Tangalle: Paradise lost

British national who helped the limbless in Gaza Strip faces brutal death while holidaying in Sri Lanka Russian partner undergoes surgery, police probing charges of sexual assault Govt. assures justice will be done though chief suspect member of ruling party Tourist industry officials voice concern

By Nadia Fazlulhaq

Firecrackers and gunfire from a beachside hotel in the southern town of Tangalle illuminated the sky celebrating the birth of Christ. As the world celebrated this joyous day, the lifeless body of a British national lay in a pool of blood at the Nature Resort premises in Medilla, Tangalle, while his Russian partner lay unconscious on the beach, her clothes in tatters. Tangalle: A scenic beach stretch Khuram Shaikh Zaman, (32) who managed to survive as a physical rehabilitation manager, of the International Committee of Red Cross in the Gaza Strip, died a brutal death in Sri Lanka, while on holiday in Tangalle. As Christmas day dawned, celebrations continued at the resort with about 60 people on the dance floor, both tourists and locals. Among the locals was the 24 year-old Chairman of the Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha, Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathirana.Zaman, a Salford University graduate from Minrow, Rochdale, Manchester who provided prosthetics for those who had lost limbs in the war torn Gaza Strip, died on Christmas eve trying to rescue a local restaurant owner who was being beaten up by a local politician and some of his intoxicated supporters. Denegama Vitharana Ryan Akalanka (27), the man Zaman had attempted to rescue as a group of people including the Chairman started assaulting him said, “I am an owner of a nearby resort. I came to this place to meet a friend and was there for about an hour. While leaving I knocked against a man who was drunk. He started assaulting me followed by others with flower pots and bottles”. “The foreigner tried to push aside those who were assaulting me,” he said. “I managed to escape and run onto the beach. Sadly, in the morning when I came to pick up my motor cycle that I had left behind I heard that the man who came to my rescue had been killed,” he said. According to eyewitnesses, Zaman’s partner, a 23-year old Russian national Victoria Alexandrovna was assaulted and dragged onto the beach. She was later found with her clothes torn on the beach side. She was first admitted to the Matara hospital and then transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle with severe head and bodily injuries. Villagers say that when she was found her clothes were torn. “The Russian national was admitted with head injuries as a result of assault and underwent surgery at the Intensive Care Unit. After the surgery she was transferred to a private hospital in Colombo,” Dr. Jayampathi Senanayake, Director Karapitiya Teaching Hospital said. When questioned whether the 23 year-old had been molested, Dr. Senanayake refused to comment stating that the medical reports would be submitted to courts. Police are however probing claims that one of those who accompanied the politician had either molested or raped the young woman. The circled areas show the number of bullets found at the scene of the crime After the killing: A blood-stained pool side at the resort The body of Zaman was sent to Matara Hospital where the post-mortem examination conducted by Dr. H.T.K. Wijeweera revealed that the deceased had been attacked with a sharp weapon and shot. An automatic rifle had been used but the victim had died due to excessive bleeding caused by a slit in the throat. Photographs taken at the scene of the crime, show blood stains around the pool area. Eight men, including the main suspect, Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha chairman surrendered to police. The Criminal Investigation Department has taken over the investigations. The Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, his private secretary Mohottige Saman, Nalagama Pradeep Chaturanga, Saman Deshapriya, Obada Arachchige Lasitha, Niroshan Weerakoon, Manoj Prasanna and Buddhika Pradeep are among those in custody. Those suspects were produced before courts and remanded until January 6. Police Media Spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said, police had recovered a T56 used at the scene from a temple premises in Vitharandeniya, a village in Tangalle. Deputy Economic Development and Tourism Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena addressing the media on Thursday assured that investigations would be conducted in a transparent manner. “Those who committed this crime will be severely dealt with even if a ruling party politician is involved. The government will not protect those involved in this crime,” he said. “As a Party we condemn the killing and believe that politicians should act more responsibly. As the opposition is split we have no problems with it, it’s our own party people who cause great inconvenience to the government. A politician has no right to keep unauthorized weapons in his possession,” he said. Meanwhile acting British High Commissioner, Robbie Bulloch told the Sunday Times that they saw this as an ‘extremely’ serious incident and wanted it investigated thoroughly. “The External Affairs Ministry has given us the assurance that investigation will be taken forward and action will be taken against those involved in the crime. As this is an isolated incident we would not make any changes in our travel advisory,” he said. He said the High Commission had grave concerns as close to 100,000 British tourists arrive in the country annually. Mr. Bulloch said the High Commission had contacted the victim’s family in Rochdale, Manchester and that the body was at a private funeral parlour in Colombo. Khuram Shaikh Zaman: The victim The victim’s brother Nasir, (40) told the Manchester Evening News, "The job he was doing took him to some dangerous places – and he was living in Gaza – so there was no concern about a holiday in Sri Lanka. He had been there on a break earlier this year and talked about how beautiful it was." The brother will be travelling to Colombo to help take back his brother's body with the help of the Red Cross and the Foreign Office. “The ICRC is grieved by the loss of Mr. Khuram Shaikh, who was killed while he was on vacation in Sri-Lanka and the ICRC is in touch with Mr. Shaikh's family to provide the necessary psychological and administrative support,” a spokeswoman for ICRC, Colombo, said. She said the ICRC was liaising closely with the relevant authorities- the British High Commission, the Russian Embassy, funeral directors and Mr.Shaikh's family to ensure the speedy transport of his mortal remains to his family in Britain. Udayanga Weeratunge, the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Russia said that the government had contacted the family of the Russian girl, presently being treated at a private hospital and offered to fly in the family members to Sri Lanka. The hospital expenses will be handled by Sri Lanka Tourism, he said. Mr. Weeratunge said bout 20,000 Russians had traveled to Sri Lanka this year. The incident in Tangalle sparked off immediate reactions with some of the tourists leaving the south while those involved in the trade voiced concern. The South is a favourite destination for tourists not only for its picturesque beaches but also for