Courtesy Adaderana

Army Intelligence Sergeant Chamika Sumith Kumara has been arrested over the abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr.

He was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) on the directions of the Attorney General, says the Attorney General’s Coordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne.

Police Media Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said the arrest was made yesterday (22) after summoning him to the CID for investigations on the case.

He is to be produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court today (23), SP Gunasekara said.

The total number of suspects arrested over the abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr now amounts to nine, he said further.

An alert has been issued in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu after a group of six Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists have entered Tamil Nadu through Sri Lanka, according to an intel report.

The alert, which has been issued in the city, says that the group consists of one Pakistan national and five Sri Lankan Tamils, multiple Indian media reports said on Friday.

Based on this alert, Chennai has also increased it patrolling forces.

The Coimbatore city police have released photographs of two possible suspects who have intruded Tamil Nadu, the India Today website reports.

The Chennai Commissioner of Police has said that based on this alert, patrolling forces have been increased and necessary precautions have been put in place.

The DGP has instructed that in the entire state, storming operations should be conducted which include lodge checks, vehicle check for explosives and arms, intensification of patrols and checking.

Earlier, intelligence reports had suggested that Pakistan was planning to deploy Afghan terrorists in Kashmir.

After the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, intelligence reports suggested that these terrorists are ready to infiltrate Kashmir from terror launchpads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the report added.

According to The Hindu, Indian police circulated among the force a photo of a potential suspect in connection with intelligence inputs from a Central agency and that he has been identified as a native of Thrissur district in Kerala who was reportedly employed in Bahrain and later remained elusive.

Sources claimed that the suspect is believed to be a carrier for the six LeT men about whom the alert was issued, the report said.

-Agencies

Courtesy Adaderana

The Supreme Court has concluded its hearing on the reference application by the President, seeking the opinion of the court on holding the Provincial Council election without the Report on Delimitation of Electorates.

The Supreme Court will officially inform its decision to President Maithripala Sirisena in due time, Ada Derana reporter said.

The reference application was taken up before a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira de Abrew, Prasanna Jayewardene and Vijith Malalgoda this morning (23).

At the commencement of the hearing, the Chief Justice told the court that 13 written submissions have been handed over by various parties with regard to the President’s reference application on the Provincial Council elections.

President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayewardene, speaking on behalf of one of the parties, said the report on the delimitation of the boundaries of provincial councils was defeated in the Parliament by 139 votes.

Hence, the Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has appointed a five-member committee chaired by the Prime Minister to revise the report on the delimitation of electorates, Jayewardene told the court.

He pointed out that the President, disregarding the parliamentary procedure and the law, has sought the opinion of the Supreme Court on holding the PC elections in the absence of the delimitation report.

By Rifat Halim

Three Idiots is a classic Hindi movie that features a group of morons. Sri Lanka has gone one step further by producing three modayas and a blind woman in real life.

Future historians would be hard-pressed to explain Sri Lanka’s civil conflict (1983 – 2009). How could a small section of a microscopic minority terrorise the country for so long? In 1983, Sri Lankan Tamils were barely 10% of the populations and the LTTE (also known as the Tamil Tigers) was a minuscule group

The answer lies in the stupid rivalry of the politicians. Every time the Tigers committed an atrocity, the politicians blamed someone else. They were so transfixed by their petty quarrels that they were blind to the big beast.

Ranasinghe Premadasa

Premadasa’s name will ring long in the country’s memory. He was the only non-Govigama President or Prime Minister. His energy and determination were legendary. He wiped out the JVP, a feat that eluded JR Jayewardene.

However, his legacy is forever tainted by his Hilton Honeymoon with the Hitler of Asia – Velupillai Prabhakaran. He not only gave the Tigers the lease of life in 1989, but he armed them against the IPKF.

Former Defence Secretary-General Cyril Ranatunga has written on page 103 of From Peace to War, Insurgency to Terrorism that President Premadasa had decided to give arms to the LTTE”.

When the TULF leader Appapillai Amirthalingam was killed by the LTTE on 13th July 1989, President Premadasa defended the LTTE. He refused to blame his negotiating partner, who was then enjoying his hospitality in Colombo’s Galadari hotel.

On May 1st, 1993, a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber killed Premadasa. He could only be identified by his watch, which was fitting for such a punctual man.

Ranjan Wijeratne

The white-haired Minister of State for Defence Ranjan Wijeratne was a planter who had immense administrative skills. His crowning achievement was the elimination of the JVP leadership in November 1983.

Unfortunately, his record with the Tamil Tigers was a collaborationist. Like Premadasa, Wijeratne absolved the Tigers of any responsibility in killing Amirthalingam and Yogeswaran. In fact, he knew that the three assassins had visited the Tamil Tiger delegation in the Galadari Hotel shortly before the killing.

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

In March 1991, karma (and the LTTE) caught up with Wijeratne. He became the first politician in the subcontinent to be killed by a car bomb. The white-haired Wijeratne charred body was unrecognizable in his white Mercedez Benz. Several others perished with him. The assassination was blamed on the LTTE, whom he had once defended.

Gamini Dissanayake

Dissanayake was a politician of exceptional charm and charisma. He will be remembered like the ancient Sinhalese Kings for taming the mighty Mahaweli River. He brought Test status to Sri Lanka in 1981.

His revulsion towards Premadasa was even stronger than the gushes of the Mahaweli river. After Premadasa sacked him from the Cabinet in March 1991, Dissanayake was intent on discrediting his rival.

When the LTTE killed Major-General Denzil Kobbekaduwe and Major-General Wijaya Wimalaratne in a landmine blast in August 1992, Dissanayake tried to implicate Premadasa. His private secretary Palitha Pelpola engaged a British military consultant to issue a report that the bomb was placed inside the vehicle. The implication was that foul play was at hand.

Dissanayake and Lalith Athulathmudali rebelled against Premadasa’s UNP and formed a breakaway party called the DUNF.

In April 1993, Lalith Athulathmudali was shot dead by the LTTE in an election rally. Dissanayake refused to blame the LTTE and pointed the finger at Premadasa’s government. 

A week after Athulathmudali’s death, Premadasa himself perished in a suicide bomb. Dissanayake still refused to blame the LTTE. He said, Premadasa has fallen victim to the same violence that he brought upon the country.” He did not have one word of sympathy for a man with whom he sat in the same Cabinet.

Eventually, Dissanayake has suffered the same fate. In October 1994, Dissanayake (who had rejoined the UNP) and over 50 others were killed by a suicide bomb in an election rally.

Chandrika Kumaratunga

Kumaratunga is the scion of one of Asia’s political dynasties. She endured the assassination of her father in 1959 and her husband in 1988. 

Wisdom deserted her despite these tragedies. When Gamini Dissanayake was killed in October 1994, Chandrika Kumaratunga was negotiating with the LTTE. Dissanayake’s killing was on the eve of the second round of talks. 

Kumaratunga promptly blamed the blast on the internal politics of the UNP. She was refused to blame her negotiating partner. No action was taken against the perpetrators.

In December 1999, karma visited Kumaratunga. She was grievously injured in an LTTE suicide blast at the Town Hall. The President lost her sight in one eye.

Not only was she blinded in one eye, but she was blind to reason.  In 2005, she signed the P-TOMs with the LTTE. Luckily, the Supreme Court prevent Kumaratunga and her collaborationist ally Ranil Wickremesinghe from the evil designs of the P-TOMs. If it was enacted, it would have funded the LTTE for many years. The long night of suffering of the Tamils would have never ended.

Only one man in the Cabinet opposed the P-TOMs – the then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. He recognized that only the physical elimination of the LTTE would bring peace.  In May 2009, President Rajapaksa’s forces put a bullet into the head of the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. Peace has since reigned on the island. 

වාගිස ප්‍රනාන්දු විසිනි.

පසුගියදා ජනාධිපතිවරයා විසින් මේවනවිටත් ඒජාපය ප්‍රමුඛ සංධානයෙන් මීළග ජනාධිපතිවරනය සදහා අපේක්ෂකත්වය බලාපොරොත්තුවෙන් සිටින සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාසට පොළොන්නරුවේදී චරිත සහතියක් ප්‍රසිද්ධියේ නිකුත් කෙරිනි. සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස අවංක, දූෂණයෙන් තොර කාර්යශූර ඇමතිවරයෙක් ලෙස සහතික කරමින් නිකුත් කල ඒ චරිත සහතිකය සමගම, සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස ලංකාවේ මීළග ජනාධිපතිවුවහොත් වත්මන් ජනාධිපති සිරිසේනට මීළග රජයේ අගමැතිධුරය හිමිවේද යන්න සම්බන්ධයෙන් දේශපාලන කතා බහක් රට පුරා පැතිරයන්නට විය.

ඊයේ විපක්ෂයේ එක්සත් ජනතා සංධානයේ පාර්ලිමෙන්තු මංත්‍රීවරයෙකුවන ලක්ෂ්මන් යාපා අබේවර්ධන පැවසූයේ ඒජාපය ප්‍රමුඛ සංධානයේ මීළග ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂකයා ලෙස ඉදිරිපත්වන්නේ කතානායක කරූ ජයසූරිය බවයි. එයට සූදානම්වීම සදහා කරූ ජයසූරිය ඒජාපයේ ප්‍රමුඛත්වයෙන් බිහිවීමට නියමිත සංධානයේ මූළික කටයුතු අවසන්වීමත් සමගම කතානායකධූරයෙන් ඉල්ලා අස්වීමට සූදානම්වන බවත් අබේවර්ධන මංත්‍රීවරයා පැවසීය.

මේ අතර, මීට දින කීපයකට පෙර කරූ ජයසූරියගේ බෑනාවන ඒජාපයේ ඇමතිවරයෙකුවන නවීන් දිසානායක විසින් පළාත් සභාවලට ඉඩම් හා පොළිස් බලතලද ලබා දිය යුතු බවට ආන්දෝලනාත්මක ප්‍රකාශයක් කලේත් තම මාමන්ඩිය කෙරෙහි උතුරු නැගෙනහිර ද්‍රවිඩ සහ මුස්ලිම් ජනතාවගේ වැඩි අවධානය ලබා ගැනීමටද විය හැක.

කෙසේවුවත් ඒජාපය ප්‍රමුඛ සංධානයෙන් තම ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂකයා නම් කිරීම දිනෙන් දින කල් යන බව පෙනෙන්නට ඇත. එම නිසාම රට පුරා විශාල වශයෙන් එක් එක් පුද්ගලයින්ගේ නම් ජනාධ්පතිවරණ අපේක්ෂකයා ලෙස සම්බන්ධකරමින් කටකතාද පැතිර යමින් පවතී. තවද, සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාසට පක්ෂ පිළ මෙන්ම සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාසට එරෙහි පිළද වෙන වෙනම සාකච්චා පවත්වමින් සිටී. දෙපිලේ ඇතැම් අය එකට එක්ව කෙරුනු සාකච්චා මේ දක්වා අවසන්වූයේ කිසිදු එකගතාවයකින් තොරව වීමද විශේෂයකි. මීට අමතරව, රටපුරා සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාසව ඉල්ලමින් උද්ඝෝෂණ ව්‍යාපාරද සංවිධාන වෙමින් පවතී.

ජනාධිපතිවරණය සදහා ඉදිරිපත්වීම සදහා තමන්ට පක්ෂයේ නායකත්වයද ලැබිය යුතු බවට සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස විසින් ඉල්ලිමක් කර ඇති බවද ස්ථිර නොකළ ආරංචි මාර්ගවලින් දැනගන්නට ඇත. මේ දක්වා අගමැති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහට හිතවත් පිළේ සිටි මළික් සමරවික්‍රම සහ මංගල සමරවීරද දැන් සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාස වෙනුවෙන් පෙනීසිටීමද පුදුමය දනවන සුළුය. එමනිසා ඒජාප කෘත්‍යාධිකාරී මංඩලය තුල කෙසේවෙතත් ඒජාප පාර්ලිමෙන්තු මංත්‍රී කංඩායම තුල සජිත් පිළ බලවත්ව ඇත.මේ සියල්ල මෙසේ සිදුවෙද්දී  පක්ෂයේ ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂකයා කව්රුන්වුවත් පක්ෂයේ නායකත්වය තමන්වෙත තවදුරටත් තබා ගැනීම සදහා අගමැති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ දැඩි උත්සාහයක නිරතවන බවද පෙනෙන්නට ඇත. අගමැති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහගේ ඒකායන අරමුණ කව්රු මීලග ජනාධිපතිවුවත්, ඉන් අනතුරුව බිහිවන නව රජයේත් අගමැතිධුරය සහ ඒජාපයේ පක්ෂනායකත්වය දිගින් දිගටම තමන්වෙත තබා ගැනීමය. ඒවෙනුවෙන් තමන් වෙත ඇති සියළුම තුරුම්පු ඉදිරියේදී අගමැතිවරයා විසින් එකිනෙක පාවිච්චි කරනු ඇත.

ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණේ ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂකයා ලෙස එහි නායකයාවන අනුර කුමාර දිසානායකම ඉදිරිපත්වීම නිසා එම පක්ෂයේ ඡංද පදනම මෙවර තම පක්ෂයේ අපේක්ෂකයාගෙන් පිට යනු ඇතැයි සිතිය නොහැක. මන්ද? එසේවුවහොත් එය පක්ෂ නායකයාගේ  සහ පක්ෂයේ ප්‍රතිරූපයට බොහෝ සෙයින් ඍණාත්මකව බලපාන බැවිනි.

මෙවන් දේශපාලන වටපිටාවක, ජනාධිපතිවරයා විසින් සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාසට චරිත සහතික නිකුත් කිරීමද ඒජාපයේ ඇවිළෙන ගින්නට පිදුරු දෑමීමක් සේය. එසේ කිරීමට හේතුව සජිත් ප්‍රේමදාසට එවන් දේශපාලන තල්ලුවක් ලබාදී ඉන් අනතුරුව ඔහු හරහා තමන්ගේ දේශපාලන පැවැත්ම තහවුරු කරගැනීමටද නොඑසේනම් සජිත්ව පිම්බීම මගින් ඒජාපය දෙකඩ කර එහි වාසිය මීළග ජනාධිපතිවරණයේදී රාජපක්ෂලා වෙත ලබා දීමටද යන්න ගැන දැන්ම අනාවැකි පළ කල නොහැක.

මේ අතර ඒජාපයේ පාර්ලිමෙන්තු මංත්‍රී කංඩායම සහ කෘත්‍යාධිකාරී මංඩලය එකම අවස්ථාවක රැස්කර තම ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂකයා තෝරාගැනීම කලයුතු බව පක්ෂයේ මංත්‍රීවරුන්ගේ වැඩි දෙනාගේ අදහසබව පක්ෂනායක රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහට ලිඛිතවම දැනුම්දී ඇතත් පක්ෂ නායකත්වය තවමත් ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් අනුගමනය කරන්නේ දැඩි නිහඩ පිළිවෙතකි. සුලි කුණාටුවකට පෙරද මෙවැනි නිහඩතාවයක් ඇතිවන බව අපි දනිමු.

මේ අතර, ඒජාපය ප්‍රමුඛ සංධානයට එක්වීමට සිටින අනෙකුත් පක්ෂ පවසන්නේ ඒජාපය තුල තිබෙන අර්බුදය මුලින්ම විසදාගතයුතු බවකි. මුස්ලිම් කොන්ග්‍රසය පවසන්නේ මීළග ජනාධිපතිවරණය සදහා සියළු අපේක්ෂකයින් නම් කල පසුව තමන්ගේ සහයෝගය හිමිවන්නේ කාටද යන්න තීරණය කරන බවකි.

කොටින්ම කියනවානම් ඒජාපයේ රැවුළට ගිණි ඇවිළී ඇත. ජනාධිපතිවරයා සහ එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සංධානය මේ උත්සාහ කරන්නේ එම ගින්නෙන් සුරුට්ටු පත්තු කරන්නද?

ALI SUKHANVER

I really feel that India should come to the table. The US could play a big part; President Trump certainly can play a big part,” said the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan talking to a news-channel during his recent visit to the US. Later, responding to Imran Khan’s comments, President Trump said he had a similar request from India. It is impossible to believe that two incredible countries which are very, very smart with very smart leadership can’t solve a problem like that.  If you would want me to mediate or arbitrate, I would be willing to do it,” said the President. Unexpectedly, instead of saying welcome to the role offered by President Trump in resolving the Kashmir conflict, the Modi government started behaving in a very immature way. It apprehended that after the encouraging statement of President Trump, the situation in Indian Held Kashmir may go upside down; the freedom fighters may get stronger and things could possibly get out of control.

