Dilrook Kannangara

Buddhists in India are protesting against Hindu occupation and management (rather mismanagement) of Bodh Gaya. Bodh Gaya is to Buddhists what Mecca is to Muslims and Jerusalem is to Christians and Jews. Buddhists are not appointed to the management of Hindu shrines; then why appoint Hindus to manage a Buddhist shrine? Only Buddhists should be in charge of the affairs at Bodh Gaya, not Hindus. India despite being claimed the world’s largest democracy is in fact worse than a dictatorship in mistreating its minorities.

Some Hindus claim that Buddha was an avatar of Vishnu. That is manifestly absurd. Buddha was a normal human being who lived from 605BC to 525BC. Through his efforts he attained enlightenment and showed a path to achieve same for fellow humans. Buddha was no alien-like being and He had no paranormal powers which are the stuff of myths. If Buddha was an incarnation of Vishnu, why there aren’t any Buddhists in the management of Vishnu temples? If Buddha was an incarnation of Vishnu, why isn’t there a Buddha statue in Ram Mandir along with Vishnu?

History of Occupation, Deceit and Fraud by Hindus

Buddhist Emperor Ashoka visited Bodh Gaya to worship the Bodhi tree and constructed the Bodh Gaya Mahavihara. Until the 16^th century Bodh Gaya was under the control of Buddhists despite Buddhism almost totally disappearing in the landmass due to Hindu influence. In the 13^th century Turkish invader Bakhtiar Khiliji took control of the region. However, Bodh Gaya was still under the control of Buddhists.

In 1590 a Hindu priest by the name Ghamandi Giri occupied the temple and started living there uninvited. He claimed Bodh Gaya to be a Hindu shrine, evicted Buddhists and monks and performed Hindu rituals. For 301 years Hindus occupied and controlled Bodh Gaya.

In 1891 Anagarika Dharmapala visited Bodh Gaya and urged British rulers to do justice to Buddhists by handing over the management of Bodh Gaya to Buddhists as the management of Hindu shrines were in the hands of Hindus. Anagarika Dharmapala fearlessly encouraged Buddhists to perform Buddhist rituals in Bodh Gaya and stopped the worship of idols and other nonsensical objects at the shrine.

However, Hindus craftily avoided the matter though British rulers allowed Buddhists to manage Bodh Gaya since 1922. Sadly, with India gaining independence in 1947 things turned bad. In 1948 the Bodh Gaya Temple Act was passed and the management was handed to a committee made up of Hindus and Buddhists. The committee had 4 Hindus and 4 Buddhists but the Chairman was to be a Hindu District Magistrate. This skewed the balance in favor of Hindus. In addition to this injustice, Hindus deliberately disrupted the appointment of the full number of members to the committee whereby rendering it unworkable.

2012 Court Case with No Hearing

In 2012, two Buddhist monks – Bhante Arya Nagarjuna Shurai Sasai and Gajendra Mahanand – filed a writ petition before the Indian Supreme Court to repeal the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, but nothing came out of the case as it is yet to be heard. India has clearly showed the world that they accept no minority rights.

There is no rift between Hindus and Buddhists. Bodh Gaya is a Buddhist shrine with no association whatsoever with Hinduism and Hindus who have thousands of shrines in India. Buddha ridiculed Hindu practices as meaningless and unwise and instead came up with a practical approach to achieve enlightenment which can be followed by anyone with self-discipline without magical acts or alien association that Hinduism is fascinated with. The differences must be respected, not bulldozed.

Silence of Fake Patriots in Sri Lanka

Despite claiming to be guardians of Buddhist interests, fake patriots in Sri Lanka, particularly politicians and their backers maintain a deafening silence on what matters most to Buddhists. They compete against each other to be the favored viceroy of Modi. What is a bigger tragicomedy is the silence of their usually loud henchmen who used to howl at almost anything, particularly on matters that their masters are too afraid to talk about. They too have lost their speaking abilities! Buddhists in Sri Lanka must accept the fact that these fake patriots are no representatives of theirs but foot soldiers of Modi to continue the oppression of Buddhism and Buddhists. The world should take note of India’s oppression of minorities and ridiculous Hindu beliefs that claim others’ shrines as theirs – a problem that has unfortunately spread like a cancer to Sri Lanka as well. The fate of Bodh Gaya must not be allowed to befall Buddhist shrines in the island.

Law & Order

විජේදාස රාජපක්ෂ අධිකරණ ඇමතිවරයා මුල්වී රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ජනාධිපති සමයේ ගෙනා 2024 අංක 8 දරන අධිකරණයකට අපහාස පනත මගින් නීතීඥවරුන්ට, ඔවුන්ගේ  පවුල්වලට වන දුක්ඛදයක තත්ත්වය ගැන 2024 අප්‍රේල් 2 වනිදා අධිකරණ අමාත්‍යාංශය ඉදිරිපිට විරෝධතා පවත්වන ලද්දේ  “නීතියේ නිදහස …අධිකරණ ස්වාධීනත්වය සහ නීතීඥ වෘත්තීය අයිතිවාසිකම් රැක ගැනීම වෙනුවෙනි…

https://youtu.be/vld-NXxIlC4?si=_fm26M_4NCYBo-tV

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

දේශබන්දු තෙන්නකෝන් මහතා පොලිස්පති ධුරයෙන් ඉවත් කිරීමට ගෙන ඇවිත් තිබෙන විශ්වාසභංගය නිශ්ඵල කටයුත්තක් බව හිටපු අධිකරණ ඇමති විජයදාස රාජපක්ෂ මහතා සඳහන් කරයි.

දේශබන්දු තෙන්නකෝන් මහතා පොලිස්පති ධුරයට පත් කිරීම නීති විරෝධී බවත් එම ධුරයේ කටයුතු කිරීම අත්හිටුවමින් ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් නියෝගයක් නිකුත් කර තිබියදී ඔහු තවදුරටත් පොලිස්පති වශයෙන් කටයුතු නොකරන බව ඒ මහතා පෙන්වා දෙයි.

පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට එවන් විශ්වාසභංගයක් ඉදිරිපත් කළ හැක්කේ ඒ මොහොතේ ධුරය දරන පුද්ගලයකුට පමණක් බවද හෙතෙම පෙන්වා දෙයි.

දේශබන්දු තෙන්නකෝන් මහතා පොලිස්පතිවරයා නොවන බවට ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයේ තීන්දුවක් එවන් යෝජනාවක් කතානායකවරයා බාර ගැනීමද ව්‍යවස්ථා විරෝධී බවද ඔහු පෙන්වා දෙයි.

මෙම විශ්වාස භංග යෝජනාව හරහා පාර්ලිමේන්තුව ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ තීන්දුවට අභියෝග කරන බවත් හිටපු ඇමතිවරයා තව දුරටත් පැවසුවේය.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  ලංකා ලීඩර්

එළැඹෙන 04 වැනිදා ඉන්දීය අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය නරේන්ද්‍ර මෝදිගේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා සංචාරයේදී අත්සන් කිරීමට නියමිත ඉන්දු ශ්‍රී ලංකා මිලිටරි ගිවිසුම මගින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ලෝක යුද්ධයකට මැදි වන බව ජන අරගල සන්ධානය පවසනවා.
ඔවුන් අවධාරණය කරන්නේ චීනයේ වර්ධනය වන යුද බලයට ප්‍රතිබලයක් ගොඩනැගීමේ අරමුණ සහිතව ඉන්දියාව උපක්‍රමශීලිව මෙම ගිවිසුම අත්සන් කරන බවයි.
කොළඹ පැවති ප්‍රවෘත්ති සාකච්ඡාවකට එක්වෙමින් ජන අරගල සන්ධානයේ විධායක සභික පුබුදු ජයගොඩ මේ බව සදහන් කළා.

Madyawediya

Courtesy Adaderana

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that the investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks are being carried out speedily, and that several of those responsible will be exposed before Easter Sunday this year. 

He made these comments while addressing the gathering at a public meeting in Deiyandara today (30).

Further commenting on this matter, the President added, Investigations into the Easter attacks are being carried out systematically. April 21 once again marks the anniversary of the Easter attacks.”

The President also noted, The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is working to expose a significant group responsible for the attacks before April 21.”

Courtesy Adaderana

For the first time, India and Sri Lanka are set to sign an ambitious defence cooperation pact during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Colombo next week, in a significant move that comes nearly four decades after the IPKF’s intervention in the island nation.

The two sides are also likely to firm up a currency swap framework and seal several other agreements including one on debt restructuring following talks between Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka on April 5, people familiar with the matter said.

An arrangement to develop the Trincomalee oil firms jointly by India, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates is also being finalised, they said. In the second and final leg of his two-nation tour, Modi will arrive in Sri Lanka on the evening of April 4 on a three-day trip after concluding his visit to Thailand.

At a media briefing Friday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) on defence cooperation is expected to be inked and it is being signed for the first time.

If signed, the MoU on defence cooperation is set to signal a major upward trajectory in India-Sri Lanka defence leaving behind the bitter chapter relating to India pulling out the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) from the island nation around 35 years ago.

Finer details of the proposed defence pact are not immediately available but it is expected to enhance the two-way defence engagements against the backdrop of China’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean Region.

The docking of Chinese missile and satellite tracking ship ‘Yuan Wang’ at Hambantota port in August 2022 had triggered a diplomatic row between India and Sri Lanka. Another Chinese warship docked at the Colombo port in August 2023.

Sri Lanka is an integral part of our ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the relationship, based on mutual trust and good will, has stood the test of time,” Misri said on the overall relations.

Modi’s visit will focus on promoting investments and deepening connectivity — physical connectivity, digital connectivity, energy connectivity and boost cooperation in various other domains, he said. Modi will be the first foreign leader to be hosted by Disanayaka in his capacity as the Sri Lankan president. Modi last travelled to Sri Lanka in 2019.

The prime minister’s trip to Sri Lanka comes over three months after Disanayaka visited India during which he categorically conveyed to Modi that the island nation will not allow its territory to be used against New Delhi’s security interests.

India has come to the assistance of Sri Lanka at critical moments, most recently during the unprecedented economic crisis that it faced in 2022,” Misri said. India was glad to be able to play a key role in economic stabilisation and recovery of Sri lanka, demonstrating its commitment as a dependable neighbour to Sri Lanka,” he said.

Misri said Modi’s visit to the island nation comes in the context of a recovering Sri Lankan economy. As Sri Lanka resumes its growth path”, the visit is coming at an opportune moment for giving the two countries an opportunity to explore new areas of partnership and cooperation, he added.

Sri Lanka was reeling under a massive economic crisis two years back and India extended financial assistance worth USD 4.5 billion to the country. The foreign secretary said Modi is expected to raise the fishermen issue during his talks with Disanayaka.

This is a longstanding issue, Misri said, adding India has been highlighting the need to avoid use of force under all circumstances.The foreign secretary said a long-lasting solution can be found through constructive engagement. In Colombo, Modi and Disanayaka will dedicate several projects that are being built in that country with India’s assistance.

We will also witness exchange of several MoUs pertaining to energy connectivity, digitisation, health and multi-sectoral grant assistance, Misri said. The two leaders will also witness the virtual ground breaking of the Sampur solar energy project.

This is in many senses going to be a milestone in the bilateral partnership, Misri said. Modi is also scheduled to meet several political leaders. On April 6, Modi and Disanayaka will travel together to the historic city of Anuradhapura where they will pay their respects at the Mahabodhi temple.

They will also jointly inaugurate two India-assisted projects there, according to Misri. India-Sri Lanka bilateral ties witnessed upward trajectory in the last few years.

Source: PTI
–Agencies

Courtesy Hiru News

Courtesy The Guardian

Myanmar’s military rulers have called for ‘any country, any organisation’ to help as concerns grow over how rescuers will reach affected areas. 

Myanmar earthquake death toll now at 1,644, says junta

The death toll from the Myanmar earthquake has risen to 1,644, the ruling junta said on Saturday, with 3,408 people injured, according to Agence France-Presse.

A statement from the junta’s information team said that at least 139 people are still missing after Friday’s 7.7-magnitude quake.

Earlier on Saturday, the country’s military junta said the death toll had surpassed 1,000.

• Damaged infrastructure in Myanmar is hindering humanitarian rescue operations, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. Damage to the Yangon/Naypyidaw/Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations,” the UN agency said.
• Initial field reports indicate that upwards of 1,600 people have died, more than 2,200 people have been injured and more than 200 people remain missing as search-and-rescue operations continue. Most of the deaths were reported in the Mandalay area.
• A state of emergency has been declared in six areas of Myanmar: the Bago region, the Mandalay region, the Naypyidaw territory, the Sagaing region and parts of Shan state. The military junta currently governing Myanmar has called for international assistance.
• Initial reports indicate that Mandalay international airport (with commercial flights cancelled until further notice), major bridges, roads, universities, hotels, historical and religious sites, and public service buildings in urban and rural areas have been heavily damaged or destroyed. Thousands of people are spending the nights on the streets or in open spaces due to the damage and destruction to their homes or fearing further quakes.
• Supply infrastructure and communication towers have been severely affected and electricity and water services were disrupted, including in the Yangon region. Landline, mobile and internet networks remain unstable.
• Damage to the the Yangon-Naypyidaw-Mandalay expressway has led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions, forcing buses to halt operations. As the full scale of the disaster unfolds, urgent humanitarian assistance is needed to support those affected, Ocha stressed.
• The emergency relief coordinator has allocated $5m from the Central Emergency Response Fund (Cerf) to support urgent response efforts.
• Hospitals and health facilities have sustained extensive damage or destruction.
• A severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anaesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines and tents for health workers.
• The European Union (EU) said it was providing €2.5m ($2.7m) in initial emergency aid and assessing the needs on the ground in order to mobilise further assistance from the bloc. The EU stands in solidarity with people in Myanmar and the broader region enduring the aftermath of this powerful earthquake. As in previous disasters, the EU stands ready to help those most in need,” said the EU crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib.

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Shenali D Waduge

Prabakaran had a grouse but that grouse was against the Tamil caste system of which he was a victim. This explains why his first victim after he formed the Tamil New Tigers in 1972 was Tamil Mayor Alfred Duraiappah gunned down in 1975. Circumstances made him a pawn of geopolitics & turned him into a mass murderer after he & scores of other Tamils were secretly trained, armed & funded by India in India to start a guerilla movement, passing the separatist bid in Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka. Prabakaran became leader having eliminated the leaders of the other Tamil militant outfits. He & his outfit eventually became adopted as a western geopolitical pawn following the assassination of Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Every high-profile assassination LTTE undertook had a geopolitical goal to it in particular the manner that LTTE eliminated the cream of the high caste/class Tamil society.

