KAMALIKA PIERIS

LAND GRAB IN RAMSAR SITE

A request has been made to release five acres of land from the Vankalei sanctuary, on the left side of Mannar Bridge, for the construction of a park. The request was made by the Project management unit of the Taskforce on the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).  It is Rishard Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry & Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co-operative Development, Vocational Training & Skills Development, who is keen on getting the five-acre plot,  said the media.

The proposed land belongs to the Department of Wildlife and is part of the Vankalei sanctuary designated in 2008 for the protection of birds. It is a Ramsar site. Ramsar Convention on Wetland protects wetlands that serve as critical habitats for migratory birds. Sri Lanka presently has six sites designated as Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance.

The purpose of declaring a sanctuary is to limit human activities in the area. Therefore the proposed park contradicts this.  An increase in human activities can disturb birds’ behavior and alter the natural environment. The resulting noise pollution, air pollution, and water pollution could degrade the environment.  Proposed night activities might also enhance adverse effects.

Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (Amendment) Act of 49 of 1993 says any development activity within one mile from the boundary of any national reserve is required to be subjected to Environmental Impact Assessment or Initial Environmental Examination and written approval must be obtained from the Director-General, Department of Wildlife Conservation prior to project implementation. Centre for Environmental Justice has urged the Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Affairs to refrain from releasing the said land for a park. (Island 17.9.19 p 1). 

COUGH SYRUP

Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE)   found that in 2016 an imported cough syrup” which should have been tested on animals before release to the market has, instead, been tested on a group of patients who had sought medical treatment from the Ayurvedic Teaching Hospital, Colombo. 

A private company had supplied the cough syrup to the Institute of Indigenous Medicine. The cough syrup should have been tested at several stages before being released to the market and approval obtained from the Ethics Committee. A professor representing the Ethics Committee had been working as a director of the private company that supplied the cough syrup to the Institute. The cough syrup was tested, in 2016, on patients who sought treatment at the Ayurvedic Teaching Hospital, Borella. Advertisements and promotional campaigns had been conducted to promote the syrup, stating that it had been clinically approved by the Institute.

Director of the Institute of Indigenous Medicine admitted when questioned by COPE that this had indeed happened and that a committee was appointed to look into the matter. COPE then ordered a Ministry investigation in parallel with the Institute’s committee inquiry.

IMPORTING WASTE (1)

Several thousand tonnes of plastic waste (HS number 3915) had been cleared through the Customs during the past two years, said Gomi Senadhira, former Head of trade. He was not referring to the ‘stinking garbage containers rotting in the port’ but to the thousand tonnes of plastic waste (HS number 3915) which were imported and cleared through Customs during the last two years. Sri Lanka imported over 5000 tonnes per year of plastic waste from Pakistan, during the last two years, he said. Exact numbers were 5,914 tonnes in 2017 and 5,082 tonnes in 2018.

Importing plastic waste will drastically increase during the next few years, Senadhira said. China was the world’s largest importer of plastic waste. That accounted for almost 50% of the global imports or over 500,000 tonnes per month. In July 2017, China notified the WTO that she would forbid the import of plastics waste. India and Thailand have also announced bans on the import of plastic waste. Malaysia has tightened requirements for import permits, continued Senadhira. Plastic waste now has nowhere to go. The exporters are searching for new dumping grounds.

In 2016, Singapore exported almost 42,000 tonnes of plastic waste to China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. With the Chinese ban looming, Singapore was looking for dumping grounds. It was at this time that SLSFTA was signed. Senadhira Thinkswe have agreed to import waste in the Singapore FTA.

“When I raised my concerns, I also pointed out there were many provisions in the SLSFTA to import and process plastic and other hazardous waste from Singapore. Those were simply shrugged off by the politicians and the trade officials, said Senadhira. They claimed that Sri Lanka had included those items in the FTA with Pakistan but there were adequate safeguards to stop such importation of waste & garbage to Sri Lanka. However, plastic waste was already coming in from Pakistan.

IMPORTING WASTE (2)

The proposal to have three waste-to-energy (WTE) plants in Karadiyana, Muthurajawela and Aruwakkalu, a sanitary landfill in Aruwakkalu  and an industrial incinerator in Muthurajawela cannot be seen as isolated proposals. Sri Lanka does not produce that much of burnable waste to use in that many WTE plants.  These WTE plants need at least 4000 Mt/day, but we produce less than 500 Mt/day burnable waste in Sri Lanka. These plants are probably made ready to burn global waste.

IMPORTING WASTE (3)

Five more of the 111 mystery containers from the United Kingdom lying at the Colombo Port have been found to have hazardous waste. Colombo Metal Industries and ITL Colombo Limited had used their licences to import hazardous waste. Director, Customs said that they wanted to send the containers to the UK and were waiting for the verdict of the Court of Appeal.

STORING RICE AT MATTALA AIRPORT

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating alleged corruption in the current administration (PCoI) has summoned Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to appear before it, to be questioned on the decision to store paddy at the Mattala Airport in 2015. This was because the former head of the Paddy Marketing Board Dissanayake told the Commission that the Prime Minister personally instructed him to store paddy at the Mattala Airport.

Dissanayake added that Minister Daya Gamage called me frequently. He told me that they had promised to store paddy at the Mattala Airport and that the Cabinet had approved a decision to store 4,000 metric tons there.” Charitha Ratwatte, senior advisor to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also played a role in this initiative.

Dissanayake said that he had held a series of meetings with the officials of the Mattala Airport in 2015 to explore the possibility of storing paddy there during the next harvesting season as there wasn’t sufficient space in PMB’s stores. Mattala Airport officials turned down the request saying that the buildings around the runway contained valuable equipment. However Dissanayake had rented the Mattala premises for six months but rent initially for three months only. Mattala Airport officials were not aware of the decision to store paddy at the Airport until we went and took over the keys to the buildings, he said.

Manager of the Mattala Airport told the Commission that around 23 aircraft had landed at the airport after the opening of the airport. But the Yahapalana government put rice stores into the airport and planes stopped coming. Mattala was getting around Rs 40,000 as income and this fell to Rs 900 thereafter.

They also said that the world’s largest cargo aircraft, the Antonio An-225 Mriya, had landed at Mattala Airport on April 2018, to refuel and allow its crew to rest. This brought in revenue of nearly Rs. 15 million to the airport. Police officers assigned to the Commission had visited Mattala Airport and inspected the premises. They found that storing paddy inside the buildings had caused damage estimated at around Rs. 5 million.

FLAMINGO DUTY-FREE SHOP

Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating corruption in the current administration was told that Four shops in departure and arrival sections of the Bandaranaike International Airport had been vacant. We needed two operators to handle them, said Director Procurement, Civil Aviation Ministry. A Cabinet paper was submitted to select a suitable service provider who deals with liquor, cigarettes, toiletries, and fragrances.

We received five bids. We then appointed a five-member TEC to check tender documents. One of the main criteria set by the TEC was that the particular company had to submit its certificate of liability with tender documents. Flamingo Duty-Free Company did not submit this certificate. However, TEC had approved the tender document submitted by Flamingo Duty-Free Company without their certificate of liability. All the bids were submitted to the Cabinet appointed Procurement Committee and Flamingo was selected.

PAYMENT TO LIVERPOOL NAVIGATION”

Former Chairman of Lanka Sathosa, Kiran Atapattu, told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI), investigating alleged corruption in the current administration, that Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and his public relations officer, Abdullah had applied pressure on him to make an illegal payment of Rs. 549 million to Liverpool Navigation (Pvt.) Ltd in July 2015. The owner of Liverpool Navigation is a close personal friend of Bathiudeen, (Island3.10.19 p 1) 

A large quantity of rice was imported, in April 2015, and they were brought to Sri Lanka in over 1,600 containers. “The shipment arrived, on April 10 and due to Sinhala New year delay, the shipping companies demanded demurrage––a charge payable to the owner of a chartered ship on failure to load or discharge the ship within the time agreed,” We have to pay demurrage to shipping companies and the payments were prepared.

 However, on July 27, 2015, Liverpool Navigation (Pvt.) Ltd, who had acted as a clearing agent, also sent Atapattu a bill for Rs. 549 million, which they had no right to do. I rejected Liverpool Navigation’s request.  Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s public relations officer, Abdullah and the Minister himself had pressured him to pay. Atapattu had refused.

He had fallen ill. During his absence, the Ministry Secretary was appointed the Chairman of Lanka Sathosa. On August 08, 2015 Miyanwala approved a payment of Rs. 100 million to Liverpool as demurrage for shipping companies. ( Island3.10.19 p 1 )  on March 05, 2018 the legal officer of Lanka Sathosa had sent a letter of demand to Liverpool saying that in 2015 alone they had paid the company Rs. 1.2 billion. However, Liverpool had only settled bills amounting to Rs. 981 million. “The legal officer asked Liverpool about the balance Rs. 267 million.” (Island 3.10.19 p 1) (Continued)

KAMALIKA PIERIS

APPOINTMENTS (1)

A top official suspended for misappropriations of Rs 203,000,000 at Inland Revenue Department by manipulating eight files had been reinstated on a directive of Public Service Commission, reported the media. COPE was investigating this.

APPOINTMENTS (2)

The Home affairs Ministry had selected 103 Grama Niladharis who had passed the exam for promotion to super grade in Aug 2017, and were promoted in 2018  but  the promotions have so far not been effected, media reported in August  2019.

STATE VEHICLES (1)

Weerawansa observed in May 2016 that Cabinet had approved Rs 600 million to import a bullet proof vehicle for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe but only allocated Rs 150 million for disaster relief.

STATE VEHICLES (2)

The media wanted to know in June 2018 why lawmakers continued to receive massive duty free concessions to import super luxury vehicles at a time vast majority of people were struggling to make ends meet.

STATE VEHICLES (3)

Yahapalana government submitted a supplementary estimate, in October 2019, seeking parliamentary approval for 21.4 billion rupees including Rs 101,000,000 for the payment of the luxury tax on two security vehicles imported for President Sirisena. JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake asked the government to explain why two more security vehicles had been acquired for the President when a presidential election had been announced.

SRI LANKAN AIRWAYS

The Mahinda Rajapaksa government was planning to buy four and rent five planes but Yahapalana cancelled that arrangement and paid USD 98 million to those companies as termination fee, said Derana news of 18.7.18

DEFORESTATION

Deforestation has continued during Yahapalana rule. Derana news of 21.2.17 showed deforestation going on in protected forests.

 Large swathes of Ritigala nature reserve have been destroyed,  cut and burned supported by a influential politicians supported by government officers and officers of the Forest Department , reported the media in September 2018. This has been going on for the past 100 days. The forestry office nearby by had been shut down and officers had left the area, the media said.

SALAWA EXPLOSION

When the Salawa army camp’s armoury at Kosgama exploded in June 2016, Mahinda Rajapaksa said that in during his time these installations were guarded day and night checked at least twice a day and expired ordnance is regularly destroyed. There are precautions also for accidents such as electricity leaks. The central armory was at Salawa since 1990 despite protests. During the war we took special precautions to ensure the security of this installation, and the items were in the process of being relocated.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that the explosion was due to a failure to take necessary security measures. Gotabhaya said he had increased security measures at Salawa. He had moved some of the heavy weapons and their ammunition to Diyatalawa and Maduru oya camps. He decided to build two armories at Oyamaduwa in Anuradhapura and Palugaswewa in Rambewa. Both were old farms belonging to the Livestock Department. While we were doing the preliminary work we lost the election.” The   Yahapalana government did not carry out the plan. If they had done so, both Kosgama and Veyangoda armories could have been shut down many months ago.