So to counter the situation, the Central government of India ordered rushing of about 10,000 central forces personnel to the Kashmir valley in order to put a more strict check on the activities of the freedom-fighters. According to media reports, the Union home ministry has ordered the deployment of 100 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces in Indian Held Kashmir whereas 100 more companies are expected to be sent to the valley.  Reports say that the new units will reinforce the strength of the security forces already present in the valley. Another side of the picture is that sending more troops to the already troubled valley of Kashmir means more incidents of human rights violations including unlawful-detainments, killings, and sexual harassment rather than sexual violence against the people of Kashmir. In short, things are expected to be worst in the coming days.

The situation in the Indian Held Kashmir is getting worse and worse day by day particularly after depriving Kashmir of its special status through the scrapping of Article 370 and 35A. The Indian military troops have deprived the people of Kashmir of all their basic human rights; they are not allowed to move freely in their own territory; their properties, their businesses, their homes, and even their children are continuously at risk. The most horrible fact is that rape is being used as a tool in the wretched valley of Kashmir. The Indian government is in no-way ready to give any importance to the resolutions of UNO or other international organizations working for human rights and world peace.

A report on the use of rape as a war-tool says, rape is being used as a weapon of war by Indian security forces since the very beginning. Indian troops comprising of the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security personnel take it as their official duty to rape the helpless Kashmiri women. Generally, numerous rape cases of Kashmiri Muslim women by Indian state forces are not allowed to be reported to the police stations. Most of the rape cases occur during cordon-and-search operations and the pattern is always the same. The soldiers enter civilian residences under the pretext of search and kill or throw out the male members of the families; this gives them a free hand to rape the women inside. In words of a well-known scholar Shubh Mathur, ‘Rape is an essential element of the Indian military strategy in Kashmir.’

The government of India must try to realize the fact that there would be no place of use of force, war and weapons in tomorrow’s world. The only solution to all issues including that of Kashmir and that of Afghanistan would be possible only through table-talks and negotiations. The modern world is in no case willing to accept any strategy based on violence or war. The recent example of this unacceptability is the international reaction on Mr. Trump’s recent statement in which he said, If we wanted to fight a war in Afghanistan and win it, I could win that war in a week. I just don’t want to kill 10 million people. I have plans on Afghanistan that, if I wanted to win that war, Afghanistan would be wiped off the face of the Earth. It would be gone. It would be over in — literally, in 10 days. And I don’t want to do — I don’t want to go that route.” This statement simply stirred a storm in the teacup and enraged so many in the world, particularly in Afghanistan. Though Mr. Trump is emerging like a personality doing all possible for making this world violence and terrorism free but world’s reaction on his statement proved one thing very strongly that guns and bombs are not a welcomed solution to every issue. The Indian government must come out of its misguided notion that it could deprive people of their basic human rights by using force. Be it Kashmir, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or Sri Lanka, Indian hegemonic desires would nowhere be accepted. The brightest example in this regard is that of the Kashmir valley where thousands of Indian military soldiers have been doing all their best for the last many decades to extinguish the flame of independence and liberty burning in the hearts of Kashmiri people but these soldiers have yet not succeeded in completion of the brutal target assigned to them.

ශ්‍යාම් නුවන් ගනේවත්ත  උපුටා ගැන්ම දිවයින

මහ බැංකුව වූ කලී රටේ මුල්‍ය ප‍්‍රතිපත්තිය ක‍්‍රියාත්මක කරන මුළු මහත් ආර්ථිකයටම දැවැන්ත බලපෑමක් කළ හැකි ආයතනයකි. එය ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ මූල්‍ය පද්ධතියේ කේන්ද්‍රීය ස්ථානය උසුලනු ලබන ආයතනයයි. 1950 වර්ෂයේ දී 1949 අංක 58 දරන මුදල් නීති පනත මගින් අර්ධ ස්වාධීන ආයතනයක් ලෙස මහ බැංකුව පිහිටුවා ඇති අතර සාමාජිකයන් පස් දෙනෙක්ගෙන් යුත් මුදල් මණ්ඩලයක් මගින් මහ බැංකුව පාලනය කරනු ලබයි. හිතකර හා ස්ථාවර ආර්ථික සහ මූල්‍ය පද්ධතියක් අත්පත් කරගැනීමටත්, පවත්වාගැනීමටත් ඒ සඳහා කාර්යක්ෂම ලෙස සම්පත් යොදවා ගැනීමටත් ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව ආර්ථික හා මිල ස්ථායීතාව පවත්වා ගෙන යෑම සහ මුල්‍ය පද්ධති ස්ථායීතාව පවත්වා ගෙන යෑම යන ප‍්‍රධාන අරමුණු දෙක පෙරදැරිව කටයුතු කරයි. එසේම මුදල් නීති පනතේ බලතලවලට අනුව, කාසි හා නෝට්ටු මහජනයා වෙත නිකුත් කිරීමේ අධිකාරීමය බලය හිමිවන්නේ ද මහ බැංකුවටයි. මේ අනුව ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව විසින් ව්‍යවහාර මුදල් නිකුත් කිරීමේ හා කළමනාකරණය කිරීමේ වගකීම ද දරනු ලබයි. එසේම රජයේ ආර්ථික කටයුතු උපදේශක මෙන්ම රජයේ බැංකුකරු ලෙස කටයුතු කරන්නේ ද මහ බැංකුවයි. රජය වෙනුවෙන් තවත් නියෝජිත සේවා කිහිපයක්ද මහ බැංකුව විසින් ඉටු කරනු ලබයි. එනම් ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා රජය වෙනුවෙන් සේවක අර්ථසාධක අරමුදල කළමනාකරණය කිරීම, විනිමය පාලන පනතට අනුව විනිමය කටයුතු කළමනාකරණය කිරීම, ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ රාජ්‍ය ණය කළමනාකරණය කිරීම සහ ප‍්‍රාදේශීය සංවර්ධනය උදෙසා මූල්‍ය ප‍්‍රවේශය වර්ධනය තුළින් විදේශාධාර හා රජයේ අරමුදල් මගින් කෙරෙන ණය යෝජනා ක‍්‍රම පරිපාලනය කිරීම යන නියෝජිත කාර්යයන්ය. මෙලෙස රටේ ප‍්‍රධානතම මූල්‍ය ආයතනය වන මහ බැංකුවේ ප‍්‍රධාන විධායක නිලධාරියා වශයෙන් කටයුතු කරන්නේ මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයායි. වර්තමානයේ මහ බැංකු අධිපති ලෙස කටයුතු කරන්නේ ආචාර්ය ඉන්ද්‍රජිත් කුමාරසිංහ මහතායි. ඊට පෙර අර්ජුන මහේන්ද්‍රන් මහතා මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයා ලෙස කටයුතු කළ අතර ඔහු ජනාධිපති මෛත‍්‍රීපාල මහතා විසින් පත් කළේ ඊට පෙර මහ බැංකු අධිපති ලෙස කටයුතු කළ අජිත් නිවාඞ් කබ්රාල් මහතා 2015 ජනාධිපතිවරණයෙන් පසු ඉල්ලා අස්වීම නිසා ඔහුගේ ධුර කාලයේ ඉතිරි කාලය සම්පූර්ණ කිරීමටය. අජිත් නිවාඞ් කබ්රාල් මහතා ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවේ 12 වන අධිපතිවරයාය. ඔහු අධිපතිවරයා ලෙස කටයුතු කළ වර්ෂ 2006 සිට 2015 දක්වා කාලය මේ රටේ සුවිශේෂී කාලපරිච්ජේදයකි. එම කාලයේදී කබ්රාල් මහතා ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා ආර්ථිකය සහ රට දැය සමය වෙනුවෙන් කළ මෙහෙවර අගයමින් හෙට (23) දින ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා රාමාඤ්ඤ මහා නිකාය විසින් අනුරාධපුර ඓතිහාසික රුවන්වැලි සෑරදුන් අභියසදී ”දේශ කීර්ති ලංකා පුත‍්‍ර” ගෞරව සම්මානය ප‍්‍රදානය කිරීමට නියමිතය. මේ අනුව මෙවර ‘ආර්ථික ඇසින්’ තීරුව වෙන් වන්නේ ඒ නිමිත්තෙන් මහ බැංකුවේ කබ්රාල් යුගය (2006-2015) ගැන විමසීමක් කිරීමටය.

 අජිත් නිවාඞ් කබ්රාල් මහතා ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවේ දොළොස්වන අධිපතිවරයා වූ අතර ඔහු විසින් 2006 ජුලි මස සිට 2015 ජනවාරි මස දක්වා එම තනතුර හොබවන ලදී. ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයා ලෙස පත්වීමට පෙර, කබ්රාල් මහතා ආර්ථික කටයුතු පිළිබඳ ජනාධිපති උපදේශකවරයෙකු ලෙස කටයුතු කළ අතර සැලසුම් ක‍්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමේ අමාත්‍යාංශයේ ලේකම් ලෙස ද කටයුතු කළේ ය. රජයේ ප‍්‍රතිපත්ති රාමුව හා සංවර්ධන සැලැස්ම සැකසීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් කටයුතු කළ පුද්ගලයින් අතරින් කෙනෙකු වූ ඔහු උපායමාර්ගික ව්‍යවසායක කළමනාකරණ ආයතනයේ අධ්‍යක්ෂ මණ්ඩලයේ සාමාජිකයකු ලෙස ද කටයුතු කළේ ය. රජයට සම්බන්ධ වීමට පෙර කළමනාකරණ උපදේශකයකු ලෙස ව්‍යාපාර පුනර්ජීවනය හා නැවත සැකසීම, සැලසුම් කිරීම හා ආයතනික පාලනයට අදාළ ව කටයුතු කළ අතර එම අවධියේ ලැයිස්තුගත හා ලැයිස්තුගත නො කළ සමාගම් ගණනාවක සහාපතිත්වය සහ/හෝ අධ්‍යක්ෂ තනතුරු ඔහු විසින් හොබවන ලදී. තව ද ඔහු සුරැුකුම්පත් හා විනිමය කොමිසම, ව්‍යාපාර කළමනාකරණය පිළිබඳ ජාතික ආයතනය, පශ්චාත් උපාධි කළමනාකරණ ආයතනය හා මොරටුව විශ්වවිද්‍යාලය යන ආයතනවල අධ්‍යක්ෂ මණ්ඩලයේ කටයුතු කළේ ය. කබ්රාල් මහතා ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදයේ අයිසන්හවර් පදනමේ ”2000 වසරේ – බහු ජාතීන්ගේ වැඩසටහනෙහි අධි ශිෂ්‍යත්වලාභියෙකි. බම්බලපිටිය ශාන්ත පීතර විද්‍යාලයෙන් අධ්‍යාපනය ලැබූ කබ්රාල් මහතා වෘත්තියෙන් වරලත් ගණකාධිකාරිවරයකු වන අතර ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා වරලත් ගණකාධිකාරී ආයතනයේ හා දකුණු ආසියානු ගණකාධිවරුන්ගේ සම්මේලනයේ හිටපු සභාපතිවරයකු ද වෙයි. ආයතනික පාලනය පිළිබඳ ජාත්‍යන්තර වශයෙන් පිළිගත් උපදේශකවරයකු ද වන ඒ මහතා ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඒකාබද්ධ පාලනයේ යහපුරුදු පිළිබඳ ව්‍යවස්ථා මාලාව වැඩිදියුණු කළ ඒකාබද්ධ පාලන කමිටුවේ හිටපු සභාපතිවරයා ද විය. 

 තිස් වසරක කොටි ත‍්‍රස්තවාදයෙන් අප ජයග‍්‍රහණය ලැබුවේ ද කබ්රාල් මහතා මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයා ලෙස සිටි මේ කාලයේදීය. යුද්ධය සඳහා රජයට අති විශාල මුදල් සම්භාරයක් ද වැය කිරීමට සිදු වූ බව රහසක් නොවේ. එසේම මේ කාලය ලෝක ආර්ථික අර්බුදවලට ද මුහුණ දෙමින් රටේ අවශ්‍යතා සඳහා අවම පිරිවැයට අරමුදල් සම්පාදනය කර ගනිමින් කටයුතු කිරීමට සිදු වූ ඉතා අභියෝගාත්මක කාලපරිච්ජේදයකි. මේ සියල්ලෙහිදී අජිත් නිවාඞ් කබ්රාල් මහතා මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයා ලෙස ඉතා කැපවීමෙන් මහ බැංකුවෙන් දිය හැකි දායකත්වය උපරිම අයුරින් ලබාදෙමින් කටයුතු කළ බව අපගේ නිරීක්ෂණයයි. මේ ලියුම්කරු ඒ.එස්. ජයවර්ධන මහතාගේ සිට වර්තමාන මහ බැංකු අධිපති ආචාර්ය ඉන්ද්‍රජිත් කුමාරසිංහ මහතා දක්වා වූ සෑම මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයකු සමගම කටයුතු කර ඇති අතර මේ අතරින් කබ්රාල් මහතා වෙනස්ම මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයෙක් විය. ඔහු මහ බැංකු අධිපති නිල කාමරයට වී සුවපහසුව ඉන්නවාට වඩා හැම විටම සමාජයට ගියේය. මහජනයා අතරට ද ගියේය. මේ නිසා මීට පෙර සිටි මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරුන් මෙන් නොව ඔහු සාමාන්‍ය ජනයාට ද සමීප පුද්ගලයකු විය. ලොකු පොඩි කා සමගත් ඉතා සුහදව සහ මිත‍්‍රශීලීව කටයුතු කළේය. එසේම ඔහු අන් අයගේ මතවලට ද නිතරම සවන් දුන්නේය. හොඳ අදහසක් නම් එය පිළිගෙන ක‍්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමට පවා පියවර ගත්තේය. ඔහු මාධ්‍යවේදීන් සමගද ඉතා සුහදව සහ මිත‍්‍රශීලීව කටයුතු කළේය. ඔහු මාධ්‍යවේදීන් රටේ ආර්ථිකය සම්බන්ධයෙන් අසන සෑම ප‍්‍රශ්නයකටම පිළිතුරු ලබා දුන්නේය. හදිසි යමක් දැන ගැනීමට අවශ්‍ය වූ විට දුරකතනයෙන් ඔහු සමග කතා කිරීම ද අපහසුවක් වූයේ නැත. ඕනෑම ප‍්‍රශ්නයකට ඔහු ඉතා සුහදව පිළිතුරු දුන්නේය. තරමක් විවේචනාත්මක ප‍්‍රශ්නයක් ඇසුවත් කේන්ති නොගෙන ඊට සරිලන හොඳ පිළිතුරක් ලබා දීමට ඔහු සමත් විය. මේ නිසා ආර්ථිකය සම්බන්ධ බොහෝ කරුණු මහජනයාට ඉතා ඉක්මනින් සන්නිවේදනය කිරීමට එය මාධ්‍යවේදීන් ලෙස අපට ද ඉතා පහසුවක් විය. එය හැම විටම ආර්ථිකය පිළිබඳ මහජන විශ්වාසය ඉහළින් රඳවා ගැනීමට ඉවහල් විය. ආර්ථික කරුණු කාරණා තේරුම් ගැනීමේදී මහජනයාගේ මූල්‍ය සාක්ෂරතාව ඉතා වැදගත් කරුණකි. මේ මූල්‍ය සාක්ෂරතාව වර්ධනය කිරීමට මූල්‍ය සහ ආර්ථික කටයුතු වාර්තා කරන මාධ්‍යවේදීන්ට සුවිශේෂී මෙහෙයක් කළ හැකිය. එහෙත් ඒ සඳහා ඔවුන්ට ද හොඳ දැනුමක් තිබීම ඉතා වැදගත්ය. මේ නිසා මාධ්‍යවේදීන්ගේ මූල්‍ය සාක්ෂරතාව වර්ධනය කිරීමට කටයුතු කිරීම ඉතා වැදගත්ය. මේ නිසා වරක් මේ ලියුම්කරු මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයා වශයෙන් කබ්රාල් මහතාට කළ යෝජනාවක් වූයේ මූල්‍ය සහ ආර්ථික කටයුතු වාර්තා කරන මාධ්‍යවේදීන්ට මහ බැංකුවෙන් නොමිලේ පාඨමාලාවක් පවත්වන ලෙසයි. එය රටේ මූල්‍ය සාක්ෂරතාව වර්ධනය කිරීම වෙනුවෙන් මහ බැංකුවට කළ හැකි ඉතා හොඳ ආයෝජනයක් බව මේ ලියුම්කරු පෙන්වා දුන් විට එය නිහතමානීව පිළිගෙන ඒ ගැන අනෙකුත් මහ බැංකු උසස් නිලධාරීන්ට උපදෙස් දී මහ බැංකුවේ රාජගිරියේ පිහිටි එවකට බැංකු කටයුතු අධ්‍යයන කේන්ද්‍රය (වර්තමානයේ බැංකු විදු පියස) මගින් සහතිකපත‍්‍ර සහ ඩිප්ලෝමා පාඨමාලා පැවැත්වීමට කබ්රාල් මහතා පියවර ගත් අතර එයට ලංකාවේ බොහෝ මුද්‍රිත සහ විද්‍යුත් මාධ්‍ය ආයතනවල මාධ්‍යවේදීන් විශාල පිරිසක් සහභාගි වී දැනුම ලබා ගත්හ.

