By Noor Nizam – Peace and Political Activist, Political Communication Researcher, SLFP Stalwart and Convener – The Muslim Voice”, October 29th., 2019.
IT WAS NOT A STATEMENT OF PROBABLE THREAT BY THE SLPP/SLFP OR
MAHINDA PELA TO THE MUSLIMS.
During the Presidential Elections and general elections of 2010,
20% of the total Muslim votes were polled in favour of President Mahinda
Rajapaksa and the UPFA. In the 2005 presidential elections, the Muslims played
a major role in the victory of Mahinda Rajapaksa, it was reported.
The late T.B. Jaya said that the Muslims should not put all their
eggs in one basket”. What did this mean? It meant that the Muslims should be
represented in both the National Sinhala political parties. Today, for some
reason, there is only one Muslim elected representation in the SLFP/ Mathri
pela”, Hon. Fowzi and NONE in the Ekkabadde Vipaksaya” (the Mahinda Rajapaksa
group) a political force of nearly 51 SLFP/UPFA elected” parliamentarians.
Therefore the Muslims do not have a political voice. It is true that we have
allowed the affairs of our community to be taken control of unscrupulous,
dishonest, deceptive, self-motivated, selfish, corrupt and manipulating Muslim
politicians, Muslim political party leaders, Ulema and Media personnel, that
has led our community to be considered as a 2nd., class community in Sri Lanka.
In politics, we are considered as the community of political naanaas who turn
the way their Fez Cap turns” to support any political party that comes to power
for the personal gains of the political leaders of the Muslim parties.
The Muslim politicians have hoodwinked and betrayed the Muslim
Community wholesale. In the aftermath of the Aluthgama/Beruwela incidents, the
decision taken by the Muslims to steer clear from these politicians and to take
their own political moves was the most appropriate. But the Yahapalana government
has betrayed the Muslim Community by still NOT making the probe on the violence
of Aluthgama and Beruwela which happened as a result of the communal racist
actions of the so-called nationalist Buddhist clergy organization and Sinhalese
groups, which is suspected to have taken place with the connivance of a
Rajapaksa family member, OR is the Yahapalana government was trying to cover-up
the involvements of a prominent former Mahinda Government Minister of the
UNFGG’s in the Kalutara District at the 2015, and left the country on the eve
of the violence? Rumours say it was Dr. Rajitha Seneratne the most
“violent opponent of Gotabaya” in the presidentail campaign
2019.
Mahinda might have been a bad example of a leader for the Muslims,
between 2010 and 2015, but we cannot discard him as a political power and
his brother now – a would be next President of Sri Lanka as Attorney-at-Law Ali
Sabri had stated/states. The rest we have to leave to God AllMighty Allah.
Therefore the decisions for the Muslims to support Gotabaya Rajapaksa fits
correctly to the thinking of the late Muslim political leader at that time –
late T.B. Jaya. Attorney-at-Law Ali Sabry had highlighted the need for the
Muslim voters to think in the same manner and take the advice given by the late
Muslim Politician Dr. T.B. Jaya that “The Muslims should NOT put all their
eggs in one basket”, is what is appropriate for the present times, Insha
Allah. Muslims should look for Muslim politicians with the “ROLE
MODEL” of persons like late T.B. Jaya, S.L. Naina Marikkar, Cassim
Ismail, Cassim Umar, Mactan Ismail, Ash Sheik Mohamedu Fazi, S.N. Ismail, L.M.
Sapur, M.K. Saldin, N.H.M. Abdul Cader, Makan Makar and A.R. Razcik (later
referred to as Sir Razick Fareed) in National/Local Politics, Insha Allah.
This is also what The Muslim Voice” was also advocating, since
June 14, 2014, Insha Allah. This is what “THE MUSLIM VOICE” was
striving to do from the wilderness of the Muslim political arena, Insha Allah.
It is time up that a NEW POLITICAL FORCE that will be honest and sincere, to
stand up and defend the Muslim Community politically and otherwise, especially
from among the YOUTH, and safe guard the DIGNITY of our community has to emerge
from within the Sri Lanka Muslim Community to face any new election in the
coming future, Insha Allah. THE STATEMENT MADE BY ATTORNEY-AT-LAW ALI SABRY
– ambanaikku kidaikkum” Ambanakata hambuwei” HAS TO BE SEEN
AS A “METAPHORIC” STATEMENT. IT WAS NOT A STATEMENT OF PROBABLE
THREAT BY THE SLPP/SLFP OR MAHINDA PELA, Insha Allah.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Eight men, including two state assemblymen, were charged in the Sessions Court in several states today for their alleged connection with the LTTE terrorist group.
Two charges were filed by the prosecution for their alleged involvement, one of which is for giving support to the terrorist group, framed under Section 130J (1) (a) of the Penal Code which provides an imprisonment for life, or for a term not exceeding 30 years, or with fine, and shall also be liable to forfeiture of any property used or intended to be used in connection with the commission of the offence, if found guilty.
The other charge is for possession of items associated with the terrorist group, which is an offence under Section 130JB(1)(a) of the Penal Code whereby those found guilty shall be punished with imprisonment for up to seven years, or with fine, and shall also be liable to forfeiture of the items concerned.
At the Sessions Court in Melaka, Gadek assemblyman G. Saminathan, 34; Seremban Jaya assemblyman P. Gunasekaran, 60 and a chief executive of a corporation, S. Chandru, 38, were charged with giving support to LTTE during an event at Dewan Kasturi Ayer Keroh, Jalan Utama, Taman Ayer Keroh Heights here from 8.30 pm to 10.50 pm on Nov 28, 2018.
Saminathan was also charged with possessing items connected to the terrorist group in a handphone at the office of the State Executive Councillor (Exco) in charge of Unity, Human Resources and Consumer Affairs at the Chief Minister’s Office, Kompleks Seri Negeri here at 10.25 am last Oct 10.
At the Kuala Kangsar Sessions Court in Perak, technician S. Arivainthan, 27, and taxi driver V. Balamurugan, 37, were charged with giving support to the LTTE at an event held at Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council Hall between 6.30 pm and 11.45 pm on Dec 28, 2014.
At the Selayang Sessions Court here, scrap metal collector A. Kalaimughilan, 28, was charged with two counts of possessing items related to LTTE at a house and in a car at Jalan Anggerik 5D, Bukit Sentosa, Rawang at 9.30 am and 12.35 pm, respectively, last Oct 10.
The items included compact discs, video compact discs and stickers on the LTTE terrorist group.
In Segamat, Johor, dispatch rider S.Teran, 38, was charged with a similar offence, allegedly committed at an address, 10M, Jalan Genuang, Kampung Paya Pulai, about 6.30 pm last Oct 10.
In Selangor, an English and Physics teacher at a national secondary school in Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor, Sundram Renggan @ Rengasamy, 52, was charged at the Sepang Sessions Court, with a similar offence, allegedly committed at No. 21, Jalan 6, Taman Telok, Telok Panglima Garang in the Kuala Langat district at 2.30 pm last Oct 12.
No plea was recorded from all the accused as they were all detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) which comes under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
As SOSMA detainees, they were also not allowed bail.
The Sessions Courts set either Nov 18 or Dec 16 for mention of the respective cases.
The United National Party (UNP) has decided to remove MP Wasantha Senanayake from the party with immediate effect.
UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam stated that the UNP decided to strip party membership from Senanayake immediately and later remove him from his ministerial portfolio.
Wasantha Senanayake, great grand son of UNP founder D. S. Senanayake, is the current State Minister of Foreign Affairs in the UNP-led government.
He had recently written a letter to UNP deputy leader and NDF presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa, expressing his concerns with regard to the latter’s election campaign.
Holding a press conference recently, he also demanded answers from Premadasa for questions put forward by him regarding the role certain ministers will play in a future government.
Senanayake has also been visibly absent at the election rallies of Sajith Premadasa.
President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have told the Cabinet today that he would not accept the report compiled by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that probed the Easter Sunday carnage.
The PSC presented its report to parliament last week. In its findings, the PSC blamed the incident mainly on the lapses on the part of the State Intelligence Service and government leaders for failing to take action to prevent the attack that killed more than 250 people.
The PSC report was presented to the Cabinet at its meeting chaired by President Sirisena yesterday. According to informed sources, the President said he would not accept the report and asked the Cabinet not to record it as approved by the Cabinet whatsoever and instead asked the government to look into areas where security lapses had been highlighted.
By Chamly Ekanayaka and Thameenah Razeek Courtesy Ceylon Today
United People’s Freedom Alliance Parliamentarian and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday (29) alleged that the United National Party (UNP) has formulated a five phase conspiracy to transfer the blame over the 21 April, Easter Sunday, terror attacks, to Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Presidential candidate and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
He made this allegation at a Media briefing in Rajagiriya. He said: “The UNP which is currently behaving like a mad dog over being unable to face up to its soon to become most humiliating election defeat ever in history, has thus planned to place the blame, over the Easter Sunday carnage, on the shoulders of Rajapaksa having titled it as the ‘Big Revelation’ and over five steps.”
Gammanpila alleged that as its first phase, a video has been made containing a confession made by a terrorist attached to the National Thowheed Jama’ath (NTJ) at a house owned by a person called Thushara in Battaramulla.
“This person in the video says that in the run up to the 16 November Presidential Poll, the country’s national security will be placed in danger and that the Easter Sunday attacks had been carried out by international terror groups at the behest of Rajapaksa,” he further alleged.
He further claimed that in the fraudulently produced video, the NTJ terrorist had further talked about the names of two Sri Lankans and that through them Rajapaksa had maintained links with terror groups in the Middle East and Europe.
