By Noor Nizam. Peace and Political Activist, Political Communication Researcher, SLFP/SLPP Stalwart and Convener – “The Muslim Voice” – November 2nd., 2019.

Sri Lankan Muslims have read all the 1500 odd comments/rebuttals that “THE MUSLIM VOICE” has written since February 2015 till now in the www.jaffnamuslim.com, Ada Derana, Colombo Telegraph, Colombo Gazette, TKN, Veerakesari, Daily News, Lankaweb.com, Economy Next, Hiru News, Onlanka, Lanka Business online, Nation.lk, lankamuslims@yahoogroups.com, srilankamuslims@yahoogroups.com and a few more publications. 

YOU WILL SEE THAT WHAT “THE MUSLIM VOICE” HAS WRITTEN IS TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, about our “deceptive Muslim politicians and leaders, Insha Allah. “THE MUSLIM VOICE” was slammed and attacked by these “DECEPTIVE/MUNAFIQUE” gangs throughout these 41/2 years. BUT TODAY – ALHAMDULILLAH, THE TREND HAS CHANGED AND THE UNDERSTANDING MUSLIM VOTE BANK HAS TURNED TO SUPPORT GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA AT THE NOVEMBER 16th., PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, Insha Allah. THESE DECETIVE/MUNAFIQUE PERSONS/GROUPS HAVE ACCEPTED THE REALITY AND ARE ORGANIZING POLITICAL CAMPAIGN MEETINGS AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO SUPPORT GOTABAYA – ALHAMDULILLAH. THEY HAVE EVEN NOW STATRED TO APPEAR BEFORE TV CAMERAS AND SPEAK ON STAGES AT PUBLIC CAMPAIGN MEETINGS APPEALING TO THE MUSLIM VOTE BANK TO VOTE GOTABAYA. 

TO GOTABAYA, EVERY SINGLE SRI LANKAN VOTE IS VITAL AND “THE MUSLIM VOICE” IS HALLP ABOUT IT, ALHAMDULILLAH. ACCORDING TO THE POLITICAL ANALYSIS CONDUCTED BY “THE MUSLIM VOICE” 30% (THIRTY PERCENTAGE) OF THE NEARLY 950,000 to 1 MILLION MUSLIMS VOTES WILL BE POLLED IN FAVOUR OF GOTABAYA RALAPAKSA, Insha Allah.

What “The Muslim Voice” has been doing – “May All praise be to God AllMighty Allah, Alhamdulillah” is to kindle the aspirations and inspirations of the humble Muslim Ummah/Jamaath in Sri Lanka to rethink politically and otherwise in order it will help our community regain our “DIGNITY”, “HONOUR”, “RESPECT”, “RIGHTS” and the STATUS OF “HIERA-UMMATH”. The writing and wide political knowledge of “The Muslim Voice” belongs to God AllMighty Allah. “The Muslim Voice” is  on a CRUSADE to expose the fraudulent, hypocritical, unscrupulous and dishonest corrupt Muslim Politicians of whom “The Muslim Voice” has much knowledge, by the grace of God AllMighty Allah and “HAD” a duty to challenge them as a “democratic institution” in a “Democratic Society”, Insha Allah. 

The Convener of the Muslim Voice, “The Muslim Voice” had been blessed to mingle in the corridors of political power and witness the manner in which these fellows lead two lives, one in the mist of their creed and corrupt selfish and self centered political partners and the other how they show a different, God fearing, dedicated humanitarian character, behaving very religious and reminding “Insha Allah” or “Masaha Allah” at every turn they make to hoodwink the poor Muslim voters. The time has come that these tricksters have to be challenged and EXPOSED to Safe Guard the Rights and DIGNITY of the Sri Lanka Muslim UMMAH, Insha Allah. A new Muslim Political Culture that can create a New Political Force has to be born soon, Insha Allah, and that is the Political message that “The Muslim Voice” is trying to send out, Insha Allah. If this endeavour of “The Muslim Voice” is true, honest and sincere, then God AllMighty Allah will give success to this message to reach every nook and corner in Sri Lanka and abroad where Sri Lankan Muslims are living and to reach every Sri Lankan “Muslim Makkal”, Insha Allah. 

Brother Ali Sabry and a few Mahinda/Gotabaya/Basil loyalist Muslims have called for this ” MUSLIM POLITICAL CULTURE” Alhamdulillah.

by C.A.Chandraprema Courtesy The Island

November 2, 2019, 6:54 pm 

* No mention of Unitary State
* Formulation for a federal system
* Sajith holding baby disowned by RW

UNF presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa launched his election manifesto in Kandy on Thursday. It’s called “Sri Lankawe idiri gamanata seemawak netha: Ekwa gamana yamu.” Loosely translated this would mean “There are no limits to what Sri Lanka can achieve: Let’s go on this journey together”. If there was one section of the population that was waiting eagerly for the launch of this manifesto other than the members of the UNF itself, it was the groups of political parties around the Tamil National Alliance led by R. Sampanthan and the Tamil Makkal Koottani led by C.V.Wigneswaran. The various political parties around these two groupings had held a meeting last Wednesday to decide on whom they were going to support.

However that meeting had ended inconclusively and the decision taken was to wait for the launch of the UNP manifesto which was going to take place the next day. The Northern Tamil political parties had been dithering for weeks unable to make up their minds. Even by the time the postal voting began, they had not made up their minds and only C.V.Wigneswaran had issued a statement calling on the Tamil people to cast their postal votes for a candidate of their choice. The other political parties did not say even that. It was after the end of the first day of postal voting that the UNP candidate released his manifesto. It must be said that the UNP did not disappoint the Tamil political parties that had been waiting for oxygen from the south.

Two pages of the manifesto (pages 15 & 16) are dedicated to constitutional reform and this chapter is titled “Janathawage vyawasthawa” or People’s Constitution. These two pages are the most important section of the manifesto and what the Northern Tamil political parties were waiting for. The political parties belonging to the TNA and TMK groups had signed a joint declaration at the behest of university students making 13 Demands which presidential candidates were to agree to if they were to obtain the support of the Northern political groups. Even though the SLPP rejected these demands out of hand, what we heard from the UNP was silence. Not a single UNP leader uttered a word about these proposals. If one looks at these 13 Demands, only the first one related to constitutional issues.

The first of the 13 Demands

The first of the 13 demands relating to constitutional matters went as follows:

“New constitutional processes that uphold unitary system of rule should be rejected. The Tamil national question of Ilangkai [Ceylon] must be resolved through a federal framework with the realization that Tamils constitute a nation with distinct sovereignty and that nation is entitled to the Right of Self-Determination under International Law.”

The other 12 demands related to non-constitutional matters such as repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the release of all remaining LTTE detainees, the release of the land still occupied by various military units etc. If we break up the first of the 13 demands which relates to constitutional reform into its constituent components, what emerges is the following:

1.   The concept of the unitary state must be rejected

2.   The federal concept must be accepted

3.  The idea that Tamils constitute a nation with distinct sovereignty must be accepted

4.      It should be accepted that this nation has the right of self determination.

This was the closest approximation to the Vadukkodai resolution of 1976 ever put out by democratic political parties in the north. Unsurprisingly, it was rejected out of hand by the SLPP. After remaining silent about the 13 demands, the UNP has put out a manifesto which has essentially accepted the first two of the four components mentioned above. The section on constitutional reform in the UNP manifesto certainly does not say that Tamils constitute a nation with distinct sovereignty or that this nation should have the right of self determination. What the UNP manifesto has done is to stop at the formulations put forward in the draft constitution that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe tabled in Parliament earlier this year.

That draft constitution which had the fullest backing of the TNA and indeed is believed to have been drafted by lawyers associated with the TNA, did not speak of a Tamil nation that had claims to sovereignty or that this nation was entitled to the right of self determination. What it sought to do was to win a degree of federalism that borders on independence. That draft constitution never used the term federalism which has earned a bad name in Sri Lanka, but had provisions for a federal form of government without the name. What that draft constitution did was to carefully avoid describing Sri Lanka as a ‘unitary state’ and instead to describe Sri Lanka as ‘a State which is undivided and indivisible’.

The phrase ‘unitary state’ in English has a specific meaning which is crucial in describing the nature of the Sri Lankan state. The Sinhala phrase ‘ekieeya rajya’ does not cover all the nuances of the concept of a unitary state. So it is absolutely vital to hear the word ‘unitary state’ in English. The version of the UNP manifesto that came out last Thursday was the Sinhala version. This writer downloaded a copy from the UNP’s facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/UNPofficialpage/) An English translation of the manifesto is not available. Even in the Sinhala original, there is no mention at all of the unitary state or ekieeya rajya. In one place there is a sentence which goes as follows: “apage maubime ekeeyathwaya, bhaumika akandathawaya, swairee bhawaya ha deshapalana swadheenathwaya apa visin araksha karannemu.”

That sentence however is not a reference to a unitary state. The Sinhala word ekeeya rajya does not have the same strict technical connotations of the English word unitary state. Ekeeya can also mean unity which is what it means in the sentence mentioned above. Translated, that sentence would mean “We will protect the political independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of our motherland”. The technical meaning of the phrase unitary state is absent in the above sentence. It is because of the imprecise nature of the Sinhala phrase ekeeya, that the draft constitution tabled in Parliament earlier this year by the Prime Minister proposed to describe Sri Lanka as an ekeeya rajya in Sinhala and as an ‘orumiththa nadu’ in Tamil, wthout however using the English phrase unitary state even in the English version of the document!

If those constitutional proposals had been passed, the Sinhalese would have been under the impression that they were living in a unitary state while the Tamils would have been under the impression that they were living in a federal state and the English reading public would have known that Sri Lanka was no longer a unitary state  even though it was described as an ekeeya rajya in Sinhala! The TNA had adopted the policy of giving the label to the Sinhalese and taking the substance for themselves and having a federal system which does not describe itself as federal.

Maximum devolution of power

It is in the light of such semantic issues that we have to consider the constitutional proposals in the UNP manifesto. There is no mention at all of the unitary state. Instead what we have is a sentence which says “Nobedunu ha wen kala noheki lankawak thula uparima balaya beda hereemak kriyathmaka kere.” (The maximum devolution of power within an undivided and indivisible Sri Lanka.) This is identical to the phraseology of the above mentioned draft constitution which also spoke of ‘a State which is undivided and indivisible’. It is easy to see why the draft constitution and the manifesto has carefully and deliberately avoided using the term ‘unitary state’ and instead speaks of ‘a state which is undivided and indivisible’. The moment the phrase unitary state is used, it automatically precludes a federal state.

The whole purpose of the proposed draft constitution was to create a federal state out of the present unitary state. Now with the UNP manifesto also avoiding the use of the term unitary state and speaking instead of a State which is undivided and indivisible, the TNA influence on the UNP’s constitutional proposals can clearly be seen. Not that there is anything surprising in this. It is because of the TNA that the UNP was able to form a government in 2015 and the former has stood with the latter through thick and thin. Even though there is no formal coalition between the UNP and TNA, they are partners for all practical purposes. Furthermore the UNP has ho hope at all at this presidential election without the TNA.

So what we see with regard to the UNP’s manifesto is that it stops at the point reached by the draft constitution without going all the way as sought in the 13 demands. There are other indications also to the effect that the constitutional proposals in the UNP manifesto are based on the draft constitution. Take for instance the following provisions in the manifesto and their similarity to the provisions that appeared in the draft constitution.

1.      According to the manifesto, the powers and functions of the provincial councils will be decided after taking into account the various proposals that had been made under Presidents Ranasinghe Premadasa, Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa. (The draft constitution also envisages a change of the powers and functions of the provincial councils. In fact the draft constitution does not have a list of powers of the provincial councils and this has been left unstated to be filled in later. Going by the general tenor of the draft constitution, it is easy to see that what is intended is an increase of the powers and functions of the PCs and certainly not a reduction. The fact that the manifesto has pledged to decide on the powers and functions of the PCs afresh means clearly that they intend going beyond the provincial council powers mentioned in the Ninth Schedule of the present Constitution. Such an increase in powers is consistent with the move towards a federalism bordering on a separate state that the TNA has been aiming at.)

2.      A second chamber of Parliament is to be set up with the participation of the representatives of the provincial councils.  Its purpose will be to ensure the devolution of the centre’s powers, and to enable the provinces to exercise their powers. (The setting up of a second chamber was also a part of the draft constitution. The purpose of the second chamber in the draft constitution was also to restrict the power of the centre further by imposing a fetter on Parliament. The UNP manifesto has now explicitly accepted the position that the purpose of the second chamber is indeed to fetter Parliament by saying that its purpose will be to ‘ensure’ the devolution of the centre’s powers and to ‘enable the provinces to exercise their powers’.)

3.      In the manifesto, there is a broad statement which says that ‘the provinces will be able to raise the funds they need’. (There is no indication of whether this entails raising funds both domestically or overseas. In any event, the draft constitution also had a separate chapter on public finance which specified the powers over public finance of the central government and the provincial units as befits a federal arrangement. In contrast to this the present chapter on public finance in the present Constitution deals only with the powers of the central government.)

4.      The district secretaries and divisional secretaries are to function as the representatives of the centre when exercising the powers of the centre and as representatives of the provincial councils when implementing powers devolved to the provinces. (The Subcommitte on the Public Service of the Constitutional Assembly had suggested that the divisional secretaries be brought under the provincial councils. The UNP manifesto essentially follows the same line and has gone beyond the Public Service Subcommittee by bringing the district secretaries under the PCs as well. The federalist tilt in the manifesto is unmistakable.)

5.      The manifesto proposes to to take away the constitutional jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and to give it to a Constitutional Court which will adjudicate in disputes between the centre and the provincial councils, and between provincial councils. (This too features prominently in the draft constitution. The creation of a judicial body to adjudicate in disputes that arise between the centre and the provinces and between the provinces shows that the purpose is to create units that are more or less independent of one another.)

Disowned by RW but accepted by Sajith!

The foregoing analysis would show that the manifesto put out by the UNP for this presidential election is on all fours with the draft constitution that was tabled in Parliament earlier this year by the Prime Minister. The difference however is that in tabling that draft constitution in Parliament the Prime Minister disowned it saying that it was just a document prepared by a panel of experts and that the final decision over what provisions to adopt would have to be decided by the Constitutional Assembly. However the manifesto passes off as Sajith Premadasa’s personal agenda for which he is directly responsible. Sajith is now holding Ranil Wickremesinghe’s and Sumanthiran’s baby.

The UNP and Sajith Premadasa, kept silent when the Northern Tamil parties made the 13 Demands. Now with this manifesto and its clearly federalist tilt, the public is going to assume that the UNP kept quiet because they were in cahoots with the TNA all along. Everyone knows that the UNP is heavily dependent on the Northern and Eastern Tamil vote. Everyone is going to assume that chapter on the constitution in the UNP manifesto was designed to enable the TNA to call on the Tamil people to vote for the UNP candidate. At the time that these words are being penned, the nationalist organizations have not yet noticed the contents of the chapter on the constitution in the UNF manifesto. But sooner rather than later, they are going to see it, and all hell is going to break loose.

Even Maithripala Sirisena’s manifesto in 2015 had not toed the TNA line in such an explicit manner. Furthermore there is a mismatch between what Sajith states verbally and what appears in his manifesto. When he went to present his manifesto to the Ven Mahanayakes and Anunayakes, he was heard to mention the term ‘ekeeya rajya’ when speaking to one of the Anunayaka Theras. However there is no unitary state in his manifesto. As we pointed out earlier, the single reference to ‘maubime ekeeya bawa’ is about the unity of the motherland and not the unitary state. The TNA can now support Sajith Premadasa, because the UNP has officially adopted the TNA’s platform.

However because the manifesto does not explicitly accept that Tamils constitute a nation with distinct sovereignty and that they are entitled to the right of self determination, this manifesto may not be acceptable to C.V.Wigneswaran and his allies and to the Students who now seem to be acting as a pressure group on all the Tamil political parties in the north and east. Furthermore the TNA promised the sun and moon to the Tamil people in 2015 and delivered nothing. So it’s a moot question as to whether the ordinary voter of the north will go into raptures after seeing the TNA influence on the UNP manifesto. There is also the fact that if the TNA openly expresses support for the UNP, the latter will lose votes in the south.

While the TNA now has the ability to canvass for Sajith on the basis of the contents of the chapter on the constitution in the manifesto, they may need to carry the other signatories to the 13 demands with them. The TNA had a more gradualist approach than other leaders like Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and C.V.Wigneswaran. The TNA’s approach was to don sheep’s clothing and win federalism bordering on independence first, leaving the self determination part for later. However, Ponnambalam and Wigneswaran appear to have been skeptical about this approach. Perhaps the latter two have good grounds for their skepticism. The best opportunity there was for the TNA’s sheep skin approach to succeed was between January 2015 and about the end of 2017 when President Sirisena who won because of the TNA’s support was the President and the UNP-SLFP-JVP combine could muster a two thirds majority in Parliament to be able to pass a new constitution.

But during this period, the TNA could not even get a draft constitution placed on the table leave alone getting it passed. When it was finally tabled in Parliament, the Prime Minister promptly disowned it. The reason why the TNA’s efforts failed is not because of resistance by Sinhala nationalists. It was because all other minority communities in the country such as the Muslims and Up-country Tamils have no appetite for what the TNA wants. The TNA through Clause 237(3) of the draft constitution wants to see a merged north and east which is anathema to the Muslims because that would turn them into a minority in a Tamil dominated province.

If nine semi independent federal units are created as the TNA envisages, the Up-country Tamils will be split into scattered communities living in Sinhala dominated provinces. The same thing happes to the Muslims living outside the north and east. What meets the needs of the Muslims and the Up-country Tamils is the unitary state where they can use their electoral strength for a share of power at the center. They may not openly voice their stand out of consideration for the sensibilities of the northern Tamil parties. But through studied indifference they make it impossible for the TNA’s agenda to move forward. So even if the TNA once again persuades the Tamil voter to vote for Sajith to get federalism bordering on independence, once again, it will be the same story. So the more skeptical approach taken by Ponnambalam and Wigneswaran is well founded.

Courtesy Adaderana

Courtesy Adaderana

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s frontrunner for the upcoming presidential election, Gotabaya Rajapaksa assures that any form of extremist terrorism will not be allowed in Sri Lanka.

Speaking at a public meeting held in Pannala, Rajapaksa also emphasized that he will not let anyone attempting to segregate this sovereign country.

This is the reason we had to reject the proposals made by the extremist Tamil political parties,” Rajapaksa pointed out.

Attending another rally at Alawwa, Rajapaksa stated the Police service must be expanded in order to make it efficient and to introduce an 8-hour working shift for police officers.

We established an outstanding hospital for the military, likewise we expect to build one for the Police,” he promised.

Police service will be made a people-friendly service, Rajapaksa said further.

The country needs an excellent Police service to make certain that terrorism, drug menace and underworld figures do not have the opportunity for a revival, he stressed.

By Aruni Mallawarachchi Courtesy Ceylon Today

UPFA Member of Parliament Prasanna Ranatunga says those accused of involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks and bank thieves are all on Sajith Premadasa’s stage.

Excerpts:

How is the election campaign of your faction coming along?Are you satisfied with the progress?

A: We see that the people are working towards the victory of Gotabaya Rajapaksa with huge expectations and massive commitment. We have held a series of meetings at village and divisional level and have successfully declared open several campaign offices in these areas. We were able do all this ahead of time because Gotabaya Rajapaksa was named as the SLPP candidate for the Presidential Election early. As a result we were able to prepare for it in time. But we are still having a problem with fulfilling all our tasks as time is limited.

Although you named your candidate ahead of time, it is not easy to maintain the heat of the election, isn’t it?

A: Actually when we consider the situation that prevails now, we are running out of time. I am of the opinion that the time period given to carry out an election campaign is not adequate. The reason is there are so many rallies that must be organised. We do not have enough time to hold all of them. There are only about twenty days left. For someone like me, the time given to work within my district is inadequate. It would have been better if there was more time given to us to campaign at electorate level. 

What is your opinion regarding the President being ‘neutral’?

A: I think that his stance is good. When you consider how he acted in conjunction with the UNP after winning the election as the common candidate and how the people reacted to his move, I think he made the correct decision. He said so himself.

We saw certain sections of the crowd hooting at SLFP members at meetings held by your coalition. Why can’t you put a stop to things like that?

A: This was something that had been planned and carried out by a certain group. I am saying this for a reason. There was no room left for such a thing to happen at the meeting we held in Kadawatha. We strengthened our security to face such a situation. At the Party Leaders’ meeting Mahinda Rajapaksa said something like this could take place in Kadawatha during the rally. But we did not allow such an incident to take place in Kadawatha. That is why I said that this was being carried out by an organised group. I do not think it will happen in the future. 

It seems as if the people do appreciate certain politicians from the SLFP joining hands with the SLPP?

A: Now, see who is on our opponent’s stage. There are people like Rauff Hakeem and Rishad Bathiudeen. They are people who have connections with those who carried out the Easter Sunday attacks. They worked for the past four and a half years as extremists. The entire country is aware of that. These are the type of people who are on Sajith Premadasa’s stage. The other groups are those who robbed the Central Bank. Sujeewa Senasinghe, who wrote a book trying to justify the incident, Ajith Perera and others who put footnotes, Ravi Karunanayake and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are all on his stage. The TNA, which is trying to create disunity and divide this country, is also going to support NDF Candidate Sajith Premadasa.

When the people see the kind of people supporting Sajith Premadasa they want to join us and ensure victory of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. His brother Mahinda was defeated in 2015 because of wrongs committed by certain politicians of the type you mentioned who were in our government. If the Local Government election had been held first then, the people would have sent these persons packing. But since the Presidential Election was expedited, they thought that victory was assured and they would also escape punishment, but they were wrong. 

What was the delay in introducing your Election Manifesto?

A: When the SLFP joined us we had to consider their proposals as well when preparing the Election Manifesto. What they had proposed were mostly things that benefitted the country. We gave room for those too. 

Although Sajith was named the Candidate of the UNP he still has no viable plan for the country. Not only is he deceiving the people when he speaks at election rallies, but the promises he is making can never be achieved and are fairytales or as we say in Sinhala Chun Katha. He is playing to the gallery. It shows he does not have a proper programme of work planned out. 

After this Government came into power, the President, Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance have brought in 16 financial statements within three and a half years. The economy has collapsed as a result. But if we take over the Government even tomorrow, we have a programme in mind. It is this programme our Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa speaks about on stages across the country. 

Gotabaya Rajapaksa said fertiliser will be given free of charge. If the fertiliser is to be given free of charge, a sum of between 35-40 billion rupees will have to be spent. When such promises are given, critics would argue you have no knowledge either about the Gross National Income or the budget deficit. 

A: The fertiliser subsidy was provided by our Government. When Mahinda Rajapaksa was President the cost of a bag of fertiliser was Rs. 350. What Gotabaya Rajapaksa said was that we can provide the fertiliser subsidy and increase agri-products in the country which will enable us to export our products to a large number of countries including the Middle-East and earn a huge income through that. So, even if the fertiliser is given free  he said it will not be a loss. 