 වඩාත්ම වැදගත් වන්නේ මහ බැංකු අධිපතිවරයා ලෙස ඔහු කටයුතු කළ කාලයයි. ලංකාව නිදහස ලැබීමෙන් පසු එනම් වර්ෂ 1948 සිට 2005 දක්වා වසර 57 ක කාලයේදී රටේ සියලූ නායකයින් සහ ආර්ථික විශේෂඥයින් යටතේ ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ දළ දේශීය නිෂ්පාදිතය වර්ධනය වී තිබුණේ ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් බිලියන 24 ක් දක්වා පමණි. කබ්රාල් මහතා අධිපති ලෙස කටයුතු කළ වර්ෂ 2006 සිට 2014 දක්වා වසර 9 ක කෙටි කාලය තුළ ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ දළ දේශීය නිෂ්පාදිතය ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් බිලියන 24 සිට ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් බිලියන 79 දක්වා වර්ධනය විය. තවද එම කාලය තුළදී රටේ ආර්ථිකමය වශයෙන් තවත් සිදු වූ යහපත් වෙනස්කම් කිහිපයක් කබ්රාල් මහතා මෙසේ සඳහන් කරයි. 

 * රටේ විදේශ සංචිත ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් බිලියන 2.4 සිට ඇ.ඩො බිලියන 8.2 දක්වා වර්ධනය විය.

 * ලංකා ඉතිහාසයේ වැඩිම කලක් තිස්සේ දිගින් දිගටම උද්ධමනය මැදි-තනි ඉලක්කම් ප‍්‍රතිශතයක පවත්වා ගත හැකි විය.

 * දැවැන්තම ලෝක ආර්ථික අර්බුදයද දැවැන්තම ලෝක බැංකු අර්බුදයද දැවැන්තම ලෝක ඛනිජ තෙල් අර්බුදය ද විශාල ලෝක ආහාර අර්බුදයක්ද ඒ වකවානුව තුළ උද්ගත වුවද, ජනජීවිතයට එමගින් බලපෑමක් නොවන ආකාරයට ආර්ථිකය හැසිරවීමට සමත් විය. 

 *ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ පැවති එල්. ටී. ටී. ඊ. එරෙහි යුද්ධය සාර්ථකව මෙහෙයවීම සඳහා දැවැන්ත මුදලක් අවශ්‍ය වූ අතර එම සියලූම සම්පත් ඒකරාශී කර ගනිමින් එම කටයුත්ත සාර්ථකව නිම කිරීමට අවශ්‍ය සියලූම සම්පත් වෙන් කර දෙමින් ආර්ථිකය හැසිරවීම. 

 * ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා ඉතිහාසයේ දැවැන්තම යටිතල පහසුකම් සංවර්ධනය කිරීම සිදු වුවද රටේ ණයබරතාවය 2006 දී දළ දේශීය නිෂ්පාදිතයේ ප‍්‍රතිශතයක් වශයෙන් සියයට 91 ප‍්‍රතිශතයක පිහිටි සමස්ත ණය තොගය සියයට 71 දක්වා අඩු කර ගන්නා ලදී.

 * මුළු ලෝකයේම බැංකු සහ මූල්‍ය ආයතන කඩා වැටෙද්දී ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ කිසිදු බැංකුවක් හෝ ලියාපදිංචි මූල්‍ය ආයතනයක් කඩා නොවැටී රැුක ගැනීමට හැකි විය.

 * වසරකට සියයට 10 ක පමණ ඉතා ශීඝ‍්‍ර සාමාන්‍ය අවප‍්‍රමාණයකට ගොදුරු වී තිබූ ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා රුපියල කළමනාකරණය කරමින් වර්ෂ 2006 සිට 2014 දක්වා වසරකට රුපියලේ සාමාන්‍ය අවප‍්‍රමාණය සියයට 2.8 ක පමණ ඉතා අඩු අගයකට සීමා කරගත හැකි විය. 

 * 2006 දී ඉතා ඉහළ මට්ටමක පැවති පොලී අනුපාත සියල්ලම මනා පාලනයක් තුළින් තනි ඉලක්කමක පවතින පොලී අනුපාත බවට පරිවර්තනය කරගත හැකි විය.

 * විදේශ සංචිත ආයෝජන කටයුතු හරහා ඉතිහාසයේ වැඩිම ලාභයක් සහ ලාභ ප‍්‍රතිශතයක්ද වාර්තා කරන ලදී. එමගින් රටේ විදේශ සංචිත තුන් ගුණයකින් වැඩිකර ගැනීමට හැකිවිණි.

 * ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවෙන් රජයට ලබා දෙන ලාභාංශ මගින් රජයට මූල්‍ය ශක්තියක් ලබා දෙමින් රජයේ අය-වැය පරතරය අඩු කර ගැනීමට දායකත්වයක් ලබා දෙනු ලැබිණි. 

 * ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවේ පාලනය යටතේ පැවැති සේවක අර්ථ සාධක අරමුදල ඉතා කාර්යක්ෂමව සහ දක්ෂ ලෙස පාලනය කරමින් උද්ධමනයට සාපේක්ෂව ඉතිහාසයේ වැඩිම ලාභාංශ ප‍්‍රතිශත අගයන් සාමාජිකයන්ට ලබාදීමට කටයුතු කරන ලදී. 

 * ඉතා අභියෝගාත්මක වකවානුවක ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ සංවර්ධනය සහ ආර්ථිකයේ පැවැත්මට අවශ්‍ය මුල්‍ය සම්පත් කලට වේලාවට සහ අවම පිරිවැයකට ලබා ගැනීම පිණිස ලොවපුරා ඉහළම පෙළේ ආයෝජකයන් අමතමින්, ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවට විරුද්ධව ද්‍රවිඩ ඩයස්පෝරාව සහ විපක්ෂය විසින් දියත් කොට තිබූ ප‍්‍රචාරක වැඩපිළිවෙළ හමුවේ රටේ ආර්ථික වර්ධනයට අවශ්‍ය වන මූල්‍ය සම්පත් කලට වෙලාවට අඩු පිරිවැයකට, තම ජාත්‍යන්තර දේශන සහ ඉදිරිපත් කිරීම් මගින් ඒකරාශී කරගත හැකි විය. 

 කබ්රාල් මහතා වසර නමයක් පමණ ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවේ අධිපති ධුරය දැරුව ද ඔහුට විරුද්ධව විවිධ අය නොයෙකුත් ප‍්‍රචාරයන් ගෙන ගියද ඒ කිසිදු චෝදනාවක් ගොනු කර ගැනීමට ඔවුන් මේ දක්වා සමත් වී නැත. ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවේ මුළු ආර්ථිකයටම විශාලතම බලපෑමක් කළ හැකි ආයතනයකි. අභ්‍යන්තර දෙපාර්තමේන්තු රැුසක් ඇති එම ආයතනයේ අධිපතිවරයා ලෙස වර්ෂ 2006 සිට 2014 දක්වා කාලයේදී කටයුතු කළත් එම කාලයේදී කබ්රාල්ට මහතාට එරෙහිව පෞද්ගලිකව කිසිදු විගණන වාර්තාවක් හෝ කෝප් කමිටු නිරීක්ෂණයක් හෝ මහ බැංකුවේ අභ්‍යන්තර විගණන වාර්තාවක් හෝ මුල්‍ය අපරාධ විමර්ෂණ කොට්ඨාසයේ චෝදනාවක් හෝ අල්ලස් හෝ ¥ෂණ කොමිසමේ චෝදනාවක් හෝ ගොනු කිරීමට එම චෝදනා කළ අයට හැකියාවක් ලැබී නැතැයි ඔහු මේ ලියුම්කරුට කියා සිටි කරුණකි. ඔහුගේ වරදක්, අතපසු වීමක් හෝ අඩුපාඩුවක් හෝ අක‍්‍රමිකතාවයක් මතුකර ගැනීමට මේ අය බොහෝ උත්සාහ ගන්නට ඇත. එහෙත් ඒ කිසිවක් සාර්ථක වී නැති අතර මේ නිසා ඔහුට එරෙහිව කිසිම නඩුවක් ගොනු කර ගැනීමට ද හැකිව නැත. එහෙත් කබ්රාල් මහතාට සාපේක්ෂව බලන විට ඔහුගෙන් පසු ඔහුගේ අධිපති ධුර කාලයේ ඉතිරි කාලය සඳහා පත් වූ මහ බැංකු අධිපති වූ අර්ජුන මහේන්ද්‍රන්ගේ කාලයේ සිදු වූ බැඳුම්කර මගඩිය ඇතුළු සියලූ දේ රටම දනී. මහ බැංකු බැඳුම්කර වංචා නඩුවේ පළමු විත්තිකරුය. එහෙත් ඔහු නීතියට ඉදිරිපත් නොවී විදේශගතව සිටියි. එහෙත් කබ්රාල් මහතාට යහපාලන රජයෙන් කොපමණ චෝදනා එල්ල කළත් ඇතැම් විට විමර්ෂණ කටයුතු සඳහා ප‍්‍රකාශ සටහන් කර ගැනීමට කැඳවනු ලැබුවත් ඔහු කිසි විටෙකත් රටින් පැන ගියේ නැත. අජිත් නිවාඞ් කබ්රාල් මහතා දැන් මහ බැංකු අධිපති නොවුණත් ඔහු තවමත් ඉතාම කාර්යබහුලය. දෙස් විදෙස් දෙසුම් සඳහා ඔහුට තවමත් ඇරයුම් ලැබෙයි. ඔහු උදේ සිට රාත‍්‍රිය දක්වාම සෑම දිනකම පාහේ බොහෝ වැඩ කටයුතුවල නිරත වී සිටියි. ශ‍්‍රී ලංකා ආර්ථිකයේ අනාගතය සම්බන්ධයෙන් කටයුතු කිරීමේදී පහත සඳහන් ඔහුගේ අදහසකින්ම මේ ලිපිය නිමා කිරීම වඩාත් මැනවයි සිතමි. 

 ‘සාගර ආර්ථිකය කියල නිකම් කියල වැඩක් නැහැ. අපේ ගොඩබිමේ භුමි ප‍්‍රමාණයට වඩා හත් ගුණයක සාගර කලාපයක් අපට හිමියි. ඉන් අපි නිසි ප‍්‍රයෝජනය තාම අරන් නැහැ. මම එය දකින්නේ ගෙයයි වත්තයි හැටියටයි. වත්ත තමයි අපේ සාගරය. අපේ භුමිය අපේ ගේ වගේ. ඒ නිසා අපි ඒ වගේ මනසකින් හිතන්න ඕන කොහොමද මේ වත්තෙන් ප‍්‍රයෝජනයක් ගන්නේ කියලා. ඒකට විශේෂයෙන්ම අපි යොමු වෙන්න ඕන. 

 ඒ වගේ සාගර සම්පත් ගැන හිතලා සාගර ආර්ථිකයට අපි විශේෂ සැලකිල්ලක් යොමු කරලා එය වර්ධනය කරන්න කටයුතු කරන්න ඕන.,

 එසේම ගෝලීයව ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාව ඉහළ පිළිගැනීමක් ඇති තත්ත්වයට පත් කරන්න ඕන. දැන් අපේ රට බ‍්‍රෑන්ඞ් වෙලා තියෙන්නේ යුද්ධයක් තිබිල ඒකෙන් අමාරුවෙන් ගොඩ ඇවිත් ඒ වුණාට තාමත් ගෘහ සේවිකාවන් යවන රටක් හැටියටයි. එසේම තාමත් අපිව බ‍්‍රෑන්ඞ් වෙලා තියෙන්නේ අමාරු තත්ත්වයකින් පෙළෙන ආධාර හිඟා කන්න යන රටක් විදිහටයි. ඒකනේ දැන් ඔය එක එක්කෙනා ඇවිත් කියන්නේ අපි අරක දෙන්නම් මේක දෙන්නම් උඹල මෙහෙම කරපන් කියල. ඒ මානසිකත්වය හරි යන්නේ නැහැ දැන්. අපි ප්‍රෞඪ ජාතියක්, මේ අපි ඉන්නේ 21 වන ශත වර්ෂයේ, අපිට පුළුවන් වෙන්න ඕන අපේ ශක්තියෙන් අපේ සම්පත් භාවිතා කරලා රට ඉදිරියට ගෙනියන්න. ඒ සඳහා විශ්වාසය ගොඩනගල ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාව අපි නැවත වරක් බ‍්‍රෑන්ඞ් කරන්න ඕන. එනම් රුඉර්බා කරන්න ඕන. ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාව නැවත වරක් ඉදිරියට එන රටක් හැටියට නම් වෙන විදිහට අපි කටයුතු කරන්න ඕන. අපි මේවා ගැන කතා කරන්න ඕන. ශ‍්‍රී ලංකාවට පුළුවන් වෙන්න ඕන ලෝකයත් එක්ක තරග කරන්න, අපි එක දිනයකවත් යම් කිසි දෙයක් ඉල්ලන්න නරකයි. අපිත් එක්ක වෙළෙඳාම් කරන්න අපිත් එක්ක ගනුදෙනු කරන්න අපේ රටේ ඇවිත් ආයෝජනය කරන්න කියන එක තමයි අපේ පණිවිඩය විය යුත්තේ. අපි එහෙම කළොත් අනිත් රටවල් අපට ගරු කරන්න පටන් ගන්නවා. අපිට යම් කිසි ගෞරවයක් ඇති වෙනවා. ඒ තත්ත්වය අපිම ඇති කර ගන්න ඕන. ඒක කව්රුත් අපට නිකන් දෙන්නේ නැහැ. අපේ රටේ ගෞරවනීය තත්ත්වය නැවත වරක් ස්ථාපනය කර ගන්න නම් හොඳ තත්වයකින් ලෝකයත් සමග ගනුදෙනු කරන්න අපට පුළුවන් වෙන්න ඕන.’

 ශ්‍යාම් නුවන් ගනේවත්ත

By Saman Indrajith Courtesy The Island

Ranil

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, yesterday, urged the leaders of the UNF constituents to finalise the draft of the constitution of the proposed Democratic National Front (DNF).

The Prime Minister told the party leaders that before the signing of the agreements between allied parties and nominating its candidate for the presidential polls, he should at least receive the draft constitution.

In his response to reports that certain amendments would be introduced to the proposed draft proposal of the DNF, Wickremesinghe pointed out that before talking of amendments there should be a draft proposal to which the amendments should be introduced.

At a recent meeting held at Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne’s residence it was agreed that the responsibility of compiling the constitution for the DNF should be vested with Ministers Senaratne and Kabir Hashim.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said that the decision had been taken a week back but there was no draft constitution yet while there were reports of inserting amendments to a DNF constitution.

He informed the party leaders that once the draft proposal for a constitution was available the follow-up action as regards the agreements to be signed and nominating of the DNF’s presidential candidate could be taken.

By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island

A civil society grouping that backed common candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, at the last presidential election, in January 2015 will unveil today (23) what a senior spokesman called a ‘citizens’ agenda––future path of yahapalanaya’.

SLFP leader President Sirisena is not seeking a second term against the backdrop of powerful breakaway faction styled itself as the SLPP (Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna) fielding wartime Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as its candidate.

The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), Purawesi Balaya, Left Center and several other organizations will present their agenda at a conference at the Orchid room, BMICH from 3 pm today.

They were among nearly 50 civil society organizations which campaigned for Maithripala Sirisena at the last presidential election. The civil society threw its weight behind the UNP-TNA-JVP-SLMC coalition formed in support of Maithripala Sirisena.

Subsequently, the grouping backed an alliance comprising the UNP, SLMC, ACMC and groups led by Mano Ganesan and Palani Digambaram at the parliamentary election in 2015 August.