Gammanpila also alleged that the second phase of the plot suggests that eight Catholic MPs had held a Media briefing and that they had charged that Rajapaksa should be held accountable over the Easter Sunday bombings and that he should be apprehended forthwith.
He further alleged that the third phase of the UNP conspiracy against Rajapaksa would consist of staging a protest demonstration opposite Catholic Churches here displaying banners ‘Arrest Gotabaya’.
He alleged further that the fourth phase of the plot will include Catholic Priests and Very Important Catholic Persons making requests to conduct an impartial and unbiased probe into last April’s carnage.
Also, he alleged that the fifth and final part of the conspiracy would include publicising a bogus letter to suggest that Rajapaksa has maintained close links with international terrorists.
UPFA Parliamentarian Mahindananda Aluthgamage, claimed three powerful UNPers will get on stage with Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
He also alleged former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is busy fulfilling the UNP’s personal agenda, instead of protecting the SLFP identity.
Criticising Kumaratunga’s planned SLFP Convention, which is to be held on 5 November, SLFP General Secretary, MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, told the Media yesterday (29) that those who participate in the Convention would be UNPers masquerading as SLFPers. He urged the people not to be fooled by Kumaratunga’s actions.
“Since it has been revealed that the New Democratic Front Presidential candidate, Minister Sajith Premadasa’s Presidential campaign is ruined, now he is trying to create unwanted tension within the community that is supporting Rajapaksa. The UNP-led team headed by Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Premadasa and Malik Samarawickrama are preparing to ruin Rajapaksa’s campaign, by bringing out false videos and spreading rumours,” Aluthgamage alleged, adding that these plans will be activated from 1 to 14 November.
Five Northern groups yesterday (29) decided against voting for any Sinhala candidate at the forthcoming Presidential Election.
The groups that took such a decision were: Former Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Vigneswaran’s Tamil Makkal Kootani (TMK), Suresh Premachandran’s Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF-Suresh Wing), Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam’s All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), University Lecturers and a Civil Society Organisation.
Vigneswaran, issuing a statement, said that since the postal voting for the Presidential Election is scheduled to be held tomorrow (31), he decided to announce his stand.
In the statement, he had emphasised that he cannot direct his people to vote for any Sinhala politician at the Presidential Election.
“We don’t have any ethical right to ask Tamil people to vote for Presidential candidates who, don’t want to discuss the 13 proposals that were put forward.”
“Under no circumstance will we give up those 13 proposals, which have been a need of Tamil people for a very long time,” Vigneswaran stressed. An official statement from the five groups was scheduled to be issued last night.
Former head of the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) Retired Senior DIG Ravi Waidyalankara today issued a statement in response to the recent media reports on allegations of financial fraud and money laundering directed at him and his family.
He claims that there had been recent negative media publications by print and electronic media, subsequent to his revelation on the hazardous conditions” he faced during his tenure in office.
Thus, I have the right to reply in a legitimate manner, by issuing a statement prior to resort to any legal actions. I issue this statement for public consumption as well as to the entities who try to tarnish my image by resorting to character assassination,” he said.
The former FCID chief stated that his original statements pertaining to this matter appeared on the ‘Aruna’ newspaper on 27th October 2019 and on daily news broadcast on Derana & other television channels.
However, it is disappointing to note that some parts of these statements have been taken out of context to reinforce political strategies, he charged.
Subsequently, there had been allegations leveled against me, my wife and my son regarding a nexus between some of the individuals who are under the investigation by the FCID. Since this matter is still being investigated I don’t intend to elaborate any details as a former police officer and investigator who has handled over 300 investigations professionally.”
The retired Senior DIG said that his son, Mr Asela Waidyalankara has clarified his position very clearly with a public statement, and that he fully endorsed his factual position in this regard.
In relation with the company of SOORIYA FOUNDATION, an organization, where my wife is only a signatory, which was established for charity based activities not relating to any profit make businesses. Only the address of an asset under my son’s company was given for mailing purposes which is not contrary to the law,” he said.
He categorically stated that it was merely confined to a paper and not a single transaction, investment, any account, any economic transaction, or any transaction or activity was conducted since incorporation.
On this backdrop, myself, my wife and my son totally deny and reject any allegations of any illegal activity as published, and wish to state that we will extend our utmost co-operation to any investigations conducted by any agency, established under the laws of Sri Lanka.”
New Democratic Front (NDF) Presidential Candidate Sajith Premadasa says the only complex” he has is superiority complex” and that he has the utmost belief in his own abilities, skills and intellect.
What I believe is that I take decision from the standpoint that ‘no one can compete with me’,” he said, during a meeting organized with lecturers and tuition teachers.
He also stated that those who criticize him and take digs at his comments of working tirelessly and without rest, they don’t like to make sacrifices and do not want to work hard. They can’t even get close to me.”
Addressing an election rally in Divulapitiya today (29), Premadasa assured that a government established under him would provide solutions to the women’s health and hygiene issues on a national level.
He promised to provide sanitary hygiene products free of charge to those unable to afford them, if elected. Premadasa said he remains committed to women’s rights and will not shy away from the conversation.
He said more than half of adolescent girls in Sri Lanka miss school when on their period and thousands suffer stigma and put themselves at risk every month.
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa today accused the ruling government of destroying the professionalism of the country’s police service.
He said that under the former government during his tenure as Defence Secretary the strength of the police department was increased to 75,000 personnel and that all their discrepancies were removed and promotions were given.
Addressing an election rally in Kantale, Rajapaksa said that police officers have presented to them certain requirements and existing discrepancies and that once again under their government these issues will be rectified as they have always taken care of security service personnel in the country.
He also said that they will bring glory to the police service once again.
Rajapaksa further said that the intelligence officers who have been arrested and imprisoned based on false accusations” will be released from those charges and that the intelligence services will be brought into action once again for the security of the nation.
October 29 (Reuters) – Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s underpants were obtained by an undercover source and DNA tested to prove his identity before an operation by U.S. forces to kill him, an advisor to the Syrian Democratic Forces said on Monday.
Polat Can, a senior advisor to the Kurdish-led SDF, gave details on Twitter about how SDF intelligence work had helped locate Baghdadi, whose death was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday.
Our own source, who had been able to reach al-Baghdadi, brought al-Baghdadi’s underwear to conduct a DNA test and make sure (100%) that the person in question was al-Baghdadi himself,” Can said.
Trump has said that the Kurds provided some information helpful” to the operation.
Can said the SDF had been working since May 15 with the CIA to track Baghdadi, and managed to confirm that he had moved from Deir al-Zor in eastern Syria to Idlib, where he was killed.
Baghdadi had been about to change location to the Syrian town of Jarablus when the operation happened, he said.
All intelligence and access to al-Baghdadi as well as the identification of his place, were the result of our own work. Our intelligence source was involved in sending coordinates, directing the airdrop, participating in and making the operation a success until the last minute,” Can said.
Colombo, October 29 (AIR/DD): The former Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority Northern Province C.V.Wigneswaran has said that his organization the Tamil Makkal Koottani (TMK) will be neutral stand at the upcoming Presidential election and will not ask people who to vote for.
In a statement issued in Jaffna on Tuesday he said that both the main candidates viz. Minister Sajith Premadasa and former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa have not accepted the demands jointly put forth by the Tamil parties.
Wigneswaran said that he is asking the people to make the decision on their own and cast the vote considering the past history, and the present internal and external conditions.
A group of five Tamil political parties recently signed a memorandum containing 13 demands including a demand for self determination, political solution and abolishing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
It notes the acceptance of the political aspirations, recognition of the merged Northern and Eastern Provinces as the historical habitat of the Tamils and the realization of the fact that the Tamil People under the provisions of international law are entitled to the right of self-determination.
The parties had declared that their support to any candidate will be based on the support they receive for the demands but a meeting of these parties on the issues yesterday had remained inconclusive.
Illangai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), Tamil People’s Council (TPC) led by former chief minister and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) signed the memorandum.
The statement by the TMK asked the Tamil voters to weigh and consider which of the candidates are likely to meet their 13 point demands and vote accordingly. It pointed out that in its efforts to get the demands accepted the TMK had failed to secure a positive response from any of the candidates.
However the TMK hopes to continue the talks with the winner in the election to get its demands met and expects the international community to stand by its commitment to safeguard the rights of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Victor Ivan, the
founder Editor of the popular Ravaya – a Sinhala tabloid
launched particularly to target President Ranasinghe Premadasa with the backing
of the Western and Indian embassies and, of course, Lalith Athulathmudali and
Gamini Dissanayake — has written an article in the Financial Times
(25/10/2019) arguing that Gotabaya Rajapaksa is not fit to be a
presidential candidate. His last two lines summarises his case against Gota.
After listing the names of mainly journalists killed when Gota was in power (he
doesn’t say Gota killed them) Victor passes his censorious judgment. He says: I am of the view that
it is not proper for a person with such serious allegations to be elected
leader of the country, even nominally, until he is fully acquitted and
exonerated of those charges. It is also not right for a person with such
allegations to even contest for such a position.”
Phew!
I have selected Victor
from the usual mob of anti-Gota denigrators because he is typical of the
current scare-mongering that goes on in the so-called civil society. In his
statement Victor takes the high moral ground of a pious political priest with
no blemishes in the past, or accusations / allegations of killing, or any
alignments with mass murderers who killed innocent civilians for
committing the only sin of opposing his leader’s brand of Pol Potist
politics. In his article he poses, as he normally does these days, as a
born-again human rights activist policing the conduct of political criminals
and sentencing them to the various kinds of hells defined by the Western
masters who patronise his media/political ventures.