Persons such as S. B. Dissanayake who is now in your camp have mentioned that people like Hizbullah are with you?

A: S. B. Dissanayake represented the SLFP before joining us. Subsequent to that statement we issued a very clear statement that Hizbullah was not connected to us. Certain things utterred on political stages are their own views. The SLPP cannot take the responsibility for it. If the leader of our Party or the Media Spokesman of the Party had made such a statement we could have been held responsible for it. S.B. Dissanayake represented a separate group, Hizbullah was with the SLFP in the past. It must have been about that that S. B. was mentioning. 

Do you not think that the press briefing held recently at the Shangri-La Hotel was disadvantageous to you?

A: I think the event went off very well. We set a precedent through that. The message that given was that when Gotabaya becomes President, he will not embrace power himself but decentralise powers. Is it the same with Sajith Premadasa? He always speaks about what he hopes to achieve and his goals and dreams. Therefore, I think that that media briefing was very successful. Rather than a single individual rising to the top, the support of the entire group was highlighted there. 

How is the work on the Alliance with several other smaller parties that have gathered around the SLPP going?

A: At this moment attention is mainly focused on the Presidential Election. But after that, based on the agreements we have with the other parties involved, how to proceed will be decided at a Party Leaders’ meeting along with how we will contest the upcoming General Election. I think the Alliance will be formed prior to the General Election. 

You are said to be preparing to obtain more positions for the Pohottuwa within that Alliance? Why are you all trying out for a limited number of positions?

A: Today the main Party in the new alliance is the SLPP. Therefore we need to have more say in what happens within the alliance.We are of the opinion that leadership roles should be granted to both former Presidents as well.

Until Parliament is dissolved in March, Ranil Wickremesinghe will remain the Prime Minister. If Gotabaya Rajapaksa becomes President would he appoint someone else to that position immediately?

A: I will tell you my personal opinion. I objected during the 51-day Government. The reason is because it is not suitable to change heads and take over the political leadership of a Party. When Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins the Presidency the entire Cabinet including the Prime Minister will have to resign. Then the authority to appoint a Prime Minister will revert to the President. If we can obtain a majority at that time, we will do so. The Party will decide whether it will be Mahinda Rajapaksa or someone else. If someone inquires about my personal opinion, I would say that Mahinda Rajapaksa is the ideal candidate for this post. It will be a great source of strength to Gotabaya to have his brother as the Prime Minister. At the same time, I believe that it will be possible to dissolve Parliament by March next year and obtain a majority at a Parliamentary Election and Mahinda Rajapaksa will get the opportunity to become the Prime Minister of this country. That is the expectation of the people of this country. The Party should decide whether a change should be brought about during the period from November to January. Therefore it is necessary for Gotabaya to become President.

As soon as Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins people will line the streets with betel leaves looking for positions and portfolios.

In addition to what you mentioned, a problem could arise if two persons from the SLFP and the SLPP come forward to contest one electorate?

A: We have not made a decision as to whether we will contest together or separately, as yet. We will make a decision at the appropriate time. 

Your candidate said that the Cabinet will be reduced to 30 members when he wins. Even though it is good for the country, is it practical?

A: Problems will arise. That is why I said a large number from the UNPers will contest together with us at the next Parliamentary Election and ask for membership through the National List. My suggestion is that membership through the National List should be given to persons who have a practical knowledge of the problems that exist in the country and those who have an understanding about the subjects coming under them. If not, granting memberships through the National List to useless persons will mean having to face allegations from the people, which happened last time. They should ask themselves what they have actually achieved on behalf of the nation to warrant such a privilege.

There are those who accuse the Rajapaksas of taking control of the Party and keeping hold of power by sharing it amongst themselves. They question whether there is no other alternative for the SLPP?

A: The first thing is that a majority of people in this country voted in favour of Mahinda Rajapaksa. When he was defeated in 2015 the people said they needed him to govern the country again. The Rajapaksas earned that respect mostly because they ended the war. With the passing of the 19th Amendment Mahinda was unable to contest again, so the people asked for Gotabaya. Therefore, the Rajapaksas were requested for by the people.

People who are jealous of family dynasties are those who do not have families. They are the ones who accuse the Rajapaksas of nepotism. Ranil Wickremesinghe who speaks about such things does not even have children. Even though Sajith Premadasa talks about nepotism his father was once the President of this country. Sajith came into politics following in the footsteps of his father. However, after him there is no one to carry on his legacy since he does not have children. Patali Champika’s wife and children do not live together with him anymore as he and his wife have separated. Write all this without fear! Such persons are the ones who are talking about nepotism today. Those who talk most about this are people who do not have families and are jealous of those who do. 

Are minority votes going to be a decisive factor at the upcoming Presidental Poll?

A: Yes.

If that is so, most of the politicians who represent the minorities are gathered around your opponent. As you yourself said Rishad Bathiudeen, Rauff Hakeem and even the TNA have pledged their support to him. Therefore, what strategy do you have to win them over to your side or can you win without the support of the minorities?

A: The people of our country are intelligent. Rishad Bathiudeen and Rauff Hakeem are not leaders who represent the general Muslim people in the country. They are leaders of groups which represent Muslim extremists. With the intention of achieving their political objectives they arouse racism. The Tamil National Alliance only obtained 33% of the votes at the Local Government elections in their electorates. The Tamils in general are not in favour of the TNA. The leaders of political parties who represent conservative Muslims and Tamils are on our side. 

UNP members who did not like Ranil, have reawakened with Sajith Premadasa becoming the Presidential Candidate. Couldn’t that reawakening be a disadvantage to your candidate?

A: The UNP obtained only 3.5 million votes at the Local Government Elections. There is no reason to hope that it will increase this time round as well. People know very well what happened since they came to power. If there was a re-awakening, would there be hooting taking place in Laggala? It was members of the UNP who hooted the leadership. The people of Laggala decided that if Ranil Wickremesinghe contested they would not vote for him.

Although they decided to vote for Sajith, when it was announced that Ranil will be made Prime Minister should Premadasa become President, they objected. Even if he becomes Opposition Leader after defeat or the Party Leader, UNP leaders are against it. That is why people hooted while they were on stage together. Therefore their campaign will soon collapse. The second fact is that Sajith Premadasa does not have a programme of work. When we see what is posted on Facebook, it is apparent that Sajith Premadasa has become a joke. He is not actually suited to be President. He is suitable to be the palace clown and crack jokes when the President is bored.

(Pic by Gemunu Wellage)

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස මහතා ප්‍රමුඛ නව ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පෙරමුණ මෙවර ජනාධිපතිවරණයේදී බලය ඉල්ලා සිටින්නේ 2015 දී උතුරට ලබාදුන් පොරොන්දු ඉටු කිරීමට බව අමාත්‍ය රාජිත සේනාරත්න මහතා පවසනවා.

ඔහු මේ බව සඳහන් කළේ අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතාගේ ප්‍රධානත්වයෙන් වව්නියාවේදී පැවති වැඩසටහනකදී.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

වත්මන් ආණ්ඩුවේ ඊනියා මාධ්‍ය නිදහස – අප අද ජනතා මතය විමසන්නේ ඒ පිළිබඳවයි.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

දෙමළ දේශපාලන පක්ෂවල ඉල්ලීම් ප්‍රතික්ෂේප කිරීමට සිදුවූයේ එකඟවිය හැකි කරුණු එහි ඇතුළත් නොවීම හේතුවෙන් බව ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂක ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ පවසනවා.

ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණේ ජනාධිපතිවරණ රැළියකට කුරුණෑගල – කටුගම්පොල ප්‍රදේශයේදී එක්වෙමින් ඔහු මේ බව කියා සිටියා.

එම ජන රැළියට විපක්ෂ නායක මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ, පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී අනුර ප්‍රියදර්ශන යාපා, පිවිතුරු හෙළ උරුමයේ ප්‍රධාන ලේකම් පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී උදය ගම්මන්පිල ඇතුළු පිරිසක් එක්ව සිටියා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

හිටපු ජනාධිපතිනි චන්ද්‍රිකා බණ්ඩාරනායක කුමාරණතුංග වර්තමානයේදී මීට වඩා බුද්ධිමත්ව කටයුතු කළ යුතු යැයි විපක්ෂ නායක මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ පවසනවා.

විපක්ෂ නායකවරයා මේ බව කියා සිටියේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය මාතලේ – නාවුල ප්‍රදේශයේ අද සංවිධානය කර තිබූ ජන හමුවකට එක්වෙමින්.

මේ අතර, පක්ෂ තීන්දුවට එරෙහිව ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂක සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාසට සහය පළ කිරීම සඳහා ගිවිසුමකට අත්සන් තැබීම හේතුවෙන් හිටපු ජනාධිපතිනී චන්ද්‍රිකා බණ්ඩාරනායක කුමාරණතුංග ඇතුළු පිරිසකගේ පක්ෂ සාමාජිකත්වය අහෝසි කිරීමට පියවර ගන්නා බව නිදහස් පක්ෂ මහලේකම් පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී දයාසිරි ජයසේකර ප්‍රකාශ කළා.

ඊට අදාළ අවසන් තීන්දුවට ලබන අඟහරුවාදා පස්වරුවේ රැස්වන ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂ මධ්‍යම කාරක සභා රැස්වීමේදී එළඹෙන බවයි මන්ත්‍රීවරයා හිරු ප්‍රවෘත්ති අංශයට කියා සිටියේ.

ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂක සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස සමඟ හිටපු ජනාධිපතිනිය ඇතුළු දේශපාලන පක්ෂ කිහිපයක් එක්සත් ජාතික පෙරමුණ යටතේ සන්ධානගතවීමට අදාළව ඊයේ අවබෝධතා ගිවිසුමකට අත්සන් තබනු ලැබුවා.

ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂ මහලේකම්වරයා චෝදනා කළේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය විනාශ කිරීමේ කටයුත්තක හිටපු ජනාධිපතිනිය මේ වනවිට නිරතව සිටින බවයි

Ever since a regime change was choreographed in 2015 January, the US has been using its lackeys in government to exert tremendous influence in 3 areas – Sri Lanka‘s economy, Sri Lanka‘s Parliament and Sri Lanka‘s armed forces. Based on media articles, press releases and whatever other information has been made available to the public, an overview of the extent to which Sri Lanka’s sovereignty has been compromised can be deduced. Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation and Sri Lanka must uphold that sovereign status. Any new government must understand the fundamentals of what it means to be sovereign and ensure national policy is drafted to ensure that and for any gain that sovereignty is not compromised.

Timelines:

1950s – United States Information Service (USIS) set up cultural centers in Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna (objective to instill American values” among Sri Lankans – 5 live concerts also held

1951 – US-Ceylon agreement for Voice of America station to broadcast to all of Asia

1952 – US- Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission founded – scholarships awarded for postgraduate studies to US

1956 – US objects to Rubber-Rice pact with China (which JRJ opposed too) & cuts off aid as punishment. US forced France, Italy & Japan to withhold supply of Sulphur fungicide needed for rubber plantations.

1950s – when Sri Lanka sought Rs.50 aid US refused

1977 – President Jayawardene   permitted US naval ships to enter Trincomalee and wanted to give the Trincomalee oil tanks to America.  Voice of America started to broadcast from Iranawila.

2004 – US tried to persuade Sri Lanka to sign US Tropical Forestry Conservation Act of 1998 (claiming to reduce debt by allowing a committee of representatives from US & INGOs to manage forest – if signed US would control our forest assets, have exclusive access to our medicinal plants) heavy protests stopped signing of agreement.

US support to Tamil separatism

US envoy James Spain told Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister not to refuse India’s Indo-Lanka Agreement (Izeth Hussein)

We were hounded & intimidated by the US to stop the war against the LTTE” (envoy N. Godage)

US used satellites to spy on Sri Lanka during final conflict to incriminate them for war crimes

US allegedly tried to rescue trapped Prabakaran using US ship in May 2009.

US did not expect LTTE to be annihilated. US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations sent 2 Senators to Sri Lanka in Nov 2009 – they reported – Rajapakse was a threat to US as he was drifting towards China. US was advised to adopt a ‘less confrontational approach’.

ANTI-US sentiments has a background

USA has supported dictators like Pinochet, Marcos, Suharto, Somoza, Pol pot.

Both Saddam Hussein & Osama Bin Laden were former CIA agents

US has been involved directly/indirectly covertly/overtly in coups, invasions, regime change, election interferences etc.

US was the only country to drop the atomic bomb twice (on Japan) and used chemical agent Orange in Vietnam which continues to disable Vietnam children. 5

US is part of the secretive intelligence alliance called – FIVE EYES” (UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, US) Singapore also partners with them.

The 5 Eyes became 9 Eyes with Denmark, France, Holland, Norway joining. Then 14 Eyes with Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain & Sweden joining.

US & Asia / China’s Maritime Silk Route

US interests were on the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, South East Asia (5 out of 7 US security alliances are with Asia-Pacific countries / defense pacts with 69 countries which account for 75% of world economy)

With China’s focus on Indian Ocean, the strategic location of Sri Lanka came into play as Sri Lanka had the ability to control or impede free flow of resources to & from China. Half the world’s container traffic passes Sri Lanka. US needed a weak Sri Lanka to dominate & force its presence.

US & Yahapalana (themes used: US committed to peace, reconciliation, accountability)

Immediately after overthrowing Rajapakse govt US indicated its role in regime change.

John Kerry Secretary of State arrived in May 2015 Your country sits at the crossroads of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. The Indian Ocean is the world’s most important commercial highway. And with its strategic location near deep-water ports in India and Myanmar, Sri Lanka could serve as the fulcrum of a modern and dynamic Indo-Pacific region….. The US could play a leadership role in making this happen”.

Regime Change in Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Burma cost $585 from US Complex Crisis Fund (CCF) of which USAID gave $3.4m to Yahapalana’s 100 day program.

Yahapalana visits to US

Jun2016 – PM Ranil paid a quiet visit to New York – reason given to the Sri Lanka public was that Wickremesinghe was visiting New York for medical purposes – he went to meet two officials from the White House. PM Ranil also addressed the United Nations Ocean Conference & you cannot address a conference without it being planned ahead.

Sept 2016 – Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to Washington to sign agreement with J. Roskam, Chairman House Democracy Partnership, of House of Representatives.

Sept2018 – Sagala Ratnayake Minister of Youth Affairs and Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister visited USA & met Thornberry, also Ted Yoho, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, as well as senior officials of the National Security Council, the Department of State, the Department of Defence, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). 

Visits of US officials to Sri Lanka

• 2014 – Stephen J. Rapp , the US Ambassador on War Crimes – Rapp heads the Office of Global Criminal Justice at the US State Department.
• July, August, December 2015 – Nisha Biswal, US Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs  
• July 2015 -Tom Malinowsky US Assistant Secretary for Democracy & Human Rights  
• November 2015– Samantha Power, US ambassador to the UN   
• December 2015 -Thomas Shannon Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
• Jul2016 – Nisha Biswal, Assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, had visited Sri Lanka six times by July 2016
• Feb2017 – US House of Representative delegation (3days) part of House Democracy Partnership (HDP) program in which 20member US House of Representatives work directly with partner countries. 8-member delegation from Democrats & Republicans. US signed a Collaboration Agreement with Sri Lanka’s Parliament on 14 September 2016 in Washington.
• March2017 – US Congress delegation visits Hambantota Port & Yala National Sanctuary. US Sri Lanka sign 2 programs –
• Aug2017 – Alice Wells US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs meets government officials, business leaders and civil society representatives. She joins candlelight vigil at Vihara Maha Devi Park, to mark the UN Day of the victims of Enforced Disappearances accompanied by US Ambassador in Colombo Atul Keshap & joined by the top representatives of the Tamil National Alliance
• Sept2017 – Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Mark Linscott to ask SL Govt to implement policies that will increase trade and improve the business climate he wanted 1 year resident visa for foreigners changed to 3 years.
• Sept2017 – Alice Wells Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, told a Congressional Sub Committee, the US was seriously concerned over unsustainable debt burden on Sri Lanka due to non-concessional loans from China” US was the largest grant provider of assistance channeled primarily to NGOs working to the US agenda
• 2017 – Rear Admiral Donald D. Gabrielson, of the US Navy, declared at the Galle Dialogues that every country should be cautious when working with China for want of transparency in certain engagements.
• 2017 – 5 member USAID team led by Davnie Eston arrived to map out how USAID could collaborate on ventures of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce including working with private sector.
• Feb2019 – Thomas J. Vajda US Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State dealing with South and Central Asia  
• May 2019 – former envoy Robert Blake visits Sri Lanka  
• June 2019 – US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo but last minute visit was cancelled due to public uproar over US controversial pacts
• October 2019 – US State Dept holds ‘Human Rights in South Asia” hearing on Burma and Congressman Brad Sherman announced they would focus on human rights situation in Sri Lanka too.

US funding projects to realign their agenda in Sri Lanka

• $135m for Youth Empowerment grants covering over 100 programs since 2010 (leadership training / advancing ‘rights of marginalized communities’
• US Senate Committee sought $43m ($35m economic support fund / $6.8m non-proliferation and anti-terrorism & $500,000 in foreign military financing and $500,000 for training military personnel
• US plan was to work with YOUTH, use civil society groups (indirectly to create subversive groups)
• $1m for 2 projects – strengthen media / reconciliation identifying youth & women
• 2016 -$13.7m by USAID to 8 civil society organization to ‘strengthen accountability & good governance) (SDGAP) administered by private US company – Development Alternative Inc (DAI) – a CIA front’ Office of Transition Initiatives(OTI). DAI is set up to destabilize governments. SDGAP project is not subject to Sri Lankan law but to the laws and regulations of the US. SDGAP does not come under the purview of Sri Lanka’s Auditor General. DAI also plans to ‘engage’ with the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (Public Service) Note: SDGAP also implemented in Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia and Mongolia. USAID STAIR program in AG’s dept (project claiming to reform public financial management)
• 2016 – US plan to provide aid to Jayawardenapura University to document historical buildings in Galle Fort. Cheryl Edison arrived in 2017 & was holding free classes for representatives from ICTA – SLASSCOM and held seminars for University students from Jayawardenapura & University of Jaffna.
• 2017 – Youth Climate Summit funded by US embassy
• Feb2017 – Mojo, an American band arrive on a U.S. Embassy sponsored visit – public performances in Jaffna and Colombo; workshops for music students; and master classes for Sri Lankan musicians.
• 2.3m aid offered for flood victims – disaster experts from USAIDOFDA and Civil Military Support Element attached to US embassy also involved.
• Sri Lanka to receive only US$ 3.38 million for its USAID programmes in 2018, a drop of 92% percent from 2016
• March2017 – 2 programs signed Strengthened Partnership for Democratic Reform & Social Integration” & Increased & Equitable Growth and Public Financial Management”
• 23 Aug2019 – The Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade together with the USAID-SAIL project hosted a Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on Global Trade for businessman in Kandy District at Hotel Suisse, Kandy.

Other notable CIA fronts include

International Republican Institute (IRI),

National Endowment for Democracy (NED),

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI),

Freedom House

These organizations transfer US funds to opposition parties and other pro-American groups in countries of strategic interest, using the pretext of ‘promoting democracy’.  

The OTI’s charter is to finance civil society groups (NGOs) for use in their subversive activities including regime change in strategically important nations with governments unwilling to succumb to US dictates.

US & USAID INTERFERENCE in Sri Lanka (YOUTH – WOMEN TARGETS)

5-member USAID team led by Davnie Eston arrived in 2017 and mapped out ways and means in which USAID could collaborate on ventures of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. We are empowered to work with the private sector” said USAID.

USAID was asked to improve the soft skills of Lanka Sathosa personnel

Sept2017 – U.S. Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program and the World Customs Organization (WCO) trained 34 Customs Officials from Sri Lanka in strategic trade controls 

October2017 – USAID & business leaders and Sri Lankan Government launched the $12m ‘You Lead’. a new employability and skills development project to create a more market-oriented, skilled and flexible youth workforce (ages 16 to 35). You Lead’s regional focus is on the provinces with the highest youth unemployment, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and Northern Provinces. 

USAID YouLead” program and Microsoft Sri Lanka signed a partnership to launch the new $12m YouthWorks” information technology portal at the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training in Colombo).

YouLead is implemented by the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) and administered by the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA).

YouLead will work with Microsoft, the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training, and the private sector to develop and upload content for the YouthWorks portal in Sinhala, Tamil and English. The portal is currently being used in 18 countries

Mar2018 – U.S. Embassy launched American Innovation Hub (iHub) in partnership with the Matara District Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The iHub is located in the Matara Chamber of Commerce building. The iHub offers thematic programs, all free of charge, and a selection of U.S. books and DVDs. It is intended to promote English language learning, encourage study in the United States, and introduce the local community to American culture and values. (American English – American VALUES!)

The U.S. Embassy also has American Spaces in Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna. These locations offer books, DVDs, English language programs, entrepreneurship programs, U.S. speakers, and more.

2017 USAID funded a project for more female representation in local government bodies.

Harvard Centre for International Development (HCID) helping Sri Lanka to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) promoting emerging exports, targeting new non-existent industries, identifying and engaging with potential new investors, fixing the investment climate for new emerging industries and figuring out how to create new tourist destinations.

BOI staff receiving training programmes conducted by Harvard University’s Centre for International Development, McKinsey Consulting and the World Bank Group.

USAID funding project in Election Commission with Vasu Mohan being a paid member

US EMBASSY INTERFERING IN SRI LANKA’S ELECTIONS

US intervened in Presidential Elections in Jan2010 and Jan2015

Former US Envoy Michelle Sisson openly talking politics at embassy functions – she had insisted that the candidate to challenge Mahinda Rajapaksa should not be a UNP candidate but a common candidate

US Senate Dept finance report (2016) – US invested $585m in 2015 for regime change in Myanmar, Sri Lanka & Nigeria under ‘Democracy, Human Rights & Governance’. US focus was to partner with civil society, citizen’s movements, faith leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators.

USAID had given $3.4m to Yahapalana’s 100-day program from the US Complex Crisis Fund (Hassina Leelaratne – America’s Freedom of Information Act)

US INTERFERING IN SRI LANKA’S CONSTITUTION

MP Keheliya Rambukwella said ‘there is no point in debating the interim report of the Constitutional Assembly Steering Committee as the final draft of the new constitution has already been prepared by the US and given to the government.  A group of Sri Lankan MPs including me visited the US recently. We were attending a Congress meeting on Sri Lankan affairs. David Price, a US Congressman, told us that the US had prepared the final draft of the new constitution and sent it to the Sri Lankan government” Price said almost everybody had accepted the draft except a bunch led by Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

US interfering in Sri Lanka’s Parliament

1. House Democracy Partnership (a bipartisan, twenty-member commission of the U.S. House of Representatives) of the US House of Representatives launched a Collaboration Agreement with the Parliament of Sri Lanka.  Speaker Karu Jayasuriya signed for Sri Lanka. The purpose was to strengthen partnership between the two legislatures – exchange of information on the legislative systems of each country, sharing knowledge, and offering consultations on effective legislative management; and cooperating and assisting each other through training programs for the members and staff of the legislatures. The program is operating in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Colombia, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, Timo-Leste and Ukraine.

