaders, technical experts, global think tanks and diplomats representing all regions of the world came together to share their knowledge to build up unified global air power to address future challenges.
Officers who had retired from the Sri Lanka Air Force started Ceylon Aeronautical Services Ltd, offering maintenance, repair, and overhaul of planes. CAS is located on a five acre block of land at Koggala EPZ, next to SLAF Koggala, formerly a Royal Air Force station. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, then Secretary, Defense had helped to launch the project. ‘If not for Mr. Rajapaksa’s intervention, CAS couldn’t have got off the ground,’ the company said. In 2018 CAS was providing services to Trans Maldivian Airways, SriLankan, Sea Wings, Dubai, Cinnamon Air and local flying schools. It has entered into an agreement with Nepal Airlines. CAS workforce consists of about 100 workers, with about 40 being ex-SLAF.
There is no war now, but war preparedness is necessary and the armored forces must remain as they are said the Army Commander in 2013. We continue our training. We keep the army fit and ready to face any threat. Certain battalions, such as Commandos, STF and other specialist forces are strictly for national security. There are at present 7800 STF, there is provision for recruiting 1000 more. The armed forces have now moved into their own cantonments.
Members of the Ex Commando legion participated in a 24 km walk from Galle Face Green to Ganemulla in 2013. The event was organized by the Sri Lanka Army Commando regiment. They performed some commando techniques. ‘This is to show that what we did yesterday, we can still do today.’ they said in their TV interview.
Schools to accommodate children of armed forces and police are to be built in other parts of the island, first is coming up in Kurunegala, sources said in 2013. During the past six years, 940 students had received scholarships on passing the grade V exam. In 2013, 138 pupils received such scholarships.
The new Military hospital at Narahenpita, Colombo was built by the Sri Lanka Engineers Service regiment. It was started in 2009 and completed in 2014. President Rajapaksa had allocated Rs. 4 billion, when the project has been suggested by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Cost was 6.5 billion but it is worth 10 billion so army has saved the country 4 billion. We have the manpower to run it, entirely by professionally trained army personnel for both administration and medical duties, said the army. The hospital also serves the families of the army.
The military is doing everything” said the army commander in an interview in 2013. They are running cafes, building roads, bridges, houses and stadium, the engineering services do tanks and canal renovation. Certain battalions have taken over and are cultivating government agricultural land. We have established our own farms. Is this militarization? It is not, said the Army Commander. We are saving the government money in terms of labour costs.
In 2012 the Army was running two farms of 360 acres and 11130 acres at Kantale and Kandakuda. Kandakuda farm was abandoned after its workers were killed by the LTTE. ‘Today it is under the army.’ They were exporting Cavendish plantains. Dairy farm had 120 cows. Army is also maintaining a tile factory and brick factory. Tile factory was a joint venture with Ceylon Ceramic Corporation. Army had been asked to fill in due to shortage of labour.
In 2014 it was reported that the Civil Defence Force ‘is now engaged in agriculture at Kebetigollewa’ .They have cultivated over 812 acres, of paddy, maize, kurakkan, gingelly, urad dhal, cowpea, green gram, fruits and vegetables. They use compost fertilizer only, produced through their compost fertilizer manufacturing plants in each sub zone. There is a new paddy warehouse at Kebetigollewa. The rice is offered to the military camps at Medawachchiya, Kebetigollewa, Colombo and Padaviya. They have also repaired furniture in nearby schools and donated blood. They have renovated Bakmeewewa and Werabanda wewa as well.
The Rajapaksa government did not allow its greatly expanded military to lie idle after the end of Eelam War IV. They were used for a wide range of activities. The armed forces have been used by Sri Lanka for detection of crime. The armed forces have been engaged in narcotics detection even during Eelam war. They have made detections on the sea as well. This is now the biggest peace time operation, we are making detections almost every day in various parts of the country, the Army said in 2012. Troops deployed alongside the police have so far apprehended about 300 suspects along with a substantial quantity of heroin and ganja. Detections were made in several places including Jaffna, Vavuniya, and Eastern province. The operation is targeting the trade at different levels.