After his leap from
the Pol Potist JVP to Ravaya, his primary political mission was
to demonise the Premadasa regime in his Ravaya parroting the
human rights mantras which was the most lucrative job of the day, financed by
the Western masters. Ravaya was, more or less, the mouthpiece of
the Western and Indian embassies, which were behind Lalith-Gamini duo doing
their damndest to overthrow President Premadasa. Ravaya was
dancing to the drumbeat of this anti-Premadasa lobby. Their investments paid
off well but not to the extent of achieving their goal of ousting President
Premadasa.
It was this stage that
Victor donned the costumes of a righteous human rights activist. After killing
and being a key instrument in the killing machine of the JVP – he was a
bomb-maker — Victor reinvented himself as a knight in shining armour and is
now parading as a human rights activist in the civil society. Being
anti-Premadasa none of the other foreign-funded NGOs with whom he hob-nobs now,
raised any objections to his murderous past. He has listed in his article the
number of journalists alleged” to have been killed when Gota had power. Has he
forgotten the number of journalists killed at the time he wielded power in the
JVP?
The JVP used some of
the bombs he manufactured to blast innocent newspaper vendors eking out a bare
living in wayside outlets in the villages. Victor and his gang were out to bomb
and kill their way into power in the name of revolutionary justice. Victor
gladly provided his expertise to manufacture bombs that killed those who
opposed his Pol Potist leader. He was committed to the task of bombing and
killing the nation into submission of his Pol Potist leader’s will. What moral
credibility / right has he now to pontificate against any other state
authority using his kind of violence / methods to prevent the rise of Pol
Potist fascism?
The central issue here
is the use of violence in politics. There are many theories ranging from
Machiavelli and Marx to Gandhi. Leaving those theories aside, it can be
asserted that Victor and Gota both used violence. But there is fine difference
between the two. To Gota it was a moral necessity to protect the lives of
people facing Pol Potist violence of a gang of killers with no licence to kill,
except their perverted doctrine of Marxist revolutionary justice. To Victor
indiscriminate killing, at the whims and fancies of his doctrinaire masters,
was also a necessity to destroy the elected state which was operating within a
democratic framework, however flawed it may have been.
The doctrine of
turning the other cheek was not applicable to Gota. It is valid in
inter-personal relations but not in facing organized criminal gangs using
pretentious moral theories and dogmas to kill those who oppose them. The JVPers
were released hoping that they would give up violence and return to non-violent
politics. But their obsession with violence made them believe that they could
win with brutality. Premadasa had no choice but to save his people and the
democratic institutions. And he won. Today the civil society continues to
accuse President Premadasa and embraces the killers that forced Premadasa to
crush them. If, for instance, a JVP terrorists broke in to rape a feminists is
it moral for her to open her legs or kick the bastard to thy kingdom come?
Premadasa kicked the JVP bastards to thy kingdom come. He did not let the
JVPers to rape the state.
The morality of using
violence has been twisted to suit the political agendas of the parties in
conflict. So if Victor found it valid to engage in inhuman violence to impose
his Pol Potist regime led by Rohana Wijeweera why is it invalid for a
democratically elected state to use his kind of violence to prevent Pol Potism
and maintain the democratic framework, with all its infirmities? What moral
credibility / right would Hitler, the prime architect of Auschwitz and Belsen,
have if he came out defending the human rights of the Jews?
It was also a time
when the entire media had ganged up against President Premadasa. Only
Tissaranee Gunasekera, Dayan Jayatilleke and yours truly were defending the
indomitable struggle of President Premadasa to save the nation from two fascist
terrorists – the JVP fathered by the likes of Victor Ivan and his gang of
cold-blooded murderers and their Tamil counterpart in the LTTE. Their sole
objective was to attack the democratically elected state which, of course, had
many infirmities. It was a time when the anti-Premadasa media
went bananas, blaming him for anything that moved, good, bad or indifferent.
For instance, led by
Lalith and Gamini the media went bonkers attacking the Kandalama Hotel project
as a venture that would pollute the environment and cause serious damage to the
tank nearby and the villagers. Even the Catholic Church and the Sarvodaya
leader, A. T. Ariyaratne, joined the bandwagon. Premadasa could do
nothing right – not even promote a tourist hotel. Ravaya, for
instance, not only attacked Premadasa relentlessly but also those associated
with him. Anti-Premadasa Victor did not like my backing Premadasa all the way,
without any reservations. I was editing the Observer at the time.
Victor had nothing to say against me. So he ran a news snippet alleging, like
the way he alleges against Gota, that I was paid not by Lake House but by the
Maharajas. He knew he was lying. He knew he had no evidence to back it up. But
this political pundit, full of righteousness today, had no qualms about
publishing lies to blacken the image of those who were with President
Premadasa.
I am glad that Victor
is no longer instrumental in preparing weapons of mass destruction on a
domestic scale and turned his hands – or what’s left of it — to champion human
rights. That makes it one less murderer in the killing fields of the nation.
But his logic goes awry when he questions the competency of Gota to be the
presidential candidate on the basis of his allegations.
What he doesn’t
realise is that he opens himself to be taken to task on the basis of his own
logic. It is important to take his logic of sentencing individuals on mere
allegations seriously because the same yardstick can be applied to test the
validity of his righteousness. So, applying his logic, will he demand the
sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe because the Batalanda allegations are yet to be
cleared? The Sunday Times (21/3/2004) reported: President Chandrika Kumaratunga has
said that if the Batalanda Commission recommendations related to the 1988-90
period were implemented properly, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would not
have been a free man today.” Since Victor believes in his own logic it is
necessary to ask why Ranil is fit to be the Prime Minister while Gota is unfit
to be the President?
When Ranil contests for the
Premiership next time will he raise objections on the grounds of crimes
committed against the media that opposed him? When the Maharaja Headquarters
near the Gangaramaya was attacked the day he won Parliamentary vote of
confidence the UNP thug who led the attack against the Maharaja was shown
immediately after standing behind Ranil and worshipping at Gangaramaya. This is
not an allegation. This is documented evidence. Has Victor, the Righteous,
raised any objections on any known principle against the UNP thugs violating
human rights to keep Ranil in power?
He also accuses Gota on
allegations” of crimes that occurred when he was in power. But the public
knows for certain that Victor was a killer, or instrumental in killing with his
expertise in bomb-making. This is no allegation”. When a known Pol Potist
killer, or a willing manufacturer of bombs to kill his fellow-man without any
qualms, can be a human rights activists why can’t Gota be a President? What we
are asked to judge is the past of both. Which is more criminal? Victor’s? Or
Gota’s? And whose violence served and saved the people best? Victor, when he
had power, was not in the top ranks of the JVP to protect human rights. He was
one of the committed cadres to kill on behalf of the JVP. What neerds to be
stressed here is that when Victor points one finger at Gota four fingers are
pointing in his direction.
This leads to a serious moral issue:
Is there anyone in Sri Lanka who is not tainted with guilt to take the moral
leadership? Take the case of the Yahapalanaya. It was a movement that was
launched on the promise of delivering pure moral leadership. But it went down
the sink into depths of moral depravity within the first few months in office,
with Ranil leading the gang that robbed the Central Bank. He imported his
special crook, dressed in Saville row suit, to run the biggest heist in
banking. These are not allegations. The available evidence has proved the guilt
of the Ranil. So is why isn’t Holy Victor not declaring that neither Ranil nor
nominee Sajith is fit to hold the highest public offices of the nation? Isn’t
Sajith who is in the Cabinet that robbed the Central Bank and supported his
leader faithfully all the way as guilty as his leader?
Of course, it cannot
be denied that Victor did a brilliant job in exposing the moral and political
corruption of Chandrika Bandaranaike and other political leaders. But his
essential political ideologies, including the distorted and adulterated
five-lecture Marxism, and the fascist terror he unleashed, make him a first
class hypocrite and a theoretician of sheer bunkum.
Consider, for
instance, the latest political formula he propounds in his article to save the
nation. He had suggested to Mahinda and Ranil that they should have joined
hands after the war ended. To begin with, anybody suggesting that anyone should
join hands with Ranil to work for the good of the country must have his head
examined. Ranil can work only by himself and for himself. CBK and Sirisena have
openly revealed that they could not work with Ranil who was undercutting them.
Sajith too knows it only too well. At the height of the internal
power struggle to win the presidential candidacy, he hinted at it
obliquely though he did not go all out to blast Ranil with this accusation.
In any case the time
to work together was during the war and not after the war. National unity was
most needed at that time to face the enemy. Ranil was all out to sabotage the
national efforts to defeat the LTTE. As everyone knows, he ridiculed the heroic
efforts of Sarath Fonseka and his brave men. Victor’s theory is laughable
because there wasn’t a chance in hell for Ranil to join Mahinda after the war
when he had not joined Mahinda at the greatest hour of need. Ranil held a sword
in his hands which he could have used for the good the nation. But he didn’t.
This tragic situation is summed up in the wisdom of Sinhala
folklore:Yud-day-ta nathi kaduwas kos kotan-da-the? (Is
the sword not available for war to cut the jack fruit?. A realistic example is UK in World
War II. Churchill (Conservative) and Attlee (Labour) joined hands to defeat the
fascist terror of Hitler. After the war they went their separate ways and
people elected Attlee and not Churchill who won the war. Victor’s punditry
preached to the political leaders in power is as ridiculous as his Marxist baloney that led
thousands of youth to an early and unwanted death without any political gain to
anyone.
He says that he put
the idea of working together after the war to both Ranil and Mahinda The reply
he received from Ranil is quite telling. Victor says: Ranil Wickremesinghe
listened carefully to the views expressed by me. We didn’t think that far,” was
his reply.”