NMSJ Secretary Palitha Lihiniyakumara yesterday told The Island that they reached an agreement with the common candidate on Dec 01, 2014 in the run-up to the January 2015 presidential poll. Responding to another query, Lihiniyakumara said that they hadn’t been active at the 2010 January presidential election. “We started in a small way in 2011 and gradually stepped up our activities leading to 2014 agreement with the common candidate.”

Among those invited for the event were senior members of the government, political party leaders, civil society activists, artistes, trade union activists and professionals.

Asked whether the organizers invited political parties represented in parliament and out, including the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Lihiniyakumara said that all were invited. Among the key proposals was the call to abolish the executive presidency to ensure the supremacy of parliament, Lihiniyakumara said, adding that the enactment of the 19thAmendment to the Constitution resulted in the creation in equally powerful power centres.

Lihiniyakumara said that the civil society took into consideration the failures and shortcomings of the current dispensation in preparing the future plans.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday (22) announced plans for a meeting at Sanath Jayasuriya grounds, Matara today (23) at 3 pm to pressure the leadership to declare UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa as its presidential candidate.

Pro-Premadasa campaign got underway on August 12 at Badulla where an influential section of the UNP parliamentary group vowed to ensure the candidature of the UNP Deputy Leader.

A spokesman for Minister Samaraweera said that the Matara meeting was meant to show the path the country should take at the present crucial juncture.

Political sources told The Island that the civil society coalition was basically supportive of the current UNP leadership though party Chairman Minister Kabir Hashim threw his weight behind Minister Premadasa.

Sources said that the UNP factions were still divided over Minister Premadasa’s group demand that there should be consensus on their candidate before the formation of the coalition New Democratic Front. Sources revealed that the top UNP leadership was engaged in talks with the four-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to secure its support against the backdrop of the JVP fielding a candidate of its own. The TNA and JVP backed the candidates fielded by UNP-led coalitions at the 2010 and 2015 presidential polls.

Sources said that presidential aspirant UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe accompanied by senior TNA lawmakers toured the Northern Province where he inaugurated several projects. Responding to another query, sources said that in spite of some internal issues, the majority of the 16-member?????????? parliamentary group solidly stood by UNP leader Wickremesinghe.

by Melani Manel Perera  Courtesy  AsiaNews.it

According to advocacy groups, Muslim women are treated as second-class citizens. The existing law dates back to 1951. For the past 30 years, attempts have been made to change the law to include a minimum age. Child brides are commonplace. Rape against married teens is not punished.

Colombo (AsiaNews) – Hundreds of activists and civil society groups are calling for changes to Sri Lanka’s law on Islamic marriage and divorce, which discriminates against women and treats them as second-class citizens.

A total of 197 activists and artists, as well as 30 associations, signed a joint declaration asking the government to overhaul, after 30 years of waiting, the law governing Islamic marriage.

In Sri Lanka, marriage and divorce for Muslims are regulated by separate legislation, namely the 1951 Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA), which set up Quazi courts to settle marriage disputes.

Ever since its adoption, women have complained that the law discriminates against them. For activists, failure to address the problem places women in a vulnerable position and undercuts their right to equality under the country’s constitution.

Specifically, adult women resent being treated as minors. In the case of marriage, they object to the need of getting the permission of a “guardian”.

What is more, unlike non-Muslim Sri Lankan women whose age of marriage is 18, the MMDA allows child marriages by not specifying a minimum age.

Penalties for raping girls aged 12 to 16 are not applicable in the case of married Muslim girls. Other forms of discrimination concern divorce, polygamy, and spousal support.

Activists and associations have been trying for years to get comprehensive reform, notes Lawyer Ermiza Tegal. One of the most disputed points is the lack of women judges ruling on issues concerning women, and women lawyers representing women.

The law makes in effect Muslim women second-class citizens”. And the lack of a minimum age has led to hundreds of cases of girls married off before they reach 18. Between 2011 and 2016, 870 girls aged 13 to 18 were married in the Ampara District alone.

In the declaration, advocacy groups urgently call on the Sri Lanka Government to take action to address the repeated its failure to protect Muslim women and children.

Whilst acknowledging differing views within the Muslim community, including among Islamic clerics and scholars, the various groups remind the authorities that they have the responsibility of protecting all citizens equally.

GLOBE NEWSWIRE

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ceylon Graphite Corp. (Ceylon Graphite”) (TSX-V: CYL) (OTC: CYLYF) (FSE: CCY) is pleased to announce that it has received assay results of laboratory testing of graphite samples taken downhole in the shaft at its M1 site in the Malsiripura area in Sri Lanka.

This new test result indicates a naturally occurring carbon content (Cg) of 99.2% which is vastly superior to most other natural graphite sources globally. The laboratory testing was done by the Sri Lanka Government’s Geological Survey and Mines Bureau’s laboratory. Tests were conducted from the 1^st to the 15^th of August 2019.

We are delighted with this result which confirms that Ceylon Graphite has some of the world’s purest graphite available in its grids,” said Bharat Parashar, Chief Executive Officer. Our work on the shaft at M1 continues and we expect to start the process to seek an IMLA license soon.”

These tests were conducted in the normal course of exploration work with samples taken from downhole in the shaft – i.e. subsurface materials. Ceylon Graphite is looking forward to additional testing from its excavation efforts, as bedrock extracted Graphite at lower depths from this site is expected to produce even higher purity than the Cg of 99.2%.

Qualified Person 
Robert Marvin, P. Geo (ONT) is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the geological information provided in this news release.

About Ceylon Graphite Corp.

Ceylon Graphite Corp, is a public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (CYL:TSX-V), that is in the business of exploration and development of graphite mines in Sri Lanka. The Government of Sri Lanka has granted the company exploration rights in a land package of over 120km². These exploration grids (each one square kilometer in area) cover areas of historic graphite production from the early twentieth century and represent a majority of the known graphite occurrences in Sri Lanka. Graphite mined in Sri Lanka is known to be some of the purest in the world, and currently accounts for less than 1% of the world graphite production.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking information as such term is defined in applicable securities laws, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management’s current expectations and assumptions. The forward-looking information includes statements about Ceylon Graphite’s grids, Ceylon Graphite’s plans to undertake additional drilling and to develop a mine plan, Ceylon Graphite’s Mining License application and to commence establishing mining operations. Such forward-looking statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to Ceylon Graphite, including the assumption that, the drilling exercises will confirm the presence of high quality graphite, sufficient financial resources will be available, the records from the drilling exercises prove to be accurate, there will be no unanticipated delays or costs materially affecting Ceylon Graphite’s exploration, development and production, there will be no material adverse change in metal prices, all necessary consents, licenses, permits and approvals will be obtained, including various Local Government Licenses and the market. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking information include, among other things, an inability to reach a final acquisition agreement, inaccurate results from the drilling exercises, a failure to obtain or delays in obtaining the required regulatory licenses, permits, approvals and consents, an inability to access financing as needed, a general economic downturn, a volatile stock price, labour strikes, political unrest, changes in the mining regulatory regime governing Ceylon Graphite, a failure to comply with environmental regulations and a weakening of market and industry reliance on high quality graphite. Ceylon Graphite cautions the reader that the above list of risk factors is not exhaustive.

These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, Ceylon Graphite does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com)

Further information regarding the Company is available at www.ceylongraphite.com

Bharat Parashar, Chairman and & Chief Executive Officer
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
info@ceylongraphite.comCorporate Communications
(202)352-6022

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

While registering the protest over the statement on the appointment of the new Army Commander of Sri Lanka posted on the Twitter account of the US Embassy, Rear Admiral (Retd.) Dr. Sarath Weerasekera appealed to US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz, in a letter to ensure that the US Embassy should refrain from making statements prejudicial to the members of the armed forces of Sri Lanka and by extension to the country.

Since 2017, I have filed a series of documents at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to show that the allegations of war crimes and other crimes levelled against Sri Lanka by the Report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Investigation on Sri Lanka” or OISL Report (September 2015) are baseless,” Dr Weerasekera said.

He said the findings of the OISL Report were the sole basis for UNHRC resolution 30/1 of October 2015, which was sponsored by the United States and co-sponsored by Sri Lanka

The OISL Report was never subjected to an independent assessment either by the Government or the Council prior to the adoption of Resolution 30/1 to see whether its conclusions followed from the evidence,” Dr Weerasekera said.

Furthermore, since Resolution 30/1 was adopted a mere two weeks after the OISL Report was released to the public on September 16, 2015, many citizens in Sri Lanka did not have time to either study the report properly or raise objections to it with the Government.

I would like to summarise my rebuttal to the various charges leveled by the OISL Report which I trust would assist you in deciding whether any further criticism or condemnation of the members of Sri Lanka’s armed forces by the United States or any other country, is justified at this moment,” he added.

He emphasised the fact that the US as a member of the community of nations could not act in the manner of a private individual or an NGO when accusing another country of various abuses, but must base those accusations as much as possible on reports accepted and approved by the international community.

I have endeavoured to show that the OISL report, the only relevant international report in regard to allegations of humanitarian law and human rights law violations by the Government of Sri Lanka, has failed to establish the charges to any reasonable degree,” he said.

Therefore, it is unfair to condemn the new Army Commander based on such unsubstantiated allegations,” he added.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The Sri Lanka Army acted in keeping with international humanitarian laws and rights during past humanitarian operations, Army Commander Shavendra Silva recalled yesterday.   

Any army in the world is committed to protect the inalienable rights of the country’s citizens and create a conducive atmosphere for a democratic way of life while being alert to adopt any measures against internal or external threats with determination. During past humanitarian operations, we adhered to those guidelines, acceptable to any State and acted in keeping with international humanitarian laws and rights, I must recall at this juncture,” Lt. General Silva said after assuming duties.

Commenting on the military intelligence, the new commander said: I intend to reorganise military intelligence units and raise them to an elevated level in keeping with strategies of international armies while simultaneously sharing their experience and practices.”

The message;

It is my prioritised and prime duty to give leadership to the Army as the Commander of the Army to defend our motherland’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and the unitary status. Secondly, it is my duty to ensure security to all the people in the country with all necessary security measures intact, and thirdly I wish to state here at this moment with the responsibility that I intend to improve your welfare and family members of all war heroes.

Any army in the world is committed to protect the inalienable rights of the country’s citizens and create a conducive atmosphere for a democratic way of life while being alert to adopt any measures against internal or external threats with determination. During past humanitarian operations, we adhered to those guidelines, acceptable to any State and acted in keeping with international humanitarian laws and rights, I must recall at this juncture.

During the wartime, all of us after rescuing the general public from the clutches of terrorism who had been taken on hostage proved to the whole world, by example how humanitarian we were, and it is this practise that should be sustained among Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay brethren as members of one family, strengthening bonds of co-existence, reconciliation and brotherhood while ensuring their right to life.

In future, I wish to groom a matured and efficient army through constant training, enabling them to face any challenge. Similarly, it is our responsibility to protect the reputation and confidence of the Sri Lanka Army which is not at all second to any of the armies in the world. My special attention would focus on grooming army personnel to be equipped with the technical know-how that matches with modern and global standards.

Likewise, I intend to reorganise military intelligence units and raise them to an elevated level in keeping with strategies of international armies while simultaneously sharing their experience and practices,” he noted.

In his message, the Commander further assured that he would enhance the capacity of all army personnel while giving them necessary military and administrative knowledge in future to be in line with international armies.

He also paid a glowing tribute to President Maithripala Sirisena, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for vesting responsibility in him to lead the army. He also gratefully acknowledged the support of his Gajaba Regiment mentors including General Wijaya Wimalaratne, founding father of the GR and all the successive commanders of the Army up until today.

By Sugeeswara Senadhira/Daily News

Sushma Swaraj, former Minister of External Affairs of Indian passed away earlier this week and Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, A glorious chapter in Indian politics comes to an end. India grieves the demise of a remarkable leader who devoted her life to public service and bettering lives of the poor. Sushma Swaraj Ji was one of her kind, who was a source of inspiration.”

Sushma Swaraj being greeted by the Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena

Sri Lanka shares the sentiments expressed by the Indian Prime Minister as Sushma Swaraj was a dear friend of this country. She had a special connection with Sri Lanka because she represented the Vidisha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, the birth place of Emperor Ashoka’s consort Vidisha Devi, mother of Arahath Mahinda and Princess Sanghamitta.

Sushma Swaraj, as MP for Vidisha as well as later as a senior minister visited Sanchi, which is 8 kilometres away from Vidisha on many occasions and she closely associated with late Ven. Hadigalle Pannatissa Nayake Thera and later Ven. Banagala Upatissa Nayake Thera. In fact Ms. Swaraj made it a point to pay homage at the Mahabodhi Temple in Maradana on every visit to Sri Lanka.

She was a popular minister in Narendra Modi’s first term as Prime Minister, but did not contest parliamentary elections earlier this year due to ill health. She was cremated with full state honours in the capital Delhi. Senior leaders across political parties and BJP lawmakers, including Prime Minster Narendra Modi, attended the funeral. The news of her death prompted an outpouring of grief and condolences both from fellow politicians and from Indians across the globe.

A strong woman

As External Affairs Minister she was always willing to help Indians facing difficulties in foreign countries. Her image for Indians abroad was ‘a person with quick wit and forever a helping hand.’ Her unique identity was ‘a strong woman with an assuring smile on her face, the red bindi, the low bun and the long trail of sindoor, along with her saree and jacket’. As an Indian writer described, she was ‘the figure of a woman who did not hesitate to wear her culture on herself.’

When Sushma Swaraj visited Sri Lanka as Minister of External Affairs, she clearly showed her sensitivity towards Sri Lanka and her perfect understanding about the internal and external issues of this country. At one discussion, she cut short her own official delegation’s persuasive attempts to push Sri Lanka to immediately decide about a certain infrastructure development. When a very senior officer said that they wanted an early decision as India cannot wait, Minister Sushma Swaraj silenced him with the words, No. If His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena thinks this is not the best time for that project, let us wait. We have to understand his sensitivities”.

Sushma Swaraj’s association with Sri Lanka was not limited to the tenure as External Affairs Minister. In September 2012, as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Member of Parliament from Vidisha where Sanchi is situated, she unveiled a painting at the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, in commemoration of the 2600th year of the Sambuddhatva Jayanti.

The painting depicts Emperor Asoka requesting his son Arhat Mahinda to set off to Sri Lanka from Sanchi in Vidisha with the message of Buddhism and Theri Sanghamitta and the sapling of the sacred Bodhi tree being received in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka in the 3rd Century BC. It was not merely an unveiling of an artist’s impression but much more than that as it was a celebration of the historic civilizational ties between India and Sri Lanka. It is the celebration of the life of Emperor Asoka who forged India into a single nation-State. Whose distinctive voice of peace, non-violence and conquest by moral force and good governance echo over time. In fact several Asokan ideals and symbols continue to resonate in post-colonial resurgent India.It is the celebration of the strong relations between two neighbours that flourished 2300 years ago during the time of Emperor Asoka and King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka – an Emperor of a strong India and the King of a much smaller country. This relationship, in its content, holds lessons that we could draw from even today, for fashioning partnerships of trust, friendship and cooperation not only between neighbours, but between all nation-States of the modern world.

India and Sri Lanka

It was also a celebration of the Enlightenment of Prince Siddhartha as Gautama Buddha 2600 years ago, that Great Teacher of peace and non-violence of India, who’s Message has traversed far beyond and brought solace to thousands in all corners of the world. Furthermore, it was a celebration of the vibrant and friendly relations which continue to exist between India and Sri Lanka. In fact, it is in this context that, in recognition of the shared cultural and civilisational links that provide the bedrock to bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka.

In her remarks following the ceremonial unveiling of the painting, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj stated that she is honoured to participate in this event as the Member of Parliament from Vidisha where Sanchi is situated. She recalled the important cultural and Buddhist links between India and Sri Lanka and reiterated India’s commitment to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

Referring to her visit to Sri Lanka earlier this year, leading a multi-party Parliamentary delegation, the Leader of Opposition stated that she was impressed by the resettlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka, as well as the approaches made by all parties towards reconciliation. She expressed the hope that the reconciliation process would move swiftly ensuring peace, prosperity and a bright future for Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioner, welcoming Minister Sushma Swaraj said, For us in Sri Lanka, you are a very special lady. Your Parliamentary constituency, Vidisha, where Sanchi is located, was home to Emperor Asoka’s children Arhat Mahinda and Theri Sanghamitta, thousands of years ago. The Buddha’s teaching, as we know, was based on equality among humans and was open to men and women equally. In Asokan India, it was a woman, Theri Sanghamitta, who was chosen to carry the sapling of the ‘tree of wisdom’ to Sri Lanka. We consider her as the first lady Ambassador to our country on an important Mission, and she is revered continuously through history even to this day, in my country.

