{"id":93115,"date":"2019-09-19T22:08:20","date_gmt":"2019-09-20T04:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=93115"},"modified":"2019-09-19T06:29:54","modified_gmt":"2019-09-19T13:29:54","slug":"questions-to-ask-advocata-on-millennium-challenge-corporation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/09\/19\/questions-to-ask-advocata-on-millennium-challenge-corporation\/","title":{"rendered":"Questions to Ask ADVOCATA on Millennium Challenge Corporation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A\ngrowing number of citizens are becoming aware of the dangers to Sri Lanka\u2019s\nsovereignty as a result of the MCC proposal together with SOFA & ACSA. They\nview this as unnecessarily putting Sri Lanka in the middle of political\ntensions between China & US. Sri Lanka does not wish to be victim of power\nrivalries. We would rather maintain cordial relations with all independent\nnations of the world. Advocta is organizing a seminar to answer questions on\nMCC on 19 September 2019 at the Lakshman Kadiragamar Centre at 6p.m. Please\nraise some of these questions to those trying to justify land grabbing of Sri\nLanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These\nquestions are based on 2 articles written by Sarojini Dutt on the MCC Land Grab<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF ADVOCATA (Member of Atlas\nNetwork)?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advocata is a Colombo-based think tank\nlaunched in May 2016.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On\nits board locals include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nishan de Mel Executive Director \u2013 Verite Research, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Premachandra Athukorala – President \u2013\nCentre for Civil Society, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rohan Samarajiva \u2013Chairman \u2013 Lirneasia,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Razeen Sally – Senior Advisor to Finance Minister, Chairman\nof IPS (also connected to US Govt) and promoting sale of national assets &\nprivatization?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Suri Ratnapala \u2013 invited to\nassist with new constitution for Sri Lanka<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IS MCC PART OF US FOREIGN POLICY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is MCC replacing or redefining the role\nthat had been tasked to USAID previously? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is MCC not a tool of US foreign policy\naligned to US Pivot to Asia policy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is ADVOCATA connected US administration\n& funded by US Corporates \u2013 if so are they not promoting their own project?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MCC DEMANDING SEPARATE\nLAND REGISTRIES & PUBLIC OFFICIALS CONDUCT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If MCC is not making any demands or \u2018conditions\u2019 who wants 10\nland registries for the 7 Districts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who gave authority to\nAmericans to go into Sri Lanka\u2019s Land Registry and Survey Departments,\nValuation Departments where documents pertaining to Sri Lanka\u2019s Land-Assets are\nstored & secured before an agreement has been signed?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Sarojini Dutt\u2019s article 3 public officials allowed\nUS access to their offices & allowed them to interfere in internal affairs\nof a sovereign state. Registrar General of Lands (Gunasekera)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surveyor General (Udayakantha)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valuation Dept<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the govt response\nto public officers allowing unsupervised access to foreigners inside state\noffices to digitalize Sri Lanka\u2019s Land Register?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The document shown at Temple Trees on 25 September 2018\nhighlighted 2 activities subject to condition BEFORE funding of activities. Items\nsubject to condition was<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. All\nState Lands to be mapped out (completed)<\/li>
  2. All\nState Lands to be inventorized (completed)<\/li>
  3. Parcel\nFabric of all State Lands to be prepared (completed)<\/li>
  4. Land\nRegistry to be converted from Deed System to Title Registration system (done\nvia Bim Saviya in 1998)<\/li>
  5. Establishing\na land policy body <\/li>
  6. Land\nRegistry Records to be Digitalized (US embassy advertised this task in the\nlocal newspapers and selected a Sri Lankan contractor, Harin Gunawardena to do\ntask under US instructions)<\/li>
  7. New\nSystem of Land Valuation to be introduced<\/li>
  8. All\nGovernment Grants of Land to be Registered<\/li>
  9. Pass\nnew laws that support reforms under the Title system<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Sri Lanka has done \u00be of MCC demands. All done without the\nknowledge of the People & in secret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC COUNTRY DIRECTOR CONTRADICTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If MCC grant is supposed to be a gift as said by new Country\nDirector Ms Edelman, why did she sternly declare we shall sign the agreement\nbefore 17 September 2019, if the people do not like it, the President, they\nelect can annul the Compact at that time\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC GIFT\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On what basis did US MCC Compact Grant suddenly increase \u2018gift\u2019\nfrom $420m to $480m \u2013 where was the transparency MCC boasts about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC Country Director Edelman says this US \u2018gift\u2019 of \u2018$480m has\nno attached conditions and is an outright grant and does not have to be repaid.\nThen why are they taking so much pains to visit professional organizations,\nhold seminars, articles, tapping locals to promote their project? Just give the\nmoney! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    According\nto Sarojini Dutt a gift horse becomes a Trojan Horse when the \u2018supposed gift\u2019\nis attached to conditions. To receive $480m \u2018gift\u2019 Sri Lanka has to sign an\nagreement with MCC who is setting the conditions for the gift.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Can we\nnot presume that to get grant of $480m Sri Lanka the receiver of the gift has\nto virtually give the country on a platter to the giver of the gift \u2013 USA? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why is\nit that Sri Lanka has to fulfil its part of the contract before the contract is\nsigned while US fulfills its part of the contract only after Sri Lanka fulfills\nits part and Sri Lanka signs the contract? Doesn\u2019t this describe MCC-Compact?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    MCC 1.2M ACRE ECONOMIC\nCORRIDOR\u201d & ELECTRONIC RAILWAY LINE\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Edelman says there is \u2018no special economic corridor running from\nColombo to Trincomalee\u2019 then why was there a MCC created MAP showing the route\nof this railway line shown in Temple Trees on 25 September 2018 in the presence\nof then President of Bar Association U R L de Silva, legal officers from\nvarious banks?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If MCC grant is for all of Sri Lanka why is it only covering 7\ndistricts along the Colombo-Trincomalee Economic Corridor and representing\nspatial structure of Sri Lanka in 2050 as perceived by MCC?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is it not correct that when the Map was publicly shown the MCC\nCountry Director claimed it was a wrong map though it did highlight the\nelectrified railway line that the MCC Country Director claimed did not exist.\nWhy did the MCC Country Manager lie?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is this \u2018electronic railway line\u2019 not dividing North from South\ntaking parts of ancient heritage areas (Anuradhapura) to the North?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC ECONOMIC CORRIDOR\u201d\nGRABBIND SRI LANKA\u2019s NATURAL RESOURCES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is the \u2018Economic\nCorridor\u2019 holding 1.2m acres of land to tap and take over Sri Lanka\u2019s natural\nresources \u2013 phosphate, limenite, monazite, thorium and other precious metals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By\ngiving 1m deeds along this corridor has the Govt not removed the restriction on\nthe Govt and enabled MCC directly to purchase lands from the farmers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    FOREIGNERS OWNING LAND<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Foreigners could not own land until law was changed by present\nGovt but restricted to 14% private land and limited to 50 acres. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The 84% other land goes as \u2018Protective\u2019 Land not for sale but\navailable for lease if the President (temporary custodian of the land) decides\nto lease it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It is the President and not the provinces that can decide to\nlease land from this 84%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How can 84% land that\nshould only be for lease be made available for outright foreign sale and the\nlimit of 50 acres be removed?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We have witnessed the PM issuing 1m deeds to farmers who have\nbeen given lease ownership and the President has placed his seal as is mandated\nby law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By giving these deeds the lease land they occupied is now\nprivatized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The power to deal with those lands has been devolved to the\nprovincial councils along MCC Corridor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What will happen to these 1m farmers if their lands are bought\nover by MCC?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    US LAND GRAB & BOGUS\nPOVERTY ALLEVIATION CLAIM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is it correct to assume as per MCC Constraints Analysis\u2019 the US\nconcern is their inability to access and buy-up land in Sri Lanka?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is this not why MCC is demanding Sri Lanka to comply to all of\nits conditions first & accord US easy access to buy-up or lease land in Sri\nLanka?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is it correct to assume that US will soon buy-up Sri Lanka for\n$480m?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If Sri Lanka complies to all of MCC conditions \u2013 Land registries\nwill be according to US wishes and they will soon buy up land of Sri Lanka\u2019s\npoor farmers. Do Sri Lanka\u2019s Govt not know that they are not only destroying\nour farmers livelihood but will leave them without a home or a means of living?\nLand grab in Africa is a good lesson for Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC is trying to grab 84% of Sri Lanka\u2019s land that is vested in\nthe State as custodian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC demand to privatize State Land (People\u2019s Land) will enable\nMCC to acquire the State Land along the Economic Corridor from Colombo to\nTrincomalee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Do farmers need a piece of paper (Deed)? Is it not better to\ngive them water, fertilizer, warehouse facilitites for their harvest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By giving a deed would these farmers not end up mortgaging their\nland to banks and banks seizing their lands when they cannot pay and then\nselling the land and MCC buying it for a song?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC ECONOMIC CORRIDOR\nDIVIDING NORTH & SOUTH & HINDERING ARMY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When\nMCC controls an economic corridor from Colombo to Trinco will it not affect Sri\nLanka\u2019s National Army in the event of a national security situation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Isn\u2019t\nthere more possibilities of \u2018LTTE\u2019 terrorism rturning to North & Islamic\nterrorism in East all \u2018enablers\u2019 for US troop presence via ACSA & SOFA the\ntwo other detrimental agreements?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC & ISLAMIC\nCALIPHATE & EASTER ATTACKS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Was the construction of a \u2018Muslim Univeristy\u2019 purposely built to\ncreate Caliphate terrorists where there is also to be an international airport\n(South East of Polonnaruwa) \u2013 in an area bound by Vallachenai, Kattankudi,\nBatticaloa, Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai, Amparai, Moneragala, Badulla and\nHingurakgoda & where US Indo-Pacific Command & US troops can justify\ntheir presence? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    According to Sarojini Dutt\u2019s article a meeting between Hizbulla\nand US envoy took place 2 days before 21\/4 Easter attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Didn\u2019t the MCC board approve the MCC Compact two days after the\nEaster attacks when Sri Lanka was in deep shock and majority of Sri Lanka were\nnot in favor of the project? The Finance Minister and US Envoy announced this claiming\nSri Lanka must be grateful for this \u2018gift\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MCC\nLand Policy Body<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is\nanother pre-condition of MCC before \u2018gift\u2019 of $480m can be given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How can\nthe US decide on Sri Lanka\u2019s Land Policy?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why\nshould a Land Policy Research Council, Land Policy Office of the Ministry of\nLands be subordinate to the MCC? Why should state officials report to\nforeigners?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    TREACHERY\nOF GOVERNMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In\nreading & understanding above the public can put into context the 4\nattempts by the PM to pass the Land (Special Provisions) Bill but has been kept\non hold by Supreme Court. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Land\nPrivatization Act and Land Bank Bill are mandatory pre-conditions of the MCC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As per\nthe Supreme Court verdict the Govt cannot sign MCC Compact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Will US not do to Sri Lanka what it did to Hawaii \u2013 turning Sri Lanka into a US fiefdom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Supreme Court has dealt blows to\nthe Govt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    a) Govt. withdraws State Land (Special\nProvisions) Bill<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \nhttp:\/\/www.ft.lk\/news\/Govt-withdraws-State-Land-Special-Provisions-Bill\/56-684317\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    b) Ruhunu Economic Development\nCorporation Bill gets shot down by SC http:\/\/www.ft.lk\/news\/Ruhunu-Economic-Development-Corporation-Bill-gets-shot-down-by-SC\/56-686010<\/a>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is it therefore not ILLEGAL for the Govt to hand 1m deed ownership to farmers under existing constitution? Shouldn\u2019t case be filed against this unconstitutional move?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    IMMUNITY FOR MCC OFFICIALS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why should MCC & its officials get diplomatic immunity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why is MCC & MCC Employees & US Govt exempt from any liability for loss or damage resulting from activities of MCC? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If MCC & its employees are given exemptions and safeguards – how can Sri Lanka take action against MCC for any non compliance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Where is the draft agreement? Why is it not shown to the public? Where does it state the actions to be taken if MCC obligations are not completed within 5 years?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why is this MCC Agreement governed by international law – does that mean disputes are subject to international law in areas where MCC agreement is effective?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What if MCC withdraws its funding – what are the dangers Sri Lanka would have walked into by weakening state systems and enabling foreign land grab via privatisation of People’s Land?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Refer Sarojini Dutt\u2019s 2 articles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
    When Does a Gift Horse Become a Trojan Horse?<\/a><\/blockquote>