With all his claims of
being a political analyst Victor missed the most salient point in Ranil’s
reply. He missed Ranil’s confession which admits that he can’t think far. This,
by far, is the most sensible statement found in Victor’s article. Everyone
knows that if Ranil could think far he would not be in the pickle he is now!
Victor’s bankruptcy is
revealed in his scare-mongering. There is nothing new in his thinking except to
parrot the slogans of the anti-Gota bandwagon. Like most of his ilk he is
raking up a past to say that Gota is going to be the monster that they think he
was – only on allegations, as stated by Victor. One prediction that can be made
with certainty is that Gota will never commit the acts that he is alleged” to
have done in the past when he become the next President. It is certain not
because he has denied these allegations with conviction but because there is
no necessity for him to go down that track (assuming that he did it) now
that he and his Commander-in-Chief had liberated the nation from the
Tamil terror unleashed by the JVP counterpart in the North.
It is civil society activists like
Victor that give a bad name to cause of human rights. They don’t have the
credentials to be accepted as genuine defenders of human rights. Any day I
would take human rights from Gota than from Victor. The state violence he used
– and he was no different from Churchill, Roosevelt and Truman who led World
War II – was to defend and protect the state elected by the people.
Besides, the Rajapakse regime was
far more humane than the Allied forces who occupied Germany and Japan. The
Allied victors went all out to eliminate Nazism and
Tojoism (Japanese fascism) root and branch. There wasn’t a building
standing in Dresden and Nagasaki when the
democratic Allies finished the war. Mothers turned to prostitution to
feed their kids. Nazis were hunted and persecuted. Etc. Etc. Manik Farm, which
I had visited, was a paradise compared to the Germans and Japanese prisons
under the vaunted democrats of the West.
Gota’s actions, however tough it may
have been, would not have demolished the democratic state. Unfolding events
have proved it. After comprehensively defeating the fascist forces of the North
and the South not even Gota, if he tried, could impose an authoritarian rule.
The greatest triumph of the Sri Lanka polity is that it has defeated all
fascist forces that came from the Left, Right, Centre and, most all, from the
North. But the fascist terror of Victor and his counterparts in the Tamil North
would have certainly demolished the democratic state if they succeeded and
imposed the most brutal reigns of fascism.
Finally, if the civil society can
believe in Victor as a human rights activist, knowing his proven brutal past,
why can’t they believe in Gota, facing only allegations? In any case, Gota
should know, with all his experience, what would happen to him if he does what
Victor had done with his kind of Pol Potist politics.
I am willing to place my faith in
Gota any day than in Victor – a Sinhala Prabhakaranist willing to kill any
dissident at the drop of a bomb made by him. I believe in democracy, however imperfect it
may have been, than in the fascism of
violent bomb-makers. This is one of the main reasons why I’m willing to back
Gota all the way
Sri Lanka is a Unitary State. We will not at any time allow anyone to
segregate this country. This is a sovereign
nation and we will not permit any foreign power to interfere in the affairs of
this country.
This motherland of ours will be protected and safeguarded against terrorism, extortion, drug menace, all sort of crimes and foreign threats;
Will protect and safeguarded the War Heroes of the tri forces, Police personnel, and the Civil protection forces;
An urgent people’s concession package to reduce the cost of living and the day to day expenses;
Courses of the nursing schools will be extended for a 4 year period and thereby they will be provided a Degree which is acceptable for foreign employment;
Courses of the Teachers’ Colleges will be raised to degree-awarding levels;
Outdated rules and regulations which hinders business activities will be updated;
Economic services tax and retention tax will be abrogated;
The VAT will be reduced to 8% ;
Taxes levied on religious places will be abolished;
A simple form of tax structure will be introduced in place of various forms of taxes being on motor vehicles;
The PAYE tax applicable to Government and Public sector employees will be abolished;
Steps will be taken to create 1 million employment opportunities within the next five years;
No agricultural product will be exported without value addition;
Fertilizer subsidy will be given free of charge;
Use of carbonic fertilizer will be encouraged;
Fertilizer required for the country will be locally produced and within a few years all fertilizer requirement will be covered by carbonic fertilizer;
Re-export of agricultural products will be totally banned;
All agriculture loams will be canceled;
All irrigation networks and small and large tanks will be renovated expeditiously;
Estate employees will be given a wage of Rs.1,000 per day,
Development of [A1] [A2] [A3] [A4] the fisheries sector by regulating it using modern technology;
Provide modern technology to the fisher folks, farmers and milk farmers to become entrepreneurs in their respective sectors;
Encourage maximum use of renewable energy in the power and transport sectors;
Employ scientific methods for garbage management;
Women with small children will be allowed to engage in their duties for a certain period while staying in their residences;
Steps will be taken to eliminate the drug menace within a short period;
A mechanism will be introduced to curb corruption and expeditiously prosecute the corrupt people.
No room will be provided for corruption.
The people of the country anticipate having a righteous rule. They look forward to having a rule that is a haven for all religions and for all nationalities. Its foundation will be the faith propagated by the Lord Buddha. I hail from a Buddhist family in the South and received my education from the well known Buddhist school, the Ananda College. Therefore, Buddhist philosophy has always mixed with my wishes and aspirations and in my behavior.
I would like to tell you in the outset that special attention was given to religious concepts in the preparation of our policy framework Vision of Prosperity” which has been entrusted to the people. The Vision of Prosperity policy framework is an ‘agenda of people’s policies’ prepared by the people for the people. It is a programme of work that would safeguard the sovereignty of our nation, would give priority to nationalism, dedicate for the welfare of all the citizens and repose trust in the youth. It consists of basic concepts required to rise up as a proud sovereign nation deriving maximum benefits from global developments, and possessing a strong economy.
Sri Lanka is a sovereign unitary nation. We will never allow to segregate and divide
it. Also, we would not allow any foreign power to interfere in the affairs of
this sovereign nation.
We consider national
security as a prime and foremost responsibility of the government. We will once
again build strongly the government mechanism required to protect and safeguard
our motherland from terrorism, activities of underground operations, threats of
robberies, extortions, the drug menace, torture as well as from foreign
threats.
Accumulated in courts for
long periods, to increase the number of judges, and restructure the
institutions that assist in the implementation of Law and order to increase
their efficiency. This manifesto will be
valid for the total period of our rule.
It is our objective to provide economic stability to everyone in this Country through measures outlined in our people-centered economic system. We will put an end to taking political advantage on the poverty status of the innocent poor people and take steps to completely eradicate poverty in the country. What we want is to make our future generation to live as plenteous citizens not depending on others to meet their needs.
The 21st century is considered a knowledge-centered century. The global economic trend turning towards Asia is very important for us to make our future plans We must create a young future generation who could get the maximum benefit from the new developments in the global economy. The education becomes very vital to produce prosperous citizens performing productive employment or becoming successful entrepreneurs.
We plan to introduce reforms to our Education system enabling or younger generations to obtain employments that have the highest demand in the global employment market. Within the first year itself of our rule, we will make necessary investments to the educational infrastructure to curtail our younger generation becoming neglected within the educational structure and enable all students to pursue up to a university degree. We will all three-year diploma courses up to 4 years and to provide the relevant students a Degree acceptable for overseas employments.
Similarly, all teacher training colleges will be upgraded enabling that institution to award degree certificates. It is essential to develop aptitudes of our children in line with the development of inventiveness, and the development of the knowledge of the English language and Maths.
It is the local industrialists who have to perform a major task in uplifting our economy which has been collapsed. We will create a conducive atmosphere for these business people to conduct their business activities with pleasure. We will upgrade the outdated business rules and regulations which hinder their activities. These outdated rules and regulations deter the productivity of the businessmen as well as the people. Our people are sternly affected by tax burdens. Therefore we will revise the present Inland Revenue Act which is unsuitable for our country and reduce the tax burden on the people. Tax levied on manufacturing industries will be reduced.
Economic Services charges and retention taxes will be abrogated. The VAT will be reduced to 8%. Taxes applicable to religious places of worship will be abolished. Various taxes applicable to motor vehicles will be simplified with one tax system instead. In addition to this, the ‘PAYE’ levied on the salaries of government and private sector employees will be abolished. Along with this, we intend to regulate revenue collections in the Inland Revenue Department, Customs and the Excise department and minimize the tax anomalies. We anticipate a significant development in the service economy through our future development plans.
We have drawn up a plan by which we can earn an income of U.S.Dollars 10 Billion per year from the tourist industry. Similarly, there is a surfeit of industries that we can develop to international standards. They include many sectors such as transport services, warehousing services, and port and airport services which could provide convincing revenue to our country due to our geographical location.
We also anticipate creating more than one million employment opportunities during the next 5 years through the development of our tourism industry, and other industries such as information technology, transport, health services, education, rubber, sports, and other industries. We thereby expect to become the business hub in South Asia.
In the industrial sector, our full attention will be focussed on producing value-added products. No resources of Sri Lanka should be exported without value addition. Similarly, our industrialists will be encouraged to introduce our value products to the international markets. At the same time, we expect to encourage our farmers to use carbonic fertilizer and maximize within a few years the use of carbonic fertilizer by our farmers. Our aim is to become pioneers in the world of turning out Agri products exclusively produced with carbonic fertilizer.
We would totally ban the re-export of Agri products which have become a major burden for our farmers. Then only we can get a greater demand and a higher value for our Agri products. As a concession to farmers affected by disasters in the dry zone, we envisage waiving their cultivation loans. Lack of irrigation and drinking water is a major problem faced by the dry zone farmers. We have drawn up plans to address these problems by expeditiously renovating all sable irrigation canals, as well as large and small scale tanks.