2. US-Sri Lanka Open Government Partnership (Oct2015)

Sri Lanka is the only South Asian participating country in the OGP.

To be eligible for OGP governments must demonstrate commitment to open government principles in – Fiscal Transparency, Access to Information, Income and Asset Disclosures, and Citizen Engagement.

Sri Lanka is supposed to have scored 14 of a total of 16 points.

The NGOs involved in the OGP in Sri Lanka –  Center for Policy Alternatives, (CPA) International center for Ethnic studies (ICES), Sarvodaya, Transparency International, Management Development Centre and Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA).

3. ‘Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project’ (SDGAP) a $13.7m project for the reform of Sri Lanka’s public sector. US has selected Development Alternatives, Inc (DAI) of Maryland, to implement the project.

DAI would work closely with Sri Lanka’s Parliament, Independent Commissions and related ministries.

USAID allocated $3 million for project in September 2016 and the program was launched in November 2016. 

SDGAP was subject to the laws and regulations of the United States, with oversight from USAID’s Office of Inspector General.

SDGAP claims to help GOSL increase transparency, accountability, good governance, strengthen systems and processes for public accountability & policy development.

June2019 – Prasad Kariyawasam was appointed by Parliament as an International Affairs advisor to the Speaker – first time a Speaker has had such an advisor and such a position did not exist in the list of officials in Parliament while being paid by a foreign country. Speaker Karu admitted that Kariyawasam was paid by DAI – Development Alternatives Institute (a CIA front) & implementing agency for USAID. DAI is paying the salaries of Prasad Kariyawasam and G. Hettiarachchi former Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration.

DAI had given Rs.2000m for Parliamentary Diplomacy program which funds MPs for ‘study tours’ overseas.

Due to objections in July 2019 Speaker Karu informed that Prasad Kariyawasam’s salary would be paid by Parliament funds reconfirming he was paid by foreign funding.

PrasadK had also arranged to have ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries to meet Speaker Karu though this task has to be done by Foreign Ministry or Foreign Secretary. The IGP and Intelligence chief was also summoned by the Speaker, another first. How can PrasadK run a parallel operation which should be done by the Foreign Ministry?

4. US / Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue – strengthen and enhance bilateral relations in the widest sense. 

US INTERFERING IN PUBLIC SECTOR – National Labor Advisory Committee (NLAC)

July2017 – Govt informs decision to appoint World Group on Labor Law Reforms proposed by Ministry of Development Strategies & International Trade in collaboration with USAID. Trade Unions objected claiming the Ministry nor USAID had any right to intervene in reforming labor laws in Sri Lanka.

US INTERFERENCE IN SRI LANKA’S LAW & ORDER

US State Department Special Project made provision for a Resident Legal Advisor in Colombo to provide anti-corruption and asset recovery training and also support the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC)

(The Global Forum on Asset Recovery: Assistance for Combating Corruption in Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Ukraine)

US PEACE CORPS IN SRI LANKA

Feb2018   Yahapalana signed an agreement with the US to re-establish a US Peace Corps programme in Sri Lanka. first 25 American Peace Corps Volunteers to arrive in late 2019 and undergo three months of comprehensive cultural, language and technical training before they are given their assignments to serve for two years.  Peace Corp volunteers will focus on supporting the Education Ministry, schools, and community groups in coordination with the Sri Lankan English Teachers’ Association.  They will be given diplomatic privileges The Diplomatic Privileges Act provisions have been invoked to accord equitable treatment to the Volunteers and persons performing functions under contract with the Peace Corps and their dependents. Government will provide to the Peace Corps the same exemptions with respect to taxes on payments that they receive to defray their living costs, on income derived from their officials duties, and on income from other sources outside Sri Lanka; customs duties or other charges on their personal property introduced into Sri Lanka for their own use; and all other taxes or other charges (including immigration/visa fees), except licence fees as provided to members of the administrative and technical staff of the Embassy of the United States in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

GOSL will exempt all taxes (including value-added taxes) customs duties, and other charges all equipment, supplies, and other goods and services introduced into or acquired in Sri Lanka by the US Government or any contractor financed by it, for use to enable the US Government to discharge its responsibilities under this agreement.

GOSL will exempt such persons, members of their families forming part of their households who are not citizens or permanent residents of Sri Lanka from all taxes or income derived from their Peace Corps work or other sources outside Sri Lanka, from all customs duties and other charges on their personal property introduced into Sri Lanka for their own use, and from all other taxes or other charges (including immigration/visa fees) except license fees.

Why is America arriving to teach English to remote Sri Lanka so close to elections?

US Peace Corps was in Sri Lanka from 1962-64 / 1967-70 / 1983-1998

PM Sirimavo Bandaranaiake kicked them out after she became PM in 1970. They came back with every UNP govt.

US Peace Corps evolved from a CIA Front known as International Voluntary Services Inc. (IVS), during war against Vietnam. The US Peace Corps has been expelled from a number of countries for spying for the CIA and covert activities, meddling in local politics, and running drugs.

In September 2017, Cambodia’s Prime Minister demanded the withdrawal of the US Peace Corps for conspiring with the opposition leader Kem Sokha to overthrow his government.

In 1965, Indonesia ordered US Peace Corps out after 16 months.

In 1966, Guinea asked PCs to leave.

In 1967, Mauritania asked PCs to leave.

Pakistan and India also refused to renew approval of PC projects in their countries in the early 1970s.

Burkina Faso Peace Corps programme was closed in 2017

US INTERFERENCE IN SRI LANKA’S MILITARY

US-Sri Lanka Military Collaborations

• 2002 – US Pacific Command team invited to report on the Sri Lanka armed forces
• 2012 US officials in Colombo meet business executives representing companies importing/exporting to/from US. The US embassy wanted regular feedback about security related matters in SL. The meeting was sponsored by the Overseas Security Advisory Council of the US State Department which looked after US business interest.
• 2015 – Sri Lanka Marine Corps set up
• 2016 – Head of the US Pacific Command Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr. even attended the Sri Lanka Navy’s Galle Dialogue 2016.
• US 7^th fleet in Trincomalee – held joint public concerts at the Galle Fort, Tangalle City Centre, Hambantota Beach Park, Bata Atha Agro Park, Matara Beach Park and several schools. Pacific Partnership team attended a pinkama at Ambalantota  Sunadararamaya.
• Mar2016 – USS Blue Ridge (first US ship to arrive) arrived with over 900 sailors (many felt Sri Lanka was being turned into another Philippines by US)
• Jul2016– USS New Orleans visited    
• Aug2016 – 1^st US-SL operational level bilateral defense dialogue
• Aug2016 -US war ship USS Frank Cable, a submarine tender vessel
• Aug2016 – US Pacific commands Operation Pacific Angels stayed a week in Jaffna providing medical care to 4000 people and renovating 6 schools.
• Nov2016 – Theatre Security Cooperation (TSC) project with Sri Lankan Navy’s newly formed marine force & US 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
• Dec2016 – US navy Poseidon aircraft, an advanced US maritime patrol aircraft, left Mattala   
• Jan2017 – US guided missile destroyer USS Hopper arrived on a goodwill visit 
• March2017 – USS ‘Comstock’ arrived for a four-day training workshop at Colombo harbor. ‘USS Comstock’ is part of the 7th fleet.  This is the third such military-to-military exchange between U.S. Sailors and Marines and their Sri Lankan counterparts in the past 12 months, the authorities observed, ‘and this will form the basis of further cooperation between our militaries.’
• Mar2017 – USNS ‘Fall River’ a transport ship of U.S. Pacific Fleet arrived in Port of Hambantota to engage in the first Pacific Partnership goodwill mission. Chief of US Pacific Fleet, Rear Admiral Gabrielson said Sri Lanka was selected as the first of four nations for the 2017 Pacific Partnership programme because Sri Lanka government had made the request. The Pacific Partnership medical teams will join Sri Lankan doctors and nurses for training at the General Hospital and Nurses Training School in Hambantota, the Tissamaharama Base Hospital and other local clinics and hospitals. Free public medical and dental clinics in select cities. Some 325 US marines were in Sri Lanka.
• May2017 – Officers of the US 7th Fleet and Sri Lanka Navy met for 2^nd time at the Naval Headquarters – US wants to establish base in Trinco for its 7^th fleet (Island newspaper Sept2015)
• Jun2017 – 33 US army cadets from US Army Reserve Officers Training Corps arrive on familiarization tour visiting SL Military Academy, SF HQ, SL Light Infantry HQ, Regimental HQ of SL Engineers, Army School of Artillery at Minneriya
• 2017 -Institute of National Security Studies Sri Lanka (INSSSL) briefed a delegation from the Young Alakai Warriors of the U.S. Army Pacific on Security Challenges of Sri Lanka in the Next Decade” 
• Oct2017 Sri Lanka included to Cooperation Afloat Readiness & Training (CARAT) exercise in Trinco by US Navy & Marines.
• Oct2017 – A Group of US ships visit – warship USS Nimitz, cruiser USS Princeton, destroyers USS Howard, USS Shoup, USS Pinckney, USS Kidd. USS Nimitz is one of the world’s largest war ships – 23 stories high and 333meters long and accommodating 5000 US Marines. It was parked 150 nautical miles off Colombo.
• Oct2017 – 3rd Annual Colombo Air Symposium United States Air Force Major General James Eifet called for increased partnership and information sharing among nations in the Indo-Pacific region in the face of a nuclear threat from North Korea. Eifet castigated China over its claims in the South China Sea
• Galle Dialogue 2017 – Admiral Scott Swift, Pacific Fleet Commander expressed desire to expand military relations.
• Galle Dialogue 2017 Rear Admiral Donald D. Gabrielson, of the US Navy, declared that every country should be cautious when working with China for want of transparency in certain engagements.
• April2018 – A 17-member delegation of the United States Land Forces in the Pacific Command arrived in Sri Lanka for participation in ‘Land Forces Pacific Programme’ sessions. 
• 25April2018 – The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy” arrived in Trincomalee to conduct the 2018 Pacific Partnership mission.” Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. Personnel from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Peru, and Japan took part. USNS Mercy” contains 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000 bed hospital facility, digital radiological services, a medical laboratory, a pharmacy, an optometry lab, a CAT-scan and two oxygen producing plants. The ship is equipped with a helicopter deck capable of landing large military helicopters. The team successfully completed a cholecystectomy, or gall bladder removal, on a Sri Lankan citizen using a Da Vinci XI Robot Surgical System. This was the first time I have ever operated aboard a ship,” said Dr. Vyramuthu Varanitharan, a general surgeon at the Muttur Base Hospital. They also treated over 5,500 patients conducting medical clinics at various locations in and around Trincomalee in addition to over 500 veterinary surgeries and vaccinations. From medical clinics to free public concerts, our sailors will bring the best of America to local communities,”
• During the ship’s stay, USN doctors along with Lankan doctors performed 24 varying surgeries onboard, out of which the robotic surgery performed onboard was the 1st in the world. 
• Jun2018 – Sri Lanka participated for the 1^st time in biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) maritime exercise 2018 held in Hawaii and Southern California in June 2018.,
• Jun2018 Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake attended the US Army’s ‘LANPAC Symposium and Exposition’, organized by the Institute of Land Warfare in Honolulu, Hawaii. The theme was ‘The Future of Land Force Integration; Multilateral Approaches across the Indo-Pacific’. Army Commander called on US Army Commanding General, Pacific Command, General Robert B. Brown and discussed matters relating to continuing defence cooperation. Senanayake was also among the invitees to a special banquet, hosted by General Brown. Lieutenant General Senanayake’s retinue to Hawaii included Military Assistant to the Army Commander Colonel K.A.A. Udaya Kumara and Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Warrant Officer I.W.M.S.P. Wijesinghe, perhaps for the first time in the Army history in a Commander’s entourage”.
• US Air Force Airmen from across the Indo-Pacific met with their Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) counterparts at the SLAF Headquarters in Colombo. According to Maj. Gen. Eifert the engagement was very successful.
• June2018 –  Dr. Geoffrey F. Gresh, Department Head of International Security Studies – National Defense University in Washington, D.C and Associate Professor at the College of International Security Affairs (CISA), paid a courtesy call on Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne.  He was accompanied by LTC Douglas Hess, Defense attache, US Embassy.  
• Aug2018 Amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23), and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived at Trincomalee Port 
• Apri2019 – last joint US-SL naval exercise Cooperation afloat readiness and training exercise CARAT) saw participation of 2 US shops (USS Spruance & USS Millinocket) & SLNS Sayurala & SLNS Samudra participated.
• US embassy also wanted to have display of US Air Force aircraft in Colombo with an air parade over Galle Face Green but was disproved by the Foreign Ministry

Noteworthy:

US-India partnership to curtail China. US has even created a new region – ‘Indo-Asia-Pacific Region’, which includes the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

Jun2016 Joint trilateral military exercise US-India-Japan   

2016 US-India signed agreement allowing use of each other’s land, air, naval bases for repair & resupply.

2016 US-India military exercises near Indo-Sino border   

US National Defense Authorization Act 2017 recognizes India as a major US defense partner

Joint Naval Exercises

May 2018, delegation from the House Armed Services Committee of the U.S. Congress visited. The House Armed Services Committee, a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, is a powerful Committee, responsible for the supervision of armed forces and the Department of Defense. The delegation was led by its Chairman Mac Thornberry and US embassy arranged for them to meet civil society organizations and TNA privately.

June/Aug2018 – The world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise (Rim of the Pacific – RIMPAC) took place in the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California

Jul2018 – visit of US Army’s Pacific Region Head Gen. Robert B. Brown

Jul2018 The Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) exercise inaugurated at the Special Boat Squadron Training School (SBSTS) in Trincomalee. 

Jul2018 – third KDU-CNA Track 1.5 Dialogue on Naval at the Faculty of Graduate Studies, General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University (KDU). Discussing collaborative initiative between KDU and the Center for Naval Analysis (CNA), USA, facilitating interaction between the navies of Sri Lanka and the United States, along with the participation of relevant academics.

Aug2018 – United States to provide nearly $300 million in security assistance to improve security relationships across the Indo-Pacific region, including Sri Lanka announced Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo at the ASEAN Regional Forum 

Bay of Bengal Initiative launched – United States to ‘work with other partners in the Bay of Bengal, including Bangladesh 

Aug2018 U.S. Department of State announced approximately $39 million in Foreign Military Financing for Sri Lanka, pending Congressional approval

Aug2018 – The U.S. Coast Guard handed over a high endurance cutter, formerly the USCGC Sherman, to the Sri Lankan Navy

Aug2018 a joint humanitarian assistance mission called Pacific Angel, sponsored by US Pacific Command (USPACOM) at the Alagalla School in Vavuniya to provide humanitarian civic assistance and carry out civil-military operations in the Pacific region,

Air Logistics Hub concept using Sri Lanka’s strategic location to ensure the quick availability of relief supplies, equipment and other material when needed by the US and partner militaries and humanitarian organizations.

US INTERFERING IN SRI LANKA’S ECONOMY

US-Sri Lanka & Economy

25% of our exports go to US and 70% of that is garments.

Jan2016 – 3 year plan revealed at Sri Lanka Economic Forum by team led by Harvard University academic Ricardo Haussmann funded by Open Society Foundation head George Soros. (locals highlighted its dangers)

June2018 – US Dept of Agriculture with GOSL launched Market-Oriented Dairy Project to strengthen and grow SL’s dairy sector. The 4.5-year, US$14.1 million initiative is implemented by US-based International Executive Service Corps.

STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT (SOFA)

1995 US-SL sign agreement regarding status of US military personnel & civilian employees of the Department of Defense.  SOFA seeks to update 1995 agreement to include Annex B.

Jul2019 PM Ranil announced in Parliament that Govt was negotiating a fresh military deal with US replacing 1995 SOFA giving US military easier access to Sri Lanka.

US embassy Colombo sent new draft SOFA – a 5page document dated 28 Aug 2018 to Foreign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam who initiated discussions with support of Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. Discussions was between only US embassy & Foreign Ministry and excluded Ministry of Defense. The US draft claimed that the acceptance of the US draft by the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs constituted ‘acceptance’ of the GOSL as disclosed to a select local media by the US embassy Public Affairs Office.

President Sirisena responded by recalling Prasad Kariyawasam who returned on 31 Oct 2018 and SOFA was put on hold though negotiations continued.

May2019 – SOFA was listed for discussions at the SL-US Partnership Dialogue in Washington at which new Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana & US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed. Marapana sought to change 2 clauses – diplomatic immunity for US troops in Sri Lanka & subjecting all actions to US laws.

Jun2019 – President Sirisena declared he was against proposed SOFA & would not accept military agreements with US including SOFA. President Sirisena phoned Marapana in Washington & asked not to sign SOFA without his approval.

SOFA puts Sri Lanka’s independence, territorial integrity & freedom of action at stake. Treaty once signed is binding. The Agreement provides diplomatic immunity for US troops & contractors and employees of US armed forces. 

DANGERS OF SIGNING SOFA for SRI LANKA

(Sri Lanka Abdicating its Sovereignty & US legally invading Sri Lanka)

• Sri Lanka transformed into a US military facility – Signing SOFA means US does not require setting up a military base in Trincomalee because US has been given access to entire island. US will be using Sri Lanka’s territory as a permanent transit point for military activities.
• A virtual ‘separate state’ as US troops/officials/staff will run a defacto rule with US laws not abiding by Sri Lanka laws. Sri Lankan Govt, Parliament, Judiciary, Armed Forces, Police will have no control over US troops/contractors/employees in Sri Lanka
• American men/women and anyone working for America (individually or collectively) US troops wearing uniform will be able to enter / leave / remain /use their vehicles/vessels/aircrafts in any part of Sri Lanka and carry their weapons. US civil & armed personnel will be able to move anywhere across the island and be above Sri Lankan laws. US armed forces & civilian personnel will be governed by US laws not Sri Lankan laws but they will enjoy privileges, exemptions & immunities that even Sri Lanka’s President, Mahanayake Theros, Sri Lanka’s Judges or Generals do not have.
• US Defense Dept is also authorized to construct buildings and not be subject to any local taxes. Property / equipment, supplies, material, technology training will all be exempt from license, restrictions, customs duties, taxes or any charges within Sri Lanka.
• US Defense Dept is also authorized to construct buildings and not be subject to any local taxes. Property / equipment, supplies, material, technology training will all be exempt from license, restrictions, customs duties, taxes or any charges within Sri Lanka.
• Dept of Defense will be allowed to operate its own telecommunications systems. Use of radio spectrum will be functioning in parallel to Sri Lanka’s communication systems.
• The US list of contractors is open-ended and includes all contractors/their employees signed with the US Defense Dept in the future.

US envoy to Sri Lanka called SOFA the ‘Visiting Forces Agreement’ however Visiting Forces Act (VFA) of 1949 empowers Sri Lanka’s Head of State to declare emergencies & receive emergency assistance but there was red tape before allowing foreign forces into the country.

As per 1949 VFA US troops & civilian components in Sri Lanka were not subject to Sri Lankan criminal or civil laws.

There is no emergency in Sri Lanka to have any SOFA or VFA.

Acquisition and Cross-Servicing agreements (ACSA)

SOFA is a follow-up of the ACSA agreement (83page) signed by UNP Govt & USA in 2017. ACSA allows US troops to make use of any military bases & ports whenever they want & Sri Lankan Govt must provide necessary support. Joint training exercises under US directives. Our Armed Forces have to take orders from US Armed Forces hierarchy.

SOFA provides facilities & conditions to implement ACSA agreement. With SOFA US troops, support staff, contractors can enter Sri Lanka without visa or passport merely by showing their US identity card. They will not be checked. Their equipment will not be checked. Their civil/military planes, vessels, vehicles will not be checked and they can bring anything without paying any duties /levies or taxes.

Full text of draft SOFA agreement dated 28 Aug 2018 was published by Sunday Times on 30 June 2019

Why are these agreements kept secret from public before signing?

SALLYPORT – US firm offering jobs

SALLYPORT a US firm offering a comprehensive range of global protective, security & mission support solutions to both US govt and foreign allies of US govt as well as to private & commercial clients announced full time and part time jobs in Sri Lanka. Another company Michael Baker Global Service owned by Caliburn International is also outsourced protection of building materials, furniture, fixtures etc.

ACQUISITION AND CROSS SERVICING AGREEMENT (ACSA)

In 2002 US tried to finalize ACSA formerly known as ‘NATO Mutual Support Act’ with Sri Lanka after signing CFA on 21 February 2002 but failed.

ACSA is a bilateral agreement which involves combined exercises, training, deployments, allows US troops to obtain food, fuel, transport, ammunition (logistics supplies) – reimbursement in cash or in kind.

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage announced plans for ACSA after meeting with PM Ranil in Washington 2002 with Minister Milinda Moragoda playing a key role in the project. In December 2002 Ambassador Wills requested use of Sri Lanka’s port & air space to invade Iraq, Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando explained the country’s objection and ACSA was shelved.

Foreign Minister Kadiragamar visiting Washington in 2005 demanded that ACSA not to be included into agenda talks.

ACSA was signed in March 2007 (almost identical to ACSA US signed with Australia in 2010). ACSA Australia is a public document but ACSA Sri Lanka is not. US wanted it to be kept secret as it did not wish for Sri Lanka to request features in the agreement during the LTTE operation.

The agreement allowed US to transfer & exchange logistics, supplies, support & refueling during peace keeping missions, humanitarian operations or joint exercises. Excluded from 2007 ACSA were weapons systems such as missiles, naval mines, torpedoes, nuclear ammunition & items such as warheads, chemical ammunition etc. subject to the Atomic Energy Act 1954. US assured there would be no US bases in Sri Lanka. US provided vital information to the Sri Lanka Navy to apprehend 6 LTTE vessels in 2007 (Memoirs of Admiral Karannagoda) The the 8 page ACSA signed in 2007 ended in March 2017 and on 4 August 2017 PM Ranil entered into a new ACSA with 83 pages & over 50 annexures. Annexures included all US military establishments that could have boots on the ground in Sri Lanka. This list was available in the Sunday Times of May 2019.

The 2017 ACSA features had inserted that Sri Lanka was to be used for ‘unforeseen circumstances or exigencies’ for supplies, support & services.

This means Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces have to comply as part of US military operations. It also allows every single security or military apparatus in the United States access to Sri Lanka. These security commands are listed & Point of Contact is also defined. Though it says RECIPROCITY – will Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces require similar military facility in the US?

While 2007 ACSA was for 7 years (ending 2014) 2017 ACSA was open ended – its termination required mutual written consent of both or one party giving 180 days’ notice in writing.