its relatively cheap accommodation. In a recent analysis this winter by UK’s Post Office Travel Network of day-to-day holiday costs in 28 long-haul destinations, Sri Lanka was listed as the least expensive. By December 23, a total of 819,500 tourists had arrived in the country. The income generated from the tourism industry in 2011 was 760 million US$ and the target is one billion US$ in 2012, the Sunday Times learns. “Britain sends over 105,000 tourists and they spend about 100 US$ a day and stay longer than Indian tourists contributing more to the economy,” said Anura Lokuhetti, President of Sri Lanka Hoteliers Association, Tim Fiege:A disapointed tourist The body of the slain tourist being taken to Matara Hospital. Pix by Mangala Weeraskera and Krishan Jayaruk Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena Keerthi Wedaarachchi He said at present 140,000 locals were directly and indirectly employed in the tourism sector and the target for 2016 was to employ about 500,000. “The Government has taken a lot of measures to popularize tourism by improving infrastructure and promotional events. Tourism is seen as the highest foreign exchange generator. This incident will certainly tarnish the image of the country,” he warned He said it was also important to educate the local community on the importance of tourism. “We get many complaints from tourists about harassment. We have to make sure that our people do not put undue pressure on tourists visiting the country. Authorities should ensure tourists safety and promote security which we have been doing since the end of the war,” he said. Southern Tourist Hoteliers Association President Priyankara Wickremasekare said there were many community-based tourist resorts in the south that need to be monitored. “Tangalle was considered as a popular destination among tourists who come here for long stays. In Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa and Tangalle we see locals mingling with tourists, these kinds of incidents will definitely affect their trust,” he said. He said that the Tourist Police did not operate in these areas that are known holiday destinations. Chamber of Tourism and Industry condeming the attack on the British tourist in Tangalle said that such incidents would badly affect the industry which was fast developing to be one of the main foreign exchange earners to the economy. President A.M. Jaufer in a statement said the killing of a tourist could only jeapordize the image of the country as a tourist destination. Hence it was the bounden duty of all the citizens to support the government in its efforts. “We appreciated the immediate steps taken by the Government and officials concerned to bring to book those responsible for the attack. The Tourist Police Force too should be strengthened,” he said, Keerthi Wedaarachchi, President Tangalle Tourist Hoteliers Association, which represents 48 registered hotels and resorts and 20 unregistered hotels said, they fear that this incident may affect the tourism industry in Tangalle. Tim Fiege, a German tourist who was in Tangalle when the incident took place has decided to leave the premises after the shooting. “I will be leaving this country with much disappointment as Sri Lanka was known for its hospitality. What happened was brutal. This news was also broadcast in British and German media. It is such a shame that a politician from the same area was involved in the killing of a tourist,” he said.“Tangalle has about a 10 kilometre beach stretch where tourists can walk while enjoying the ocean view. But these kinds of incidents can damage the industry. A similar incident took place in Rekawa in Tangalle 10 years ago where a tourist was shot. Today the hotel is closed and tourists still fear to go to the area,”he said. Gamini Edirisooriya, hailing from the South has been a tourist guide since 1983. “Tourists are afraid to stay on in Tangalle to celebrate the New Year. The government should ensure the safety of the tourists,” he said. Rukman Wedaarachchi (40) a manager at a resort in Tangalle said, “This year saw an increase in German, British, French, Italian and Russian tourists. After this incident many tourists left our hotels,”he said. A van driver from the area A.K.P.Ruwan Kumara (38) said he began as a three-wheeler driver but after the end of the war since there was an increase in the number of tourists to Tangalle, he decided to get a van. H.Vijitha a cook at one of the resorts said, that he usually earned around Rs. 25,000 during the season but this time I feel I won’t earn as much during the New Year season. An unlicenced pub in Etukale, Negombo Sexual harassment of foreign women on the increase By Chris Kamalendran A string of incidents where tourists were sexually abused or harassed were reported from various parts of the island in recent months with the latest two incidents coming from Negombo. On Thursday night five youth who attempted to molest a 23-year-old Swedish national were arrested by Police. The tourist was taking a walk on the beach at night when a group of young men had attempted to drag her away but she had screamed prompting people in the area and police to intervene. E. Croos The youth were warned by courts and released on Friday. The foreigner did not want to file a case. The incident came a week after two Italians were beaten up in the same area while they were returning to the hotel they were staying in. They had been surrounded by about eight youth and badly assaulted in the Ethukala area, Negombo. Paradise Beach Hotel General Manager, E. Croos told the Sunday Times that the two guests were staying at his hotel at the time of the incident and the attackers even entered the hotel lobby and attacked one of the tourists at the lobby. “Beach traders and touts are the main culprits involved in these kinds of incidents. The main reason for this kind of unruly behaviour is that there are many who sell liquor without licence in the area,” he said adding that the police and authorities should be more vigilant. Last month a woman from New Zealand had been harassed in Mihintale. Her husband had been away when two youth had attempted to drag her into a public toilet. They were arrested and remanded. Two months ago a South African tourist was raped by a room boy in a hotel in Kalptiiya. But since the foreigner had left the country Police said they were unable to proceed with the case. Tourist Police Director SSP Ranjth Padmasiri told the Sunday Times that they were short on manpower. He also said that they held a discussion with the Tourism Authority on preventing any violence against tourists. “One of our main problems is that we do not have enough personnel to deploy at tourist haunts and only handle direct complaints,” he said. Tourist Police officer arrested on rape charges In an ironic twist a police officer attached to the Tourist Police in the Kalutara district was arrested recently and produced in courts for allegedly raping a local woman. The OIC had reportedly arrested the woman who was with two other men on the beach and had taken them to the Police Station. After questioning the two men they had been allowed to leave, while he had allegedly taken the woman to his rest room and raped her. The woman, a 28 year old mother of two had lodged a complaint with the Aluthgama police. The case was due to be taken up on January 4 in the Kalutara Magisrate Courts.

Sri Lanka: Paradise lost, post Eelam war

Chinese holidaying in Colombo.

Driving on the potholed A9 highway to Jaffna that could break the strongest of spines, it was great relief spotting a volleyball match in progress at a wayside playground.

It was in Kilinochchi, which used to be the LTTE capital until President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced its capture by his troops on January 2, 2009. Less than five months later, the forces ended the Eelam war killing the Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran.    Full Story>>>

Kurdish civilians killed in ‘Sri Lanka style’ attack

[TamilNet, Saturday, 31 December 2011, 07:26 GMT]
In a deadly strike that was carried out in Uludere of Sirnak province in Turkey’s Southeast region on Wednesday, Turkish F16’s killed at least 36 Kurdish civilians. While the ruling party AKP’s spokesperson called the attack an ‘operational mistake’ and the government has claimed that there will be investigations in to the matter, the PKK said in a statement that the strike was “the result of the all-out war concept developed by the AKP (Justice and Development Party) government against our leader, movement and people. This is the continuation of the system of arrest and torture that aims at intimidating our people”. Even as the PKK called for an uprising, there have been huge protests by the Kurdish people in Turkey’s capital and other places. 

Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Bulent Arinc said in a televised interview that “Turkey is combating terrorism and in that fight incidents like this may occur. If there’s neglect, a mistake or intent in this event, then the people responsible will be revealed and they will bear the consequences.”

Turkey was one of the states to immediately congratulate Sri Lanka after the Mu’l’livaaikkaal genocide and has provided political and material assistance to Sri Lanka. Also, many military analysts in the Turkish official circles considered the ‘Sri Lanka style’ solution as an effective model for dealing with the Kurdish national question.

Likewise, many Kurdish activists and journalists have also likened their condition to that of the Eezham Tamils. 

The International Community’s silence while Sri Lanka successfully executed its genocidal war manoeuvres in Mu’l’livaaikkaal with deliberate targeting of civilians, and its complicity in the structural genocide of the Eezham Tamils in their homelands by the occupying Lankan colonizers by its failure to address the national question provides an inspiration for states like Turkey to use such methods against similar struggles, commented a Tamil academic.

Sri Lanka's PM commends China for strong support

 2011-12-31 By Che Hongliang

COLOMBO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne said Sri Lanka appreciates China's long-standing support and his government will further developing its relations with China.

Sri Lanka sees China as a close friend and will work with China to strengthen the bilateral ties in all areas, Jayaratne made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua at his official residence recently.

Jayaratne recalled the long relations between Sri Lanka and China that began over a thousand years ago with the arrival of Chinese monk Fa Xian.

He said Sri Lanka is one of the first countries supporting China's UN membership. He said China and Sri Lanka signed the historic Rubber-Rice Pact in 1952 bringing many benefits to the peoples of the two nations, and the two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1957 and the bilateral ties have developed steadily since then.

Jayaratne said he had accompanied former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike to visit China decades ago and met Chairman Mao Zedong. During the visit, China promised to help build an International Conference Center in Sri Lanka.

The prime minister said the International Conference Center, namely Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall together with the recently opened National Performing Art Theater in Colombo have stood as a symbol of the friendship between China and Sri Lanka.

The on-going projects assisted by China, including Norochcholai Coal-Powered Power Project, Hambantota Port, Maththala Airport and highways in the south would give a boost to Sri Lanka's economy, said Jayaratne.

He said that China has always supported Sri Lanka, especially on the issues related to the question of Sri Lanka's Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity. The Sri Lankan leadership has always appreciated China's steadfast support on issues of their concern.

"We are very grateful to China for always standing beside Sri Lanka, especially during times when the west was criticizing the government for ending a three decade war. China is Sri Lanka's largest benefactor supporting many infrastructure programs that are crucial for our development," he said.

Jayaratne said the year 2012 is coming, he wrote an inscription wishing the Chinese people a happy and prosperous new year.

SL ‘special agents’ ransack human rights activist's apartment in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 December 2011, 02:25 GMT]
Sri Lankan investigation officers claiming to be from the ‘Special Unit’ on Wednesday evening ransacked an apartment where a Tamil human rights activist from the East was residing in Colombo. The agents clad in civil and uniform entered the room of the human rights activist around 10:00 p.m. and took away documents and files without mentioning the intention of the action and without providing any list of what they have taken from the apartment, informed sources said. The Human Rights activist, who was formerly a progamme officer of a Belgium-based international organisation, was living in the apartment with his Sinhala room mate. The Sinhala friend was taken away by the investigating officers, detained for almost 20 hours and harrassed, informed NGO sources in Colombo told TamilNet Thursday.

The ‘Special Units’ attached to Sri Lankan Defence Ministry think that data on human rights abuses in the island is being collected through current or former personnel attached to the international organisations, a Sinhala Human Rights activist in Colombo told TamilNet.
Colombo government deploys various techniques to limit the access of certain international NGOs, while the employees from the island, are harrassed by ransack actions and other forms of intimidations, the activist said while alerting journalists in Colombo and diplomats attached to various missions in Colombo on the recent incident.
The released Sinhalese room-mate has declined to talk to media.

'Attempted rape' of Swedish tourist

30 December, 2011

The school children have allegedly harassed tourists swimming in Negombo sea

A group of school children in a tourist resort in Sri Lanka have been arrested over an alleged attempted rape of a Swedish tourist.

The five teenagers who attended the same school were produced before court on Friday.

The tourist, who is a school teacher, has requested the court to warn the school children, who were badly drunk as they harassed the tourist in Negombo, and release them.

Journalist Prasad Purnimal Jayamanne said the authorities near the resort where the incident happened refused to reveal any details saying it would badly affect the tourist industry in the area.

But the tour guides in the resort maintain a different view.

They say similar incidents occur regularly and put the blame on the police.

"Tourists are continuously targeted by the youngsters," they told BBC Sandeshaya.

 

Principals, teachers want A/L results revised

  FRIDAY, 30 DECEMBER 2011  

Ten education sector trade unions including principals and teachers charged that the formula used to calculate the GCE A/L Z-score was flawed and therefore urged the government to revise the results and issue it afresh.
 
Association of Educational Professionals General Secretary Wasantha Darmasiri told a news conference that there were several errors in the way the Z-score was calculated. 

“There has been no explanation as to how the old and new syllabuses were combined and the way in which it was calculated,” Mr. Darmasiri said. 
 
He displayed a formula sheet and said the number of children who sat the examination, the marks obtained the number of exams they sat for and other details were all vital in preparing the Z score.  He said there was no transparency in how the Z-score was prepared and the mistake was visible.
 
“Even if the Education Ministry says these results are accurate, the people do not have any confidence in them. Therefore the Examination Department has to revise the results,” he said. 
 
The unions vowed to take countrywide trade union action against the Education Ministry’s refusal to revise the A/L results.

The unions also charged that Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena had not taken responsibility for the grave blunders in the A/L results and should resign from his portfolio immediately. (Olindhi Jayasundere)

Whither SL and laws ! 21 UPFA local body members take refuge in Chairman’s residence fearing Gota’s white Van!

(Lanka-e-News-30.Dec.2011,11.30PM) 21 UPFA members of the Local body of Kelaniya and the Municipal council of Peliyagoda have assembled at the house of the Chairman of the Kelaniya polka body in fear of their lives, according to reports reaching Lanka e news.

It is with regret that it has to be reported that these members are those who are fated to be victims of the notorious white Van abductions under the despotic law enforcement in the country. Of these 21 members, 15 are of the Kelaniya local Govt. body and the other six are of the Municipal Council, Kiribathgoda. Intriguingly , every one of them is a supporter of the most notorious Minister Mervyn the vermin, and the white Van is trailing behind most of these members , it is learnt. 

Following the mystery surrounded murder recently of Minuwangoda local body member Dinesh Chandrasiri , this group of UPFA members are living in fear .

The members of the group are scared to go out alone. Yesterday , when seven of them were traveling together in a Van to pump fuel for the vehicle at Somapala filling station , a white van suspected to be loaded with army in civil clothes and with weapons had tried to cross the path of the vehicle of the members , but , these members have managed to make a narrow escape in their vehicle.

It is interesting to note that Amal Rodrigo, the co ordinating Secretary of Minister Mervyn Silva was abducted a few days ago at PitaKotte . Although it was reported that he was released a few hours later , he had been detained at an unknown destination for 8 days and interrogated. These UPFA members who are now in fear of their lives say they are frightened that the detainee could have given their names and places of abode .

When Mervyn Silva who has left for Dubai had been communicated over the phone on these events, he had advised in his characteristic hooligan style’ get hold of those fellows who come in the white Van , and thrash them’. The UPFA members of the councils have then inquired , how is it possible to attack the armed group? When attempts were made to inform Basil Rajapakse , they had been told he is abroad. 

These members who are gripped by fear claim that they have not committed any wrong , and if they have , to bring them before the laws of the country legally , and they are prepared at any time to submit to the rule of law. These members who are in fear that they may also fall victim like the Minuwangoda member who was abducted and died mysteriously , have assembled at the Kelaniya Local body Chairman’s house.

If the Presidential advisor Bhartatha Lakshman can be killed in broad daylight and on the highway in public l , these members are fearing their getting killed is no big deal in this country where anarchy is the order of the order.

We wish to recall that Lanka e news reported on the white Van abductions and those behind it under the caption ‘Here are the full details of the white Van criminal abductors..’ on the 23rd of November

‘Devolve police, land powers or scrap 13 A’ TNA’s India-backed demand justified

December 29, 2011

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The UNP yesterday challenged the UPFA to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution if the SLFP-led coalition felt it couldn’t be fully implemented without jeopardizing security of the State. The main opposition party said the government shouldn’t expect the TNA to drop its just demand for police and land powers in line with the Constitution.

"There is no point in further discussing the issue with the TNA or any other political party. The government can easily use its two-thirds majority in Parliament to do away with the controversial amendment," UNP Deputy Secretary General Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, MP, said in a brief interview with The Island yesterday.

Asked whether the UNP, too, would extend its support for the abolition of the 13th Amendment, the Gampaha District MP emphasized the UPFA could do it on its own the way it abolished the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.

Unless the government was willing to devolve police and land powers there was absolutely no point in even discussing the 13th Amendment. It would be nothing but a joke to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to resolve the ethnic issue against the backdrop of UPFA’s decision not to implement the 13th Amendment in its entirety. The UNP wouldn’t fault the TNA for pushing for key powers, parliamentarian Jayawardena said.

The bottom line was that particular Amendment couldn’t be even called 13th Amendment if police and land powers were dropped, he said, accusing the government of playing politics with the national issue, though the LTTE was no longer a hindrance to achieve a lasting solution.

The former Rehabilitation Minister urged the government not to ignore a recent statement attributed to the official spokesperson of India’s External Affairs Ministry. While responding to Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report, the official had emphasized the pivotal importance of the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and even going beyond it, the he pointed out. That meant the TNA had the explicit support of the Government of India. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that India was speaking on behalf of those countries pushing the UPFA on the path of genuine devolution, the UNPer said.

The President of the UNP’s trade union arm, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, blamed the UPFA for the failure on its part to change its attitude in spite of eradicating the LTTE. Nothing could be as unfortunate as failing to capitalize on post-war stability to reach political consensus with those in the Opposition, particularly the TNA. Whatever the TNA’s relationship with the LTTE earlier, it shouldn’t be an obstacle to ongoing efforts aimed at reaching political consensus on the national issue.

Jayawardena said that the government couldn’t ignore the LLRC’s call for a political settlement on the basis of devolution without jeopardizing territorial integrity and unity of the country. The MP pointed out the absurdity in the JHU’s criticism of the LLRC pertaining to its position on the devolution of power. Addressing the media early this week, JHU heavyweight Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka alleged that the LLRC, headed by former Attorney General C. R. de Silva, had gone beyond its mandate.

Now that the LTTE had been eradiated there couldn’t be any other obstruction to devolution of power, the MP echoed the LLRC.

The UNP challenged the government to reveal its position on the LLRC’s recommendation without trying to divert attention by making a foolish attempt to blame the TNA for the impasse.

The MP commended the LLRC for recommending the re-establishment of independent commissions to run police and public service without further delay. The LLRC’s recommendation was evidence that it disapproved the scrapping of 17th Amendment, which provided for the establishment of independent commissions, de-politicizes key sectors.

The LLRC also faulted the government for moving so called urgent bills depriving people an opportunity to challenge them in Supreme Court, while calling for freedom of information. Dr. Jayawardena said that the government should make its position clear regarding key issues raised by the Commission.

SRI LANKA: The New Year Wish List- 2012

All Sri Lankans will wish that the coming year will not be like the last one and, in fact, that it be different from previous years also, years in which deep insecurity has been prevailing due to the failure of the political system, resulting in serious problems in the legal system. People reduced to powerlessness will want to regain their powers, those which should exist within a democracy rooted on a rule of law system. We fervently hope that their dream to move out of repression will come to be realized in this new year.

We hope that the deepest wish of all Sri Lankans, which is to see the abolition of the 1978 constitution, will be realized this year, thus paving the way for the following benefits for all the people:    Full Story>>>

Sri Lanka 'wheelchair tax' condemned by UK charity

30 December 2011

The wheelchairs are for Tamil people injured in the war

The head of a UK charity that sent a consignment of wheelchairs to Sri Lanka has condemned the decision to impose customs duties of over $8,000 (£5,180).

Peter Thompson, of the Yorkshire-based PhysioNet charity, said the shipment for Tamil war victims also took more than three months to clear customs.

The Sri Lankan authorities said the delay was because paperwork for the shipment was not properly completed.

They said all shipments arriving in Colombo are subject to duty payments.

But Mr Thompson said the $8,000 (1m Sri Lankan rupees) that had to be paid in customs duties and port storage fees was unacceptable.

He argued that the delay in clearing the shipment - which contained 322 wheelchairs and other mobility items for disabled Tamil war victims - meant that the bill had to be paid before it was allowed to be transported to the north of the country.

The shipment was sent by PhysioNet in conjunction with a Sri Lankan Tamil charity based in the UK and the Roman Catholic church; together they met all of the costs of getting the consignment to Sri Lanka.

"But problems arose in Colombo when it took three months to clear the docks," Mr Thompson told the BBC.

"This is a record for the longest time one of our shipments has languished on the docks of a recipient country - and that includes some of the most corrupt and inefficient countries in Africa."

Mr Thompson said the Sri Lankan authorities appeared to put up obstacles every step of the way to prevent the shipment from being speedily delivered.

"Only following endless paperwork and the payment of $8,000 was the container released and allowed to be transported to the north of the country," he said.

"During the three months it took for these problems to be resolved, the demurrage charges were building up substantially in Colombo.

"It's difficult to conclude that this is anything other than a glaring example of the Sri Lankan authorities victimising the Tamil community."

The Sri Lankan government in May 2009 defeated Tamil Tigers rebels fighting for independence in the north and east of the country after a bitterly-fought war spanning two decades.

Mr Thompson said his charity hoped to send another shipment to Sri Lanka next year, "but only if there are some assurances that this unhappy experience will not be repeated".

A spokesman for the port authority in Colombo that handled the consignment said all imports - including those brought in for charitable purposes - are subject to import duties.

He said the delay in clearing the wheelchairs was because various government ministries had to give their permission before shipments to the north were allowed to go ahead.

Sri Lanka books 8.5 percent slump in 2011

Fri Dec 30, 2011 

* Had been top Asian bourse in 2009, 2010
    * Net foreign outflow down from 26.4 bln rupees to 19.1 bln

    COLOMBO, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's main share
index shed 8.5 percent in 2011, falling from its perch as Asia's
best performer in the previous two years, as it closed weaker on
Friday in thin trade. 
    The island nation saw foreign outflow of 19.1 billion Sri
Lanka rupees ($168 million) in 2011, compared with last year's
record high 26.4 billion.  
    The market was Asia's best performer in 2009 and 2010 mainly
due to heavy local retail buying, as the country emerged from a
25-year war.  
    This year, the Colombo bourse was Asia's 10th-best performer
with an annual loss of 8.46 percent. It held top spot in the
region until June.  
    "We are optimistic in 2012 as interest rates are still low,"
said Hussain Gani, CEO at TKS Securities. "Even if rates go up
by 200 basis points, it (the market) will be attractive." 
    The central bank has kept monetary policy rates at more than
six-year lows since January.  
    On Friday, the main share index closed down 0.25
percent, or 14.96 points, at 6,074.42.  
    The index hit a record high on February 15, but has since
fallen 22.8 percent due to a credit curb move by Sri Lanka's
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 
    In the fourth quarter, the resignation of two top SEC
officials, an asset takeover bill, a 3 percent devaluation, and
inconsistent investment policies dampened the market.  
    On Friday, the market saw net foreign selling of 85.3
million rupees, mainly due to offshore investors selling
Commercial bank of Ceylon PLC after chairman MJC
Amarasuriya resigned.  
    Offshore outflow in the four sessions through Friday was 1.2
billion rupees, with more than 90 percent of that generated by
Commercial Bank, traders said.    
    The day's turnover was 525.7 million rupees, far below this
year's average of 2.3 billion. 
    Last month, brokers, who complained tougher regulation was
hurting stock market prices, met President Mahinda Rajapaksa to
urge him to intervene in his capacity as finance minister to
revive the slumping bourse.         
    The rupee closed flat at 113.89/90 to the dollar for
a 27th straight session, with the central bank selling around
$25 million to defend it, dealers said.             
    The bank has spent around $690 million to keep the exchange
rate steady since a 3 percent devaluation on Nov. 21. It spent a
net $1.36 billion in the first nine months of the year to keep
depreciation pressure at bay.    
  ($1 = 113.9 Sri Lanka rupees) 

Sinhala Silva’s LLRC report helps MR out of War Crimes for Now

By: Dr C P Thiagarajah

The 400 odd page report of the Sinhala chairman Silva’s, Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), was tabled by the Government of Sri Lanka in its Parliament on 16 December after many days of its much delayed release. The main aim of the majority Sinhala dominated government is to buy more time to heal the wrath of the human rights organisations and the UN that had been demanding an international inquiry into war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide of nearly 40000 ethnic Tamils following the release of the UN Expert Panel Report on Sri-Lanka war.

When the Silva commission was appointed about 18 months ago many HR organisations, humanists and the Tamils in Sri-Lanka and the Diaspora expressed dissatisfaction over the perpetrators of war crimes appointing a commission to investigate their own criminal actions. This action smacks of credibility as pointed by US ambassador in Colombo, Ms Patricia Butenis. She said in a diplomatic cable sent on 15 January last year (2010) that President Rajapaksa and the former army commander, Sarath Fonseka, were largely responsible for the war crimes. She went on “There seemed little hope of accountability given that there were no examples of a regime investigating its own troops for war crimes”. "In Sri Lanka this is further complicated by the fact that responsibility for many alleged crimes rests with the country's senior civilian and military leadership, including President Rajapaksa and his brothers and ex military commander Gen Fonseka,"     Fill Story>>>

SRI LANKA: Making LLRC Report Meaningful - Update No. 213

30-Dec-2011

Col. R. Hariharan

The Rajapaksa government should be happy with the report of the Commission of Inquiry on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation (LLRC) presented to the Sri Lankan parliament on December 16, 2011 as it has not pinpointed responsibility on anyone (other than political and systemic weaknesses and the LTTE) for the mess Sri Lanka finds itself after the Eelam War.

The report provides badly needed breathing space for the government, as the Commission  has done a fairly good job if one goes by the President’s mandate given to it. The well written report analyses in detail the reasons for past and present discontent of Tamils and has drawn the government attention to a number issues that had triggered Tamil insurgency.

The LLRC report is constructive and covers almost all issues that relate to aberrations in governance, lack of transparency and the need to take speedy action on restoring confidence among Tamil minority. However, the LLRC has tripped on allegations of war crimes and killing of civilians by the army during the last stages of Eelam war.    Fulll Story>>>

Sri Lanka holidaymakers tell of horror slaying of Red Cross hero from Rochdale

MEN Media  ‘COURAGEOUS': Khuram Shaikh was killed in an attack in Sri Lanka Tourists have described the terrifying moments before a Red Cross worker was killed at a paradise resort. Prosthetic expert Khuram Shaikh, from Milnrow, Rochdale, gave hope to men, women and children who lost their limbs in the world’s deadliest countries. But he was killed on a Sri Lankan beach resort after taking a break from his duties in the conflict-hit Middle East. Eyewitnesses have told us how the 32-year-old aid worker was randomly targeted after he became caught up in a bar brawl at a hotel in Tangalle. Mr Shaikh, a rehabilitation manager working with the International Red Cross in Gaza, had been on a holiday with colleague Victoria Alexandrova, who was also badly injured in the attack. Canadian holidaymaker Dixie Klaibert was staying at the Nature Tangalle hotel with family. Speaking from India, she told us how a ‘bar brawl’ involving local men broke out at a Christmas Eve party at a hotel, attended by guests, hotel staff and locals. She said: "We started screaming for them to stop, but they picked up chairs and started smashing them over the man on the floor. "I glanced back to see a man with a gun walking behind us towards the bonfire. "It looked like an AK-47 or a machine gun, so my sister and I started screaming that there was a gun, at which point we dropped everything and got out of there. "As we were walking back to our room we heard the gunshots, and ran." Ms Klaibert was staying at the beach hotel with husband Chris Stooksbury, sister Daisy Klaibert and her sister’s boyfriend Orion Foster. Mr Foster, a commercial diver, described how Mr Shaikh was attacked by a group of men and appeared to be struck with a broken bottle. He said: "He was walking and hunched over hugging himself. Things were being thrown at him and he was being beaten while he was walking. "He made it to end of the pool area where they caught up to him. "Three guys were bearing down on him and then attacked him. This is where I believe he was again wounded severely by the broken bottle and they slashed his throat. "He only made it another 15 feet where he collapsed and did not get back up." The terrified group hid in their room while they desperately phoned for aid and waited 45 minutes before police arrived at the scene. Ms Alexandrovna, 23, a Russian citizen, was also savagely attacked, has now been transferred to a private hospital in the country’s largest city Colombo. Reports from the Sri Lanka media state that the southern tourist town is now all but deserted after foreign visitors fled. Local police say they are still probing the attack in the early hours of Christmas day. A post-mortem examination showed Mr Shaikh had been attacked by a sharp weapon and shot. Six people are now in custody, including a local politician named as Sampath Vidanapathirana, who surrendered himself to officers a day after the shooting. But Ms Klaibert, a former investment bank worker based in London, said she feared that local people would be too frightened to give evidence about the attack. She added: "Police arrived and left, but nobody said anything to any of the hotel guests. "Given that a local politician involved is terrifying and a number of people appeared to have access to firearms, I would think local people would be extremely scared about speaking out." Mr Shaikh, who had worked for the International Red Cross since 2009, also served in North Korea. His heartbroken family described the Salford University graduate as ‘courageous’ and someone ‘who lived to help others’.