We also will introduce a national and modern technical programme to use water economically, to get the maximum use of the available lands, and to reap a maximum high-quality harvest. We have already agreed to provide Rs, 1,000 daily wages for plantation workers who render a valuable service to our economy.
Similarly. We envisage obtaining maximum benefit from the maritime resources of our country which is surrounded by the sea. Steps will be taken to improve the fishing industry with the introduction of modern technological methods. Similar to farmers, and milk farmers we also want to provide modern technology and training to the fisher folks and make them entrepreneurs in their field.
It is a major responsibility of ours to provide the environment on behalf of future generations. Therefore, we will encourage the use of renewable energy in the transport and power sectors. Our priorities will include the maximum use of carbonic fertilizer and scientific management of garbage disposal.
Not only within the employment market, but
the contribution of our ladies as private entrepreneurs is very important for
our economic development. We would encourage both the public and private
sectors to increase the opportunity of ladies with small children to carry out
their duties from their residences. Under our government increased attention
will be focused to provide loan facilities, training and raw materials required
by women entrepreneurs.
We will take increased and major steps to curb and alleviate the narcotic menace which has become a major problem today. We will take steps to eradicate the drug menace which has become a major national disaster. We envisage removing the era of your persisting fears from your hearts that your children may become victims of this drug menace.
We envisage to introduce and implement a powerful mechanism to prevent political and institutional corruption. We would strengthen the mechanism for preventing corruption as well as mete out expeditious punishments to those involved and those who aid and abet for corruption. I strongly emphasize that within a government under my leadership I will never leave room for corruption. I also state with responsibility that none of the ideas outlined in the Vision of Prosperity” are blank political promises.
I always performed all responsibilities entrusted to me without lapse. Similarly, I will perform this responsibility as well to the best of my ability. I anticipate the cooperation and assistance of all of you to implement this responsibility of rebuilding our nation. It is not vital and immaterial as to which party, which ethnicity or which religion you belong to. The only condition is that you should be a citizen who really loves the country. If all of us determinedly perform our duties and responsibilities it will be possible for us to transform Sri Lanka as a country with a powerful economy and that can command the respect in the world instead of the present status of being backward and weak nation. Let us build a prosperous nation to which return admiringly instead of being a nation from which people continue to leave. Let us all get together on 16th November and make the first step towards building a prosperous nation.
Meanwhile. addressing a public meeting held in the Meegahakiwula area on Saturday, 26th October, the conquering candidate Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that the incumbent government will never be able to ensure the security of the country.
He pointed out that this is because the
current government has a Cabinet of ministers who subjugated to influences of
foreign nations and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that are against the freedom
struggle and war heroes and only an SLPP/SLFP government can ensure the
security of the country. He promised that
their government will definitely take measures to protect the tea industry and
those who are involved in the industry.
At a meeting held with members of the Ceylon Workers Congress at the Bandarawela Hindu Cultural Centre, Mr. Rajapaksa said that it is not conducive to look only at the day to day economy at all times. He said that the plantation workers have always been demanding a wage increase Rs. 50 or. Rs. 75 and the avaricious politicians have kept the plantation tied to estates without offering them a bright future. He said that he was told by some plantation youth that they go to Colombo and work in Wine Stores, restaurants, groceries and as drivers for better salaries. Mr. Rajapaksa emphasized that the plantation youth too should be provided with better educational opportunities for them to enter Universities and acquire competency in modern technology.
Speaking further Mr. Rajapaksa said that a Tamil medium University will be established in the upcountry and in addition to that a Technical College will also established to produce masons, carpenters, plumbers and those required for the tourist industry. He pointed out that personnel in these trade could earn handsome wages. He said that the tea industry is a good industry but they should look for employment diversification opportunities and said that they can also get involved in the cultivation of vegetables that can provide them additional income and alleviate their economic burdens. Similarly, he said that his government will take steps to address their housing and schooling problems as well, while the daily wage will be increased to Rs. 1,000. He said that the plantation community put an end to getting misled by greedy politicians.
Addressing the Mahara/Kadawata meeting on 13th October Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that his main objective is to dorm a secure and disciplinary country, He said that we should be exemplary, and the contemporary political culture should be changed and reformed. He stated that they cannot do things emotionally, in a myopic way, or to get personal objectives achieved. Mr. Rajapaksa emphasized that he will not permit behaving rudely or indecently in response to our opponents ‘conspiracies or misbehavior.
Speaking further, Mr. Rajapaksa said that all parties in their alliance have joined them on the strength of their clear cut non-ambiguous policies.
He said that the Sri Lanka
Freedom Party joining with them is a massive boost for them, and it would help
increase their power from 60% to 72%, and the SLPP cordially welcome them.Mr.
Rajapaksa said that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is the party formed by Mr. S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike
and his father Mr. D.A.Rajapaksa and it was the party that successfully
launched the people’s revolution in 1956.
He stated that the people-friendly policies being enjoyed by them are
policies that were introduced by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and it was the
party that twice made Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa as the President of this
country.
Mr. Rajapaksa emphatically
assured that foremost priority will be given to national security and the
security mechanism that has been collapsed will be revived and strengthened,
and thereby this country will be a country in which everyone could live without
any form of fear and suspicion devoid of party, ethnicity and religious differences.
He said that members of the intelligence services will be given adequate power
and legal protection.
Referring to the present
government Mr. Rajapaksa said that a government swelled with neo-liberals,
servile to foreign dictates, and depending on foreign sustained NGOs, and who
do not respect national thinking can never ensure national security.
The winning candidate said that the21st century is a knowledge-based century and his economic policies are totally knowledge-based and they always trust the capabilities of human resources. It is on account of this that he said, his economic policies have been formulated based on information technology and computer technology. He said that through these policies the country will be able to create several million employment opportunities for our young generations. Mr. Rajapaksa said that his government will create infrastructure facilities and government patronage for these activities. Also, he said that it is a government responsibility to provide vocational training for this purpose by introducing modifications to our education system.
During his first year of presidency, Mr. Gotabhaya said that he will make a huge investment in education. Today or youth have got stranded due to the fault of the existing education system. Every year although around 200,000 students pass the A/L examination only about 35,000 become eligible to enter Universities. He said that under his government steps will be taken to admit all students to Universities. Steps will also be taken through Technical Colleges to qualify the students for good employments, for employments suitable for our economy and for them to get very attractive salaries. We will not allow the youth to get stranded. There is every possibility to take the country forward through technology. The companies dealing in computer technology brings about one billion US. Dollars. This can be increased to about 3 billion. But the lack of competent personnel has hindered this opportunity. We will interfere in this matter and will provide the necessary competency for our youth.
Also, the tourist industry has collapsed due to lack of security. We will eradicate this situation and make the country a safe haven for tourists.
This government has forgotten about the agricultural industry. Our history and culture indicate that we had a commendable irrigation network. These have been destroyed today. There is a necessity to provide good living conditions to our farmers. We are prepared to make the country and provide good living conditions for the farmers. Still, we have poor people in our country. The development of a country does not mean a section of people in the country becoming rich. We much create a pro-people economic system to alleviate poverty throughout the country.
Dr Sudath Gunasekara Former Secretary T PM Mrs B and one time President Sri Lanka Administrative Services Association (1991-1994)
1 Abolition of
the Provincial Councils that have been a white elephant and that has wasted
billions or even trillions for the past 33 years with no benefit at all for the
country or the people and has become a political and Administrative disaster
for this country, aggravating separatism laying the foundation for a Federal
State in this country and
Abolishing the
Rajiv /JR Accord of 29 July 1987 whish has almost nullified the Sri Lankan
Constitution of 1987 by compelling us to
1) Accept the North and East as the
Traditional Home land of the Tamils (1/3 of the country and 2/3 of the coastal
belt plus the marine resources for just less than 5 % of the nations population
wo are claiming a separate Rata EELAM)
2) Making Tamil also a National
Language in this country and
3) Granting Sri Lankan Citizenship to
all Estate Tamils contrary to the Nehru/Kotalawala Pact of 1954 and thereby paving the way for India
to convert the entire Central Hill country of this country in to an overseas
Indian Protectorate in future.
2 Reducing the
Cabinet to maximum of 20 and the number of Politicians in Parliament and
Pradesiya Sabhas, abolishing the National list and going back to earlier
electoral system abolishing the District system and PR.
Pruning exorbitant
Public institutions and Public Service to manageable levels to cut down public
expenditure.
3 Creation of a
new Political Culture by laying down minimum educational and other
qualifications and a Strict Code of Conduct to Politicians and making
attendance in Parliament compulsory
4 Abolition of Pensions
and excessive privileges to politicians
5 Ending the tragic
House Maids trade with Middle East countries and replacing it with
a) Avenues of domestic employment for
them within the country and
Instead start a programme of
sending professionals and technicians
6 Ending the
menace of University ragging by addressing their grievances
7 Declaring all
lands over 5000 ft above Sea level as strictly protected natural reserves and
prohibiting any form of settlement above 3500 ft MSL to protect the water
resources of the country as water resources decides the entire life system in
the country and all economic activities like Agriculture, Hydroelectricity
potentials and industries
8 Making
Buddhism the State Religion
9 The question
of Official Language, National Anthem, one Law
and National flag
10 Proposed
Action Plan to solve the plight of the Kandyan Peasants (all Sinhalese) heaped
up from 1815, not rectified for the past 72 years by any Government
11 To free
Public service and Judiciary from Politics and Recruitments to Public Service
and Judiciary only on merit.