COW ELEPHANTS

A wildlife conservation alarm has been raised with Wildlife officials suspecting a possible human hand in the deaths of up to seven cow elephants, found dead in succession over the past week in the Habarana forests. This is the location of a herd which is a popular tourist attraction. Three dead female elephants have been found in the Thunbikulam reserve in Habarana. Four dead elephants were found   the day before in the same reserve. Another dead elephant was discovered the day after. Two dead female elephants were found in the reservoir. The officials said they believed all the animals were from a single herd, and they were females with their ages ranging between 25 and 35 years.

All the dead elephants are females that had either been pregnant or had delivered calves. Poisoning is suspected as a possible cause. Local people reject speculation that the villagers are to blame for the elephant deaths. Meanwhile, the body of a tusker had been found in Moragahawewa in Puttalam. The animal, around 7 feet tall and 15 years old, Veterinarian said he believed it had had died of poisoning. One of the tusks had been removed.

REPLACING PLAQUE

A Kalutara District official of the National Housing Development Authority told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating corruption in the current administration that they were instructed by HQ that the plaque at Navodya Village, Bulathsinhala should be replaced by a larger one. The original plaque had cost around Rs. 43 000 and the subsequent one over Rs. 227 000. (Continued)

KAMALIKA PIERIS

This essay contains snippets of information on Mangala Samaraweera and Ranil Wickremesinghe, taken from the media.

MANGALA SAMARAWEERA

Journalists based in Washington and New York have noted that, from the time Mangala Samaraweera assumed office as Foreign affairs minister,  he has taken upon himself to denigrate the previous leadership of the country before his Western counterparts, sometimes embellished with unsubstantiated tall yarns, perhaps in the naive and forlorn belief that his popularity among them would be enhanced. (One recalls his tales of the Rajapaksas siphoning off $50 billion to foreign tax havens or Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election campaign being funded by the Chinese).

It is doubtful if this goal has been achieved as Western diplomacy itself is based on the continuity of a country’s interests. Badmouthing a previous leadership which could return to power at some point, with foreign counterparts, is certainly not cricket” and not in the country’s best interests.

Minister Samaraweera was in Los Angeles after attending the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. About 200 residents from Southern California were present at the September 25 event, 2016, which was the first featuring a visiting government dignitary organized by Mrs. Gunaratne who took office earlier this year,  reported Lankaweb.  Notably absent were Buddhist monks from the local Sri Lankan temples.

Minister Samaraweera, dressed in open shirt while the invitation called for formal attire, said he was surprised at the large turnout, quipping that as he walked in to the meeting he thought for a moment he was in Matara (his hometown). 

In contrast to other Sri Lankan leaders who from time to time have addressed the expatriate community here, Mr. Samaraweera, speaking for about 20 minutes, solely in English, did not have one good thing to say about Sri Lanka from independence to present.  None of the warm nostalgia for the homeland usually evoked by leaders from all sides of the political divide.

Quoting extensively from the late Lee Kuan Yew, founder and prime minister of Singapore, he painted a grim picture of a country that couldn’t evolve,” a nation, contrary to the promise shown when it became independent, is still struggling to move forward.”

When Ceylon gained independence in 1948, it was the classic model of gradual evolution to independence. Alas it did not work out.  It is sad that the country whose ancient name Serendip has given the English language the word serendipity” is now the epitome of conflict, pain, sorrow and hopelessness,” he quoted the late Singaporean leader as saying.

Now, after sliding for almost 70 years, Sri Lanka has finally caught a break according to the Minister.  There’s hope in the horizon with a new vision for democratization and development” being pursued by his government which came to power in 2015. All the countries are coming forward to help us,” he declared. Emphasizing that the island will be a strategic military hub in the Indian Ocean and a gateway to Asia (Source https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2016/07/28/the-foreign-minister-samaraweera-must-go).

Elsewhere, Samaraweera, touching on Sri Lanka’s economic future, said the government will take measures to make it easier for foreign investors to do business in the island as well as for foreign nationals to buy land. In pursuit of promoting reconciliation, there was a new political trajectory” aimed at breaking down walls and building bridges” and putting away past baggage.”Reconciliation was key to coming to terms with the tragedies of the past” which was why, he said, the government felt it important to show the world” its commitment by cosponsoring the Geneva Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1. ( Source https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2016/10/05/fm-mangala-samaraweera-in-l-a-says-no-separation-but-leaves-door-open-to-federalism/)

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE (1)

Ranil Wickremasinghe should retire, he will definitely lose the presidential elections if he comes, said Derana news of 10.6.18.

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE (2)

It may be recalled that the PM on several occasions, both within and outside the Parliament, made attempts to cover up Mahendran’s misdeeds, said a critic. He first appointed a committee of three attorneys handpicked up by him to report on the issue, who exonerated Mahendran fully. When the COPE report on the bond issue was submitted to Parliament, before the report was taken up for debate, it was conveniently dissolved. Further, the PM defended Mahendran at every opportunity he got. Covering up a misdeed is equally an offence as doing the misdeed itself.

With all the damage done to the country and to its economy by Mahendran, the PM should not be allowed to go scot free for handing over the Central Bank to Mahendran, particularly when there was opposition at the Cabinet, as if the Bank was his inherited property, this critic continued. Though the Commission has not held the PM responsible explicitly for Mahendran’s misdeeds, the PM has no option other than to tender his resignation if he has even an iota of self-respect,  the critic concluded.

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE (3)

Probably the most noteworthy contribution ever made by Ranil Wickremesinghe  in support of the Rule of Law was his unswerving refusal to vacate Temple Trees during the 50-60 days that the unconstitutional regime of MR was imposed on the country. Given the revoltingly crude manner in which Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and General Sarath Fonseka had been treated by  Rajapaksa’s  regime, there was genuine public concern that a similar fate might befall Ranil Wickremesinghe .

However, in an unprecedented show of public support, a determined contingent of civic activists took significant risks, made personal sacrifices and gave very generously of their time to protect Ranil Wickremesinghe  and thereby safeguard the existing Constitution. The highly impressive, steadfast and absolutely vital part played by RW in protecting the Constitution during this fearful period is something for which all citizens of this country should be eternally grateful, said A.C.Visvalingam.

On the other hand analysts pointed out that Ranil Wickremesinghe was reappointed to the post of Prime Minister December 16, 2018. Which meant that  Rajapakasa’s appointment as Prime Minister was legal, and the  occupation of Temple Trees by the UNP was illegal.

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE (4)

Senior Journalist and former UN official Mohan Samaranayake said that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was the only winner who wanted to promote imperialism and danced to the tune of Western powers. Citing examples, he said that PM Wickremesinghe was the only leader in the developing world who justified the US invasion of Iraq. (Island 28.6.19 p 2)

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE (5)

This is how Prime Minister Wickremesinghe comes across in the account of an expert British analyst. Prof Paul Moorcraft is a former senior instructor at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College.

 He writes:”…On 20th December 2001 a Special Forces team was in place in the Vanni jungle. For once it knew for certain where the elusive Tiger leader was. The assassination team was due to strike on Christmas Eve. The team leaders were just ready to press the start button when they were countermanded, despite fierce intelligence arguments that Prabhakaran’s death would end the war…The Special Forces operatives were stood down temporarily in a safe house in Colombo. In one of the biggest intelligence own goals of the war, the house was raided by Special Branch police from Kandy. The highly secret operation was exposed. It was not a case of overzealous detectives…The heads of military and national intelligence were overridden when the police arrested the operatives and jailed them in Kandy. They were released after two weeks and, as a scapegoat, a middle-ranking police officer was suspended, temporarily. It didn’t end there: the intelligence leadership was accused of using the safe house as a base to assassinate the Prime Minister. Once again, the Tiger leader was unscathed.”(Paul Moorcraft, ‘Total Destruction of the Tamil Tigers: The Rare Victory of Sri Lanka’s Long War’, Pen & Sword Military, UK, 2012, pp. 38-39.)I

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE (6)

The Dayaka Sabha of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara passed a resolution to remove its Chairman Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe from that post. The resolution was moved by a member of the Kelaniya Seela Bhavana Samitiya and seconded by Co-Secretary of the Dayaka Sabha.

Chief Incumbent of the temple Ven. Prof. Kollupitiye Mahinda inquired from the Sabha whether there was anyone supportive of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, and seven members of the Sabha raised their hands in support of the PM. There had been around 300 members of the Sabha present. Chief Incumbent then announced that the matter would be referred to the Executive Committee of the Sabha for a final decision.

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE ( 7)

The Sri Lanka joint study group for  CEPA  set up by Ranil Wickremesinghe  in 2003 included  18  persons. Among them were Ken Balendra as  Co chairman of joint study group, Arjuna Mahendran, Chairman BOI, R. Paskaralingam, advisor to Prime Minister ,N.Pathmanathan, Chairman of Rehabilitation of Persons, Properties and Industries Authority, Mano Selvanathan, Chairman Korea  Lanka garments, K. Shanmugalingam, Chairman, Tariff advisory Council,  and R Selvaratnam, Chairman EDB. Several who were in the CEPA committee Such as Mahendra, Paskaralingam are also in the ECTA committee, added Chandraprema. 

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE ( 8)

Suave, comfortable in a European life style, fluent in the only European language he knows, English, neo liberal in thinking, and from an elite background, Ranil Wickremesinghe  is fondly addressed as Ranil” by the European diplomats and the dominant Western media representatives. He moves in Western circles with ease and is the darling of the mainly Western funded NGOs. Ranil enjoys an easy relationship with the Occident, having cultivated individuals and institutions there over the years, said analysts.  

 He  is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society. The Mont Pelerin Society is a society dedicated to dismantling the welfare state. The USA  liked him and wanted him to be President of Sri Lanka .he was nominated for the Presidential election of 1999 . He lost, continued critics.

Politicians sometimes make fun of Ranil Wickremesinghe . When Ranil  went to Singapore, they wanted him to bring Arjuna Mahendran back with him. They criticize him heavily too. Corruption charges against  Mahinda Rajapaksa are not proven but corruption charges against Ranil Wickremasinghe are, said one critic. Wickremesinghe and his group of closest friends conducted themselves as if shaping the future of the country was a fun game they played, said  President Sirisena angrily.  ( Continued)

Media secretary to Hon. Mini. Arjuna Ranatunga,

ශ්‍රී ලාංකේය සිවිල් ගුවන් ක්ෂේත්‍රයට නව පරිච්ඡේදයක් එක් කරමින්  යාපනය ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපොළ විවෘත කිරීම හෙට සිදු කෙරේ. ඒ් හෙට උදෑසන නවයට ආරම්භ වන රාජ්‍ය උත්සවයේදී ජනාධිපති මෛත්‍රීපාල සිරිසේන මැතිතුමාගේ සුරතිනි. අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මැතිතුමා,  ප්‍රවාහන සහ සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අමාත්‍ය අර්ජුන රණතුංග මහතා,  ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඉන්දියානු මහ කොමසාරිස් තරංජිත් සිං සන්ධු මහතා ඇතුළුව සම්භාවනීය අමුත්තන් රැසක් එම අවස්ථාවට එක් වේ. එම රාජ්‍ය උත්සවයේ සූදානම පිරික්සීමට අද (16) යාපනය ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපොළට ගිය අමාත්‍ය අර්ජුන රණතුංග මැතිතුමා පැවසුවේ යාපනය ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපොළ උතුරු පළාත මුල් කරගනිමින් සමස්ත ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පමණක් නොව ඉන්දීය කලාපයේ ගුවන් ප්‍ර‍වාහනයේ අනගි අවස්ථාවක් වනු ඇති බවයි.

