{"id":90949,"date":"2019-07-02T11:06:19","date_gmt":"2019-07-02T17:06:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=90949"},"modified":"2019-07-02T03:51:11","modified_gmt":"2019-07-02T10:51:11","slug":"detrimental-acts-agreements-turning-sri-lanka-into-a-us-colony-western-base-in-asia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/07\/02\/detrimental-acts-agreements-turning-sri-lanka-into-a-us-colony-western-base-in-asia\/","title":{"rendered":"Detrimental Acts &amp;  Agreements turning Sri Lanka into a US colony &amp;   Western base in Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Screen-Shot-2019-07-02-at-12.31.09-PM-1024x505.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90950\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri\nLanka is not just a country. It has a very long history &amp; heritage that\nmajority of citizens wish to preserve. The constitution clearly enshrines the\nLand &amp; Resources as belonging to the People and for future progeny. A\ngovernment is only custodian of the land &amp; resources. Essentially this\ndenies any Government arbitrarily taking decisions that would affect the\nclearly stated premise that the land &amp; resources belong to not only the\nliving citizens but to future citizens too. 83% of land is vested in the State\nfor the people means that no law can be changed to deceitfully enable\nforeigners to buy State land being privatized via hurriedly rushed Bills\nprepared by foreigners. When laws that prevented foreigners from owning\/buying\nland are being relaxed to enable foreigners and foreign companies to buy land while\nsimultaneously 83% of state owned land is being privatized \u2013 it clearly\nshowcases the hidden intent. Why are lawyers not taking these fundamental facts\nto legally address the illegalities taking place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\nus connect the dots and understand the dangers we are today faced with\nfollowing the Land Special Provisions Act being tabled in Parliament formulated\nby foreigners and question why they should be so interested to take so much\ntrouble to formulate land laws for our people\u2019s benefit unless there\u2019s a catch\n\u2013 which is what we need to find out by connecting the dots to all the new\nchanges being made to our statutes by arm twisting our corrupt politicians to\nsign the seal of approval. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Land Special Provisions Act<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Includes\nvirtually all elements that is differently worded in past Acts related to land.\nThe only new element in this Act is the PROVISION TO SELL LAND which did not\nexist in earlier Acts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover,\nthe new Act carries various strings &amp; regulations that would adversely\naffect poor farmers leaving them in worse situation than they are in now and\nwith no one to turn to for relief \u2013 as the Act removes land powers from the\nCentre and the President. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\nis the most dangerous aspect of the new Land Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why\nis this <strong>Land Special Provisions Act only\nvalid for 7 years<\/strong> \u2013 is the plan to acquire all land within this stipulated\nperiod?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\npresent land Act is going to throw to the dustbin the following existing\nlaws\/Acts<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Land Acquisition\nAct 1950<\/li><li>Prescription\nOrdinance 1871 \u2013 already repealed<\/li><li>Land Reform Law\n1972<\/li><li>Land Grants Act\n1979<\/li><li>State Lands Act\n1979<\/li><li>State Lands\nOrdinance 1947<\/li><li>Land Development\nOrdinance 1935<\/li><li>Partition Law\n1977 \u2013 already repealed<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Already\nco-ownership has been nullified by 1998 Land Act. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>State Land Privatized means, Personal\nLaws apply \u2013 ETHNIC LAWS are a violation of the Constitution <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When\n83% of state land becomes privatized it means \u2018personal laws\u2019 apply \u2013 in other\nwords Thesavalamai and Muslim Laws enables or restricts sale to others which means\nnon-Tamil\/non-Muslim owned lands will be up for sale \u2013 this is a fundamental\nright violation of Sinhalese and a discrimination to them and violation of the\nConstitution giving equal rights to all citizens. Why are politicians silent on\nthis key aspect? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who\nare the people deciding \u2013 a whole list of Secretaries are named \u2013 is this an\nopportunity for more people like the Speakers international advisor to betray\nthe nation for foreign interests?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is\nthe new Act a Trojan horse? The Land Bank Act claims to consolidate all state\nland given to corporates and sub-leased by them \u2026 but then why is Millennium\nChallenge Corporation (a US state dept entity) seeking 10 land registries. A\ncountry must have only 1 land registry! Isnt this a violation of Act 21 \/ Land Registry?\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover\nwhy does the new Land Act claim that after 10 years the registry will be\ndestroyed \u2013 removing all evidence of land records? What kind of guinea pig is\nthe US taking Sri Lanka for? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When\nreading the Act, it is clear that even the Judicial powers have been usurped.\nHow can an Act take away the powers of one of the 3 main pillars of a\ndemocracy? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>BIM SAVIYA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>World\nBank used the argument of helping digitalized Sri Lanka\u2019s land records to bring\na new land law that would in future benefit US. In 1998 US was able to get Sri\nLanka to pass The Registration of Title Act 21 of 1998 known as \u2018Bim Saviya\u2019\n&amp; initially financed by World Bank under Chandrika Kumaratunga presidency. Bim\nSaviya mandates all lands (primary lease\/secondary lease \u2013 sub leased or\nsub-sub-leased) to be registered in \u2018Land Registry\u2019 with plan of land, parties\nto the Agreement. How is it that such details are not available already for\npeople to question transactions! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similar\nLand Acts have been set up with US assistance in 51 sovereign nations <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nland ownership certificate issued by Bim Saviya would enable land owner to\ntransfer or sell land to anyone within 1 day! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By\n2017 \u2013 27 of the 43 land registries have been converted to \u2018Bim Saviya\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Judiciary removed of powers to\nadjudicate land disputes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nAct removed Judicial powers to decide on ownership of land and passed powers to\nthe Minister of Lands who cannot be held accountable for granting ownership of\nland to anyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bim Saviya law facilitated land sale.<\/strong> US surveyed Sri Lanka\u2019s land computerized means, any\nforeigner can access land and purchase it influencing the Minister!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bim Saviya makes Minister of Lands\nimmune from prosecution for land transactions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People\nno longer could challenge ownership of disputed land by seeking judicial\nintervention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\nis no coincidence that the State Printing Dept has been brought under Ministry\nof Lands by special gazette notification in April 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>World Bank &amp; US pumping money<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>World\nBank view was that \u2018Land\u2019 was a commodity to be bought &amp; sold! However, in\nSri Lanka &amp; countries with historical heritage \u2018land\u2019 is considered sacred\nand selling of land to foreigners is \u2018unthinkable\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Role of Trimble \/ Land Surveying by US<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is\nit a surprise that Wickremasinghe\u2019s LTTE-linked financial advisor proposed to\ngive Sri Lanka\u2019s Survey Department to CIA Partner company Trimble Inc to do\naerial survey &amp; mapping of Sri Lanka? Trimble is a close associate of\n\u2018Raytheon\u2019 US spy agency. Trimble specialized in GPS &amp; drone technology.\nIsn\u2019t Trimble a threat to Sri Lanka\u2019s National Security when Trimble surveys\nSri Lanka\u2019s land, uses GPS &amp; Raytheon that can not only create catastrophic\nweather conditions but carry out drone assassinations too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note\nLand Ministry website mysteriously crashed for nearly a month! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nRanil Wickremasinghe Govt has outsourced land surveying to US company Trimble.\nOver 80% of Sri Lanka\u2019s land belongs to the State (the citizens of Sri Lanka) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Foreigners can own land<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2015\nthe Ranil-Sirisena govt permitted foreigners and foreign-owned companies to buy\n&amp; own land overruling Act 38 of 2014 (Restrictions on the Alienation of\nLands in Sri Lanka to Foreigners)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Foreigners given up to 5000 acres of\nland to carry out projects<\/strong>\u2026\nhow can foreigners enjoy such land ownership only if it is privatized and out\nof State control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Foreigners can do business without\npaying 100% tax on leasing of land<\/strong> (public-private partnership agreement)&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is the solution?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Amend Bim Saviya and restore authority on land to\nJudiciary and revoke powers given to Minister of Lands. File FR in courts\nenabling judiciary to refer to Case Law.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sri Lanka\u2019s\nConstitution \/ \u2018Colombo International Financial City\u2019 Bill.<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drafted\nby Baker Mackenzie (US law firm with US State Dept) at a cost of $1.2m<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri\nLanka\u2019s constitution states all land belongs to the people &amp; land is held\nin custody by the Government for the People. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However,\nBaker Mackenzie proposal grants 269hectares which can be sub-leased to any\nperson, company or country for 200 years with provision to annex territory\nwithin Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new\nconstitution drafted by the threesome who drafted the 19a (Jayampathy-Sumanthiran-Pakiasothy\nas claimed by President Sirisena) proposed to devolve land powers to provinces.\nHad this new constitution gone through the annexing of land would have become a\npiece of cake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\nBill repealed provisions in the \u2018Crown Land Ordinance No 12 of 1840, Land\nSettlement Ordinance No 20 of 1931 and Act No 8 of 1947 which gave the\nPresident powers over land. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amending\n\u2013 P<strong>addy Lands Act, No. 1 of 1958 and the Agricultural Lands Act, No. 42 of\n1973<\/strong> to allow the farming of alternate crops. Encouraging cash crops and\nGMO crops is to export food and eventually ruin our fertile soil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Release of state lands for\nforeign ownership<\/strong> \u2013 2017 budget announced removal of restrictions limiting land\nownership rights of listed companies with foreign owners \/ yahapalana also\nremoved restrictions on foreigners purchasing condominiums below 4th floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Removing taxes on lease of land to foreigners<\/strong> &amp; removed restrictions\non ownership of investments enabling foreign companies to set up shop &amp;\nreside in Sri Lanka which will impact small &amp; medium local industries.\nOffering 5 year multiple visas to foreign investors &amp; their labor confounds\nmatters further. Tax concessions &amp; visa extensions were given to those who\ninvested over $1.5m<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Special Deposit Account Act in 2017 <\/strong>that allows foreigners with a\ndeposit of $500,000 to obtain resident visa to a period of 10 years. Spouse\n&amp; minors also eligible to stay. These foreigners can also invest in Sri\nLanka. No State monitoring authority is mentioned in act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Millennium Challenge\nCorporation &amp; Economic Corridor where American law will apply for 200 years\n\u2013 transnational companies will all gobble up the land!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC\nis a US state dept entity, US Secretary of State is the Chair of the Board of\nDirectors. It is proposing a <strong>200miles long stretch of land from Colombo to\nTrincomalee via Dambulla comprising 1.2m acres of mineral-rich &amp; ancient\nheritage lands. Japan is chipping in with an electric fence along the railway\ntrack which virtually means anyone attempting to cross it will be electrocuted.\nState Land Bank Bill (<\/strong>will register all State lands &amp; powers to a Land\nReform Commission and enable public institutions to lease lands by repealing\nPart 4 \u2013 6 of the Land Reform Act No 1 of 1972 (removes foreign ownership limit\nof 50acres)<strong>, Land (Special Provisions) Bill are statutes being changed to\nfacilitate this project. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ACSA &amp; SOFA (Visiting\nForces Agreement) <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why promote in secrecy if\nharmless.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ACSA\napparently has already been signed in August 2017. SOFA will enable US boots on\nSri Lankan soil and be given full immunity for any crime. ACSA will enable any\nmilitary equipment to be flown into Sri Lanka without Sri Lankan permission or\ncheck. All these have direct impact on Sri Lanka\u2019s sovereignty and are a\nnational security concern given America\u2019s bad record of illegal interventions\nand also America\u2019s role in protecting US transnational corporations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A\ncloser look at how US operates globally, it is not difficult to realize that US\ngovernment operates globally via US companies, NGOs and faith-based\norganizations all of which are given US government troop protection \u2013 with MCC\nland privatization project and ACSA and SOFA what it means is that not only\ndoes US plan to take over strategic land areas across Sri Lanka but it will\nensure its investments are protected by its own troop presence who will have\nimmunity for whatever crime it commits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is\nit now too difficult to connect the dots &amp; understand the underlying\ndangers for Sri Lanka &amp; its citizens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sri Lanka is not just a country. It has a very long history &amp; heritage that majority of citizens wish to preserve. The constitution clearly enshrines the Land &amp; Resources as belonging to the People and for future progeny. A government is only custodian of the land &amp; resources. Essentially this denies any Government arbitrarily [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1498,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1498"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90949"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90949\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}