It was another Lady, Princess Hemamala from ancient Kalinga who bequeathed the sacred Tooth-Relic of the Buddha to Sri Lanka in the year 371 AC. We in Sri Lanka see you in similar light, as a modern-day leader and an envoy of India promoting regional cooperation and peace. You toil with wisdom, to forge closer relations between the people of our two countries, following a long list of distinguished and inspirational ladies from our past. It is therefore an honour for us to have you unveil this painting which holds a deep, significant meaning for us, and in our view, for our two countries. It is an honour for us to have your name placed in this Mission in a lasting form as the Member of Parliament from Vidisha, a region with which we have a celebrated historical bond.”

Sushma Swaraj became the youngest BJP Cabinet minister in Haryana at the age of 25. She was also the first woman Chief Minister of Delhi and was a seven-time, very loved Member of Parliament.

Sushma Swaraj held the post of the Foreign Minister in the first Narendra Modi Cabinet, from 2014 to 2019, and her job took her all around the world. But not once did she leave her Indian identity behind. She stood tall and proud, well dressed in a minimally decorative saree showcasing to the world the Indian culture.

Hiru News

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa says that nobody can stop the separation of the UNP whoever it will field for the forthcoming presidential election.

He was speaking at a meeting with local government institution representatives held at the SLPP headquarters in Battaramulla today.

Addressing the gathering, the Presidential candidate of the Joint Opposition led by the SLPP, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa says that the process of renunciation of his US citizenship has been completed.

In addition, all MPs of the Joint Opposition have been called for an emergency meeting to be held at the SLPP headquarters in Battaramulla this evening.

The Gotabhaya Rajapaksa policy statement is scheduled to be discussed during this meeting.

Meanwhile, a group of SLFP MPs participated in a dinner hosted by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa last night.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

මෙරටට ආනයනය කරන ලද සහල් තොගයක් වසරක පමණ කාලයක් තිස්සේ රේගුව තුළ ගබඩා කර තැබීම තුළින් සතොස ආයතනය රුපියල් බිලියන 15 ක පමණ අලාභයක් ලබා ඇති බව අනාවරණ වුණා.

ඒ, සතොස ආයතනයේ ඉහළ පෙලේ නිලධාරීන් කෝප් කමිටුව හමුවට ඊයේ කැඳවූ අවස්ථාවේදීයි.

කෝප් කමිටුවට කැදවා තිබූ සතොස ආයතනයේ ඉහළ පෙලේ නිලධාරීන් කිහිපදෙනෙකුගේ නොපැමිණීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් ප්‍රථමයෙන් ප්‍රශ්න කෙරුණා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

බදුල්ල දිස්ත්‍රීක්කයේ පිහිටි ඇල්ල රොක් කඳූ රක්ෂිතයේ ගින්නක් හටගෙන තිබෙනවා.
A fire has broken out in the Ella Rock Mountain Reserve in the Badulla District

අප වාර්තාකරුවන් සඳහන් කළේ අද පස්වරුවේ සිට මෙම ගින්න පවතින බවයි.
Our reporters stated that the fire has been going on since this afternoon.

මේවන විට කඳුකර ප්‍රදේශයේ සැලකිය යුතු භූමි ප්‍රදේශයක් ගින්න හේතුවෙන් විනාශවී ඇතැයි සඳහන්.
The fire has destroyed a significant area of ​​the mountain.

යුද හමුදාව වනජීවී නිලධාරීන් වන සංරක්ෂණ නිලධාරීන් සහ ඇල්ල පොලිසිය එක්ව ගින්න මැඩපැවැත්වීමේ කටයුතුවල නිරතවනවා.
The Army Wildlife Officers and the Ella Police are working together to put out the fire.

ගින්නට නිශ්චිත හේතුවක් මෙතෙක් අනාවරණ වී නැහැ.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

මෙම ගින්න එම මාර්ගයේ ගමන් කරමින් සිටි අයෙක් සිය ජංගම දුරකථනය ඔස්සේ වීඩියෝගත කර තිබුනා.
The fire had been videoed by someone on the road.

.

By Garvin Karunaratne

The Senior Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Nandalal Weerasinghe has warned any new Government: Follow the beaten track or else there will be chaos. (Sri Lanka Risks losing debt market access if future government policy changes” , (AdaDerana:9/8/2019)

I would tend to think that there could have been some substance in this Warning if the last four years, quoted by him,  had any macroeconomic stability. We have today to face an international debt of some $ 60 billion, a good lot of which has been piled up in the last four years because at the end of 2014 the debt stood at 42.9 billion(SundayTimes.lk 23/1/17):. To my thinking, the last four years has been a shambles. Last time I was in Colombo Heinz Vinegar and Heinz Tomato Sauce from the USA was what was available. Our shoemaking industry has almost ceased and shoes from India had taken over. Our local industries have crashed causing unemployment and increased imports. Local industries and with that local employment had almost ceased with the result that our youths have to migrate abroad to find a means of sustenance. Under FDI foreign companies that bring in some investment in foreign currency at the initial stage do trade in local rupees but import all ingredients with our foreign exchange and take away their profits converted to foreign currency. Our experts do not yet understand that we are the net loser.

Our administrative ability is seen in the piles of garbage. We have even failed to dispose of our garbage. Those days a single-handed Sonny Gunawardena,  Assistant Commissioners of Local Government would have sent the inefficient councils packing and sorting out the working of the Councils in their capacity as Special Commissioners. They were very efficient. I am aware that some of them even faced death threats. But they worked undeterred.

It is said that the advice not to change course is for the purpose of being able to obtain finances to pay our debts.

Our experience in the last four and a half years is that  All the king’s horses and all the king’s men have failed to guard the Central Bank which was robbed by its own chieftains, and worse, the chieftains are yet holding the reigns of power, yet enjoying their ill-gotten wealth.

If as suggested by the Central Bank we should not make any change in our economic policies then the question crops up as to why have a new Government, or rather why have elections at all.

A General Election and the Presidential Election are the occasions when the people at large get to indicate, based on their experience as to whether they want the past policies to continue or whether they want a change and from this point of view the Warning from the Central Bank deserves to be ignored.

It has always happened that the people look forward to a new Government for a major change.

Let us hark back to the past elections that heralded a major change.

The 1956 General Election brought in the socialist nationalist Government of Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranayake, which was instrumental in bringing about socialist policies like the Paddy Lands Act and the Sinhalese Only Act, which ushered in an era for the common man. It was unfortunate that he was assassinated in a few years.

The 1965 Government of the UNP Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake concentrated on agricultural development making the country self-sufficient in paddy the staple crop while implementing a rice ration scheme. This was a major achievement.

In 1970 Dr. NM Perera the Minister of Finance said in his Budget Speech 1970:

An entirely new structure for planning is being established (within which) each local authority will be the focus for development planning and plan implementation. Popular participation will be secured through the Divisional Development Council in which the elected organs of the village, the cooperative society, the cultivation committee, the village council will have a planning and coordinating role in the overall development of their area.”

His aim was very clear, to fulfill the aspirations of thousands of young men and women for whom life will lose all meaning unless they can find a place in our society.”.

Though planned with great care this plan received a major set back due to the JVP Uprising of April 1971, when the JVP youths staged a one day take over of the country like Fidel Castro of Cuba. It was then found that the North Korean Embassy was involved and it was closedown. Easily ten thousand youths had to face death.

The Government of Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranayake came up with a major development programme: The Divisional Development Councils Programme which established employment projects providing employment to 33,271 youths.

In 1977 a major change in policy was made by the Jayawardena Government. The  Jayawardena Government embraced with open arms the neoliberal policies as advised by the IMF. The use of foreign exchange was liberalized that enabled rich people to proceed on overseas holidays, send off their children for overseas study, and liberalized imports, meeting the expenditure from the sale of assets by privatization or by raising loans. This inevitably paved the path for the country to become indebted. This process was dictated by  the IMF to help” the Developed Countries as stated in The Report of the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation: Meeting the Challenge:

The industrialised countries for the first time since World War II are in need of markets for their products and services … So they have put into effect the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) The main prescription for the SAP is, therefore, a reduction in government expenditure which falls … on the poor. This has often been accompanied by devaluation, increases in the prices of public utilities and import liberalization.

This policy laid down by the IMF in 1978 has been followed till today and has seen the country continuing an import and sell economy. Local production has been totally sacrificed.  Most of the ills the people face today can be traced to this policy of the IMF, imposed on Sri Lanka from 1978 onwards.  

Though the Finance Minister of 1978, Ronnie de Mel said:

Foreign Aid and foreign assistance.. will be necessary to finance this total transformation of our economy… Investment and trade, development and production should be our goals rather than increased doses of aid. Continuous begging for Aid is not good for our national self-respect and is also self-defeating. We should, therefore, stop being a nation of beggars… and place our emphasis on product development, growth, and employment. (Annual Budget Speech: 1978)

However noble the aim, we ended up as beggars within a few years.

In 1978 the Rupee was devalued by 104% and the bank interest rate was increased- entrepreneurs had to get loans at 24% interest. This made many entrepreneurs give up their industries. Imports flooded in.

Cracks in the economy became evident. Even the World Bank queried in 1986:

By 1986, the deterioration of the economy had become evident. The growth rate of the GDP slowed to under4%, unemployment rose to about 17% and gross official reserves declined to less than 2 months’ imports(World Bank: Trends in Developing Economies, 1990)

This was when the foreign debt was at $ 4 billion. Following on these policies by 1989, the foreign debt was at $ 5 billion and gradually increased to  $11.3 billion by  2005,  $ 22.8 billion by 2011, $ 30.6 billion by 2012, $ 42.9 at the end of 2014 and close to $ 60 billion today.

It is seen that elections have brought about major changes and the cry from the Central Bank is not going to stop changes happening.

What is important is to find out whether the changes have made a contribution to the country.

I was once myself personally involved in a major policy change. This happened in Bangladesh when I worked there as the Commonwealth Fund Expert on Youth Development to the Ministry of Labour and Manpower.  The country was taken over in a bloodless coup d’etat in one night when I served there. In a few days the new Minister, Air Vice Marshall Aminul Islam held a meeting to evaluate the training programmes of the Department of Youth Development.  The two Secretaries, Heads of Departments and myself from the Ministry and the Secretary to the Treasury and a few Secretaries to other important ministries were present. The Minister went through the programmes run by the Department and was highly critical. In the end, he ordered me to state the contribution that I could make for Bangladesh.

I recommended that there should be a self-employment creation programme in addition to the training programmes that the Department implemented. At that time the Department trained 40,000 youths a year in a variety of vocations. The Youths should have passed the fifth standard- we never rejected any interested youth- we even taught them to read and write. Literacy classes held for the youths who had forgotten to read and write commenced at night and continued till midnight at the residential training centers. However, without special support, the vast majority of the trained youth continued to be unemployed scraping the barrel for life. I suggested that the trained youth should get further training to establish enterprises and get on their feet as producers. The Secretary to the Treasury, the highest officer in the country strongly objected, stating that a self-employment programme was something that can never be established. He said that the prestigious United Nation’s ILO(International Labour Organization) had tried in the earlier three years to establish a self-employment programme at Tangail in Bangladesh and though they had brought in a number of foreign experts and spent a vast amount of money they had miserably failed. He said that the Government will not undertake another try because the failure of the ILO meant that this could not be done and he added that a self-employment programme had never been established anywhere in the world. I replied that though the ILO had failed I will succeed because I had the experience of establishing many youth enterprises in Sri Lanka for over a dozen years and can assure that I do have the experience,  the ability and the academic qualifications to establish such a programme. I stated that the ILO may have failed but that I can assure success. The Secretary to the Treasury was taken aback. He was the highest official in the land and never expected me to challenge him. Generally, an officer of that rank was in every country held in high esteem and not even a Secretary of another Ministry would contest him. The battle went on with other Secretaries of Ministries also joining him to the effect that I did not have the capacity to do what the ILO failed to do with all their unlimited resources. The arguments went on and they questioned me in detail as to how I proposed to teach economic management to illiterate youths. I replied that I have found it easy to teach illiterate farmers and illiterate youths and have had success in teaching them basic elements of economics. I stated that it was not difficult to teach practicing youths and farmers how to count the cost of inputs, to calculate the cost of labour, building up elements that led to the calculation of profit and loss and the workings of the theory of supply and demand in a basic manner. … I detailed how in earlier projects  I had successfully involved uneducated youths and how we made them think and how they mastered not only skills but also management skills…It was a situation where we as youth workers will work with them while they struggled to become self-employed”.

The grueling arguments between the Secretary to the Treasury and me went on for over two hours with the Hon Minister being a patient listener. Finally, the Minister stopped us arguing and asked as to the number of programmes Bangladesh had to provide self-employment training to youths. The Secretary to the Treasury said there were none. Then the Minister asked for the number of illiterate youths who were unemployed and who had to contend to be scraping the barrel for life. This was the category of youths who were trained by the Youth Ministry in various vocations. The answer was in millions. The Minister without a minute’s hesitation ruled that I would be allowed to establish a self-employment programme in his Ministry of Manpower and Labour, The Youth Development Department was within his Ministry. The Secretary to the Treasury was quick to stump me by stating that  that he will not be providing any funds, to which I replied that I will not need any new funds and will manage with savings from approved training budgets  and needed power to rewrite the remits of all officers to include tasks of training in self-employment. The Minister approved my request.

The rest is history. I was charged with the responsibility to design and implement a self-employment programme and train the staff to continue it after my two-year consultancy was over.  I with the full resources of the Youth Development Department commenced work the very next day, with training the staff in economic management and addressing youths in training centers motivating them to use their knowledge and open up ventures. We promised them a countrywide extension service. Some trainees opened up a few enterprises managed by them, handled by their younger brothers and sisters during the week when they were in training at our training centers during the week. The staff of Deputy Directors of Youth in charge of Districts and the Lecturers of training Centers was full of patriotism to work long hours with no overtime. The Hon Minister too went on inspections to see the youths at work in their small farms and work enterprises- sewing, woodwork, etc.. In around one and a half years I was working with 2000 youths  and of them those that had started at the beginning were successful in drawing net incomes equal to that of a clerical officer in the government service. 

By 1990, 22,626 youths had undertaken self-employment projects and the 3 Residential Training Centers had been increased to  64 Training Centers. By 2011, the Government of Bangladesh reported to the IFAD of the FAO(one of its founders), that two million youths had become self-employed. This Programme continues even today, training 160,000 youths a year and the Department of Youth Development spends 95 % of its work time and resources in training youths to become self-employed, the one and only such programme creating employment in the entire world. This is a design that can be immediately implemented in all vocational training programmes.

It is essential that the working of the government departments and ministries should be evaluated continuously and changed to be more productive and the above changes made would convince anyone that changes have to be made to be better at serving the people.

Having worked in the service of our Government for eighteen years I have had to serve new Governments that changed policies and we had to make changes and show results.

It is up to the Central Bank to act according to the wishes of the newly elected Government.

To my thinking, the major task of the Central Bank is to safeguard the foreign exchange that our country earns. In today’s internet dominated world endless foreign institutions nibble at our foreign exchange. Gone are the days when money is transferred to local banks. Money gets transferred now within a few minutes with little or no records being kept. Institutions like Uber eats, Pick me, and Internet Tourist Hotel Booking Companies trade in local currency but take away profits in our foreign currency where we are the net loser.  Not a dollar comes in but the profits are taken away in our dollars. The Central Bank has its hands full.

Instead of making Warnings to a new Government it is up to the Central Bank to put its house in order and serve the country.

Garvin Karunaratne

Ph.D. Michigan State University

19/08/2019

 The quotes are from my book: How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka & Alternative Programmes of Success(Chapter 22): Godages:2006

 Author of: How the IMF Sabotaged Third World Development:Kindle/Godages: 2017.

RANJITH SOYSA

US Ambassador while expressing her concerns regards the appointment of Gen Shavendra de Silva, a valiant soldier and exemplary leader who fought a war against the  so-called invincible Tamil Tigers, the world’s most brutal terrorist group and helped to restore the law and order for 20 million Sri Lankas condescendingly says it should not be seen as interference or attempt to dictate. But, the prompt reaction of the USA speaks of itself.

One wonders whether Sri Lanka has ever commented on the US armed forces personnel and their placements. I do not remember Sri Lanka ever being a cuckoo. If so, how is that the USA had to cry down this deserving recognition of a soldier who had almost sacrificed his life to regain the land for its people.