In 2011 and 2012 the STF used its skills in detection for illegal gem mining, Illegal assembly of vehicles, sale of smuggled cigarettes, and selling cannabis. STF was used to nab underworld gangsters as well. After the shoot out of prisoners on a drug raid, Commissioner General of Prisons urged the Defense Ministry to take over the prisons.
The armed services were used for various peace time activities too. Army had helped with more than 20 major building projects in 2012. Government has saved nearly 1500 million on expenditure, which would otherwise have gone to private firms or abroad, by using the armed service for development work after the war, instead of confining them to barracks, said the authorities.
Army and navy were used to refurbish Colombo’s dilapidated structures. The race course pavilions in Colombo were refurbished by the army, under Gotabhaya Rajapakse, then Secretary of Defence. The race course area was converted to a set of shopping malls, an international standard rugby field, and a sports ministry complex. The buildings were renovated retaining its architectural uniqueness. The work was carried out by the Sri Lanka army 6th regiment. About 300 soldiers worked on the project.
The Auditor General building was converted to the 85,000 sq feet Arcade Independence Square project, in just two years. It was for high end private sector business enterprises. A team of architects were sent to Paris to learn about heritage buildings. Army has also refurbished the science faculty building of the University of Colombo. SAARC cultural fund building was to cost 907 million, army helped save Rs. 110 million. Medical faculty building allocation was 1477 billion army helped to save nearly 492 million. CDF helped renovate Elphinstone theatre in Maradana.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was praised by two newspaper readers, for his work in Infrastructure development, city beautification, and environmental cleanliness. One reader said these were all done by ‘Gota’ who could win wars and then play a major role in the country developments. ‘Gota’ had got in every police station an officer who went out as early as 5 am to designated areas to oversee the cleanliness of the area. ‘This is exemplary work’. The second reader said, the CMC did very little as regards garbage, but with the UDA under Defense secretary Gotabhaya, radical changes have taken place. The army and navy have been at it, doing the cleaning and so on.
The Army helped in other miscellaneous ways. The Electrical and Mechanical Engineers division of the Army installed a drinking water pumping system at Kahattewala Rahula Vidyalaya of the Haputale educational Zone in 2014. They put up the money for the pump themselves. Army constructed a new bridge across Kadolanaduwa water way at Moragalla, Beruwela. The army was asked to rehabilitate 3200 reservoirs and tanks in north central province in 2013. The army has helped in the renovation of Mihintale and Tissamaharama Vihara. Kalagam vehera and Handagala Rajamaha vihara ‘were repaired and made suitable for worship’.
The army carried out a massive road building operation in the east. They improved the road running from Trincomalee to Mutur and beyond and gave it eight bridges. The army bought paddy at Rs 30, in the Eastern province to help the farmer and obtain food for the army. About 200 farmers sold their paddy to the army. Farmers were otherwise obliged to sell to the middle man. A metal crusher was run by the army Engineering Service regiment at Welikanda camp. In 2014 the Army began the rehabilitation of the salterns at Elephant Pass.
The armed forces have helped in disasters. in 2012, Disaster Management Center asked the air force to aid in forest firefighting. More than 1000 soldiers performed the arduous task of searching and saving in the landslide at Meeriyabadda, Koslanda in 2014. Air Force helped in floods and landslides of 2016. They engaged in rescue operations, they evacuated people, traced stranded victims, airlifted consignments of dry rations, and distributed meals. The navy rescued 22,675 people, transferred them to safe locations, and carried out other flood relief activities.
A Dutch tourist had fallen off the precipice at Worlds end by going too close to the edge on his honeymoon to take a photograph. He had managed to cling to a branch of a tree about 25 meters into his fall, the local police called the army. A corporal from the 3rd Sinha regiment made his way down the precipice with the aid of a rope soldiers then carried the Dutch man on their shoulders about five km to reach a vehicle, an army chopper, to send him to hospital, where it was found that he only had minor bruises and scratches. He was discharged. The soldier Sudesh Lalinda had risked him life to do this. He was promoted to sergeant and army said they would help finish his half built house. The rescuer had declined to accept the cash reward offered by the grateful couple. The other eight soldiers were also promoted to the next rank.