To understand the nature of conflicts in the Third World, history has to be revisited, in particular the colonial divide & rule policies. Caste system that existed for centuries before colonials arrived never became a political issue, but it was turned into one by the colonials who realized how they could manipulate the caste system to their advantage. It was the Dutch who turned a non-entity Vellala caste out of Malabars in South India to a supra caste in Sri Lanka & gave to them the mantle of leading Tamils.

Colonials intentionally positioned Catholic schools run by missionaries in North & minority areas, converting them, giving them English education & nurturing a mentality of superiority over their own & all others. The same was done to the Sinhalese. This supra class of converted & English educated & English speaking became the elite in Sri Lanka.

It was this Tamil high caste/elite who requested colonial Britain to encode the caste system prior to independence and who sailed to UK in 1957 to beg the UK Privy Council to repeal the Social Disabilities Act passed in 1957 by PM SWRD Bandaranaike. It is important to read this Act for it enabled Tamil low castes to gain education in schools for the first time & permitted them to enter kovils & restaurants which was denied to them because of their caste. So, who were discriminating whom? Tamils were discriminating against their own. When the University quota system was introduced, it was the same elites from both Tamils & Sinhalese who objected because universities were to induct students from remote areas who did not belong to their caste/class & their quota was being reduced. This was the sole reason for their objections.

When Prabakaran took up arms, he neutralized the caste system. The high caste Tamils stood silent because their goal was a separate Tamil State which they wanted to rule their own people – they viewed Prabakaran as a means to obtain their goal. The Tamil version of ITAK constitution makes this objective clear. Realizing this, Prabakaran eliminated each one unceremoniously.

What Prabakaran could not control was the manner that the West manipulated the situation using the Church & faith-based NGOs & mouthpieces who came out to campaign on behalf of the LTTE through the years. Systematically, they took over decision making even dictating how Hindu LTTE were to be buried with tombs & not cremated as per Hindu customs. How & why Hindu Prabakaran agreed to such remains unanswered. Morever, there were no Hindu spokesmen for LTTE, whether in Sri Lanka or overseas it was either Catholic fathers or Catholic laymen which included the columnists, NGOs heads, civil society heads, who continue to unashamedly support & promote LTTE separatist ideology & became the LTTE spokesmen. Even the orphanges in the thick jungles of the Vanni were run by the Church. Father Emmanuel hailed Prabakaran as a freedom fighter, he compared Prabakaran to Jesus Christ, he called LTTE soldiers of Christ”, & called LTTE suicide bombers as martyrs of the Catholic Church” & called himself Moses”. It is these entities that wish to change the Constitution to remove Article 9 & it is they who harp on the term secular” for that is the camouflage for West’s pawns to control nations.

The Church was/is a tool of Western geopolitical goals in Third World nations during colonial rule & continues under neocolonial rule.

Clearly, the reality is that these geopolitical lobbies are angered that their 30-year investment ended abruptly in May 2009 with the defeat of not only LTTE but the deaths of Prabakaran & his entire leadership hierarchy. The present witch hunt which began with the UNHRC resolutions, to the calls by the same columnists & lobbies for accountability” is to avenge that defeat & waste of investment.

There is no need for Tamils to join this bandwagon especially the Tamil Hindus.

This does not mean that they should align with Hindu India’s Arkhand Bharath goals either. Tamils should now decide whether they wish to be 100% part of sovereign Sri Lanka.

Another question for Tamils to ask themselves is whether Tamils would be living as they are now if Prabakaran & LTTE were alive? Would they be living in the present peaceful atmosphere that they are now living in North & East & rest of Sri Lanka?

How many Tamils continue to remember what the North & East looked like before 2009 & what it looks like now. Apart from the Tamils that supported LTTE the rest of the Tamils lived in fear some continue to live in fear in UK & especially France where LTTE knife gangs and extortionists still demand ransom from them and many have had their hands chopped off! The fear of some Tamils who live in UK, Europe & even Canada is not prevalent among Tamils in Sri Lanka. We see only hired pocket groups & hired politicians wailing for their dollar supper.

What Tamils especially those who were child soldiers & young men & women indoctrinated to join militancy must now wonder is what did they gain & what they have lost.

What should they demand from India for secretly training them, arming & funding them to wage a guerilla war against Sri Lanka to prevent self-determination in Tamil Nadu? With increasing Church presence & Church influenced politicians & filmstars, it is only a matter of time that bid will commence in TN too.

How many Tamils were killed by Indian peacekeepers.

How many Tamil women were raped? Where is the accountability.

Shouldn’t Tamils be demanding accountability from India?

How many Tamils were killed as a result of differences between various Tamil groups since late 1970s, early 1980s – what would they have become had they not died in vain.

How many Tamil low caste & poor children were kidnapped & turned into child soldiers. How many died during gruesome training, or were killed trying to flee or inside torture chambers as punishment?

What are the international conventions & treaties LTTE & Adele B who trained children to kill & commit suicide, committed. What kind of a nurse would be so cruel as to teach children to kill others & kill themselves?

Do these former LTTE not want to file case against her & seek damages not only from her but the LTTE fronts too?

How many Tamil children were swept from their homes or orphanages run by Churches, denied parental love, denied their childhood & youth, especially their right to education & freedom?

Why don’t’ they seek compensation for this crime?

Why don’t lawyers come forward to appear on behalf of them for these are the human rights violations that should gain international attention.

No child should be kidnapped, denied the love of parents, denied education, denied childhood to be trained into a mass murderer & also be taught to commit suicide biting a cyanide capsule.,

How many young girls, women or even boys were sexually exploited?

Of the living former LTTE – how many have thought what they could have become if they had not been indoctrinated to kill? Essentially, many talented Tamil LTTE child soldiers, women & men could have become doctors, accountants, engineers & many more career avenues if they had not been trained to become killers.

Shouldn’t they now be seeking damages & accountability from those who manipulated them while they lived happily overseas making money & sending their children to ivy league schools & universities. Now to maintain their sham show, with heavy accents holding foreign passports & happily living in Western capitals, they are continuing to fool the Tamils in Sri Lanka about a bogus homeland just to keep alive the LTTE kitty which only they are now enjoying.

Most of the fronts now presenting themselves as representatives of the Tamils did not exist when Prabakaran was alive, including the entity whose leader calls himself a utopian President”. Many of these new representatives” would have met their waterloo had Prabakaran been alive which is probably why they set up their entities only after his death.

How big has the LTTE kitty become & how much of that kitty is being shared with the former combatants & their families (living & dead)?

What we annually see is LTTE fronts hiring a handful of people/politicians to do pocket protests simply to fill the record books.

During hayday of LTTE, Janes Intelligence claimed LTTE annual profits was some $300m (2004) – this was after spending for arms, ammunition, & the welfare of LTTE combatants. Without that expense, former LTTE & their families who are not privy to this post-2009 kitty must wonder who is enjoying this money? Look at the homes of some of the LTTE front leaders/families, the luxury lives they lead & back in Sri Lanka, how are former LTTE & their families living? This is what Tamils need to wonder, not fall prey to the traps set by LTTE fronts abroad who are flaming the homeland” card & bogus human rightsgenocide” slogans only to keep alive their fundraising and justify their existence but more importantly enjoy the funds that are in the LTTE kitty.

Tamils must not become bait or prey or pawns to them by falling for their anti-Sinhala slogans.

The list of crimes LTTE is accused of is well documented. Enough of reports have been written internationally. Yet, these very entities did nothing against the LTTE.

More importantly, the LTTE fronts holding genocide” memorials for LTTE (pretending to show the world it is for Tamil civilians” never spoke against LTTE child soldier recruitment, never spoke against Tamil women being used as sex slaves for LTTE fighters, never spoke a word against forcible recruitment of Tamil children?

Isnt it odd that these LTTE fronts are only after the defeat of LTTE screaming about genocide” & human rights violations” when they forgot the human rights of Tamil children & Tamil women who were inducted into LTTE by force?

The greater damage to Tamils has been done by LTTE & LTTE fronts than by the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. They saved 297,853 but how many Tamil children lost their childhood as child soldiers, how many Tamil girls were prostituted for sexual favors? Why have LTTE fronts not stopped these crimes to their own people?

This proves that the LTTE fronts are selfish & their genocide” and fake concern for Tamils in Sri Lanka” & demand for war crimes” accountability” is only to continue the LTTE kitty & enjoy the perks using a call for a bogus Tamil Homeland” to which they would never settle in & in all probability since they are living on Western shores they may be hired as pawns for West’s geopolitical goals in Sri Lanka/Asia.

Shenali D Waduge

Garvin Karunaratne former Government Agent, Matara

(Posted on November 17th, 2013; reprinted for kind consideration  a decade later)

A Spectacular Phenomenon

Last week I went to Iceland, in search of the Northern Lights, a mysterious phenomenon – coloured shades of light in the sky taking various forms, at times even sequencing a dance.‚  Every tourist that enters Iceland is determined to see the Northern lights. This is the attraction that lures tourists to many countries in the far North like Norway.

I have seen sunrise at Haleakala in Maui, Hawaii and there at sunrise various colours were emitted in the sky for quite a while. It was a grand sight.

Almost all tourists coming to Iceland are mesmerized to see this phenomenon and they wait days if only to see it. We had to wait for three days. On the night when there is high visibility enthusiasts travel towards the North of Iceland by coaches‚  searching for them. On the night when we went, there were eight coach loads of tourists on the road. In addition there were many cars.‚  At Haleakala one has to get up at three in the morning and motor on a stiff road‚  to the edge of a crater to see the marvelous sunrise.

I am concerned why we have not been able to attract tourists to see sunrise at Sri Pada. I have been to the summit twice at dawn and on those days there was no spectacular sunrise. However on a trip to Pidurutalagala mountain I saw sunrise in its full grandeour. The various colours did move about in pristine glory which I can recall today some fifty years later. Many people talk of the spectacular sunrise at Sri Pada. No one speaks of this sight at Pidurutalagala. It is my opinion that we can attract tourists to these two places to see this grand sight. Special publicity is needed.

In‚  Iceland‚  the Northern Lights is the prime show and people flock to Iceland for its sake. The restaurants and hotels are costly. One can buy a budget trip (Air fares and hotel) at a discount but restaurants are charging easily double the prices in London. The tourists have to somehow eat during their stay‚  because they are captive. This trade offers employment and incomes for the locals. It is fair to say that the economy of Iceland entirely depends on‚  tourism. All sorts of goods are available at high prices. The shops cater to every activity that tourists require The sea is too cold and the beaches are not an attraction. Some tourists are avid artists and would sit hours looking at a scenery trying to portray it on a parchment. There are shops that provide the easels, all sorts of specialist brushes and paint‚  that are required by artists. I have never seen any such shop in Sri Lanka though we have stunning scenery.

Tourism is perhaps one of the saviours we have today. However it has to be stated that some essential factors have to be addressed if Tourism is to be successful. In that respect Iceland has a great deal to offer us.

The author has been a global traveller in‚ ‚  the past two decades; my travels have taken me to every nook and corner one can find in the United States, in Canada, Mexico and some countries in Europe and Asia.‚  My mode is to travel in a rental car without a guide mix with the people and find things for myself. As a member of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service there is not a patch of land that I have not covered in our country. Perhaps my ideas may therefore be valid. It is my thinking that we have not yet harnessed the beauty of our island so far. The ideas expressed are not a criticism.‚  It is a sincere attempt to develop our effort.

Accomodation

Even Government Ministers have criticized‚  the hotels in Sri Lanka for the high charges they levy. This is true. Having‚  stayed at hotels in easily half the countries in the world, I can make a statement that we are over pricing our hotels. We can easily kill the hen that lays the golden eggs.‚  Solely left to the Private Sector mentality of making a fast buck that can really happen.

Hotels can be classified into a few categories: Luxury, Medium, Budget and small Bed and Breakfast.‚  Countries like Thailand, with which we have to compete‚  have a very large network of Medium and Budget Hotels where they adhere to a high standard of service and the prices are around half of what one is charged in Sri Lanka.‚  To start with Sri Lanka requires more medium and budget hotels and the charges have to be reduced. This is true of Singapore too. The charges in Sri Lanka are above the Singaporean level. To my mind most of the tourists come to the Medium and Budget Hotels and this is an area that has to be looked into.‚  Further many‚  tourists that come to Sri Lanka are of the low budget type, the frugal, who rarely spend.

Tourists are of different categories. Some come to have fun and games, while others come to enjoy the natural beauty, enjoy the beaches and to see places of historic importance.

The Natural Beauty

Our natural beauty is something that we do not appreciate ourselves. I have already commented on the grandeour of sunrise at Siripada and Pidurutalagala.‚  The Northern Lights are amply advertised. Similarly we have to show tourists what they can expect at sunrise and I am certain that tourists will flock to the top of Sri Pada and Pidurutalagala at sunrise and the hotels in Nuwara Eliya and Hatton and Maskeliya can gain a windfall in offering accommodation. This is employment creation, something that we do required most.‚  Even Worlds End which is a sight not to be missed and can well attract may tourists is not publicized and has no proper accommodation up to date.

Any tourist guide on California delves deep into the natural beauty of the‚  Big Sur- the stretch of coastal roadway from Monterey to Los Angeles. The road winds its way along the rugged coast. The Oregan coast to the North of California is also a marvel in scenery. Many tourists drive enjoying the scenery for hours on end. On my travels in Sri lanka I have seen many such marvels. One is the stretch from Deniyaya to Rakwana. It is a winding road, with ten hairpin bends when the road drops to Rakwana. One can see the stunning scenery to the south. The road needs to be carpeted and there should be vista points where tourists can park their cars and watch the scenery for hours.‚  A few hotels should come up facing this marvellous sight.

Another marvel is the stretch from Belihul Oya to Haldummulla and Haputale. It a glorious sight. One can see the Kataragama Hills and beyond- even the sea.‚  The last time I drove from Haputale I was sad that there was no parking space to park and watch this glorious sight.

Another such drive is the Kandy- Mahiyangana‚  road when the road takes the hair pin bends where one can see far out into the Eastern Plains.