”මේ අපේ රටේ ඉතාමත් වැදගත් දවසක්. ඇත්තටම ගුවන්‌ තොටුපොළක් කියන්නේ ගුවන් ගමන් විතරක් නෙමෙයි. ගුවන් තොටුපොළත් සමග විශාල සංවර්ධනයක් ඇති වෙනවා. රැකියා විශාල වශයෙන් ‍උත්පාදනය වනවා.  ඒ් වගේම අපි දන්නවා උතුරේ ජනතාවගේ ඥාතින් විශාල පිරිසක් ඉන්නේ දකුණු ඉන්දියාවේ. මින් ඉදිරියට උතුරේ ජනතාවට කොළඹ කටුනායකට නොගොස්  යාපනයේ සිටම දකුණු ඉන්දියාවට යන්න පුළුවන්. මූලික සැලසුම්වලදි අපි ඇත්තටම අපි බලාපොරොත්තු වුණේ  සතියකට ගුවන් වාර 03 ක් විතර. නමුත් දැන්  අපි ඉන්දියාවත් එක්ක සාකච්ඡා කළ අවස්ථාවේ  නගර කිහිපයක් ඉලක්ක කර දවසකට එකක් වගේ ගුවන් ගමන් වාරයක් අරඹන්න අපේක්ෂා කරනවා.  අපි බලාපොරත්තු වෙනවා ඒ ගැන  නොවැම්බර් වන විට අවසාන තීරණය ගන්න. ඒ වගේම ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට 50% ක අයිතිවාසිකම් තියෙන අයෝජකයෙක් ආවොත් අනිවාර්යෙන්ම ඒ් ඒගොල්ලන්ටත් පුළුවන් දකුණු ඉන්දියාව, මාලදිවයින, මැලේසියාව වැනි රටවලලට ගුවන් ගමන් මෙතැනින් යන්න….” යිද අමාත්‍ය අර්ජුන රණතුංග මහතා පැවසිය.

යාපනය ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපොළට හෙට  පැමිණෙන මුල්ම ගුවන් යානය පැමිණෙන්නේ ඉන්දියාවේ චෙන්නායි  සිට වේ. ඒ් Alliance ගුවන් යානයකි. මංගල දූත කණ්ඩායම තිස්  දෙනකුගෙන් සමන්විත වේ. හෙට විවෘත කෙරෙන යාපනය ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන් තොටුපොළේ දෛනික ගුවන් මෙහෙයුම් නොවැම්බර් මාසයේ සිට ආරම්භ වෙයි. යාපනය පලාලි ගුවන් තොටුපළ සංවර්ධනයට දැනට ආයෝජනය කෙරෙන මුදල රුපියල් මිලියන 2 250ක් වේ. ඒ සඳහා ශ්‍රී ලංකා රජයෙන් රුපියල් මිලියන 1,950ක් සහ ඉන්දීය ආධාර රුපියල් මිලියන 300ක් වශයෙන් යොදවයි. ප්‍ර‍වාහන සහ සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අමාත්‍යාංශයේ අතිරේක ලේකම් සුනිල් ගුණවර්ධන මහතා පවසන්නේ අදියර තුනක් යටතේ ක්‍රියාත්මක කෙරෙන මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතියේ පළමු අදියරේදී දැනටමත් ගුවන් යානා මෙහෙයුම් කටයුතු සඳහා භාවිතයට ගැනෙන ප්‍රධාන ධාවන පථයෙහි මුල් මීටර් 950 අලුතින් ආස්ථරණය කළ  බවයි. ඒ සමඟම ආසන 72ට අඩු Bombardier – 100 වර්ගයේ ගුවන් යානා පලාලි ගුවන්පොළෙහි හැසිරවීමේ අවස්ථාව උදා වේ. ඡයාරුප සහ දර්ශන අමුණා ඇත.

BODHI DHANAPALA

News reports (e.g., Island 12-Oct-2019) tell us how the Malaysian anti-terrorist unit is handling nascent neo-LTTE groups when it arrested seven operatives including two members of parliament (Lawmakers).

Malaysian newspapers have reported the arrests of seven LTTE operatives in Malaysia. Two Malaysian Tamil lawmakers are among the seven arrested. Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter-terrorism Division (E8) principal assistant director, Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay says:

“To the police, it does not matter who the individual is. Anyone found to be involved in terrorist activities, regardless of their political party, religion, race, if there is evidence that they are involved in terrorist activities, we will arrest them.”

Two of the people arrested were those who had attacked the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in 2016 at the Kuala Lumpur airport. Others had pro-LTTE material, or attempted to organize “Hero’s Day to commemorate Prabhakaran”.

Mr.R. Sampanthan, and also Mr. C. V. Wigneswarn since 2013, and many other TNA lawmakers had made statements eulogizing Prabhakaran and pushed the Ideology of the late terrorist leader. Heroes’ Day celebrations have been held repeatedly. Last year a UNP lawmaker stated that the LTTE had to be revived. Such statements would have landed these lawmakers in jail if they had been in Malaysia.

So we see how the law of this country is being applied, even in regard to an extremely serious offense, equivalent to propagating the ideology of Prabhakaran.

This breakdown in law seems to be a part of the rule of TNA in the North. But now, Mr. Sampanthan has raised the issue of the cremation of a Buddhist monk in an area contested by a Palliyar Kovil and a Buddhist Temple.

How can Mr. Sampanthan and other TNA leaders now come to Colombo and complain in Parliament that the law is not obeyed? If they themselves can break the law with impunity in promoting Prabhakaran’s ideology at every public meeting they hold, their complaints ring hollow. How can the lawyers of the Northern Province protest in unison when they keep mum about the breakdown in law tantamount to treason as seen by the people in the South? This is what the foreign-funded NGOs in Colombo claim to be “Sinhala-Buddhist” hegemony!

The heavy-handed “Bodu-Bala-Sena” of Ven. Gnanasara displays the very antithesis of the behavior expected of a Buddhist monk, who is expected to be calm, disciplined, always practicing compassion even to his enemies, and even under provocation. So the BBS is simply a political force.

According to an article in the Sunday Island by its political correspondent Chandraprema, the BBS is also an NGO with initial links to Champika Ranawaka and the West. It is alleged to be initially funded and supported by the Nordic “peacemakers” and the US. The US granted Gnanasara a five-year visa and invited him over to visit the US, after his visit to Norway. After his return to Sri Lanka, the BBS started its strong-arm tactics.

So, was the Palliyar Kovil-Temple incident staged to create anger and discord at the dawn of a presidential election? Is this a way of saying, this is what will happen under a “Sinhala-Buddhist dominated” Gotabaya government? Are the NGOs the TNA playing out the scripts allotted to them?

BODHI DHANAPALA

RANJITH SOYSA

It was indeed a source of hope and encouragement to hear the statement of Presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapakse that he intends to reject the UNHRC resolution co-sponsored by the Yahapalanay government in Oct 2015  which created a world record by sponsoring and adverse ruling on its own country.

The resolution was based on the Darusman report which was essentially mandated ONLY to appraise the Secretary-General of the UN. It was emphatically mentioned by UNSG’s then spokesperson as ‘ not a fact-finding mission, not, an investigation,, not an inquiry.,only a panel to advise the SG. The evidence of the OISL report was so weak that it failed to establish the primary claim that Sri Lanka had committed war crimes. Without questioning the scope of the UNHRC controlled by the UN charter and the resolution 60/25 of 2006 which created UNHRC, Yahapalnaya government opted slavishly to punish Sri Lanka and her armed forces in the hope of winning favours from the West and also to gain the support of the extremist Tamil political including the FNGOs.

We now await to hear the response of the other contenders to this critical issue

RANJITH SOYSA

ALI SUKHANVER

An article of Harsh Mander was published in the Hindu with the title ‘Lynching, the scourge of new India’ in the second week of last October. The writer says, In the years since Narendra Modi was elected in 2014, ugly mob hate has spilled onto the streets, trains and people’s homes. Fevered throngs surround, brutally assault and sometimes kill unarmed men, mostly Muslim. The crowds allege that the men had slaughtered cows, or were thieves; but sometimes their only crime — as when a child was stabbed to death on a crowded train near Delhi — is that they are visibly Muslim.” Before that somewhere in the last week of June 2019, a viral video did the rounds on social media in India. A young Muslim man tied up; bleeding profusely all over his body, hands folded, was being lynched by a mob and forced by the mob to chant of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Jai Hanuman.’ The victim was later identified as 24-year-old Tabrez Ansari. The incident took place in the eastern state of Jharkhand. Reports say that he was beaten for hours until he died at the hands of a Hindu mob. Lynching is a term used for a punishment without trial. Instances of lynching and similar mob violence can be found in every society but their number is alarmingly high particularly in the Indian society.

An alarming increase in incidents of cow related violence and mob Lynching is being noted after Modi’s becoming Prime Minister, says a recent report. The Reuters also narrated the same situation. It said, A total of 63 cow vigilante attacks had occurred in India between 2010 and mid 2017, mostly since the Modi government came to power in 2014. These attacks which occurred during the period 2010 and June 2017, took lives of 28 Indians – 24 of them Muslims; more than 124 were injured”. The Muslims are not the only target of lynching; many times the Christians also become a victim to this brutality but usually all victims lynched are accused of cow-slaughtering. In April this year, Prakash Lakda, a 55-year-old member of a Christian tribe, was lynched by a mob of Hindu villagers who suspected him of slaughtering a cow in the central Indian state of Jharkhand. Three other tribals from his village were also attacked, leaving them grievously injured. Astonishingly no one from the Christian world raised any voice against this cruelty.

There has been a rise in the number of incidents of cow vigilantism since the election of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the Indian central government in 2014.” says a report of the Human Rights Watch.  The report further said, The frequency and severity of cow vigilante violence has been described as unprecedented. There has been a surge in cow vigilante violence since 2015. The surge is attributed to the recent rise in Hindu nationalism in India.” In 2017, Bloomberg reported that according to the meat industry representatives, cow vigilantes have been stopping vehicles, extorting money and stealing valuable livestock. Cow vigilante activity also increased during the run up to 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly election. Reports say that 2016 had been the worst year with reference to the activities of cow protection vigilante groups. Only in Delhi, there were more than 200 such groups. Day by day, the incidents of mob-lynching are increasing in India and this situation is no doubt very much alarming. Even different political leaders are expressing their serious concerns over lynching-incidents. Last August, the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said commenting on increasing number of lynching incidents that such incidents are not only defaming the country but also bringing a bad name to the Indian society. He further emphasized on an urgent need to control such incidents through an effective law-making. At the same time there are few extremists in the BJP government who shamelessly support and favour those involved in lynching incidents; one of such shameless leaders is Nishikant Dubey who is a BJP lawmaker from Jharkhand. Addressing a public meeting he had announced that he would pay for the legal expenses of four men in Jharkhand lynching case.