At the conclusion of the war the army held some 11600 terrorists and close to 300,000 civilians. The army embarked on a rehabilitation process for LTTE ex-combatants. Five hundred and ninety four of those who ran to the government in 2009 were child soldiers aged 12-18. All of them have been put through rehabilitation programmes and reunited with their families. The speed with which rehabilitation was done and the methods used have won praise internationally. Their strategies are being used as a model in some other countries.
The most formidable challenge after Eelam War IV was the de-mining. This is a legacy of the LTTE. Sri Lanka achieved an impressive record in this demining having cleared 1,319 sq km out of an area of 1,419 by 2012. Mine detection dog Alvin and his handler Lance corporal G.N.W.M. Navaratne were selected as the Mine detection Team of the Year in 2016 by the US based Marshall Legacy Institute. From 2011 they have together demined approximately land area of 73,340 sq mm in the north and east. This has enabled 1945 displaced of 415 families to return to their original places of inhabitation.
In 2009, Army came across a large stock of gold jewelry that had been hidden. There were 852 bangles, 188 small bangles, 20 damaged bangles. These had been kept neatly hidden. Before this army had found another stock of jewelry. This jewelry had been pawned at the LTTE Eelam bank in the area. The army has shown exceptional conduct in this matter (Sunday Observer 5.7.09 p 11). Security forces have recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 680 million during operation in Vanni east. They were handed over to state owned banks (Island 23.11.09 p 1).
In 2014 it was report that the army recovered 2379 sets of jewellery pawned in bank in various locations the Northern Province; they have identified 1960 rightful owners, 319 Vavuniya, 45 Jaffna, 1187 in Kilinochchi, 186 in Mullaitivu. These will be handed over today. Army commander stated that the army had to go to each and every house in the province to find the rightful owners of these valuables. (Daily News 27.11.14 p 1) However, TULF at its AGM on 29.12.12. decided to demand that the government return the gold recovered or seized from the LTTE by the security forces during and after the war/ They must hand them over to their owners who have proof of their ownership.
In 2014 the consulate of Sri Lanka in Sydney, Australia honored the army for liberating the North .They must never forget the heroic sons and daughters who laid down their lives. Colonel Atureliya who delivered the Ranaviru commemoration speech said that their victory would not have been possible if not, inter alia, for the brave soldiers. One has to live in the precincts, hear the explosions, see the carnage, hear the cries of those who were injured, see human flesh dangling from heights, brains scattered, the damage to property, the sirens of ambulances, to understand what it was like.
The government of Mahinda Rajapaksa did not forget the war heroes. The Rajapaksa government had projects to build houses for them, grant housing loans, self employment projects, three wheelers, scholarships for children, pensions for parents of soldiers who died and welfare measure for the disabled, reported the media in 2013.
In 2014 it was reported that houses have been given to war heroes in 19 districts. The government aims to build 50,000 housing units for them, in five years of 10,000 per year. Recipients were chosen along guidelines, constructed by the army engineers. Another report in 2014 stated that 700 hundred houses are planned in the ‘Api venuven api’ housing programme, in Kandy, then Matara, then Hambantota. 101 Houses are also being built for army personnel in Puttalam, 63 for Army, 22 Navy and 16 for Air Force. The recipients selected are low income war heroes. Each unit three bedrooms, pantry, kitchen, living room, and costs nine lakhs each concluded the report.
The armed forces did not forget their disabled. 220 army personnel are permanently disabled. The army is taking care of 160 of them. 5918 war heroes disabled in terrorist attacks have already retired from the army with all privileges. They have been granted a disabled pension plus monthly salary and all other allowances and privileges said the army in 2014.
Two apparel factories known as Ranaviru Apparels, at Yakkala and Alawwa were set up to provide employment for disabled soldiers. The Yakkala factory was set up on a 10 acre block of land, half donated by owner Meric Peiris and the other half purchased from him. This project was stated in 1998. It is run entirely by disabled soldiers. The factory has army camp status and is a combination of civil and military. There is also a housing complex and farm in which vegetables, medical herbs and fruits are grown and sold to the staff.