We have all driven again and again to Kandy and have been mesmerised by the scenery that one can see at Kadugannawa. One can see the Bible Rock and hills in the distance. Sadly there is no parking space to park one-â„¢s car and watch this glorious sight with the clouds dashing on the hills above. .

Another beautiful drive is the road from Ella to Moneragala. The road is rugged and the last time I tried I had to back track to Ella because the road was too rough.

In‚  all these places the roads need to be widened at spots of vantage beauty to enable motorists to park and‚  enjoy the beautiful scenery. A few kiosks can crop to cater to thirsty tourists. This is employment creation, income for the rural folk. In many other countries I have seen‚  artists sitting for hours portraying the scenes on parchment. Not so in Sri lanka where we have not thought of providing the essentials.

Publicity

We have to use the various flower shows etc in the world to attract people. In the UK the Chelsea, Hampton Court‚  Flower Shows are a hive of activity and many countries have stalls to show their beauty and attract tourists. But I was sad not to see a single scenery from Sri lanka displayed at the Sri lanka stall at the Floriade Show in Netherlands last year. It was a Show that was continuous for three months and other‚  countries like India‚  were making headway while the Sri Lankan Stall had only eats, and crafts It was done by the Jayakodys, related to the Premadasa faction.‚  I was told that the organizers sought material to display and never received any.

Unfortunately political rivalry too eats into our future.‚  The Party Political System of democracy was foisted on us to divide us and keep us fighting for ever. Sadly tourism to has to suffer. Not so in Western democracies like the USA, Canada and the UK where after the fighting at the elections are over and someone gets elected the people move together and attend to development tasks in unity. Sadly not so in Sri Lanka where political affiliations even divide brothers and sisters in a single family.

Tourism should help the locals; it should not be an investment for foreigners.

I note that in some areas like Arugam Bay many hotels are owned by foreigners. This is something peculiar to Sri Lanka. In other countries hotels are owned by locals. Then the profits stay within the country. Foreigners will hog any place to make money. Tourism too should be run not to use local people as waiters, and chefs. Instead all hotels should be run by locals. Foreigners come in attracted by BOI tax concessions. We forget that they take earnings away and also close shop when the tax haven ends. The net loser is us.

Perhaps my experience of establishing rice mills‚  may be valid. Once in the Fifties we needed rice mills fixed up fast. The Government identified the areas where the rice mills should crop up and‚  called for offers from the private sector to develop rice mills. We provided the foreign exchange, the expertise and the guidance for local people if they were to put up rice mills. I worked in that team, Then we controlled development. It will be good if vantage areas so far not touched by hotels be mapped out like the Ella- Moneragala stretch, the Belihul Oya- Haputale streth, the Nuwara Eliya- Gampola stretch, Deniyaya- Rakwana stretch‚  etc where there are no hotels where one can lounge on a chair and gaze for hours at the pristine beauty that nature has bequeathed to us. The Government has to provide incentives for local people to invest in hotels.

Ancient Ruins

Sri Lanka is a country that is not only steeped in history dating back to the pre Christian Era, but has massive tanks, dagobas, statues, caves, frescoes etc.‚  We can easily compare our ancient sights to any other country. We are not providing enough facilities for tourists to see these places. Tours should be organized with Colombo, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Hambantota as the base.‚  There should be day tours and a few day tours advertised where a‚  ticket can be purchased by anyone and the person will be collected from a hotel. This could lead to the development of Tourist Terminals.‚  A country that has developed ancient sites in tourism is Northern Cambodia where ruins like Angkor Wat have been publicized and many tourists are attracted. There Tourism is a hive of activity.

Trained Guides

An essential category for tourism are guides. They should be smartly dressed and be informative. This is lacking in Sri Lanka. It would augur well to have an uniformed‚  tourist guide service, well trained in the historical aspects of the various sites.‚  I am not aware whether there is a School or College imparting that knowledge. We should have‚  a College for this purpose or even a university degree in Tourism. In India my guide had‚  a good knowledge of history and was very informative.

The guides should also be taught to take care of our artifacts. The last time I went up to Sigiriya frescoes the guides even allowed the tourists to touch the frescoes. The Archelogical‚  guides too have to be trained to attend to security. In India the guides are great at keeping the people away from handling artifacts.

Rental Cars

Unlike other countries where a tourist has to travel a few hundred miles to see mountains and sandy stretches, in Sri Lanka one can get to Nuwara Eliya‚  within hours. For this purpose we should have adequate modes of travel. Many‚  tourists come in groups of less than ten and to cater to that crowd there should be good car and van rental firms that provide a good service. My experience of getting rental cars was a major problem till recently. Either the cars were not roadworthy or they developed defects‚  and I had to get them repaired. Once I had to replace a battery. Another time it was a radiator leak. All this happened out of Colombo and I had to fend for myself hoping that the rental car owner will honour the expenses of the repair. Once it was a Third Party Insurance. This proved to be a nightmare till I went to Kings Rent a Car at Battaramulla where the staff is courteous and the cars are really roadworthy. They even have a service to send the car for collection at the Airport.

In Sri Lanka we do not have a mobile repair service like the AA(Automobile Association)‚  and the RAC in the UK where we can phone in if our car packs in and‚  an automotive engineer will be at hand.‚  Kings Rent A car provides this service to their own rental cars and if necessary they send an immediate replacement. I have never required that service, but it is a necessity.

In every country I travel, I slump into a rental car at the Airport which I return after clocking around three thousand miles.. Our Airport at Katunayake should have the facility of having a number of rental car firms where any tourist can shop around. It would be good if the Airport was to have a separate room to house the rental car companies till we have separate kiosks for them to function when the rental car business develops. In Bangkok each rental car has a kiosk of‚  only‚  ten square feet and all are housed in one row which makes it easy for the tourists to select a car of their choice.

There should be parking facilities for a few cars for each firm at the Airport itself.‚  This is something that can be done immediately.

In Indonesia enamoured by their train service, we took a train to their second city Yogyakarta hoping to find a rental car there. I was disappointed because in Indonesia rental cars can be had only at the Jakarta Airport. I ended travelling by coach and train carrying my luggage which proved a nasty experience.‚  In the case of Sri Lanka there should be car rental firm units in Kandy and Anuradhapura,‚  and First Class travel by trains should be developed for tourists. The scenery that one can enjoy on the Kandy Badulla rail route‚  is not to be missed. In this regard I may state that Indian Railways have developed their Express trains to the maximum providing an excellent service. We have to emulate them.

Restaurants enroute

On all tourist routes there should be restaurants with toilet facilities like what is provided today by the StateSector at Warakapola and by the Private Sector at Ambepussa, where tourists can rest, enjoy a meal and proceed.‚  In my days the Rest Houses run by the Government Agents provided this service ,but today some of these Rest Houses have been developed into luxury hotels.‚  It will be apt for the Tourist Board to map out central spots every thirty miles on every route where this facility could be provided. Existing Restaurants should be guided to provide proper toilet facilities.

Ardous Driving‚ 

Driving in Sri Lanka like driving in Bangkok requires the special ability to figure out that all road rules will never be followed by local drivers. On many an occasion I have had to take my car off the road onto drains in order to avoid an accident. Tourists trying to motor in Sri Lanka should be spared this ordeal. It is necessary that the Police become active to ensure that traffic rules are followed. In my visit a year ago I sensed that the motorists in Colombo adhere to many rules. This has to be followed up to make car driving safe for tourists. In Sri Lanka one cannot even cross the road. I generally cross the road in my car.‚  It takes a drive of a mile or more but unfortunately that is the only way. In Iceland the motorists are extremely careful and in the city they drive at a snails-â„¢ pace. In the UK one dare not go fast. If one gets caught there is a fine and three such instances and one is off the road. Further the car insurance is increased with every traffic offence.. Driving should be an enjoyable exercise.

Road Directions

To develop motoring tourists there have to be ample road markings providing directions at junctions. Road maps should also be available for the country as well as for various cities.

Beaches and Swimming

Our beaches are spectacular sights. These have been publicized and do attract tourists today. Many hotels have cropped up on the Southern coast‚  and in the East at Pasikuda, Arugam Bay, Nellaveli etc.

Beaches and safe seas are a major attraction. Recent newspapers have highlighted many deaths by drowning. Tourists come to enjoy a swim, not to get back in a‚  coffin. Having been a swimmer myself it is a great experience to stretch oneself in the‚  sunny waters. Unfortunately there are various currents, mostly underground and which have to be avoided. Such places have to be made known by boards warning tourists not to bathe there. A year ago I stretched myself in the sea at Mount Lavinia. A few days later I was shaken up when I was told that that was a very dangerous stretch. There should have been a warning sign. At Polhena in Matara adjacent at the marvel of the sea where safe snorkeling can be done there is a deep section in front of the hotels which is not marked as dangerous . This is the spot that took in my friend ASP Peter Gunawardena. Once I was myself involved when we brought a man out of the water and because he was lifeless we rushed him to the Matara Hospital where his life was saved.‚  That day I did carry a dead man to the hospital in my swimming trunk. That was our Health System at its best. At places like MountLavinia Beach during the mornings on week ends there should also be an ambulance in waiting.

Life Saver‚  squads should be available. In my days there was a fully equipped life saving squad at the Mount Lavinia beach. Once someone in distress is spotted this squad gets into action when one swimmer with a rope swims out to the person in distress, grabs him and is hauled to the shore by the squad. I would have been in that squad if not for my books.

While having a life saving squad is costly one can have trained life savers on duty. It is a single person‚  who is a strong swimmer who is trained to snatch the drowning person from behind, how to overpower him and to swim back holding him at a distance. This training is essential because a drowning person grabs the life saver and in many instances the life saver too drowns. This is a difficult expertise and perhaps the Swimming Clubs can offer this expertise.

Murders and Fights

Tourists do not come to get beaten to death. There have been a few‚  such instances which have to be avoided at all costs. A few such instances and we can forget tourism altogether.‚  We have to be serious. Tourism not only brings us foreign exchange; it also brings us employment and incomes to people.

Another matter of great concern is the quality of food. Around fifteen years ago we ordered dinner. I did not like the look of three dishes and sniffed them and found them putrid. I called for the Rest House Keeper and gave him a piece of my mind. That was at the Kitulgala Rest House. Last year‚  one in my party suffered a bad stomach after lunch at the Rakwana Rest House. When I told this to friends they advised me to eat only a vegeterian meal at Rest Houses. In my days‚  public servants always hogged the rest houses for meals and we got feed back. The report of one putrid dish and the rest house keeper lost his job. I read often of fines levied for putrid food at hotels in Colombo. There is no point in fining and we have some idiotic magistrates‚  whose fines are ridiculously low.‚  The only method is to fine and invariably close the restaurant.

Local Tourists

We tend to have forgotten local tourists. Local tourism is also important. In certain countries there are two tarrifs one for the locals and another for foreigners.‚  Today in Sri Lanka‚  local tourism is non existent. The hotel staff tend to cater more to foreign tourists.. Long ago the Tissamaharama Rest House was a hive of activity providing meals and lodging at a reasonable rate for locals. We were at home there whenever we dropped in. Some fifteen years ago I had a nasty experience after the‚  Tissamarama Rest House had been taken over for foreigners. We dropped in to have a cup of tea on our way to Kataragama.‚  We ordered the tea and short eats and waited and waited, reminded and reminded. Finally after thirty minutes we walked away in disgust. The staff were not catering to the local crowd. Since then I avoid that place like the plague. Many of our old rest houses have margined into hotels for the affluent and their staff have this mentality. They want a dollar tip.

That could also be the end of tourism. Sri Lanka attracts very few top range tourists. We generally get in the mid and the budget range. The current economic woes in Western affluent countries have had their effect to reduce the incomes of people in those countries which means less tourists for our countries.

It is a good Chinese saying that one must walk on two legs. It may be a good idea to cater to local tourism too in addition to tourism for foreign customers.‚  Any day that foreigners drop off the local tourists will be there for our hotels. This is a matter for immediate concern. Local tourists need facilities and food at a reasonable rate.‚ ‚  In countries like the USA this local tourism is well developed where there are Motels at very reasonable rates for budget travelers and locals while there are the luxury Marriotts and Hiltons for the super rich.

May the ideas that I have dared to pen‚  help the Tourist industry in our country.

Garvin Karunaratne former Government Agent, Matara

15 th November 2013

By a concerned Kandyan: Dr Sudath Gunasekara. Mahanuwara

Naming newly acquired bear cubs in the Dehiwala Zoo.

I read that these two cubs have been named as Nilame and Menike.I regret very much this foolish decision made by the Zoo authorities. This is highly defamatory and malicious.Therefore, I demand this foolish and defamatory decision should be withdrawn immediately and corrected in the press and the YOUTUBE as it is an attempt made by some scruples donkey, to defame the Kandyans and humiliate them, with the intention of doing so or not. He should withdraw it immediately. I also demand that the man or the woman who made this decision should be punished.

Thereafter, pl find a suitable name for a bear.

The term Nilame was coined and used to designate a faithful servant of the King in traditional Kandyan Sinhala society. It means the bearer of a high position in the service of the King and the People and the Sasana as all three were one, as the Mahavansa says. The term Menike was used to call the lady of the house.Both terms were used in an honorary sense. The father was called Loku Nilame and the lady Loku Menike The male children Podi Nilame and females Podi Manike. The person whether an officer or a Minister must be ashamed to have defamed and humiliated great clan of our society who fought for nearly 350 year against the Portuguese, Dutch and the British invaders to save the Sinhale Kingdom and Sinhala nation together with the Buddha Sasana for have a land for all of us to live without being disappearing like the Natives of North and South America,,Australia and New Zealand. As such instead of honoring those Great people and paying respect to them, nobody should be allowed to humiliate them by resorting to this type of low and unsavory tactics. Dr Sudath Gunasekara. Mahanuwara 28.3.2025

Courtesy The Island

Leader of ‘Pivithuru Hela Urumaya’ Udaya Gammanpila has alleged that US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, has omitted certain words from the statement issued by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to the sanctions imposed by the UK government on former military chiefs.

Commenting regarding the matter, Gammanpila said: We think that Minister Vijitha Herath wrote the statement engulfed in patriotic thoughts, but US Ambassador Julie Chung, who has power over the government, must have omitted certain words and edited the statement.”