One of the most brutal and most cruel incidents of lynching is the Jharkhand Lynching incident. The case was registered with the local police somewhere in the mid of March 2016. Two Muslim cattle traders, 32 years old Mazlum Ansari and 12 years old Imtiaz Khan were cruelly lynched by a group of more than hundred Hindus. The police had found the hanging dead bodies of these two Muslims, next morning. Since then, the matter is in the court. Now Nishikant Dubey has jumped into the affair and has promised to provide all legal support to the convicted culprits. In such a situation where the ruling party’s members support the wicked ones; what kind of justice could be expected for the wretched ones. It is the worst form of human rights violation in India which the Muslims and the Christians and even the low-caste Hindus are facing continuously but unfortunately the world around has turned a deaf ear to it. It seems that the Hindu extremists are simply making things painful for the minorities because it is their philosophy that India is only for the Hindus.

Edited By: Natalia Jones Courtesy Baba Mail

The golden spice is one of the most potent natural ingredients out there, and the active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has been shown to have antimicrobial and cancer-fighting properties, among many other health benefits. Unfortunately, several manufacturers have been adulterating the spice since the 1980s by adding lead chromate, a lead-based yellow dye that enhances the natural bright gold color of the spice, as reported in a recent article by Stanford researchers.Lead, a heavy metal, is a known neurotoxin that interferes with brain development, so it’s especially dangerous for children, but it also significantly contributes to brain, endocrine and heart disease in adults, which is why it has been banned from the food supply for decades.Despite the ban, high blood lead levels were consistently found in children and women in Bangladesh, creating a serious threat to public health. After years of trying to find the source of the lead poisoning, Stanford researchers managed to spot the culprit. The source of this mass lead poisoning was turmeric, a culinary staple in Bangladesh.

LikeThis prompted a new study, where the researchers tested a total of 524 samples from 9 of the major turmeric manufacturing districts across the country. The researchers used X-rays to scan the samples and locate traces of lead in those samples, and found lead cadmium in 7 out of the 9 districts. A ban of lead cadmium in the food industry in Bangladesh has existed since 1999, but it appears that the ban needs further and urgent enforcement.On a global scale, Bangladesh is the fifth largest exporter of turmeric in the world, producing an estimated 3% of turmeric powder in the world. This may seem like a small percentage, but Bangladesh isn’t the only country caught adding lead to turmeric in the past. In fact, a total of 15 manufacturers in India and Bangladesh have been refused certification by the FDA in the past few years due to lead-based dye use.Furthermore, many of the worst offenders found by the study discussed above had plans to export their products abroad. The authors of the article also pointed out that many potentially adulterated products may have flown under the radar of international regulatory authorities due to the lack of awareness about the possibility of lead contamination in the products. This is extremely alarming knowing that turmeric is a staple in cuisine worldwide and a common ingredient in ready-made foods and condiments, such as mustard and macaroni and cheese, for example.

LikeThe study prompted global awareness to the issue of lead contamination in turmeric and suggests conducting X-ray testing by the regulatory authorities before approving the import of turmeric into a certain country. As a consumer, the authors of the study point out, you should avoid low-cost and potentially-unregulated goods and get rid of old turmeric powder, if you have any, as these powders have a higher likelihood of containing lead.This is why it’s better to purchase turmeric in-store or from trusted websites and from a reliable mainstream brand. Also, it’s best to avoid turmeric that originated in Bangladesh for the time being, so look at the manufacturing label on the packaging before purchasing a new packet of turmeric. Finally, try to avoid low-cost spices you can buy in bulk, as these have a greater chance of being diluted or containing added dyes.

Professor Nishan Wijesinha

As an International Forensic Jurisprudence Professor, I had to wait until the time was correctly staged for me to expose the unseen hand that is causing stage dramas in Sri Lanka, which are brainwashing the people’s minds and making them fall into their subtle trappings.

The Western Superpowers Mainly, the USA, UK, Canada, Australia & New Zealand with their crafty and sharp political intelligence network, first crept into the minds of parents to abhor Sri Lankan Cultural based National education system and its local education and higher education publications; and clouded their attention to an internationally well manipulated commercialized system of education, through their political agents.

One could see through the success  of these trappings, when with escalating costs of living with no price controls on goods and services and scarcity of drinking water in almost every rural village, whereas in the political forum it is made up of pledging TABS to villages when scarcity runs out for TAPS.  

On the other hand the Sword of Damocles is Hanging on Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty.

At this junction it should also be pointed out that the aforementioned Western Superpowers together with the Tamil Diaspora through the currently governing political bodies have successfully destroyed local military intelligence, that prevailed during the war against the LTTE.

It was thus in their cunning agenda to see through that in no framework of time that the Sri Lanka’s military intelligence should ever come to know that Sri Lanka is blessed with the natural potency in its Northern Province within the Coastal Belt of Chundikkulam and Muthalaippalla Toduvay, the landmass passage which is shown in Fig.1 marked by a triangle, when once removed to a certain depth, that its cuts open to the sea; which enables Sri Lanka to have its first ever military and economy harvesting  Sri Lanka Sovereignty Amphibious Vehicle Strategic Fort”.

Fig.1

This is why they grabbed to their pockets the UNITED NATIONAL PARTY and gave them promise in the international forum, so that this military intelligence could completely be wiped-out from the vocabulary of Sri Lanka.

With this unveiling of secretive facts, I pray that the correct wisdom will prevail in Sri Lanka, in the forthcoming presidential elections.

Courtesy Business Today

South Asian countries like Pakistan (94), Bangladesh (88), Sri Lanka (66) and Nepal (73) have fared better than India in terms of high-levels of hunger

India has ranked 102nd among 107 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI). In 2018, India had ranked 55 among 77 nations listed in the GHI. South Asian countries like Pakistan (94), Bangladesh (88) and Sri Lanka (66) have fared better than India, says a report prepared by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide.

India is among 45 countries that have serious levels of hunger. The report says several countries have higher hunger levels now than in 2010, and around 45 countries are set to fail to achieve low levels of hunger by 2030. The GHI report says hunger is the highest in South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara region. “South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara are the regions with the highest 2019 GHI scores, at 29.3 and 28.4 respectively, indicating serious levels of hunger,” says the report.

India’s ‘child wasting rate’ (low weight for height) is extremely high at 20.8 per cent — the highest wasting rate of any country, says the report. Child stunting rate in India, 37.9 per cent, is also categorised as “very high” in terms of its public health significance. In India, just 9.6 per cent of all children between 6 and 23 months of age are fed a minimum acceptable diet, it says.

The report says as of 2015-2016, around 90 per cent of Indian households used an improved drinking water source while 39 per cent of households had no sanitation facilities. Contradicting the government’s claim of making India open defecation free, the report says “open defecation is still practised” in the country. “In 2014, the prime minister instituted the “Clean India” campaign to end open defecation and ensure that all households had latrines. Even with new latrine construction, however, open defecation is still practised,” it adds.

This situation jeopardises the population’s health and consequently, children’s growth and development as their ability to absorb nutrients are compromised, it adds.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2 had announced that villages in India had become open defecation-free.

Lauding neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh, the report says they have made significant advances in child nutrition, and their experiences are instructive. The report says that a 2015 case study was conducted to look at how Bangladesh achieved decline in stunting from 58.5 per cent in 1997 to 40.2 per cent in 2011. “The study attributed the decrease primarily to rising household wealth associated with pro-poor economic growth and gains in parental education, as well as health, sanitation, and demographic factors reflecting decreased fertility rates,” it adds.

Nepal’s remarkable reduction in child stunting from 56.6 per cent in 2001 to 40.1 per cent in 2011 is also associated with increased household assets, increased maternal education, improved sanitation, and implementation and use of health and nutrition programs, including antenatal and neonatal care, says the report.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday that the SLFP organisers who were said to have joined hands with the United National Party (UNP) were those who were sacked from the party.

Mr. Jayasekara said this in response to Minister Sajith Premadasa’s claim that more than 40 SLFPers had joined hands with his party.

He said forming an organisation to protect the SLFP and allying themselves to the UNP could not be called as protecting the SLFP.

SLFP must be protected by its members while being in the SLFP. True SLFPers would protect the SLFP and its integrity while moving forward in this journey. Despite the obstacles we might face, we will stand united for the victory of Gotabaya Rajapaksa and move forward while protecting the dignity of the SLFP,” he said.

Meanwhile, Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera said a strong economic policy ensuring national security while safeguarding our cultural heritage is necessary.

The Ven.Thera said Mr. Rajapaksa had introduced environmentally friendly economic policies to create an economy based on our own agricultural lands and energy sources.

Meanwhile, MP Dullas Alahapperuma alleged government media of being biased and he requested the Elections Commission to investigate this issue. (Thisari Andria Walawege)

උපුටාගැණීම අද දෙරණ

රටට ආදරය කරන නායකයෙකු පත්කර ගැනීමට ජනතාව කල්පනාකාරීව කටයුතු කළ යුතු බව පූජ්‍ය ඇල්ලේ ගුණවංශ හිමියන් පවසයි. 

එහිදි අදහස් දැක්වු උන්වහන්සේ පැවසුවේ දේශපාලන නායකයින් සමඟ රහසිගත සාකච්ඡා නොපවත්වන ලෙස පූජ්‍ය ඇල්ලේ ගුණවංශ හිමි සියළු ජනාධිපති ධුර අපේක්ෂකයින්ගෙන් ඉල්ලීමක් කරන බවයි.

යුතුකම සංවිධානය” අද (16)  කොළඹ කැදවා තිබූ මාධ්‍ය හමුවකටඑක්වෙමින් උන්වහන්සේ මෙම අදහස් පල කළේය.
 
උතුරේ දේශපාලන පක්ෂ 05ක් ජනාධිපති අපෙක්ෂකයන්ගේන කළ ඉල්ලීම් 10ක් සම්බන්ධයේද අදහස් දැක්වීය.

Courtesy Adaderana

The manifesto of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa is scheduled to be launched on the 25th of October.

Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila stated that this decision was taken during a discussion held at the official residence of Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa last night (15).

Meanwhile, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has pointed out that Sri Lanka’s sovereignty is currently under threat.

He stated this addressing a convention held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute yesterday. The event was held under the auspices of SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He also commented that the State resources the incumbent government sold to foreign countries must be reclaimed. We have a policy that ensures our country moves forward, putting the nation’s sovereignty at the forefront,” Gotabaya Rajapaksa added.

Speaking of the UNHRC resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka during the special press conference held in Colombo yesterday, Rajapaksa said We will always work with the United Nations. But I can’t recognize what they have signed with a different government. It’s not with my government.”