2007 ACSA allowed US military vessels to enter SL on a ‘one-off’ basis

2017 ACSA is ‘open-ended’

Ambassador Hettiarachchi is on record to say that during renewal negotiations of ACSA in 2017 Prasad Kariyawasam then SL envoy to US & then Foreign Minister Mangala S pressurized to expedite ACSA. Their pressure led to draft ACSA sent for cabinet approval. The armed forces commanders/officials were not given time to study it. Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne had expressed reservations on ACSA. Defence Secretary Kapila Waidyaratne, a former Additional Solicitor General said that he had been compelled to sign the document since the Cabinet had approved it. ACSA was not discussed in Cabinet or presented to Parliament. A brief to the President on ACSA on 30 June 2017 in Sinhala was 9 pages with no annexures. The Sinhala version of ACSA given to Cabinet had no translations of annexures. English version was 83 pages with over 50 annexures.

ACSA 2017 was kept secret with US envoy Atul Keshap denying media coverage or publicity. Bar Association President Kalinga Indatissa wrote to the Foreign Minister Marapana in June2019 under Section 3(1) & Section 24 of Right to Information Act 12 of 2016 and Article 14A of the Constitution requesting copy of the ACSA.

Millennium Challenge Corporation

A US foreign aid agency established by US Congress in 2004. Through MCC US offers grants to foreign countries.

MCC is regarded as a US govt ‘arm twisting’ tool aligned to US foreign policy and explains why the secrecy of the agreement.

MCC is like a Treaty as it does not come under Sri Lankan Law.

MCC receives cabinet approval 29 October 2019 (has Sri Lanka’s sovereignty been sold for $480m as MCC has to be taken along with SOFA & ACSA provisions)

Dec2016 – Board of Directors of US Govt’ss MCC compact selected Sri Lanka to develop a 5-year development grant (Compact)

$7.4m original funding

Jul2017 – MCC US officials visit Sri Lanka & meet Govt officials, industry representatives, civil society. $700m was announced. Sri Lanka established a Compact Development Team’ in the PM’s Office.

3year economic plan done by Ricardo Hausman, Director of Harvard Centre for International Development & Robert Z Lawrence, Professor of International Trade & Investment in Sri Lanka to restructure Sri Lanka’s economy (Funded by Open Society Foundation of George Soros). Harvard Business School & World Bank are advising BOI.

25Sept2018 – Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Nash visited Sri Lanka for discussions on the proposed MCC Sri Lanka Compact. MCC informed they were giving Sri Lanka a grant of USD 480 million as development aid.

13 Aug2018 – MCC informs US Congress a Congressional Notification of intent to negotiate MCC Compact with GOSL.

25 Apr2019 – MCC Board approves 5year $480m Compact to GOSL (days after Easter Sunday attacks)

1 Jul2019 – World Bank classifies Sri Lanka as an upper middle income country

To qualify for MCC grants, countries must be low income or lower middle income countries.

Compact Development Team was set up in the PM’s Office.

Has the President signed MCC Compact as Chairman of the National Physical Planning Council & has it been gazette? No one knows. In June 2019 the PM’s office denied it has been signed.

GOSL claims it sought help of Centre for International Development at Harvard University to do a constraints analysis to identify what hampered economic growth – access to land, weakness in transport/logistics infrastructure & planning / policy instability (were concluded) – did they have to go all the way to Harvard to find this out! 

GOSL & MCC herded the same ‘civil society’ private sector ‘pro-US’ groups and held meetings to justify seeking public opinion. 

MCC Transport Development Proposal

• Set up Advanced Traffic Management System covering Colombo Metropolitan area – to reduce travel time, congestion, reduce traffic emission, accidents & improve efficiency & safety
• Bus Transport Sector Modernization – improve public bus system combining state-private buses.
• Developing & improving 137km road sections in Central Ring Road covering & connecting Sabaragamuwa, Uva, North Central, Central Provinces to markets in Western Province.
• Relocate & finance locations for wholesale storage of agro produce in collaboration with private investors at locations on the CRR Road Network

MCC Land Administration Proposal

• Parcel Fabric Map & inventory of State Land.
• Improving Deeds Registry
• Improving land valuation system
• Land Grants Registration & Deed Conversion Activity
• Land Policy & Legal Governance Improvement Activity
• Land Policy & Legal Governance Improvement Activity

Above to be implemented in 7 districts –Kegalle, Kandy, Matale, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee (Gampaha was also included) (Economic Corridor)

Report – https://assets.mcc.gov/content/uploads/constraints-analysis-sri-lanka.pdf

MCC Grant – https://www.mcc.gov/where-we-work/program/sri-lanka-  compact

MCC LAND PLAN

MCC Land Plan included 4 Economic Corridors

• Colombo to Trincomalee (covering Negombo, Kurunegala, Dambulla – 1.2m acres physically dividing Sri Lanka into 2 parts via an electric railway line.
• Jaffna-Kilinochchi (North)
• Galle-Tissamaharama (South)
• Chenkaladi-Ampara (East)
• Anuradhapura & Kandy to be developed separately 

The corridors will be based on New National Physical Plan (2018-2050) replacing the 2011-2030 Physical Plan prepared in 2011 covering entire Sri Lanka.

The National Physical Plan has to be prepared under the Town & Country Planning (Amendment) Act 49 of 2000 and 2011 Plan followed these procedure which required Draft Physical Plan and hearings with experts, professionals & general public with provisional approval of Minister after which it is gazette with maps & plans for public scrutiny to propose revisions to the Draft Plan. Only thereafter that the final version is submitted to the National Physical Planning Council for approval.

The National Physical Plan 2050 was prepared by National Physical Planning Dept of Megapolis & Western Development Ministry & approved by the NPPC and National Economic Council and was to be gazette in February 2019. It has not been made public even by Jun2019.

If the National Physical Planning Council has not approved following required procedure – how valid is this final Plan and a future President can nullify it!

MCC Land Deeds

Is the Govts plan to dispose state land connected to the MCC land projects?

State Land (Special Provisions) Bill was gazette on 27 March 2019 to grant absolute title to state lands held by citizens given land grants. It will enable them to sell their land. The yahapalana govt is setting up a 20-member ‘Land Grants Committee’ consisting Ministry Secretaries, Heads of relevant institutions & 2 nominees of the President & PM to administer the Act.

The Bill was opposed claiming it did not have cabinet approval. The Land (Special Provisions) Bill will remove the Land Development Ordinance of 1935, Crown Land Ordinance & Land Grants Act. State land will no longer come under the State. Under the previous Land Laws the grant holder could not fragment the land, mortgage the land, dispose of it without the GA’s permission. Land Ordinance ensured State land was given only to citizens of Sri Lanka.

Giving title deed to land to a land grantee will lead to him selling the land when in financial trouble & likelihood of multinational companies buying the land is imminent. Factories would emerge. Gama, Keth Yaya, wewa, dagoba, pansala” concept around which villages were built would be destroyed along with agriculture. Displaced people living on state land for generations without lands or homes is a looming crisis.

The same Govt in 2003 attempted to change land laws but the 2003 Supreme Court ruling prevented it claiming that the Bill required 2/3 majority & a referendum. In 2015, the same Govt revived the Bill rejected in 2003. Land is held in TRUST as determined by Supreme Court in 1999 via Eppawela Phosphate case (SC884/99) State land is an inalienable right of the sovereignty of the People. Thus, absolute land grants cannot be given to some of the people as it is an asset that belongs to all.

The State Land (Special Provisions) Bill was challenged in Supreme Court in July 2019 the petitioners claiming Bill contained 36 clauses & a schedule violating the Constitution’s Articles 3, 4, 12(1), 12(2), 75, 154G. MCC Economic Corridor from Colombo to Trinco covering land mass of 1.2m acres to be leased to US for 200 years for a sum of $480 was also challenged.

MCC COLOMBO-TRINCOMALEE ECONOMIC CORRIDOR

Part of the MCC Compact is an Economic Corridor from Colombo Port to Trincomalee Port known as the Colombo-Trincomalee Economic Corridor (CTEC)

Road link – Central Expressway is to connect the two & is about 280km long.

Electronic Rail link –  On either side of the rail track 50km has been selected which would cut across 6 provinces & 10 districts. Colombo, Negombo, Kurunegala, Dambulla, Trincomalee covers 1.2million acres of land. It will divide Sri Lanka into two with parts of Anuradhapura also going to North.

Thus 42% of Sri Lanka’s land would be owned eventually by foreigners for 200 years. 58% of Sri Lanka’s population live in the 6 provinces/10 districts that will form the Economic Corridor. This 42% land with 58% of populace contribute 86% to Sri Lanka’s economy.

MCC – ADVOCATA – PATHFINDER

MCC was to be signed in December 2018 but got delayed due to political events. MCC Board approved grant again in April2019.  MCC Compact awaits Cabinet approval.

MCC only helps low/lower-middle income countries but Sri Lanka is supposed to be upper-middle-income & may not qualify for grant said ADVOCATA.

If by mid-Sept 2019 Sri Lanka does not sign, MCC may disqualify Sri Lanka said PATHFINDER Foundation.

US embassy said MCC had decided to extend $480m grant term.

Must be the world’s first time that a donor is begging recipient country to accept its grant!

Why would MCC Director Board (represents US military/trade interests) comprising US Secretary of State / US Secretary of Treasury / USAID / US Trade Representative / 4 private sector representatives keep extending time to give a grant without recipient country even asking for it.

MCC Compact proposal was prepared after study by Harvard University’s Centre for International Development (2015 to 2016), inputs from World Bank, Asia Foundation, Trimble & Sri Lanka’s Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) on Land Selling

MONLAR accuses Yahapalana of amending land laws to selling state land to foreign companies on excuse of investments and creating a cheap labor force to facilitate neoliberal economic policies. MONLAR highlights

• Serious crisis in rural economy created by Govts
• Multi-national companies will make small-time farmers bankrupt & buy off their agricultural land (handed over by Yahapalana via title deed)
• Replacing antiquated land laws & replacing with new land laws drafted by foreigners will result in Sri Lanka’s land falling into hands of foreigners.
• Farmers/citizens who lived on lands for generations will become landless & homeless.
• MONLAR said all documents approved by Cabinet between Jan2015 and Apr2019 on land reform were based on recommendations by World Bank & IMF

LAND SURVEYS & LAND BANK

US has surveyed our lands & recommended a State Land Bank enabling State land to be given even to foreigners.

Yahapalana Govt has removed many restrictions

• foreigners can now own land
• 50-acre limit restriction for individual land ownership removed

Land surveying has been outsourced to US firm Trimble Navigation.

US INTERFERING IN SRI LANKA’S LAND

Trimble Navigation-US based land administration company

A US company, forwarded a proposal for ‘Title/Tenure Regularization and Cadastral Registry Modernization’ in Sri Lanka in October 2015 – a proposal rejected in 2010.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) headed by Prime Minister’s senior advisor R. Paskeralingam had recommended this proposal and Cabinet approved it. Trimble demanded USD 170 million which was reduced to $154m taken on a 4% interest loan to be paid in 15years with a grace period of 5 years. The Finance Ministry’s External Resources Department was authorized to negotiate with Trimble to prepare land survey maps and create a streamlined database of 3.6 million parcels of state owned land. Trimble was to work with the Ministry of Lands to identify 2.5 million state-owned lands and help to give permanent titles to the persons currently occupying these lands. The argument was that the Survey Dept did not have technology to survey 1.1m parcels of Jaya Bhoomi & licenses land in 2 years.

Government Surveyors’ Association (GSA) alleged that Trimble Navigation was to be handed several operations of the Sri Lanka Survey Department (SLSD), including Land Information System (LIS) and Aerial Survey Operations for 15 years. They felt this would lead to the signing of US Tropical Forest Act which was abandoned in 2004.

Trimble would manage Sri Lanka’s survey dept resulting in 400 public surveyors and 200 additional private surveyors with crews serving under Trimble. Trimble would take control of Sri Lanka’s electronic land register & details of lands. This is a threat to National Security of Sri Lanka.

US company proposes to survey our land & Sri Lanka has to pay $154m for it and we have to take a loan to be paid in 15 years to pay the US firm? Are we crazy? Why should the functions of the Survey Dept, Land Information System, Aerial Survey Operations be given to a private foreign firm for 15 years? The 400 public surveyors, 200 additional private surveyors will all go under Trimble – who can at any time dismiss them! How can a government give a country’s electronic land register and details of lands to a foreign firm? The company will be using satellite imagery to survey land & issue land certificates – what is the role of the Govt especially when the company is immune from adjudications. Who is going to adjudicate when problems arise?

Dangers of ACSA-SOFA-MCC to Sri Lanka?

All 3 agreements with the USA involving Sri Lanka’s Territory & US Military/Civil & Contract Personnel & Equipment presence.

US needs to relocate from Diego Garcia following ICC ruling on US occupation of Chagos Islands as illegal & to be returned to Mauritius. Sri Lanka is that alternate choice.

Will Sri Lanka have to wait 200 years to be given similar verdict?

A chain of events are linked to these agreements

• Sept 2016 Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to Washington to sign agreement with J. Roskam, Chairman House Democracy Partnership, of House of Representatives.
• Under ACSA US aircraft carriers could dock in Trincomalee & US could use Trinco as a floating base for military activity.
• All agreements with US been known to only a few pro-US cabinet ministers & officials.
• ACSA was signed without informing public or tabled in Parliament
• Agreements impacting on Sri Lanka’s territory, its sovereignty are hidden from the Public
• SOFA – allows US armed forces (uniform/civil/contract) access to any part of Sri Lanka with our laws not applicable to them
• ACSA – envisages building an economic corridor from Colombo to Trincomalee/supplies equipment to be brought into Sri Lanka from all modes (sea/air) paying no duties/levies to Sri Lanka
• MCC – establishes a corporation to utilize land coming under the economic corridor.
• Complementing & facilitating the 3 agreements are the Land Special Provisions Act / State Land Bank Act – enabling land acquisition by foreign investors / forming corporations to develop these lands as they fit / turning our people into slave labor.
• US will use Sri Lanka to advance its military interest primarily & tighten its economic grip via American investors to make Sri Lanka dependent on them.
• 1.2million acres of land forming the Economic Corridor from Colombo to Trinco will be owned by US & Allied countries with the 2 ports under their control.
• US has already indicated it wishes future governments to honor these agreements.
• Legality of these agreements must be determined by patriotic lawyers & patriotic politicians
• No bilateral agreement whatever money is given can compromise the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and land ownership that is given in TRUST to the State on behalf of the People of Sri Lanka (living & future generations)

SOFA-ACSA-MCC TREATY OBLIGATIONS

The 3 agreements are between two sovereign states and constitute Treaty obligations.

Some say States are bound to fulfill obligations no matter what. Others say legitimacy of agreements depends on circumstances. Treaty laws are governed by 1969 Vienna Convention – Article 46 allows a country to back out saying it was against their laws of ‘fundamental importance’. When any agreement is signed by the Executive without concurrence of Parliament it is a violation of the law of ‘fundamental importance’. Sri Lanka’s Constitution says sovereignty is in the People & is inalienable. People’s sovereignty is exercised by Parliament & President TOGETHER on behalf of the People. They cannot exercise their powers separately (one without the other). Signatories to agreements must follow due process. In Sri Lanka due process is obtaining consent of 2/3 Parliament & consent of the Executive. Any Agreement/Treaty signed is signed in the name of the People & must have Parliament & Executive consent without that it is a violation. It is advised that the Supreme Court make a clear ruling on signing of bilateral agreements to prevent procedural flows tantamount to affecting the sovereignty of the People.

Opposition to US colonizing Sri Lanka

August 2019 Opposition MPs headed by Prof. Tissa Vitarana handed letter to the High Commissioner of South Africa in Colombo to hand over to Secretary-General, Indian Ocean Rim Association – Ambassador Dr. Nomvuyo N. Nokwe based in Mauritius.

Salient points covered in that letter

• Refering to decision of Council of Ministers of the IOR who met in Bengalaru in November 2011 to assign Maritime Safety & Security as its top priority, as a safe & secure Indian Ocean was required to social economic development.
• IOR recognized ‘maritime security’ needed for international peace & security, sovereignty/territorial integrity/political independence, security from crimes at sea, security of resources & environmental security.
• Sri Lanka facing situation likely to pose grave threat to regional and international peace & security giving Sri Lanka’s geostrategic location linking East-West maritime route.
• 3 agreements (SOFA-ACSA-MCC) military-economic related secretly negotiated between US & SL Govt & will turn Sri Lanka into a strategic military hub in the Indian Ocean.
• SOFA-ACSA-MCC agreements are incompatible with the UN Charter & violates sovereignty & independence/territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
• ACSA signed on 4 Aug 2017 binds Sri Lanka to give US logistical & other support for ‘unforeseen circumstances or exigencies’(US Indo-Pacific Command forces can use SL’s strategic harbors, airports, military installations for military operations – SL will be a Launchpad for attacks of aggression against countries in our region that US considers its enemy)
• Status of Forces Agreement is being secretly negotiated. It permits Dept of Defense military & civil personnel, DOD contractors to occupy any territory of Sri Lanka. DoD personnel are exempted from criminal jurisdiction, they are given diplomatic privileges & immunities, they can enter Sri Lanka using only US identification, no visa requirement, they are allowed to move freely in any part of Sri Lanka wearing uniform, carrying weapons, their vessels and vehicles can also move anywhere in Sri Lanka & are exempt from inspection, restrictions, taxes or duties.
• Millennium Challenge Compact – is a land/transport project creating an ‘economic corridor’ involving 8 districts covering 1.2m acres & would divide Sri Lanka into 2 via an electric train connecting Colombo Port/Airport to Trincomalee Port. US have drafted and proposed drastic land law changes to privatize state land and permit purchase by foreigners. This will make poor farmers living on state land eventually landless and without livelihood. State lands used by schools, hospitals, parks, natural reserves are also in danger of being transferred to foreign transnational companies. This will cause massive displacement of Sri Lankans.
• This 1.2million acres covering MCC project contains natural resources, strategic assets, energy deposits, rare earth elements, minerals, rich biodiversity, water resources & UNESCO world heritage sites.
• The 3 agreements were negotiated under regular threats of unilateral coercive trade & economic measures, western interference into Sri Lanka’s internal affairs and targeting Sri Lanka via UNHRC by US & Allies
• Easter Sunday massacres saw a surge in US & Western Intelligence forcibly landing to offer assistance”
• The 3 agreements strengthen NATO activities in region & will impact on countries they deem their enemies.
• US President’s National Security Strategy 2017 & National Defense Strategy 2018 identified 3 sets of threat to US & Allies – all were located in Indian Ocean Region – China & Russia, Iran & North Korea, Jihadi terror”
• Agreements with US pose threat to Sri Lanka’s relations with member countries of the IORA.

The Opposition MPs requested the Secretary-General, Indian Ocean Rim Association to take the following measures conforming to the IORA Charter & the UN Charter

1. Safeguard fundamental principles based on which international cooperation among states is based – sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful co-existence & mutual benefit
2. Evaluate adverse consequences of the 3 agreements against principles of UN & IORA Charters
3. Take action under Chapter VIII, Article 52 of UN Charter concerning regional agreements
4. Implement UN Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace adopted by General Assembly Resolution 2832 (XXVI) which designates Indian Ocean as a zone of peace within limits to be determined” together with the airspace above & the ocean floor subjacent.
5. Take action under Chapter VI, Article 35 of UN Charter concerning Peaceful Settlement of Disputes which ‘authorizes any Member of the UN to bring to the attention of the Security Council or of the General Assembly, any dispute or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute in order to determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace & security”.

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION (ABA)

Why does the ABA want to register in Sri Lanka? ABA has been making numerous requests – 1^st in January 2018 requesting to set up a branch office under the Ministry of Justice & AG’s department. 2^nd request was in October 2018 when the AG sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice stating ABA was planning to hold a capacity building program for judges & prosecutors and requested the Ministry to issue a certificate. The letter was headed Official Letter of Authorization for the Establishment of a Branch Office of the ABA in Sri Lanka”.

BASL wrote in October 2018 to the Ministry of Justice giving its objections to the ABA setting up a branch as nowhere has a foreign bar association being set up as a branch office.

Setting up a US Bar Association office in Sri Lanka would be a threat to the legal profession & sovereignty of Sri Lanka. ABA will start making statements and comments on internal matters.

As a result of the objections ABA attempted to set itself up as a NGO and made a request to the Ministry of Justice through a local legal firm. This request was also referred to the BASL which submitted its objections in April 2019 to the National Secretariat for NGOs. However 2 batches of Senior Judges went to US in August 2018 and April 2019 on tax payers expense. A workshop for High Court judges was held at Taj Samudra, Colombo in December 2018. In July 2019 officials from AG’s dept attended a workshop in US. All these looked like attempts to influence the Judiciary. The secret tape MP Gammanpila spoke about referring to what the Sri Lankan judges were asked to do by the US confirms this.

ELECTIONS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA

How independent is the Election Commission of Sri Lanka if it is receiving assistance from USAID through US based International Foundation for Electoral Reforms? Vasu Mohan, Regional Director for Asia Pacific was working inside the Election Commission paid by USAID. When questioned Mahinda Deshapriya Chairman Elections Commission strongly defended the project claiming Vasu Mohan was a Sri Lankan.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP – KANDY

The Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade together with the USAID-SAIL project hosted a Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on Global Trade for businessman in the Kandy District on Friday 23rd August 2019 at Hotel Suisse, Kandy.

USAID launched the four-year SAIL project in October 2016 to support economic reforms and promote Foreign Direct Investment in Sri Lanka.

The event was the first to be held outside Colombo over 120 participants from ministries, government agencies, the business community, trade chambers, the private sector and other key stakeholders took part.

US FUNDS RENOVATION OF ANURADHAPURA ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM

Sept2019 – $150,000 grant from US Embassy in Colombo in 2015 through Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation funded the renovation of the Anuradhapura Archeological Museum to preserve artifacts. The Ambassadors Fund has also funded Dutch Forts of Batticoloa & Galle as well as Archaeological museum laboratories and monasteries in Payagala.

EASTER SUNDAY BOMB BLASTS & ARRIVAL OF FBI to Sri Lanka

Wherever US pivots jihadis follow too is often an adage mentioned internationally. Every country benefiting from the Belt & Road Initiative of China invariably becomes victims of ISIS Islamic terror. It was Sri Lanka’s turn in April 2019 and it came as no surprise when Western Intelligence agencies dashed to assist with investigations. FBI arrived on 23 April claiming to be on invitation of GOSL, British MI-5 sent 10-12 experts – over 40 such foreign experts arrived and still we don’t know who did it. They were all working with CID. President Sirisena says these foreign intelligence were not invited. What was the ‘work’ they did? What is the ‘technical assistance’ they gave? Why were FBI allowed to take the phones of suicide bombers & other devices? Didn’t this prevent local investigators examining the evidence? Even after 6 months we don’t who masterminded the gruesome suicide killings as the evidence have been taken overseas!