The Canadian Tamil Congress that congratulated President Anura Dissanayake when he rose to power sent a congratulatory letter to the President urging him to fulfill his duties, stating that they have completed theirs”, Gammanpila stated, questioning the government on what these responsibilities which they have promised to the Canadian Tamil congress.

It has not been revealed to the country as yet. We have to assume that the government is fulfilling their duties to the Canadian Tamil congress when the government is responding lackadaisically to Britain’s hunt against military personnel”, he said.

Courtesy Adaderana

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened a high-level meeting today (28) at the Presidential Secretariat with senior officials from the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, as well as the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction and Housing. 

During the discussion, the President instructed the relevant officials to expedite the construction of the Mirigama-Kadawatha section of the Central Expressway, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.  

The meeting also focused on the Colombo Port Access Elevated Highway project, with deliberations on strategies to swiftly integrate its benefits into the national economy. Furthermore, the meeting also explored both short-term and long-term solutions to address associated challenges. 

Addressing the urgent need to mitigate traffic congestion in Colombo, discussions centred on upgrading the railway system and standardizing bus and road transportation service. The implementation of a pilot project in the Colombo District was proposed as an initial step toward these improvements. 

Furthermore, discussions were held regarding the development of multimodal transport hubs in Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala and Moratuwa, aimed at improving urban mobility and streamlining public transportation.

The meeting also included extensive discussions on identifying underutilized lands belonging to the Railway Department that do not contribute to the national economy and implementing proper management strategies to optimize their use, the PMD said.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake, Minister of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing Anura Karunatilaka, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake and other senior officials from the relevant Ministries.

–PMD

Courtesy Adaderana

It was revealed in the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) that a private company named ‘Savorite’ was issued Waiver of Registration (WoR) certificates to import 38 types of medicines in 2022 without the evaluation of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). 

The former Secretary to the Ministry of Health also informed the Committee that the former Minister of Health had given instructions to select this private company called ‘Savorite’ to import medicines in this way.

This was disclosed when the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) of Parliament met in Parliament on Wednesday (March 26), under the chairmanship of Member of Parliament (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera, to examine the Auditor General’s reports for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 and the current performance of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, the Department of Communication of Parliament said.

The Committee Chair informed the committee that on December 30, 2022, the NMRA had issued Waiver of Registration (WoR) certificates to a private company named ‘Savorite’ for the import of 38 types of medicines submitted through unsolicited proposals without the evaluation of the NMRA. The Committee Chair said that the NMRA has abdicated its responsibility, stating that the purpose of establishing the NMRA is to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of those medicines and that it cannot be handed over to the Medical Supplies Sector.

Former members of the Board of Directors of the NMRA said that since the import of medicines through a special pathway with prior approval was carried out, the Board of Directors could not grant permission for it without conducting a proper evaluation. Therefore, they said that they did not accept responsibility in this regard.

Accordingly, this matter was discussed at length in the committee, and it was revealed that the former Minister of Health had instructed to select a private company called ‘Savorite’ to import the medicines in short supply for 3 months.

Meanwhile, the Committee also discussed at length the Cabinet Memorandum submitted by the former Minister of Health on 26 September 2022. The Committee Chair inquired from the Ministry of Health officials about the fact that a large number of medicines would reach zero levels within the next 3 weeks from the date of submission of the relevant Cabinet Memorandum. 

The officials who responded said that the information had been added to the Cabinet Memorandum based on the information obtained from the existing database regarding medicines. However, the committee Chair said that it was unacceptable for a large number of medicines to reach zero levels at the same time and that the relevant responsible officials had acted irresponsibly until such a level was reached.

The Auditor General, who spoke at the time, stated that the medicines that were ordered and to be received in advance have also been imported, citing that the medicines have reached zero levels.

Accordingly, the committee chair instructed the officials to submit a full report to the Committee on who were the officials involved in preparing this Cabinet Memorandum. The Chair further stated that a full report regarding the import of these medicines will be prepared by the Committee and submitted to Parliament, and that necessary action will be taken expeditiously.

The Members of Parliament Mano Ganeshan, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, S. M. Marikkar, Chaminda Wijesiri, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Chandima Hettiarachchi, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Kosala Nuwan Jayaweera, Sudath Balagalla, (Dr.) S. Sri Bavanandarajah, Lieutenant Commander (Retd.) Prageeth Madhuranga and Samanmali Gunasinghe were present in this committee meeting.

Dr. Asoka Bandarage

Following independence from Britain, both India and Sri Lanka emerged as leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement, which sought to advance developing nations’ interests during the Cold War. Indeed, the term “non-alignment” was itself coined by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during his 1954 speech in Colombo. The five principles of the Non-Aligned Movement are: mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty; mutual non-aggression; mutual non-interference in domestic affairs; equality and mutual benefit; and peaceful co-existence.”

Later, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi played a key role in supporting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s 1971 proposal to declare the Indian Ocean a Zone of Peace at the United Nations.

Such progressive ideals are in stark contrast to the current neocolonial  negotiations between the two countries.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s forthcoming visit to Sri Lanka on April 4, 2025, is presented as representing a mutually beneficial partnership that will bring economic development to debt-burdened Sri Lanka. However, the details of the strategic agreements to be signed during Modi’s visit remain undisclosed to the public. This opacity cannot be a good sign and should not be accepted uncritically by the media or the people of either nation.

The Indo-Lanka Agreement of July 29, 1987, was also crafted without consultation with the Sri Lankan people or its parliament. It was signed during a 48-hour curfew when former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi arrived in Sri Lanka. This agreement led to the imposition of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution and established the Provincial Council system. The political framework it created continues to challenge Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Rather than bringing peace, India’s 1987 intervention resulted in one of the most violent and chaotic periods in the island’s recent history.

Will these agreements being finalized with Prime Minister Modi also lead to a period of pillage and plunder of the island’s resources and worsening conditions for its people, rather than delivering the promised economic benefits? It is crucial that any bilateral agreements include enforceable measures to stop Indian bottom trawlers from illegally fishing in Sri Lankan territorial waters. This decades-long practice has caused severe damage to Sri Lanka’s marine resources and inflicted significant economic losses on its fishing communities.

Facing an increasing Chinese presence in Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean, India has sought to strengthen its political, economic, strategic and cultural influence over Sri Lanka through various overt and covert means. During Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis, for example, India provided $4 billion in financial assistance through currency swaps, credit lines, and loan deferrals that enabled Sri Lanka to import essential goods from India. While this aid has helped Sri Lanka, it has also served India’s interests by countering China’s influence and protecting Indian business in Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit represents the culmination of years of Indian initiatives in Sri Lanka spanning maritime security, aviation, energy, power generation, trade, finance, and cultural exchanges. For example, India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for digital payments was introduced in Sri Lanka in February 2024, and in October 2023 India provided funds to develop a digital national identity card for Sri Lanka raising concerns about India’s access to Sri Lanka’s national biometric identification data. Indian investors have been given preferential access in the privatization of Sri Lanka’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in key sectors like telecommunications, financial services, and energy. The Adani Group’s West Terminal project in Colombo Port is explicitly designed to counter China’s control over Sri Lanka’s port infrastructure, including the Colombo International Container Terminal, Hambantota Port, and Port City Colombo.

India and Sri Lanka have recently agreed to resume negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ECTA), which focuses primarily on the service sector and aims to create a unified labor market. However, Sri Lankan professional associations have raised concerns that ECTA could give unemployed and lower-paid Indian workers a competitive advantage over their Sri Lankan counterparts. These concerns must be properly addressed before any agreement is finalized.

On December 16, 2024, India and Sri Lanka signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in New Delhi to enhance cooperation in defense, energy, and infrastructure development. These include plans for electricity grid interconnection and a multi-product petroleum pipeline between the two countries. Building on these agreements, construction of the Sampur power plant in Trincomalee is expected to begin during Prime Minister Modi’s April visit.

The Sampur power plant project, combined with India’s takeover of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm, represents a significant step toward integrating Sri Lanka into India’s national energy grid. This development effectively brings Trincomalee’s strategic natural harbor – often called the crown jewel” of Sri Lanka’s assets – under Indian control, transforming it into a regional energy hub. In 1987, during India’s military intervention in Sri Lanka, New Delhi pressured Colombo into signing a secret agreement stipulating that the British-era Trincomalee oil tank farm would be jointly developed with India and could not be used by any other country.

While India promotes its energy interconnection projects as enhancing regional energy security, recent experiences in Nepal demonstrate how electricity grid integration with India has made Nepal dependent on and subordinate to India for its basic energy needs. Similarly, Bangladesh’s electricity agreement with the Adani Group has created an imbalanced situation favoring Adani over Bangladeshi power consumers. What collective actions could Sri Lanka and other small nations take to avoid such unequal “energy colonialism” and protect their national security and sovereignty?

India’s emergence as a superpower and its expansionist policies are gradually transforming neighboring South Asian and Indian Ocean states into economically and politically subordinate entities. Both Sri Lanka and the Maldives have adopted “India First” foreign policies in recent years, with the Maldives abandoning its “India Out” campaign in October 2024 in exchange for Indian economic assistance.

India’s “Neighborhood First Policy” has led to deep involvement in the internal affairs of neighboring countries including Sri Lanka. This involvement often takes the form of manipulating political parties, exploiting ethnic and religious divisions, and engineering political instability and regime changes – tactics reminiscent of colonial practices. It is well documented that India provided training to the LTTE and other terrorist groups opposing the Sri Lankan government during the civil war. Many in Sri Lanka also suspect, though without conclusive evidence, that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was involved in both the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings and the 2022 Aragalaya protest movement during Sri Lanka’s economic crisis.

Contemporary Indian expansionism must be viewed within the broader context of the New Cold War and intensifying geopolitical competition between the United States and China. Given its strategic location along the vital east-west shipping routes in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has become a pawn in this great power rivalry. In addition to granting China extensive control over key infrastructure, Sri Lanka has signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States, effectively allowing the use of Sri Lanka as a U.S. military logistics hub. It was reported that during a visit to Sri Lanka in February 2023, Victoria Nuland, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States strongly suggested the establishment of a joint US-Indian military base in Trincomalee to counter Chinese activities in the region.

As a member of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) – a strategic alliance against Chinese expansion that includes the United States, Australia and Japan – India participates in extensive QUAD military exercises like the Malabar exercises in the Indian Ocean. However, India’s role in QUAD appears inconsistent with its position as a founding member of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), which was established to promote the interests of emerging economies and a multipolar world order. Unfortunately, BRICS appears to be replicating the same patterns of domination and subordination in its relations with smaller nations like Sri Lanka that characterize traditional imperial powers.

India presents itself as the guardian of Buddhism, particularly in its relations with Sri Lanka, to foster a sense of shared cultural heritage. However, it was Sri Lanka – not India – that preserved the Buddha’s teachings as they declined and eventually disappeared from India. Sri Lanka maintained the Buddhist tradition despite seventeen major invasions from India aimed at destroying the island’s Buddhist civilization.

Even today, despite its extensive influence, India has not taken meaningful steps to protect Buddhist temples and archaeological sites in Sri Lanka’s north and east from attacks by Tamil separatist groups. Instead, India appears focused on advancing the concept of Akhand Bharat (Undivided India) and Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation), which seeks to incorporate neighboring countries like Sri Lanka into a “Greater India.” The promotion of the bogus Ramayana Trail in Sri Lanka and the accompanying Hinduization pose a serious threat to preserving Sri Lanka’s distinct Buddhist identity and heritage.

Indian neocolonialism in Sri Lanka reflects a global phenomenon where powerful nations and their local collaborators – including political, economic, academic, media and NGO elites – prioritize short-term profits and self-interest over national and collective welfare, leading to environmental destruction and cultural erosion. Breaking free from this exploitative world order requires fundamentally reimagining global economic and social systems to uphold harmony and equality.

In this global transformation, India has a significant role to play. As a nation that endured centuries of Western imperial domination, India’s historical mission should be to continue to lead the struggle for decolonization and non-alignment, rather than serving as a junior partner in superpower rivalries. Under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, India championed the worldwide movement for decolonization and independence in the modern era.

Upholding the principles of the Non-Aligned Movement could forge a partnership benefiting both nations while preserving Sri Lanka’s independence and Buddhist identity. Otherwise, the New Cold War will continue to trample local sovereignty, where foreign powers vie to exploit the island’s resources, subjugate local communities and accelerate environmental and cultural destruction.

Shenali D Waduge

All citizens of Sri Lanka irrespective of party politics must stand together united in defense of Sri Lanka & its National Army. All those with the ability to analyze history, its legacies & the colonial crimes committed but unaccounted for should question the manner in which those who stand guilty of 500 years of colonial crimes and human rights violations of the non – European peoples, are now brandishing the weapon of Human Rights while having lost all moral authority to do so. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka which comprises over 25, 000 members currently are tasked to interpret the law & must now come forward in defense of the Nation. If they came forward to provide free legal services to hooligans inducted by Western funds to overthrow a legitimately elected President in 2022, why can’t they come forward in defense of Sri Lanka’s National Army & Sri Lanka using the law?

The leaders of the UK and other Western Christian nations have become the world’s laughing stock.

Their use of the International Criminal Justice system in a shameless manner in a Witch Hunt of Third World countries leaders and soldiers, have generated amusement and anger among the people of Third World nations.

It is like Hitler preaching Human Rights to the Jews whose relatives died in the Holocaust.

Having lost moral authority by evading Accountability for Colonial Crimes, not allowing International Truth Commissions to conduct public hearings on British Crimes, refusing to repatriate stolen artifacts now displayed in British Museums to their rightful owners in former colonies, among other wrongdoings, have reduced the public image of Britain to its lowest level since the signing of the Magna Carta in the 13th century. Today, the mighty British govt is depriving the basic needs of its own people to fund wars abroad while the British are suffering back home, while a handful of British MPs are in the pocket of terrorist/separatist promoters & abusing their office & misusing British tax payers money to press for sanctions against Sri Lanka.

Britain is not a symbol of Righteousness. It has now become a symbol of Wickedness, Duplicity, Divide and Rule, Promoter of cut – throat disputes among people of minority religions and races against the majority in former colonies.

The UK is a dying nation and in a last flicker of the dying flame UK is trying to salvage and white wash its poor Human Rights record by joining hands with the Tamil Diaspora whose membership comprises a large number of Terrorists who have fled Sri Lanka and are evading Accountability for their crimes in Sri Lanka.