The factory provides 60% of the army uniforms, made in 32 sizes. It also produces folding mattresses for the army, and other items like track kits. All products maintain highly quality standards. The two factories have been upgraded and brought into line with international standards and modernized. They are now gearing to enter the international export market.
Others are also concerned about the disabled war veterans. ‘Sumana Ranaviru Sahana Padanama’, founded by Ven. Daranagama Sumanaratana with the approval of the Defence Ministry, Army Commander and the Rehabilitation Directorate, together with the support of the laity has taken 550 disabled war heroes on pilgrimage to Sri Pada in the past 18 years, carrying them on shoulders.
War memorials have been built at strategic points to commemorate the war victory. Sri Lanka Armored Corp created a war memorial at Kalaththawe in Anuradhapura in 2015. schools that contributed many soldiers proudly commemorate that occurenece. Nalanda Old Boys Association ( Junior brahcn) organized a Nalanda Ranaviru Upahara in 2016.
The role played by Ananda in the separatist war which ended May 2009, merits special mention. The military commanders, who defeated the Tamil separatists in 2009, were primarily from Ananda. The Permanent Secretary for Defence (Gotabhaya Rajapakse) Commander of the Army (Sarath Fonseka) Commander of the Navy (Wasantha Karannagoda) and the Director-General of the Department of Civil Security, (Sarath Weerasekara) were Anandians. Others holding high rank such as Major General Jagath Dias, Major General Kamal Guneratne, Brigadier Prasanna Silva and Brigadier Chagi Gallege were also from Ananda.
Recognising the uniqueness of this, the Daily News of 3.7.2009 ran a special supplement featuring the contribution of Ananda College to the Eelam War. The supplement stated that no other school can claim to have sent so many entrants to the armed forces. Sarath Weerasekera said that Ananda continued to create patriotic leaders and that the exceptional military leadership provided in the Eelam War had come from pupils of Ananda. Anandians were brought up with patriotism and inculcated with national minded core strengths and values’.
Ananda College continues to remember. When Ananda celebrated its 125th anniversary, in November 2011, mention was made of the Anandians who fought in 2009. Daily News said that patriotism and bravery came naturally to the Anandian. The news supplement on Ananda Abhiman festivities in March 2012 again emphasised that the Sri Lanka Army and Navy had more Anandians than any other College. ( continued)
සියවස් සතරක් මහා පරිමාණ අඩන්තේට්ටම් සමුදායක් කරලත් සුද්දාට හැකිවුණේ ලක් සමාජයෙන් 7%ක් ක්රිස්තියානි කිරීමටය. ඉන්දියාවේ තත්ත්වයද එසේමය. ඊට ප්රධානම හේතුව ස්වදේශ විශ්වාස හෑල්ලුවට ලක් කල, ස්වදේශ ධර්මයන්ට උසුළු විසුළු කළ ක්රිස්තියානි මිෂනාරී ක්රමයයි. එහෙත් 21 වන සියවසේ ක්රිස්තියානි මිෂනාරීන් පරණ වැරදි හදාගත් සැටියකි. දක්ෂ අලෙවිකරුවෙකුට එස්කිමෝ වරයෙකුට ශීතකරණයක් පවා විකිණිය හැකිය!
අද ක්රිස්තියානි පල්ලිය බෞද්ධයා සමග “ඇර ගන්නේ” නැත. එක්තරා ස්වාමීන් වහන්සේ නමක් පවසූ ආකාරයට අලුත් ක්රමය “නරියා සහ කේජු කෑල්ල” වැනිය. ප්රථමයෙන්ම ඔවුන් බෞද්ධ දර්ශනය වර්ණනා කරයි. ක්රමයෙන් ඔවුන්ගේ බයිබල් මතය ජනගත කරයි. දිගින් දිගටම සිදුවන මෙම සමාජය නිර්වින්දනය කරන සංසිද්දියෙන් වාසි ගන්නේ ක්රිස්තියානි ප්රචලිතවාදීන්ය. උතුරණ වතුරට කකුළුවන් දැම්මොත් උන් කලබලවී පිටතට එනු ඇත. එහෙත් සීතල වතුරට කකුළුවන් දමා ක්රමයෙන් එය උණු කර නටවන මට්ටමට ගෙනාවොත් කකුළුවන් නොදැනීම කකුළු සුප් වනු ඇත.