Immediately after 21/4 two US Govt employees were detected at Hilton Colombo Residence – sniffer dogs found explosives inside their apartment. Staff security at Hilton Colombo stopped 5 US officials checking in with 6 boxes on 30 July 2019 night. The US delegation denied the 6 boxes to be scanned. Then the boxes was loaded into a US embassy vehicle and sent somewhere else. What were in these boxes? MP Wimal Weerawansa released visa photos of the US team claiming they had arrived in a private aircraft. The team had left 2 days later WITHOUT the controversial cargo? MP Weerawansa questioned to whether the boxes were still in the country! The boxes were not checked at customs too. Nagananda Kodituwakku sought information from the Director General of Customs questioning why the US military cargo was exempted from mandatory checks?  

Is US/CIA applying ‘Shock Doctrine’ on Sri Lanka? Influencing a massive shock on society through extreme violence attempts to lead people to state of confusion & weakness which helps US to take over that society. Author of doctrine Naomi Klein applied it initially to economic change & is now being applied politically too.

Disasters leave citizens emotionally & physically distracted to mount resistance – this helps US push its controversial policies etc. MCC is being approved when people are distracted by a Presidential Election. People must therefore watch out for more communal attacks, bloodshed & other surprise attacks before elections! However, the way US thought people would react did not happen. The well-planned attacks in Gampaha also did not give the results expected. Somehow their plans are not working as planned. The Catholic Church and the Maha Sangha united to appeal and people listened. They echoed that foreign forces were behind the attacks & people accepted.

US TEAMING TO EXERT INFLUENCE OVER ASIA

Quadrilateral Strategic/Security Dialogue (the Quad”)

This is an INFORMAL dialogue between US, Japan, Australia & India initiated in 2007 by PM of Japan, US VP Dick Cheney, Australian PM John Howard and Indian PM Manmohan Singh.

The dialogue parallels with joint military exercises (Exercise Malabar)

The quadrilateral dialogue is primarily to respond to Chinese economic & military growth.

Australian PM Kevin Rudd withdrew from Quad but enhanced military cooperation with US with US marines being deployed in Darwin, near Timor Sea & Lomok Strait. However, Australia rejoined QUAD in 2017. Now the QUAD includes UK and France. US seeking to include Sri Lanka into its line of control in the Bay of Bengal.

Jan2019 –  US Indo-Pacific Command Chief Admiral Philip Davidson told the US Senate’s Armed Services Committee, during a Congressional hearing said that Sri Lanka was a significant strategic opportunity in the Indian Ocean.

Jan2019 – US envoy Teplitz said US-Sri Lanka security cooperation includes a variety of joint exercises and training helping among other things, inter-operationability….. designed to address our mutual security interests. Every joint exercise, every training in disaster response, is done at the invitation of our Sri Lankan hosts”. (a change of govt must ensure our troops are not used to attack US enemies)

Feb2019 – Thomas J.Vajda US Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State dealing with South and Central Asia visited Colombo

He said ‘we view Sri Lanka as a critical partner in the region.’

May2019 – US & Sri Lanka agree to expand ‘military-to-military’ engagement said a joint statement by Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry. (peace keeping, human rights training, visits by US ships & military officials) Engagement connotes a COMBAT role – is our ARMY going to be used to assist US troops with COMBAT against our traditional friends?

HOW COUNTRIES NEED TO DEAL WITH US

Iran – US interest in Iran was due to its oil. US companies were drilling Iran’s oil. Iran nationalized oil and US got rid of Iran’s democratic leader Mossadegh and replaced him with a dictator Shah Reza Pahlavi. The Shah’s secret police SAVAK was assisted by CIA & Israel’s Mossad. Shah was unpopular in Iran and US took him back to US. That was how Iranians came to hate USA.

US battle with Iran continues. Iran hostage crisis, Iran contra issue, Iran nuclear program are some of the issues. Iran has to fight not only with US but Israel & Saudi Arabia,

Venezuela – US meddled in Venezuela too. US doesn’t like Venezuela’s President Maduro. So US is supporting Opposition Leader Juan Guido. Guido’s wife was even invited to the White House to meet President Trump. US, Canada, EU and OAS countries claim Guido is Interim President. Maduro is supported by Russia, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea & countries in UN have also issued support for Maduro. Maduro won the election.

India – is also having some cold feet with US & is connecting with Russia to settle disputes with China. China & India met in Chennai in October 2019.

Yahapalana however is continuing its link with US despite the clearly obvious strategy of US to capture Sri Lanka politically & militarily. Former envoy Blake visited Sri Lanka in May 2019.

Joint Partnerships with USA & ALLIES

• US-SL Military-to-Military Partnership
• Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (CPA) with Japan in Oct2015 (Japan is part of QUAD with US)
• Jun2019 – Tripartite agreement between Sri Lanka – India – Japan on Eastern Terminal of Colombo Port
• Mar2019 – Yahapalana is also attempting to link Sri Lanka with ASEAN requesting to be included into ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partnership. ASEAN is linked to US.
• US-SL ACSA expanded in 2017 allowing US to get logistics support, supplies & services from Sri Lanka. US army can come to Sri Lanka in any unforeseen situation. Over 50 annexures lists military units that can come to Sri Lanka. ACSA has not been presented to Cabinet or tabled in Parliament by PM since 2017. (2007 ACSA had only 8 pages but 2017 ACSA has 83 pages and over 50 annexures)
• SOFA – reduces Sri Lanka to a neo-colony. US aircrafts, vessels can arrive without inspection. None of Sri Lanka’s security can board any of these vessels or crafts to inspect them. They are free of license, customs duties, taxes or other charges. US troops can wear uniform, carry arms, take any radio communication equipment. US troops & contractors to be allowed to enter & leave Sri Lanka individually or collectively using only their US identity cards – no passports or visa required. US military can carry weapons and will not be subject to Sri Lankan laws for any criminal activity they commit in SL.
• MCC – Colombo-Trinco railway link will divide Sri Lanka, 1.2m acres make up an economic corridor which US wants to be freed to be taken by foreign companies and thus the privatization of state land is looked as a means to remove land grantees by giving them outright ownership & forcing them to sell land when financially cash trapped.

DOCTRINE OF R2P – RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT

R2P is used by powerful nations to justify international interventions into domestic affairs of other countries.

UN Charter covers objectives of global peace based on sovereignty & equality (chapters 6, 7, 8)

The International Commission on Intervention & State Sovereignty estabalished in 2000 headed by Gareth Evans of the International Crisis Group issued in 2001 report titled Responsibility to Protect” giving international community the responsibility to intervene militarily. ICISS report was rejected by national governments. Alternately US has set up other ‘interfering agencies’ to do R2P – HRW, Amnesty, ICG and Chicago R2P coalition. The form a global advocacy network for R2P and various players in Sri Lanka are also involved.  

LETS JOIN THE DOTS

US is constructing a huge embassy amalgamating the British High Commission.

US is funding all types of ‘good governance’ programs that give them access to Sri Lanka’s administrative mechanisms and documents.

US officials are drafting new Bills not Sri Lankan lawyers

US is funding training for MPs, Lawyers, Public Officials even Judges

US is also funding the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery & Corruptions

USAID-DAI all fronts of the CIA are heavily involved in both public & private sector including banks

US has meddled in elections in the past and has funded UNP to power.

The 2015 election victory – US spent $585m to ‘restore democracy’ in Sri Lanka Burma & Nigeria (John Kerry) as well as making $3.4m to Yahapalana between Jan2015 & Aug2015.

What are US plans for 2019 Presidential Elections?

US embassy goes to meet Arumugam Thondaman head of CWC to discuss elections. Since when do foreign embassies go to discuss elections?

WHY US IS INTERESTED IN SRI LANKA?

Sri Lanka sits in the middle of the busiest and strategically important sea lanes – Indian Ocean.

More than 80% of world’s sea trade/oil transits through Indian Ocean choke points – 40% passes through Straits of Hormuz, 35% through the Strait of Malacca & 8% through Ban el Mandab Strait.

These sealanes are gateways to control resources and markets in the Near East, Middle East, Africa, Asia

Sri Lanka is at the crossroad of energy, trade, air routes linking Africa, Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia & Australia.

Bay of Bengal is turning into a theatre of war. Indian Ocean is heavily militarized.

Sri Lankans do not wish to be dragged into a global war against China, a traditional friend. Our army cannot be used against our traditional friends. We cannot forget our friends who not only helped us during the conflict but who had been supporting us unconditionally in the UN/UNHRC through their statements.

Sri Lanka as a sovereign nation with a proud history must have the freedom to decide how it conducts relations internationally. Any dealing must have mutual benefit. Any deals must be transparent and open and discussed with the public. Governance is only given in trust to the politicians. They cannot take decisions in secrecy especially when it involves Sri Lanka’s territory and its assets and resources.

Sri Lanka has a history way longer than the countries dictating to us today about governance. Our kings had ruled and kept relations with foreign nations as well as had economic links with them. Our history is such that we have never been invaded by either South India or the 3 Europeans that arrived and it was only as a result of the treacheries by our locals that our Island was handed over to them. In the 21^st century to see such a repetition is very unfortunate.

Shenali D Waduge

Mahinda Karunaratne

First the Hakeem lead SLMC joined with Sajith the Swan candidate to ensure his victory, however, the former is the kingpins of Jihad and I.S. in the country are now in a dilemma knowing Gota is winning.

Now they are depicting a different picture by defecting some members to support Gota, Why?

The simple logic is that they are placing one foot on each side If Sajith wins everyone will join with him and obtain their intended portfolios to establish Safaristan, if Gota wins everybody will join him and offer the support, obtain maximum benefits through which they will open the way to future Safaristan.

What Pohottuwa and Gota should be aware of is that this strategy of SLMC, which is originating from their Quranic chapter of Al-Taqiya the lesson on Deceiving.

Pohottuwa should not take in any SLMC or their associates now or after the victory or it will be your suicide!

Dr Sudath Gunasekara Former Permanent Secretary to Prime Minister Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranayaka and President Sri Lanka Administrative Services Association (1991-1994)

29th. Oct. 2019.

My assessment of the Presidential Candidates 2019

I have selected only three candidates out of the list of 35 Presidential aspirants contesting for this assessment as I feel they are the only candidates who will make an impact at this election. They are Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (SLPP), Sajit Premadasa (NDF) and Anura Kumara Disanayaka (NDf)? All these three represent the former SLFP, UNP, and JVP respectively, contesting, under three new names, as all three old partiers, the SLFP, UNP and JVP are politically dead and already buried.  None of the other candidates will be discussed here as all of them will lose their deposits with the rare exception of Hisbulla and Sivajilingam, if they manage to get a sizable number of communal votes.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (SLPP)

Besides his patriotic disposition and proven capacity in leadership as a manager and a leader who is abundantly endowed with the qualifications, I have enumerated in part 1 of this series, which I quote below for your easy reference. (Published on 29.9.2019 in Lankaweb)

The BIGGEST challenge before the Sinhala nation at the forthcoming Presidential Election is the selection and election of the correct person as the head of the State” who can and who has the capacity and ability to,

First, reclaim the Augean political, economic, social and security mess created by the politicians of this country for the past 71 years since 1948 and particularly during the last 4 ½ years.

Second, solve the sky-high problems in all these fields heaped up before this country, due to the blunders made by those who are supposed to have ruled this country since the so-called Independence in 1948 and thereafter and again more particularly during the last 4 ½ years of miss-government and total anarchy.

Third, restore and rectify the lost rights of the Sinhala nation in particular while safeguarding the legitimately due rights of all communities in this country without compromising the birthrights of the native Sinhala people

Fourth, restore law and order and sanity in the country and who will also lay the foundation to make this country a strong, vibrant and prosperous nation in the near future.”

In my considered opinion Gotabhaya, backed by Mahinda Rajapaksa, the ex-President, is the only person out of all the candidates contesting, who is suitable to be  the correct person to be elected as the head of the State” at the forthcoming Presidential election. The whole Sri Lankan Nation, I think has already come to this unanimous conclusion.  

He is the official candidate of the SLPP the real and legitimate successor to the SLFP found by SWRD and nursed by Mrs. Bandaranayaka and Mahinda Rajapaksa. Now that those elements of the former SLFP who marked time with MS also have finally joined the SLPP, they together represent the only political party that stands for the 2500 year Sinhala Buddhist heritage in this country as it has clearly demonstrated from its past record ever since 1956.

Gota is the key man who planned and executed the 2009 war against the LTTE that ended up with the complete eradication of the LTTE outfit within the country. Besides ending the war he also has the record of making Colombo the best city in South East Asia in his post-war assignment.

He is also fully backed by the former President MR, the most outstanding leader of this country after Mrs. Bandaranayaka and the most charismatic and popular national leader in the country at present who is loved and admired by the people as a great patriot and as the leader who defeated the LTTE and constructed a first-class network of carpeted roads all over the Island for the first time after Henry Ward the greatest road builder Governor during the colonial times (1855-1860). This Gota –Mahinda union is the biggest asset for stable and patriotic Government. Gota also represents all the political parties of the SLPP Front and their policies that won a landslide in 2018 Local Government elections. He is also not a boaster and his composure in addressing both public and professional meetings, I would rate above board and highly dignified. As I see him, he means business and his priorities in nation-building are very clear and not vague and he comes out with direct solutions for the burning national problems without any ambiguity. He never throws mud at other candidates. He talks on facts and figures. He always ends up his speeches saying ‘tamunnanselata saha apage desayata Jaya weva’ tamunnanselage yuutkama karanata  etakota mama mage yutuka karanata poronduwenawa. He never talks bullshits like Sahit who displays immaturity and his ignorance and practice MPHOT (Monkey praises his own Tail) talks. He does not make empty statements of building castles in the air like Sajit whose speeches are full of such statements like I will make it heaven and give my head. Gota’s policy statement issued on 25 clearly demonstrates what I say here. His statement clearly shows that it is geared first for restoring security, good governance and law and order and much needed political stability that forms the sound foundation for economic social and cultural development in the country.

Political stability the most vital requirement for economic and social development even within the much-debated provisions of the 19th Amendment want to be a problem at all for him firstly as Mahinda Rajapaksa his own brother will be Prime Minister under his Government. Secondly, all partners of the SLPP will stand as one united driving force for nation-building. In addition, almost all the professional groups also have vouched to support him in his mission. In this backdrop, even though the country is faced with a grave economic crisis due to the loans piled up by this government where the national debt ratio to GDP stood at the end of 2018 at 80%, rescuing the country and taking it forward, I don’t think will be a problem for his government under better management and long term political stability, until the next General Election that is certain to give them a landslide victory.  If Mahinda could collect the majority in Parliament on the 28^th he can straight away swear in as Prime Minister on the 18^th itself making way for a Gota -Mahinda Government until the Parliament is dissolved in March.                   

As has been proved on record Gota in my opinion, genuinely stands for the people and their heritage. What is more, is he comes from the Dutugemunu tradition of the Ruhuna the Land of Dutugemunu.  Being Gotabhaya, I wonder whether he is an incarnation of Gotabhaya the famous and most outstanding warrior of King Dutugemunu. His past record, both as a soldier in the army and later as the Defense Secretary (from 2005 -2015) has abundantly displayed the highest qualities of a strong warrior and an able team leader and a patriotic Statesman, the crying need of the present-day Sri Lanka for whom all Sri Lankans are looking forward.

In this backdrop, in the field of good and effective governance, he is the best person who can skillfully handle the national priorities like national security, restoring Law and order, containing terrorism, extremism and separatism and restoring discipline and much needed political stability in the country, the prerequisites for economic development and efficient Public Administration and taking rational decisions on all matters pertaining to governance. I don’t see any other candidate who is better qualified to lead the country than him among all others on the list. All of them are light years behind him as I see it.

Beside his personal attributes and track record as the Defense Secretary during the LTTE war, he also has the full support of all the venerable Mahasangha all over the country, particularly those deeply committed to the protection and upliftment of the Sasana and his own brother MR, the most loved and charismatic, living politician in the country and almost all patriotic professionals and majority of people in this country. In him, I see a combination of people like DS, SWRD, Mrs. B, Lalith and MR among our local leaders and among world leaders like Lee Kwan Yu and Mahathir Mohammad who raised their countries to miraculously high levels. He is steady, firm and genuine. His art of addressing election meetings and even professional forums and the way he moves with all people with confidence and his preparedness to listen to others, unlike Sajit who says he doesn’t want any advice from anyone as he knows everything. In this backdrop, I rate him obviously as the only person who can handle the present crisis situation in this country. For these reasons honestly I feel he is exactly the kind of man with a clear vision and a mission, the country needs today.  

I have no doubt that the government under him will dispel all dark clouds piled up in heavens by this Government and will usher in a new era of sanity, a new political culture, development, and prosperity.

Finally, we will have a stable Government and a prosperous tomorrow ending up this country as the miracle of Asia in the 21^st century for posterity.

I wish him and the country good luck under his administration

My prediction on his (our) victory

As I have said even before at this election he will definitely start with 65 lakhs when Sajit is tottering behind with 22 lakhs. His block vote consists of the

SLPP   4,941,952                            44.65%

UPFA     989,821                             8.94%

SLFP      491,835                             4.44% polled at th2018 Local Government election

            6,423,668                          50.03%

Together these three Parties with a 3% increase from new votes and defections from UNP). Gota will poll at least 6,616,368. Added to this will be Tamils and Muslim votes disgusted with their communal leadership will also give another increase say at least 2 00,000. Then that total might exceed 6,800, 000 more even more. No one should get surprised even if the total exceeds 7,000.000 at the UNP vote base is getting eroded.

 In this context, assuming that majority of Tamils, Muslims and UNP will abstain, I expect Gotabhaya to poll anything between 65 to 70 lakhs, which will easily give him the 50+% lead required to win ending up around 65%

Under these circumstances I can assure you Sajit will never exceed 27 lakhs at this poll the way the UNP vote base has crashed this time and go on record as the UNP candidate who polled the lowest at any election and you will definitely get anything between 65 to 70 lakhs; an unprecedented record by anyone.

Devo vassatu kalena- sassa sampatti hetucha

Pito bhavatulokocha- Rajaa bhavatu Dhammiko.

Sajit Premadasa

Of Sajit Premadasa, I can only say that he is the son of R. Premadasa which of cause is one of the main factors that stand against him as the political record of Premadasa has not left many pleasant memories in the minds of people. He also does not have any plus factors his Father had. The main factor however behind his sudden rise as the UNP Presidential candidate is nothing but Ranil’s 25 years of total failure as the            UNP leader. The inside revolt against Ranil that rallied round Sajit by a disgruntled set of UNP MPP is the result of his failure to lead the UNP.

The fact that there is no one else, other than Premadasa, within the rank and file of UNP who is better than Sajit is the other. Ranil’s failure to find a scape goat-like Fonseka or Sirisena this time, as he did in the past, and Sujits readiness to jump into a sinking ship at mid seas caught in a politically deadly massive hurricane was another. Sajit’s inability to realize that he has to swim upstream a roaring river with many a steep waterfall and deadly rapids at a time the UNP is at its lowest level of popularity like in 1956 in the country after a 4 ½ years of political bungling by his own Party is another reasons that has pushed him in to this situation. Persuaded by anti-Ranil elements within the Party and his overestimation of his own popularity in the country, poor Sajit, I think has committed political suicide or harakiri in the first place by fighting tooth and nail to get the nominations for this election. If I were Sajit, I would never have taken this decision. Instead, I would have willingly promoted Ranil to contest and take the tall of the miserable defeat and taken over the leadership of the party after his defeat and get prepared for 2025 elections that might have a better chance than this election. Sajith decision at a time where defeat for UNP is a foregone conclusion is real political suicide for him.

I don’ think any sane man or woman with a wee bit of brain looking at the miserable performance of the UNP within the past four and half years will ever vote the UNP. Only those few Kapuwat , meruwath api UNP mad hats’ whose political indigestion and constipation are incurable even by surgical operations will vote the UNP this time. Majority of UNP Sinhala Buddhists also will not vote a UNP candidate at this Election, when they see the Governments dead silence against the devastation and vandalism done to their Buddhist religious places in the North and the East by extremist Tamil and Muslim elements and how even archaeological ruins are being used to construct even lavatories by them while the government keeps mum.

How on earth a man who has no brain to understand that much can restore a ruined country, let alone run it as the Head of the State. People of this country know how he has kept dead silent as the Minister of Cultural Affairs, and do so even now when 100 of ancient Buddhist sacred places in the north and the East were bulldozered and razed to the ground by communal Tamils and Muslims. What did he do when Tamil Hindu Extremists created havoc by not allowing even the cremation of the resident Monk at Gurukanda Viharaya in the Mullative area? Then also what action he took regarding Mudu Maha Viharaya while it is almost obliterated by Muslim extremists.  His inaction proves that either he does not know the culture of this country or keep silent for fear of losing Tamil and Muslim votes, for the UNP.

 Instead, he is taking people like Rauf Hakeem and Rishard Badurdeen all over the country to address his meetings. Another glaring example of his ignorance about our culture was displayed when he named all villages supposed to have been built under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in Tamil and Muslim majority areas, as Nagar and Purams thereby complicating the place names of this country by adding new Tamil and Muslim names at a time when we are trying to replace even all English names given by Europeans during the colonial times with the local ancient names  Out of 107 new villages he is supposed to have built with public funds mostly Sinhala Buddhists, he has villages as 18 Gramams, and 17 villages as Nagar and 4 Purams as reported in Mavbima October 7^th P.03. What right he has to give such Tamil names to villages on this land of the Sinhala Nation with their tax money.

Additionally, I was aghast to see the way he addresses election meetings these days.  All his speeches at public meetings one after another, are the same. Just like a parrot, he repeats the same rhetoric at every meeting. I wonder whether he memorizes and repeats it at each. Overall they have no substance or meaning. It is just simply empty rhetoric as I see that makes the audience laugh. They are so boring and they never display expected qualities of oratory, leadership or Statesmanship. He addresses the voters as obala. He says he does not want advice from any and he knows everything. His body language, the words he uses, things he says at the highest pitch and his style of speaking reminded me of that famous late Maradana thug Choppe Aiya. Very often he poses himself like a bodybuilder and never like a future President of this country. His latest promise is to provide free sanitary packs monthly for women. Next time he might say that he will have a separate Ministry for this service which he has identified as a major national problem in this country. People laugh their guts out when they hear this kind of loose talk from a Presidential candidate.

 Having listened to his speeches I have my doubts whether he will poll even 22 Lakhs out of the 32 lakhs UNP got at the last 2018 Local Government Elections, with his latest election promise to give a cortex pack every month to every woman who needs it. The more he speaks; I think the more votes he will lose. The other day I saw a Buddhist monk at Anuradhapura advising him to be careful in his use of words.  I won’t be surprised even if he fails to poll 22 lakhs and go on record as the UNP candidate who polled the lowest in history. I don’t think anyone who has a wee bit of brain will ever vote a man like this as their President.