The BASL’s reputation has come into question with the former BASL President having to resign from his position & BASL accused of accepting funding from USAID & other destabilizing Western agencies which has questioned their integrity in the minds of the General Public. There is much that the BASL must do to regain its tarnished reputation.

The present scenario is best suited for lawyers of the BASL irrespective of their political affiliations to come forward in defense of the Nation against the malicious allegations hurled by the UK Govt 16 years after LTTE terrorism has ended sans any proof but relying on LTTE sources & propaganda to impose sanction on select military heads clearly proving an agenda & political witch-hunt at play.

When the Medical Association comes forward to provide their expertise in affairs related to the medical field, the present UK Govt. press release requires a matching response by way of legal interpretation & legal action by Sri Lanka’s Bar Association.

The Bar Association must take up this challenge & come forward as a group or as individual lawyers to challenge the British Govt’s decision.

This is a challenge that the Bar Association must accept without any reservation.

With a newly elected President Mr Rajeev Amarasuriya about to accept Office and lead the BASL, the time is ripe for BASL to shed its past that was dependent on the funds of the World’s biggest trouble maker USAID, and re-calibrate its future in a Patriotic manner to serve the nation. Nothing less would suffice at this important juncture.

Shenali D Waduge

Saeed Naqvi

Dated: 22.03.2025

President Trump, who promised to end wars and never start one, has travelled 8,000 miles to bomb Yemen. If he continues, Yemen will be his Vietnam and Afghanistan. In many ways they are similar countries, populated by dogged fighters. Since the President and his team know not a jot about its history, sociology, topography, herewith, a brief note from my travels.

At a height of 8,500 ft, the old city of Sanaa, capital of Yemen, has a magical air of leisure, its maze of lanes, lined with multistoried mud and brick mansions, decorated with exquisite mosaic.

But the peace of Sanaa disguises the storm clouds of conflict, every bit as complex and dramatic as Afghanistan. The reason why Yemen conflicts do not dominate our TV screens is easily explained. The theatres of conflict in Saa’da, for instance bordering Saudi Arabia, are bare, steep and craggy mountains, suited more for rock climbers than TV crews.

That Wahabi rulers from adjoining Saudi Arabia in the 19^th century destroyed Najaf, the Shrine of Ali, and Karbala, gives clues of the theological Saudi-Yemeni conflict which remains unresolved to this day.

How did a system of Imams find root in Yemen? Prophet Mohammad’s son-in-law, Hazrat Ali is the first Imam for the Shias. Sunnis revere him as the fourth caliph. Somewhere there lies the roots of Shia-Sunni tussle. Ali was sent to Sanaa by the Prophet as Qazi or Judge.

Ali’s oldest son, Hasan, is the second Imam. Younger son, Hussain, the martyr of Karbala is the 3^rd. Hussain’s son, Zain-ul-Abedin was the only surviving male relative of Hussain at Karbala because he was ailing and could not go into battle.

He recovered and became the fourth Imam. His two sons Baqar Ibne Ali and Zaid Ibne Ali differed in their response to the Battle of Kabala. Baqar’s was the more Gandhian approach. He believed that martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his family at Karbala had already spurred a massive revival of Islam. Zaid thought the Omayyad had to be defeated. Zaid’s follower set up their Imamate in Yemen, much the more civilized part of the Arab peninsula.

Post Ottomans, Yemen remained two countries, north Yemen with a population of 20 million, with its capital at Sanaa. South Yemen, with a population of four million had its capital at Aden strategically local at the mouth of the Gulf of Aden.

The British therefore held onto it tenaciously until Arab socialism swept the Arab world under Nasser. The socialist ferver ousted the British in 1967. In the context of the cold war, raging then, Southern Yemen came under Soviet influence.

Here let me insert another detail even on the pain of complicating the narrative. When the last Imam Yahya, was under pressure from the Ottomans he bargained with the Saudis, his northern neighbour for peace. Under this bargain, two districts of Nigran and Jizan were given to the Saudis on a sort of renewable lease.

According to Dr. Nasr al-Naqeeb, a well known Sanaa intellectual, the two districts are oil rich”. Otherwise why would the Saudis accept two Shia dominated Yemeni towns next door to the militant Shias called the Houthis. Houthis derives from name of their leader Malik as Houthi.

Now, let us pick up the narrative chronologically from 1980s after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. The US, Saudis and Zia-ul-Haq started manufacturing extreme Islamists in countless Madarsas in Pakistan for which that country is paying the price to this day.

For Prince Naif bin Abdel Aziz, Saudi Interior Minister, the Pakistani Madarsas were not enough. Thoroughbred Arabs had to be trained in militant Islamism too. Just as the Afghan Mujahideen would expel the Soviets from Afghanistan, their counterparts would strive to unsettle pro Soviet Nasserism in Aden.

What better place to open training camps than in neighbouring Yemen, particularly since South Yemen was close to the very Soviets the militants were being trained to oust out of Afghanistan. Yemen President Saleh’s half brother Ali Mohsin al Ahmar took local charge of all the training camps. Look at the concept: bases for Islamic extremism would check wherever the Soviets reared their heads. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the picture has changed radically. It is this Arab component which is at the heart of what is called Al Qaeda as different from the Pushtoon dominated Taleban.

In 1990, therefore the South lost its principal Soviet support with the fall of the Soviet Union. The South could no longer resist unification. Saddam Hussain played a leading role in unification of Yemen in 1990.

Since Saleh, Yemani strongman in Sanaa at the time was beholden to Saddam Hussain, he opposed the wars on Iraq bringing him on a side opposed to the Saudis.

Taking advantage in a chill in Riadh-Sanaa relations, the Shia’s (Houthis) bordering Saudi Arabia stepped up their Shiaism” on both sides of the border. This offended the Saudis. The decade old Saudi-Yemen war destroyed Yemen but never defeated the Houthis. This despite air and intelligence support from the US and UK. Take note, President Trump.

There were once reports, put out by US intelligence, that 400 Hezbollah fighters were, at one stage, present to fight alongside the Shias. These fighters have since been withdrawn. In any case, there have been atleast five full fledged wars against Sanaa since 2002.

International pressure caused the two sides to sign a six-point peace agreement. One of the points was that the Shias will refrain from attacking Saudi territories”. This led to a kind of peace which I witnessed.

In the old town of Sanaa people sat around in circles chewing Qat, a bunch of leaves, a sort poor-man’s non-addictive cockaine (imagine paan with an intoxicating edge), spending their days in this legally sanctioned national habit, very easily oblivious of the storms which in their collective memories have hovered over them for as long as they can remember. The threat of raining hellfire” is one such President Trump.

By Palitha Ariyarathna

Synopsis: Kandy, a UNESCO World Heritage city, faces a waste management crisis with environmental and social impacts from the Gohagoda landfill and unsustainable solutions like waste diversion. Issues of dignity and accessibility for vulnerable groups highlight the need for inclusive approaches. Immediate actions like waste segregation, community engagement, and infrastructure investments are essential. Collaboration with stakeholders, such as the Governor, Clean Sri Lanka Project, and JICA, can transform Kandy into a model of sustainable urban development.

Kandy, March 2025 — The historic city of Kandy, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is at a critical juncture as it faces severe waste management challenges. Decades of mismanagement and lack of long-term planning have brought the city’s system to the brink of collapse. The Gohagoda landfill, operational since the 1970s, has reached maximum capacity, creating serious environmental, health, and social issues. Recent temporary measures, such as diverting waste to the Digana Aluthwatta area at a daily cost of LKR 50,000, represent an unsustainable financial burden. Meanwhile, the collection of pampers and ladies’ hygienic pads by Encare has failed to address the root causes of the crisis. This article explores Kandy’s key challenges and presents actionable solutions to establish a sustainable and inclusive waste management system that upholds human dignity while ensuring long-term environmental stewardship.

The Gohagoda landfill, operating for over 50 years, has evolved into a source of environmental degradation, health hazards, and social unrest. Positioned near the Mahaweli River, it risks water contamination through leachate runoff, threatening ecosystems and communities downstream. Residents have filed a “Saparadhi Aparadha” (negligence) case against the Kandy Municipality, citing gross mismanagement and deteriorating living conditions. The absence of proper leachate treatment facilities and environmental safeguards at the site underscores the need for immediate intervention. Without long-term planning, the landfill has become a symbol of institutional failure to manage waste responsibly. Temporary diversion of waste to Digana Aluthwatta costs LKR 50,000 daily, reflecting poor financial planning and failing to represent a viable long-term solution while draining municipal resources. Assuming that a 5-liter bag holds 2 kilograms, a 10-liter bag holds 5 kilograms, and a 20-liter bag holds 10 kilograms, Encare, tasked with managing non-biodegradable waste like pampers and hygienic pads, relies on the sale of specialized bags—priced at LKR 295 for a 5-liter bag, LKR 535 for a 10-liter bag, and LKR 1,065 for a 20-liter bag. By collecting one ton of non-compacted waste, Encare can earn only between LKR 53,250–147,500, exclusive of transportation and incineration fees. However, discussions with residents indicate that low-income families often avoid purchasing these bags due to financial constraints and privacy concerns, further underscoring the unsustainability of the current waste management model and its limited accessibility for vulnerable groups.

One of the key considerations in Kandy’s waste management strategy must be addressing the needs of vulnerable groups with empathy and respect. This includes not only schoolgirls and their families but also women, unemployed individuals, and other adult users of pampers and hygienic pads. For many individuals, especially those experiencing economic hardship, the prospect of openly seeking financial assistance for waste disposal can be deeply uncomfortable. Concerns about dignity and privacy often prevent these individuals from contacting municipal helplines to disclose their inability to afford Encare’s waste collection bags. Recognizing this barrier is essential. It underscores the need for proactive measures that respect cultural sensitivities and individual circumstances. The municipality must establish systems that allow these groups to access waste management services discreetly, without exposing their economic struggles or compromising their sense of self-worth. Establishing discreet collection points at schools, community centers, clinics, and residential areas would encourage usage without fear of judgment or stigma. Implementing privacy-first service models, such as discreet bag distribution and waste handling, would ensure these services are inclusive and compassionate. By embedding waste collection services within educational institutions and community hubs, Kandy can create trusted spaces for residents, ensuring that no one is left behind, regardless of financial situation.

To address the broader challenges, several proposed solutions are essential for establishing a more sustainable waste management system. Immediate interventions include introducing Effective Microorganisms (EM) at landfill sites to control odors, pests, and leachate contamination. Regular compaction and covering of waste will improve site conditions and reduce groundwater contamination. On the infrastructure front, source-level waste separation must be mandated, with localized composting and recycling partnerships to process biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, respectively. Public engagement and education are also crucial. Launching awareness campaigns that emphasize the importance of waste segregation can foster a culture of sustainability. Incentivizing eco-friendly practices through subsidies or tax benefits will further encourage households and businesses to participate in responsible waste management. In alignment with the Clean Sri Lanka Project, which promotes national efforts to reduce single-use plastics, enforce waste segregation, and introduce tech-driven solutions like smart waste monitoring systems, Kandy can enhance its strategies by adopting these best practices. By actively participating in this initiative, Kandy can contribute to the shared vision of a waste-free and sustainable future for the country.

Long-term investments in advanced composting plants, sanitary landfills, and public-private partnerships will be necessary to construct infrastructure capable of addressing Kandy’s waste management needs. Collaborations with organizations like JICA, which have supported impactful projects such as the Greater Kandy Urban Plan, can introduce innovative waste management solutions. These might include waste-to-energy technologies and biogas production, contributing to Kandy’s environmental sustainability goals. Targeted interventions for Lewella are also crucial. Establishing door-to-door collection services, pet waste management systems, and public awareness campaigns will help to reduce trash accumulation and promote eco-friendly practices within the community.

The waste management crisis in Kandy underscores the need for urgent action to address decades of neglect and mismanagement. By investing in infrastructure, fostering community engagement, and exploring innovative technologies, Kandy can transform its challenges into opportunities.

By Palitha Ariyarathna
JICA Commercial Group Community Group Secretary, Writer, Journalist, and Author, Former Beach Filed Officer and Life Safety Officer.

This article is not merely a critique to any person, company, or KMC but a call to action. With collective effort and visionary leadership, Kandy can evolve into a model city for sustainable urban development. Let us commit to a future where human dignity, environmental sustainability, and heritage preservation remain at the forefront.

Key Stakeholders for Action To address Kandy’s waste management crisis effectively, this article invites the attention of:

Governor of the Central Province: Ensuring regional policy alignment and resource mobilization.

Clean Sri Lanka Project: Supporting sustainable and tech-driven waste management strategies.

Women’s Organizations: Advocating for dignity, privacy, and inclusive waste management practices.

Kandy Municipal Council (KMC): Implementing innovative, community-centric waste management solutions.

JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency): Facilitating technical and financial collaboration for long-term infrastructure improvements.

References

1. Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. “Poverty Indicators-2019.” Accessible through the Ministry of Economic Policies and Plan Implementation. ISSN 1391-4693, April 2022.
2. Community reports and legal cases concerning Gohagoda landfill operations, including the ongoing “Saparadhi Aparadha” (negligence) case filed by nearby residents against the Kandy Municipality.
3. Leaflet distributed by the Kandy Municipality detailing Encare’s waste collection services and pricing structure.
4. Greater Kandy Urban Plan (GKUP) developed in collaboration with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), highlighting sustainable urban planning initiatives.
5. Lanka Web. “Environmental Concerns: Pollution, Illegal Dumping, or Inadequate Waste Management.” March 19, 2024. Accessible at https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2024/03/19/environmental-concerns-pollution-illegal-dumping-or-inadequate-waste-management/.
6. Academia. “Characterization of Landfill Leachate Draining from Gohagoda Municipal Solid Waste Open Dump Site for Dissolved Organic Carbon, Nutrients, and Heavy Metals.” Accessible at https://www.academia.edu/21495748/Characterization_of_landfill_leachate_draining_from_Gohagoda_municipal_solid_waste_open_dump_site_for_dissolved_organic_carbon_nutrients_and_heavy_metals.
7. Tropical Agricultural Research, Volume 13: 23-33 (2001). “Managing Solid Wastes in Kandy City: A Cost Effectiveness Analysis” by S. Liyanage and J. Weerahewa. Accessible through Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya.
8. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). “Kandy New Wastewater Management System.”
   o Financial assistance provided for construction to address wastewater challenges, benefiting over 300,000 residents and migrants. The project reduces pollution and enhances sanitation in Kandy.
9. JICA and GKUP Collaboration. “Greater Kandy Urban Plan (GKUP).”
   o Revises urban development strategies for sustainable growth, heritage preservation, and efficient waste management, with a focus on recycling and infrastructure improvements.
10. JICA. “Solid Waste Management Master Plan for Kandy.”
    o Emphasizes governance, ownership, and long-term waste solutions, envisioning a cleaner and healthier city prepared for rapid urbanization.