12 To create an
Independent, efficient, productive and People centered Public Service
13 A national
programme to develop and diversify the economy to increase productive
employment instead of trying to pack all men and women to an already excessive
government service that has become a big burden to the tax payers
14 Professional Foreign
Service that can take Sri Lanka to the world and bring the whole world to Sri
Lanka to develop this country
15 A programme
to make Sri Lanka number 1 in the world in Fishing Industry by making use of
the Ocean that stretches from Africa in the West to Australia in the East and
South Pole in the South making it naval power by using our strategic location
on the globe in relation to the East and West and its enormous potentials of
fabulous ports around the Island. The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the
world’s oceanic divisions, covering 70,560,000 km² or 19.8% of the water on the
Earth’s surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west, and
Australia to the east. Wikipedia
16 To reduce the
excessive public holidays to about 12, the world average, and religious
holidays to be confined only to the respective religious groups. This is very
necessary to increase productivity and accelerate development to catch with ta
competitive world.
§ Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad calls for respect and tolerance
between people of different faiths and beliefs
§ His Holiness stresses importance of education for girls
§ Caliph says access to education is key to world peace
§ His Holiness says Holy Quran inspires Muslims towards
intellectual advancement and the pursuit of knowledge
§ His Holiness says that there is no contradiction between science
and religion
The World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the
Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad delivered
an historic keynote address on 8th October 2019 at the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Headquarters
in Paris.
The event was attended by over 80 dignitaries and
guests, including diplomats, politicians, academics and the
representatives of think tanks, as well as business leaders and various
other professions.
During his address, the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community commended the foundational objectives of UNESCO, which included
developing sustainable peace, promoting the rule of law, the protection of
human rights, safeguarding the cultural heritage of different groups and
communities and seeking to ensure the future prosperity of the world.
Thereafter, His Holiness said that over 1400 years ago, Islam instructed
Muslims to pursue these same goals in the interests of the peace and
prosperity of mankind.
His Holiness stressed the importance of education
across society. He said that access to education was the means of ensuring
peace and stability and that Islam emphasised the importance of ensuring
that girls were educated and given equal opportunities as boys.
Furthermore, His Holiness refuted the allegation that
Islam was a religion that failed to encourage intellectual advancement.
Rather, he emphasised how from the very outset Islam taught that human
beings should continually seek to push the boundaries of human knowledge
and that there was no contradiction between science and religion.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad spoke about the utmost
importance of education for the establishment of peace and how the
teachings of Islam have laid down the foundations for a model society.
Such teachings had motivated and inspired generations
of Muslim scholars and philosophers who had advanced the cause of the
intellectual progress of mankind through the Middle Ages. Now, in the
modern era, it was the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that sought to draw on
that rich intellectual history by encouraging learning and the pursuit of
human knowledge.
At the outset, His Holiness praised the founding
principles of UNESCO. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The founding objectives of UNESCO are excellent and
praiseworthy. Amongst its objectives, are fostering peace and respect,
promoting the rule of law, human rights and education across the world.
UNESCO also advocates for press freedom and protecting different cultures
and heritages. Another of its stated goals is to eradicate poverty and to
promote sustainable global growth and development and to try to ensure
that humanity leaves behind a positive legacy from which future
generations can benefit.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
You may be surprised to learn that Islamic teachings
require Muslims to work towards fulfilling these same objectives and to
continually strive for the progress of humanity.”
His Holiness said that the Holy Quran has stated that
Allah the Almighty is the ‘Lord of All the Worlds’, and hence Muslims
believe him to be the Creator and Provider for all humankind, regardless
of creed or colour.
As a result, it was an incumbent religious obligation
placed on Muslims to serve humanity without distinction of their
religious, social or ethnic background.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The very first chapter of the Holy Quran states that
Allah the Almighty is the ‘Lord of all the Worlds’. This verse is central
to the Islamic faith whereby Muslims are taught that God Almighty is not
just their Lord and Provider but He is the Provider and Sustainer of all
humankind. He is the Gracious and Merciful and so, irrespective of caste,
creed or colour, God Almighty fulfils the needs of His Creation.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
Given this, true Muslims firmly believe that all
humans are born equal and that regardless of differences of belief, the
values of mutual respect and tolerance must be firmly embedded within
society.”
His Holiness said that the Prophet of Islam, the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was the perfect
manifestation of the teachings of Islam. Following his migration to
Medina, and under his leadership, a thriving, multicultural society was
established which continued to serve as an example for mankind.
Speaking of the reasons for his migration and what
transpired thereafter, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
After he founded Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) and his followers were subjected to
brutal and inhumane treatment by the non-Muslims of Makkah, which they
endured with patience and restraint. Finally, after suffering years of
relentless persecution, they migrated to the city of Medina where the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) formed a covenant of
peace between the Muslim migrants, the Jewish people and the other members
of society.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
According to its terms, the divergent groups pledged
to live peacefully, to fulfil the rights of one another and to foster a
spirit of mutual sympathy, tolerance and cooperation. The Holy Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was elected as the Head of
State and, under his leadership, the covenant proved to be a magnificent charter
of human rights and governance and it ensured peace between the different
communities
Thereafter, His Holiness very carefully analysed and
discussed the key characteristics and achievements of that first
government of Medina.
His Holiness said that its system of governance was
underpinned by an entirely impartial system of law and order and justice,
wherein all people were equal under the law of the land.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon
him) established an impartial judiciary for dispute resolution. He made it
clear that there would not be one law for the rich and powerful and
another for the poor and weak. Rather, in what was a revolutionary
concept, all people were treated equally according to the law of the
land.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad explained how the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) established various
programmes and schemes designed to ensure the progress and stability of
society.
These included establishing an education system, a
taxation system designed to raise the standards of the poor, a public
health system focused on sanitation and educating citizens about health, a
transport system and a code of conduct for business and financial ethics
leading to tremendous social progress.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
During the 7th Century, under the government led by the
Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him), astonishing progress
was made in Medina to advance the cause of individual and collective
rights. Indeed, for the very first time amongst the Arabs, an orderly and
civilised society was established. In many ways, it was a model society –
in terms of infrastructure, services and, more importantly, in terms of
the unity and tolerance displayed in what was a multicultural society.”
His Holiness expressed ‘profound sadness’ that a
concerted effort had taken place in the modern world to malign and defame
the character of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him)
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him) has been branded as a belligerent leader – when nothing could be
further from the truth. The reality is that the Prophet of Islam (peace
and blessings be upon him) spent every moment of his life championing the
rights of all people and, through the teachings of Islam, he established
an incomparable and timeless charter of human rights.”
His Holiness condemned those who sought to attack or
mock religion and the Prophets of God.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
In my view, it is deeply regrettable, that the
principle of mutual respect, which is the means of establishing love and
unity, has been sacrificed in the modern world in the name of so-called
freedom and even in the name of ‘entertainment’. Even the Founders of
religion are no longer spared mockery and contempt, even though their
derision causes anguish and pain to millions of their followers around the
world.”
In stark contrast to how he was oft portrayed by the
opponents of Islam, His Holiness explained that the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) set a timeless example of compassion and
humanity. He forever sought to care for the weak and vulnerable members of
society and established many schemes to ensure their welfare.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad also spoke about the Holy
Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) continuous efforts to
eradicate slavery. In an era when slavery was rampant and considered a
fundamental part of society, the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be
upon him) sought to emancipate those who were shackled by the chains of
bondage and servitude.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon
him) repeatedly advocated the freeing of slaves and instructed that if it
was not immediately possible for them to release them, then at the very
minimum, they were to feed and clothe them in the same way they fed and
clothed themselves.”
His Holiness said that another allegation often raised
is that Islam fails to protect women’s rights or advocates discrimination
between the sexes. However, this was entirely false and unfair. From the
start, Islam prescribed the equal rights of women and taught that
educating girls was of primary importance and a religious requirement for
all Muslims.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
Islam established the rights of women and girls for
the first time. At a time, when women and girls were discriminated against
and often looked down upon, the Holy Prophet of Islam instructed his
followers to ensure that girls were educated and respected. Indeed, he
said that if a person had three daughters who they educated and guided in
the best way they would be sure to enter Paradise.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
Based upon the teachings of the Prophet of Islam (peace
and blessings be upon him) Ahmadi Muslim girls across the world are
educated and are excelling in various fields. They are becoming doctors,
teachers, architects and entering other professions through which they can
serve humanity.”
Answering the allegation that Islam is a religion that
promotes violence or permits violence in the name of religion, His
Holiness said that the wars in the early period of Islam were defensive
and fought as a last resort in order to protect the rights of Muslims and
non-Muslims alike.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The truth is that, as is stated in the Holy Quran,
permission to fight back was granted to (the early Muslims) to establish
and preserve the principles of freedom of belief and freedom of conscience
for all mankind. The Quran states that if the Muslims did not defend
themselves against the Meccan army, then no church, synagogue, temple,
mosque or any other place of worship would be safe because the opponents
of Islam were determined to eliminate all forms of religion.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
In reality, if the early Muslims engaged in warfare
it was always defensive and fought for the sake of establishing long-term
peace and to protect the right of all people to live with freedom. If
today, there are Muslims who have adopted extremist tactics or who preach
violence it is because they have abandoned Islam’s teachings or are wholly
ignorant of it.”
As he graced the audience at UNESCO, His Holiness
refuted the suggestion that Islam was an ‘archaic and backward religion’
and one that did not promote intellectual advancement. His Holiness
branded such a claim as a lazy stereotype that is based on fiction rather
than fact”.
His Holiness presented an extensive array of
historical examples illustrating the contribution of Muslims to the cause
of intellectual enlightenment.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The truth is that the Holy Quran and the teachings of
the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him) inspired the
works of generations of Muslim intellectuals, philosophers and inventors
in the Middle Ages. Indeed, if we look back more than a millennium we see
how Muslim scientists and inventors played a fundamental role in advancing
knowledge and developing technologies which transformed the world and
remain in use today.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad mentioned ground-breaking
contributions to medicine, technology, chemistry, physics, ethics,
philosophy, mathematics amongst others.