මෙයට ප්රභල සහයක් දෙන්නේ ක්රිස්තියානීන් සතු ජනමාධ්යයයි. මීට අමතරව මෙම ජනමාධ්ය එළිපිටම බෞද්ධ සමාජය දූෂණය කරයි. එහෙත් දේශපාලන හේතු නිසා ඒවා ඉතා ජනප්රියය. එම ජනමාධ්ය අයිතිකරුවන් ප්රභලම දේශපාලකයන් සමග ඉතා කුළුපගය. වඩාත්ම තීක්ෂණ වන්නේ බෞද්ධයා වෙනුවෙන්ම සිටින දේශපාලකයන් සර්ව සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම ඔවුන් ග්රහණයට පත්වෙලාය.
මෙම සංයෝගය දේශපාලනයට ඉතා සුවදායක වුවත් එයින් මෝඩයාට අන්දෙන්නේ බෞද්ධයාය; නැතිවන්නේ බෞද්ධ දර්ශනයයි. අවාසනාව යනු මෙම යථාර්ථය කියන්නටවත් බෞද්ධයෙකු නැතිවීමයි. දේශපාලනයෙන්, ජඩමාධ්යකරණයෙන් සහ නව ක්රිස්තියානිකරණයෙන් බෞද්ධයෝ කටේ රඳවාගත් කේජු කෑල්ල වට්ටාගත් කපුටා මෙන් ශතවර්ෂ දෙකක් තිස්සේ ලේ, දහදිය සහ කඳුළු හලා රැකගෙන පැමිණි ශ්රී සම්බුද්ධ ශාසනය කෙළෙසා ගන්නෝය.
අප්රිකානු රදගුරු ඩෙස්මන්ඩ් ටුටු වරක් පැවසුවේ “සුද්දා එනවිට සුද්දා අතේ තිබුනේ බයිබලයයි. අප අතේ තිබුනේ රටේ ඉඩකඩම්ය. යාක්ඥා කිරීමට සියල්ලෝම දෑස් වසාගති. අරුමයකි! දෑස් හැරියවිට අප අතේ බයිබලයය; උන් අතේ අපේ ඉඩකඩම්ය.”
දැනටමත් බෞද්ධ අප පමා වැඩිය. බහුතර බෞද්ධ සමාජය මෙම තුන් ග්රහණයෙන් බේරා ගැනීමට බැරිසේ වෙළී පැටලී ඇත.
පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රන්ජන් රාමනායක මහතාගේ මාදිවෙල නිල නිවස පොලිසිය විසින් සෝදිසි කරන ලද්දේ පිස්තෝල සොයා නොවන බව රාජ්ය ඇමැති මහින්දානන්ද අලුත්ගමගේ මහතා පවසයි.
ඔහුගේ නිවස සෝදිසි කරන ලද්දේ විවිධ පාර්ශ්ව සමඟ පැවැත්වූ දුරකථන හඬ පට තබාගැනීමේ චෝදනාව මත බවද රාජ්ය ඇමතිවරයා සඳහන් කළේය.
අත්අඩංගුවට ගත් හඬ පට අතර රාමනායක මහතා අධිකරණයේ ඉහළම පුද්ගලයන්ට අමතන දුරකථන සංවාද ඇති බවද ඔහු පැවසුවේය.
ඇතැම් නඩුවල නීන්දු පවා වෙනස් කිරීමට මන්ත්රීවරයා දැඩි බලපෑම් කරන සාක්ෂි ලැබී ඇතැයිද ඇමැතිවරයා කියා සිටියේය.
ඔහු මේ බව කියා සිටියේ මහනුවරදී මාධ්ය අමතමිනි.
එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂයේ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රන්ජන් රාමනායක මහතා විසින් රහස් පොලිසියේ ප්රධානියා ලෙස කටයුතු කරන ලද ශානි අබේසේකර සහ එම කොට්ඨාශයේ පොලිස් පරීක්ෂක නිශාන්ත සිල්වා වෙත අමතන හඬ පට කිහිපයක් අද ප්රසිද්ධියට පත් කලේය.
සිංහලේ සංවිධානය විසින් කොළඹ පැවති මාධ්ය හමුවකදී මේ හඬ පට ප්රසිද්ධියට පත් කරන ලදී.
මන්ත්රිවරයාගේ නිල නිවසේ තිබියදී අත්අඩංගුවට ගන්නා හඬ පට ප්රමාණය ලක්ෂ එකහමාරක් පමණ බවද ඔවුහු සඳහන් කළහ.
COLOMBO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) — Port City Colombo, in association with local partners, launched a year-long project to clean up a 5 km stretch of beach it the city of Colombo on Saturday.
The project was inaugurated at the Mount Lavinia public beach with the presence of Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Facilities, Priyath Bandu Wickrama, State Minister of Environment Jayantha Samaraweera and Port City Colombo Managing Director, Jiang Houliang.
Making a speech at the inauguration event, Jiang said that Port City Colombo promoted sustainable urban living. He noted that despite being blessed with pristine beaches, accumulation of waste and debris harms visitors as well as local residents and businesses.
“We have undertaken this initiative as part of our corporate social responsibility to ensure a cleaner beach that will benefit people and support local tourism to sustain in a pleasant environment,” Jiang said.
The year-long project is to provide daily clean-up of a five kilometre stretch of beach in Colombo, namely Wellawatte, Dehiwala and Mount Lavinia which is popular among local families and foreign tourists.
The project is funded by Port City Colombo and supervision of daily maintenance of the beaches will be overseen by the local Wana Arana Foundation.
Samaraweera emphasised that keeping Sri Lanka clean and safe was a policy priority of the government and he expressed his gratitude to Port City Colombo for helping meet this goal by funding the project.
“Keeping Sri Lanka clean is not a one day event but an ongoing project that will require the cooperation of citizens and government authorities,” Samaraweera said
The inauguration was attended by dozens of volunteers including local and Chinese Port City employees, school children and families. Some foreign tourists were also seen joining in the project for the first daily clean-up of the year.
Eighteen year-old Sajani Perera, a volunteer, said she had heard about the project through her school and was keen to participate with her friends and family.
“I thought it would be a good deed to participate in an event like this and give back to my country,” she said.
Zhang Qian, a new Chinese employee at Port City Colombo said that she had participated in similar activities in China and was happy to do the same in Sri Lanka. Noting the kindness of Sri Lankan people, she said that she was keen to see the country develop.
“There is an old Chinese saying that strength comes from many hands. I’m grateful that our company is bringing people together through this project and I hope there will be more activities like this in the future,” said Zhang.
Local fisherman Sriyantha De Silva, who has lived in Mount Lavinia for 30 years said that the beaches in Colombo had become very dirty due to lack of facilities. He noted that the situation had begun to change with the introduction of recycling bins by Port City Colombo in partnership with the government.
“I hope these kinds of programs continue in the future so that we can keep our beaches beautiful and clean,” De Silva said.
Invested by China Harbor Engineering Company, Port City Colombo is a project to build a modern sustainable smart city out of 269 hectares of land reclaimed from the sea and added to the district of Colombo. The city is envisioned to be a hub in South Asia.
The land reclamation phase of the project has been completed with the construction of roads, bridges and waterways currently taking place.
Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake who was arrested last evening (04) has been granted bail, stated Ada Derana reporter.
This was as per an order the Nugegoda Magistrate when he was brought before courts earlier today (05).
Reportedly, the MP has been released on two surety bails worth Rs 500,000 each.
The court has further issued a foreign travel ban on Ramanayake.
United National Party (UNP) MP was arrested by the Colombo South Crimes Division over the possession of a pistol with an expired license.
The police, yesterday, carried out a search at MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s residence in Madiwela on a warrant obtained from Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court.
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