Wimal Weerawansa

Pathfinder Foundation

The India-Sri Lanka Strategic Dialogue, hosted by the Pathfinder Foundation in association with the Ananta Aspen Centre of India, took place in Colombo on 25 March 2025. Coming a week before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka on April 5, the Dialogue serves as a valuable platform to explore key bilateral and regional matters that are expected to influence the India-Lanka discourse.

Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of Pathfinder Foundation, delivered the opening remarks, followed by Dr. Naushad Forbes, Chairman of Ananta Aspen Centre. Indian High Commissioner Santhosh Jha delivered special remarks.   

Over four sessions, subject experts examined in-depth issues such as balancing great power influence in South Asia, the India-Lanka fishing dispute, securing the shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, defence cooperation within the Indian Ocean framework, India’s role in infrastructure development in Sri Lanka, and the opportunities for both countries to shape best practices and technology in digital governance.  The Dialogue emphasised the importance of strengthening India-Lanka economic ties, particularly in the context of Sri Lanka’s post-IMF recovery program.

Session 1, titled India and Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations,” was moderated by Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, the former High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka. Session 2, titled Strategic Partnerships in the Indian Ocean – India-Sri Lanka Relations for Regional Stability, ” was chaired by Ahmed A. Jawad, Director of the Pathfinder Foundation. Ms. Indrani Bagchi, Chief Executive Officer of Anantha Aspen Centre, moderated Session 3 on Navigating Investment Opportunities between India and Sri Lanka, ” while Mahesh Perera, Chief Executive Officer of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), chaired Session 4, which focused on Digital Public Infrastructure.” 

Pathfinder Foundation’s Director, Ahmed A. Jawad, and Indrani Bagchi, Chief Executive Officer of Anantha Aspen Centre, delivered closing remarks.

This latest interaction between Pathfinder and Ananta is the third in their series of discussions. The two sides previously held dialogues on ‘Bridging Borders: Enhancing Connectivity between India and Sri Lanka’ and’ Navigating the Maritime Maze: India and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean Region.’

The representatives of the two institutions held a wrap-up session at a breakfast hosted by Pathfinder Founder Milinda Moragoda, during which they discussed the future programs they plan to undertake.

Lanka Property Web

Industry experts at the Lanka Property Show 2025 expressed confidence in Sri Lanka’s real estate sector, highlighting its potential for growth despite past economic challenges. While factors such as rising interest rates, currency depreciation, and fluctuating taxes previously impacted the market, experts were optimistic that stabilizing interest rates, exchange rates, and tax policies will foster a more predictable and business-friendly environment for investors and homebuyers alike.

Building on this positive outlook, the Lanka Property Show 2025 reinforced the sector’s resilience and promising future. The event featured 25+ premier projects, including highly anticipated new launches, attracting a diverse audience of over 17,000 visitors both in person and virtually. The live stream on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube also garnered an impressive 59,721 views, further cementing the show’s success. The strong turnout and enthusiastic engagement from buyers, investors, and industry professionals underscored the sustained demand for real estate in Sri Lanka.

Now in its 9th edition, the Lanka Property Show (LPS)—the country’s largest property expo—was held on February 15th and 16th at the Kingsbury Hotel. Since its inception in 2017, the event has grown significantly, and in recent years, it has evolved into a hybrid physical and virtual show. This year saw an increase in visitors and exhibitors, reaffirming that buyers are actively returning to the market after the pandemic and economic downturn.

As in past editions, the Lanka Property Show 2025 hosted two engaging panel discussions, offering valuable industry insights. The first session delved into the growth and future of Sri Lanka’s property sector, examining key trends and market projections.

Kicking off the discussion, Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, former Governor of the Central Bank, shared his perspective on the evolving economic landscape. He noted that, unlike in the past, challenges such as high interest rates, currency depreciation, and tax instability are expected to stabilize. This shift, driven by stricter fiscal policies introduced through the Public Finance Management Act and the Central Bank Act, is set to create a more predictable and investment-friendly environment.

Discussing the current market landscape for developers, Prime Group Chairman, Mr. Premalal Brahmanage, highlighted that Sri Lanka has the highest construction costs in South Asia, making property development more expensive and limiting the supply of affordable housing. He emphasized the financial burden on developers, stating that  from the first bag of cement to the final sale, direct and indirect taxes can account for up to 40% of each property transaction.

With the real estate industry contributing around 7% to the country’s GDP and generating substantial tax revenue, he urged the government to provide greater support to the sector to ensure its sustained growth and affordability for buyers.

To address these challenges, the industry is actively exploring innovative solutions such as cheaper financing options, enhanced supply chains, and advanced construction techniques to improve affordability and sustainability in the market, added Mr. Brahmanage.

In summary of Mr. Brahmanage’s comments, the moderator, Mr. Dhananath Fernando, remarked, it sounds to me like you’re in the business of paying taxes and in the middle of it building some property”.

Addressing the challenges developers face in attracting foreign buyers, Mr. Kishore Reddy, Managing Director of Platinum Realty Investments urged the government to expedite the implementation of investor visas. Despite being gazetted, these visas remain difficult to obtain, posing a barrier to international investment in Sri Lanka’s property market. He highlighted the need to make housing more affordable by addressing import barriers on essential building materials such as tiles, aluminium, and other construction materials. The imposition of cess and high duties on these imports increases construction costs, ultimately impacting both developers and buyers. By reducing such restrictions, the government can facilitate more cost-effective development. He also noted that while the rupee has depreciated against the dollar, property values have risen proportionally, ensuring that investors have not faced losses. This natural market adjustment, he emphasized, reinforces the view that real estate remains a secure and reliable investment option.

The panel discussion, moderated by Dhananath Fernando, (CEO of the Advocata Institute) also featured Nadeem Shums, (Vice President at John Keells Holdings PLC) and Saminda Jayasekara, (Chairman, Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council and Property Law Consultant) providing an in-depth and balanced view of the future trajectory of the market.

Continuing with the theme of real estate and construction, the second panel discussion centered on the affordable construction of individual homes. Moderated by Dr. Prathap Kaluthanthri (MRICS, Head of the Department of Estate Management and Valuation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura), the panel featured Dr. Janaka Fernando (Head of the Department of Business Economics, University of Sri Jayewardenepura), Dr. Yasas Pathiranage (Business Consultant), Plnr. E.A.C. Piyashantha (Deputy Director General, Urban Development Authority), and Chartered Architect Tharangika Ranathungarachchi (Partner, Makevita and Ranathungarachchi Architects). The discussion covered vital themes for those looking to build houses, including passive design, locally sourced materials, adaptive design, green roofs and living walls, all aimed at reducing costs, improving efficiency, and enhancing affordability and sustainability of houses.

Concluding the discussions, Industry experts emphasized the need for policy stability, affordable housing solutions, and streamlined investment processes to drive growth. With strong buyer interest, increased investor confidence, and ongoing discussions on key industry challenges, the event highlighted a promising path forward for the sector. As Sri Lanka’s property market continues to evolve, collaborative efforts between stakeholders and policymakers will be crucial in ensuring sustainable growth and greater accessibility for both local and foreign buyers.

This year’s event truly embodied its theme, “Everything Under One Roof for Property Buyers,” by bringing together a comprehensive range of real estate opportunities and services. Exhibitors showcased a diverse selection of apartments, houses, and land projects across the country, while four leading banks offered home loans starting from 11.5%. Attendees also had access to house builders, solar providers, free legal consultations, and expert advisory services on buying and selling—all conveniently available under one roof throughout the two-day event to fulfil their property buying process in the same location.

It was made possible with the support of its esteemed sponsors and partners. Platinum sponsors included Marina Square, John Keells Properties and Iconic Galaxy, while Gold sponsors included  Baili Investment and Prime Group. The event was further supported by its Banking Partner, Commercial Bank along with the media partnership of Sirasa Media Network, Outdoor Media Partner Storm Media and Communication Partner Textware.

For more details on the event, visit www.lankapropertyweb.com/events.

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

රිතාන්‍ය ආණ්ඩුව විසින් දෙමළ බෙදුම්වාදින්ගේ ඡන්ද කුට්ටිය ඉලක්ක කරගෙන මෙරට රණවිරුවන් සිව්දෙනෙකුට පැනවූ තහනම සම්බන්දයෙන් විදෙස් ඇමති විජිත හේරත් මහතා ලබාදී ඇති පිළිතුර පතෝල” පිළිතුරක් ලෙස තමන් දකින බව පිවිතුරු හෙළ උරුමය නායක නීතිඥ උදය ගම්මන්පිල මහතා පවසයි.

පිවිතුරු හෙළ උරුමය නායකයා මේ බව සදහන් කර සිටියේ පිටකෝට්ටේ එම පක්ෂ මූල්සථානයේ පැවති මාධ්‍ය හමුවකට එක් වෙමිනි. එහිදී නීතිඥ උදය ගම්මන්පිල මහතා වැඩිදුරටත් මෙසේ අදහස් දැක්වීය.

බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ආණ්ඩුව විසින් දෙමළ බෙදුම්වාදින්ගේ ඡන්ද කුට්ටිය ඉලක්ක කරගෙන අපේ රණවිරුවන් සිව්දෙනෙකුට පැනවූ තහනම පිළිබඳ කල් මරමින් හිටි ආණ්ඩුව වෙනුවෙන් විදෙස් ඇමති විජිත හේරත් මැතිතුමා ඊයේ ප්‍රතිචාර දක්වා තිබෙනවා. හැබැයි ඒක ගුණත් නැති අගුණත් නැති පතෝල ප්‍රතිචාරයක්. ආණ්ඩුව කියනවා බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය කලේ ඒකපාර්ශවීය තීරණයක්. ඒක අමුතුවෙන් කියන්න දෙයක් නෑනෙ. ලංකා ආණ්ඩුව එක්ක කතා කරලා හවුලේ ගත්තු තීරණයක් කියලා ඒ ප්‍රකාශයේ නෑනෙ. විදේශ ඇමතිතුමා කියන ආකාරයට මෙම තීන්දුව නිසා ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සංහිඳියා ක්‍රියාවලිය තවදුරටත් ව්‍යාකූල වන බව කියන කතාව නම් සහතික ඇත්ත.

බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය මේ ආකාරයෙන් අපේ රණවිරුවන්ට බරපතල චෝදනාවකින් දමලා ගහද්දි ආණ්ඩුවෙන් අපි මීට වඩා ප්‍රබල ප්‍රතිචාරයක් බලාපොරොත්තු වුණා. මොකද රණවිරුවන් රණ බිමට ගියේ රට වෙනුවෙන් සේනාධිනායකගේ නියෝගයෙන් මිස හිතූමතේ නොවේ. අපේ රණවිරුවන් රැකගැනීමේ යුතුකමක් වගකීමක් ලංකා ආණ්ඩුවට තියෙනවා. මේ පිළිබඳ ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණේ ස්ථාවරය කුමක්ද කියන එක අපටත් ලොවටත් අදාළ නෑ. මේ පිළිබඳ මාලිමා ආණ්ඩුවේ මාලිමාවේ ස්ථාවරය අපිටත් ලොවටත් අදාළ නෑ. නමුත් රණවිරුවන් යුධ බිමට තල්ලු කරපු ලංකා ආණ්ඩුව මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් දක්වන ප්‍රතිචාරය පිළිබඳ මුළු ලෝකයම අවධියෙන් බලා ඉන්නවා.

ඒ නිසා බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ආණ්ඩුව මෙවැනි නිගමනයකට එළැඹෙන්න පවත්වපු විමර්ශනය මොකක්ද? රණවිරුවන් සිව් දෙනෙකු පමණක් තෝරා ගැනීමේ පදනම කුමක්ද? මේ රණවිරුවන්ට ලිංගික හිංසන පිළිබඳ චෝදනා පවා ඒ ප්‍රකාශයේ සඳහන් වෙනවා. එහෙම නම් මේ රණවිරුවන්ට තිබෙන නිශ්චිත චෝදනා මොනවාද? යුද සමයේ හිටපු යුද හමුදාපති මග හැරලා මුහුදේ සටන් වල හිටිය නාවික හමුදාපති පමණක් තෝරා ගැනීමේ පදනම කුමක්ද? යනාදි වශයෙන් ආණ්ඩුව විසින් බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ ප්‍රකාශය ප්‍රශ්න කළ යුතුව තිබුනා නමුත් ආවසනාවට ආණ්ඩුවේ ප්‍රකාශය තුළ මෙවැනි ප්‍රශ්න කිරිම් හරහා බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ මේ ප්‍රකාශය අභියෝගයට ලක් කරලා රණවිරුවන් රැක ගැනීම වෙනුවෙන් කිසිම පියවරක් අරගෙන නෑ.

චිල්කොට් වාර්තාවෙන් යුද අපරාධ සම්බන්ධයෙන් වැරදිකරු වී ඇති බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ හිටපු අගමැති ටෝනි බ්ලෙයර්ට එරෙහිව කිසිම පියවරක් නොගන්නා බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ආණ්ඩුව ලංකාවේ රණවිරුවන්ට පදනම් විරහිත චෝදනා නැගීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් ඔවා දෙනු පර හට – තමා සම්මතියේ පිහිටා සිට” කියලා බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ආණ්ඩුවට කියන්න තරම් කොන්දක් අපේ ආණ්ඩුවට නැති වීම ගැන අපි රටක් විදියට ලැජ්ජාවට පත් වෙලා තියෙනවා. ඒ කිසිවක් ආණ්ඩුවේ ප්‍රකාශයේ නෑ. දේශප්‍රේමි ජනතා ව්‍යාපාරයේ සිටි දේශප්‍රේමියෙකු විධියට විජිත හේරත් ඇමතිතුමා අනිවාර්රයෙන්ම මේ ප්‍රකාශය මේ විධියටම ලියන්න ඇති. නමුත් වර්තමානයේ මේ ආණ්ඩුවටත් උඩින් ඉඳන් අපේ රට පාලනය කරන ඇමෙරිකාවෙන් පත් කළ ලංකාවේ අග්‍රාණ්ඩුකාර ජුලී චංග් මැතිණිය ඒ ප්‍රකාශය කපා කොටා වෙනස් කරන්න ඇතියි කියන සාධාරණ සැකය අපට තිබෙනවා. එහෙම වුනානම් එහෙම වුනේ කොහොමද කියන ප්‍රකාශය කිරිම විජිත හේරත් ඇමතිතුමාගේ වගකීමක්.