In this era, it was the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
that had taken up the mantle of promoting education and furthering the
cause of intellectual progress.
His Holiness mentioned the distinguished contribution
to science and human knowledge Professor Dr Abdus Salam and how he had
been inspired by his faith.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
With the Grace of Allah, the very first Muslim Nobel
Laureate was an Ahmadi Muslim, Professor Dr Abdus Salam, an eminent
physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1979. Throughout his
life, Professor Salam spoke of how Islam, and the Holy Quran in
particular, was the inspiration and guiding light behind his work.”
Later, His Holiness spoke of the charitable endeavours
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which sought to alleviate the suffering
of mankind. He also stated that breaking the cycle of poverty that
afflicted generations of families in economically weak nations was the
means of establishing peace in the world.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
In remote and poverty-stricken parts of Africa, we
have established primary and secondary schools and we have also opened
hospitals and clinics. We are providing clean running water in remote
villages, which mean that children are free to go to school, instead of
spending their days travelling for miles seeking to collect pond-water for
their domestic family use. We have also set up a project of building model
villages, which include community halls, access to clean water, solar energy
infrastructure and various other facilities.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
Where, out of human sympathy, we seek to eradicate
poverty and destitution, we also consider it to be the key to developing
sustainable peace in the world.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further said:
Only if people have food to eat, water to drink,
shelter, schooling for their children and healthcare will they be able to
live in peace and escape the deadly clutches of frustration and resentment
that lead people towards extremism. These are all basic human rights and
so until we help people flee poverty and destitution we will not see true
peace in the world.”
Concluding, His Holiness called for a change in the
priorities of mankind.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
At the end, I pray with all my heart that mankind
forsakes greed and forgoes the pursuit of narrow self-interests and
instead focuses on relieving the pain and anguish of those who are
suffering in the world. Ameen.”
Before the keynote address, several distinguished
speakers took to the stage and spoke of their admiration of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community and its efforts to propagate Islam’s message of peace
across the world, as well as its commitment to serving humanity.
Ambassador Oumar Keïta, Delegate of Mali to UNESCO,
said:
Your Holiness, the Caliph (Hazrat Mirza Masroor
Ahmad), we salute all the contributions you have made (in Mali) such as
the building of hospitals mosques and schools and the various projects you
have set up through Humanity First… Your Holiness, I congratulate you for
the message of peace that you propagate, it consolidates our society in
Mali and is in line with the ideals of UNESCO.”
Religious Advisor of Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr Jean
Christophe Auge said:
I am happy to welcome His Holiness the Caliph (Hazrat
Mirza Masroor Ahmad) here today… We are very familiar with what the Caliph
and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community represent both in this country and
around the world. I would like to salute the visit of His Holiness to this
country and I wish you every success for this visit.”
Director of the Central Religion Advisory Board to the
Interior Ministry of France, Mr Clément Rouchouse said:
I am very pleased to be here today to salute the
Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s visit to France. I would like
to welcome you to France in this country which has a tradition of
welcoming different religions based on the principle of secularism.”
Mayor of Eaubonne, Mr Guillaume Dublineau, said:
Despite the differences in colours and cultures and
languages we are all pursuing the same principles wherever we live and in
whatever town we are.
We aspire to live in peace and justice, with tolerance
and a sharing of our values. I would like to praise the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community, as it is a community that brings love and warmth but also
friendship and brotherhood.”
President of the NATO Memorial, Mr Willy Breton also
spoke and commended the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for its continued
efforts to promote peace.
An introduction to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and
the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) was given by the National
External Affairs Secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in France, Mr
Asif Arif.
The event concluded with a silent prayer led by His
Holiness.
Full address of His Holiness – the link of which is:
Jayantha Liyanage; General Secretary Sinhaladeepa Jathika Peramuna
The Tamil National Alliance on 15.10.2019 had laid down their conditions for the Presidential candidates with the promise to support them if their conditions are accepted.
Sinhaladeepa Jathika Preamuna clearly states that these conditions are based on the earlier Thimpu conditions proposed by the Tamil political party delegation including the LTTE in 1985 but rejected by the then government delegation. Since then these conditions surfaces from time to time under different political conditions. Even this time some leading candidates appear to have rejected them with the fear of loosing votes.
However, the truth is that all political parties except the SJP accept that there are Tamil grievances and need to be addressed in order to solve the so called National Question through a new Federal Constitution and other issues such as the system of election.
But so far no political party or any other organization including Sinhala nationalist organizations have come with an alternative proposals on behalf of the Sinhala people. Therefore, Sinhala Jathika Peramuna proposes the following 13 conditions in order to solve the National question to address the Sinhala grievances since 1815. These Sinhala grievances are still not in the public domain because the main stream political parties during past few decades have created a public opinion that talking about Sinhala grievances is racism hence even the leading Sinhala organizations including leading Buddhist monks are somewhat reluctant to propose any conditions on behalf of the Sinhala people. Therefore, Sinhala Jathika Peramuna, the only political party with a Sinhala name and an aim to safeguard the historical rights of the Sinhala people have come up with the following conditions and with the concept of a new Sinhala Constitution to solve the National question in order to reestablish the historical rights of the Sinhala people lost in the year 1815.
POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE NATIONAL QUESTION
(01). The country’s name should revert to original name Sinhaladeepa.
(02.) Sinhaladeepa should be declared as the homeland of the Sinhala people.
(03). Sinhaladeepa should be declared a Sinhala State.
(04). Sinhaladeepa should be declared a Sinhala Nation.
(05). The National flag should be the Lion flag of 1815.
(06). The National language should be Sinhala & English as required.
(07). The Provincial Council system should be abolished. Political power should not be devolved. The concept of Tamil Eelam & Federalism should be banned.
(08). The accountability & historical discriminations against the Sinhala people since 1815 should be addressed. All the Lands acquired under 1833 Westland Act must be returned to the decedents of the Sinhala Kandyan people.
(09). Resettle all Sinhala people chased away from their original habitation in North. Facilitate new Sinhala settlements in the northern area. All archeological sites and Buddhist temples in the Northern area must be protected. . (10). Islamic expansionism intruding on lands in Deegawapi & Muhudumahavihara must be stopped and lands acquired by encroachments must be returned. Illegal Muslim settlements in Wilpatthu must be dismantled.
(11). Any violation by security forces must be dealt only by their respective military courts. No civil law suits against security personnel in office.
(12). Full compensation to Sinhala people who suffered due to Tamil terrorism. Tamil political parties / members who directly / indirectly supported Tamil terrorism must be charged in courts.
(13). The Mahanayake theros heading the three chapters should be given constitutional powers to contain any threat to Sinhaladeepa, Sinhala Nation & the Sinhala Buddha Sasana. A new Sinhala Constitution drawing on Dasa Raja Dhamma where all communities lived in harmony with discipline & reciprocity and loyal to the Sinhala Nation must be enacted as a solution to the National Question due to Tamil terrorism.
Four years ago, Sri Lanka turned away from the pro-China presidency of Rajapaksa and went in search of US gold
Now a new Rajapaksa is in town, could its gaze be turning back to China?
Sri Lanka [1] ’s pivot towards the United States [2] since President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in 2015 was a marked departure from the pro-China presidency of former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa [3]. But Mahinda – whose administration took in approximately US$4.5 billion of Chinese investment over almost a decade in power – is once again present on the campaign trail, endorsing his younger brother Gotabhaya for president in the November 16 election.
A spokesperson for Gotabhaya, a popular former defence secretary from 2005 to 2015, last month said he would restore relations” with China if he were elected, in a nod to how Sirisena has suspended a raft of Chinese investment projects and demanded changes in others.
I suppose the thinking was if we upset China, the West would come to us with endless bags of gold … But the bags of gold never materialised,” said Palitha Kohona, a Rajapaksa-era diplomat, to reporters in September.
While Gotabhaya’s candidacy was not confirmed until recently, due to lingering concerns over a lawsuit and his citizenship – he had American citizenship until relinquishing this status earlier this year – he is seen as the front runner after the party he represents, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, won the 2018 local government elections in a landslide.
While the outcome was surprising – the fledgling party, led by Mahinda, won almost 45 per cent of the vote – it was likely due to the fact that the majority of 15.7 million voters thought the economy was in the doldrums, despite some new Chinese investment. They essentially voted in protest against the United National Party’s (UNP’s) ineffectual economic management.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and his brother, former president and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa. Photo: Reuters
Gotabhaya said he would maintain a non-aligned foreign policy” should he win, but it is worth noting that his UNP opponent, Sajith Premadasa, is not exactly a China hawk.
Current Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, also from the UNP, seems to be pro-US, having veered close to signing a status of forces agreement with Washington which would have allowed American troops to be stationed on Sri Lankan soil. However, his administration has shown it values Chinese input and collaboration in local projects, more than its American allies have liked – such as the 2017 decision to hand over the Chinese-built Hambantota port to Beijing on a 99-year lease.
Though the government still has nominal US backing, the American calculus regarding the far-right UNP discernibly changed after the Hambantota port deal was signed. Washington is not overtly backing the UNP campaign this time round, a somewhat striking development considering that in 2015, the US openly displayed animosity towards the Rajapaksas, particularly at election time.
By contrast, US ambassador Alaina Teplitz and other American officials have met the former president and his brother several times this campaign season, with pictures from the visits prominently displayed on US government social media.