What is more tragic with his campaign is that all his star speakers are extremists minority leaders and terrorists like Hakeem, Rishard Badurdeen and Abdul Rahuman who ask Muslims to vote for Premadasa if they want to sing the National Anthem in Arabic. Every vote cast to Sajit is a vote against the Sinhala nation and Buddhism in this country.  Every vote for Sajit is a vote for Hakeem, Rishard Badurdeen and Hisbulla. Therefore it is a vote for Muslim terrorism Compared with Gota, he is only a Lilliput before a goliath.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

When he criticizes the failures of the present Government he seems to have completely forgotten that he is also responsible for all those blunders as the Deputy Leader to Ranil, the worst leader the UNP ever had and who destroyed the grand old UNP party of DS. The gradual wearing away of the UNP vote base over the past 4 ½ years, especially after Feb 2018, by now has come down to abo 22 lakhs. The Chandrika Sajit Pact will further worsen his vote base.?

Above all how can we expect a Cabinet of people like Ranil, Mangala, Ravi, Rajita, Badurdeen, Champika, John Amaratunga, Fonseka (The defense Minister named), Malik Samarawickrama, Daya Gamage and Kiriella, all rogues, traitors and first-class jokers under Sajit, with Ranil again as PM who has destroyed the UNP and t5he Country for the past 4 and ½ years, to restore good governance and take the country now to Prosperity? No one on earth will believe it even in his dreams. Don’t you think that it is like expecting feathers from a tortoise?

Finally even if by some misfortune of the nation and the country or some international conspiracy,which can mean anything, if Sujit is made the President, a Government under Sajit Premadasa’s Presidency will be a period of utter chaos and confusion leading again to another 5 years of total anarchy in this country due to continuous infighting, between Ranil and Sajit camps.  Ranil has already said that he will be the PM under Sajit. This will further badly reduce the vote base of Sajit. But Sajit also has said otherwise. Lack of vision and clear cut economic or governing policies, collective responsibility and love for the country and the people it will be a hundred times worse than the Sirisena – Ranil regime. Then where are we going to end up?  The whole nation must seriously pose this question before they cast their vote this time.

Can we afford to have another dark period like what we had for the past 4 and ½ years This being the worst government we had ever since 1948 do we want to have the same team including Ranil and Sajit for another 5 years.  This is the billion-dollar question I pose before the patriotic people in this country.

Anura Dissanayaka

Everybody in this country (Except the JVP cadres) knows that NDF candidate Anura Disanayaka can never win this election as the maximum he can poll will not exceed 693,875 they poled at the 2018 Local Government elections. Since all voters know that this is a Presidential Election between Gota and Sajit and there is absolutely no chance of Anura getting elected as the President. Therefore some JVP voters might opt to vote one of the two main contenders of their choice as they would like to feel that they have cast their vote to elect the President-elect of this country.  Additionally first, their realization that Anura will not get elected as the President and second, their emotional and psychological changes that might develop within their conscience to go with the unprecedented Island wide Sinhala Buddhist resurgence and the feeling for the country and their heritage might tempt them to vote the candidate whom they feel can rescue the country from the present Augean mess. Therefore the JVP might poll much less than expected this time. It could be even less than half of what they polled in 2018. But I have Anura’s name also here as he might be the only candidate who will not lose his deposit with the probable exception of Hisbulla, and Sivagilingam both of whom may save their deposits if extremist Tamils and Muslims in the North and East decide to vote them on communal grounds.

I do not want to waste valuable news site space and my reader’s precious time and my own time on other candidates as they all will forfeit their deposits and end up only as also ran candidates”.

Every vote cast on any one of these 32 is a national crime and every vote cast on Sajit and Anura this time will be a vote against the Sinhala nation, a vote against the country and a vote against the Saasana.

               One last word for Buddhist monks in this country and even Catholics, Hindu Priest and Muslim religious dignitaries. Every vote cast for UNP and JVP is a vote against the religion as both these Parties stand for a secular State. Professor K.M.De Silva, in his latest book D.S. The First Prime Minister of Ceylon (1884-1952) has said even D.S. Senanayaka, the Father of the UNP has refused to get religion involved in the affairs of the State when some Buddhist delegates headed by Buddhist Monks requested him to give the foremost place to Buddhism as it had been the tradition from the inception of history in this country. This clearly shows the attitude of the UNP to Buddhism in this country.

All Buddhist Monks I think should seriously keep this in mind when they vote a UNP candidate or get on a stage to ask the people to vote a UNP candidate. How can any Buddhist priest wearing the Buddha’s Robe on earth, under these circumstances ask a Sinhala Buddhist to vote a die-hard  UNP candidate at any election?

If you want to feel that you have voted to save the Sinhala nation, Sambuddha Saasanaya and the 2500 year old Sinhala Desaya, vote for Gothabhaya, assuming that he is de facto incarnation of Gothabhaya, the warrior who helped Dutugemunu to liberate this Island Nation in the 2^nd century B.C.in the war against Mighty Elara, the South Indian Invader who ruled the North for 44 years. Also remember he is the man who executed the war against the LTTE, which the whole world thought un-winnable.

 So I plead the whole nation to vote Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to save this country, the Sinhala nation, and the Sambuddha Sasana and our 2500-year-old Great heritage in this country

My above conclusions are based on the following six premises

1 Going by the 2018 Local Government election results

2 An opinion survey conducted by telephone calls and personal interaction

3 Random analyses of election meetings, press reports and speeches of the three candidates by self.

4 Past Presidential election results and

5. The general antipathy of people towards party politics and politicians in this country

6 my own understanding and conviction on Sri Lankan politics

RT

Russia still cannot verify Washington’s claims about the elimination of the Islamic State leader, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, adding that the US facilitated the rise of the group in the first place.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the (now former) leader of the notorious terrorist group Islamic State  (IS, formerly ISIS) is or was if he is really dead a spawn of the United States,” the minister told the Russian Rossiya 24 broadcaster.

ISIS as such came into existence in the wake of the US illegal invasion of Iraq, the collapse of the Iraqi state and the release of extremists that Americans previously kept in prisons there…”

So, to a certain degree, the Americans have now eliminated their own spawn, if it did happen.

ALSO ON RT.COMUS smuggles crude worth $30mn per month from occupied Syrian oil fields, violating its own sanctions – Russian Foreign Ministry

Lavrov also said that the Russian military still do not have enough information to confirm with confidence that the self-proclaimed ‘Caliph’ is indeed dead. We want to get additional information,” he said.

It was all stated triumphantly and jubilantly. Yet, our military still study the issue and … cannot confirm many US statements so far.

US President Donald Trump pompously announced American special forces neutralized the terrorist leader in a daring night-time raid” in northwest Syria, yet, his statement was met with skepticism by many. While the Pentagon released drone footage of the raid, it offered little proof regarding the terrorist leader’s demise itself. His mutilated body, found under the rubble of a collapsed tunnel, was allegedly buried at sea, but evidence for this assertion, too, essentially remains classified.

READ MORE: Pentagon declassifies al-Baghdadi raid VIDEO & DETAILS, confirms ISIS leader’s mutilated body buried at sea

Earlier, Syrian President Bashar Assad also expressed his doubts about the fate of the notorious terrorist and said that Washington could recreate him under a different name, as a different individual,” also suggesting the Americans could reproduce ISIS in its entirety,” possibly under a different name but with the same thought and the same purpose.”ALSO ON RT.COM‘Americans will RESPAWN al-Baghdadi’: Assad casts doubt on ISIS leader’s death, draws parallels with Bin Laden’s killing

By : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA.

As regards move by a foreign servile and shameless UNP government to sign the reprehensive MCC agreement before the presidential election a fundamental rights violation case has been filed in the Supreme Cou Court demanding to issue an interim order to prevent the signing of this agreement of pawning Sri Lanka to America for 200  years until after the election. The government has become convinced of the imminent defeat of their sanitary pad (feminine napkin) candidate is trying to expedite this horrendous agreement to make a future government of Sri Lanka (Gota-Mahinda government) bound to implement this agreement.  The son of Kaanu Kataa sanitary pad candidate in his manifesto released yesterday (Oct. 31st) has pledged that this agreement will be fully honored, the despicable UNHRC resolution No. 30/1 will be fully implemented, and the devolution demands will be granted on a priority basis.

So, accordingly Sri Lanka’s North will be for Tamil terrorists, Trincomalee-C corridor will be for Americans and the South will be for Sinhalese. In reality, a person in the South including Batticaloa will be compelled to obtain visas to cross the Trnco-Colombo corridor from the American authority stationed there and from the Northern government to enter that territory.  The procedure will be the same for a man in Jaffna to visit Colombo or any other place in the South and it will prevail for the next 200 years or more subject to an extension. So, there is every possibility that Nagadeepa will be a memory of the past for Southerners and the Kovilsin Kataragama, Colombomay become a single territory with the blessings of India and theUnited States and may be named as adhering to the same culture  be asked by every Sri Lankan is what nationality our children of the future generations will have.

In the case of North with making the Palaly an international airport and South Indian fishermen getting full immunity the North and Tamil Nadu will eventually become a single territory speaking the same language and adhering to the same culture and religion and by the passage of time, with the blessings of the Indian government and the Americans will become a single entity called Tamil Desam instead of Northern Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.

The opposition is mounting throughout Sri Lanka from people of all walks of life since last Tuesday (29th September) when a forced cabinet approval was obtained for signing the agreement despite stern objection from the President.  Yesterday the President, consequent to a protest delegation of opposition MPs which met him, has requested Finance minister Mangala Samaraweera to suspend the signing of the agreement for which the foreign slavish quisling Samaraweera has responded saying that the agreement was drafted with consent of the Attorney General and it will be presented to Parliament for approval after its signing. This stupid minister who was also functioned as Foreign Minister must be thinking that signing of agreements with foreign countries, and that also with the United States, is like something in the market that can be returned if not required.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a bilateral the United States Foreign Aid Agency established by the United States Congress in 2004, applying a new philosophy towards foreign aid. It provides time-limited grants and assistance to developing countries that meet the rigorous standards for fighting corruption to respecting democratic rights. It is reported that the MCC undertook a “constraints to economic growth analysis” in the year 2016 and subsequently decided to focus on the land and transport sectors, which were identified as binding constraints to growth. The constraints analysis concluded that traffic congestion in the Colombo Metropolitan Region, poor transport connectivity between Provinces, and weakness in land administration constrain economic growth. Accordingly, the MCC agreed to grant USD 480 million for financing the above projects.

Final negotiations on the Compact were conducted in October 2018 between the MCC and a Cabinet approved GoSL delegation which consisted of officials from the relevant Ministries and Government Agencies for implementing the selected projects including a representative from the Attorney General’s Department.

The whole process and the final Agreements were done under the guidance of the Attorney General and well within the legal framework. The Attorney General is in the opinion that Agreements are in order and there exists no legal impediment to executing same. A Cabinet Memorandum along with the final drafts of the Agreements was submitted on 31.05.2019 to the Cabinet of Ministers. The Cabinet appointed a committee for further discussions of the matters in detail. And subsequently, the Ministry of Finance submitted the Cabinet Memorandum dated 05.07.2019 seeking the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for signing the Compact Agreement and the Program Implementation Agreement. The Cabinet of Ministers has granted its approval for signing above Agreements on 29.10.2019.

The Compact Agreement and the Program Implementation Agreement will be submitted to and enacted by Parliament of Sri Lanka once it is signed and before its entry into force and will be published in the Government Gazette before submitted to Parliament. With all these exercises how can one expect that America which had been insisting for the signing of this agreement will just simply roll it back with all their strategic contours attached to it.

Protests against the MCC agreement and demand for abandoning it without signing are mounting throughout the country.  It has been pointed out that Sri Lanka will lose 15 million acres of land to American control for 200 years.

Several Muslim Mawlavis and religious leaders have condemned this agreement saying that it would divide the Muslim community into three segments such as Northern Muslims, American Muslims, and Southern Muslims and have said that through this several prominent mosques including the Grand Mosque in Colombo and the Muslims of Colombo and several other important places like Muttur, Kinniya and Trincomalee will become subjected to American domination. They have condemned nominal Muslim Ministers such as Rauf Hakeem Kabir Hashim, Eishad Bathiudeen and other Muslim parliamentarians in the government to wake up from their slumber and oppose the agreement and asked whether they have bartered the community in this instance as well as they have done on many issues to fain personal largesse.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has also urged the government not to go ahead with the controversial Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement without fully examining the proposed pact.

The following is the full text of the letter issued by BASL President Kalinga Indatissa, PC:

“The Bar Association of Sri Lanka views with grave concern the news item pertaining to the Cabinet paper seeking approval for the entering into of the MCC agreement.

“Despite news reports seeking to assure the public of the benign nature of the said agreement, the draft that was previously made available to us had a multitude of disadvantageous clauses for Sri Lanka. The BASL as a responsible organization took a lot of time to study the proposed MCC and submitted a detailed report. The BASL outlined the grave consequences that Sri Lanka would face as an independent and sovereign State in the event the GOSL proceeded to sign the MCC in that form.

The proposed MCC as it stood then contained many issues of a very grave nature, as explained by us to the Honourable Prime Minister in writing, which we now disclose to the public to make their own observations. In fact, on 5/8/2019, the BASL received a letter of the Hon. Prime Minister thanking us for our efforts.

“We take this step as a responsible Association as the assurance given to us previously by the Government not to take any step towards signing the agreement without amendment and making a full disclosure of the contents to the public after obtaining our views has not been honoured.

“It is our belief that the draft proposals should be made available for Democratic debate before committing the Country to honour an agreement which only a privileged few have been privy to according to these newspaper reports. In the past, these have been instances where the country and the people had to face the consequences where the respective Governments of the day proceeded to enter upon agreements without educating the public about the contents.

“In such circumstances, the BASL holds the view that the MCC agreement should not be signed without providing an opportunity to the people to understand the true nature of the agreement.

“Therefore, we urge the Government not to proceed with the proposed agreement whatever compelling short-term economic reasons there may be without honouring its commitment made to us which we accepted in good faith.”

There were two investigative articles published in the news website Lankaweb on 16th and 117th September 2019 related to the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) by an Indian journalist named Sarojini Dutt.  The title of the articles was When does a Gift Horse becomes a Trojan Horse?” Certain extracts from these articles are reproduced herewith:

Jenner Edelman, the new Country Director of the controversial Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), had egg on her face when she was caught red-handed dishing-out fake news during a series of public presentations in Sri Lanka.

The MCC had acquired a malevolent reputation in Sri Lanka and the US was hellbent on whitewashing that image. Edelman embarked on a laundering campaign conducting a series of public presentations and artfully placed newspaper articles scripted by large US Corporate-funded organizations like Advocata.

Razeen Sally, a member of a secret and subversive organization – The Mont Pelerin Society that is dedicated to destroying universal franchise and democracy -dutifully sang for his supper as instructed.

However, anger against the MCC  has been  snowballing and the Sri Lankan people are now demanding that any Presidential hopeful seeking their vote should publicly affirm before a Maha Sangha Council that he/she would not sign the MCC Agreement or any other similar Agreement, and that if such agreements, laws or Treaties have already been signed he/she would repeal such Agreements, Laws, and Treaties when elected to office; furthermore, the people are demanding that the Presidential hopefuls make this the foremost statement, unambiguously, in their Manifesto.

It appears that the objective of Edelman’s programme, besides whitewashing the MCC, is to take the MCC off the political agenda at the forthcoming election campaign.

When Edelman was caught out being untruthful and metaphorically with her pants down, critics were quick to pounce on her ham-handed deception, pithily describing her conduct as America’s ‘Millennium-Gate’ scandal.

Many in Sri Lanka have accused the MCC of subversion and of spearheading an alleged US military thrust into Sri Lanka; this campaign, people say, is in consonance with America’s much-trumpeted, and bi-partisan, foreign policy doctrine of ‘Pivoting-to-Asia’ pronounced officially by Obama in 2012.

In all their presentations and contrived newspaper articles, Edelman and her assistant projected the MCC as an altruistic organisation, playing ‘Santa-Claus’ to the most poverty-stricken countries of the world and, making the poor in those countries rich.

Edelman went on to suggest that the MCC was created by Washington as a philanthropic arm of the US and not a tool of US foreign policy; she said that if Sri Lanka is not interested in America’s benefaction, the US would take their ‘gift’ to a more appreciative and grateful country.

Having said that, Edelman in the next breath did a positional pirouette;  rather sternly, she said, We are determined that Sri Lanka shall accept our ‘gift’; we shall sign the agreement before 17 Sep 19; if the people do not like it, the President, they elect, can annul the Compact at that time”.

Edelman then went on to say, The MCC has been maligned by much fake news. There are no electrified railway lines and there is no special economic Corridor running from Colombo to Trincomalee; everything is done by the MCC is what the Sri Lanka Government wants”.

How complying with MCC conditions would  result in Sri Lanka gifting the entire country on a platter to the US forever, is dealt with further down this piece 

What is one word for an agreement where one party to an Agreement has to fulfill his part of the Contract before the Contract is signed and, where the other party fulfills his part of the Contract only after the contract is signed? That word is, ‘MCC-Compact’.

Controverting Edelman who said that the ‘gift’ is unconditional another page of the MCC document was shown

The conditions imposed on Sri Lanka by the MCC are: All-State Lands to be mapped out; All-State Lands to be inventoried; a parcel fabric of all State Lands to be prepared; The Land Registry to be converted from the Deed system to the Title Registration system; the Land Registry Records to be Digitalised; a– new system of Land valuation to be introduced; All government Grants (of Land) to be  Registered;A Land Policy Body to be Established; pass new laws that support reforms under the Title system.

Sri Lanka has done nearly ¾ of what MCC wants Sri Lanka to do; only about a quarter remains to be done. From Sri Lanka’s perspective, there is now hardly any requirement to sign an ‘Agreement’ Document as most of what the US wanted Sri Lanka to do, has been done; from the US perspective, the balance quarter must mandatorily be complied with if the MCC is to part with the money promised.

The Americans are laughing all the way.

All-State Lands have been mapped out, inventoried and a parcel fabric of State Lands done. The and Registry has been converted from a Deed System to a Title Registration system (this is the ‘Bim Saviya’ Act that was passed in 1998 by Kumaranatunge, a member of another secret subversive organisation of the Whites – the Club of Madrid – dedicated to breaking up Sri Lanka and the other Nation States).

With Sri Lanka responding subserviently to the crack of the MCC whip, MCC requires Sri Lanka to digitalize the Land Registry, establish a new system of Land valuation, register all Government Land grants, establish a Land Policy Body and pass new laws that would support Land Reforms under the Title System.

On these conditions which MCC requires Sri Lanka to act on and which remain to be completed, Sri Lanka has already taken the initiative to have them implemented.

To digitalise the Land Registry, the US advertised in the local newspapers and selected a Sri Lankan contractor, Harin Gunawardena, to do the job of establishing the infrastructure for digitalising the Land Registry, under US instructions. The Registrar General of Lands, Gunasekera, and the Surveyor-General, Udayakantha, devotedly permitted the Americans to access to their offices and work on the process of digitalising the Register. The process is underway, with American input, unsupervised.

A similar situation exists in the Valuation department.

Gunasekera, Udayakantha and their successors are put on notice; they could, however, redeem themselves by assisting the State.

The double-speak of the Americans is quite evident. In their ‘Constraints’ analysis, a primary concern of the Americans is their inability to access and buy-up land in Sri Lanka.

Hence most, if not all, of the conditions laid down by the MCC for Sri Lanka to comply with, is to give the Americans easy access to buy-up or lease land in Sri Lanka.

What then is the motive of the MCC compact? The objective of the MCC is to create the necessary conditions in Sri Lanka to enable the United States to buy up Sri Lanka for a song.

Where then is the double-speak? The MCC tells Sri Lanka (and other poor nations) that they are here to alleviate poverty. If they have access to Sri Lanka’s land and buy up the land of the poverty-stricken farmer, the MCC does not alleviate poverty, they only aggravate poverty.

The MCC slogan, ‘alleviating poverty’, is a good sell; poor countries, because of their poverty, are vulnerable, malleable, and susceptible to economic blackmail; for example, ‘if you do not conform to our conditions, we take our ‘gift’ and go to a more appreciative country who would conform’.

Yes, there are many poor countries in the world; and the world today is a predator’s market for land-grabs. It could be argued that what motivates MCC is not altruism but naked self-interest.

In the last 70 years Sri Lanka has been able to maintain sovereignty of her land, not through an Army that would deter foreign aggression, but with Buddhism, a deeply engrained culture, a supportive Constitution, an incorruptible judiciary, legislature and Administration and, an Army that is excellently capable of dealing with the internal proxies of foreign military powers.

Consequently, the people of the country own 84% of the land.

Politicians, elected by the people, are only the temporary custodians of that land; they have been delegated the people’s authority to protect the sovereignty of that land and to preserve the fundamental rights of the unborn generations.

To deprive the people of Sri Lanka sovereignty over their land the foreign aggressor has to attack, Buddhism, Sri Lanka’s culture, Sri Lanka’s Army, Sri Lanka’s supportive Constitution, and the incorruptibility of  Sri Lanka’s judiciary, legislation, and administration.

The attack has begun and the attack is on all fronts. The MCC is an integral part of that attack.

The Corridor from Trincomalee to Colombo is mostly government land given on lease to farmers. One of the conditions laid out by the MCC is to register all Land grants.

Why has the MCC included this condition?

Until about three years ago no foreigner could own land in Sri Lanka. But Wickramasinghe enabled foreigners to own land in the country. However, this is restricted to the 14% of private land available in the market and that too is restricted by extent, to a limit of 50 acres.

The rest of the country’s land, an 84%, is not available for sale; it is only available for lease, only if the temporary custodian of the land, the President, deems it fit to be leased.

This 84% of Sri Lanka’s land is under the protective hand of the President of the country despite amendments to the Constitution and despite interpretation of the amendments being challenged in the Supreme Court of law.

How could America’s impediment to access 84% of Sri Lanka’s land, as a result of the President’s power, be overcome and how could these powers be devolved to the provinces as is the demand of the TNA?  

How could this ‘restriction’ on this 84% of the land is available only for lease and not for sale be removed and such land be made available for outright private sale?

How could the limitation of ownership of land to a maximum of 50 acres be done away with?   

This is where the MCC, Wickramasinghe, and Sirisena have colluded.

Wickramasinghe promised the issue of a million deeds to farmers who already have lease ownership to those lands; he and his hirelings have begun issuing deeds for these lands. 

Sirisena placed the Presidential seal on each one of those million deeds issued, as is mandated by law. 

The MCC has made it one of their mandatory conditions that all Land grants be registered under the Title system;

In short, by issuing a million Land Grants to the farmers, the land has been privatised; by the land being privatised, the power to deal with those lands has been devolved to the respective provincial councils along the MCC Corridor. The issue of  land grants, therefore, is not to alleviate  poverty, as is proclaimed, but a necessary ‘precedent’ condition – a condition that has to be met before the MCC donates its ‘gift’ –  that would enable the Americans to buy up land while satisfying  the Eelamists demand for power over ‘land’.