The US Ambassador proceeded to mention the allegations of gross HR violations against the appointee, Sri Lanka’s reputation and how the appointment affects the reconciliation, etc. adding a discordant dint to the presumed innocent comment.

Firstly, let us be clear that the allegations will have to be proved beyond any reasonable doubt before hanging a person. The mere fact that the partisan commentators in the UN, UNHCR and other NGOs and fellow travelers of the Tamil Tigers attempt to darken the war effort of the armed forces of Sri Lanka, such statements should be subjected to scrutiny and investigation before a responsible person attempts to issue a public statement. By quoting various sources one cannot be considered as authentic. Only the proper investigation conducted in the issues relating to war was by the LLRC and they are on record that the actions of the armed forces did not result in war crimes.

To level down the discussion now let us turn our eyes to the games played by the US forces. In May 2019 James Palmer wrote an article ‘America loves excusing Its War Criminals’ and says that a report is being prepared to pardon the war criminals by the US administration. In March 2019, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo stated that the USA would withdraw or deny visas to any International Criminal Court personnel investigating possible war crimes by the USA or allied forces in Afghanistan. In June 2018 USA withdrew from UN Human Rights Council calling it a :” cesspit of political bias and it was a hypocritical body that makes mockery of human rights Citing of these sources by the  US Ambassador as sources of information about ‘war crimes’ of Sri Lankan army is perhaps is beating the Devil’s tattoo?

But, I wish to rest my case without touching on the war crimes committed by the US Generals and members of her forces in many theatres of war as the Ambassador is well aware of the sordid details.

RANJITH SOYSA

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

A senior U.S. State Department official warned on Tuesday that Sri Lanka’s appointment of a war veteran accused of serious human rights violations as head of its army could affect U.S. military cooperation and investment in the island nation.

On Monday, Sri Lanka named Shavendra Silva, 55, as the country’s new army chief despite United Nations accusations that he was involved in human rights abuses during the country’s 26-year-long civil war.

The Washington official, speaking to reporters on background, said the appointment would have lasting implications for reconciliation following the brutal conflict, which ended in 2009.

“It is a highly charged political environment in which some political factions feel there is much to be gained by playing the nationalist card,” the official said.

“It is unfortunate that this card is being played through the promotion of a general about whom vivid and well documented human rights violations are on the record. We are deeply troubled.”

Silva is credited with successfully leading an army division against dissident Tamil Tigers in the final phases of the war. Thousands of civilians were killed in the last phases of the armed conflict, including in areas declared by the government to be ‘no fire zones’ that came under sustained army shelling, including hospitals.

Silva, who joined the army in 1984 and was its chief of staff from January, has denied the accusations.

The U.S. official said there would be “limits to what we can do as we develop a stronger military relationship with Sri Lanka if the army chief is a known human rights violator.”

The official also warned of a possible impact on foreign investment.

“There are limits to what foreign investors are willing to take as far as a risk if they see a situation that is leading to greater polarisation,” the official added.

The official suggested Silva’s new role could also affect a $480 million grant through the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation, aimed at modernising Sri Lanka’s urban transport system and infrastructure. The agreement is awaiting approval by Sri Lanka’s cabinet.

Asked whether Silva’s promotion could affect the MCC investment, under which a country is assessed on its commitment to democracy, the official said: “It will be one factor that will be looked at.” (Reuters – Washington)

By Canishka Witharana Attorney-at-Law Courtesy Ceylon Today

Tamil politicians are on an onslaught against Gotabaya Rajapaksa. By doing so, they are only misleading the Tamil people. TELO MP Govindan Karunakaram alleges Gotabaya Rajapaksa is responsible for the deaths of 150,000 Tamils in Mullaivaikkal. Not a single UNHRC report has made such an allegation. Clearly, these allegations are only political and part of a smear campaign without any substance or evidence. Such false allegations are only misleading and fooling the Tamil populace. 

Recently, TNA leader R. Sampanthan declared, in Parliament, that Tamils are second class citizens and the solution is to devolve powers and seek self-determination. It is the Tamil leadership who has brought Tamils to the level of second class citizens. Sampanthan and TNA in their election manifestos accepted LTTE as the sole representative of the Tamils although the LTTE was banned internationally as a terrorist organisation. It was the combined efforts of President Rajapaksa, the Armed Forces and the then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa that saved non-LTTE Tamils from LTTE prosecution and persecution. 

For over three decades, it was the Tamil people who suffered the most in the Northern Province and the Eastern Province. Many had lost their homes. Those that could escape went to Colombo or overseas. Tamil women and children were kidnapped and given terrorist training while the children of Tamil politicians and LTTE leaders were sent overseas for studies. Tamil people in the North and East lived in fear and without freedoms while Tamil politicians were happily living in Colombo among the Sinhalese who they claim were discriminating them. 

Return of democracy and security

Immediately after eliminating the LTTE militarily – democracy and security was returned to the North and the East and an extensive programme to develop the North and the East commenced under the Rajapaksa Government. People of the area were absorbed into programmes outlined to develop road, rail and infrastructure. Universities and schools recommenced. 

The Courts and law and order returned to normalcy. Economic development was given priority. For the first time, in decades, elections were held for the Northern and the Eastern Provincial Councils. 

Unspent Budgetary allocation

All this was given not by Tamil politicians demanding for devolution, self-rule and self-determination, but by the Rajapaksa Government. Having taken over the Northern Provincial Council, what have these Tamil politicians done except making demands in front of cameras? Even the budget allocation demanded by them has been returned to the Treasury unspent, on any development. It is clear that Tamil politicians are not in the least interested in developing the North or the East or raising the living conditions of Tamils but to be agents of international conspirators trying to destabilise and divide Sri Lanka. By their actions, the Tamil politicians have made lives of the Tamils insecure once again. 

In short, the enemy of the Tamils is none other than their Tamil political leaders. They have not even done what they had the power to do from the powers given by the Provincial Council Act. Instead, they are simply asking for self-determination. If they cannot look into the affairs of the Tamil people from the powers devolved how could, they run a province on their own is questionable. 

Their devolution proposal has been presented by Siddarthan. It is not clear what is hoped for objective to be achieved by having another devolved entity. It is only providing political benefits to politicians but not to the Tamil people. Such devolution contradicts and conflicts with the unitary status of Sri Lanka. 

International community

However, it is a demand the international community promotes as it is advantageous to them. The eventual result would be a corrupt council with resources being stolen and manipulated by foreign powers and even enable a foreign military presence in Sri Lanka. We must seriously ask ourselves what would be the future of the Tamil people in such an eventuality. 

 The constitutional proposals presented thus far have nothing about devolving powers to the people. The present Constitution guarantees that sovereignty is inalienable and is with the people. More than the politicians, it is the people who need to have more power and it should be for the people to be a part of administrative development at district and town/village levels. 

The Divineguma Act of the previous government was created to establish this objective at provincial level (through community, based organisations) whilst protecting the unitary State of Sri Lanka. 

The reason why Gotabaya Rajapaksa is being targeted is because of his capability to develop and bring democracy which the Tamil political leadership had failed to provide. He has already expressed intentions to introduce “people, centric economic principles” paving way to living with “dignity”. 

Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Presidential Candidate acceptance speech at the SLPP Convention highlighted thus,  

“People of many ethnicities and religions have lived freely and practiced their faith freely throughout the history of our country. We are a nation that has lived together in friendship with respect for each other’s religious beliefs and cultural identities. This unity has to be our strength.

I pledge to create a safe and a secure environment in which all Sri Lankans, irrespective of their faith or religion, will be able to live in peace. I will never allow extremist terrorism in this country. The People in North have aspirations which we understand well. And our government will strive towards solving these issues.”  

Tamils fooled by Tamil politicians 

In short, the people can rest assured that they are to be recipients of development and peace and have all their freedoms guaranteed. This is not the time to remove the unitary status of Sri Lanka and make Sri Lanka unstable by devolving powers to (Tamil) politicians who have shown they are incapable of looking after the Tamil people. Tamil politicians should not be allowed to fool the Tamil people any longer. Tamils must live together with Sinhalese and Muslims in harmony and not live in separation or segregation. 

By Methmalie Dissanayake  Courtesy Ceylon Today

Condemning the statement of the US Ambassador in Sri Lanka regarding the appointment of Army Commander, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, UNF Parliamentarian, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe (PC) yesterday (21), told Parliament the US had no power to order Sri Lanka as to who the Commander of the Army should or should not be. 

“We have signed the UN Convention that we are a sovereign country. It is true that we are a small country compared to countries such as the US. But that does not make us any less than them. We have independence and sovereignty as a country. We are equal as any country. The US and the US Ambassador in Sri Lanka have no right to meddle with our internal affairs. These countries think that we are a colony belonging to them. What will happen if the Sri Lankan Ambassador in the US gives instructions to US President, Donald Trump on appointing military heads?” he questioned. 

Elaborating further, Dr. Rajapakshe said, the US brought a proposal against Sri Lanka on alleged human rights violations during the war to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), “But the US withdrew its presence from the same entity, saying that they did not trust international human rights organisations.

In this backdrop, how can the US Ambassador in Sri Lanka speak against the appointment of the new Army Commander, based on alleged human rights violations? They do not have any right to tell us who the Army Commander should be. That right is exclusively vested with the President,” he added. 

Furthermore, Dr. Rajapakshe alleged that it was the weak decisions taken by former Foreign Ministers that paved the way, for countries such as the US to meddle with Sri Lanka’s internal affairs. 

He said, “Instead of standing up for our war heroes, former Foreign Ministers who did not have a backbone, co-sponsored the Geneva Resolution against Sri Lanka. Decisions such as these paved the way for countries such as the US to meddle with our internal affairs. The Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka did the same. He went to all the Government ranks until we sold the Hambantota Harbour to China.”

The Government should announce its official stance on the US Ambassador’s announcement regarding the appointment of the Army Commander, Dr. Rajapakshe noted. 

Courtesy Adaderana

Wennappuwa Pradeshiya Sabha member from United National Party (UNP) Dulakshi Fernando and her sister, who were arrested for allegedly obstructing the duties of police officers, have been remanded till the 30th of August.

The order was delivered by Marawila Magistrate when the duo was produced before the court today (21).

The 21-year-old Pradeshiya Sabha member and her sister, who is aged 16, were arrested yesterday (20) on a warrant issued by the Marawila Magistrate’s Court.

Two policemen on duty had stopped a motorbike near the Seenor Junction in Wennappuwa at around 5.15 pm on Monday (19). However, the female motorcyclist had not had her driving license or other relevant documents with her.

Subsequently, a Pradeshiya Sabha member who is the sister of the motorcyclist, as well as their father and brother had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle and a van. 

Reportedly, they had obstructed the officers from performing their duties and attempted to take the motorbike and the suspect who had been under police custody.

The incident had been recorded by a police officer present at the scene.

The police had taken both motorbikes into their custody. However, the suspect had fled the scene in the van.

The police had reported the incident to the Marawila Magistrate’s Court while arrest warrants were issued for the 4 suspects.

Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

New Delhi, August 21 (The Hindu): Former Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram was detained by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) late on August 21, in the INX Media money laundering case soon after he reached his Jor Bagh in New Delhi following a dramatic appearance at a press conference at AICC headquarters.

The team of about 30 CBI sleuths accompanied by Delhi Police officials reached the residence of Chidambaram and knocked at the doors for a few minutes before scaling the boundary wall to enter the premises. A team of ED officials also reached there.

In fast-paced events, Mr. Chidambaram, who could not be traced by the agencies since August 20 evening and failed to get any relief from the Supreme Court on August 21, appeared at the Congress headquarters at 8 p.m. where he addressed a brief press conference claiming innocence in the INX Media case.

He reached his Jor Bagh residence along with fellow Congress leaders and lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the same vehicle.

Within minutes of Chidambaram’s reaching his residence, the CBI sleuths arrived there.

With the apex court deciding to hear only on August 23 Mr. Chidambaram’s petition seeking a stay on the Delhi High Court order that dismissed his anticipatory bail plea, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have got a free hand to arrest the former Union Minister.

Politically Motivated Witch Hunt

It is a politically motivated witch hunt said Karti Chidambaram, son of P.Chidambaram and a Lok Sabha MP said. This is an attempt at diverting attention from serious issues and theatrics and voyeurism to satisfy some people,” Karti Chidambaram said in Chennai.

Chidambaram’s Statement

In his statement, Chidambaram, said: I believe that the foundation of a democracy is liberty, most precious article of the constitution is Article 21 that guarantees life and liberty. If I’m asked to choose between life and liberty, I shall unhesitatingly choose liberty.”

To win freedom we must struggle. To preserve freedom too we must struggle.

In the INX media case I have not been accused of any offence. Nor is any one else, including any member of my family, been accused of any offence.In fact there is no charge sheet filed by either the CBI or the ED before a competent court.

Moreover the FIR recorded by the CBI does not impute to me any wrongdoing.

Yet there is a widespread impression that grave offences have been committed by and that my son and I have committed that offences. Nothing can be further from the truth. These are lies spread by pathological liars.

I was granted interim protection by the High Court.

I was aghast that I was accused of hiding from the law, on the contrary I was seeking the protection of the law.

I was accused of running away from justice. On the contrary i was engaged in the pursuit of justice.

I was working alongside my lawyers the whole of the night preparing the papers for the appeal.

I will respect law even if applied with an unequal hand by probe agencies. Until Friday and beyond, let’s hope the lamp of liberty will shine bright and illuminate the whole country.

Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vivek Tankha and Salman Khurshid were present during the meeting. Also present were Ghulam Nabi Azad and K.C. Venugopal.

What Is The INX Media Case?

According to The Wire website: In early 2007, INX Media Pvt Ltd, which was co-foundedby Indrani and Peter Mukerjea, approached the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for the issue of equity shares to three non-resident investors under the FDI route.

This money, according to the FIR, was sought for creating and operating a number of television channels. In its application to the FIPB, INX also announced its intention to make a downstream financial investment to the extent of 26% of the issued and outstanding equity share capital of INX News Private Limited”.

In July 2007, the FIPB board approved INX’s proposal, specifically an FDI/NRI inflow of Rs 4.62 crore, but did not approve the proposed downstream investment. In fact, its note to the FIPB board, the FIPB unit of the finance ministry noted that downstream investment in INX News Pvt Ltd” would require separate approval.

This is where things went wrong.

The FIR alleges that while the Mukerjeas’ company had officially received permission to raise Rs 4.62 crore in FDI, they actually raised over Rs 300 crores. It also allegedly went ahead with the downstream investment despite not having received approval.

When these violations came to light in early 2008, the FIPB unit” informed income tax authorities that it was looking into the matter and shot off a letter to INX Media.

Where Did Chidambaram Come Into It?

An FIR filed by the CBI on May 15, 2016 alleges that INX Media then turned to Karti Chidambaram in order to wriggle out of the situation without any punitive action”.

Upon receipt of this letter from FIPB unit, INX Media Limited… entered into a criminal conspiracy with Shri Karthi P Chidambaram, son of P Chidambaram, the-then Finance Minister”.

The FIR, crucially, notes that because of Karti Chidambaram’s influence, officers within the finance ministry ignored the serious illegality on the part of INX Media” and also continued to show undue favour to the INX Group” by advising them to apply for fresh FIPB approval for the downstream investment even though it had already been made.

The FIR registered by the CBI quotes sources to show how Karti Chidambaram was allegedly paid for his role in influencing the investigation against INX Media. According to the CBI, for the services rendered by Karthi P Chidambaram to INX Group through Chess Management Services…considerations in the form of payment were received against an invoice raised on INX Media by one Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Limited (ASCPL).

Political Vendetta?

The former finance minister has alleged that the central government, along with the CBI has targeted him and his son.

They want to silence my voice and stop me from writing,” he said in a statement.

This is underscored by the strong push by the Gandhi scions against the government’s movement yesterday, with Rahul Gandhi saying that Modi’s govt is using the ED, CBI & sections of a spineless media to character assassinate Mr Chidambaram.”

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, He unhesitatingly speaks truth to power and exposes the failures of this government, but the truth is inconvenient to cowards so he is being shamefully hunted down. We stand by him and will continue to fight for the truth no matter what the consequences are.”

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

බැඳුම්කර වංචාවට නොදෙවෙනි මහා පරිමාණ කොල්ලයක් මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදල තුළ සිදුවන බව පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී ඩලස් අලහප්පෙරුම පවසනවා.