Courtesy Adaderana

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been requested to appear before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate and inquire into serious acts of fraud, corruption, and abuse of power, state resources, and privileges on the 18th of October.

Along with the Prime Minister, Minister Daya Gamage, too, has been summoned to appear before the Commission.

This was in connection with an investigation into the alleged loss to the government during the paddy storage at the Mattala International Airport.

Considering the evidence collected on the case, the Commission has notified the Premier and Minister Gamage to appear before them either on behalf of their own rights or through legal representation.

Courtesy Adaderana

Several stone weapons used by prehistoric man have been found in the area nearby Panikkan Kulam in Mankulam, Mullaitivu, says Professor Paramu Pushparatnam.

Speaking to Ada Derana reporter, Prof. Pushparatnam stated that he had inspected the area after he was notified by the residents that artefacts belonging to the prehistoric times exist there.

According to the estimation of Prof. Pushparatnam, the stone weapons recovered from the area had been used over 10,000 years and he added that these artefacts would be directed for chronological dating.

Prof. Pushparatnam added that multiple fragments of rocks, which proves ancient settlements had existed in the area, were also observed in the proximity of Panikkan Kulam.

A formal inspection will be conducted in this regard and a detailed report will be submitted to the Director General of the Department of Archaeology on the discovery of ruins and stone weapons.

Paramu Pushparatnam is a professor of History at the Jaffna University and he had conducted many archaeological inspections in the northern areas of the country.

Courtesy Adaderana

The officers of the Election Commission today (16) commenced an investigation regarding a complaint with regard to over 2,000 confirmation letters set to be given to employees of the National Housing Development Authority.

The Organization to Protect the National Housing Development Authority, which filed the complaint, charged that the chairman had made the appointments violating the election laws.

It further stated that the Authority’s chairman and the upper management had utilized over Rs 400 million for election campaign purposes. The funds were to be allocated to construct sanitary facilities for low-income families as proposed by the Budget 2019.

The organization also charged that the ‘Sevana Funds’ established under the Authority to provide free housing for low-income families had been used to give out housing loans.

It also alleged that the appointment made to the Authority were done as a part of the UNP’s election campaign.

The Election Commission’s officers accordingly launched an investigation in this regard and as a result over 2,000 confirmation letters were confiscated at the Authority.

Courtesy Adaderana

The presidential candidate of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Gotabaya Rajapaksa says he would restructure the government’s tax framework and bring VAT to 8 percent when he comes to power.

He stated this during an event held yesterday (16) with the owners of tea factories.

Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax imposed on labourers and employees who earn middle-level salary scale must be removed, Rajapaksa stressed.

Meanwhile, addressing a public meeting held in Ratnapura Gotabaya said, under his administration, steps would be taken to stabilize national security by restoring the powers vested upon the intelligence services, which were removed by the incumbent government.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරය සම්බන්ධයෙන් තමන් වෙත ලද තොරතුරු රජයේ වගකිව යුතු පාර්ශ්වවලට ලබාදුන්නද ප්‍රහාරය වැළැක්වීමට කිසිදු පියවරක් නොගත් බවට හෙළිදරව් කළ මෙරට එංගලන්ත සභාවේ ගරු ග්‍රෙගරි ෆ්‍රැන්සිස් රදගුරුතුමන් කොටුව පොලිසිය අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන තිබෙනවා.

එම රදගුරුතුමන් අදාළ හෙළිදරව්ව සිදුකළේ ඊයේ පැවති ප්‍රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡාවකදී.

පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරය සම්බන්ධයෙන් තමන් වෙත ලද තොරතුරු පිළිබඳව ඊයේ කොළඹදී ප්‍රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡාවක් පවත්වමින් ගරු ග්‍රෙගරි ෆ්‍රැන්සිස් රදගුරුතුමන් හෙළිදරව්වක් සිදුකළා.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, එම ප්‍රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡාව අවසානයේ ඊයේ පස්වරුවේ කොටුව පොලිසිය විසින් එම රදගුරුතුමන්ව අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන තිබුණේ ගල්කිස්ස ප්‍රදේශයේ පාසලකට සිසුවෙකු ඇතුලත් කිරීමේ සිද්ධියක් මුල්කර ගනිමින්.

අත්අඩංගුවට ගැණුනු ගරු ග්‍රෙගරි ෆ්‍රැන්සිස් රදගුරුතුමන් අද දින කොටුව මහේස්ත්‍රාත්වරයා හමුවට ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමෙන් අනතුරුව රුපියල් ලක්ෂ 10 ක ශරීර ඇපයක් මත මුදාහැරීමට කටයුතු කළා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

මෙවර ජනාධිපති ධුර අපේක්ෂකයින්ට ඉදිරිපත් කිරීම සඳහා උතුරු නැගෙනහිර දෙමළ දේශපාලන පක්ෂ 5 ක් එක්ව කරුණු 13 කින් යුක්තව සකස් කළ යෝජනාවලියට එරෙහිව අදහස් දක්වමින් භික්ෂූන්වහන්සේ අද ප්‍රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡා කිහිපයක් පැවැත්වුවා.

එහිදී උන්වහන්සේ අවධාරණය කර සිටියේ රට දෙකඩ කිරීමේ අරමුණින් මෙම යෝජනාවලිය ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇති බවයි.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂයේ ඇමතිවරයෙකු ඇතුළු කිහිපදෙනෙකු පසුගිය දිනක කොල්ලූපිටියේදි රැස්වි සිදුකල සාකච්ඡාවක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂයේ මාධ්‍ය ප්‍රකාශක පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී වීරකුමාර දිසානායක අද විශේෂ හෙලිදරව්වක් සිදුකලා.

ඒ එම පක්ෂ මුලස්ථානයේ කැදවා තිබූ මාධ්‍ය හමුවකදීයි.

මෙහිදී මන්ත්‍රීවරයා කියා සිටියේ එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂයේ අමාත්‍යවරයෙකුගේ ප්‍රධානත්වයෙන් පසුගිය ඔක්තෝම්බර් 5 වනදා කොල්ලූපිටියේ විශේෂ ස්ථානයක අදාළ සාකච්ඡාව පැවති බවයි.

එහිදී ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂට සහය දීමට තීරණය කළහොත් ගත යුතු පියවර සම්බන්ධයෙන් තීන්දු දෙකකට එළඹ ඇතැයි ද වීර කුමාර දිසානායක මන්ත්‍රීවරයා සදහන් කළා.

එහිදී ඔහු වැඩිදුරටත් අනාවරණ කළේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය සුරැකීමේ සංවිධානය නමැති කණ්ඩායම පාවිච්චි කරමින් අර්බුද මතු කිරීම ඉන් පළමු තීන්දුව බවයි.

එසේම, ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ සමග එකතු වුවහොත් මැතිවරණ ව්‍යාපාරය දෙකඩ කිරිම ඉන් දෙවන තීන්දුව බව ද වීරකුමාර දිසානායක මන්ත්‍රීවරයා මෙම මාධ්‍ය හමුවේදී අනාවරණ කළා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණේ ජනාධිපති ධුර අපේක්ෂක ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂගේ ප්‍රතිපත්ති බාල මැතිවරණ පොරොන්දු නොවන බව පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී ඩලස් අලහප්පෙරුම පවසනවා.

කොළඹ අද පැවති මාධ්‍ය හමුවකට එක්වෙමින් ඔහු මේ බව කියා සිටියා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

මැණික් කර්මාන්තය සදහා කඩිනමින් බලපත්‍ර ලබාදීමේ වැඩපිළිවෙලක් ඉදිරියේදී ඇති කිරීමට කටයුතු කරන බව ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණේ ජනාධිපති ධුර අපේක්ෂක ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ පවසනවා.

පැල්මඩුල්ල ප්‍රදේශයේ අද පැවති ජනහමුවකට එක්වෙමින් ඔහු කියා සිටියේ මැණික් ඇතුළු කර්මාන්ත කිහිපයක් තුළ පවතින සියලූ ගැටලූ නිරාකරණය කරන බවයි.

මේ අතර, දෙමළ සමාජ ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පක්ෂයේ ජාතික සංවිධායක, උතුරු නැගෙනහිර පළාතේ් හිටපු ප්‍රධාන අමාත්‍ය වර්ධරාජා පෙරුමාල් ඇතුළු එම පක්ෂයේ නියෝජිතයන් පිරිසක් අද විපක්ෂ නායක මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ හමුවී ජනාධිපති ධුර අපේක්ෂක ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂට සහය ලබාදෙන බව ප්‍රකාශ කළා.

එසේම, දේශප්‍රේමී එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂයේ නියෝජිතයන් ද, ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂට සහය දක්වන බව දැනුම්දීමට අද විපක්ෂ නායකවරයා හමුවුණා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

නව ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පෙරමුණේ ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂක, අමාත්‍ය සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස ප්‍රතිරූප මවා ගැනීමේ උත්සාහයක නිරතව සිටින බව ජාතික නිදහස් පෙරමුණේ නායක, පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී විමල් වීරවංශ පවසනවා.

කොළඹ අද පැවති මාධ්‍ය හමුවකට එක්වෙමින් ඔහු මේ බව කියා සිටියා.

එම මාධ්‍ය හමුවට කලාකරුවන් පිරිසක්ද එක්ව සිටි අතර, එහිදී ඔවුන් ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණේ ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂක ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂට සහය පළ කරන බව ප්‍රකාශ කළා

By Garvin Karunaratne

Seeing what is happening in Elpitiya my mind travels back decades to a youth that struck me most in my eighteen years’ service in the Administrative Service of my beloved country.

It was a youth from Elpitiya. In 1970 I was the Deputy Director in the Small Industries Department in charge of making allocations of foreign exchange to small industrialists to import an item that was required to make something useful for sale.  Mr Kariyawasam the Member of Parliament for Bentara Elpitiya met me with a youth. Mr Kariyawasam introduced the youth to me with a number of side mirrors of cars, which he had made. The side mirrors were good replicas.  They were very well done. An allocation of foreign exchange was sought to import mirrors to be fitted into the side mirrors that he had made. It was a reasonable request. I immediately summoned one of my Inspectors and told him to inspect the process of manufacture and submit a recommendation.

In a weeks’ time the inspector reported that this was a bogus case, a youth that did not have an industry. I sent for Mr Kariyawasam and gave him a piece of my mind. Mr Kariyawasam said that he stood by what the youth said and added that the youth was not a bluff case and requested me to look into the case further. I told Mr Kariyawasam that I will myself come to inspect the industry and gave him an appointment  to inform the youth. Later he phoned me to meet the youth at the Lorry Garage of the Cooperative Union at Elpitiya. On the appointed date I was at that place ten minutes earlier and neither the youth was there nor was there any place where side mirrors were made in the vicinity. I waited a while and the youth appeared with a bag slung on his neck. I told him to take me to the place where he had the smithy where he made the side mirrors. He opened his bag which was full of all sorts of metal pieces of different shapes along with some sheets of metal cut up to different sizes. Sir these are all my tools and all these are side mirrors I have made.”

Show me the machinery with which you make.”

Sir, you have to wait a while till one of the Coop Union lorries come back. I know some of the drivers who allow me to use their jacks. I have a number of iron rods with bolts which I fix and make a jig and use their lorry jacks to get different shapes of metal made.”