– Media unit

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

හිටපු ජනාධිපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතාගේ කොල්ලුපිටියේ පස්වන පටුමගේ පිහිටි පෞද්ගලික නිවසට 2022 ජූලි 09 වන දින එල්ල වූ ප්‍රහාරයේ සහ ගින්න නිවා දැමීමට පැමිණි ගිනි නිවන හමුදාවට බාධා කිරීමේ සිද්ධියේ සැකකරුවෙකු තරුණ කටයුතු නියෝජ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය එරංග ගුණසේකර මහතා නම් කර තිබේ.

ඒ අනුව එම නඩුව ඊයේ දින කැඳවූ අවස්ථාවේදී කොටුව මහේස්ත්‍රාත් අධිකරණය ඉදිරියේ ඔහු පෙනී සිටියේ නැත.

ගුණසේකර මහතාගේ නීතිඥවරයා අධිකරණයට දැනුම් දුන්නේ තම සේවාදායකයා අසනීප තත්ත්වයෙන් පසුවන බැවින් ඔහුට අධිකරණයට පැමිණීමට නොහැකි වූ බවය.

තවත් සැකකරුවන් කිහිප දෙනෙකුගේ නීතිඥවරයා අධිකරණයට දැනුම් දුන්නේ තම සේවාදායකයින් අධිකරණයට පැමිණීමට නොහැකි බවය.

කෙසේ වෙතත් මහේස්ත්‍රාත්වරයා පුද්ගලයින් හතර දෙනෙකු අත්අඩංගුවට ගැනීමේ වරෙන්තු නිකුත් කළ අතර ඊළඟ නඩු විභාගයේදී නියෝජ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය ගුණසේකර මහතාට අධිකරණයේ පෙනී සිටින ලෙස නියෝග කළේය.

By P. K. Balachandran Courtesy Eurasia Review

The imposition of sanctions by the UK on three retired Sri Lankan military officers—Shavendra Silva, Wasantha Karannagoda, and Jagath Jayasuriya—and a former LTTE commander, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Karuna Amman), on March 24, 2025, reflects a significant interplay between UK domestic politics and international human rights policy.

These sanctions, which include travel bans and asset freezes, were enacted under the UK’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime and target individuals accused of serious human rights violations during Sri Lanka’s civil war (1983–2009). 

While framed as a move to promote accountability and support reconciliation in Sri Lanka, the timing and context suggest that domestic political dynamics, particularly the influence of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in the UK, played a pivotal role.

The Sri Lankan Tamil community in the UK, estimated to number between 110,000 and 300,000, is a well-organized and politically active group concentrated in key electoral constituencies such as London (Harrow, East Ham, Redbridge, Tooting), Leicester, and Surrey. This demographic concentration transforms them into a critical voting bloc in Britain’s highly competitive political landscape, where parliamentary constituencies are small, and tight margins can determine electoral outcomes. 

Unlike the smaller, less politically engaged Sinhalese community, the Tamils have leveraged their numbers, organizational strength—through groups like the British Tamils Forum (BTF)—and economic influence (with Tamil-owned businesses generating an estimated £1 billion annually) to amplify their voice.

Historically, the Tamil diaspora has leaned toward the Labour Party, which has consistently championed their calls for justice regarding alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. This alignment became particularly evident in the lead-up to the July 2024 UK parliamentary elections. 

Labour leaders, including Keir Starmer, David Lammy, and Wes Streeting, made explicit promises to the Tamil community, such as imposing Magnitsky-style sanctions on Sri Lankan officials and pushing for a referral of Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

These pledges were reiterated at events like the Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day” in May 2024, hosted in Parliament, where Labour figures underscored their commitment to accountability as a foreign policy priority. The sanctions announced in March 2025 can thus be seen as a fulfilment of these electoral promises, aimed at consolidating Tamil support in constituencies where their votes could tip the scales.

The Labour Party’s victory in July 2024, ending 14 years of Conservative rule, brought this agenda into government policy. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who had vowed during the campaign to deny impunity to those responsible for human rights abuses, framed the sanctions as a step toward supporting Sri Lanka’s communities.

However, the timing—15 years after the war’s end and amidst a shifting political landscape in Sri Lanka, where Tamils have recently supported the National Peoples’ Power (NPP)—suggests a domestic political calculus. The issue of Sri Lanka’s civil war had largely faded from the international spotlight, resurfacing annually at the UN Human Rights Council with little tangible progress. The UK’s sudden action thus appears less about responding to an immediate crisis in Sri Lanka and more about addressing the expectations of a key domestic constituency.

The Tamil diaspora’s influence extends beyond voting power. Their activism, exemplified by the 2009 Parliament Square protests and sustained lobbying through the BTF and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG), has kept the issue of accountability alive in British political discourse. 

Labour MPs like Siobhain McDonagh, Gareth Thomas, and John McDonnell have been vocal advocates, reflecting the community’s ability to shape policy through grassroots pressure and parliamentary engagement. 

The absence of a comparable Sinhalese lobby further tilts the political scales in favour of Tamil narratives, making their demands—such as sanctions and ICC referrals—more likely to gain traction.

Beyond electoral politics, the sanctions enhance Labour’s image as a defender of human rights, appealing to both Tamil voters and broader liberal constituencies. This aligns with the party’s historical stance and differentiates it from the Conservatives, who faced criticism for prioritizing trade over human rights in dealings with Sri Lanka. 

The lack of similar action under previous governments, despite the availability of the Magnitsky sanctions regime since 2020, underscores how Labour’s responsiveness to Tamil advocacy marks a shift driven by domestic imperatives.

In summary, UK domestic politics, particularly the electoral influence of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora, significantly shaped the decision to sanction Sri Lankan military figures in March 2025. The Labour Party’s need to secure Tamil votes in key constituencies, fulfil campaign promises, and project a human rights-focused image converged to revive an issue that had waned internationally. 

While presented as a principled stand, the sanctions reflect a strategic blend of diaspora politics and electoral pragmatism in a competitive British political arena.

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P. K. Balachandran

P. K. Balachandran is a senior Indian journalist working in Sri Lanka for local and international media and has been writing on South Asian issues for the past 21 years.

https://www.fibre2fashion.com/

Insights

• Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic turnaround is ‘remarkable’ though many households are yet to feel the impact, according to two IMF experts, who noted that the economy has rebounded strongly and quickly, growing by 5 per cent in 2024.
• The country’s tradeable debt instruments are once again attractive to investors, credit rating was upgraded by at least three notches and high inflation has been halted.

Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic turnaround is ‘remarkable’ though many households are yet to feel the impact, according to two experts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

They observed that the economy has rebounded strongly and quickly, growing by 5 per cent in 2024 and in a mere 18 months recovered just under half of the output lost from the peak in 2018 to the nadir in 2023.

This March marks the mid-point of Sri Lanka’s four-year economic reform programme supported by the IMF. In the two years since its inception difficult but much needed reforms were undertaken with significant gains, they wrote.

The debt relief provided by external creditors has reduced the burden the Sri Lankan people need to shoulder, and the country’s tradeable debt instruments are once again attractive to investors as they have been included in international bond indices, an op-ed piece by Peter Breuer, the IMF’s former mission chief for Sri Lanka, and Martha Tesfaye Woldemichael, the IMF’s current resident representative in the country, said on the IMF website.

Sri Lanka’s credit rating was also upgraded by at least three notches, they noted.

Skyrocketing inflation has been halted. Tax revenues as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) are up by more than two-thirds and the government’s balance excluding interest payments (primary balance) has improved by nearly 6 percentage points, they said.

External creditors have forgiven $3 billion in debt and stretched another $25 billion due in the near term or already overdue over a much longer time horizon over the next 20 years with much reduced interest rates.

Markets have rewarded Sri Lanka’s reforms with sharp declines in domestic borrowing cost from a peak of 30 per cent in 2023 to currently 8 per cent and in the sovereign risk ‘spread’ indicator in international markets from a peak of 70 per cent to 5 per cent.

Responsible international market access should be within reach in the next few years, the experts observed.

As about half of IMF programmes in Sri Lanka has had, prior to the current one, ended prematurely, often followed by economic underperformance, it is important to arrest this boom-bust cycle and manage the economy so that the recovery can be sustained even in an uncertain global environment and so that all Sri Lankans benefit from it, the op-ed added.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  ලංකා ලීඩර්

ChatGBT මත පදනම්ව, විවිධ සංවිධාන විසින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සිදු කළ හැකි පාලන-වෙනස් කිරීමේ” ක්‍රියාකාරකම් සඳහා USAID විසින් සපයන ලද අරමුදල් සම්බන්ධයෙන් වන ලියවිල්ලක් සමාජ මාධ්‍ය ඔස්සේ සංසරණය වෙමින් පවතී.

අදාළ ආයතන සහ එම ආයතන මෙහෙය වූ පුද්ගලයන්ද ඒවාට ගෙවූ ඩොලර් ප්‍රමානයන් ද සහිතව සංසරණය වන එම ලියවිල්ල මගින් අප රට සම්බන්ධ වැදගත් කාරණා හෙළිදරව් වේ.

2021 අගභාගයේදී සහ 2022 මුල් භාගයේදී, එම ලියවිල්ලේ සඳහන් වන ඩොලර් ලබාගත් සංවිධාන සමඟ සම්බන්ධ පුද්ගලයින් කිහිප දෙනෙකු සහ තවත් කිහිප දෙනෙකු එක්ව, ශ්‍රී ලංකා රුපියල වහාම ක්ෂය කිරීම, ස්වෛරී ණය පැහැර හැරීමක් සහ ප්‍රතිව්‍යුහගත කිරීම සහ IMF වැඩසටහනට සම්බන්ධ වන ලෙස ඉල්ලා සිටියහ. ඔවුන් ඉල්ලා සිටි IMF වැඩසටහන ඉහළ බදු, ඉහළ පොලී අනුපාත බල පැවැත්වීම මෙන්ම ඉන්ධන, ගෑස් සහ විදුලිය වැනි අත්‍යවශ්‍ය සේවාවන් සඳහා රජයේ සහනාධාර ඉවත් කිරීම, ජීවන වියදම විශාල ලෙස ඉහළ යාම, රජයේ සේවකයින් සංඛ්‍යාව දැවැන්ත ලෙස කප්පාදුව සහ ආර්ථිකයේ දැඩි හැකිලීමකට තුඩු දෙන බවට එකල සාකච්ඡාවට ලක් විය.

එම ලියවිල්ලේ Advocata Institute, Verite Research Institute,  Institute of Policy Studies, Pathfinder Foundation, Centre for Policy Alternatives  සහ Ceylon Chamber of Commerce යන ආයතන සම්බන්ධයෙන් කරුණු ඇතුලත් වේ.

Advocata Institute ආයතනයේ මුර්ටාසා ජැෆර්ජි, ආචාර්ය සරත් රාජපක්ෂ, ධනනාත් ප්‍රනාන්දු, මහාචාර්ය සිරිමල් අබේරත්න, ආචාර්ය නිශාන් ද මෙල්, ආචාර්ය රොෂාන් පෙරේරා, පාර්ත් ජේ. ෂා, ප්‍රේමචන්ද්‍ර අතුකෝරල,රසීන් සාලි, රොහාන් සමරජීව, සූරි රත්නපාල සහ වෛද්‍ය සුජාතා ගමගේ යන අය කටයුතු කර ඇත. එම ආයාතනය වෙත USAID විසින් ගෙවා ඇති මුදල ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 6.9 ක් හෙවත් රුපියල් කෝටි 207 කි.

Verite Research Institute ආයතනයේ වෛද්‍ය නිශාන් ද මෙල්, සුභාෂිනී අබේසිංහ, ඉනෝෂිනි පෙරේරා, නයනා මාවිල්මඩ, වෛද්‍ය ශාන්ත දේවරාජන්, ෂර්මිණි කුරේ, ෂරියා ශාරංගුවෙල්, උදාර පීරිස්, ලක්මාලි ජයසිංහ, සරෝජ් පතිරණ, රනිල් ධම්මපාල, මාලතී නයිට්, වොනොත් රාමචන්ද්‍ර, රාජේෂ් වෙනුගෝපාල්, මහාචාර්ය දෙලෙනි ගුණවර්ධන, වෛද්‍ය නිමල් සඳරත්න සහ රොසානා හිමාස් යන අය කටයුතු කර ඇත. එම ආයාතනය වෙත USAID විසින් ගෙවා ඇති මුදල ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන10.2 ක් හෙවත් රුපියල් කෝටි  307 කි.

Institute of Policy Studies ආයතනයේ ආචාර්ය දුෂ්නි වීරකෝන්, මහාචාර්ය අනෝමා අබයරත්න,ආචාර්ය සී අමරසේකර (හිටපු IMF) සහ මහාචාර්ය ආර්. එම්. අබේරත්න යන අය කටයුතු කර ඇත. එම ආයාතනය වෙත USAID විසින් ගෙවා ඇති මුදල ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 6.7  ක් හෙවත් රුපියල් කෝටි  201 කි.

Pathfinder Foundation ආයතනයේ  මිලින්ද මොරගොඩ, බර්නාඩ් ගුණතිලක, ආචාර්ය ඉන්ද්‍රජිත් කුමාරස්වාමි, ආචාර්ය ශාන්ත දේවරාජන්, අද්මිරාල් ජයන්ත කොළඹගේ, රාජේන්ද්‍ර ත්‍යාගරාජා සහ  ලලිත් වීරතුංග යන අය කටයුතු කර ඇත. එම ආයාතනය වෙත USAID විසින් ගෙවා ඇති මුදල ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන13.7  ක් හෙවත් රුපියල් කෝටි 411 කි.