With the MCC electric railway barrier dividing the North from the South, with the Americans controlling the Corridor from Trinco to Colombo and having the ability to hinder movement of the military between the North and the South, with Land power devolved to the provinces, the separatists have got what the American-backed terrorists fought for before they were wiped out at Nandikadal; Eelam.

The farmers are poor not because of a lack of land; they are poor because they do not obtain, at the appropriate time, the fundamentals necessary for farming, such as seed, water, fertilizer, warehouse facilities for their harvest, markets, price, etc.

Since the farmers continue to be poor, they are encouraged to sell their land (for which they now have deeds) or mortgage their land with lending institutions; when the farmers default on their mortgages the lending institutions would seize the properties mortgaged with them, and sell these properties.

And this is exactly what the MCC wants and that is why the MCC requires, as a precondition, ‘the registration of land grants under the title system’. The MCC would buy all this land for a song.

When land deeds are given to farmers, these lands now become private land; no longer do these lands come under the control of the President (or the Centre); all land powers to these million deeds issued are devolved to the respective provinces.

The Corridor from Trinco to Colombo, approximately 1.2 million acres of land, is replete with Phosphate, Ilmenite, Monazite, Thorium – a nuclear fuel like uranium – and other precious and rare metals. 

Issuing of a million Deeds – viz a million Land Grants – has removed the restriction on Government lands being available only for lease; these lands are now available for sale, as required by the MCC.

A geopolitical analysis suggests that the US wishes to occupy Sri Lanka and that they propose to do so by buying out the country; they are restricted in a way that there is a limitation on ownership of land by an individual to a maximum of 50 acres.

This restriction and many other restrictions to America’s easy access to buy Sri Lankan Land have been done away with, in the draft laws prepared by the MCC, unknown to the Sri Lankan public.

The MCC has been cajoling the Government to sign the MCC agreement before 17 Sep 19. Wickramasinghe, Sirisena, the MCC and others are put on notice that they would be in contempt of Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court should they sign the MCC Agreement before the Supreme Court give its determination on the plaint filed regarding the constitutionality of the  Land  (Special Provisions) Bill.

The member of the audience who publicly challenged Edelman for being economical with the truth indicated another pernicious issue in the MCC Plan put out by the MCC; he said that the MCC was planning to set up a Land Policy Body which would be the cardinal authority on Land Policy in the country.

This Policy body is empowered to override any decision relating to land made by the Government which is the denouement of Sri Lankan people’s sovereignty and democracy.

And in this policy body are entrenched the Americans and the NGOs, the paid hirelings of the Americans. When Edelman denied this allegation, this individual calmly pointed to the ‘Conditions Precedent for MCC Land Investment’ where the establishment of a Land Policy Body is one of the conditions that should be done before the MCC ‘gift’ can be given. 

Then turning to another page in the document in his hand, he showed a wiring diagram of this supreme Land Policy making body, as portrayed by the MCC. 

At the apex is the MCC and subordinate to it is the Land Policy Research Council and further below is the Land Policy Office of the Ministry of Lands!

With a very strong possibility of, an Eelam,  a terrorist caliphate in the East (see MCC map), Americans in control of the entire island, of the littoral states in the Bay of Bengal and the Bay being destabilised by the caliphate terrorists,  Sirisena, Wickramasinghe and the entire cabinet (collective responsibility)  and are put on notice.  

By Shivanthi Ranasinghe Courtesy  Asian Tribune

Both presidential candidates Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Sajith Premadasa had pledged to protect the unitary status of the country. With both making the same promise, the challenge is before the voter as to which candidate to vote for, when both are pledging the same.Gotabaya Rajapaksa – had actually taken the initiative, worked hard, even at personal risk, to ensure that the country remains as a whole than a fragmented uni

As it is easy to make any promise, the voter must turn his attention to the course of action and stance the candidate has taken to fulfill his pledge. The voter must also take a closer look at the candidate’s team to understand whether the candidate may rely on his team to support him to fulfill his pledge.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the first to understand the implications of the Geneva Resolution 30/1, which was co-sponsored by the Yahapalana Government. He was able to do so because by that time he had already formed Sri Lanka’s very first think tank, Viyathmaga. As an organization Viyathmaga in 2015 was in its infancy. Yet, because of the caliber of professionals that gathered at this forum from the beginning, the contents of the Geneva Resolution 30/1 was well analyzed.

The very next year, Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera was appointed as an envoy of the Sri Lankan people. He went to Geneva armed with facts and figures that easily refutes the absurd allegations made in the Resolution. It was a very odd experience indeed for a single citizen was doing the work that ought to have been done by the Sri Lankan Government. This lone individual’s only support was GR.

As is evident from the documented interpretations of Sri Lanka’s events from persons such as former American ambassador Teresita C Schaffer and Ryan Goodman, GR had been identified as a political threat even before the ahapalana Government was formed. Even as early as January 2015, GR was considered a serious obstacle in reaping the return of America’s investment from toppling a strong nationalistic Government to installing a weak government.

The solution envisaged was to remove GR from the political arena by implicating him of various crimes. Right on cue, the Yahapalana Government tried their level best to implicate him into various crimes. Even after four years however, the Yahapalana Government has not been able to achieve their objective.

In fact, the more the Yahapalana Government tried to persecute GR, he more strengthened he became politically. However, the fact that theYahapalana Government’s plan to neutralize GR backfired on the Yahapalana Government is visible now, it is very much news on hindsight. At the time, the pressure exerted especially via the newly and illegally formed FCID was immense. Entire military units were taken in for questioning. Even their families were pressurized to name GR as the point of command over various allegations.

A lessor man would have tried to stay invisible from the Government’s radar. He certainly would not have challenged the Government’s decisions. GR however grabbed the Geneva Resolution by the horns and spearheaded the challenge.

The Yahapalana Government scurried to establish the Office of Missing Persons when the then UNHRC High Commissioner Zeid Hussein threw a tantrum. Yet, the OMP still could not unleash its maximum power because GR’s team worked tirelessly to educate the clergy and the masses. By this time, GR had also founded Eliya – an awareness creating body that addresses these issues, simplifying technical details so that it is comprehensible to the ordinary man.

As the ordinary man became familiarized with the facts, its implications and the interest of those who are pushing to enact these highly detrimental agreements, the YahapalanaGovernment stood exposed. A favorite trick of the Yahapalana Government is to create a distraction and to use that moment of confusion to push through unpopular or unacceptable bills.

Yet, as Eliya locked its focus on the issue, the Yahapalana Government was unable to utilize their trick to the fullest extent. As a result, this Government’s efforts to create nine semi-autonomous governments with a very weak central government was negated. Therefore, no one can dispute that GR played a pivotal role to safeguard the unitary status of our country. He did so while being out of power and while being persecuted by the Government that was intent on neutralizing him by putting him behind bars.

During this entire episode, Premadasa was (and still is) a powerful cabinet minister. He is also the deputy leader of the ruling political party UNP. Yet, he silently allowed legitimacy to the Geneva Resolution 30/1 despite,

– Resolution was brought against Sri Lanka

– it was co sponsored without the knowledge or sanction of the cabinet

– if the conditions of the Resolution is completely fulfilled, it will push Sri Lanka to having a weak government and a weak security force

– the Resolution cannot be co-sponsored as it is unconstitutional

– Mangala Samaraweera who signed the co-sponsorship in effect gives a commitment to the UN on behalf of the Parliament. However, Samaraweera placed his signature to the co-sponsorship as the minister for foreign affairs. He was thus acting in the capacity of the executive. Yet, he gave a commitment on behalf of the Parliament, which is the legislature. This is not possible because the Executive and the Legislature are independent bodies

– as a member of the cabinet, Premadasa cannot escape from the sins of the Resolution and is also liable for collective responsibility.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa comes forward as the presidential candidate backed by an entire team that had stood and worked against the Geneva Resolution 30/1.

Sajith Premadasa on the other hand is backed by the very team that allowed and justified the Resolution. Both candidates may pledge to safeguard the unitary status of our country.

However, only one – Gotabaya Rajapaksa – had actually taken the initiative, worked hard, even at personal risk, to ensure that the country remains as a whole than a fragmented unit.

C. Wijeyawickrema

Everybody knew about RP’s affinity for Malayalam witchcraft, black magic oils, etc. but who could have guessed that he was also an admirer of Hitler. Ex-CCS officer cum minister Sarath Amunugama had known this since 1968 according to a short note that I accidentally came across when surfing the Internet.  Appended below is that note copied from the website, Colombo Telegraph. Our knowledge about a person depends on the quantity and quality of information we have about him/her. Without reliable information, it is GIGO, garbage in and garbages out. For a book chapter that I am engaged in, titled, sins and crimes of Sri Lankan PMs and Ps, I have a long section on R Premadasa, and I have decided to release some of it in this short essay for one important reason. RP’s words and actions make one wonder whether as a politician he struggled with an unbalanced mind, and I find his son, a presidential candidate, exhibits at least some traits that his father then possessed. To add insult to injury the son says at election rallies that his strength is his father’s work and vision and that he will follow his father’s political path. In a separate essay, I plan to compare Sajith with Gota and one or two other Vikalpa candidates.

The King of Seetawaka, Rajasinghe I, came under the spell of Malayali gurus and destroyed Buddhist temples. According to H.L.Seneviratne, RP built more Viharas (10-15?) than any other king in Sinhale. Now, Sajith plans to build over 1000 Viharas. Sri Lankan PMs and Ps, except perhaps, D.B. Wijetunga had been mixed bags of good and bad.  As Panchaskandas full of Lobha-Dwesa-Moha, each one has had his/her own share of baggage, hence RP is not unique at all in his anti-national deeds. However, of these politicians, starting with DSS, the worst culprit was RP. All politicians, including Ranil, Mahinda and Sirisena went to South Indian Kovils, but RP’s case is one of going to the extreme and one of confusion: building viharas left and right and hosting Malayalam Gurus and letting his goons to force monks to attend his meetings/functions.

Like any other human being, a PM or a P must be judged by his/her character and not by personality. Whether the person is honest, sincere, ethical, moral and unselfish about the nation’s long-term survival and prosperity, and not whether his nose is long or short, voice is coarse, or a good public speaker, ought to be the criteria of quality of a genuine ruler. Compare, for example, the election stage talks these days of Hirunika, Ranjan Ramanayaka, Vijithamuni Zoysa, Sujeeva Serasinghe, Mervyn Silva or the monk Dambara Amila with the so-called ‘uneducated’ Paba when she was an MP of the Gampaha District. She was so innocent, exuberating her quality upbringing as a descent child. Even Sarath Fonseka and Fowzie talk about killing the opposition candidate, without any reprimand from either Sajith or Ranil.

JRJ used Prof. W.S. Karunaratne and RP for his 1977 election and he had no choice but to give PM’s job to RP. It was even more revolutionary than the 1956 silent revolution, and JRJ mentioned about RP’s caste indirectly at his Dalada Maligava maiden speech. The problem was that RP could not overcome his own inferiority complex even after he became P. As if it was telepathy, Sajith now speaks of his superiority complex at election rallies, not realizing that one who speaks of superiority has inbuilt inferiority. Contrary to what Sirisena Cooray reveals now, RP used thuggery to dissuade JRJ from seeking a third term. Finally, JRJ did not attend RP’s tragic funeral. His affair with Dudley was more dramatic. It was a case of baby snakes fed with milk. Dudley went to the extent of giving a portion of his ancestral Woodlands land to the RP family and built a house. Yet, RP was so ungrateful, arguing with Dudley in writing in public, while Dudley was in the hospital. As a heart patient, Dudley was prevented from reading the newspaper replies from RP. This treatment by RP was considered as a reason for aggravating D’s health condition, and not surprisingly RP had a hard time getting permission to see the coffin.

Only a Hitler-worshipping type of man can be this cruel with those who gave him a helping hand. RP used Premadasa Udugampola to kill JVPers but then Udugampola had to hide and run to India to escape from RP’s goons. I know personally that Prof. Tilak Rathnakara who helped RP tremendously to grow-up had to leave the country in fear of death! Then at the funeral, he came to shed crocodile tears before the widow!  Once when Felix Dias came to RP’s office asking some minor help, he was treated like a dog. One can gauge one’s honesty and character traits with one or two incidents without a long list.

I first came to know about him when newspapers reported that he said at an election rally that PM’s chair will have to be washed monthly if the widow Mrs. B becomes PM. Now repeating history, his son says sanitary pads for women is a national problem that deserves priority attention! Yes, AnuraB insulted him saying that he was selling lavaria (sweetened rolled string hoppers) on Panchikawatte streets, but it is on record in the Hansard that RP brought the name of Duncan de Alwis, SWRD’s private secretary to the debate. UNP election rallies use more filth, perhaps in desperation because of a sure election defeat, not realizing that such behavior is an insult to the listening public and our culture.

Another incident that I know personally is how RP got officers to move out of government houses in Colombo 7, to be sold later at exorbitant prices. One such officer got a call from RP’s secretary K H J Wijedasa, asking him when he was going to move out, warning that Lokka (RP) is angry about the delay. The officer refused to vacate. A monk living in Texas tole me how monks were forced to attend RP’s various functions, and he once attended a meeting because RP’s goons threated to white van him if he refused.

A family I know living in Wellawatte who had a group photograph with faces of almost all the PMs before RP. One day RP borrowed this photo and the daughter of the mother who was also in the picture, who told this story to me when she was visiting the USA was puzzled when I asked her why RP did that. My wife told me that her brother and others went home from their youth society meeting at Pita Kotte, to change their trousers and come back wearing sarongs after RP gave a speech. This was during the 1950s-1906s. But this same RP made government officers wear ties during office work as a mark to separately identify them from civilians. When RP said that he can write the Budget on a bus ticket and that he wanted baas and not engineers, there was some truth hidden behind such statements, a mind of a young man saturated with nationalism. A. E. Gunasinghe, a labor leader was his teacher. From my discussions with a close original Colombo 7 lady friend, I gathered the idea that the Colombo 7 crowd and the black-white establishment did not respect RP and even ridiculed him behind his back. I suspect RP himself felt this and reacted despising them as well as by placating them. Who knows, getting Col. 7 govt officer bungalows and selling them could have been money-making as well as a revenge tactic.

The trio, RP, Wijeweera, and Prabhakaran marked a sad interlude in the country’s history. His suffering under caste prejudice by the Federal Party leadership created a cruel Prabhakaran. Wijeweera’s support base was the so-called low caste village youth. A. E. Gunasinhge’s daughters had a hard time getting married, because of caste conflicts. When we think of it, since the 1930s, when Govigama and Karawa castes controlled/dominated public politics, lower castes gravitated toward leftist/Marxist names. In 1935 LSSP opened-up an opportunity for them. In 1952 SLFP performed better than UNP in this regard. It is amazing how under the new election laws this- now you see, now you don’t- caste card is operating at the local-village-town level.

To my knowledge, Dayan Jayatilaka and Imthiaz Bakeer Markar are the only two individuals who praise RP as a political-administrative genius. To me, a ruler, who lived alone with his loyal driver Mohideen in a lonely house, waking-up his married officers calling them at 4 A.M. was a Hitlerian act. My relative told me that RP’s Gam Udava, in most cases ended as a waste, disturbing the life and ecology of an already surviving locality, resulting in clock towers rusting and broken. This reminds me of how he sent masons to a suburb in London to build a Vihara, which became dilapidated in no time due to weather and climate conditions there. Gam Udava was used by the evangelical missionaries to distribute truckloads of bibles to villagers shipped from abroad. Sajith is accused of selecting Buddhist archaeological sites (e.g. Vijithapura) and ecologically sensitive locations for his one and only project of creating new villages with funny names. And, the houses apparently are not free, but on housing loans.

After RP’s death questions arose about where he studied in Colombo and what grade he passed. Did he attend St. Joseph College or some other school? His opponents called his government the clique of the seven (seven men with grade seven). Interestingly this kind of question did not arise with DSS or Mrs. B, because they did not disrespect educated people. Sajith got into a similar problem with regard to his basic education due to the fact that he bragged about his LSE education. Speaking in English after a foreign stay does not make one a degreed person after hard work. Mrs. CBK also had this problem with her higher educational qualification during her stay in France. Some people are simply not O.L. or A.L. material and do not have to worry about higher educational qualifications.

I mentioned these aspects of RP’s life characteristics so that it helps one to gauge his mental state before and after he became president. One last information I have is what the late PM/President D. B. Wijetunga told his close relative when they were residing at the Temple Trees. After RP’s demise, ballot boxes full of money were taken out of his Sucharitha home/office, and Sirisena Cooray ought to be the person who knew where they were taken.  After all, it was SC, who got Somawansa Amarasinghe out of the country when Wijeweera was captured. Mulgirigala rock temple picture missing from the Queen’s House was found at an auction in London and RP’s son-in-law was the suspect. His daughter was caught in an illegal money printing case and MahindaR gave her protection. How RP who began as a patriotic young man well versed in Buddhism left this world leaving his widow and daughter who became evangelical Christians and then Sajith with a Christian spouse visiting a church at Kirulapona on a regular basis is a relevant public issue, because Like RP, Sajith is also too much into saving or decorating Buddhism.

Everybody is barking at Arjuna Mahendran and RanilW for robbing the Central Bank, but nobody knows that Pakaralingam is with Ranil since 2015. Paskaralingam was RP’s link to Prabakaran, and he pumped, information, money, and material to the LTTE until the day of RP’s demise. The next day itself Paskaralingam escaped and joined the tiger crowd in Australia. Apparently, like RP, RanilW is so attached to Paskaralingam.  What this means is that if Sajith becomes president because of the very bad karma of Sri Lanka, just by saying Sir and Sir, Paskaralingam will have two servants, not two masters.

Just think of the harm done to Sri Lanka by RP with Paskaralingam sitting next to him or under his table to display his fake loyalty.

1. He betrayed the Sinhala people by agreeing with Asroff to reduce the district voting cut-off point from 12 to 5%. This was done in a Hitlarian manner just two days before the 1988 presidential election to get Asroff’s support. Then, since 1994, Sinhala politicians became dog tails of Muslim MPs.
2. He secretly gave arms, materials, and money to Prabakaran to fight against the IPKF, which were later used against the SL army by Prabakaran.
3. His decision to order the police to surrender to Prabakan resulted in the cold-blooded massacre of 600+ police/army personnel.
4. His decision to increase the number of GSN units from 4,000 to 14,000 without any scientific basis created an army of grama sevaka niladharees without any basic education but UNP goons in villages.

Hitler was wiser in his statecraft, but RP could not handle wisely at least a man from his social class, Wijeweera. The IPKF left Sri Lanka not because of RP’s demand but the Indian government could not control Tamilnad state training and nursing tigers wounded in fighting against IPKF in Jaffna. After treatment in Tamilnad hospitals they returned and fought again! Therefore, trapped in its own political game, a weak Delhi govt decided finally to withdraw after heavy loses. In the meantime, RP watched in agony how his blind faith in Balasingham and Co. made him literally, a prisoner of war. The story was that he asked Wijedasa to help him to come out of the mess. It was a tragic saga. If Mohideen, his life-long, loyal driver was the conduit pipe that Prabakaran used to get Babu into the business of shaving RP’s beard, one could imagine the level of dysfunction in the president’s own world.  What was so sad was the fact that when he was blasted into pieces beyond recognition, his severed head or his hand or a finger with his ring found later in a mortuary full of parts of dead human flesh, people all over the country lighted fire crackers, perhaps as revenge for the killings that took place during 1988/89 JVP revolt. In the case of Saddam Hussein and Muhammar Gaddafi it was foreign manipulation.

RP lived with insecurity, fearing if a potential rival would emerge. He suspected Sarvodaya Ariyaratne and appointed an NGO commission to silence him. He was afraid of Denzil Kobbekaduwa’s popularity and the threat of Athulath Mudali-Navin Dissanayake challenge. People were not sure if tigers killed them or if tiger or JVP friends of RP did it. It is better for Sajith not to talk about his father’s legacy which is like opening a can of worms.

May 1, 2018

author: Rifat Halim

Why Did Premadasa Admire Hitler?

By Rifat Halim –

Ranasinghe Premadasa was a fascinating leader, who deserves a much better biography than the ones that Bradman Weerakoon and Evans Cooray have produced.

Premadasa, then Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Local Government with the Minister of Local Government Senator M Tiruchelvam QC (In the White Suit) in the Colombo Airport in 1968.

There are three questions that come to mind on his 25th death anniversary:

(1) Why did he admire Hitler?

Premadasa served as the Parliamentary Secretary (colloquially known as the Deputy Minister) to the Minister of Local Government Murugeysen Tiruchelvam QC from March 1965 to September 1968. Tiruchelvam was the Federal Parry’s nominee in Dudley Senanayake’s Cabinet. He succeeded Tiruchelvam as Minister, when the latter resigned in September 1968.

In early 1968, the Frederich Ebert Stiftung (FES), a think tank controlled by German Social Democratic Party (SPD), invited Minister Tiruchelvam to study local government in West Germany. The Minister declined the invitation and nominated his Deputy Premadasa, Dr. Sarath Amunugama (who was then a coordinating secretary in the Ministry) and one more official. Dr. Sarath Amunugama is now a Cabinet Minister.

When they arrived in Bonn (West Germany’s capital), Premadasa asked Amunugama to purchase books on Adolf Hitler. Premadasa told Amunugama that he was a long-standing admirer of Hitler. This was the first and only time that Amunugama had met a fan of Hitler.

Amunugama had to look long and hard for books on Hitler in Bonn. The Americans had restricted all pro-Nazi literature from the bookshops. When a few books were produced, Premadasa was delighted. He exclaimed that he wished that his late mentor AE Goonesinghe (who modelled the Ceylon Labour Party on the Nazi Party) could have been in Bonn.

Former UNP MP Asoka Somaratne (who resigned after the accord) has written that Premadasa enjoyed watching Hitler’s speeches, even if he could not speak one word of German. Premadasa even adopted Hitler’s mannerisms in his own speeches.

(2) Why did he save Asia’s Hitler?

Nobody who values democracy can forgive Premadasa for giving Asia’s Hitler Velupillai Prabhakaran the lease of life during the Ali – Koti (Elephant-Lion) alliance of 1989-90. The IPKF had brought the LTTE to its knees, but Premadasa inexplicably entered into negotiations with them in April 1989.

He not only talked to the LTTE, but he armed them. Former Defense Secretary General Cyril Ranatunga has written in page 103 of his book From Peace to War, Insurgency to Terrorism that President Premadasa had decided to give arms to the LTTE”.

When the TULF leader Appapillai Amirthalingam was killed by the LTTE on 13th July 1989, both President Premadasa and Minister of State for Defence Ranjan Wijeratne defended the LTTE. They absolved the LTTE of any responsibility.