විපක්ෂ නායක කාර්යාලයේ අද පැවති මාධ්‍ය හමුවට එක්වෙමින් ඔහු මෙම අදහස් පළ කළ අතර, එම අවස්ථාවට පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී සුසිල් ප්‍රේමජයන්ත ද එක්වුණා.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

පොලිස් නිලධාරීන්ගේ රාජකාරියට බාධා කිරීමේ සිද්ධියකට අදාළව වෙන්නප්පුව ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාවේ එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂ මන්ත්‍රීනි දුලක්ෂි චමෝදරී ප්‍රනාන්දු, සහ ඇගේ් වැඩිමහල් සහෝදරිය මේ මස 30 වනදා දක්වා රක්ෂිත බන්ධනාගාර ගත කර තිබෙනවා.

ඒ, ඔවුන් අද මාරවිල මහේස්ත්‍රාත් අධිකරණයට ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමෙන් අනතුරුවයි.

සිද්ධියට අදාළව චෝදනා එල්ලවී වරෙන්තු ලබා සිටි  මන්ත්‍රීවරියගේ පියා සහ 16 හැවිරිදි ඇගේ බාල සහෝදරිය මෙහිදී ඇප මත මුදා හැරුණා.

මන්ත්‍රීවරියගේ බාල සහෝදරිය රියදුරු බලපත්‍රය  සහ අනෙකුත් අවසර පත්‍ර නොමැතිව අධික වේගයෙන් යතුරුපැදියකින් ගමන් කරමින් සිටියදී වෙන්නප්පුව – සීනෝර් මංසන්ධියේදී පෙරේදා රාත්‍රියේ පොලිසිය අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන තිබෙනවා.

පසුව එහි පැමිණි ප්‍රාදේශීය සභා මන්ත්‍රීවරිය, ඇයගේ පියා සහ වැඩිමහල් සහෝදරිය පොලිස් නිලධාරීන්ගේ රාජකාරියට බාධා කර තිබුණා

By ROHANA R. WASALA

And we shall play a game of chess, Pressing lidless eyes and waiting for a knock upon the door. –·  From ‘A Game of Chess’ (the second canto of The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot)

(The following article was first published in The Island and Lankaweb simultaneously on June 29, 2016, under the title ‘Gota for the endgame’. I am reproducing it here because of its relevance to the current unfolding events in the Sri Lankan political arena. I have made no alteration to the text except for the transfer of the note explaining the meaning of the epigraph from the beginning to the end of the essay. Background information explicitly stated or implied therein has not been updated at all as it still remains common knowledge among the readers.) 

The latest stage of the ethnic conflict has become a political game of chess that represents an attempted rape of the unitary state of Sri Lanka.

Legitimate fear

For the establishment of a peaceful, prosperous, democratic society in Sri Lanka to become a reality, the legitimate fear of the majority Sinhalese that the unitary character of the Lankan state will soon be irretrievably lost must be allayed. We should not ignore the fact this fear is shared by the reasonable major proportion of the minority population living peaceably with the majority. The country took the initial step towards reaffirming and consolidating such a harmonious Sri Lankan nation in 2009 with the crushing of LTTE’s military capability. The defeat of armed separatist terrorism was a monumental victory for all Sri Lankans, made possible by the coming together of all the communities – Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and others (no doubt, somewhat coerced by circumstances) –  under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. For the peace and security and the tangible economic development, we have achieved as a result of that historic victory all Sri Lankan citizens made voluntary sacrifices in unity. That unity was deeper and firmer than the spirit of unity and mutual support we normally see in action in our society during natural disasters like the 2004 tsunami and the recent havoc caused by floods and landslides. The post-war reassertion of kinship was due to the popular realization attained after the bitter experience of terror that, after all, blood is thicker than water.

Federalism no solution   

National unity cannot be achieved by dividing the land and its resources unequally among different ethnic communities, which is what federalists are in effect demanding. There are many internal and external reasons why federalism is unacceptable for us. Within the country, roughly, according to the last census taken in 2012, the majority Sinhalese account for 75% of the population, Tamils 15%, and Muslims 10%. But, while, numerically, the Sinhalese predominate in the southern, western, and central parts of the country, Tamils and Muslims form majorities in the northern and eastern provinces respectively. The three communities are intermingled across the country; then there are geographical, demographic, economic, cultural, and historical factors that dictate against federalism as a solution to the Tamil problem. Externally, federalism is likely to jeopardize existing regional stability because it will inevitably be subject to the full force of India’s covert or sometimes (as in our case) cynically barefaced irredentist designs over her small neighbours. For these and other equally cogent reasons, the late constitutional lawyer and distinguished diplomat H.L. de Silva said, addressing a seminar on Indian federalism” at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo, in 2003: The Federal solution to end the ethnic conflict is like a snake a drowning man clutches onto in desperation to stay afloat…..Federalism is the beguiling serpent which by its fatal sting will bring an end to this precious Republic”.

Need for a strong oppositional leadership

At the present critical juncture, our country needs strong oppositional leadership to democratically channel in the right direction the growing popular discontent with the current state of affairs in the country so that the government may feel compelled to correct its course in the national interest if anything has actually gone wrong. The citizens of the country have a duty to help the government to restore, instead of reverse, the positive trends  that the previous Rajapaksa government initiated, such as the restoration of democracy to the north and east which had been worst hit by the conflict, the promotion of peaceful interaction between the different communities, the strategic management of foreign relations without relinquishing its responsibilities to the nation and without sacrificing national dignity, independence and sovereignty, and the maintenance of equitable economic development across the country.

Mahinda’s undiminished popularity

The more the current regime harasses the leaders of the successful former UPFA government and its senior officials leveling at them spurious charges of corruption, mismanagement of the economy and foreign relations, etc., the deeper and the more widespread the public disaffection with the former. The overwhelming crowds that attended the Joint Opposition’s ‘Janatha Satana’ (People’s Struggle) protest rally at Hyde Park Colombo on March 17, and its May Day rally at Kirulapana one and a half month later both attended by Mahinda Rajapaksa have demonstrated this fact very clearly. That vouches for his domestic popularity. The rousing reception accorded to Mahinda in Japan by the Sri Lankans working and living there is an indication of his unmatched popularity among the Sri Lankan Diaspora in that country. Even the native Japanese joined them in extending this honour to him as we saw in the media.

Gota for the endgame

I am not competent enough in politics to offer advice to a great leader. But I allow myself to believe that Mahinda knows what he must do with his still-growing popularity to save the country from the looming danger of federalism and eventual fragmentation of the country. I guess that he will form a new party or other organization and have nothing to with those of his former colleagues who left him to join Maithri. They have become Maithri’s sacrificial calves (rather, cows) for the purpose of protecting his and their own interests. Maithri will not seek a second term, and he will never prove false to Ranil. Mahinda cannot be on his agenda any longer, except it be for a repetition of the past.

But Mahinda will not be betrayed by his own brothers and the grateful people of the country. If Mahinda starts a new party or alliance, he is sure to co-opt his brother Gotabhaya. I am sure if that happens Gota will prove the greatest asset he and the country can possess at this dangerous point in our history. Gota will serve the nation with or without high office. He will help it play the endgame successfully, delivering the checkmate on the country’s foes.

Meaning of the epigraph

These lines from Eliot contain an allusion to the comedy A Game at Chess” (August 1624) by Thomas Middleton. It is a rather pornographic play where the action is in the form of a game of chess, which follows the stages of a seduction going on offstage at the same time. The chess pieces are shown as human characters and states. The dramatist declares in the prologue that his play is based on a game of chess in which checkmate will be given to virtues’ foes”.

KAMALIKA PIERIS

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

China is continuing to maintain good diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka. In January 2019 Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan called on President Sirisena and handed over a New Year greetings card from Chinese President Xi Jinping. Ambassador Cheng also called on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.

China continues to maintain a very close relationship with former President Rajapaksa as well.  Chinese President Xi Jinping had sent New Year greetings to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan of China paid a courtesy call and he presented me with the New Year greetings of President Xi Jinping,” Rajapaksa tweeted. China also recognized Gotabhaya   Rajapaksa. Gota had attended a defense seminar in China in October 2016.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

China continues to have a presence in Sri Lanka. Tianjin Symphony Orchestra played at Nelum Pokuna, Colombo, in November 2017, to a packed audience. Shaolin Kung Fu from Henan province was presented in December 2017. There were performances in Kandy, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, and Colombo. This was organized by the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation, Sri Lanka – China Friendship Association, Sri Lanka – China Society and the Chinese Embassy.

A study Center promoting the Chinese language and degrees from Zhengzhou University, the second-largest university in China, was launched in July 2019, in Colombo. In February 2019, the Sri Lanka China Trade and Investment Promotion Chamber and Sichuan Provincial People’s Government of China announced the establishment of a Sri Lankan Training Center of Chengdu SINCIO Training School of China to promote Chinese language proficiency in Sri Lanka.

This Centre plans initially to teach the Chinese language to 25,000 Sri Lankan youth.  Phase one of the programs will cover five districts, Colombo, Kandy, Polonnaruwa, Galle, and Hambantota and will have 25 centers. Phase two will cover the remaining districts with fifty centers. They will provide Chinese language training to unemployed youth, public and private sector workers and tour guides.

DONATIONS

The government of China gifted an office and auditorium complex to Sri Lanka Military Academy in Diyatalawa, in December 2018. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 785 with sound and optoelectronic facilities, and an intelligent power supply and distribution control system,” The total floor area is 7,200 square meters. The building was constructed in the shape of a lotus, which is the national flower of Sri Lanka. The project started in October 2014 and was designed, constructed and supervised by the Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

The Chinese ambassador hoped that this building would become another symbol of the friendship between the two armies and two countries. China and Sri Lanka were good neighbors, good friends and good partners said the Ambassador. Whatever changes might take place in the international situation, the two countries always stood with and supported each other. Both China and Sri Lanka were peace-loving countries.

China’s assistance also included a donation of 2750 metric tons of rice for distribution among disaster-affected families in 2017.  Donation of 90 water browsers in 2018. Lanka Hospitals partnered with  China’s AIDI eye hospital to provide 100 free cataract surgeries in December 2018.

BUSINESS

In 2017 BOI hosted a delegation of 30 senior government officials from China, to see the potential of Sri Lanka as an economic partner for trade, tourism, and investment. A delegation from Jilin province in northeast China had visited the BOI earlier.  They were interested in the construction sector, manufacturing and light industries.

Chinese telecom and IT giant ZTE held its first “Civilized China” Business & Investment Conference at the Shangri-La, Colombo in January 2019. Over 300 Chinese business delegates attended. This was the first of many conferences that ZTE will be hosting across the South Asian region in a concerted effort to strengthen opportunities for trade and economic cooperation with ZTE.

The conference was organized in partnership with the Overseas Chinese Association, Chinese Tourist Board and Chinese Cultural Centre together with local government agencies including Sri Lanka Tourism and the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka. The Conference received extensive foreign media coverage with several Chinese reporters broadcasting globally throughout the conference.

The first “Chinese Enterprise Job Fair” in Sri Lanka, organised by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training was held in 2017. China said that Chinese companies, who had opened branches in Sri Lanka would provide job opportunities to over 400 Sri Lankans. The companies were in search of both skilled and unskilled workers and there were many job categories available.

BILATERAL RELATIONS

China wishes to maintain strong relations with Sri Lanka. China is not that far away, said the Chinese ambassador at the Sujata Jayawardene Memorial Talk, 2017.  It is only 4 hrs by plane From Yunnan province to Colombo.

Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka China Journalists’ Forum (SLCJF) and Chongqing Normal University (CNU) in China was signed for enhancing the bilateral relations between two countries n 2018.

Pathfinder Foundation’s ‘China-Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies Centre’  signed an MOU with  China Center for Contemporary World Studies (CCCWS) in 2017. In  2018 the South West University of Political Science and Law of China agreed to station a Chinese scholar in the ‘China – Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies Center’. Dr. Zhao Ying of SWUPS was appointed to this position. She will provide valuable insight into the Chinese perspective for the activities of the Studies Centre.

China’s role in Sri Lanka is discussed openly. China welcomes this.  Pathfinder Foundation had a seminar on China’s BRI in April 2019 in Colombo. China sent a high-level expert panel from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations. This institute was a huge one with eleven research institutes, two research divisions, and eight research centers. It has around 400 staff including 150 senior fellows.

At this seminar, the  Chinese speaker  Dr. Hu Shisheng, referred bluntly to the competition in the Indian Ocean today. There were competing regional combines,  such as BIMSTEC,  USA’s Bay of Bengal, India’s AAIC and also the ‘China and Pakistan vs. USA and India’ issue. Economist Srimal Abeyratne said it would be beneficial for Sri Lanka to be in the BRI. Sri Lanka should have had stronger relations with India but that did not happen. Sri Lanka now needs to get into the global network and for this, the short cut is Belt and Road. Sri Lanka is strategically located for B&R.

Lynn Ockersz commenting on this seminar observed that this was an example of China’s track 2 diplomacy. Sri Lanka witnessed an engagement of this kind when a senior delegation from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) met the Sri Lankan think tank, the Pathfinder Foundation, for wide-ranging talks recently, he said. The parties were primarily looking at establishing a joint study group ‘to identify critical success factors that would have to be put in place to take the economic, investment and trade relations between the two countries to the next level.’

Besides, state-level talks between China and Sri Lanka, which exemplify track 1 diplomacy, aimed at furthering the legitimate interests of the states through cooperation and collaboration, track 2 diplomacy, involving non-state entities and personalities, is a means of achieving the same aims at a level below that of state-to-state talks. Track 2 complements track 1 diplomacy, besides strengthening people-to-people contact. This exercise in track 2 diplomacy is one among numerous such demonstrations of soft power by China that are instrumental in consolidating ties between it and those states, which in China’s thinking, are of the greatest importance to it in the economic, material and political spheres, concluded Ockersz.

China’s Debt trap”.

Yahapalana has continuously criticized the loans given by China to Sri Lanka during the Rajapaksa government. Yahapalana says Sri Lanka economy is in a mess because of China.

China has contested this. The proportion of Chinese loans in Sri Lanka’s loan portfolio was quite low. Other countries had a much greater share of Sri Lanka’s external debt, China said.  The interest on 61.5% of China’s loans to Sri Lanka is far below the international market rate,  said Prof. Huang Yunsong, Associate Dean at the China Center for South Asian Studies in Sichuan University, speaking at Colombo Shangri-La Colloquium of 2018.

In December 2017, Sri Lanka owed China US$ 5.5 billion which was about 10.6% of the nation’s total foreign debt of US$ 51.8 billion. Of this 5.5 billion,  3.8 billion (61.5 % of the total loan) was provided at a rate far below the international market rate. Thus, the major part of China’s loan was taken at a concessionary rate,” Huang Yunsong, said. More importantly, US$ 1 billion had been taken at a concessionary rate of 2% which means that the interest in the major part of the loan was not excessive at all,” He added that  the commercial loan interest rate  for the borrowings was based on a mutual agreement between Sri Lanka and China as per established principles of the international market.

We have come to the conclusion that the idea that China is trying to reduce Sri Lanka into a colony is fanciful, said Barry Gautman and Yan Hairong when interviewed in Sri Lanka. We cannot find any evidence to say that China has proceeded in that manner.

Barry Gautman is a Professor in the Division of Social Science, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. Yan Hairong teaches in the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

The policy of China With regard to debt relating to developing countries has been that they would be amenable to working out some compromise such as rescheduling or loan forgiveness. Sri Lanka also has never defaulted on repayment and therefore there is no crisis that we can detect, they said.

Originally it was not so much the debt trap but the ‘excessive involvement of China’ in Sri Lanka that was at issue. The term ‘Chinese debt trap’ was coined by an Indian named Brahma Chellaney who works for the Institute of Policy Studies in Delhi and has close relations with RAW. When these loans were first taken around 2006, nobody was talking about a Chinese debt trap. It was after the war and around 2014 that this talk of a Chinese debt trap emerged in Sri Lanka. 

China holds approximately 9% of Sri Lanka’s total outstanding debt as of 2017, explained the media. Sri Lanka has gone on to amass USD 15.3 billion during 2007-2018 from subsequent ISB issues and foreign currency term financing facilities (FTFFs). In the same period, Sri Lanka tapped China for a total of USD 9.2 billion as development loans, and an additional USD 1 billion as an FTFF in 2018. ISBs and FTFFs together account for 33% of Sri Lanka’s outstanding foreign debt in 2017, against a 9% share held by China.

Local economists also strongly disagreed with Yahapalana. Economist Nimal Sanderatne said there has been much international publicity that Sri Lanka is in a debt trap owing to its large debt to China. This is factually incorrect. Sri Lanka’s debt to China is around 10 percent of the total debt and has been obtained on relatively more favorable terms than other commercial borrowings.