The Rajapaksas are still very popular in Sri Lanka, which is a reason Teplitz has on more than one occasion said the US would work with any government of any political persuasion in Colombo.
Incidentally, the youngest Rajapaksa brother, Basil, is very much a political animal. A former economic development minister, he is also still an American citizen. With its own citizens or former citizens in places of power in Sri Lanka, the US could also wager that it is best to have the Rajapaksas onside rather than as antagonists.
The Hambantota port facility, which has been handed over to Beijing on a 99-year lease. Photo: AFPChina is now more concerned about the optics of the mega projects it funds, and its overall relationships with countries such as Sri Lanka and the Maldives, than responding to what critics perceive as power grabs” to control strategic locations. While the Hambantota deal was of great benefit to Beijing, economically and in terms of leverage as a result of controlling the port, its optics were undoubtedly damaging. The port and its lease became the universal reference point for critics of the so-called Chinese debt trap. Another foreign policy debacle suffered by Beijing in the Indian Ocean region was its decision to back former Maldivian president Abdulla Yameen, whose authoritarian moves – including media harassment and the arrest of critics and political rivals – saw the country’s opposition last year call for direct Indian [6] troop involvement there.
The Maldives, which under Yameen had a government that openly flaunted Chinese involvement in mega-scale infrastructure projects, has since veered away from Chinese control as a pro-Indian government took over following the 2018 election.
Sri Lanka and the Maldives are glaring examples of the affliction China is facing in the region – an almost painful need to get used to decreasing political capital after the leaders it backed tasted defeat at the polls.
The Lotus Tower in Colombo was built under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. Photo: Xinhua
Another factor of note is that no sitting president or premier is contesting this year’s polls, nor any opposition leader. For many interested parties, including neighbour India, this is a new equation. These relatively new candidates are fresh faces to which New Delhi is less accustomed, and therefore less able to influence through traditional diplomatic channels.
India has tremendous strategic interests in Sri Lanka, including infrastructure initiatives such as the Jaffna International Airport project, making this election certain to be a closely watched affair.
In a manifestation of his neighbourhood first” policy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi [9]’s first state visits after his re-election earlier this year were to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. During the latter trip, he visited a bombed-out church in Colombo, a legacy of the Easter bombings by Islamic extremists. Modi is obviously keen to ensure that terrorism so close to the Indian border is contained; in the upcoming election, he would want to see that whoever wins can keep such extremism at bay in Sri Lanka, while in the process not strategically compromising itself to expanding powers such as China.
Sri Lanka is also toying with the idea of joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which has the potential to become the largest trading bloc in the world. China is a member, while India’s negotiations to join have stalled. It is another interesting tightrope for Colombo to walk, as Delhi wants Sri Lanka to be within its sphere of influence more than China’s, though without upsetting sensibilities in Beijing. ■
Sweeping CRIB reforms to support businesses with promise that are in trouble
18-month debt moratorium on capital for struggling businesses
Deposit Insurance and Liquidity Support Scheme funds to support biz
Low market interest rate regime to revive biz activities
Sri Lankan businesses were last week promised of key concessions including debt moratoriums, lower interest rates, sweeping CRIB reforms and State-backed financial aid if Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa is elected president at the upcoming presidential election.
First of all, we will reform the CRIB. We will bring in a restructuring system, so the people who have shown good results, but having difficulties in repaying their loans as a result of the current downturn in the economy, will be given protection. Some leeway will be given for them to revive their businesses,” former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, who is a key architect of Rajapaksa’s economic policy said.
He shared these remarks at a panel discussion themed ‘Financially Sustainable Economic Development’ organised by SLPP affiliated V-Movement in Colombo last Friday. There are thousands of entrepreneurs who are in difficulty. They have been forced to go to various places to borrow,” he noted.
Cabraal also said an 18-month debt moratorium on capital will be given for struggling businesses for them to retain capital and implement their business plans. You (businesses) will have to only service your interest during the moratorium period and then banks won’t get into trouble,” he said.
Cabraal emphasised that greater financial assistance would be extended to local firms by utilising funds at the Deposit Insurance and Liquidity Support Scheme to overcome the current economic downturn.
We have to make sure that financial intuitions are protected. We set up what is known as the Deposit Insurance and Liquidity Support Scheme in 2007. It started with Rs.1 billion and has grown to Rs.60 billion now.
We need to use that to protect some of the businesses that have become vulnerable today.”
It was pointed out that the construction and hospitality sector in particular has been adversely impacted by the current economic downturn, sending shockwaves across other sub-sectors.
We need to use this fund to provide the liquidity to strengthen them again,” he stressed.
Cabraal said that measures will be taken to enhance the soundness of the country’s financial sector.
We will make sure that they are stronger, they are able to withstand current shocks and then we will be able to move forward.”
Speaking of the prevailing high interest rates, Cabraal noted that it has become impossible for businesses to carry out operations under the current interest rate regime.
Therefore, he assured that it will be a top priority to bring down market lending rates, if Rajapaksa is elected to presidency.
We will make sure that interest rates come down, because people cannot do business with the current high interest rate regime.
In 2014, the average weighted prime lending rate (AWPLR) stood at 6.2 percent. However, the current AWPLR is 12 percent. A young man who wants to build a house will pay 18 percent interest on his loan today, whereas it was only 10 percent earlier,” he pointed out.
However, Cabraal noted that the problem of high interest rates would be addressed cautiously.
The interest rates will have to come down. We have to work it out carefully. Having that goal in mind, we have to see that the credit goes to areas where we can expect growth in the future,” he stressed.
Further, he also emphasised on the importance of ensuring rupee’s stability.
Cabraal was confident that these immediate remedies would set the stage for the private sector to drive Sri Lanka to achieve 6-8 percent economic growth per annum during next five years.
It’s the sweet-smelling spice we associate with treats at Christmas time and morish Danish pastries.
But far from a luxury that will pile on the festive pounds, cinnamon could help lead the fight against diabetes – but only if it is from Sri Lanka.
A sprinkle on your daily porridge could help ward off the condition that affects one in 25 people, new research suggests.
In China and India, the spice has long been recommended for its medicinal and spiritual properties.
Since arriving in Britain more than 600 years ago, it has flavoured dishes from apple pie to mincemeat.
Now scientists at Aberdeen University’s Rowett Institute have compared the four most widely available varieties of the spice, which is gathered from the bark of the laurel tree.
Cinnamon is widely grown across Asia, with China, Vietnam and Indonesia supplying most of the world’s kitchen cupboards. But researchers found that the rarest of them all – true”, or Ceylon cinnamon – is the most potent in reducing blood sugar levels, may provide a key to managing diabetes, and helps the body’s defences.
Up to 500,000 people in Scotland are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, as 87% of people are above their ideal weight.
Dr Viren Ranawana, the nutritionist who led the study, said: It is all about prevention. How can we stop people getting ill? And having a diet high in these natural products which are rich in nutrients can hopefully help. If you are eating a lot of high-glycaemic foods and then you are having some natural products, that can help to reduce the glycaemic impact.”
He added: In traditional medicines, like in China and India, cinnamon is often recommended as a treatment for the whole body, but the one aspect that has not been studied is the varietal differences.
We thought it would be interesting to take these main four varieties of cinnamon, used in cooking around the world, and compare their diabetic properties.”
Cinnamon is a spice created from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree. Strips of the inner bark are dried until they curl into rolls known as cinnamon sticks, or quills. These can then be ground into powder or made into an extract.
Its unique properties come from its essential oils and compounds, particularly cinnamaldehyde. This compound gives cinnamon its flavour and aroma, and is also key to many of its health benefits.
The Ceylon spice – Cinnamomum verum – is tan-brown and contains many tight sticks with soft layers. It is pricier than the more common cassia.
Researchers took the four cinnamon varieties and dissolved them in alcohol to extract the active ingredients. Then they put high-starch bread and cinnamon through an artificial stomach”.
Dr Ranwana said all four, in particular the Chinese and Indonesian cinnamon, had active antioxidants, which defend cells from damage caused by molecules known as free radicals. Also, all types had a positive effect on starch digestion – up to a thousand times better than some drugs already used to control diabetes. But the Ceylonese variety was particularly effective in slowing the break down of starches – which can send blood sugar levels soaring. It also had a large number of phytochemicals, which are believed to protect cells from cancer.
Dr Ranwana, whose study was published in thePlant Foods for Human Nutrition journal, concluded: Ceylon cinnamon showed the best results, even though Chinese and Indian cinnamons were better at reducing enzyme activity.
Something that really tipped the balance for us was the coumarin. Ceylon doesn’t have any, while others do.
So Chinese, Indonesian and Vietnamese may affect diabetes control, but your liver may take a hit. Ceylon does not have this problem.”
Dr David Cavan, former director of policy and programmes at the International Diabetes Federation, said: This adds weight to the idea that cinnamon can be effective in helping reduce glucose levels.
Adding cinnamon to starchy foods could be helpful in reducing the effect on blood glucose levels in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.”
Ashley MacMillan, head tutor at the prestigious Edinburgh School of Food & Wine, said: Cinnamon is the second most popular spice after pepper. Now it appears it may have beneficial qualities beyond its taste.”
Spice has been fought over for centuries
It is most famous for tea exports, but Sri Lanka is inextricably linked with cinnamon.
In fact, the botanical name of the spice, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, is derived from the former British colony’s previous name, Ceylon.
The spice wars of the 17th Century saw the British, Dutch and Portuguese battle for the island, with cinnamon seen as essential to foreign invaders.
It became one of the main exports of the Dutch East India Company, and the subject of protracted and expensive wars between Portugal and Holland.
Today, Sri Lanka is one of the leading exporters of cinnamon, producing about 80% of the world’s output.