I looked at his bag and there were a few iron rods about two feet long and bolts. It was a mass of metal. I could not even imagine what he was speaking about and how he made anything.

Sir, please believe me. Please wait till a lorry comes. I am sure a lorry will return soon.”

The youth looked genuine and his tone was pleasant and I felt I should listen. I then understood what my inspector had reported that the youth had no industry. He had only a bag of tools and pieces of metal of different shapes. I waited and waited. He looked to be too genuine for me to tell him not to fool me.  In a while a lorry came in and the youth ran to the driver and got back to me.

Sir that driver is not going to give me the use of his jack. I will wait for the next driver.”

I waited a few minutes and luckily another lorry came in.

That is a good driver. I can get his jack.” He ran away and returned with the lorry jack. I yet could not fathom what he was going to do. He moved to a corner of the lorry garage pulled up his bag and got hold of the two feet rods which he fitted with bolts to make a jig. He tightened the nuts till the jig was very firm. Then he pulled out the pieces of metal and scouted around for some bricks which he fitted into the jig. Then he got the lorry jack which he placed at different angles and moved the jack lever till the piece of sheet metal was made into a shape. The then took the piece that was shaped up and fixed different pieces of metal and used the jack to shape it up further. It took a while but he did it again and again till the shapes were fully acceptable. Then he sat on the side shaped further with a file and cut off the ends. It took a while but he made a replica of a side mirror that was exact to what was imported. I gave him an allocation of foreign exchange and asked him to call over at my office to collect the allocation paper. If only that youth had access to a lathe and welding equipment he could have done wonders. Is it not sad that we do not yet make a bicycle in our country!

I called Mr Kariyawasam and thanked him.

I know not where the youth is now. Perhaps he happened to be one of the intelligent youths who lost their lives in the 1971 JVP uprising. That mistake of the JVP done to make Sri Lanka an appendage of the socialist block- -then it was North Korea that tried to get the JVP to wrest control of our island. That insurrection  took away the lives of many intelligent youths.

We have an intelligent cadre of youths and we have to enlist their support, help them to march on an import substitution venture to make everything we import. Later as Government Agent Matara, I was able to direct my staff to find the art of making crayons and also able to ensure that a cooperative industry was established.  It took three months of nocturnal experiments locked up in the Rahula College science lab from six till midnight for three long months to find he art of making crayons. Then it took three weeks for Sumanapala Dahanayake the member of parliament to establish it. He was the President of the Morawaka Coop Union. In a few months Coop Crayon was sold island wide. That was a feat done by the katcheri staff and Sumanapala’s   cooperative youths.

To my mid therein lies the path for the development of our industries. No foreigner or foreign country will come to our help. We have to do it ourselves. The above true achievements I can speak of tell me that it is a task that can be won.

Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D. Michigan State University

Former Government Agent, Matara    15 th October 2019

By : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA

The visionless, imbecile and ignoramus Sajith Premadasa who seems to be parroting statements instilled or taught by third parties without knowledge of the depth and gravity of such statements and their practicality, made a statement at the Galle Face rally that he will not associate or welcome anyone connected to frauds, corruption and malpractices.  He has repeated this statement in the meeting held at Wellawaya on Sunday 13^th October as well. 

In the first report of the Presidential Commission probing frauds, waste, corruption and malpractices by Government Ministers, MPs and officials since January 2015 have handed over its first report and in this report, it has cited Sajith himself and Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Lakshman Kiriella and Akila Viraj as Ministers who have committed various offences.  Even His Eminence Cardinal Dr Malcolm Ranjith has told umpteen times that the masses should totally reject corrupt politicians.  Under these circumstances will Sajith Premadasa guarantee to the masses that he will totally reject at least the following politicians:

Ranil Wickremasinghe (Alleged architect of TreasuryBonnd Scam and commission agent for the sale of state properties and making the country liable to pay damages to China for suspending Port City, Lotus Tower and some other projects) )

Ravi Karunanayake (Alleged beneficiary of a residential flat and commission agent for power purchases)

Mangala Samaraweera (alleged money launderer for Tamil diaspora)

Pa.Cha.Ranawaka (accused in a court verdict on malpractices in a coal tender award etc,)

Malik Samarawickrema (alleged involvement in a railway coach project and promoter of the Singapore FT etc)

Lakshman Kiriella (alleged recipient of commissions from Kandy expressway project and misusing his Ministry funds to make monthly payments to over 75 persons)

Kabir Hashim (allegedly making the country liable to pay millions of Dollars as a breach of agreement in respect of aircraft orders)

P.Harrison (causing several Million Rs. Loss to Mattala airport by using it for storing paddy)

Rajitha Senaratne(alleged import of sub-standard drugs and malpractices related to Neville Fernando Hospital and becoming a shipowner during the last government.  A complaint in this connection with documentary evidence was made to Bribery Commission by the Matara district MP Niroshan Premaratne but no action was taken))

Sujeewa Senasinghe (an alleged receipt of Millions from Arjun Aloysius)

John Ameratunga (demolition of a walking track built at a cost of Rs. Several million to facilitate one of his friends to take lorries to his property )

Mano Ganneshan (allegations related to multiple frauds and malpractices)

 RaufHakeem (allegations related to multiple frauds and malpractices)

Rishad Bathiudeen (allegations related to multiple frauds and malpractices)

Palani Digambaram (alleged receipt of funds from India)

Ajith P.Perera(Acting as a footnote man of Arjun Aloysium}

Harsha de Silva (Acting as a footnote man of Arjun Aloysius)

These are I was able to remember while writing this article.

In addition to this what about the alleged frauds and malpractices attributed to Sajith Premadasa himself and some of which include:

Receipt of several luxury buses each valued @ Rs. 45 Million to be distributed to schools; Can the public know who was the donor of these buses and for what reason these donations have been and what the donor will get in return.

Allegedly keeping over 1,000 persons on his Ministry payroll without any employment;

Spending huge sums on advertisements to chicken pen houses projects at the times of foundation laying and at the times of opening;

Distribution of building materials and 15 bags of cement to each from the Hambantota district;

Distribution of money to incumbent priests of some temples as political bribes etc.

The Galle district MP Wijepala Hettiarachchi has sent letters to his supporters in Akmeemana saying they will be given Rs. 50,000 each Gamperaliya housing loans when they come to attend the UNP Balamandala meeting.

My article DOTA PHOBIA – Part IV C published by Lankaweb on12th October carried a harsh letter sent by the old hag Chandrika to the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mr Dayasiri Jayasekera.  Mr Jayasekera has sent the following response to her in the form of a thundering slap and reminding her of her parents.  The General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mr Dayasiri Jayasekera has informed the Ex-President Chandrika Bandaranaike, who is a patron of the party that as per the fundamentals adopted by the founder of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike cooperating with the United National Party is a non-compatible phenomenon.

Mr Dayasiri Jayasekera MP informed this making an entry on his Facebook page.  Mr Dayasiri Jayasejera has made this entry in response to the objection expressed by the Ex-President for Sri Lanka Freedom Party entering into an alliance with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.   

The NP points out that the Central Committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party took this decision in concurrence with the policies of the party.   The Central Committee of the Party has taken this decision by safeguarding the policies related to forming the party and its values. Within the policy framework of the United National Party, it is not possible for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to support them.

MP Dayasiri Jayasekara points out that it was because of this situation that it necessitated facing many complicated problems during the past Yahapalana government. 

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has been formed by a group for whom the leadership is given by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.  

Dayasiri Jayasejera points out to the Ex-President that the best alternative in this election is for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to enter into an alliance with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. 

The MP emphasizes that he has acted as the General Secretary of the Party acting in accordance with the party constitution in carrying out the decision taken by the Central Committee of the party.

Decisions for developing Sri Lanka should be taken devoid of personal policies. Wide decisions should be taken for the benefit of the country.  MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has also pointed out to the Ex-President that it was on such a decision that she took steps to form a government jointly with Janata Vimukthi Peramuna

Given below is a comment received from one Narendran,  a reader to the aforementioned previous article:

It is laughable to hear C-B -K who slept in the President chair inebriated with alcohol for so long without any achievement to show for it, trying to claim an SLFP mantle. She came to politics as the widow of the leader of another forgotten party. Her good looking film actor husband had become a friend of MG Ramachandran the South Indian Film star revered by LT*TE as a most respected patron. Through her own family connection, she joined the SLFP and came to the top but was proved to be totally ineffective. Her many acts of appeasing the LTTE did not work, nor did she have the vision to develop the country.

Latest reports indicate that Chandrika who left for London being unable to stomach the Elpitiya results has become restless and reported to be planning to return to Sri Lanka within the next few days and take her lapdogs calling themselves as the organization for the protection of SLFP  to join with Sajith in her stupid imagination that it would boost the sinking prospects of Sajith.  In order to please this old hag, her proxy in the UNP the biggest liar Sei Lanka has ever seen Goebbles Mangala Samaraweera has published a news report saying that138  SLFP electorate organisers are to be joined with Sajith.  An obtuse hallucination.  Since the February 10 political debacle at the local government polls, only a handful of persons have remained as SLFP  electoral organisers and they are now reported to be actively involved in campaigning for Gota.  For instance, Dayasiri, Nimal Siripala, Dilan Perera, Mutuhettuwegama, Amaraweera, Punchi Nilame to name a few.  The disillusioned Welgama has said that he has given up politics and started tea cultivation. It would have been better if he started a garage instead of as he once said that he has a wide knowledge about the motor vehicle. 

Meanwhile, the UNP Ministers, MPs and stalwarts seem to be severely suffering from the Elpitiya fiasco and are airing funny and tomfoolery statements.  The racist maniac former diehard JVPer and coal tender fraudster Pa.Cha.Ranawaka has said that 12% of the SLFP votes will only go to Sajith.  The UNP’s female thug MP Hirunika who once advocated that what Sambandan demands should be granted has said that after November 16th b both Mahinda and Gota will be hanged in the front and rear sides of the Medamulana residence.  This ungrateful MP has completely forgotten that she is in politics today because Mr Mahinda, sympathising for her father, exorbitantly helped her to enter politics and win her first bid in the Western Provincial Council election. Speaking at a meeting during the weekend she has sais that she feels sad about the UNPers as they remained as those in the opposition but when Sajith becomes President in the forthcoming election, they could rule the country until 2025.

The political chameleon Dentist Rajitha Senaratne and ship owner whose attempt to join SLPP  and continue his plundering in the next government as well as met with total rejection has said that the whole SLFP will be with them supporting Sajith within the next three days. When Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa came to the stage Gota’s Kadawata meeting last Sunday the audience has shouted Rajithath uge puthath keeyatawath pohottuwata ganna epa – Un dennaama hour. (Don’t take Rajitha and his son to pohottuwa at any cost – Both of them are rogues) for which Mr Mahinda has responded saying Ne, ne, gannema nehe (No, no, will never be taken).

 Another one who is very much upset is Rs. 90,00/month Litro Agent Dambara Amila Thero.  This maroon colour robed former JVP stalwart who has been provided with several advisor posts with high remuneration under this government in government Ministries institutions has scolded the Elpitiya voters in filth and threatened to terminate Mahinda and Gota when Sajith becomes PresidentThe architect of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna SLPP) and the former of Economic Development Mr. Basil Rajapaksa participating in the HIRU tV’s political programme, ‘Salakuna’ the powerful persons of the United National Party has expressed willingness to join the SLPP and negotiations with some of them are ongoing.  He has said that, however, all those who have shown an inclination will not be taken in.  Speaking further said that Gota will secure &.2 million votes and has given facts and figures relating to this calculation and has pointe3d out that the SLPP – SLFP union and many recent developments contributed in favour of Gota.  He has said that although the UNP claimed that they will get 6 million votes they are unable to substantiate their illusory predictions.

The popular legal luminary, President’s Counsel Mr Ali Sabry states that the N  o.1 racist in this country is Patali Champika Ranawaka.  Propagates racism in the country but also provides ideological reasons for its necessity and misleads the people. Mr. Sabri made these comments addressing a media conference in Colombo.  Speaking further Mr. Sabri said that during Mr. Mahinda’s rule only two mosques had been attacked but during this so-called Yahapalana government 102 mosques have been attacked. He also pointed out that the people of this country has got the opportunity to make this country an Ethiopia or a Singapore. And added that he has acquainted Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for the last 15 years and assured that Mr. Rajapaksa is not racist but a humanist. 

The former Mayor of Colombo Mr. A.J.M.Muzammil addressing this media conference that the so-called Muslim leaders have commercialised politics and they are betraying the Muslim community for their political well being, and this situation should be changed soon.

The media spokesman of the National Freedom Front Mr. Mohamed Muzammil addressing the Nikaweratiya meeting of Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that theUNP stalwarts will soon get Makandura Madushreleased on bail and make him express support to mislead the people that Gota is behind underground and the frug proffers.  He said that the UNP will do everything possible without any shame within the next thirty-odd days to incriminate Gota and reminded that the underground leaders and narcotic dealers are being patronized by UNP Ministers and MPs of the Colombo district and this truth is well known even to a toddler in the Colombo district.

Latest reports indicate that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, who acted like a tyrant during the 52 days government has refused Sajith Premadasa’s meeting that the post of the speaker is a non-partisan post and he does not want to make a dent in the honour of that post.  Political analysts point out that Mr Jayasuriya completely desecrated the honour of that post by appointing minority party leader Sambandan as the Leader of the Opposition, appointing Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the JVP with only 6 seats in the parliament as the chief opposition. Denying the joint opposition with 54 members its legitimate due place and the right to participate in debates and restricting their speech times and failing to take appropriate actions against government MPs when they brought knives to the parliament lobby and attempted to assault opposition members.  They say that he only wants to refrain from associating a loser. They further state that he is holding a grudge with Sajith for snatching the nomination which he was planning to get.

Tushar Ranjan Mohanty Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management

Riots broke out in Ghotki town (Ghotki District) of Sindh on September 15, 2019, after a school principal from the minority Hindu community was booked on charges of alleged blasphemy. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) tweeted a video of protesters breaking the infrastructure of the school and wrote, “Alarming reports of accusations of blasphemy in Ghotki and the outbreak of mob violence”. Videos of stick-wielding protesters were also shared on social media in which they were seen vandalising a Hindu temple. The protests erupted after a FIR (first information report) was filed against the Hindu principal of Sindh Public School on the complaint of Abdul Aziz Rajput, a student’s father, who claimed that the teacher had committed blasphemy. The principal, identified as Notan Lal, was booked and then arrested on charges of blasphemy on September 16. 

On May 27, 2019, a Hindu veterinary doctor, identified as Ramesh Kumar, was arrested in Phulhadiyon area of Mirpurkhas District of Sindh after a local cleric filed a Police complaint accusing him of committing blasphemy. Although the doctor was arrested, radical organisations and their supporters were not pacified and took to setting fire and damaging shops owned by Hindus in the area besides, burning tyres on the roads. The head cleric of the local mosque, Maulvi Ishaq Nohri, filed the complaint with Police alleging that Kumar had torn pages of a holy book and wrapped medicines in them.

On March 20, 2019, one student, identified as Khateeb Hussain, at Bahawalpur’s Government Sadiq Egerton College stabbed Associate Professor Khalid Hameed, the head of the English Department of the college, to death over what he vaguely described as the academic’s “anti-Islam” remarks. Khalid Hameed was seated inside his office at the college when he was allegedly accosted and attacked with a knife by the student. According to initial information noted by the Police at the scene of the crime, Khateeb Hussain, who was a 5th-semester Bachelor of Arts (BA) student of the English Department, had exchanged hot words with Professor Hameed at around 8:40am [PST] over the arranging of a ‘welcome party’ at the college. The event, which Hameed was overseeing, was to be held on March 21, 2019, to welcome new students to the college. Hussain was averse to the event being organised because he viewed the mingling of male and female pupils at the function as “un-Islamic”. Following an argument, Hussain stabbed the associate professor to death. The student equated the teacher’s words with blasphemy, Police said.

Targeting people by accusing them of blasphemy is a persistent phenomenon in the theocratic state of Pakistan. In its annual report released on April 15, 2019, HRCP stated that around 70 people had been lynched since 1990 on accusations of insulting Islam. “In many cases, blasphemy allegations end up in a mob lynching or targeted killing of the accused before they can be tried or heard in a court of law,” the report added.

Similarly, a November 1, 2018, media report, quoting the Lahore-based Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), stated that at least 75 people had been killed in Pakistan since 1990, by angry mobs and individuals on the accusation of blasphemy. Out of the 75 people killed until January 31, 2018, 14 murders took place in Lahore, including the murder of retired judge of the Lahore High Court Arif Iqbal Bhatti. Bhatti was killed on October 17, 1997, by Ahmad Sher in Lahore (Lahore District), because he had given a verdict in 1995 to acquit two Christian men of blasphemy charges.

Among the most high-profile killings relating to blasphemy was that of the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, came forward in the support of Aasia Bibi, the first woman to be accused of Blasphemy. On January 4, 2011, Salman Taseer, the Governor of the Punjab province, was killed by his own security guard, because Taseer had sought to an amendment of the blasphemy law to remove the mandatory death penalty on conviction. Subsequently, on March 2, 2011, unidentified assailants killed the Federal Minorities Affairs Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, another outspoken critic of the law.

Aasia Bibi, also known as Asia Noreen, a Christian woman from Ittan Wali village in the Sheikhupura District, was sentenced to death on November 7, 2010, for blasphemy, allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad during a row with neighbouring women in June 2009. Noreen denied that she had committed blasphemy and asserted that she had been accused by her neighbours to “settle an old score”. On November 7, 2010, Muhammed Naveed Iqbal, a judge at the district Court of Sheikhupura, sentenced her to death by hanging. Additionally, a fine equivalent to USD 1,100 was imposed. On October 31, 2018, Pakistan’s Supreme Court overturned the conviction, and Aasia Bibi was released from the New Jail for Women in Multan on November 7, 2018.

Fundamentalists and, in some cases, opportunists exploiting the law to settle personal scores, often file false cases of blasphemy. Indeed, it has been established that most such accusations have been fabricated. A study by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) released on November 4, 2015, on the implementation of the blasphemy law in Pakistan, under section 295-C, found that in 19 out of 25 cases, i.e. 76 percent, the appellate courts found that evidence and complaints had been fabricated based on personal or political vendettas”, and convictions by lower courts were overturned on appeal.

In its annual report released on April 15, 2019, HRCP noted, “The blasphemy laws have been grossly abused with many people lodging false complaints to settle their personal vendettas.” According to the report 40 people were currently on death row or serving a life sentence after being convicted on charges of blasphemy. However, the country is yet to execute anyone for blasphemy.

The decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to quash the conviction of a person who had spent almost 18 years in prison for blasphemy, once again highlighted how the law had been misused in the country to settle personal score. On September 25, 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that the prosecution failed to provide substantial evidence against Wajih-ul-Hassan, who had been sentenced to death in 2002 for writing allegedly blasphemous letters. Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch observed,

The abuse of the blasphemy law is built into its very character. Under existing laws, a person making a false accusation can only face proceedings under Section 182 of the PPC, which entails a maximum punishment of six months imprisonment, or a mere PKR 1,000 fine. However, the punishment for blasphemy under Sections 295-B and 295-C of PPC ranges from several years in prison to a death sentence.

With international attention focusing on the continuous excesses of the blasphemy law in Pakistan, a Senate Special Committee on Human Rights on March 6, 2018, had recommended that perpetrators of false accusations of blasphemy be given the same punishment as set for those convicted for blasphemy. “Anyone falsely accusing someone of blasphemy should be subjected to the same punishment as a person convicted of blasphemy,” the recommendation stated. The recommendation also stated that anyone looking to register a blasphemy case at a Police Station should have to bring two witnesses to support their accusation. However, committee member Senator Mufti Abdul Sattar, who belongs to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, opposed the recommendations, terming them “an attempt to sabotage the blasphemy law.” Mainstream political parties are also unwilling to support the recommendation for fear of losing their extremist and conservative vote banks. Not surprisingly, then Prime Minister hopeful Imran Khan, during his 2018 General Election campaign supported the blasphemy law, declaring, at a gathering of Muslim leaders in Islamabad on July 21, 2018, We are standing with Article 295c and will defend it.”

The religious right and mainstream parties in Pakistan are in complete agreement with the Islamist terrorist organisations on this count. Significantly, pamphlets of the Punjab Chapter of the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) were found from the place of assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti. The pamphlets stated, “anyone who criticises the blasphemy law has no right to live”.

The blasphemy law in Pakistan is a critical weapon for both Islamist extremists and mainstream majoritarian parties and politicians, every one of whom has used Sunni fundamentalism and Islamism as a tool of political control. The marginalisation and victimisation of the minorities in Pakistan can only continue within such a political backdrop, and the abuse of the blasphemy law is unlikely to diminish unless overwhelming international pressure is brought to bear on the Pakistani state to shift course to a more humane and rational politics.

BRIGADIER RANJAN DE SILVA Courtesy The Island

What every voter should ask the UNP and Pohottuva presidential candidates is who is answerable and accountable for the Rs 11 trillion national debt.

In the UK the national service and public assets are now owned by several foreign companies and institutions. Will this happen to Sri Lanka after the Presidential election on 16th November 2019? This is what has happened to UK:-

Let’s start with Railways – At Romford station in the London borough of Havering, there is a choice of trains to London: you can travel on one run by the Dutch, or one run by the Chinese going to neighbouring Basildon, change at Upminster and buy a ticket from the Italian firm that operates C2C.

ScotRail is operated by Abellio, which is wholly owned by the Dutch national rail operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Abellio also owns 60% of Greater Anglia trains (the remaining 40% is owned by the Japanese company Mitsui. West Midlands trains 70% is owned by Abellio, the remaining 30% is shared between Mitsui and the Japanese company JR East.

Arriva Rail London is operated by Arriva, which is owned by the German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn. Arriva also operates Chiltern Railways and Cross Country, Grand Central and Northern.

The already mentioned C2C is owned by the Italian government’s Trenitalia.

Eurostar is operated by EIL which is owned by the French government’s SNCF (50%) Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ – Canada) (30%), Hermes Infrastructure (10%) which is majority-owned by a US investment fund and NMBS/SNCB (5 %) which is the state railway company of Belgium.

The Chinese corporation MTR owns TfL Rail and 30% of South Western Railway.

Transport for Wales is owned by Keolis, a Franco-Quebecois (France/Canada) private operator of public transport.

In fact,. European state railways now own more than a quarter of the UK’s passenger train system.

The Energy sector: London Electricity, SWEB, Seeboard and British Energy are owned by EDF Energy, a subsidiary of the French Government-owned energy company EDF (Electricite` de France) Group. Powergen is owned by the German group EON. Calortex – Independent Energy and Midlands Electricity are owned by Npower, a subsidiary of German energy company RWE Group.

ScottishPower is a subsidiary of Spanish company Iberdrola, which also owns Manweb, the energy company supplying Merseyside and North Wales.

Water – Anglia Water is owned by a consortium consisting of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Colonial First State Global Asset Management (owned by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia), IFM Investors (an Australian investment management firm) and 3i; the same consortium also owns Hartlepool Water.

Northumbrian Water is owned by Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings (Hong Kong). Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings also owns Essex and Suffolk Water.

Wessex Water is owned by YTL Corporation (Malaysia). Affinity Water is part owned by Morgan Stanley (USA). South East Water is owned by Hastings Diversified Utilities Fund /Utilities Trust of Australia. Sutton and East Surrey Water is owned by Sumitomo Corporation (Japan).

Communications – Level 3 Communications (USA) owns a national optical fibre network. 02 runs a GSM-900 network and is owned by Telefonica (Spain). EE runs a GSM-1800 network and is a joint venture of Orange (France) and Deutsche Telecom (Germany). IFM Investors (Australia), owns the telecommunications company Arqiva, in addition to owning Manchester airport, the MM6 tollway and part owning Anglian Water

Bus Transport: Arriva Buses is owned by the German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn. Bus and coach companies are also owned by ComfortDelGro (Singapore), RATP (France) and Transdev (France).

Airports: Heathrow, Glasgow and Southampton airports are owned by the Spanish Ferrovial (25%), Qatar Holdings (20%), and Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (12.62%).(Canada). Gatwick airport is owned by Global Infrastructure Partners (USA). The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Canada) owns 48.25% of Birmingham airport. Manchester airport is owned by IFM investors (Australia)

Tollways – The MM6 toll –way is owned by IFM (Australia)

(Source: Internet)

No fewer than fifteen (15) countries Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Qatar, Singapore, Spain and US – are taking away from UK the profits from these public assets which should accrue to the benefit of UK’s citizens. The reasons for this are another story too long to tell here. Suffice it to say, this is the genesis of Brexit – its nuts and bolts. Brexiters are fighting to take them back. Its touch and go. Hope it’s not too late for Britishers. Hope it’s not too late for Sri Lankans.

BRIGADIER RANJAN DE SILVA

rpcdesilva@gmail.com

By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island

SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday assured his commitment to work with the UN while rejecting the Geneva Resolution co-sponsored by the yahapalana government in Oct 2015.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka always worked with the UN.

The wartime Defence Secretary said so in response to a query at his first media briefing since receiving nominations on August 11, at Shangri-la, one of the hotels targeted by two National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) suicide bombers on April 21, 2019.

The media queried as to how he would proceed as regards the Geneva commitments, in case he was elected at the Nov 16, 2019 presidential poll.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa was flanked by former President and leader of the SLPP Mahinda Rajapaksa, former External Affairs Minister and SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris, CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman, MP, former MP A.L.M. Athaulla, SLFP General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera, MP, MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena, MP, NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP and EPDP leader Douglas Devananda MP.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa pointed out that they had rejected the Geneva Resolution publicly.

The 2015 Resolution was based on 2011 Darusman report that blamed the Sri Lankan military for killing 40,000 civilians. The UN also recommended far reaching security sector reforms in accordance with the unsubstantiated allegations. Recently, the UN announced the termination of Sri Lanka peacekeeping mission under UN command in Southern Lebanon as a punishment for appointing celebrated war hero Lt. Gen Shavendra Silva, opposed by the self-styled international community.

Prof. Peiris pointed out that the incumbent government itself declared that the Geneva Resolution was contrary to the Constitution. Prof. Peiris underscored the fact that the government couldn’t implement what was not in line with the Constitution. The former External Affairs Minister was referring to Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana, PC’s statement at the March 2018 sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Responding to another query, the former frontline combat officer pointed out the recent revelations made by two senior Attorney General’s Department officials pertaining to high profile politically motivated investigations initiated following the last presidential poll. Gotabaya Rajapaksa explained as to how decisions regarding investigations were taken at Temple Trees. According to him, decisions taken at Temple Trees had been harmful to those who risked their lives for the country. Rajapaksa found fault with the procedures adopted by the current dispensation in respect of military personnel now in remand custody on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa reiterated his commitment to release those in remand custody on bogus charges once he was elected.

The famed Gajaba Regiment veteran said that once elected he would resume the procedures/process adopted by the Rajapaksa administration in respect of accountability issues.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa asserted that accountability process could move forward without foreign involvement.

Responding to another query, he emphasized that those living in the Northern and Eastern provinces had far more important issues than what he called unsubstantiated old allegations.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa explained the measures taken by the Rajapaksa administration to rehabilitate 13,000 surrendered LTTE cadres following the successful conclusion of the war in May 2009. Gotabaya Rajapaksa responded to a spate of questions on accountability issues, including disappearances and those missing after surrendering to the Army on the Vanni east front during the final phase of the offensive.

Recollecting his time with the infantry in the Jaffna peninsula two decades ago, Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that there were instances bodies of fallen officers and men couldn’t be recovered.

Asked whether the SLPP had discussed polls arrangement with the four-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said that they were yet to hold talks with that party. Kurunegala District MP Rajapaksa said that they were ready to hold discussions with any party.

Pointing out that explanations were sought in respect of accountability issues pertaining to only the Eelam War IV, The Island asked the coalition backing Gotabaya Rajapaksa as to why origins of terrorism were not properly examined, including the Indian destabilization project and the assassination of Lankan lawmakers at the behest of India.

Thousands perished in Indian Army operations in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. The LTTE retaliated in May 1991 by assassinating one-time Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi

Former President Rajapaksa agreed that the conflicts in the North-East and the South should be examined. Lawmaker Rajapaksa also made reference to counter-insurgency operations undertaken by the then UNP government in the 80s.

Asked by The Island whether a situation similar to that of 2015 when the then Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne was replaced in the wake of Maithripala Sirisena winning the presidential poll was likely in the aftermath of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s victory, former President Rajapaksa said that they would wait for the Nov 16 poll outcome.

Courtesy Mail on Line

Sri Lankan presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapakse (left) with his brother, former president Mahinda Rajapakse during a press conference in Colombo

Sri Lanka’s front-running presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapakse vowed Tuesday that if elected he will scrap Colombo’s pledge to investigate war crimes committed during his brother Mahinda’s decade in power.

Gotabhaya was defence secretary during his brother’s rule, when troops were accused of killing up to 40,000 Tamil civilians while crushing the Tamil Tigers.

A later government co-sponsored a US-led resolution to appoint an independent panel to look into the actions of both sides in the final stages of Sri Lanka’s bloody separatist conflict, although it was never formed.

But on Tuesday the 70-year-old Gotabhaya said he would not honour the commitments made to the UN Human Rights Council, saying people needed to “move on”

In response to questions by AFP about Sri Lanka’s wartime human rights record, he said: “Why are you talking all the time on the past. Ask (about) the future.

“I am trying to become the president of the future Sri Lanka. So if you concentrate on the future, it is better.”

He said even the Tamils were more interested in jobs, education and infrastructure than raking over the past.

The Rajapakses insist no civilians were killed by government forces in the latter stages of the war, and accuse the rebels of using tens of thousands of civilians as human shields.

At least 100,000 people were killed in the conflict between 1972 and 2009.

Mahinda Rajapakse’s administration was on the verge of international sanctions because of its refusal to investigate the alleged war crimes when he was defeated at the January 2015 elections.

Gotabhaya Rajapakse was addressing the press Tuesday for the first time since launching his bid to become president in an election scheduled for November 16.

The presidential poll has attracted a record 35 candidates, with nearly 16 million people eligible to vote.

Courtesy The Hindustan Times

Rajapaksa is accused by opponents of being behind men in mysterious vehicles whisking away rebel suspects, journalists and activists. Many people taken away in the so-called white van abductions” were never seen again.

A former Sri Lankan defense chief who is a front-runner in next month’s presidential election said Tuesday that if he wins, he won’t recognize an agreement the government made with the UN human rights council to investigate alleged war crimes during the nation’s civil war.

If Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins the November 16 election and follows through with his comments, it would be a severe setback to Sri Lanka’s post-war reconciliation process.

We will always work with the United Nations, but I can’t recognize what they have signed” with past Sri Lankan governments, Rajapaksa said at a news conference.

We have already rejected that, as a party we have rejected that agreement and in public we have rejected that. … On this issue, our policies and the present government policies are far apart,” he said.

Rajapaksa was the top defense official during the last few years of the long civil war, which ended in 2009, serving under his brother, then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Under their watch, Sri Lankan forces were accused of targeting hospitals and killing civilians and rebels who surrendered to the military at the end of the war, which saw the military defeat Tamil rebels who were fighting for an independent state for minority ethnic Tamils.

Rajapaksa is accused by opponents of being behind men in mysterious vehicles whisking away rebel suspects, journalists and activists. Many people taken away in the so-called white van abductions” were never seen again.

Rajapaksa said Tuesday, however, that Sri Lankans should look to the future rather than think about the past.

We have to move forward, we have to forget about hanging on to old allegations and all that. We have a lot of things that we can do to the betterment of the people of that area,” he said, referring to the island nation’s north and east, where Tamils live in the majority.

He said those listed as missing are only war combatants who went missing in action.

Even in the military, we know that there are more than 4,000 officers and soldiers missing … because when you go to war, when they are in the battlefield, there are certain instances even we could not recover our own bodies,” he said.

Rajapaksa reiterated that immediately on being elected, he would release members of the armed forces held for allegations of abductions and forced disappearances.

He said the soldiers and sailors accused of killing, abducting and attacking journalists have been framed for political reasons.

The daughter of a slain journalist has filed a case against Rajapaksa in a U.S. court linking him to her father’s killing in 2009.

Rajapaksa says he has renounced his US citizenship to contest the presidential election.

In 2015, current President Maithripala Sirisena’s government agreed with the UN rights body to probe human rights in Sri Lanka as well as possible war crimes allegations.

Abraham Sumanthiran, a lawmaker from the Tamil National Alliance, the main political party representing minority Tamils, said Rajapaksa’s stand can’t be accepted. It is an undertaking given by the government of Sri Lanka. Whichever party, it is bound by the undertaking,” he said.

He will have to necessarily implement all of the provisions in that resolution. We will continue to advocate for that,” Sumanthiran said.

According to conservative UN estimates, some 100,000 people were killed in the 26-year civil war. But a later U.N. report said that some 40,000 civilians may have been killed in the final months of the fighting alone.