Centre for Policy Alternatives ආයතනයේ පාකියසෝති සරවනමුත්තු, මහාචාර්ය චන්ද්‍රගුප්ත තේනුවර, මිනෝලි ද සොයිසා, වෛද්‍ය දිනූෂා පණ්ඩිතරත්න,වෛද්‍ය සුකන්‍යා දේවරාජන්  සහ වෛද්‍ය සමීර් කරීම් යන අය කටයුතු කර ඇත. එම ආයාතනය වෙත USAID විසින් ගෙවා ඇති මුදල ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 22.9 ක් හෙවත් රුපියල් කෝටි 687 කි.

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce ආයතනයේ විශ් ගෝවින්දසාමි, දුමින්ද හුලංගමුව, චන්ද්‍රා ජයරත්න, ජේ.ඩී. බණ්ඩාරනායක, සුරේෂ් ෂා, කුමාර ජයසූරිය, සුසන්ත රත්නායක, දේවා රුද්‍රිගු, රාජේන්ද්‍ර ත්‍යාගරාජා, අනුර ඒකනායක, සමන්ත රණතුංග, අෂ්රොෆ් ඕමාර්, ධාරා විජේතිලක සහ බිංගුමාල් තේවරතන්ත්‍රී යන අය කටයුතු කර ඇත. එම ආයාතනය වෙත USAID විසින් ගෙවා ඇති මුදල ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 6.9  ක් හෙවත් රුපියල් කෝටි 207 කි. අදාළ කාලය තුළ USAID සංවිධානය ඉහතකී ආයාතන වලට පමණක් ඩොලර් මිලියන 67.3 ක් හෙවත් රුපියල් කෝටි 2,019ක් ලබා දී තිබේ.

මෙම ලියවිල්ලට අනුව මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශයේ ලේකම් ලෙස පත් වීමට නියමිත දුමින්ද හුලංගමුව USAID සංවිධානයෙන් ආධාර ලැබූ Ceylon Chamber of Commerce ආයතනයේ සේවය කළ පුද්ගලයෙකි.

Shenali D Waduge

When British MPs who are regular mouthpieces for pro-LTTE demands & regular visitors to pro-LTTE events & regularly read of LTTE prepared speeches, abuse their office to sanction individuals on conjectured crimes, the Govt of Sri Lanka must first of all demand that the UK Govt investigate all British MPs who are voicing one-sided statements completely ignoring facts & evidence. The 4 names on UK sanction list perfectly highlights the bias. The Army Commander who led the military onslaught is excluded but just 3 officers who took orders from him are. The former LTTE leader named left LTTE in 2004 & LTTE committed scores of crimes thereafter. What continues to go unexplained is how the Sri Lanka Armed Forces would save 300,000 people but would kill” 40,000, 70,000, 120,000, 200,000” Tamils who the accusers cannot still name, whose skeletons are not even found & whose families have not even filed habeas corpus. The entire genocide” claim rests on the ability to prove 40,000 or more were killed, which has yet to be proved even after 16 years. Moreover, where in the world have we heard of Tamil genocide” when Tamil population is increasing?

The GoSL must demand that the British Govt investigate all British MPs linked with LTTE Diaspora especially their accounts & their misuse of British taxpayers money for witch hunts to satisfy LTTE Diaspora agenda.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-sanctions-for-human-rights-violations-and-abuses-during-the-sri-lankan-civil-war

According to a UK Govt press release 24 March 2025, 4 Sri Lankans have been sanctioned for serious human rights violations and abuses during the civil war in Sri Lanka” – exactly what court of law has found them guilty? How is Sri Lanka’s conflict civil” when the National Army was fighting an armed group that was even killing members of its own community? Does that qualify as ‘civil”.

UK has sanctioned a former LTTE commander Karuna Amman who left LTTE in 2004?

What about all of LTTE’s crimes after 2004 which included assassination attempts of Sri Lanka’s Army Commander Sarath Fonseka in April 2006.

The following list of assassinations were committed by LTTE after Karuna left LTTE.

Minister Jeyraj Fernandopulle – April 2008

Minister D M Dissanayake – January 2008

MP T Maheshwaran (Tamil) – January 2008

Herath Abeyweera – Chief Secretary Eastern Province – July 2007

Kethesh Loganathan (Tamil) – Deputy Secretary General of SCOPP – August 2006

Nataraj Raviraj (Tamil) – August 2006

Josepha Parasingham (Tamil) – December 2005

The British Govt may like to explain why the Commander of the Armed Forces who led the defeat of the LTTE is not included while those he gave orders to are.

These all point to a witch hunt especially when the British MPs mooting for these accountability” are frequent visitors to pro-LTTE forums.

MP David Lammy

2009

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/david-lammy-on-the-tamil-protestors-concerns/

2022

Thai Pongal & Tamil Heritage Month Introduction in Britain Pioneered by the BTF gaining momentum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-KLQMz7hIw (reading off a prepared script probably sponsored)

2023

https://lankanewsweb.net/archives/34490/btf-observes-14th-anniversary-of-sls-mullivaikkal-tamil-genocide-remembrance-day/ Speaking with the usual culprits

Has David Lammy even been to Sri Lanka to be such a vocal critic?

His statements are purely based on his association with pro-LTTE elements & gracing the events held by them in honor of dead LTTE terrorists. That hardly calls for unbiased judgement by a British politician.

Given the largess of the LTTE kitty, the UK Govt & Scotland Yard should do an investigation into the transactions of all UK MPs vocalizing on the Sri Lankan issue taking a one-sided stand and basing their statements on speeches prepared for them by the LTTE lobby.

Other than David Lammy & Catherine West there are a host of other UK MPs who should be investigated.

Sri Lanka’s terrorist conflict ended in 2009.

It’s now 2025 there has been no violence associated with LTTE since 2009.

UK MPs reading prepared scripts & using their office & UK tax payers money to whine about an event that concluded 16 years ago echoes some for of witch hunt by those whose agenda was defeated.

UK Govt seriously needs to explain why the Army Commander who headed the defeat of the LTTE is omitted & why those who took orders from him are included into a sanctions list 16 years after the conflict?

David Lammy claims that the current action is to ensure those response for past human rights violations & abuses are held accountable”.

Then he may like to explain why the British are taking NO ACTION against Adele Balasingham who was the key trainer of LTTE’s child soldiers & she is happily living in the UK.

Does the UK sanction foreigners but give safe haven to the real culprits?

Let us jog everyone’s memories.

Adele Balasingham is the wife of so-called LTTE theoretician possibly British agent Anton B.

She is an Australian nurse and undertook to training kidnapped Tamil children as young as 7 years. These Tamil children were kidnapped from POOR & LOW CASTE Tamil homes. Another noteworthy factor – no high caste/high class Tamil had their children kidnapped & turned into child soldiers.

One third of LTTE comprised children. These children underwent gruesome training from 4a.m. some even perished during the gruesome training. No one is held accountable for these deaths.

They were denied their fundamental rights. The UN appointed a Tamil rapporteur but she did sweet nothing except compile reports & walk away with awards. No child was saved from being turned into a child soldier. During the hay day of LTTE’s rule in North Sri Lanka, scores of NGOs/INGOs, Faith-based organizations had their offices set up virtually next to LTTE offices. None of these tried to prevent poor & low caste Tamil children from being turned into child soldiers.

These children were denied to be with their parents. They were denied the right to education, freedom of movement & the freedom to enjoy their childhood. Where was David Lammy & Catherine West then?

Has Adele not violated the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (2000)? Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) prosecuted cases involving child soldier recruitment, wouldn’t this apply to LTTE, Adele B & the LTTE Diaspora who has supported LTTE?

Adele Balasingham stands guilty of also training these children to commit suicide by biting the cyanide capsule & killing themselves without surrendering to the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. How many would have died or committed suicide following her orders. Are these not valid reasons to at least arrest & question her?

Books Written by Adele Balasingham:

• The Will to Fight: The Tamil Liberation Struggle in Sri Lanka” (2004)

She admits to her involvement in LTTE.

• The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam: A History of the Tamil Liberation Struggle”

She justifies LTTE rights for a separate Homeland.

Documentaries

Sisters in Arms” (2006) – covers Adele’s role in training women & children

https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2015/09/10/ununhrc-what-about-the-war-crimes-of-aunty-adele-balasingham/ – what about the war crimes of Aunty Adele

Relevant quotes from Adele Balasingham:

I believe the children who have taken up arms and sacrificed their lives in the cause of Tamil Eelam are martyrs.”

In one of her interviews, she said: The training of these young soldiers is not just physical but also ideological.They are not just warriors; they are the future leaders of our struggle.”

On the role of women and children: The women and children in the Tamil Tigers are not victims. They are soldiers fighting for freedom, fighting for their people.”

Jayantha Liyanage has lodged several complaints with Scotland Yard regarding the British silence & inaction against Adele Balasingham. There are scores of videos of her training children & handing the cyanide capsule and she has even written 2 books boasting of her achievements. These are more than enough evidence & far more than the fairy tales the LTTE Diaspora keep churning annually to keep alive their kitty, enable their people to get asylum & refugee status & mix & mingle with foreign Govts and even contest elections & wriggle into their parliament. We have no issue in their bettering their careers, but these lies must stop, these fabrications must end.

Adele B is the White Tiger living off LTTE’s ill-gotten gains in New Maiden, London.

A BBC produced documentary in 1991 shows Adele in LTTE uniform carrying an AK 47 and wearing a cyanide capsule around her neck & tied cyanide capsules around necks of innocent children & young Tamil women.

She was trained by Prabakaran to fire weapons.

Boston Lanka documentary on Adele – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr8JP5-4lVA&rco=1

Tamil children were not only kidnapped but Adele & LTTE went from school to school indoctrinating Tamil children – they all referred to her as Aunty Adele”. One of these schools was Patrima from which 543 students were taken to Skandapuram camp & trained by Adele. At the Abu base camp children as young as 12 were trained & sent to fight. Any children who fled were captured & jailed. No one knows what happened to them.  https://mfa.gov.lk/sin/the-white-tiger-in-london/

The UK Govt, David Lammy, Catherine West have no moral right to be demanding accountability if they are ignoring the White Tiger aunty living in UK having taught thousands of kidnapped Tamil children to kill and commit suicide. All the fictitious genocide” war crimes” allegations which are only iced with LTTE propaganda cannot erase what Adele committed on behalf of the LTTE.

If UK Govt continues to provide her safe haven and sanction retired military officers 16 years after the conflict ended excluding the head of the armed forces who led the end of LTTE, it clearly shows bias.

The former LTTE members, especially child soldiers who are now adults must file case with UK authorities & demand action against Adele for denying them their childhood & youth. We do not know how many kidnapped children actually died having fled & being punished by LTTE. Where is the accountability for these deaths?

These former child soldiers should now realize how foreign based LTTE made money riding on the separate homeland song while happily living in foreign shores & educating their children in Ivy League schools/universities with the money made from LTTE propaganda machine, while poor & low caste Tamils suffered in the jungles. Tamils who suffered must seek accountability from their own first!

GoSL must call for the UK authorities to investigate the biased actions of pro-LTTE British MPs.

Shenali D Waduge

Mahinda Rajapaksa Leader Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

The United Kingdom govt. has announced sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes against Sri Lanka’s former Chief of Defence Staff Shavendra Silva, former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda and former Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya over unproven allegations of human rights violations during the war with the LTTE. It was I, as the Executive President of Sri Lanka who took the decision to militarily defeat the LTTE and the armed forces implemented that decision on the ground.  

Despite the 2002 ceasefire agreement, the LTTE had carried out 363 killings during the ceasefire between February 2002 and the end of September 2005. LTTE attacks intensified in the first few weeks and months after I was elected President in November 2005. Among the most serious such incidents were claymore mine attacks on 4 and 6 December 2005 in Jaffna that killed thirteen soldiers, a suicide attack on a naval craft on 5 January 2006 that killed 15 naval personnel, and the suicide attack on the Army Commander inside Army Headquarters in April 2006.

Despite all that, my government held two rounds of peace talks in January and June 2006 in Geneva and Oslo which were unilaterally halted by the LTTE. The LTTE landmine attack on a civilian bus in Kebithogollawa in June 2006 which killed 64 and seriously injured 86, many of them children – was a pivotal moment for me and my govt. Military operations commenced in July 2006 when the LTTE closed the Mawilaru anicut cutting off irrigation water to cultivators in the Trincomalee district and did not stop until the LTTE was completely defeated on 19 May 2009.  

I categorically reject the UK govt.’s allegation of widespread human rights violations during the military operations. Lord Naseby stated in the House of Lords on 12 October 2017 that the then UK  Defence Attache in Colombo Lieutenant Colonel Anton Gash had in conversation with him, praised the discipline of the Sri Lanka army and stated that there certainly was no policy to kill civilians. Because Lt. Col Anton Gash’s war time dispatches to London differ so significantly from the narrative promoted by the UK political authorities, only a heavily redacted version of those dispatches have been released. We conducted military operations only against the LTTE and not against the Tamil people.

Just months after the war ended, when my wartime army commander came forward as the opposition candidate at the 2010 presidential elections, the Tamil National Alliance issued a statement on 6 January 2010 appealing to the Tamil people to vote for the former army commander and he won over 60% of the votes cast in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, thus directly contradicting the narrative being promoted by the UK govt. Imposing sanctions on Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan a.k.a Karuna Amman who broke away from the LTTE in 2004 and later entered democratic politics is a clear case of penalizing anti-LTTE Tamils so as to placate the dominant segment of the Tamil diaspora in the UK.

When the UK foreign secretary David Milliband came to Sri Lanka in April 2009 and demanded a halt to military operations, I flatly turned him down. Later, a London based newspaper The Telegraph revealed – quoting secret documents made public by Wikileaks – that Mr. Miliband had tried to intervene in Sri Lanka to win Tamil votes for the Labour Party. Regrettably, to this day vote bank politics determines the UK’s stand on Sri Lanka’s war against the LTTE.

Three decades of LTTE terrorism claimed the lives of 27,965 armed forces and police personnel not to mention the lives of many thousands of civilians including politicians. What Sri Lanka defeated in 2009 was the organization that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation had officially designated as the deadliest terrorist organization in the world. It is noteworthy that the United Kingdom introduced special legislation in 2021 and 2023 to protect their own armed forces from persecution by interested parties.

Hence I expect the present government to resolutely stand by and defend former armed forces personnel who face persecution by foreign governments and organisations for doing their duty to safeguard Sri Lanka’s national security.

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Leader

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna