Courtesy Adaderana

Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara says that attempts are being made to create a false fear that the country’s intelligence units were weakened under the incumbent government.

He said that the intelligence units had done their duty correctly in the recent past and that it was them who alerted about the possible terror attacks in advance. He said that the mistake was that no action was taken on that important intel.

This is not the UNP’s responsibility. If this incident had occurred during the time that I was the Ministe of Law & Order, I would resign,” he said. 

The former Law & Order Minister sated that certain individuals survive by selling off the war and war heroes and that they are now making claims that this government destroyed the intelligence services.

Courtesy Adaderana

President Maithripala Sirisena said that he is not intimidated by terrorism and that he would fulfill the responsibility of building a peaceful country after eradicating terrorism.

The President said that the law will be enforced against anyone who is responsible for the attacks on April 21, the President’s Media Division said.

He said this, addressing the final progress review meeting of the Ampara district Rata Wenuwen Ekata Sitimu (Let’s Stand Together for the Country) programme. That meeting was held today (11) under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena at the Uhana Maha Vidyalaya Ground in Ampara.

During this meeting, President Sirisena said that the responsibility of all the citizens who love the country should be to fulfill their respective responsibilities towards creating a peaceful environment where all the citizens of the country could live freely, while understanding the actual situation and the issues, but not to raise their voices in order to get narrow political gains.

He pointed out that certain statements made by a few persons to achieve petty political gain have become a hindrance to the process of building national reconciliation while freeing the country from the challenge of terrorism.

Addressing the Ekata Sitimu public meeting at Uhana School Grounds in Ampara, President said he would continue the operations to eradicate terrorism and he was not a person to resign and allow the terrorists to win. He called on the public and private sector workers to attend work and children to attend schools and bring normalcy as that is the way to defeat the aims of terrorists.

The President emphasized that the incident on April 21st is not a problem in Sri Lanka, but a global terrorism connected with it. He added that the security forces are conducting operations towards the successful conclusion to eradicate terrorism.

Addressing the pubic officers in the East, the President said that the country’s national security activities are now being implemented with a new outline and plan, with a clear reform program implemented by the Security Forces. 

He further said that the programme ensured the right of all citizens to live in a free society without fear or suspicion. He said that when the security forces successfully defeated terrorism, the public officials should take measures to end the fear of the people and to restore trust and understanding among the people.

-PMD

KAMALIKA PIERIS

Revised 12.5.19. 17.5.19

India had sent three alerts about the Easter Sunday bomb blasts. The first alert was on April 4.  The second alert was sent on the 11^th. A third alert was sent two hours before the first suicide blast, it had the names of three churches. According to Hindustan Times  there was also a fourth alert sent on the 16th, the day the device was tested in a motorcycle In Kalmunai”

The alerts gave specific information. They indicated the targets and the day of the attack. The targets would be churches and    hotels. The   day would be Easter Sunday. The method would be suicide bombers. The names of those who would be carrying out the attacks were given, such as Zahran Hashim.  The exact locations were also given,   said Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, who had been shown one of the alerts.

These alerts were superb actionable” Grade A intelligence. It identified the group that was planning the attack, the name of the leader and the modus operandi of the attack, which was suicide bombers. It was received 17 days prior to the attack. There was plenty of time to prevent the attack.

The State Intelligence Service of Sri Lanka, on receiving the alerts, had added other names from their own files, with telephone numbers, addresses and ID numbers and forwarded the alert to Chief of National Intelligence, who sent it to Inspector General of Police who sent it to the DIGs. DIG Special Security Range has sent a Memo to the Security Divisions of the Ministers, Diplomats, Judiciary and the Retired Presidents alerting them to possible attacks. The purpose apparently had been to protect those persons. The Army Commander was not informed.

The intended target is usually the first to be informed.  Yahapalana government however, had totally neglected to inform the targets. The information was not conveyed to Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, or to the management of the affected hotels, so that action could have been taken to avoid the damage.

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith expressed his deep displeasure about this. Easter Sunday attacks could have been avoided had the Government dealt with the information seriously without passing letters to one another, he said. Had he known about the threats he would have cancelled the Easter Mass services, and avoided the carnage.  ‘When I got to know the incident, I immediately instructed all churches to stop Holy Mass and send people home.’

In view of the grave nature of  the intelligence received and the need for immediate action, Chief of National intelligence and Secretary of Defence should have met and discussed security measures required, said experts. They should  have summoned the chiefs of the armed services and the police and their intelligence heads, for a conference. Necessary safeguards should have been put in place,  such as strengthening security at the airport, the hotels and the churches. Yahapalana government did not do so.

The defense authorities took the matter lightly. Hemasiri Fernando, Secretary of Defence,  said  in response to a query from a foreign journalist , “We never expected an attack of this magnitude. We expected a few attacks but not this.”Clearly they were not going to take any action to prevent those few attacks either. Fernando repeatedly smiled as he answered questions, said critics. Fernando’s callous attitude shocked me said  DEW Gunasekera  .

But there is evidence that some at least of the Cabinet ministers knew of the  planned attacks. Catholic cabinet ministers  did not go to   church on Easter Sunday. This is very significant. They are usually seen prominently, in the very first pew. Mano Ganesan said at a   media briefing that his Chief Security Officer  had warned about a Easter Sunday attack, several days before  the attack. 

Harin Fernando told a news conference that his father had told him not to attend Easter mass because he had been told by an retired CID friend of his that churches would be attacked on Sunday. He specifically mentioned St. Anthony’s church in Kochchikade. Harin brushed this advice aside, but did not go to Kochchikade and did not warn anybody else.

Dinesh Gunawardena, scoffed at claims that our leaders were unaware of intelligence reports in the days leading up to the attacks. It is clear that the Government knew. Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) reports to the Defence Secretary, observed Sarath Fonseka. We know that the CNI had  notified the IGP. If so, then it would have been sent to the President and the Defence Secretary as well, he said.

There is a “distribution list” at the National Intelligence Agency. The first two copies would be sent to the President and the Minister of Defence.  Copies would also be submitted to the Secretary of Defence and the Chief of National Intelligence. Further copies would be distributed among Chief of Defense staff (CDS), service commanders and the IGP, depending on necessity.

Sheer commonsense would tell us that much of this was known beforehand. No other explanation is conceivable, said Kishali Pinto Jayawardene. Jayadeva Uyangoda, speaking the first anniversary of Sinhala weekly Anidda frowned on President Sirisena and Premier Wickremesinghe’s repeated claims that they weren’t aware of impending Easter Sunday attacks”. We have never in our history, ever had a Prime Minister who claimed he did not know, said critics.  

In 2019,    months before the April blast ,a delegation from the All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulema, the main  organization of Muslim clerics, met the President  to warn him and the government of the impending danger from terrorist groups backing the ISIS. They named Mohamed Cassim Mohamed Zahran, as the leader of the local group and gave a detailed memorandum listing their activities.  President Sirisena handed  over the information to Secretary of Defence, Fernando  who it appears did nothing about it. Therefore, Yahapalana cannot say they were not warned. The Muslim community itself, by then quite desperate,  had gone to the highest authority.

The Yahapalana government has failed  to heed an early warning and caused over 200 deaths and many injured. This  is criminal negligence, observed Don Manu. Yet no preventive action was taken. The brushing aside of specific warnings by Indian intelligence, seems to indicate far more than mere carelessness, said Kishali Pinto Jayawardene. Was it a deliberate decision, not disseminating the information given by India and not acting on those warnings, asked Rajan Philips.

President was away in India and Singapore on a private visit from 16 April.  No Acting Defense Minister had been appointed. President  said  he  was not officially informed even in Singapore. I learnt  the news from others in Singapore,” President Sirisena said. President  returned only at midnight  on Sunday, in spite of two earlier flights being available. Why did it take 15 hours for him to return from Singapore which is only four hours away. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe also said that  he was not informed.  The President  and the Prime Minister owe this country an explanation, beyond their asinine ‘I did not know’ stories,  said Kishali .

Yahapalana  government  is not  a normal government and  in this case, it certainly did not  behave like a normal government .Twenty government ministers and MPs participated in a   telecast press conference  on 22.4.19 to speak about the bomb blast.  The MPs  were smiling and laughing  as they   spoke of the bomb blasts. We are very sorry as a government and want to apologize to the people and other affected parties about this incident,” they said, cheerfully.  Grinning Ministers  spoke to us on national television at  a press conference after the attack” said Kishali.

These MPs   focused on  money  not life. They kept repeating that those affected would be given money. The government has decided to pay Rs.100,000 as funeral expenses and Rs. one million for the families of those who died as compensation. Those who have injured will receive compensation ranging from Rs.100,000 to Rs.300,000 according to the severity of the injury, they said.”

The foreign  interviewers were  openly startled by this callous  attitude. In one interview, Ranil Wickremasinghe was asked, but how did you feel when all this happened, did it not affect you. He  thought a bit and said ‘I was shocked’. For the PM, the loss of a human life would appear to be something to be shrugged upon as tough luck ,commented Sanjeewa  Jayaweera. Rajan Philips referred to the Prime Minister’s insouciance.

The public are furious over the bomb blasts and the many deaths and want the government to go, reported the media. This government is part of the problem. It is a security threat to the entire population, said Malinda Seneviratne. This government  is not acting in the national interest. It  must go, the quicker, the better, said the LSSP.

The President and the PM of this country should resign forthwith, said critics. In any other country, the government would have resigned in the wake of such a national calamity. Here no one took responsibility.   After a disaster of this scale,, not a single person has willingly resigned, said Ryp Van Winkle.

The country is angry but instead of the hysteria ,panic and  confusion the western powers hoped to see,  the  country is lookingforeffective strategies to contain the situation. For instance, SriLankan Airlines has asked The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) to deploy sky marshals on SriLankan Airlines flights. The Air Force  is looking into the existing regulatory framework and international legal obligations on the matter. The SLAF has also beefed up security measures in and around BIA.

There was a massive response for blood: around 4500 people had thronged the blood banks of hospitals. Blood was taken from 3,700 of them. The others, he said, were sent back after details of blood group types, name and contact numbers were taken down. Over 2500 turned up at the National Blood Centre in Narahenpita.

The elite charged that  certain Muslim MPs were  associated with NTJ and JMI. They named Rishard Bathiudeen,   Azath Salley, Mujibur Rahaman  and M.L.A.M. Hizbullah.  UNP Colombo Municipal Councilor Noordeen Mohamed Thajudeen  was arrested over the discovery of 46 swords in a Mosque, at Slave Island.  The National Joint Committee wanted  all military camps that were in operation on 19th May 2009 be re-established.

The resilience of a shocked and angry nation has been remarkable, said Kishali The courage of police officers and security forces conducting relentless investigations, despite loss of lives, has been commendable. This exemplifies the best of Sri Lanka.  

The country is  very much aware of the possibility of foreign intervention. The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) wondered whether  the bomb blasts were simply   Islam,  or whether it was something far more sinister involving the CIA. This whole attack has similarities with events abroad that have been attributed to the CIA of the USA. It is known that the CIA and USA think tanks are operating here with the support of the Government. USA has had a long history of hand-in-glove association with terrorism. They have created terrorist groups and fought against them, sometimes creating other terrorist groups for this purpose. ISIS  was created by USA.

US and the UK sent teams here soon after the bomb blasts. Many an eyebrow was raised over the swift  arrival of  these two teams, said Shamindra. USA sent not one, but two separate teams. One was from the FBI, USA’s secret service and the other was from the US navy Pacific Command. Both were viewed with great suspicion.

 The FBI landed here within two days, evidently they were ready for the call, commented LSSP. Why  did a team some from the US navy. This is part of the US military, said critics. The USA and its intelligence services are not required and are a positive danger. They must go, said the LSSP. They can now take over our intelligence set up, take over ‘the fight against terrorism’ and the end result will be to make Sri Lanka a battle field like Syria.

Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command  of the UK  also sent a team of specialists. Britain’s Minister for Security and Economic Crimes, Ben Wallace, came on a two-day visit. Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and Ven Omalpe Sobitha  were suspicious and said so at a media conference from Bishop’s House, Borella.

India’s offer of assistance was also met with suspicion. The offer comes at a time when Sri Lankan police and military are doing brilliant work in swiftly tracking down suspects, detecting weapons, explosives and information in almost every province said Lasanda Kurukulasuriya . There is no need for the Indian National Security Guard, NSG to come in. We don’t need foreign soldiers. Our forces are capable enough. We just need to give them powers and freedom,” said  Mahinda Rajapaksa .

This essay closes with a statement by Mahinda Rajapaksa:

In January 2015, I handed over a completely secure and peaceful country to the new President. We had strengthened the intelligence services so that there would be absolutely no threat to the national security of the country. Our intelligence services worked closely with other intelligence services of neighboring countries and other international intelligence services to ensure the security of the country. Whenever we got wind of a threat to national security, we acted on it. The Easter Sunday attacks would never have taken place under our government.

The present government is squarely responsible for the terrorist attacks that took place last Sunday. The police had issued early warnings of an impending attack. However what action did the government take with regard to those warnings? They never informed the Church leaders about those warnings and neither did they provide extra security to the possible targets. All that the leaders of the present government did was to ensure that they themselves were nowhere near a possible target. On important occasion such as Easter, representatives of the government usually attend Mass, but this time there were no such representatives in the Churches.

From the moment this government came into power in January 2015, they have been persecuting the members of the armed forces and the intelligence services that ended that war. How many of our armed forces personnel have they jailed over the past four years? How many times have they hauled former army commanders and commanders of the navy and air force to the CID to be questioned?

The armed forces personnel who carried out their duties on behalf of the nation were harassed and hunted down by this government.. The government was preparing to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act on the instructions of their foreign masters. If that Act had been repealed, what kind of a position would we be in today? Because the government was engaged in relentlessly persecuting its own armed forces, we became an easy target for terrorists. No other country in the world has persecuted and weakened its own armed forces and intelligence services in this manner. Terrorists observe these things and plan accordingly.

The Sunday attacks did not take place due to the negligence of one or two officials. We can now see that the government is preparing to sacrifice some officials and wash their hands of the matter. This incident occurred because of the conduct of this government from the time they came into power in January 2015. If anyone is to resign over these incidents, it should be the government. Despite the persecution that the intelligence services had been subject to, they did obtain prior intelligence relating to this attack and conveyed the information to certain quarters. But nothing happened thereafter. That warning had been sent to my security officers as well, but they did not keep me informed about the threat.

If I had known that there was an imminent threat of this nature, I would have immediately informed His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and also curtailed my own movements. Instructing officials on the manner in which they should conduct themselves in relation to matters involving national security, is the task of the government. That is what people elect governments for. The signal sent by this government to officials at all levels is that national security is not important. That is the reason for all this mayhem. These incidents did not occur without warning. The recent destruction of Buddha statues in Mawanella, the attempt on the life of a close supporter of a Muslim Minister from that area, the discovery of over 100 kilos of explosives from Puttalam, are all connected. So this attack did not just come from the blues. Having received information that an attack can take place, all that the government did was to ensure that they themselves were safe.

The arrests of armed forces and intelligence services personnel that took place after this government came into power was very often not based on solid evidence. In order to please the Yahapalana government the CID obtains statements from certain people using various stratagems and then uses these statements to arrest members of the armed forces and intelligence services. Some of these so called witnesses have made special statements to Magistrates explaining how the CID obtained statements from them implicating various people. Stop this filthy practice at least now.

We had strengthened the intelligence services so that there would be absolutely no threat to the national security of the country. Our intelligence services worked closely with other intelligence services of neighboring countries and other international intelligence services to ensure the security of the country. Whenever we got wind of a threat to national security, we acted on it. The Easter Sunday attacks would never have taken place under our government.” Rajapaksa  concluded.  (Continued)

Dr. Daya Hewavitharana.

Nalanda was the first residential university in the history of the world.

The Nalanda campus was an exceptionally impressive place, which included many impressive chetiyas, temples, monasteries, hostels, lecture halls, meditation halls, libraries, even parkland with lakes. The three great libraries of Nalanda were: Ratnasagara, Ratnadadhi and Ratnaranjaka. Inscriptional evidence (Yasovarmadeva) reveals that these were nine story tall buildings.

It was an great center of learning in ancient India, and is located about 72 km from Patna, which is in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. Now, all that remains is a small village called Nalanda close to the huge archeological remains of the University.

More than 1500 years ago, or in the 5th century CE, this Buddhist University became famous as a world class institution for study and learning. It was a leading world educational institution. (In terms of Sri Lankan history, this was the time of our illustrious kings such as Dhathusena who organised the building of the great Kalawewa, and King Kasyapa of Sigiriya fame).

Nalanda was a place visited by the Buddha and is near the birth places of the Buddha’s two main disciples – Sariyuth (Saraputta) and Mugalan (Moggallana) Mahatheras. Soon after the Buddha’s passing away, a temple was built at Nalanda. Later, Emperor Asoka improved this vihara and also built a monastery for Bhikkhus. This monastery evolved over time to become a prominent center of learning in the first century CE. Gradually, over time, by the 5th century CE. It had grown into the illustrious Nalanda International Buddhist University.

Fa Hien, the famous Chinese pilgrim and chronicler visited Nalanda in the first half of the fifth century and has left records of what he saw. Hieuen Tsiang, another famous Chinese traveler, at the beginning of the 7th century CE. studied for seven years at Nalanda and then became a professor. He provides us with much information on Nalanda as a university.

Several inscriptions have been discovered among the ruins of Nalanda and these give us more useful information.  

It is recorded that in the 7th century, there were 10,000 students and 1500 professors in this university. The alumni, or graduates of Nalanda, were highly respected both within India and internationally.

It had gathered together some of the best scholars of the country.

Some of the many Chancellors of Nalanda were the following famous people:  Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dinnaga, Dharmakirthi, Shantharakshita, Dharmapala and Shilabhadra. (It is interesting for Sri Lankans to note that, Aryadeva, the favourite disciple of Nagarjuna, hailed from Sri Lanka!) The brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu (4th c.) were Abbots in succession at Nalanda. Tibetan sources give the names of several other famous Buddhist intellectuals associated with Nalanda. (Note that the first European University – in ‘Christendom’ was built around 1364 CE)

The resident scholar saints, all erudite monks, were the greatest attraction of Nalanda. Students from far and near flocked to Nalanda to sit and learn at the feet of these famous scholars. There were students from Sri Lanka, Tibet, Nepal, China, Central Asia, Vietnam, Sumatra and Java.  It is known that several thousands of monks taught at Nalanda and were men of the highest ability and talent. Some of those students from outside India, on becoming scholars would teach there too. The international character of Nalanda was very evident even during the time of Hieuen Tsiang’s association with Nalanda in the seventh century. 

To achieve these high academic standards, strict procedures and discipline and were demanded of the students; this was at the root of the success of the institution. Because of this high standard of learning, it attracted many brilliant scholars, and its excellence made Nalanda world famous. These great scholars of Nalanda produced a vast literature in all branches of its various fields of learning.   It is said that it was in the field of logic that they made their greatest contribution. Above all, it was a leading center for the dissemination of knowledge.

RUTHLESS VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION BY MUSLIMS

Nalanda flourished up to the tenth century CE (about the end of the Classical Anuradhapura period of Sri Lanka). Thereafter, political upheavals in India had serious negative impacts on Nalanda.  Foreigners, the Turk-Afgan Muslims who invaded India from the northwest during this period, were fanatics who did not respect other people or other cultures. They took delight in destroying Indian cultural edifices and the guardians of this culture, too.

In the year 1198, the Muslim invaders led by Mohammad Bakhtiar Khilji,  attacked and burnt down this great university. They massacred its inmates, who at the time were mostly Buddhist monks, and relentlessly and thoroughly demolished its buildings, of such unique design and purpose. 

The ruthless Muslim Bakhtiar Khilji flattened the university to the ground.  Mirjah, a Muslim historian has left a detailed and gruesome account of Khilji’s vandalism and violence. The gigantic libraries of Nalanda, treasure-houses of knowledge with an estimated 9 million books, were set on fire and left to burn for months. The result of centuries of scholastic studies – books and manuscripts, were burnt and destroyed.

Only a few monks managed to escape with a few manuscripts to Tibet, Nepal and other neighboring countries. Buddhism and its centers of learning, disappeared under the brutal impact of Muslim fanaticism. With the university in ruins, Nalanda became a deserted and desolate place, and the ruins were slowly swallowed up by the jungle.  

Dr. Daya Hewavitharana.

Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . Canada

10 May 2019

Mayor John Tory
City Hall, 2nd Floor
100 Queen Street W
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 2N2

Dear Mayor John Tory:

A friend of mine sent me a copy of your Proclamation – Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, May 18, 2019”

Sweet Mother of Jesus, is this true I wondered or was it a hoax! Tell me Mayor Tory, when did this Genocide of the Tamils” happen. Don’t tell me that you are serious.  Are you joking?

I have been an ardent and a diligent student of this Tamil Eelam War since July 24, 1983. If  Genocide of Tamils”, as you say did happen, then I would have been caught napping.

Or is it that these Snow Tigers in Toronto, who are maestroes of lies and Fairy Tales to get at the Sri Lankan Government, who annihilated their well oiled separatist Tamil Tigers, the only ruthless terrorist outfit in the world who had a well equipped land-army, a Sea Black-Tiger unit as well an Air Force of 4 Czech ZLIN 143 light aircraft turned into night bombers, injected these lies into your  mind.  I can not believe with such well equipped Tamil terrorists that they could not stop such Genocide. Did you not know that Canada aided and abetted  the Tamil Tigers Eelam War, to purchase sophisticated war weapons by letting the Tamil Diaspora fill the Tamil Tiger war-chest with two million dollars a month for 13 years  during the days of Chretien and Martin  Liberal governments.  Turn your palms over Mayor Tory, and you will  find a film of Sinhalese blood on them, so would the 35 million other Canadians,  courtesy of the Canadian Liberal Chretien and Martin governments.

Holy Moses, I don’t believe you, Mayor Tory.  ‘Genocide of Tamils”  Na! Can’t be.

These separatist Tamils  obviously pulled one on you, as they have done so many times, taking Canadian politicians down their ‘ For Naive Canadian Politicians garden path’ singing their Anthem: O Canada what a bunch of fools they are…” embarrassing them making them look like a bunch of fools.  When did this Genocide of Tamils happen, Mayor Tory? Tell me, did this Genocide of Tamils really happen?

These are the Tamil Tigers who took on the 3rd largest Army in the world, the Indians who came to Sri Lanka in July 1987 with the promise to the Sri Lankan Government that they will disarm the Tamil terrorist groups in 7 days.  That was a pathetic joke, Mayor Tory.  They could not and the 100,000 soldiers army left after three years with 120 body bags of their killed colleagues, killed by the Tamil Tigers who were given military training in military camps in Indira Gandhi’s India in the late 1980s, to kill Sri Lankan soldiers and unarmed innocent Sinhalese people.  Are you sure, Mayor Tory that the charge of Genocide was not a Tamil Hoax?   You make me laugh at you. As the Tamil Tigers  have been successful in making another foolish Canadian politician smell the brain damaging roses along the Tamil Tiger garden path especially for naive Canadian politicians.

 What’s all this poppycock I read in your proclamation, Mayor Tory.  You said,

The City of Toronto recognizes that atrocities were committed during the war and that there is a need for truth seeking and proper accountability for those who were responsible.  Just as you stand with us in building a great city, we stand with you remembering those we lost, and commit to supporting long term peace, accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka.”

That statement by you sounds like one written by a bigot  Just give me a minute Mayor Tory,  let my stomach settle down before I go on, as it has been doing somersaults of laughter at your statement  which was hilarious and a joke of yours.

Be honest Mayor Tory, when you said, The City of Toronto recognizes that atrocities were committed during the war.”.  it sounded like that you were cock-sure of it.  Well Mayor Tory, check your notes and see whether you have the following  three atrocities  committed by the Tamil Tigers.

1. Here’s an account of a massacre of Sinhalese by Tamil Tigers, which was related by the 19-year old Jayasuriya Pattabendige Jayaratne a survivor of a

Massacre that happened in the morning of 30th November, 1984, at the Kent Farm, in the Mullaithivu District in the East of Sri Lanka.

I hope you got this one  recognised”.  If not chalk it in to make your atrocities list complete.

In the early hours of the morning of Friday 30th November 1984, at about 5:30 in the morning, when my family were still sleeping in my village hut at Kent Farm, I had come out for a call of nature.

At that point I saw one of the Cultivation Officers in overalls being taken away by about 20 persons wearing uniforms resembling like Army uniforms. The persons were armed with submachine guns, rifles, hand grenades and hand bombs.  They spoke in Sinhala with a Tamil accent, and I heard them ordering the Cultivation Officer to walk ahead of them to the Farm Office.

Thereafter, the Cultivation Officer and another 15 or so persons who were living  in the Farm were pulled out of their huts by terrorists who were disguised in military uniforms were herded to the Farm Office.

Then the terrorists locked the door of the Office Building, poured kerosene  oil around the building and set fire to it.  While the Office building was burning the terrorists started to throw bombs at inside the building. The persons who tried to jump out of the window were shot dead. Well, Mayor Tory, did you recognize this massacre in your notes.  If not chalk it in,

2.        The genocidal genes of the Tamil Tigers, that you are trying to give cover   under your Mayoral robe, and their thirst for Sinhalese blood caused the horrible massacre of 150 innocent Sinhalese Buddhist civilians in the sacred city of Anuradhapura on 14th May 1985.  They were meditating under the  Bodhi Tree, a Genocide committed by the Tamil Tigers.

  3.        On February 7th, 1987, around 7:15 in the evening, at nightfall, about 50 Tamil Tiger terrorists armed with machine guns and long curved sickle shaped knives, entered the village of Aranthalawa situated about 150 miles east of the capital Colombo where a great hydro-civilization flourished under ancient Sinhala kings (a history lesson for you),  The area that the Tamils now claim to be their  Homeland”.  Ha! what a vile-joke.

These brutal Tamil terrorists slit the throats of babies, children, men and      women.  A ghoulish sadistic  execution.  Do you have these ghoulish            Massacres recognized in your list.  Well, if not have them chalked  in to         make your List complete of Genocide”.  Just not only Tamils please.

Sinhalese were massacred for three decades by these brutal Tamil Tigers. Thousands of them.  This was another genocidal massacre committed by      the Tamil Tigers.

                So, Mayor Tory try not to be a martyr to give cover to these rascals just for  want of a Tamil vote here and a Tamil vote there in the Greater Toronto  Area.  The  cases that I have pointed out are all Genocidal massacres of innocent Sinhalese civilians by Tamil Tigers..  Thousands of them.

                 So what’s all this nonsense of a Proclamation of  Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day- May 18, 2019.

                  With that insensitive, idiotic,  Proclamation you have tarnished your stellar political career as, here is another Canadian politician bigot who sold his soul for the Tamil separatist Eelam cause, to grovel for a Tamil vote.”

                   And here is a Fact for you to mull over to come to the conclusion  whether it was all worth it.  And I say to you, Mayor Tory,  it was not  worth two prairie straws swaying in the summer prairie wind.

                     As with that ridiculous, insensitive and bigoted Proclamation, you bet, you have angered the majority of the Sinhalese-Canadian Community from St.John’s to Victoria, and I am one of them.  We are livid and the Conservatives lost our votes for sure.

                      In my humble opinion, Mayor Tory, if you are unable to justify    Genocide of Tamils, which I presume you have pointed your  finger at the Sri Lankan Government, since  it was on 18 May (2009)  that the Tamil Tigers the  most ruthless terrorists in the world were  annihilated, it would be judicious that you annul this Proclamation  of yours, immediately.

                       While as Sinhalese are trying to reconcile with the Tamil community  in Canada, stop stoking the fires of hatred with your lies among the two Communities.  To politicians like you, I say enough is enough   and our capacity to tolerate such rubbish like yours, is eroding fast among us Sinhalese-Canadians right across Canada.

For Pete sake, GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!

Sincerely,   
Asoka Weerasinghe

Mahinda Gunasekera Tambrook Drive, Agincourt, Toronto, Ontario Canada

    10 May 2019

Mayor John Tory
City Hall, 2nd Floor  
100 Queen Street W
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 2N2      

Mayor Patrick Brown
City of Brampton
2 Wellington Street West
Brampton, Ontario
L6Y 4R2

Dear Mayors John Tory and Mayor Patrick Brown,

Re: Proclamation of May 18, 2019 as “Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day”

    I am writing as a Canadian of Sri Lankan Sinhalese origin to express our deep disappointment and disbelief on your proclaiming the 18^th of May, 2019, as         Tamil Remembrance Genocide Day” on one sided information presented to you from extremist members of the Tamil community that extended support         to the internationally designated terrorist group known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) proscribed by the UN Security Council, USA, UK, EU,         Canada, and India amongst a total of 32 countries, and without consulting the other members of the Sri Lankan community from the Sinhalese, non-                political moderate Tamils, Indian Tamils, Moors, Malays, Burghers, etc. residing within your two cities. 

    We find that the rules governing the issue of such proclamations strictly prohibit such where it relates to:  (1)  Matters of political controversy; and (2)             Events or organizations with no direct relationship to the City.  Furthermore, this is bound to create friction among the proponents and opposition within         the Sri Lankan community which has been striving to heal the underlying differences and come together in amity and friendship. The word ‘Genocide’ has     been defined by the United Nations, and that august body has not considered the actions taken by the security forces of the legally and duly elected                 government of Sri Lanka against the internationally designated terrorist group known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which was engaged in         an armed insurrection including suicide terrorism to break up the state of Sri Lanka, in order to establish a separate mono-ethnic Tamil separate state called     “Eelam” through a continuous wave of death and destruction as coming within the scope of the term ‘genocide’.

    We also wish to point out the false statements presented by those requesting the issue of the proclamations which apparently have been accepted without     question in your determinations:

(a      (a)    The Tamils are not recognized as a Nation, and form a part of the Nation of Sri Lanka which is a multi-lingual, multi-religious state.  The Tamil nation         exists outside Sri Lanka in the State of Tamilnadu in South India where over 75 million Tamils live.  In fact, the Tamils were not even recognized as a distinct     ethnic group in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) till the census of 1911, as they were previously regarded as the Malabars who had been brought as indentured labour         from the Malabar coast of India for work in tobacco, coffee and tea plantations by European colonial powers.

(b         (b)The Tamils arrived as peaceful settlers around the 11^th and 12^th centuries, whereas previously they only attempted to invade the land to pillage and             plunder but were driven back every time from the small pockets they captured  by the indigenous Sinhala people.  In the 13^th century they succeeded in         establishing a small kinglet called Jaffnapatam confined to the Jaffna peninsula and a narrow strip of land extending to Mannar on the northwest coast             paying tribute or taxes to the main Sinhala king whose seat was in Kotte or Kandy.  This tiny kinglet lasted about 150 years till such time as the  King of             Kotte sent a military expedition under the command of Prince Sapumal to regain suzerainty over the terrain of Jaffnapatam.   Tamils who were brought in         to grow tobacco by the Portuguese and Dutch colonial regimes that held sway over the coastal areas from the 16^th to the 18^th centuries were settled in the     northern and eastern areas where they came to form the predominant group in the region.  It was never the traditional homeland of the Tamils as the             Sinhalese settlements predated the entry of Tamils by over two millennia as the place names clearly establishes the Sinhalese ancestry in the region.  Even     today, more Tamils live outside the north and east amidst multi-ethnic communities and make up roughly 12 percent of the total population.

(c       (c)   The British took over the Dutch possessions in 1796 and the Sinhalese ceded power in terms of  the Treaty called the ‘Kandyan Convention’ of 1815.         The Sinhalese began to resist the British who disregarded their treaty obligations and took over the lands of the Sinhalese without a penny in                             compensation. At this point, the British colonial ruler commenced discriminatory treatment of the Sinhalese and favored treatment of the minority Tamils     under their divide and rule policy. The colonial administration encouraged Christian missionaries to establish schools in Jaffna and other Tamil areas with         few and far between for the others. At the time the British left granting independence to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1948, the number of First Grade  schools with     libraries and science laboratories in the Tamil areas exceeded that in the rest of the country, as a result of which the Tamils came to dominate the public         service and professions.  Following independence and transfer of political power through the exercise of universal franchise to  the Sinhalese who                     comprised 78 percent of the population, and steps taken by the national governments to open more schools and bring about some equity affected their         level of domination which was regarded as discrimination by the Tamil community.

(d      (d)  It is to the credit of the Tamil community that they have continued to hold leading positions even after independence.  The first Ceylonese Army                 Commander was  Anton Mutukumaru who was a Tamil, six of the twelve Deputy Inspectors General of Police, several Judges of the Supreme Court, Heads     of Government Departments, senior Diplomats, leading members of every profession were from the Tamil community.  Every single government formed         after independence have had Tamils holding cabinet positions.  Even today, Tamils hold key positions in the government, supreme court, central bank and         other key institutions, making the allegation of discrimination highly questionable.

(e      (e)  Even many of those Tamils who destroyed their passports enroute to seek refugee status in Canada, bypassing their original homeland of Tamilnadu         separated by just 25 kilometers of ocean to which they are linguistically and culturally linked, approached the Sri Lankan High Commission office in Ottawa     to obtain travel documents by the thousands to visit Sri Lanka the land which they claimed had persecuted them.

(f       (f)    The Tamils who loudly claim discrimination at the hands of the Sinhalese mounted a massive campaign against the ‘Prevention of Social Disabilities Act’     of 1957, as it would prevent the high caste Vellalas from blocking the entry of so called low caste Hindus ( designated as untouchables) from entering their     temples or kovils to exercise their fundamental  right of freedom of worship and entering schools to gain education.  One of the key leaders heading this         campaign was Mathematics Professor and Tamil separatist politician C.Suntharalingam.

    Influenced by the ‘We Tamil Movement’ of Southern India of the 1920’s to fight for an independent Tamil state in India from the British, the Tamils in then     Ceylon withdrew from the Tamil Congress which was part of the National Government formed immediately after independence to form the new separatist     party called the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (Tamil State Party) in the year 1949 just one year after gaining independence. The Tamil separatist movement        continued to grow building antagonism towards the Sinhalese and later formed the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) which adopted the infamous             Vadukkodai Resolution in 1976 to form a Mono-Ethnic  Tamil Separate State called Eelam” encompassing the northern and eastern provinces comprising         1/3^rd of the land area and 2/3^rd of the nation’s coastline and oceanic economic zone exclusively as a Tamil dominated state.   The resolution envisaged the     use of armed force to establish the separate state leading to the formation of a number of armed Tamil militant groups to whom India provided military         training, funds and weapons to destabilize her small neighbour of Sri Lanka.

    The LTTE launched attacks on the other Tamil militant groups to gain ascendancy and later became the leading terrorist group employing suicide terrorism     and coming to be recognized as the ‘Sole Representative’ of the Tamil community including by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) elected to represent Tamils     in the National Parliament. Contrary to what has been stated, it was the LTTE that carried out attacks against Tamil political leaders, Tamil academics and         school principals, Tamil police officers including reputed Tamils such as Mayor Duraiappa, TULF leader Hon. Amirthalingam, Rajini Thiranagama university         professor, Neelan Tiruchelvam leading intellectual, the Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar, distinguished Minister of Foreign Affairs and a host of other Tamils             deemed dissidents to their cause. They have been described as the most ruthless terrorist group by the FBI in their website.

    Thereafter, the LTTE began to attack the apparatus of the state responsible for internal security, isolated military camps, assassination of political leaders         including Ranasinghe Premadasa, President of Sri Lanka, Gamini Dissanayake, Presidential candidate,cabinet ministers including  Lalith Athulathmudali, C.V.     Gooneratne, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, T.Maheswaran, the Navy Commander Fernando, attempted assassination of Chandrika Kumaratunge, President of Sri         Lanka, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse. In February 2002, the government of the day entered into a                     Ceasefire Agreement (CFA)with the LTTE appointing the Nordic countries to monitor the situation,  and commenced peace talks using Norway as the                 facilitator and the USA, UK and Japan along with Norway as Co-Chairs of these talks.  The LTTE did not negotiate in good faith as they used the talks to buy     time to rearm and conscript youth including children to their fighting ranks – which is a war crime, withdrawing from the talks after six rounds to seek their     goal through military means. According to the Nordic Monitors, the LTTE had violated the CFA on over 7,000 instances including the killing of more than 400     military and civil personnel without incurring any penalties, whilst the Sri Lankan Military had been in violation on about 450 occasions mostly relating to         harassment of civilians at military check points.

    The LTTE also attacked economic targets such as the Central Bank, Petroleum Storage facilities, The International Airport at Katunayake destroying six             commercial aircraft belonging to Sri Lankan Airlines, and regularly planted bombs in public transit, shopping malls, bus terminals, rail stations, killing large     numbers of civilians making the population fearful of going about their normal business. They attacked remote rural villages in the north and east to                 ethnically cleanse the region and drive out the resident population from areas claimed for their separate state.  They even attacked the holy shrine of             Buddhists at the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura killing about 140 including monks and lay devotees  who were engaged in meditation and other                     devotional activities.  They attacked a bus carrying 33 Buddhist monks who were proceeding on pilgrimage at Aranthalawa using machine guns and                 machetes, and also bombed the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy which houses the Tooth Relic of the Buddha in the early hours killing about 20 worshippers     and causing damage to this World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO.  They attacked Muslims at prayer in Kattankudy killing nearly 180 worshippers             inside their mosques. The killing rampages continued unabated until such time as the state decided to combat force with force.

    By mid-2005, the LTTE had garnered a huge amount of funds through extortion of the Tamil expats (vide HRW report of March 2016), drug running, human     smuggling and other illicit as well as legitimate means sufficient to buy necessary weapons for their land, sea and air forces to launch their final war of             liberation and even stockpile weapons in floating warehouses aboard ships parked off the main sea lanes out at sea. They attacked unarmed military                 personnel on home leave for the new year and started hostilities in earnest by shutting off the sluice gates at Mavil Aru in August 2006 stopping the flow of     drinking and irrigation water to 30,000 farmers living downstream.  The Sri Lankan state called on the Nordic Monitors to intervene to restore water, and as     the LTTE refused to do so for over 12 days, the government ordered the military to act with force to resume the water supply.  The Sri Lankan state                     abandoned the CFA and carried out coordinated action by its security forces to rout the LTTE by retaking the east, and then moving up the west coast                 evicting the LTTE military camps causing them to retreat.

    As the LTTE forces retreated towards their strongholds in the northeast they forced the Tamil civilian population to move with them from west to east to         exploit their labour, conscript new fighters and form a human shield. The battle progressed rapidly with the LTTE losing ground and fighting cadres till they     became completely surrounded by the Sri Lankan forces in a narrow strip at Putumathalan, in Mullaitivu district beside the Nandikadal lagoon.

    Contrary to what is claimed as genocidal attacks by the Sri Lankan forces, the number of genuine civilians killed is unknown as none of the published                 figures distinguish between combatants, LTTE Auxiliary Forces Personnel, and genuine non-combatant civilians. The UN Resident Representative’s office in     Colombo reported that a total of 7,721 were killed between end August 2008 and May 13, 2009 which number the UN Under Secretary General for                     Humanitarian Affairs, Sir John Holmes, did not accept stating that it could not be verified as the UN was not on the ground other than lower rung Tamil             employees whom the LTTE refused to release. Amnesty claimed a total of 10,000 being killed, the UK Sunday Times reporter who only overflew the last             battle ground when he accompanied UNSG Ban ki Moon on his inspection tour on May 25, 2009 reported that 20,000 had been killed in the last stages (i.e.     January 1 to May 19, 2009), while UNSG’s so called Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka sitting in New York estimated tens of thousands of persons being killed         estimated at 40,000, the same number reported on by the Int’l Crisis Group.  The UNSG’s PoE received its information from some 4,000 persons, mainly             Tamils living outside Sri Lanka, instructed that the data collected be locked up for the next 20 years till 2031, when a decision would be made to release             same or keep these locked for a further period. Gordon Weiss who was the UN Spokesperson in Colombo later inflated the number killed to 40,000 in his         book “The Cage”, which number he lowered to 10,000 when he was being questioned by a Sri Lankan audience in Australia, probably with a view to profit     from his book sales to members of the expat Tamil community numbering over a million. He has been described elsewhere as an Unreliable Witness.  That     pro-LTTE reporter Frances Harrison is still counting the dead, having stated that 70,000 to 140,000 may have been killed. Yasmin Sooka who was appointed by Ban ki-Moon as         one of the three members of the Panel of Experts on Accountability on Sri Lanka, close friend of Navi Pillay, who is also a South African Tamil just like Navi     P, who attends all the propaganda meetings organized by the pro-LTTE groups is on the same page as Frances Harrison claiming over 110,000 persons being     killed in the last stages. She certainly benefited by her openly partisan stand, receiving a grant of 25 million Euros from the EU for a South African NGO             headed by her.

    In 2012, the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) carried out a census among the residents of the north to determine the number of persons who had been             killed in the final stages using Tamil school teachers and public servants as enumerators and arrived at a figure of 7,432 excluding those who had died of         natural causes. Strangely, on adding up the monthly number of such casualties reported in the propaganda arm of the LTTE, namely the Tamilnet, the total     killed for the period January 1, 2009 to May 19, 2009 was 7,398 which was below the GOSL census count.

    The UNSG’s PoE which claimed 40,000 had been killed also stated that half the LTTE fighters did battle in civilian attire thereby blurring the distinction             between combatants and civilians. Furthermore, they had based their conclusions mainly from one sided information provided to them by pro-LTTE                 elements, which material they recommended be locked away for a period of 20 years till 2031. Today, Sri Lanka is being hounded by the west and the UN         on the basis of this report produced by the UNSG’s PoE, an internal document prepared purely for the guidance of the UNSG, which concluded there were     ‘credible allegations’ – not credible evidence, which was apparently leaked by the UNSG’s office to the UNHRC, which Navi Pillay sought to table at the             UNHRC sessions although it was not a UN sanctioned document.

    Another interesting statistic is the total number of injured persons among the Tamil IDPs according to the ICRC responsible for ferrying them by land and         sea for medical attention was 18,439 which is lower than the 40,000 supposedly killed during the last stages. Normally, the injured (WIA) is between 2-3         times the number killed, which means that the number injured should have been 80,000 – 120,000.

    Amnesty and HRW commissioned a report from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to determine the number killed after             analysis of the high resolution satellite imagery of the final battleground, as the latter were only able to come up with a total of 1,346 burial spots in three     burial sites within the Civilian Safety Zone (CSW), which detailed report is carried in their website. As this report did not support the bogus numbers                 swirled around by LTTE propagandists, Amnesty and HRW did not proceed with their planned report to press for action against Sri Lanka. The AAAS report     was also able to identify some 65 or so craters which they determined had been made by Mortar Shells (not artillery) along the perimeter of the CSZ close     to the Nandikadal Lagoon where the LTTE fighters were concentrated and close to the coast where the Sea Tigers operated. Even the buildings without             roofs initially thought to have been targeted with artillery fire turned out to have been dismantled by the LTTE to cover their bunkers or hide their long             range weapons, while the building walls remained undamaged.

    The, while tSri Lankan forces abandoned air attacks and use of Artillery/MBRL in the latter part to prevent harm to the civilian population, while they faced a continuous barrage of         artillery and mortar fire from the LTTE resulting in the loss of around 2,500 soldiers and a further 5,000 or more becoming injured. The LTTE too would have     lost at least an equal number of combatants due to the intensive battles at the end stages. If one takes out 2,500 from the UN number of 7,721, one is left     with 5,221. Of this number, several were killed by the LTTE which ordered their cadres to fire on escaping civilians, and even unleashed suicide bombers         and artillery fire on the escaping civilians who earlier formed a human shield. Some others killed would have been members of the LTTE’s Auxiliary Forces     that supplied ammo, removed injured and dead fighters, or were engaged in digging trenches or building defensive berms, and yet others from the Makkal     Padai, their civilian fighters. Once you adjust for the LTTE’s own killings, auxiliary forces personnel, Makkal Padai forces that were killed, you will be able to     ascertain the number of genuine civilians who were killed in the crossfire and ongoing battles.

    The LTTE was offered several chances to surrender but they did not pay any heed as they expected the international community led by the USA to                     intervene in the ongoing battles and rescue them and obtain asylum for them in an African country such as Eritrea from where they could continue their         separatist struggle in Sri Lanka. In fact, two 48 hour ceasefires were put into effect by the Sri Lanka military in February and April 2009 to enable the                 civilians to get out of harms way and move into areas controlled by the army where they would be safe.  However, regrettably the LTTE did not allow any of     the civilians to move out and even fired on those who attempted to flee killing them, effectively blocking the safe removal of the civilians who were being     used as a human shield. Despite the attempts of the LTTE to put the lives of the Tamil civilians in danger, the Sri Lankan Security Forces succeeded in                 eliminating the Tamil Tiger fighters and rescuing 295,873 Tamils including some 11.800 former Tiger cadres that downed their weapons to safety. They were     housed in Welfare Camps, provided all meals, medical/ psychological care, education, vocational training, and resettled in their former places of residence     after clearing the land of 1.5 million landmines laid by the LTTE to hamper the advance of the country’s armed forces. The former Tiger cadres were                 enrolled in a rehabilitation program, given new life skills that would enable them to lead independent lives and released to society.   ARE THESE ACTS OF         GENOCIDE AGAINST THE TAMILS? 

    The Justice Maxwell Paranagama Commission on Missing Persons in Sri Lanka was assisted by a team of international legal and military experts in matters     relating to International Human Rights Regulations, and War Crimes issues in respect of the military operations against the LTTE, where they concluded that     the Sri Lankan forces had not violated International HR or committed war crimes. These experts were internationally recognized authorities, many of whom     had served as legal advisers or prosecutors in the International Criminal Courts.  The team of experts was led by Right Honourable Sir Desmond de Silva,         QC. (UK) who was Chairman of the Legal Advisory Council, together with Professor Sir Geoffrey Nice QC. (UK), Professor David M. Crane (USA), Mr. Rodney     Dixon, QC. (UK/ South Africa), Professor Michael Newton (USA) Vanderbilt University, William Fenrick (Canada), Professor Nina Jorgensen of Harvard/ The     Chinese University of Hong Kong, Mr. Paul K. Mylvaganam (UK) and Major General Sir John Holmes, DSO, OBE, MC (UK).

    Given the facts as outlined above, we call on Mayor John Tory of the City of Toronto and Mayor Patrick Brown of the City of Brampton, and the Councillors     of the respective Cities to review their decision and withdraw the subject Proclamations made based on one sided and erroneous information.

    Yours sincerely,

    Mahinda Gunasekera

Press Release Pathfinder Foundation

Spatial Planning and Regional Development was the theme of the recently held roundtable jointly organized by the Pathfinder Foundation (PF) and the Academy of Macroeconomic Research (AMR) of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China. The AMR delegation that visited Colombo, was headed by Director General Dr. Gao Guoli.

Established in 1995, AMR is the only national policy-making consulting think tank in China specialized in macroeconomic theory, policy research and providing intellectual support to NDRC. The NDRC is a macroeconomic management agency under the Chinese State Council and has broad administrative and planning control over the economy of China.

The roundtable was attended by Mr. Locana Gunaratna, Chartered Architect, and planning expert; Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne, Professor of Economics at the University of Colombo and Dr. Sisira Pinnawala, Senior Research Associate and the professionals of PF.

Prior to the roundtable, the visiting delegation met with Milinda Moragoda, Founder of the PF for a briefing on the current economic, political and investment climate in the country. Also, teams from AMR and PF had a well-focused discussion on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the context of China-Sri Lanka trade, investment and economic cooperation.

At the discussion, both sides agreed that implementation of projects under this grand initiative should be focused on overall economic development of Sri Lanka to ensure transparency and return on investment of individual projects. It was emphasized by a participating Sri Lankan academic that the BRI needs to be viewed as a new paradigm of international development cooperation departing from development initiatives implemented during the post-World War II period. He added that BRI is considered as holistic and integrated in its approach to development of participating countries. It was stated that both Colombo Port City/Colombo International Financial City and Hambantota development initiatives need to be evaluated within this context.

The roundtable on ‘Spatial Planning and Development Initiatives’ analyzed the experience of Chinese urban planning and regional development as a useful know-how providing many lessons to newly emerging economies. In spite of the differences in scale the achievements of China in developing modern urban centres and addressing issues of rural communities China’s spatial planning and development activities provide inspiration even for countries like Sri Lanka and their urban planning professionals. It was highlighted that a mega urban development project, such as the Colombo Port City, needs to be buttressed with appropriate legal structures such as ‘Special Economic Zones.’ It is also noted that growth impetus to be created by such development may have the potential to accelerate urban migration, which if not dealt with care, will add to the growing urban underclass, which is already a major issue in the Colombo metropolitan landscape. The roundtable concluded on the understanding that the two institutions would expand cooperation in the field of spatial planning.

Courtesy REUTERS

COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s army commander Mahesh Senanayake said the threat of more Islamist militant attacks had been contained and the security services had dismantled most of the network linked to the Easter Sunday bombings.Sri Lanka’s Army commander Mahesh Senanayake speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Army Headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka May 10, 2019. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Senanayake told Reuters on Friday that investigators had established that the plotters had links to Islamic State, but said the authorities were still trying to establish how deep those contacts were.

Up to now the investigations do not go beyond many areas, so we don’t have to worry about the situation; it is controllable, it is contained,” he said.

We are quietly confident that normalcy is brought back without” any second round of militant attacks.

The attacks in churches and hotels across the Indian Ocean island on April 21 killed more than 250 people, including 42 foreign nationals.

Sri Lankan authorities have said the bombings were believed to have been carried out by two little-known domestic Islamist groups, the National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI). Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

There is a link internationally, so we are working on those lines,” Senanayake said.

Definitely there is an IS link. That doesn’t mean it was a direct IS hit. But we are trying to establish how deep it is in order to plan our (military) operations.”

OFFSHORE LINKS

He said the focus of the probe is on the plotting, funding and planning of the attacks, as well as the precise nature of the offshore links – including whether any of the explosives came from southern India.

Sri Lanka has been on high alert for any fresh attacks, with security around the country ramped up, including around government buildings, schools and religious places. Scores of suspects have been arrested in the past 2-1/2 weeks.

But the army chief said he wanted the military to head back to their barracks soon.

Investigators from eight countries, including the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Interpol, are helping Sri Lanka with the investigation.

Senanayake said that India, China, United States, Israel, Australia and the United Arab Emirates were looking to provide high grade military technology, including communication and surveillance equipment, to deal with future threats.

Authorities suspect Zahran Hashim, a radical local preacher from the east of the country was a ringleader of the bombings. Police say eight suicide bombers, including Zahran, were killed in the attacks.

Senanayake, who led the special forces during the last stages of the separatists war which ended in a crushing defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, said the investigation suggested that Zahran was responsible for command and control of the bombings.Slideshow (2 Images)

As of now the understanding is that it was Zahran,” who commanded and orchestrated the bombings, he said. However, he said there may be other important players linked to the militant ideology and seeking leadership.

Senanayake said the bombers had mostly used local explosives but may have also sourced some from southern India, likely Tamil Nadu.

He said some suspects had gone to India, mainly to Kerala, Bengaluru and Kashmir for training. However, investigators were still trying to determine more details around their travel.

Courtesy Mail Online

A Sri Lankan Muslim man prays in Colombo on May 3, 2019. The government has ordered mosques to clamp down on extremism and submit copies of sermons

The Sri Lankan government on Friday ordered mosques to clamp down on extremists and to submit copies of sermons in new fallout from the Easter suicide bombings that left 258 dead.

The country has been on edge since the April 21 attacks by jihadist bombers who attacked three churches and three Colombo hotels which also left 500 people injured.

The Ministry of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs said mosques must not be used for radicalising congregations.

“In view of the prevailing situation in the country, the ministry directs all trustees of mosques not to engage in or permit any gathering to promote or propagate hatred or extremism in any form,” the ministry said.

It said all mosques must submit copies of sermons given within their premises.

Sri Lankan radicals who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group have been been blamed for the April 21 bombings against three Christian churches and three luxury hotels.

Since the attacks, the government has carried out raids across the country and killed several suspected radicals. At least 56 suspects are in custody, according to police, while authorities have also expelled 200 foreign clerics who had overstayed their visas.

The government has imposed a state of emergency and ordered police and security forces to crack down on Islamic extremists.

Sri Lanka’s police say they have killed or arrested all the jihadists responsible for the bombings but attacks are still possible.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene said yesterday an investigation had been launched to find out how Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hisbullah’s son had managed to obtain shares worth Rs.500 million in the controversial Batticaloa Campus.

He said this in response to a question asked by United National Party (UNP) MP Hesha Withanage in parliament yesterday.

MP Withnage said Governor Hisbullah’s son has obtained shares worth Rs. 500 million in this University which has been set up on a grant.

The state minister said the campus was under the purview of the Higher Education Ministry. I believe that there is an investigation in this regard,”

Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa today urged the government to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) with full powers to probe the Easter Sunday attack, ascertain the historical background behind it and recommend the steps to be taken to prevent such disasters in the future.

He told parliament that everyone should rise up as Sri Lankans against terrorism and rescue the country from the debacle.

Mr. Rajapaksa said the government was responsible to ensure the safety of fear-stricken people, build their confidence and re-establish the economy.

“This situation is different from the previous terrorism the country had to face. Contribution of the people is needed to come out of this crisis. We all need to join hands and build the country,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa said the government had planned to reopen primary section of schools at a situation when security forces had warned of a possible attack on the 13th of this month and asked if it was reasonable to risk the lives of four million children.

“How can you justify the reopening of schools? I accept that schools cannot be kept closed for long. But is it children’s safety or completing syllabuses more important,” he asked and added that these children were not bullet-proof.

Mr. Rajapaksa said the country had faced terrorism for centuries under several governments but there had been no uncertainty like this before.

“There had been bomb explosions in other countries targeting civilians. But what happened to us was the country fell from the frying fan to the hearth due to the conduct of the government after the bomb explosions,” he said adding that the government should make sure not to create any suspicion among the people on the investigations carried out by the police and security forces.

“People have to be arrested under situations like this. Investigations have to be launched. I urge the government not to allow such investigations to be hindered under anyone’s influence,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa said they could not approve of the government’s move to restrict media on countrywide search operations and added that they did not do so even at the height of the war.

“We cannot prevent false news from being spread when true information was suppressed,” he said.

Referring to the proposed Counter Terrorism Act, he said the country could never be rescued from terrorism if this new act was brought in place of the Prevention of Terrorism Act at this juncture.

“Please consult the Mahanayake Theras, Catholic and other religious leaders and trade union leaders and university student unions,” he said. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)

Ada Derana

Ada Derana

Courtesy Adaderana

Pulasthini Rajendran alias Sarah, the wife of the suicide bomber at St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, was allegedly abducted and forced to convert to Islam, Pulasthini’s mother claimed, speaking to Indian media.

According to Pulasthini’s mother, her daughter, who had been a devout Hindu, is now being held by Abdul Razik, the Secretary of Ceylon Thowheed Jamath (CTJ).

She alleges that Razik had abducted and forcefully married her daughter off to Atchchi Muhammadu Muhammadu Hasthun in Maligawatte area, despite the objection from the mother.

Muhammadu Hasthun was later identified as the suspect who has carried out the suicide bombing in Katuwapitiya.

Responding to these allegations, Abdul Razik stated that Pulasthini had converted to Islam willingly, however, she had ceased being an Islamic devotee in 2015 after formally informing the CTJ this in writing.
Pulasthini had not maintained further relations with the CTJ since then, Abdul Razik claims.

Meanwhile, the National Movement against Terrorism filed a case at the Criminal Investigation Department against CTJ Secretary Abdul Razik for the alleged kidnapping and marrying off Pulasthini Rajendran by force.

Investigating officers suspect that Pulasthini Rajendran, who was named as one of the six wanted suspects, may have died during the explosion in Chavalakadi in Kalmune but  DNA examinations are to be carried out to ascertain her identity.

Courtesy Adaderana

A buried cache of explosives belonging to the Sainthamaruthu suicide bombers have been recovered from the Kattankudy beach, Police Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said.

The explosives were found buried in the beach area along Beach Road in Kattankudy based on information received by intelligence units.

Speaking at a press briefing in Colombo today (10), the police spokesman vowed that all items and weapons which have been hidden by the terrorists will be discovered and that they will not allow anything to remain.

He assured that everything uncovered by the authorities will be revealed to the public in due time.

He said that not only explosives, everyone connected to the terrorists will also be arrested while their assets will also be seized.

Courtesy Adaderana

MP Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero claims that three years ago intelligence officers had given the President a report regarding extremist group arming themselves and shootouts between these groups, but no action was taken out of fear of Muslim politicians.

He made these comments during an event held today (10) for the launch of the Sri Lanka National Council’s five-point national plan to prevent the infiltration of Islamic State terrorism into the country.

Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and several other religious leaders attended the event held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo.

Sri Lanka National Council’s president, Venerable Rathana Thero, further alleged that a haul of explosives were found in the Wanathawilluwa area which were linked to a politician. But they were released.” 

He stated that these extremists had existed in the country since 2013 and that they were armed and prominently seen only after 2015,

The MP said that when this started to grow from 2015, the government did not touch this matter out of fear of the Muslim politicians. That is the true story.”

He alleged that intelligence units had previously reported that extremist groups were arming themselves. He said that in 2016, right in front of the President and himself, intelligence officers had provided a report on these groups arming themselves and shootouts between them.

But nothing was done regarding this out of fear of politicians,” he said.

Ven. Rathana Thero also urged the President and Prime Minister not to implement policies and plans on giving land to America” at this point as the country will definitely be a target of global Islamic terrorists if American camps and built in Trincomalee”.

Courtesy Adaderana

The government on Friday ordered mosques to clamp down on extremists and to submit copies of sermons in new fallout from the Easter suicide bombings that left 258 dead.

The country has been on edge since the April 21 attacks by jihadist bombers who attacked three churches and three Colombo hotels which also left 500 people injured.

The Ministry of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs said mosques must not be used for radicalising congregations.

In view of the prevailing situation in the country, the ministry directs all trustees of mosques not to engage in or permit any gathering to promote or propagate hatred or extremism in any form,” the ministry said.

It said all mosques must submit copies of sermons given within their premises.

Sri Lankan radicals who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group have been been blamed for the April 21 bombings against three Christian churches and three luxury hotels.

Source: AFP

Courtesy Adaderana

Rear Admiral (Retd.) Sarath Weerasekera says that only one law should exist for all races within the country and that there can be no separate universities and laws only for Muslims.

He made these comments while delivering a speech at an event organized by the Patriotic National Movement in Paris on Thursday (9).

The former MP further said that there can be only one national flag and only one national anthem sung in one language. 

Courtesy Adaderana

Police have arrested another individual suspected to be linked to the Easter Sunday attackers, along with gold and over Rs 8.3 million in cash in the Maradana area.

Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said the suspect, Buhari Mohamed Rafik, was arrested yesterday (09) by Slave Island Police.

He said that over Rs 8.3 million in cash and 776 grams of gold jewellery were discovered after a search at his official room at a private institution in T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10.

The suspect, a resident of Galwihara Road in Dehiwala, was arrested during an operation carried out based on information received that he is connected to the terrorist group.

The Police Spokesman said that the suspect’s luxury house at Dehiwala and several bank accounts were also uncovered. He is being detained and further interrogated by the police.

By Kanthar Balanathan DipEE(UK), DipBus&Adm(Finance-Massey), GradCert(Rel-Eng. Monash), CEng. MIEE

This article does not reflect on all Muslims, however, restricts only to those maniacs with a Nymphomaniac, selfish, self-destruct, murderous, and Muslims with psychological and psychiatric disorders.

Islamophobia

It is of the general opinion that the so-called Islamic ethnic groups are like that of a winged termite (Alates) type that reproduces quite rapidly to make the number so large. Termites are a devastating insect that destroys property etc. With democracy in place, the Muslims know that they can capture power if they are large in number. The law in SL has not changed and the Islamic people like to have more than one wife with the intention to proliferate. Although the economic status requires each family to manage their life, the Islamic society does not have any class distinction or any caste distinction and anyone is prepared to do any work, as long as their family can manage. In the early days and even now most of them were doing business everywhere plus smuggling, brothels and drug dealing. (Bangladesh and Bombay are an example). If you see a person in Pettah roadside vendor you can be sure that it may be a Muslim. Most of them do illegal activities alongside with smuggling. The interesting part is that wherever they are they can speak the four languages, Sinhala, Tamil, Urdu, broken pidgin English.

Muslim clerics are engaged in indoctrination and intoxication of educated Islamic youths to program to achieve Islam the only religion and bawl Jihad”. What is Jihad? Quote: struggle or fight against the enemies of Islam”. If Islam is a religion that preaches love, kindness and embraces unity, so said in the Ten Commandments in Christianity, there can be no enemies of Islam. The question arises who define the enemies of Islam. It is the power-crazy, despotic policy and focuses on Islamic power that drives the Muslims to assume that there are enemies of Islam”. Non-Islamic religion is considered enemies of Islam. They are living in a world of imagination.

Islamic clerics have a mindset for rigorously converting Muslim people to enter into Jihad destroy property that does not belong to them so that they can secure them. Islamic people lack in mannerism and self-esteem. They do not have respect for others and have an autocrat attitude. Muslim maniacs want the entire world to practice Islam and become Muslims.

Muslims want Sharia Law in the UK and Europe. Let’s talk of the UK. The UK is an island ruled by the Queen and Kings all along. They conquered countries and had colonies. However, they did not destroy the resources, but developed the colonies, educated the local, some barbarians, made them a civilized society, taught democracy, science, arts, etc. The British carried out infrastructural development in countries where they ruled. The British did not use force to convert the locals to be Christians. It’s the good facts about life and faith in Christianity made the people change their religion to become Christians out of willingness. The same with Catholicism. No force was used to convert people. When Islam and Christianity are compared, Christianity is a much older and worthy religion that preaches people to live together. Christianity does not use force, violence for Law & Order. There is no Christianity Law. However, Muslims came to the UK as refugees, beggars, and illegal immigrants, most of them congregated together in one town or village and proliferated population with intent motivation to conquer the country. Now they want Sharia Law in Walthamstow. Why come to the UK and demand Sharia Law. Their native country is the Middle East. Quote Ref: (i) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkfDQBoLgLU,

(ii) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article2020382/You–entering–Sharia–law–Britain–As–Islamic–extremists–declare–Sharia–law–zone–Londonsuburb–worrying–social–moral–implications.html.

It boils down to people intimidating the British constitution and British Law. Muslims talk of openness, honesty, and freedom, however, behaviour in a contradictory way, quote: According to the Association of Chief Police Officers, every year 17,000 Muslim women in Britain become victims of forced marriages, are raped by their husbands or subjected to female genital mutilation — all condoned by more extreme Islamists. These events only happen in Islamic society worldwide. Quote: In the 70s, the East of SriLanka had more Islamic womenprostitutes according to a Municipal Health Inspector. Muslim women are treated as COWS by their Islamic men. Muslims talk of Sharia, however, with due respect, majority of the real Cattle Butchers are Muslims.

What is Sharia Law? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddA_VjIwzn4

https://www.facebook.com/samantha.desilva.965/videos/10156195097213513/UzpfSTEwMDAyMzQzNTk1M TUxMjo0MjM5MzYyODE3MzA5MDA/

The Muslims believe that punishment like cutting the hands, legs, head, stone to death is a stimulating, revitalising, invigorating human punishment and that Muslims will live in harmony. Firstly, Muslim humans shall understand the fact that if they have a high degree of perception and intelligence, such punishment should remove all kinds of inhuman and illegal activities from their society. The important point is: What type of society would require such ruthless and cruel inhuman punishments? Only if the society is under animalistic behavioural psychology. Animals do not understand because they cannot think except killing, eating and reproducing without any fear. Animals have only five senses. Quote: We have the same five main senses as many animals: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Our main sense is sight.  Some animals and birds have strong sight as they are creditors.

Therefore, Islamic society has been a rough, rowdy, sex driven, gangster, lawbreaker, asperser, outlaw backbiter, characteristics inborn in them. Islamic society needed weapons to control their society. However, in the old ages, such weapons were not in use, therefore they lead the Mohamed to write merciless, unearthly, eerie, a law called Sharia Law”, which is good enough for Animals. This behavioural pattern of Arabs gave birth to Sharia Law and nothing else. Most Arabs are dirty unclean people at home. They shall be treated as Untouchable”. Their dress indicates why they hide their body both men and women. In the middle east, a desert area people cover their body with Daffah Dishdasha Islamic Arab Kaftan for men and Burka for women. The reason for such clothes is to protect their head and body from the desert sand. Eventually, over time, the laughable, irrational people converted this experience into a religious conviction.

Muslims could be treated as having animalistic behaviour as they have sex with multiple women and behave like animals. History proves that Muslims were responsible for the slave trade of the Africans into Europe, The Americas. What made them not to trade Arabs as slaves, but only the African blacks. Barrack Obama stated that he is proud of Islam and that majority of Muslims live in the USA. Obama is intelligent because of the European blood that flows in his veins. Does not he know that it is the Muslims who traded his ancestors as slaves and that he may be a product of a slave reign family? Every African American should know this and be against Islamic convictions and Arabs. Today majority of African Americans are Christians and have a high degree of perception and intelligence and could be judged as intellectuals, Scientists, researchers, Economists, and Astrophysicists.

Arabs still import knowledge in the form of humans to do their home functions. Engineers, Nurses, Doctors, Labourers, and house workers. Mostly all workers are imported on contract into most of the middle east countries. What is the reason? They have no brain to perform functions to live. People from India (Kerala) live on Arabic wealth, however, under harsh conditions. 

Continued in Part 2

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka March 2009

The following is an article I wrote ten years ago, in March 2009, and published in the Lankaweb in the same year, warning the then government to take necessary action immediately on the establishment of Muslim Madrasas, so that possible problems in the future, can be avoided. I also presented this matter as one of my observations’ in a  Cabinet Memorandum in 2009 regarding the NGO Al Haj Adul Jawad Alim Valiyullah Trust. The highly harmful consequences of inaction in this regard, on the part of the then government, is well evident today.   

MUSLIM MADRASAS – implications for Sri Lanka

The recent trend in Sri Lanka has been the establishment of Muslim Madrasas in various names – a major Madrasas that has been proposed to be established is in the form of an  NGO  called Al Haj Adul Jawad Alim Valiyullah Trust.

Muslim Madrasas in several countries have been identified today, to be education and training centres of Muslim fundamentalism, extremism and violence, especially those in Muslim dominated countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Pakistan alone has more than 13,000 mandasas of which many are said to be promoting Muslim fundamentalism and extremism.  It is noteworthy that Madrasas have been banned in several non-Muslim countries. It is widely reported that some Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders have obtained radical political views at Madrasas.

Some allege that Madrasas provide Islamic extremism and militancy and are a recruiting ground for terrorism. Some Mandasa are well recorded to be promoting a militant form of Islam and teach and train Muslim students to fight non-believers and stand against the moral standards of the western society. Some who have investigated the functioning of certain Madrasas  say that they are wholly concerned with teaching violence. The suicide bombers involved in the July 2005 London terror attack are said to have spent time in Pakistani Madrasas.

Details of the curriculum and training activities of Muslim Madrasas, already started in Sri Lanka and especially of those proposed to be established in Sri Lanka should necessarily be known in full in order to avoid possible socio-religious problems in the future.  This trend should receive cautious attention by all Sri Lankans, including members of the Muslim community, some of whom may not be fully aware of this trend and more, about the possible negative impacts of this trend. 

It is necessary that we take necessary action to avoid possible problems in the future that can have serious direct and indirect negative social-religious-political implications for the nation as a whole. It is important that authorities, especially religious leaders in our country take serious note of this trend. There need to be an open dialogue and polite interaction between the Muslim leaders and other religious communities in the country, in order to have an in-depth understanding of the specific mission and specific objectives of establishing Madrasas in this country.   

In some countries such as India, Pakistan, Afganistan and Bangladesh, Muslims are among the most deprived communities in terms of education and therefore establishment of certain type of Madrasas for basic educational purposes has become necessary and most people find them to be affordable as compared to other educational institutions in these countries. This is definitely not the case with Sri Lanka where there is no Muslim educational deprivation or backwardness as far as the Muslims are concerned. In fact, our school system is open to all Muslims if they wish to attend them, and there are many Muslim students attending regular schools in Sri Lanka. Also, there are exclusively Muslim national schools in Sri Lanka and importantly, most international schools in the country are owned and operated by Muslims where Muslim students predominate.

Madrasas as educational institutions are said to offer instructions in Islamic subjects including but not limited to the Quoran. It also includes Jurisprudence or “figh” and Muslim law or Sharia Law and the teaching and practice of “sufi” which encompasses Islamic mysticism. These teachings and practices should be investigated and known in sufficient detail in order to understand their impact on social harmony and national unity and solidarity in Sri Lanka.

If Muslim Sharia law is given official recognition by means of registering Madrasas as NGOs, it can result in serious legal problems in the future. There can be only one law in our country and that is a secular law which is applicable to all citizens irrespective of their ethnicity or religious affiliations. There is no need to introduce any other law, especially religious law such as Muslim Sharia Law, and cause problems in our country. 

It is known that Muslim Madrasas work in collaboration with other foreign Muslim organizations and Madrasas in providing vocational training for Muslim youth. This again should be of concern to Sri Lanka.    

In the light of the increased interest in the country for consolidation of national unity, divisive tendencies of any nature should not be encouraged under any circumstances.  With our massive success in containing LTTE terrorism and our determined efforts to bring the various communities together as One Nation, it is important that divisive tendencies in our society be eliminated. This is especially necessary in the light of a national resurgence that is clearly noticeable in the country at the present time and increased interest in fully restoring democratic principles of social organization. It is  important that we try to prevent polarization of our communities by all means available. 

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane

Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka

March 2009

Asoka Weerasinghe

Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1

8 May 2019

Mayor Jim Watson & Councillor Tim Tierney (Beacon Hill)
City of Ottawa
110 Laurier West
Ottawa, On
K1P 1J1

Your Worship Jim Watson & Councillor Tim Tierney:

Re:  The intention of Tamil Canadians wanting the City of Ottawa to Declare May 18, 2019 as the ‘Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day’and the ‘Tamil Genocide Education Bill 104’.

I, Asoka Weerasinghe, a proud citizen of the City of Ottawa (East) since I set foot on Canadian soil on 16 October 1970, who has contributed handsomely in my humble little way for the growth of this beautiful and fair City as Chairman,

Advocacy Committee of the Gloucester Arts Council (1992-1994) to build the Shenkman Arts Complex in the East End; Founder-Organizer of the Gloucester Spoken Art, Poetry and Storytelling Series (1995-2007); recipient of the City of

Ottawa Arts and Culture Appreciation Award 2003; Gloucester City Millennium 2000 Arts Award for Leadership and Development of the Arts; Province of Ontario Award for Volunteering for 15 years; and one-person Parents-Teachers Council at Rideau High School 1979, to stall the closing of Rideau HS,

 protest vehemently any effort by the Tamil-Canadian community, to pollute the sanity, peace, growth and positivity of our amazing City of Ottawa, sans ethnic hatred.

I am one proponent who believe  that the Multiculturalism Policy of our fair City has no place for foreign ethnic wars which should be left behind on their shores by one and all immigrants to Canada, as well as refugees who arrive searching  for a home in our country.  Tamils from Sri Lanka who are seeking a home in the Capital Region of Ottawa should be told up front, by you Mayor Watson, and you Councillor Tierney and your Colleagues of the City Council, Your ethnic wars back home has no place in our City.  They should  have been left behind in your country  before you left to join us in Canada.”.  Councillor Tierney, I am sure you know exactly what I mean since our Ward has a fair number of people from the African continent, whose problems that you have had to deal with and solve.

Wanting to coerce the young class-room minds of Ottawans to learn the lies and hate about Tamil Genocide” with the proposed  Tamil Genocide Education Bill 104” by the Tamils should be dismissed without a second thought.

I brought up two beautiful daughters and two granddaughters through Ottawa’s Public School System at Rideau HS, Henry Monroe MS and Colonel By SS in the east end,  never having or wanting to know about the fraudulent cry of Genocide” of the Sri Lankan-Tamils. They did not want other’s ethnic hate injected into their minds. Nor did their Dad and Granddad.  It should be left that way for our future school going generations.

Genocide” is an ugly and a hateful word.  It also has a  working definition in the UN’s lexicon.  Here is a litmus test for you both to  apply on the Tamil Genocide” cry and to make up your mind as a Judge and a Jurist. If you find that the Tamil Genocide” cry is a lie and is a fraudulent mischief,  please dear Mayor Watson and Councillor Tierney, do the favour to all Ottawans, by rejecting the request by the Canadian Tamils, and keep our fair City  clean as a whistle and reject such fraudulent mischievous Sri Lankan-Tamil requests pitting the two Sri Lankan communities, the Tamils and Sinhalese at each other.  I am a Sinhalese and a Buddhist.

Here is the Litmus test:

UN definition of Genocide”.  The Article 2 of the UN Convention of the Crime of Genocide;

…any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group as such:

•  Killing members of the group;
•  Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
•   Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
•   Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
•   Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Ask this simple question from the Tamil-Canadian who is proposing that the City of Ottawa recognize May 18 as the Tamil- Genocide Remembrance Day’, and the ‘Tamil Genocide Education Bill 104.”

 Please explain to us, how would you explain and reconcile the following FACT which took place in the North of Sri Lanka as ‘Tamil Genocide’?”

During the last five months  from January 1 to May 19 of the Tamil Eelam War of 2009, when the Tamil Tigers were annihilated on the beach of the Nandikadal Lagoon in the east coast, 295,873 Tamils who were used as Human Shields by the Tamil Tigers, marching them for 30 tropical-hot months from the west coast to the east coast under the scorching Jaffna-Killinochchi sun, like unwashed cattle and were rescued from the Tamil Tigers clutches by the Sri Lankan Sinhalese soldiers and housed them in temporary refugee camps.  It would have been easy to snuff them out, but they weren’t.   All this doesn’t look like Genocide, does it?”

Tell, us how would you reconcile the FACT that the 295,873 Tamil refugees who were not snuffed out and housed in refugee camps were sustained with three hearty meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.  A million meals were prepared by mainly Sinhalese people, and some were Sinhalese soldiers. They  could have told the authorities, Sorry, we don’t want to cook the meals, let these Tamils starve to death!” No, that didn’t happen.  They opted to cook and feed their Tamil brothers and sisters and keep them alive to see another day.  This doesn’t look like Genocided does it?  Can we have an explanation about your charge of Genocide”.  You are upto some intolerable mischief, aren’t you?”

All of the 295,873 rescued Tamil refugees were sent back to their homes after most of the 1.5 million landmines planted by the Tamil Tigers were  diffused, and their houses were renovated or rebuilt

You know what Mayor Watson, and Councillor Tierney, the majority of our First Nation peoples in Reserves would have moved heaven and earth to exchange their places with these 295,873 Tamil refugees, as they were looked after much, much better by the Sri Lankan Government,  than the Canadian Government looking after our First Nation Peoples, Think about it.

AN ALERT.  I have just read a note from Riccito Giula that … the City of Ottawa has issued a proclamation in recognition of the week of Remembrance for War Victims of Sri Lanka for the period of May 11th to 18th, 2019, as it does comply with our proclamation policy.”

WOW! I am not sure what to think of it.  I am foxed.  I am not sure whether to laugh or to cry.  I am not sure whether both of you deserve a Merry Christmas card from me this Christmas.  Right now, I would say No.

I am pleased that you used the words ….Remembrance of war victims of Sri Lanka..”

Immediately my thoughts went to the Sinhalese infants who were plucked from their young Mother’s breasts and bayoneted by the nasty, brutal Tamil Tigers, in front of the Mother’s eyes, and some infants were bashed on to granite rocks splitting their heads by the Tamil Tigers enjoying the sight of oozing thick ketchup coloured blood, as if they were  bashing coconuts as a Hindu ritual, at the  Nallur Kovil in Jaffna  That still hurts.  These infants didn’t have a chance to fight back these brutal Tamil Tigers wanting to feel their young Sinhalese Mother’s  warm loving hug, one last time.  That was cruel.  That was sad!

Please, try not to pit the two Sri Lankan communities, Sinhalese and Tamils to go at each other when we are trying  our best to reconcile and heal.  Stop being another two insensitive  Canadian politicians who pride themselves as We are Holier than Thou” who have sold their souls for the mono-ethnic, Tamil racist separatist state of Tamil Eelam cause, to buy a Sinhalese blood-soaked vote,  I have met quite a few of them since July 1983.

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr.)

Ben Silva

The present day Muslims are descendants of Yemani and Arab traders. They married local Sinhala woman. Ancient Sinhala Kings defended the Muslims from the aggression of Portuguese and Dutch invaders,  who would have wiped out the Muslims. In general the Muslims lived in peace with the Sinhalese. However, an aggressive flavour of Islam, known as Wahabism, appear to be keen to rule the world and appear to aim to convert the whole world, including Sri Lanka to wahabi brand of Islam. There are also Jihadists  who do not hesitate to kill innocent people or blow themselves up, in the name of Islam. This is indeed an extremely serious threat to the Sinhalaese and other non believers in Sri Lanka. The aim of this particular brand of Islam appears to be to kill all non believers.

Politicians, terrorism and religious indoctrination

It i`s known that during the LTTE terrorism period, certain powerful people in the Govt.  were agents of LTTE. This resulted in a lot of damage to the country. Now media reports indicate alleged links between Islamic politicians and terrorism.  Sources allege  that one of the governors appointed by the President in January this year, Azath Salley, was the one who intervened in the release of an arrested person. According to some other news item, Eastern Province Governor, M. L. A. M. Hizbullah’s driver and former cook were arrested, few days ago. All these allegations need to be thoroughly investigated to ascertain the truth and safeguard the country. The state security unit should not be manipulated by politicians who may have ulterior motives or a hidden agenda.

Some measures that could reduce the risks of terrorist incidents is given below. Intelligence gathering be given top priority and should be effective. ISIS groups in Sri Lanka  and other extremist Islamic groups should be identified, monitored  and dismantled without delay. We would need collaboration with foreign countries to accomplish this task.   Educational establishments and madrasas should be monitored to ensure that persons are not indoctrinated to be hostile to Sri Lanka. All offensive institutions including the Sharia University should be closed down as soon as possible.  Further religious affairs should be handled by one ministry and all religious activities be monitored and controlled to ensure that  no indoctrination takes place. The work on the Sharia law University should be halted or the University be taken under the control of the Govt.  Students of any ethnicity be allowed to study at the University, if it is taken over by the Govt. Madrasas that indoctrinate persons  to be hostile to Sri Lanka should be closed down as soon as possible. Foreign clerics hostile to Sri Lamka should be expelled. Stop funding from foreign countries that could go into the hands of terrorists. Stop the construction of new mosques. Convert illegally constructed Mosques to public places that can be used by anyone. The essence of all major religions be taught as Religious Education, to Sri Lankans,  so that hostility is minimised. If Islamic countries do not allow the construction of temples, why should we allow uncontrolled growth of Mosques ?

If Sinhala Buddhists remain passive, resist change to meet the challenges of the modern world, ignore external and internal threats, remain non vigilant, ignore the environment  then their days are numbered and may soon follow Nalanda Buddhists to Nirvana. Sinhala Buddhists need to develop critical thinking skills and rely less on ancient Indian myths that even Indians have dumped.

In my view there has to bw an organisation to protect the intetests of the Sinhalese and our heritage, as Sri Lanka is our only homeland.

Politicians who attempt to bribe Muslims to get their votes should be exposed as traitors.

I do not see any useful work done by the Mahanayakes to protect Sri Lanka or the Sinhalese. Certainly there is clear evidence of lack of vigilance and apathy to internal and external threats.  

Certain brands of Islam have the following barbaric practices:

1.      Honour killing, where close relatives are killed by members of the family

2.      Stoning to death.

3.      Cutting of hands.

4.      FGM

Further different brands of Muslims kill each other.  It is clear that there is a violence gene in Islam and it threatens the peaceful way of living in Sri Lanka. The violent nature of Islam was demonstrated by the killing of over  250, entirely innocent group by Islamic militants. Therefore it is entirely justifiable to expel Islamic preachers that threaten the stability of Sri Lanka.

At this point, it is better to have a look at history and learn from history. In the past, Muslim invaders from Turkey invaded countries from Afghanistan to Indonesia, killed non Muslims, mainly Buddhists and converted people to followers of Islam. Famous merciless killing of Buddhists took place at Nalanda, India. Buddhism did not recover in India, after the Nalanda debacle. Note that countries from Afghanistan to India and even Maldives were formerly Buddhist countries If we do not learn from the Nalanda debacle and take preventative measures, then we are guaranteed to suffer the same fate as Nalanda Buddhists.  Buddhism has a serious flaw.  It is too passive.  Buddhists seek extinction and seek  giving up  of desires. It is  not the way to survive in a highly  competitive dangerous world. It is worthwhile mentioning that every living organism from a a  virus to a multi cellular organism will want to survive and adapt.   It is strange that Buddhists want to seek extinction (Nirvana)  and give up desires, when every other group in Sri Lanka want to acquire wealth and pass on wealth to the next generation.  If we do not get our thinking straight; we may be wiped out, as happened to Nalanda Buddhists, and achieve Nirvana before long.

Learning of skills such as business skills would be essential for our survival, rather than depend  on ancient Indian myths.

It appears that whilst the incompetent, Yahapalanaya jokers were sleeping, the Muslim terrorists have taken root in Lanka, establishing brain washing educational establishments and bomb factories and training establishments. As an immediate measure foreign clerics that preach things that could harm Sri Lanka should be expelled. Islamic teaching establishments should be closely monitored to see if they teach material hostile to Sri Lanka. Further there should be only one law in Sri Lanka, ie the Sri Lankan Law and all should be treated in the same manner. Sharia law should not be taught in Sri Lanka and any establishment teaching Sharia law, such as the Sharia University  should be closed down.  As some flavours of Islam is dangerous, we should monitor the number, distribution and population growth of followers of Islam. Steps should be taken to integrate Muslims to Sri Lankan culture. There should be no mono ethnic or single religion schools.

It appears that some Muslim clerics use Neuro Linguist  Programmig  (NLP) techniques to control people’s mind with various strategies. It appears that this process has been going on for some time under the nose of foolish and right Royal incompetent yahapalanaya rulers. Serious consideration has to be given to expelling unsuitable clerics who would bring about instability in Sri Lanka.

There is also an urgent need to reskill our women to higher level skills so that they do not have to rely on domestic work.

I repeat, hate crimes should not take place and not a single  peace loving Muslim be harmed or killed. Any disputes should be settled through dialogue, discussion and debate and not using violence

My hope is that people will get  rid of this incompetent Govt. and get Gota in.

I repeat, hate crimes should not take place and not a single  peace loving Muslim be harmed or killed. Any disputes should be settled through dialogue, discussion and debate and not using violence.

Ref

1: http://www.adaderana.lk/news/54760/dayasiri-alleges-muslim-affairs-minister-allowed-construction-of-400-ntj-mosques

2.  https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2019/05/05/bring-the-politicians-behind-terrorism-directly-or-indirectly-to-justice/

3.  https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2019/05/08/at-last-a-true-muslim-with-guts-to-tell-the-truth/

විශේෂඥ කායික වෛද්‍ය සුනිල් සෙනෙවිරත්න ඈපා

වෛද්‍ය රුවන් එම් ජයතුංග විසින් ලියන ලද වෛද්‍යවරයෙකුගේ සිහි සටහන්  නම් කෘතිය පුද්ගලික අත්දැකීම් සමුදායක් මෙන්ම අගනා සමාජ  විවරණයක්ද වෙයි. ඔහුගේ අත්දැකීම් පරාසය ඉතා පුළුල්‍ ය. එය අන්තර්ජාතික පථයක් දක්වා විහිදී යයි.  ලෝකයේ විවිධ ජාතීන් සමග ඔහු විසින් ගොඩ නගා ගන්නා ලද සබඳතා ජාතීන් අතර තිබිය යුතු සංහිඳියාව පිලිබඳව අපව දැණුවත් කරයි.

මෙම පොතේ ඔහුගේ කුඩා කාලයේ , පාසල් සමයේ , වෛද්‍ය පීඨයේ මෙන්ම වෘත්තීය ජීවිතයේද ලැබූ අත් දැකීම් සඳහන් වෙයි.  මනුෂ්‍ය සන්තානයේ ඇති සියළුම රසයන් උද්දීපනය කෙරෙන මෙම වෛද්‍යවරයෙකුගේ සිහි සටහන්  නම්  කෘතිය  ඕනෑම තරාතිරමක අයෙකුට කියවා රස විඳිය හැකි  පොතකි.

Sunil Vijaya

Perhaps Tribalism is ingrain in most Sri Lankans and every one of us goes through this phase in our life time yet the depth to which it has penetrated in individuals depends to what degree of conditioning the individual has gone through. 

Subtle forms of tribalism such as a school, university are common and most take them lightly except exhibiting rivalry at a time of sport or at any other competitions such as debates etc.

We as a nation, had traditions and ideals which had been inculcated in us from generation to generation, which most

Western countries lack and one of the most unique concepts in our culture was the concept of Shramer daaner or the donation of one’s physical effort.  The villagers would help each other in especially during the time of cultivation of rice, the preparation of paddies, and the rest of the processes ending up with harvesting.

There was harmony among villagers, and everyone participated in rituals with Buddhist ceremonies at the village temple headed by the village monk culminating in traditional poojas.   Life was so simple and beautiful.

With the encroachment of our land by foreigners especially the British, this harmony among villagers deteriorated rapidly with the introduction of a centralised governance headed by an Agent who reported to the centre.  The elected representatives began identifying themselves with a Party and the villagers began supporting and showing loyalty and allegiance to the party man of their choice.

The rice paddies now became battle fields of politics.  The UNPers never worked in paddies owned by SLFPiers and vice versa, and the whole fabric of unity slowly broke down and violence at election time resulted in even deaths and arson.  The worst form of Tribalism stemmed from this and today Sri Lanka experiences this form of tribalism to be the worst which has dramatically impacted and affected the society.

Besides seeds sewn by foreign invaders introducing their culture did further damage with social segregation.Tribalism based on race identifying themselves as Sinhela, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher further divides the nation.   These tribes further segregate themselves on the basis of their creed, faith and label themselves as Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Islamists.  Sinhela Buddhists don’t stop there they continue identify themselves as up country and low country. 

The buck doesn’t stop there either, they label themselves as high caste and low caste depending on ruling class down to farmers, fisher folk and rest of the trades people, drummers and down the ladder the out-castes who are not even offered a seat in their homes.  The vicious nature of these tribes and their tribalism affect electing ideal representatives to parliament, which in-turn affects the judicial system and other important institutions of security the tri-forces and police etc. and the moronic cycle goes on.

Tribalism is observed even among Buddhist monks who distance themselves from rival nikayas as Siam (Thai), Amarapura (Burma) etc .and refuse to even sit with a different sect. or they would elevate themselves to a higher platform (recently observed in Kandy) to show a superiority, which Buddha would have totally opposed.  Even Upasampadava is not offered by the siam nikaya monks to foreigners who seeks to enter the Order.

All these minor tribes however aggregate themselves, irrespective of being monks or layperson, once again as loyalists of political parties and form closer ties shedding their differences to take advantage of a vote, especially at election time. 

Only at a time of disaster, they all speak loud and clear to shed differences and unite for the sake of the nation.  Few decades ago in a LIFE magazine an article carried an equation.  AMITY = ENMITY + HAZARDS – which means the disunity of a group disappears at a time of calamity, as we clearly observed during the recent bombings by wahaabi terror groups.  True clearly, there is a difference between Tamils and Tigers, Muslims and Wahaabis, Sinhelas and sinha Le extremists.

Sri Lanka, considered a country of intellectuals, needs to decide whether we go down the path of dreaded perennial Tribalism or shed it at the highest-level, MAJORITY AND MINORITY, which are just concepts handed down by generation to generation poisoning our minds. 

Let us end this virulent Tribalism and Think Sri Lankan, Act Sri Lankan.  Certainly, we are born human and that’s the only label we should carry to our grave.

Sunil Vijaya

අද (21) පැවැති ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුනේ මාධ්‍ය හමුව

අද (21) පැවැති මාධ්‍ය හමුවට සහභාගි වු නියෝජිතයින්  

■             පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී  තාරක බාලසූරිය මහතා 

■             පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී   ඉන්දික අනුරුද්ද මහතා 

■             නිවැරදි ප්‍රවෘත්තිය මාධ්‍ය ඒසසේ විකාශනය නොවීමෙන් සිද්ධ වෙන්නේ වැරදි පුවත් සමාජගත වීමයි.

■             මද්‍රසා වැනි අන්තවාදි අදහස් පෝෂණය කරන පාසල් තහනම් විය යුතුයි.

■             මුස්ලිම් අන්තවාදය ව්‍යාප්ත කරපු මුස්ලිම් දේශපාලන නායකයින් අනිවාර්යයෙන් අත් අඩංගුවට ගන්න වෙනවා.

පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී තාරක බාලසූරිය මහතා 

රජයේ ප්‍රවෘත්ති අධ්‍යක්ෂවරයා ප්‍රකාශ කර තිබෙනවා සෝදිසි කිරිම්වලින් හමුවෙන ආයුධ මාධ්‍ය ඔස්සේ පෙන්වන්න එපා කියලා. ජන ජිවිතය යථා තත්ත්වයට ගන්න, රටේ ආරක්ෂාව පිළිබඳව විශ්වාසයක් ගොඩනගා ගන්න මාධ්‍ය ඔස්සේ මේ දේවල් වාර්තා කිරිම් තහනම් කිරීමෙන් ඵලක් නැහැ. අද ජනතාව සිටින්නේ දෙවැනි ප්‍රහාරයක්සම්බන්ධයෙන් බියෙන්. රජයත් දෙවැනි ප්‍රහාරයක් සම්බන්දයෙන් ප්‍රකාශ කර තිබෙනවා. ඒ වගේම සුදුඇදුම් හමුවීම, ආයුධ හමුවීම, හමුදා ඇදුම් හමුවීම වැනිදේ නිසා දෙවැනි ප්‍රහාරයක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් ඇති සැකය තහවුරු වෙනවා. 

ජනාධිපතිවරයා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේදි කළ ප්‍රකාශයේදී පළවෙනි ප්‍රහාරයට සම්බන්ධ ත්‍රස්තවාදින්ගෙන් 99%ක් අත් අඩංගුවට අරන් තියෙන්නේ කිව්වා. නමුත් එතුමා දෙවැනි ප්‍රහාරය ව්‍යර්ථ කර තිබෙන බවක් කියන්නේ නැහැ. ඒ තර්ජනය මේ වෙද්දි සම්පූර්ණයෙන් තුරන්කර තිබෙන බවක් කියන්නේ නැහැ. අපි විශ්වාස කරනවා ආරක්ෂක අංශ. දේශපාලනඥයින් මාධ්‍ය සාකච්ඡා නොතියා ආරක්ෂක අංශ මාධ්‍ය සාකච්ඡාවලට එනවා නම් බොහොම හොදයි කියලා අපි විශාවස කරනවා. පාසල් දරුවන් පාසල් ඒමේ වර්ධනයක් අපි දකින්නෙත් නැහැ. රටේ ජනතාව ඉන්නේ විශාල බියකින්. 

මහ බැංකුවේ වාර්තාව මේ වෙද්දි නිකුත් කරලා තියෙනවා. ඒ වාර්තාවෙන් කියන විදියට මේ වෙද්දි ඒක පුද්ගල ආදායම ඩොලර් 2කින් අඩුවෙලා. හැම පැත්තෙන්ම ආර්ථිකය කඩා වැටීමකට ලක්වෙලා. ඒ වගේම සංචාරක ව්‍යාපාරයට වෙන හානිය ගැන මීට වඩා අවධානයක් යොමු කරන්න අවශ්‍යයි. සංචාරකව්‍යාපාරය වුනත් පළවෙනි කාර්තුවෙදි තිබුනේ 2.2% වර්ධනයක් තිබුනේ. ඒ පදනමත් එක්ක ත්‍රස්තවාදි ප්‍රහාරය නිසා ආර්ථිකයට විශාල හානියක් වුනා. මේ හානියෙන් ගොඩයන්න නම්  ජාතික ආරක්ෂාව තහවුරු කිරිම පළමුවෙන්ම කළ යුතුයි. 2015 ප්‍රංශයට එල්ල වුනු ත්‍රස්තවාදී ප්‍රහාරයෙන් පස්සේ හිටපු ජනාධීපතිවරයා සංචාරකයින් ගැවසෙන ස්ථානවල ආරක්ෂක නිලධාරීන් 10000ක් ස්ථානගත කළා. මේ රජයත් ප්‍රවෘත්ති විකාශනය කරන්න එපා කියලා මිනිස්සු තුළ විශ්වාසයක් ගොඩ නගන්න උත්සාහ කරනවා වෙනුවට ආරක්ෂාව තහවුරු කළ යුතුයි. නිවැරදි ප්‍රවෘත්තිය මාධ්‍ය ඒසසේ විකාශනය නොවීමෙන් සිද්ධ වෙන්නේ වැරදි පුවත් සමාජගත වීමයි. 

මේ සිද්ධිය හේතුවෙන් මුස්ලිම් සහෝදරයින්ගේ හා නොවන අයගේ කිසියම් ඈත්විමක් වෙලා නම් ඒ සම්බන්ධතා නැවත ගොඩනගා ගත යුතුයි. බුර්කා ව තහනම් කිරීමෙන් පමණක් මෙම්ප්‍රශ්නය විසදෙන්නේ නැහැ. වෙලාවෙන් මුස්ලිම් සහෝදරයන්ගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටිනවා.මුස්ලිම් කාන්තාවන් බුර්කාව අදින්න පටන් ගත්තේ ඔවුන්ගේ අදහස් වෙනස් විමක් නිසාද, නැත්නම් බුර්කාව ඇදපු නිසා ඒ අයගේ අදහස් වෙනස් විම නිසාද කියලා අපි දෙවරක් හිතා බලන්න ඕනේ. ජාතික ආරක්ෂාව සදහා නම් බුර්කාව තහනම් කරලා මදි. නිතී පද්ධතියක් අවශ්‍යයි. මද්‍රසා වැනි අන්තවාදි අදහස් පෝෂණය කරන පාසල් තහනම් විය යුතුයි. පකිස්තානයේ ඉම්රාන් කාන් අගමැතිවරයා මෙවැනි පාසල් 800ක් තහනම් කරලා තියෙනවා. තුර්කියේත් එවැනි පාසල් තහනම් කළා. මේවායේ අන්තවාදි අදහස් පෝෂණය කරනවා නම් තහනම් විය යුතුයි. අරණායක විල්පල කියන ගමේ පාක්ෂිකයෙක් කිව්වා එහේ මද්‍රසා පාසලක් තියෙනවා. පන්ති පටන්ගන්නේ රෑ 10ට. 10 ඉදන් පාන්දර 2 විතර වෙනකල් පන්ති පවත්වනවා. මේ වගේ පසුබිමක් තුළ ජනතාව තුළ සැකයක් ඇති වෙනවා. මේ ගැන තේරුම් අරගෙන නම්‍යශිලීව කටයුතු කරන්න කියලා මුස්ලිම් ජනතාවගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටිනවා. ඒ වගේම සිංහල ජනතාවගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටින්නෙත් ඔවුන්ගේ සියලු කටයුතු දිහා සැකයෙන් බලමින් ඔවුන්ව අන්තවාදයට යොමු කරන්න එපා කියලයි. මුස්ලිම් අන්තවාදය ව්‍යාප්ත කරපු මුස්ලිම් දේශපාලන නායකයින් අනිවාර්යයෙන් අත් අඩංගුවට ගන්න වෙනවා. අද වෙනතුරු අපේ ඇගිල්ල දිගු වෙන සමහර මැති ඇමැතිවරුන්ගෙන් ප්‍රශ්න කරලාවත් නැහැ. සමහරුන්ගේ නෑයෝ සියලු දෙනාම මේ අන්තවාදින් සමග සම්බන්ධයි. නමුත් ප්‍රශ්න කිරිමක් වෙලා නැහැ. පාර්ලිමේන්තුවෙදි සාධාරණ අදහසක් ඉදිරිපත් වුනත් අදහස් ඉදිරිපත්කිරීමට පවා බාධා කරනවා. ඒ අන්තවාදි අයගෙන් ප්‍රශ්න කළ යුතුයි. පරීක්ෂණ පැවැත්විය යුතුයි. 

■             සියලු පාර්ශවයන් ප්‍රතිත්‍රස්ත පනත ප්‍රතික්ෂේප කරනවා. 

■             9 වැනිදා සිට 13 වැනිදා දක්වා පිපිරිම් සිද්ධ වෙන්න ඉඩ තියෙන නිසා පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරු ඇමැතිවරු විශේෂ උත්සව රාත්‍රී ගමන් බිමන් පිටත් කරන්න එපාලු

■             ඒ වුනාට ජනතාවට කියනවා ළමයි පාසල් යවන්න. සේයට යන්න කියාලා. 

■             අගමැති ජනාධිපති බොරදියේ මාලු බානවා. 

■             බෝම්බකරුගේ තඹ කර්මාන්ත ශාලාවේ සේවකයින්ට ඇපි දුන්නේ 9 වැනිදා සිට 13 වැනිදා දක්වා කාලයේ කෙරෙනවා කියන  පිපිරවිම්වල ඉතිරි ටික එළි දක්වන්නද 

■             ආරක්ෂාව තහවුරු වෙලා නම් පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරු ආරක්ෂක නිලධාරින් නැතිව ජනතාව අතරට යන්න. ඒ ආරක්ෂක නිලධාරින් පාසල් ආරක්ෂාවට යොදවන්න. 

■             මේ ආන්ඩුව කියන්නේ පට්ටපල් බොරු. 

පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී ඉන්දික අනුරුද්ධ මහතා 

රටේ ඇති වෙලා තියෙන ව්‍යසනය ආන්ඩුවට කරගන්න නොහැකි වූ අතපසු වූ කාරණා ඉටු කර ගැනීමට අවස්ථාවක් කර ගැනීමේ සූදානමක් තියෙන්නේ. අගමැතිවරයා කියනවා ත්‍රස්තවාදය වළක්වන්න නම් ප්‍රතිත්‍රස්ත පනත ක්‍රියාත්මක කළයුතු බව කියනවා. නිතිපතිවරයා හමුදාවපතිවරුන් ඇතුලු මේ සම්බන්ධ විශේෂඥයින් ගෙන්වලා කාරක සභාවේදී මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් කතාකරපු අවස්ථාවේදි ඒ කාරක සභාවේ සභාපතිවරයා කියනවා මේ ගැන හොඳ මතවාදයක් කාරක සභාවේ මන්ත්‍රීවරුන්ට හෝ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ මන්ත්‍රීවරුන්ට නැහැ කියලා. විශේෂඥයෝ තුළත් මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් එකඟතාවයක් නැහැ. ඒක නිසයි අගමැතිවරයා කියන්නේ පොල් ගාන්නේ නැතිව පනත ගේන්න කියලා. කාරක සභාව මේ තුළ වෙනත් අවශ්‍යාතවයක් මිස ත්‍රස්තවාදය පිටු දැකීමක් නැහැ කියලා මේ පනත් කෙටුම්පත ප්‍රතික්ෂේප කරනවා. 

මේ අතරේ තවත් කාණ්ඩයක් මහානායක ස්වාමින් වහන්සේලා කාදිනල්තුමා ,විපක්ෂනායකවරයා පසුපස්සේ යනවා හිටපු හමුදාපති, වත්මන් පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී සරත් ෆොන්සේකා මහතාට නීතිය හා සාමය ඇමැතිකම දෙන්න කියලා. මේවා මේ වෙලාවේ රටට අවශ්‍ය දේවල්ද? රටේ ආරක්ෂාව සම්බන්ධයෙන් ජනාධිපතිවරයා ආරක්ෂක ඇමැති විදියට වගකිම අරන් කටයුතු කරනවා නම් මේ නීතිරීති ඒ සදහා ප්‍රමාණවත් නම් එතුමාට ආරක්ෂක ඇමැතිකම දීලා මිනිස්සුන්ගේ බයට විසදුම් දෙන්න පුලුවන්ද? ආන්ඩුව මේවා පෙන්වමින් කල්මරණවා. ආන්ඩුව ගත්ත දවසේ ඉදන් අපි කිව්වා මේ ආන්ඩුව එළ හරකයි මි හරකයි වගේ කියලා. එක්කෙනෙක් ගොඩට අදිනවා. අනෙක් කෙනා මඩට අදිනවා. දැන් ඒක ත්‍රීව්ර වෙලා. අගමැති එක පාර්ශවයකට කතා කරලා කියනවා ආරක්ෂාව තහවුරුයි කියද්දි, එතුමාගේ කැබිනට් එකේ ඉන්න අය ප්‍රශ්න කරනවා කොහෙද ආරක්ෂාව තහවුරු කරලා තියෙන්නේ කියලා.අපි මේවා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේදි දැක්කා. ඒ  ඇමැතිවරුම කියනවා අද (09) ඉදලා 13 වෙනිදා වෙනකල් නගර කිහිපයක පිපිරිම් සිද්ධ වෙන්න ඉඩ තියෙනවාලු. අපේ ආරක්ෂක අංශවලටත්  මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් දැනුම් දීලා තියෙනවා. පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරු ඇමැතිවරු විශේෂ උත්සව රාත්‍රී ගමන් බිමන් පිටත් කරන්න එපාලු. අපේ ආරක්ෂාව අපි සලසා ගත යුතුයි. මිනිස්සුන්ට කියනවා දරුවෝ පාසල් යවන්නලු. සේවයට යන්නලු. රට සාමාන්‍ය තත්ත්වයට ආවලු. එහෙම කියන ගමන් ප්‍රභූවරුන්ට කියනවා හෙට බෝම්බ ගහනවාලු. මෙහෙම වචන දෙකක් තියාගෙන හරි යනවාද?’ පාසල් වල දරුවෝ නැහැ. ගුරුවරු විතරයි. මේ අධ්‍යාපන ඇමැතිට තාම බැරිවුනා  හරි වැඩපිළීවෙලක් හදන්න. ආරක්ෂාව තහවුරු වෙනතුරු ගත යුතු අධ්‍යාපනික ක්‍රියාමාර්ග ගන්න වැඩපිළීවෙලක් නැහැ.

අගමැතිතුමාගෙන් හා ජනාධිපතිවරයාගෙන් අපි ඉල්ලා සිටින්නේ බොරදියේ මාලු බාන්න සූදානම් වෙන්න එපා කියලයි.අද රට දරුණු ආගාධයකට ගිහින් ජනතාව දේශපාලනඥයෝ ප්‍රතික්ෂේප කරනවා. ප්‍රශ්නයට උත්තරය නෙයෙි දෙන්නේ වෙනත් උත්තරයක්. තඹ කර්මාන්ත ශාලාවේ සේවකයින්ට ඇප දුන්න විදිය අපි දැක්කා. මේ ගැන පරික්ෂණ කරන්න දෙයක් තියෙනවාද? පොලීසියට කරුණු ඉදිරිපත් කරන පොලිස් නිලධාරීන්, ස්ථානාධිපතිවරයා,කළාපය භාරව කටයුතු කරන ඩ්‍යේෂ්ට පොලිස් අධීකාරිවරයා නියෝජ්‍ය පොලිස්පතිවරයා, වැඩ බලන පොලිස්පතිවරයා මේ රටේ මරාගෙන මැරෙන බෝම්බ කාරයෙක්ගේ කර්මාන්ත ශාලාවක බෝම්බ තිබුණා, බෝම්බ හැදුවා කියලා පිළි අරන්, ඒක ජනතාවටත් කියලා සතියක් යන්න කළින් ඇප දෙනවා. ඊට පස්සේ පරික්ෂණ කරන්න සූදානම් වෙනවා. මේවා තමයි සැකකටයුතු තැන්. දැන්වත් බුද්ධි අංශ නිලධාරින් යොදවාල මේ ගැන හොයන්න. අපි රටක් විදියට ජාතික ආර්කෂාව තහවුරු කරනවා නම් එදා වනාතවිල්ලුවේදි නියමිත ක්‍රියාමාර්ග ගන්නවා. එහෙම වුනා නම් මේ බෝම්බ පිපිරිම් වෙන්නේ නැහැ. මේ අයට ඇප දුන්නේ 9 වෙනිදා සිට 13 වෙනිදා දක්වා තියෙන වැඩපිළීවෙල ක්‍රියාත්මක කරන්න ද? ඒ පිපිරවිම්වල ඉතිරි ටික එළි දක්වන්නද ඇප දුන්නේ. අධීකරණයට ත්‍රස්තවාදී පනතෙන් ඉදිරිපත් නොකර සාමාන්‍ය පුද්ගලයෙක් විදියට ඉදිරිපත් කලේ ඇප ලබාගන්න බලාගෙන. අපිට පේනවා ජනාධීපතිවරණය දිහා බලාගෙන කදවුරු බදින බව. එල්ලුම් ගස් හදනවා ජනාධීපතිවරණය දිහා බලාගෙන. වෙනත් වෙනත් මර්ධන වැඩපිළීවෙලවල් ගෙනියනවා ජනාධීපතිවරණය දිහා බලාගෙන. චෝදනා කරනවා ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ මහතාටත්, ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොදුජන පෙරමුණටත්, ඒකාබද්ධ විපක්ෂයටත් බොරදියේ මාලුබාන බවට. එජාපයේ ඡන්ද පදනම 25%ටත් වඩා අඩුවෙලා. කෑලි කෑලි පක්ෂවල අය එකතු කරගෙන ඉඩ දුන්නේනැත්නම්, 12% ක්ව තිබුණු සුලු පක්ෂ වල ඡන්ද ප්‍රතිශතය 5%ට අඩු කලේ නැත්නම් අද එජාපයක් නැහැ.

ඒ නිසා අපිට වැටෙන්න තියෙන අඹයට පොලු ගහන්න ඕනේ නැහැ. අපි දන්නවා ඊළග මැතිවරණයේදී ජනතාවගේ තීන්දුව මොකක්ද කියලා. මේ අන්තවාදි කොටස් මර්ධනය කරන්න අවශ්‍යයි. විමර්ශනවලින් සොයා ගන්න දේවල් පෙන්වන්නේ නැතිව මේවා සමාඩ ජාලාවලින්  පෙන්වන්නද? එදා යුද්ධය වලොවේ මෝටාර් සබ්මැරින් අල්ලන කොට මාධ්‍ය ගිහින් ලෝකෙට පෙන්නුවා මේ රටේ ත්‍රස්තවාදය මොනතරම් ඔඩු දුවලාදකියලා. අද කැත්තක්, උල්පිහියක් අරන් එනඅය තමයි තව අවුරුදු කිහිපයකින් මේ රටේ වෙනම අන්තවාදයක් නිර්මාණය කරන්නේ.ඒකේ මූල බීජය පෙන්වන්න ඕනේ. එක කට්ටියක් කියනවා පල්ලියේ ලිදේ තිබිලා කඩු හම්බ වෙද්දි අන්තවදී විදියට හිතන අය ඇවිත් කියන්නේ පල්ලිය පෙන්නන්න එපා කියලා. අපේ කතෝලික පල්ලියේ ඉටි පන්දමකට එහා දෙයක්, පන්සලේ හදුන්කූරකට වැඩිය දෙයක් තියෙනවා නම් පෙන්වන්න. අන්තවාදිව කටයුතු කරන පල්ලි තියෙනවා නම ්මුස්ලිම් නායකයෝ එකතු වෙන්න ඒ පල්ලි විනාශ කරන්න. ඒ පල්ලිවල උගන්වන්නේ ආගම දහම නෙවෙයි. වෛරය. මුස්ලිම් ජනතාවගේ ඡන්දය, පාර්ලිමේන්තු අසුන බලාගෙන දේශපාලන කරලා රටේ අන්තවාදය වපුරන්න එපා. ඒ ඇමැතිවරුන්ට, ආණ්ඩුකාරවරුන්ට යුතුකමක් තියෙනවා තනතුරුවලින් බැහැලා ස්වාධීනව කටයුතු කරන්න අවස්ථාව උදා කරන්න. අපේ දරුවෝ බිලි දෙන්න පාසල් යවන්න දෙමව්පියෝ සූදානම් නැහැ.මාධ්‍ය වාරණ දාලා ඒ දර්ශන මාධ්‍යයෙන් පෙන්වන්න එපා කියලා ජනතාව රවටන්න බැහැ. බෝම්බ භිතියක් තියෙනවා කියලා දැන දැනම රට අස්ථාවර කරන්න එපා. ආරක්ෂාව තහවුරු වෙලා නම් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ 225 දෙනාට යන්න කියන්න ආරක්ෂකයින් නැතිව ජනතාව අතරට. ආරක්ෂක නිලධාරීන් පාසල මුර කරන්න ගන්න කියන්න. ඇමැතිවරුන්ට මහ පාරට ඇවිත් අපිට නිදහසේ ඉන්න පුලුවන්, රටේ ආරක්ෂාව තහවුරු වෙලා කියලා ජනතාවට පෙන්වන්න කියන්න. එක කාණ්ඩයකට හැංගෙන්න කියලා, කිරි සප්පයින්ව පාසල්වලට ගෙනත් අතහරින්න කිසිම දෙමව්පියෙක් කැමැති වෙන්නේ නැහැ. දරුවන්ගේ අගය දන්නේ දරුවෝ ඉන්න දෙමව්පියෝ.දරුවෝ නැති අය දරුවන්ව පාසල් යවන්න කිව්වට දෙමව්පියෝ පිළීගන්නේ නැහැ. ආන්ඩුවේ නිවේදන පිළීගන්න ජනතාව කැමැති නැහැ කියන එක 3000ක් විතර ඉන්න පාසලට දරුවේ 20ක්විතර එන එකෙන් ඔප්පු වෙන්නේ. 

අයි රටට මෙහෙම වුනේ. අද විදේශීකයෝ රටේ නැහැ.සංචාරක ව්‍යාපාරයේ ණය සම්බන්ධයෙන් රජය මැදිහත් වෙනවා කියලා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවෙදි කිව්වා. අද උදෙත් හෙටත් බැංකු කතාකරලා ණය වාරික ගෙවන්න නැත්නම් වාහනය අත් පත් කරනවාකියනවා. කංකුං මිටිය හෝටලයට ගේන මිනිහා ණයක් ගත්තත් බැංකුවෙන් ණය වාරිකය අය කර ගන්න පස්සෙන් එනවා. අපි බැංකුවට කිව්වා ණය අය කරන්න එපා කියලා කියන දෙ ්ආන්ඩුවෙන්කියද්දි බැංකුව කියනවා එහෙම දෙයක් කිව්වේ නැහැ කියලා. අපි ආන්ඩුවට කියනවා ඒ විදියේ එක පත්‍රිකාවක් හරි ගැහුවා නම් පෙන්වන්න කියලා. මාස කිහිපයක් ණය වාරික අය කරගන්නේ නැහැ කියලා ආණ්ඩුව චක්‍රලේඛණ නිකුත් කරලා නැහැ. පට්ටපල් බොරු මේ ආණ්ඩුව කියන්නේ. ව්‍යවසායකයින් ගත් ණය සම්බන්ධයෙන් වගේම රටේ ආරක්ෂාව තහවරු කිරිම ගැන හරි ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් ඉදිරිපත් කරන්න කියලා ආන්ඩුවෙන් අපි ඉල්ලා සිටිනවා. විශේෂයෙන්ම මාධ්‍ය වාරණය වෙනුවට ජනතාවට සත්‍ය තොරතුරු ලබා දෙන්න කියලත් අපි ඉල්ලා සිටිනවා. 

Embassy of Sri Lanka Washington DC

The Embassy of Sri Lanka together with the Washington National Cathedral jointly organized an Interfaith Service of Prayer and Remembrance dedicated for the people of Sri Lanka at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington DC on Sunday, 05^th May 2019 
 
The event was organized to remember the victims of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks and offer prayers for people of Sri Lanka. A large gathering of guests was present including religious dignitaries representing Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths, members of Congress, US government representatives, Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps, Sri Lankan community members, well wishers numbering over 1000.
 
The Very Reverend Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean of the Washington National Cathedral, led the congregation. Welcoming all to the interfaith service, Dean said the presence of such a large gathering of well wishers representing all religious denominations was a testimony of their respect and solidarity for the victims of all faiths.
 
The service of prayer and remembrance began with a procession of religious representatives walking down the aisle carrying candles in honour of the victims. The invocation prayer was offered by the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington followed by the playing of the National Anthem of Sri Lanka.
 
The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Most Venerable Maharagama Dhammasiri Thero, Chief Priest of the Washington Buddhist Vihara,  Ustadh Seyed Rizwan Mowlana, Founder of Medina Centre, His Grace  Anuttama Dasa, Minister for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Rabbi Bruce Lustig, Chief Rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation conducted religious prayers and offered blessings for the victims and their families.
 
Reading stances of the Sacred Script of Thripitaka, Most Venerable Maharagama Dhammasiri Thero emphasized the essence of Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness and path to righteousness. Thero said all the teachings of the Buddha can be summed up in one word, Dhamma. It means truth, that which really is. It also means law, the law which exists in a man’s own heart and mind. It is the principle of righteousness. Therefore, the Buddha appeals to man to be noble, pure, and charitable not in order to please any Supreme Deity, but in order to be true to the highest in himself.  At a time of crisis in  our motherland, Ven Thero underscored the essence of being caring, kind, forgiving and compassionate towards others.
 
His Grace Anuttama Dasa, Communications Minister for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a global Vaishnava Hindu organization offered prayers from the Puranas and Vedas: May the entire universe be blessed with peace and good hope, and may everyone driven by envy and enmity become pacified.” He ended by chanting Om and the holy name of Lord Krishna, asking God’s blessings for all those who suffered from the terrible attacks in Sri Lanka. 
 
Ustadh  Seyed Rizwan Mowlana reflected on the Holy Quran and Prophetic tradition reiterating that violence and evil has no place in Islam. God created mankind out of a male and a female and made them into nations and tribes so that they may dwell in harmony. The true servants of God are those who walk gently upon this earth and repel evil with good, and when confronted by the ignorant, their reply is PEACE.” 
 
Representing the Jewish community, Rabbi Bruce Lustig remarked ” We turn in our Torah scrolls this week to Leviticus 19:18, which teaches us the primary commandment, to love thy neighbor as thyself.  Despite the situation, hated and bigotry, we will not stop loving our neighbor. We stand for the sanctity of the sanctuary that no one should be fearful to pray and praise their God.  May our response be to bring more of God’s love into the world, meet hatred with love, injustice with justice, and fear with faith.”
 
Christian prayers at Sunday’s service at Washington National Cathedral were offered by the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, the Very Reverend Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean of Washington National Cathedral; and the Most Reverend Roy Edward Campbell, Jr., Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. Prayers were read from the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer and the famed Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.
 
Charge d’ Affaires of the Sri Lankan Embassy, Sarath Dissanayake delivering special remarks conveyed his appreciation to the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, Dean and staff of the Washington National Cathedral for organizing an Interfaith Memorial Service and thanked  the religious leaders, guests and well wishers for being  part of the congregation in remembrance of the victims. Echoing the sentiments expressed by  those who spoke before him, Charge offered his prayers and blessings to the families of victims and conveyed his gratitude to the government and people of the United States and the likeminded for the outpouring of sympathy and support extended to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of attacks.  In closing, Mr. Dissanayake spoke of the similarities in the teachings of major faiths that advocate their followers to embrace one another and practice loving kindness towards fellow human beings so that the world will become a better and secure place for all.
 
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is an American cathedral and the centre of Episcopal Church in Washington and the nation. It should be noted that major state funerals of former US Presidents and dignitaries have been held at the Washington National Cathedral, which is commonly called national house of prayer” and spiritual home for the nation” in recognition of being accepted by religious and political leaders as playing this role.
 
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Washington DC
07 May 2019

Courtesy Lloyd’s List Intelligence

RO-RO TRANSHIPMENT OPERATIONS AT THE PORT. IN 2018, HIPG DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF RO-RO VESSELS HANDLED DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR

HIP is the latest addition to Sri Lanka’s network of harbours, currently being developed in different parts of the island. The expansion is an initiative of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), to take advantage of the nation’s geographic positioning and the growing demand for more capacity in the region. Situated on the southern part of the island, HIP is amultipurposeport, 16 nautical miles from the main sea lane connecting east and west, ideally positioned to become the gateway to the sub-continent.

The port is operated by Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) and Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS), two companies formed under the Public Private Partnership entered into between SLPA and global port operator CMPort. One year after HIP came under its new management, the port doubled its ro-robusiness, with a 136% increase in the volume of ro-ro vessels handled.  The port has since diversified its services to include other port-related activities such as container handling, general cargo, passenger, bunkering, bulk terminal, gas and project cargo. HIPG has signed TSA’s with several leading shipping lines and is well on the way to becoming one of a kind in Sri Lanka.

The geographic positioning of HIP provides advantages not just for the shipping industry but for import/export business in general as the port can offer comparatively shorter timelines coupled with experienced handling to ship or transship finished goods to almost any destination in the region.  Competitive labour costs, door to door delivery, attractive concessions and freeport facilities, ample space for storage, coupled with dry weather throughout the year, are among the benefits that give HIP its competitive edge as a maritime and logistics hub. 

Logistical activities involving ro-ro operations and other port related services, targeting the African and South American vehicle markets, are also being further diversified, which will provide a platform for logistics service providers that will have access to the vast number of vessels passing by the port daily.

Part of the management’s strategy for gaining lead position in South Asia was to set the stage for HIP to become an energy hub. The company has already embarked on this ambitious plan by entering into an agreement with one of the world’s largest bunker providers, Sinopec Fuel Oils Company, to supply bunkering facilities to ships calling at the port, as well as vessels moving on the main sea lanes adjacent to the port. HIPG is positioning the Hambantota Port as a source of IMO-compliant fuel for the region.  Located between Singapore and Fujairah – the world’s number one and two bunker suppliers to the world respectively – Sri Lanka is well placed to take full advantage of the potential bunkering business has to offer. 

RO-RO TRANSHIPMENT OPERATIONS AT THE PORT. IN 2018, HIPG DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF RO-RO VESSELS HANDLED DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR

Ray Ren, CEO of HIPG, says the port will begin its bunkering operations in 4Q19. I am pleased to announce that HIP will be the first port in the region to supply IMO-compliant low sulphur fuel, which we will start doing by the end of this year. With the cap on low sulphur fuel in compliance with the IMO 2020 rule, the demand for it is bound to increase next year and we are very well prepared to take advantage of that. We will also cooperate with trade dealers to maximise economies of scale so that we can offer the best possible price advantage to our customers.”  

The CEO says HIPG will be taking steps to expand the port’s tank capacity, to be ready for the imminent changes in marine fuel markets.

Another HIPG future strategy is to bring in refineries with capability of building their own facilities, which will create opportunity for local marine fuel production. Apart from minimising its own investment considerably, this strategy will allow the port to offer high grade fuel at considerably lower rates.

HIPG is also focused on further developing facilities for LPG handling, for which it intends partnering with local companies. Whilst this would vastly benefit LPG users in Sr Lanka, it would enable the port to become a distributor of LPG to the region. HIPG’s agreement to provide port facilities to Laugfs, a major player in Sri Lanka’s energy industry, is a step in this direction. The port has dedicated two jetties for oil, gas and petroleum business to facilitate energy companies like Laugfs which plans on bringing LPG in larger vessels from international markets.

LNG bunkering facilities are another focus area for HIPG; the company is in the process of negotiating with possible partners to provide this service.

HIPG has already taken on the task of building infrastructure for an industrial zone within the port to develop related industries in the form of greenfield investment. Amongst the facilities HIP would offer are bonded warehousing for related businesses, ship repairs/urgent ship services inside the port by providing sheltered piers etc.  In addition to transshipment facilities, HIP will also provide services such as ship to ship transfer and layups.

A detailed business plan is in place for the development of the 3.5 square kilometres allotted to HIP for port related industries and HIPG is looking at core industries such as the manufacture of building materials, consumables, automobiles, home appliances and fertilizer.

The port’s Bulk Terminal Operating System is another first for Sri Lanka and should vastly improve levels of service delivery and efficiency. HIP’s capacity to handle considerable throughput volumes is a plus for industries setting up operations within the port premises, especially since it is slated to become the centre for the distribution of oil, gas and other commodities to South Asian/Middle Eastern, South East Asian and European markets. All these services are being introduced in planned phases and the port has already commissioned Atkins Limited UK, a firm specialised in designing globally renowned ports, to fast track the port’s master plan. 

Courtesy The United States Department of Justice

A Hudson County, New Jersey, woman was convicted today on charges of forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, and marriage fraud, announced Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey.

Alia Imad Faleh Al Hunaity, aka Alia Al Qaternah,” 43, was found guilty on all counts of the indictment against her following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court. The jury deliberated for two hours before returning the guilty verdict. 

The defendant took advantage of the victim for years, forcing her to live in terrible conditions, work without pay, and then enter into a fraudulent marriage to continue the cycle of abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. The Department of Justice will continue to investigate and vigorously prosecute forced labor cases so that victims can obtain justice.”

The defendant in this case treated the victim as a slave,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. Al-Hunaity kept the victim in this country illegally and hid her away, in order to force her to perform household work for Al-Hunaity without pay, privacy, or the ability to move about freely. Through the guilty verdicts in this case and other prosecutions like it, this office continues to work to ensure that the evil of human trafficking is brought out from hiding and into the light so that it may be punished appropriately.”

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial, Hunaity brought the victim, a Sri Lankan national, to the United States on a temporary visa in 2009 to perform domestic work. Hunaity caused the victim to overstay her visa and remain in the United States illegally for over nine years. Hunaity forced the victim to cook and clean her homes in Woodland Park and Secaucus, New Jersey, and to care for her three children, all without pay. She further limited the victim’s interactions with the world outside of Hunaity’s homes. During this time, Hunaity required the victim to sleep on a bed in a public space in Hunaity’s homes, including in the kitchen. In 2018, Hunaity forced the victim to marry her so that the victim could obtain legal residence and Hunaity could continue to force her to work without fear of the victim being deported.      

The forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 4. 

U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Newark Division, under the direction of Brian Michael, led the investigation.   

This case was prosecuted in conjunction with the interagency Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Macurdy and Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, Criminal Division, and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. 

lanka C news

අද මෙරට තුළ කිසිදු සහජීවනයක් නැති බවත් සහජීවනය යනු පට්ටපල් බොරුවක් බවත් එක්සත් ජනතා සන්ධානයේ මහනුවර දිස්ත්‍රික් පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී කෙහෙළිය රඹුක්වැල්ල මහතා පවසයි.

අද ආගම් මුල්කරගෙන දේශපාලන පක්ෂ බිහිවන බවත් පාසල් බිහි කරන බවත් මේ ගැන වහා සොයා බැලිය යුතු බවත් මන්ත්‍රීවරයා සඳහන් කළේය.

අලි පැටව් තියාගත්තා කියා පන්සල්වලට නඩු දැමුවත් කඩු තොග ගණන් හසුවූ පල්ලිවලට කිසිදු දඬුවමක් ලබාදී නැති බව ද මන්ත්‍රීවරයා සඳහන් කළේය.

අද මෙරට ප්‍රබල නායකත්වයක් අත්‍යවශ්‍ය වී ඇතැයි ද මන්ත්‍රීවරයා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ දී කියා සිටියේය.