When Mahathaya admitted that the LTTE killed Amirthalingam and Yogeswaran in October 1989, Ranjan Wijeratne still refused to blame the LTTE.

Eventually, their Karma caught up with them. Both Ranjan Wijeratne and Ranasinghe Premadasa were killed by the same organisation that they defended.

(3) Was his success due to luck or ability?

Premadasa, the only non-Govigama leader in the country’s history, had a generous share of good fortune.

He was lucky that his Minister (Tiruchelvam) was a Senator. Only the lower house can present legislation and Premadasa presented several important bills. This meant Premadasa had a much higher profile than any other Deputy Minister. He presented the Tamil language Special Provisions bill in 1966 on behalf of his Minister. Premadasa often quipped that he (a man without formal qualifications) was representing a Queen’s Counsel.

He was lucky that Tiruchelvam resigned in September 1968, which paved the way for his entry into Cabinet.

He was lucky to hold his seat during the UNP debacle in 1970. This elevated him to the top tier in the UNP hierachy. He was lucky that the JVP disrupted the 1988 Presidential elections. Mrs. Bandaranaike would have won if the turnout was higher.

C. Wijeyawickrema

In the west, pre-marital and sex with multiple partners before or within marriage is the norm for women. In Sri Lanka and other non-western societies, girls are expected not to have sex before marriage. The situation is so bad in the USA ( I have no knowledge to say this about Canada, Europe or Australia) that if a boy or a girl is not dating he or she was considered abnormal or gay or lesbian in sexual orientation.

The video clip below shows how our Sri Lankan culture is morally and scientifically superior to western norms, embraced nowadays by the corrupted new generations especially after JRJ coming to power in 1977. Recently, I saw video clips of how Hela Veda system cures hemorrhoids with two types of oil steam, one to take the rectum out of the anus, the other to push it back inside. Another Sri Lankan and another Asian habit that received scientific validation in the west are that the commode is not the best way for bowl movement. Our method of squatting eases it and people now use a squatty potty, a bathroom toilet stool of nine inches height to keep the legs up when seated on the commode.

Those who talk about advancement and progress as imitating the western model and mega-projects ought to resurrect our thousand-year-old tools of living, such as organic farming promoted by Ven.  Atureliye Rathana. 

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Lahiru Pothmulla Courtesy The Daily Mirror

‘The Rajapaksas are the most closest to the Muslims among the present lot of political leaders in the country and Muslims are equally with Gotabaya Rajapaksa today, Ali Sabry PC said.

Speaking at the event ‘The Turning Point’ organised by the National Muslim Collective in Colombo on Thursday, he said the UNP or the West would never look after Muslims and that the

Sri Lankan Muslims expected stability, national security, communal harmony, progress and prosperity in the country.

We are proud Sri Lankans and that’s why we call this organisation the National Muslim Collective. First, we are Sri Lankans. We don’t want giveaways or to be in someone’s pay roll. We want to ensure the security in the country and reject extremism be it Sinhalese, Muslim or Tamil. We don’t want anything above or below the law. We want equality,” Mr. Sabry said.

He said they could not work with race or ethnic-based parties and that they had to work with national parties and the majority. That’s why 35% of Muslims are now supporting Gotabaya. Our target is to make it about 50%,” he said.

He said Gotabaya is a meritocrat who rewards ability. He will be the Lee Kuan Yew of Sri Lanka,” he said.

SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, SLPP and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, SLPP Chairman G.L. Peiris, Governor A.J.M. Muzammil, MPs Faizer Mustapha and Mahinda Amaraweera and former diplomat Razik Zarook were also present at the event.  

Lahiru Pothmulla Courtesy The Daily Mirror

SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa said if elected president, he would hold himself responsible for all the communities in the country and not just a single community.

He said this at the event titled, ‘The Turning Point’ which was organised by the National Muslim Collective held in Colombo Thursday night.

While inviting the people to place their trust in him, Mr. Rajapaksa said he had fulfilled the responsibilities handed over to him 100%.

I will be responsible for not one but all communities including the Sinhalese, Tamils and the Muslims. I will ensure that state sponsorship will be given to create a Sri Lanka where everyone can live proudly without fear by winning the trust of all communities,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa said a government led by him would not allow any form of extremist terrorism to raise its head in the country. I will fulfil the objective of reviving the economy and ensuring security for everyone. We will create an environment where everyone can practice their religion peacefully,” Mr. Rajapaksa said.

Commenting on the war victory, he said, Our post-war achievements were greater than defeating terrorism. Neither we started the war nor we fought the war with the Tamil community. Our war was with the LTTE. That’s why we implemented massive development projects in the North to improve the livelihood of the people there”.

Mr. Rajapaksa said the former Rajapaksa Government’s reconciliation and rebuilding efforts did not receive due attention.

We had one of the most successful rehabilitation programmes in the world to rehabilitate former LTTE cadres. The provincial council system was introduced as a solution to the issue of the Tamil people and only the Rajapaksa Government was able to hold the election to the Northern Provincial Council establishing democracy there,” he said.

Meanwhile, he responded to a comment made by Ali Sabry PC who spoke prior to Mr. Rajapaksa at the event that the SLPP would get about 35% Muslim votes at the presidential election and their target is to increase it to 50%.

Ali Sabry PC said we have 35%. I’m surprised why its 35% and not 65%,” Mr. Rajapaksa said to the crowd which cheered in response.

He said the people wanted to see a change in the political culture in the country. SLPP and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, Governor A.J.M. Muzammil, MPs Faizer Mustapha and Mahinda Amaraweera were also present at the event.  

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The parliament will have ample opportunity to review the MCC grant assistance agreement once it is signed, the US Embassy today said.

Issuing a statement, the Embassy said once the grant assistance agreement is signed, the Government of Sri Lanka will send it to parliament for approval.  

Consistent with the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) worldwide policy in all partner countries, once the grant assistance agreement is signed, the Government of Sri Lanka will send it to parliament for approval,” it said.  

It said during that review period, the government will develop plans to implement the grant assistance agreement and design projects to improve transportation and land administration.  

Parliamentary review and approval are required by MCC to ensure the grant assistance agreement has the support of the government and the people,” it said.

The Embassy said the MCC pact will directly benefit over 11 million Sri Lankans and meaningfully stimulate economic growth.

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Courtesy Ceylon Today

Daya Gamage worked at the American Embassy in Colombo, as the Sole Foreign Service National and a Political Specialist. 

He retired in 1994 and has been living in Las Vegas since retirement. He has been able to share his knowledge, understanding and his intimate professional association with the US Department of State in the form of a book – ‘Tamil Tigers’ Debt to America’.  

While assuring the facts contained in his book cannot be found anywhere else, he has authorised the writer “to quote anything from his book”  so that that the readers will get a sound idea of  America’s Foreign Policy,  Sri Lanka’s National Issues and the LTTE struggle in depth.

A politician’s career mainly consists of making a part of the nation do what it does not want to do, to satisfy the other part of the nation. It is the persistent sacrifice of the rights of some at the request and for the gratification of others. 

The dominant idea of the politician therefore would be that those who are opposed to him exist to be made to serve his ends if he can acquire enough power to force these ends upon them.

It was Auberon Herbert’s dictum that formed the basis of the Foreign Service Officers’ (FSOs) mindset from the time of Kenneth M. Scott (1981) and throughout the next fifteen years, which created policy planks formulating the United States’ attitude towards numerous Sri Lankan issues related to good governance, civil rights, race relations, shared rule at the centre and periphery and the rule of law.

It is in this context that one needs to consider American policies towards Sri Lanka, in order to put it into proper perspective, to clear the air for both nations to have a better understanding and a fruitful relationship.

 It is even more important for Sri Lankan officials, even those who at the time regarded themselves as ‘diplomatic/foreign policy whiz kids’ and ‘political pundits,’ to get an erudite understanding of how the American diplomatic mind works.

It is this mind that was taken seriously in Washington through a constant flow of classical diplomatic cables to which Daya Gamage had the privilege to contribute.

 But, what is noticeable is the ignorance of the GoSL (Government of Sri Lanka) officials and their inability to even decipher a glimpse of FSOs’ (Foreign Service) mindset, the result being unexplainable contradictory policy decisions by GoSL officials.

The FSOs listened to and interacted with both sides: the Sinhala activists,who claimed that a majority of Tamils enjoyed privileges beyond their numerical strength and proportion in Sri Lanka and Tamil representatives, who highlighted the separate identity of their ethnic group and canvassed the West to convince them that their rights, status in society and privileges had declined. 

The latter had a better hearing due to the occurrence of significant incidents that the American diplomatic corps took serious note of.

Nancy Murray (Journalist) who carried out extensive research in 1984 for her article titled, “The State against Tamils in Race and Class”, greatly influenced the thinking of American Diplomats in Colombo during the initial period.

A tense atmosphere exploded into State-sponsored mayhem on 31 May 1981 when an unidentified gunman opened fire during a District Development Council election meeting.

Two Cabinet ministers, Cyril Mathew and Gamini Dissanayake (both self-confessed Sinhala supremacists), who were present in town,with uniformed security  men and plain-clothes thugs, carried out several well-organised acts of destruction in burning down certain targets that included the Jaffna Library, with its 95,000 volumes and priceless manuscripts, a Hindu Temple, the office and machinery of the independent Tamil daily newspaper Eelandu, the home of a Jaffna MP, the headquarters of the TULFand more than 100 shops and markets. 

Four people were killed. No mention of this appeared in the national newspapers, not even the burning of the library and the symbol of the Tamils’ cultural identity.

Eye Wash

The District Development Council system, which the Jayewardene administration (1977-1988) put into effect in 1981, as an answer to Western pressure, mainly by America, to devolve power to the periphery, was regarded as eyewash by the international community. 

The American diplomats who scrutinised the system concluded it was not the remedy required to broad-based Tamil agitation for devolution to the periphery; indeed, it would be a catalyst for a violent uprising by the minority Tamils in the country.

The Jayawardene administration’s failure to immediately declare an islandwide curfew when the Sinhala mobs started attacking Tamil households and businesses in July 1983 in Colombo and other cities/towns, following the killing of thirteen army soldiers in the Jaffna Peninsula by the Tamil Tigers, perturbed American observers, as closely witnessed by Daya Gamage.

 The declaration by President Jayawardene, which described the mob attacks on Tamil properties and Tamils as an ‘expression of sentiments by the Sinhalese,’ shocked American diplomats in Colombo.

 The embassy also received credible information that a leading political leader of the Jayawardene regime from the Kurunegala District assembled Sinhala mobs elements, transported them by train to Jaffna and created havoc in the predominantly Tamil district in the Northern Province.

Diplomatic Cables

The reports, observations, and analysis that went into the diplomatic cables on ethnic disturbances of 1977, 1979 and 1981and regarding other significant political trends and developments were readily available to every chief mission and FSO at that time (1981-1995) for them to digest.

Once serious attention was focused on issues such as race relations, devolution of power to the periphery, governance, civil liberties, and the rule of law. The reading materials and the embassy officers’ engagements in public diplomacy and strategic communication helped the United States to develop policy planks on critical issues faced by the country.

It is important to understand that the policies pursued by the United States in the new millennium were the ones that were developed, shaped, and brought forward from the 1980s and 1990s.

 The focus of the American diplomats regarding the status of Tamils in Sri Lankan society was clearly portrayed when Ambassador James W. Spain (1985 -1989) confronted the Minister of  Education in the 1956 Solomon Dias Bandaranaike regime, Dr. W. Dahanayake, at his Richmond Hill residence in 1987 in the presence of Daya Gamage and asked him why was he responsible for English being used as a medium of education with a prime place for Sinhala language and marginalising Tamil education when he  too was  educated…… to which Dahanayake replied that it was not under his watch that the change was made but during the time of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1960.

Diplomacy

When Cyril Mathew, a Sinhala Nationalist Minister in the Jayawardeneregime, died late 1989, the American Ambassador and the chief of political affairs quite rightly refused to pay their last respects to a ‘Sinhala chauvinist,’ but finally agreed at the insistence of Daya Gamage, who was their prime political specialist, to visit the Mathew residence in Horton Place in Colombo 7, after discussions that took note of the fact that his son, Nanda Mathew, was a Minister in the Cabinet and it was advisable to sustain the cordial contacts with him.

This was at a time when Cyril Mathew’s special assistant, who was one of Daya Gamage’s high school teachers, had been inquiring from Daya as to why the American Embassy was so interested in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs and raised questions about whether the United States was supporting the Tamil separatist agenda.

The renowned Sri Lankan journalist, Mervyn de Silva, in the May 15, 1990, edition of Lanka Guardian, wrote a eulogy for  Sri Lankan (EPRLF) Parliamentarian Sam Thambimuttu, who was assassinated by an LTTE hit squad in front of the Canadian High Commission  in Colombo, viz: “Right through the war in the East, before and after the arrival of the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force), Sam Tambibuttu was the reporter’s (Mervyn)  first choice for what in the professional patois is called a ‘check’ and a  ‘double-check’…. 

 There was the more exacting professional demand rooted in the very character of a highly competitive profession.

For the foreign correspondent or the local stringer, the source of information is vital. So is ready access to the source but most of all one had to depend on reliability and credibility.

 Since this was not personal, but a professional’s tribute toSam Thambimuttu, DayaGamage had to break an old established rule of revealing the source in this instance, however, Sam’s assistance to the International Press was hardly a secret. His name had been mentioned a hundred times.

tilakfernando@gmail.com
To be continued
Courtesy: Daya Gamage – Author of ‘Tamil Tigers’ Debt to America.’

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By Faadhila Thassim Courtesy Ceylon Today

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that it is his primary responsibility to build a secure nation while ensuring communal harmony.

He claimed that the only concern of all citizens is national security even though the country is amidst an economic crisis and that this is because the present Government had not prioritised national security, while adding that as an individual who has experienced the impact of terrorism and having dealt with it, he would ensure that no such extremist activities take place in the future.

He further claimed that democracy had been upheld prior to the present Government taking over and assured that he would take control of the situation after he becomes the President. ”We brought the war to an end and achieved much during the period of peace that followed, while this Government only initiated a new war and built fear within all communities,” he alleged.

He expressed these views while attending a convention under the theme ‘The Turning Point’ organised by National Muslims Collective on 31 October.

 He added that strategic plans had already been formulated in this regard and he was looking forward to implementing them in order to completely eradicate terrorism while gaining the confidence of all communities and ensuring that the rights and freedoms of the Muslim community are upheld, along with the rights other minorities.

 ”The Tamil community’s issues were heard and addressed while rehabilitation programmes were carried out for LTTE cadres who surrendered following the war.

 This is the way a caring Government should ensure the prosperity of all its citizens,” he said. President’s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry claimed that over 35 per cent of people from the Muslim community had extended their support to Rajapaksa and that this is expected to increase to at least 50%, adding that the Muslim community is would not place their trust in any of the promises made by other candidates who have continuously lied to the Muslims.

”This Government has failed the entire community and we are now being looked down upon.

 We need a leader who would ensure that our rights and security is protected and this is definitely not a part of the agenda of the UNP candidate,” he added.Parliamentarian Faiszer Musthapha further added that over 95% of the Muslim community voted for a regime change in 2015 and instead had to face incidents such as those that took place in Digana, Gintota and the Easter Sunday attacks in which there was a total breakdown of the national security apparatus, adding that Gotabaya is the only candidate who can bring about a change that is required by the Muslim community.

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By Saundarya Wellaboda Courtesy Ceylon Today

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chief Organiser Thusitha Kularathne claimed that they have verifiable information to believe that Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa will receive more than 70 per cent of the Government workers’ votes.

Speaking at a Press conference yesterday (1), Kularathne claimed that with a total of 6.7 million votes from both the SLFP and the SLPP on his side, announcing Rajapaksa’s Election win will simply be a formality.

He claimed the project ‘Mahinda Chinthanaya’ which was conducted under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa helped develop the country to a great extent after the separatist war and added that he is certain Gotabaya Rajapaksa will prioritise the improvement of the country if elected.

Kularathne alleged that President Maithripala Sirisena was not able to complete all the promises he made was because he received zero cooperation from his Government.

Boralesgamuwa Municipal Council Chairman Anura Priyashantha added that if elected, Rajapaksa will ensure the living status of villagers is uplifted and will also develop the infrastructure of agriculture.

 Priyashantha claimed that Rajapaksa has the full support of the local Government and added that the Presidential hopeful is capable of ensuring the country’s security.

The SLFP clarified that though the Organisation to Protect the SLFP operates using the name of their Party, it is not an organisation the SLFP agrees with or is a part of.

Colombo Municipal Councilor Sharmila Gonawala said that people who lived in shanties were provided apartments in the city during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Presidency and added that if elected, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has promised to bridge the gap between urban and rural development.

She alleged that the Colombo Municipal Council is one of the most corrupt Municipal Councils in the country and claimed that measures were taken to ensure the Council wouldn’t be a culprit to bribery and corruption during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure.

She added that Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised to improve public transportation and introduce a systematic solution to waste disposal which the current Government has failed to do.

Courtesy Adaderana

SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa says that he believes the people want to change the political culture of this country. 

Speaking during the conference ‘The Turning Point’ organised by the National Muslim Collective, he said that towards the latter stage of the previous government a certain fear was created within the Muslim people in the country.

It is no secret that the Muslims decided to remove that government then due to that suspicion,” he said.

We are not people who started a war.  We are the people who ended a war.” 

Rajapaksa said that they know very well the effects of terrorism and as a person who witnessed it, there will be no room for any extremism and terrorism under his rule. 

President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, who also addressed the event, said that Sri Lanka’s Muslims want somebody who empowers the communities and who will give a vision to the communities. That’s the kind of leader the Muslim community is looking for.”  

I think Sri Lanka will be turned around by Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He is the next Lee Kuan Yew for this country,” he added. 

Mr. Sabry stated that Muslims need to live here with dignity, with respect. Ensure communal harmony and the security. That is all we want. Rest of it we can look after ourselves.”  

UPFA MP Faiszer Musthapha stated that today the Sinhala community is voting for Gotabaya Rajapaksa and he will definitely win. 

We asked for a change in 2015. We failed. We need to have a turning point,” he said. 

The Muslim community will be the biggest beneficiary of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s victory at the presidential election, he said.

Courtesy Adaderana

The presidential candidate of the National People’s Power (NPP) Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that NDF presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa cannot talk about catching thieves” when the whole team” is on his stage.

He stated that if Sri Lanka is to be developed an administration devoid of stealing and wastage is required and that only they can provide such governance.

Speaking during a rally in Chilaw, Dissanayake said that they have individuals who will be better finance ministers than any of the individuals who have held that position so far in the country.

Give us power. What is our fault? Is it the fact that we don’t steal?” he questioned.

Courtesy Adaderana

UPFA MP Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena says that the election manifesto unveiled by NDF presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa is a dream shop” while also comparing it to a small novel”.
 
Speaking at a press conference today (1), he alleged that they had somewhat delayed the released on their manifesto as it would be emulated by Sajith Premadasa.

He said that as they had predicted even in the last minute it had been clear that certain parts of SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s manifesto had been included into Sajith Premadasa’s manifesto.

We have presented a manifesto which has a programme, a vision,” he said, adding that in Premadasa’s manifesto it is clear that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will come forward to help Sajith.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (01) reminded the Attorney General to brief the bench on legal action that would be taken against State Minister of Education Vijayakala Maheswaran over her statement concerning the now-defunct LTTE.

When the case was taken up before the Colombo Magistrate this morning, the officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) told the court that the investigations on the case have concluded and all of the relevant reports have already been directed to the Attorney General.

The CID officers stated that they are yet to receive the Attorney General’s instructions on the legal action to be taken against the State Minister.

The magistrate then ordered to issue a reminder to the Attorney General calling for his briefing on the matter and postponed further hearing of the case until December 13th.

Addressing a state event held at Veerasingam Hall in Jaffna on the 2nd of July 2018, the former State Minister of Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran had stated that the LTTE should be resurrected for the freedom of the Tamil people.

The OCPD subsequently commenced investigations into the controversial statement made by the State Minister of Education and she was arrested on October 8th 2018.

She was granted bail on a personal bond worth Rs 500,000 on the same day.

Courtesy Adaderana

A Fundamental Rights (FR) petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking an interim injunction against the signing of certain agreement with the U.S.  including the MCC, ACSA and SOFA by the government of Sri Lanka. 

The FR petition has been filed by Attorney-at-Law Darshana Weraduwage while the Attorney General, President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana and Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera have been named as respondents. 

The petition states that local media had widely reported recently that Cabinet approval has been granted to sign several agreements including the MCC without the consent of the Parliament or the people.

The petitioner also claims that these agreements would be seriously harmful to the national security and sovereignty of the country and that this is a violation of the Constitution.

Therefore the petition requests the court to issue an order declaring that the decision taken by the government of Sri Lanka to sign these agreements are in violation of the constitution and to also issue an interim order preventing the signing of them. 

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

ආබාධිත රණවිරුවන්ගේ ගැටලුවලට විසඳුම් ලබාදීමටනම් අමාත්‍ය සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස මහතාට සහය පලකරමින් ප්‍රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡාවක් පවත්වන ලෙසට බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ සිට තමන්ට දුරකථන ඇමතුම්ලැ බුණු බවට රණවිරු අයිතිවාසිකම් ජාතික බලවේගය අද හෙළිදරව්වක් කළා.

මේ අතර 2016 වසරේ ආබාධිත රණවිරුවන් සිදුකළ උද්ගෝෂණයකට සහය පළ කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් පැවරූ නඩුවකට සහභාගිවීම සඳහා අද දස වන වතාවටත් භික්ෂූන්වහන්සේ කොටුව අධිකරණ සංකීර්ණයට වැඩම කර සිටියා.

2016 වසරේ ආබාධිත රණවිරුවන් පැවැත්වූ උද්ඝෝෂනයක් අතරතුර ජනාධිපති ලේකම් කාර්යාලයට ඇතුළුවීමට උත්සාහ කිරීමේදී ඊට සහය දුන් බව පවසමින් භික්ෂූන්වහන්සේට 2018 වසරේ ගොනු කළ නඩුවකට සහභාගිවීම සඳහා අද එම භික්ෂූන්වහන්සේ කොටුව මහේසත්‍රාත් අධිකරණයට කැඳවා තිබුණා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

නව ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පෙරමුණේ ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂක සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස මහතාගේ ප්‍රතිපත්ති ප්‍රකාශය සිහින මාලිගාවක් බව පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී ලක්ෂ්මන් යාපා අබේවර්ධන මහතා පවසනවා.

ඔහු මේ අදහස් පළ කළේ නෙළුම් මාවතේ පිහිටි ශ්‍රි ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණු පක්ෂ කාර්යාලයේ අද පැවති ප්‍රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡාවකදී.

මේ අතර ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂ මාධ්‍ය ප්‍රකාශකවරයාගේ සහභාගීත්වයෙන් කොළඹදී තවත්ප්‍ රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡාවක් පැවැත්වුණා.