The loans from China, of which 40% have been obtained on commercial terms, account for only 20 percent of the country’s large and rising non-concessional share of foreign debt (at 55 percent of total outstanding debt in 2017). The vast bulk (80 percent) is made up of ISBs, FTFFs, and foreign holdings of Treasury bills and bonds. This shift in composition has been the main driver of Sri Lanka’s rising debt service ratios. Chinese development loans have played a very secondary role, said Sanderatne.

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and the Verite Research have also rebutted this forcefully and factually, observed Sanderatne. The government is crying wolf at the Chinese debt trap when real worry is hidden elsewhere, said  Subhashini Abeysinghe of Verite. The bigger threat is from international financial markets.  The pressure is from international sovereign bonds, these are now maturing and they make up the most debt, not   China, she said.

Speaking at the Sri Lanka Economic Association annual sessions on January 19, IPS Executive Director Dr Dushni Weerakoon pointed out that Chinese loans amounted to only about 9 percent of Sri Lanka’s total outstanding debt in 2017, while China’s share as a bilateral lender was about 14 percent, an amount equivalent to India’s share.

When considering the total US$ 9.2 billion Chinese development loans to Sri Lanka, 61 percent has been obtained on concessional terms. Concessional terms on Chinese loans are typically fixed rates at 2%, with other fees of 0.5% and maturity periods of 15-20 years she said.. Dr. Weerakoon concluded that the terms compare less favourably to Sri Lanka’s other major bilateral donors, India, but most specifically, Japan.

Dr. Weerakoon concluded that Chinese loans are clearly not the primary cause of Sri Lanka’s debt imbroglio but have contributed to, and, possibly, aggravated the problem. Loans from China are attractive to governments for multiple reasons. They are free of conditions and lengthy negotiating processes, and provide access to large volumes more quickly, to be disbursed according to presumed needs. In the event, they also carry heavy risks in the presence of poor analysis of investment projects, incentive problems, and interest groups influenced investment choices.

Further, China usually reduces the amount of money that debtors have to repay if they cannot. Centre for Global Development, a think tank in Washington has counted more than 80 cases between 2000-2017 in which China provided relief to its debtors overseas.

It was argued that China deliberately lends countries more than they can repay in order to seize strategic assets when they default. Critics point to Hambantota as an example. But Deborah Brautigam at Johns Hopkins University argues that Hambantota is an exception. She looked at more than 3000 projects overseas financed by China and found that Hambantota was the only example of such an asset being seized to cover a debt.

HAMBANTOTA

Analysts observed that most of these projects that were built with Chinese funding were on offer to other potential financiers as well but there were no takers. The Hambantota port was first offered to India. With China taking it,  India’s security is affected. All the shipping to the East coast of India has to go past the Hambantota port.

The former President has said publicly on several occasions that China never once asked him for the port  When the Rajapaksa government was in power, there was no talk of ever giving the port to China and the Chinese had never asked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for that port on a lease, observed Gautman and Hairong. It appears that China never asked the present government for the port either. It appears to be the present government that went to China and prevailed upon them to take the port on lease.

China was reluctant to involve itself further with Hambantota, after the regime change of 2015. When Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe raised the matter of Hambantota on his visit to Beijing, the Chinese government was reluctant at first. There had to be some kind of persuasion, said, analysts.

Referring to the   view that China’s taking over the Sri Lankan port at Hambantota as ‘neo-colonialism’, analysts said that if one were to Google ‘port 99 year lease’, the first result one would get is a 99-year lease on the Port of Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory, a deal worth Australian Dollar 506 million with a Chinese company., port terminals in New York and Long Beach are  also managed by Chinese companies”.

Yahapalana government had selected China Merchant Co in preference to China Harbor because China Merchant has a good reputation in running ports whereas China Harbour has been mostly building ports, not running them, said analysts. China Merchants stated that they considered the Hambantota port to have a very bright future and that they would not have entered into this deal if they had not thought so.

China Merchant Holdings now holds a 70% stake in the Hambantota port for 99 years, with the remaining shares in the hands of Sri Lanka. But the lease agreement provides for the purchase of shares held by China if Sri Lanka so decides at a future date, observed analysts. Furthermore, the agreement between China and Sri Lanka on the Hambantota port contains a clause that strictly prohibits,” the Chinese from using the port for military purposes. It also states that the security of the port shall be with the Sri Lankan navy.   

Sri Lankan Ambassador to China, Karunasena Kodituwakku, speaking to the Beijing Review in 2019, said that if Sri Lanka wants to get 100% ownership of the Hambantota Harbour, Sri Lanka could renegotiate with the China Merchant Company and pay back their investment. He said that this could be done in a ‘very friendly manner,’

COMPLAINTS

Sri Lanka’s contractors have expressed concern over Chinese dominance in construction projects here. One example they pointed to was an initiative to rehabilitate high priority roads and bridges in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, advertised in January 2018 by the Ministry of National Integration & Reconciliation.

The roads were divided into six packages ranging from 85 km to 1,146 km. The project is under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.These packages have all ‘C’ and ‘D’ roads,” They are provincial roads. But they have taken 5 or 10 km here, 8 or 6 or 4 km there and packaged them. After that, pre-qualification is given for billions of rupees.”Then, which Sri Lankan company can qualify?” asked Chief Executive Officer of Major Constructors of Sri Lanka and of the National Construction Association of Sri Lanka. These are roads that even our village contractors—regional small or medium contractors—can make. But because of this, they can’t benefit.”

Proposals were invited through international competitive bidding. Forty-four applications were received for six packages to rehabilitate roads in the Northern and Eastern provinces. A Cabinet appointed negotiating committee and a project committee evaluated the proposals. Two packages (1 in the North and 1 in the East) were awarded to Sinohydro Corporation Ltd. The others went to CEC-NEM Joint Venture, KDA Weerasinghe & Co Pvt Ltd, Consulting Engineers & Contractors Pvt Ltd, and Nawaloka Construction Co. Pvt Ltd. Sinohydro Corporation’s package in the North was later withdrawn in favour of an Indian party, on a request conveyed to the Government through the Indian High Commission in Colombo.

Contractors have also complained about the infiltration” of Chinese companies into the local trade, saying they initially crept in” via International Competitive Bidding (ICB). They soon ousted the Japanese and Koreans in that area. Whilst doing ICB jobs, they saw a golden opportunity during the second innings of the Rajapaksa Government and started bringing in negotiated jobs or unsolicited proposals. Then they observed that we were having fairly sizeable jobs in the private sector and got in there through projects such as Pearl Hotel, Havelock City and Odel.

Chinese contractors had a 40% advantage over the local trade because they did not pay taxes and their workers were only paid an allowance, with their salaries being settled abroad. If we say Rs 100, they can do it for Rs 60,” said the National Construction  Organization. We are not on equal terms. These are all our jobs. They’re eating into our pie.

They are now trying to come into the housing sector. If they get into that, companies that have been building homes are finished, because they will undercut the prices.” There is a further problem. Small teams of Chinese workers are going door-to-door offering services. They come on holiday as tourists, with a few tools, and they don’t go back. Five or six of them come in a set and they live in Chinese dormitories or homes, the Organization said.

A landed proprietor in Wellawatte, who said he had hired a Chinese worker only that morning for a daily wage of Rs 2,500 for all manner of jobs around the property, including plumbing, masonry, and cutting of branches. He came sharp at 7 a.m. and works till 6 p.m.,” he said, adding that he was very happy with the level of service.

There was also a  complaint about the Coal Power Project at Norochcholai. Here is my experience in service at the Ministry of Power and Energy at the project to construct the Coal Power Project at Norochcholai, said an engineer.

The total cost of the project was around USD 1,500 million, inclusive of local funding as well. The Sri Lanka government was facing a severe energy crisis, mainly due to a lack of political will and frivolous objections. The usual practice of calling for worldwide tenders was not possible as the process of calling tenders, evaluation, takes a few years. At this juncture, China offered the loan and also to undertake the construction of the project, inclusive of the plant.

China used its own labor and machinery, thus providing employment for its own men from labourers to engineers and consultants. The machinery required, from concrete mixers, cranes, etc were brought from China, thus providing funds for their manufacturing industry. No expenditure was incurred on local labour and materials. Thus, the entire loan, plus the local financial contribution went back to China.

What of the quality of work? The first plant of 300 Mw was said to be refurbished and gave us enough trouble. The Chinese, I believe, kept technical knowhow under wraps and our engineers found it difficult as the manuals were in Chinese. When the plant was constantly giving trouble, the Chinese offered to run the plant. If worldwide tenders had been called we would have had a modern plant, perhaps from Japan, who would have engaged only top engineers and consultants and employed local labour and material, and on-the-job training of local staff to run the plant efficiently concluded the critic. ( Continued)

KAMALIKA PIERIS

China is not merely standing by as the USA increases its position in Sri Lanka. China is engaging in Track 1 diplomacy as well. President Maitripala Sirisena will leave tomorrow for China on a three-day visit, in a move that has surprised both political and diplomatic circles over its urgency, reported the Sunday Times on May 2019.

Formally, he is attending a Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilisations” that will open on May 15. However, a one-on-one meeting has been arranged for President Sirisena with Chinese President Xi Jinping.  A similar meeting has also been arranged with Prime Minister Le Keqiang, What President Sirisena will discuss with the Chinese President has not been explained. sources said the recent IS-backed massacre will figure when Sirisena briefs him on measures taken by the government. Also on the cards is a catalogue of projects for which Sirisena is seeking Chinese assistance, said Sunday Times.

At the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva February 2019 China defended Sri Lanka’s efforts to protect human rights in the country and called on the international community to support the domestic process in Sri Lanka. China said it recognizes the efforts taken by Sri Lanka to promote human rights. China also took note of the measures taken by Sri Lanka to improve the economy and eliminate poverty. The Chinese delegation said that Sri Lanka has also taken steps to protect the rights of women and vulnerable groups. China said that the steps taken by Sri Lanka must be appreciated and the international community must consider objectively and impartially the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association (SLCFA) warned in June 2019 that the United States was attempting to force Sri Lanka to sign agreements that would be disastrous to its sovereignty and to take sides in a trade war that it had launched against China by weaponizing GSP+ concessions.”

A high-level delegation from the United States of America will arrive in Sri Lanka to discuss trade matters, among which GSP+ would be a main point of discussion, the Association said. While they say they will not use trade as a tool to influence Sri Lanka, history has shown that the US does use trade as a weapon to influence the independent decisions of sovereign countries of the world.

Earlier this month the US withdrew the GSP+ facility accorded to India and India has raised import taxes as high as 120% on a number of U.S. items from Sunday. The US government team arrives hot on the tail of US withdrawing the GSP+ facility to India. This US move is also an attempt to push Sri Lanka to sign the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), an unequal agreement which endangers independence and sovereignty of Sri Lanka,” SLCFA said.

American ‘aid’ had been disastrous to billions across the world. Chinese presence and aid had given nations like Sri Lanka, some strategic autonomy, breathing space and a chance to not make structural adjustments that come along with so-called US ‘aid’, the Association concluded.

In July 2019 the Sri Lanka – China Friendship Association issued another statement. Given recent revelations that senior politicians and officials have attempted to influence the signing of various agreements that are favourable to the US and inimical to the sovereignty of the country, Sri Lanka – China Friendship Association (SLCFA) urges the government to beware of pro-western loyalists within its ranks.

SLCFA said: “We have always been stressing the importance of ceaseless vigilance against the attempts of imperialist powers to affect our sovereignty.  Our stand was proven recently when it was revealed that the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), had been pushed through the Cabinet by pro-US elements without consultation from the defence ministry, and that if the President had not intervened, the Status Of Forces Agreement (SOFA,) now re-branded as Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) too would have been signed without even consulting the Parliament, let alone the people.

The government is also planning to sign an agreement between the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC.) The US had been the global hegemony for almost 30 years now, but its powers are waning as history shows us. It is the superpowers in decline that are often the most dangerous. Thus, SLCFA urges political leaders to be mindful of manipulations by the Western powers and countries affiliated with them, SLCFA said in conclusion.”

China’s contribution to Sri Lanka is now placed firmly on the record. The Chinese involvement in Sri Lanka during the long drawn out Eelam War is noteworthy, said Jayanath Colombage. Although India, Pakistan, USA, Israel, Russia, and Ukraine supported the government of Sri Lanka against LTTE the major contribution came from China. China provided weapons when many other nations shied away citing human right considerations. China even established a bonded warehouse for arms and ammunition that was required to fight the war in Sri Lanka. We were able to end the LTTE because China threw its weight behind us and sent us the required arms, agreed K. Godage.

After its victory over the LTTE, Sri Lanka was unanimously granted Dialogue Partner status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in June 2009. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, consisting of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan is an important international grouping dealing with security in the region. It is a security body with a real military dimension, observed Godage. Sri Lanka has entered as a dialogue partner. This puts Sri Lanka under the umbrella of China and Russia. Though not specifically stated in the charter, a dialogue partner can request protection and military aid from the Organisation said Godage.

The post-conflict period saw the west and other powers staying away from Sri Lanka’s development programs, analysts said. China became the number one development partner and biggest Foreign Direct Investor in Sri Lanka, mainly focusing on much-needed infrastructure projects such as highways, ports, airports and power generation sectors. Chinese aid to Sri Lanka is many times more than the aid of western countries such as the US, analysts concluded.

This series ends with excerpts from a talk given by Palitha Kohona to the Ceylon Society of Australia. In that essay, Kohona traces the relationship between China and Sri Lanka from the Anuradhapura period up to the present day. This is not usually done today. But it is important because such long-standing historical links are rare.

The earliest records indicate that the interchanges along the Silk Road, especially along the sea route, had begun to flourish from the time of the Han Dynasty, from 207 BC, and continued for centuries afterwards, Kohona said.

Chinese writings of the period suggest considerable knowledge of the island, including its politics and the religion, among Chinese scholars. Four embassies were sent from Lanka to the Chinese imperial court in the fifth century. Chinese records indicate that these embassies were sent during the reigns of King Buddhadasa, the builder of public hospitals in the early 4th century, his son Upatissa 1 and Mahanama (412-434 AD).

The Lankan king, probably Mahanama, sent an embassy with a valuable Buddha statue and a replica of the Temple of the Tooth Relic to the court of Emperor Xiaowu.  The Chinese account “The Biography of Bhikkunis” written in the sixth-century details a visit by eight Sinhala nuns to Nanjing in 426 to inaugurate the order of nuns in China.

The copious writings of fifth-century scholar monk Fa Xian from China who spent a number of years at the Abhayagiriya Monastery, in the ancient capital, Anuradhapura, after a long sojourn in northern India, tell a tale of bygone prosperity and complex international diplomatic and trading relations. Fa Xian details the splendid pageant in honour of the Tooth Relic of the Buddha, continued Kohona.

Fa Xian carried a ship-load of religious texts from Lanka to China. This also suggests that Sri Lanka, at the time, possessed significant literature. The ship was large enough to accommodate 200 passengers. Ships that big were not constructed in the West almost until the 20th century.

Chinese records indicate that in 456 AD, five eminent Sinhala monks called on the Emperor and one of them was an eminent sculptor. Undoubtedly, art and architectural exchanges followed interchanges involving the common religion. Two Buddhist texts, Karanamudra Sutta and Vimukthimagga were translated from Sinhala to Chinese in 489 AD and 505 AD.  In the 8th century, another monk, Amogha Vajra, a pupil of Vajrabodhi, travelled to Lanka and translated Karanda Mudra Sutta to Chinese. King Aggabodhi sent him as an envoy to the court of the Emperor in 746 AD said Kohona.  Kohona also said something I have not come across before. The lions at Yapahuwa are very much Chinese influenced”, he said. (CONCLUDED)

Courtesy Adaderana

It is necessary to create an economic system where the wealth that is generated within the country is fairly distributed to all communities, stated the Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs.

He mentioned this addressing a function held in Dimbulagala, Polonnaruwa.

According to the Minister, 54% of the national income is enjoyed by the wealthy minority in the country while the poorest 20% of the country only receives 5-4% of the national income.

Stating that there should be a great revolution in the economic pattern of the country, Premadasa says that there is no room for neo-liberalism in the rural majority of the country.

He questions what would happen to the hundreds of farmers or 95% of the country if neo-liberalism is carried out in the country.

Premadasa stated that he will in the near future throw aside neo-liberal ideals and create a mixed economy that prioritizes entrepreneurship.

He added that he would create a just economic system where the wealth generated from such an economy would be fairly distributed among all people in the country.

He would not let the market forces alone rule the country and destroy it, concluded Premadasa.