Sri Lankan MP held over Briton's death

Friday December 30, 2011

A ruling party politician has been remanded in custody in connection with the killing of a British tourist at a beach resort in southern Sri Lanka over Christmas.
The politician surrendered following a manhunt for those responsible for the Christmas Day killing of Kuram Shaikah Zaman, a British national of Israeli origin, acting Economic Development Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said on Thursday.
He said eight police teams had been deployed to investigate the killing as well as the wounding of the victim's Russian companion who was recovering at a hospital in the capital Colombo.
'I can assure you that there will be no cover-up and all steps are being taken to ensure justice is done,' Abeywardena said.
He said the victims appeared to have tried to intervene to break up a brawl between two local groups when they were stabbed and shot at a beach hotel in the southern town of Tangalle.
The government on Thursday offered to fly in the family members of the Russian woman involved in the attack, the minister said.
'We are taking care of her medical bills and we are also offering to bring down any of her family members to be with her until she is able to travel back home,' he said.
He said the attack had come at a time when Sri Lanka's tourism industry was experiencing a record inflow of foreign holiday makers.
'The British and Russian diplomatic missions in Colombo have accepted that this was a random attack,' he said. 'It is a very unfortunate incident and we take it very seriously, but we hope it will not have an effect on arrivals.'
Sri Lanka has received over 800,000 visitors this year with the number of holidaymakers visiting the island rising rapidly after the country ended its decades-long separatist war in May 2009.
Up to 100,000 people were killed in the island's separatist war.

Petition filed calling Northern Commander in court

The Appeal Court of Sri Lanka has accepted a petition filed by the parents of two activists of 'Jana Aragalaya '(People's Struggle), Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganathan.

The parents of the two activists, in their petition, have petetioned to the appeal court to order the army commander in Jaffna to produce the two activists before the court.

The court having accepted the petition ordered court registrar to fix dates for public hearing.

The two activists were in Jaffna to organise an event to commemorate the International Human Rights Day. They have been missing since 9 December.

Security forces responsible

The petitioners said in their petition that since the whole of Jaffna peninsula is under army control, they, the security forces are responsible for any incidents happening in the peninsular.

The parents of the victims also appealed to the court to call the regional Commander, Mahinda Hathurusinghe and other officials to court and question them about the disappearances.

Solider arrested for killing army officer

THURSDAY, 29 DECEMBER 2011 
A solider was taken into custody for killing an army officer and injuring another officer by shooting them in Jaffna today, army officials said.

The suspect soldier attached to the 18th Gemunu Watch in Chavakachcheri was taken into custody by the two officers as he was fleeing the camp. 

Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said the soldier had fled the camp with a weapon last morning.

 “The company commander along with a team arrested him in an area close to the camp and was then brought back to his post in Chavakachcheri,” he said. 

“He was then being brought to be produced before the Battalion Commander. On the way, he had grabbed a weapon of a fellow soldier who was on duty at a nearby check post and shot the two officers,” he added. 

The lieutenant sustained injuries to one of his hands and was admitted to the Palali Hospital by the Army. 

The suspect was arrested by the army and is under the custody of the military police. He was later handed over to the Chavakachcheri police. (SD)

Should Canada try to regain its seat on the UN Security Council?

   December 29, 2011 

• By Community Team
• Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in an interview Dec.20 that Canada will not try again in the coming years to get a seat on the United Nations Security Council. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
  
  Canada won't have a seat on the United Nations Security Council for at least another two years, according to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.
  
  The Harper government will not campaign for one of the council's two-year, temporary placements in the coming years, according to the Canadian Press.
  
  Canada lost to Portugal last year for the second of two non-veto-wielding seats on the UN's top body. It was the first time in the history of the UN that Canada failed to win a seat for which it made a bid.
  
  The decision sparked criticism that the government's shifts in foreign policy under the Conservative government  - including perceived tilts in policy toward Israel and unpopular positions on climate change - have diminished the country's support among the UN's 190-plus member countries.
  
  Baird fired back in a Dec. 20 interview. "Maybe if we had shut up, and not talked about gay rights in Africa; maybe if we had shut up and been more quiet about our concerns about Sri Lanka; maybe if we hadn't been so vocally against the deplorable human rights record in Iran, maybe Iran might have voted for us," he said.
  
  Baird said he is especially proud of his stand against Sri Lanka's government for not adequately investigating alleged atrocities by its military forces when they annihilated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009.
  
  Critics say Baird and the Tories are playing what has been called "diaspora politics" by taking positions that may win them support in large blocs of newly-arrived Canadians. Tamils, for example, number in the hundreds of thousands in key Toronto-area ridings, the population's largest concentration outside Sri Lanka.
  
  Do you think Canada should try to regain its seat on the UN Security Council? Are the foreign policy interests of Canadians at odds with those of the UN's member nations? Let us know in the comments section below.

‘The Tamil diaspora does not want peace’

December 28, 2011

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksadefeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), ending the 30-year-old ethnic war. But a political settlement eludes the country. In this interview with R. Bhagwan Singh at his Temple Tree residence in Colombo, the President spoke about relations with India and China, and the difficulties in relation to the Tamil question.

The Western countries are demanding a probe into “war crimes” in Sri Lanka. How are you going to deal with this issue?

The LTTE remnants in these Western countries are bringing pressure on political leaders there to raise baseless issues against Sri Lanka. Western countries talk about Kashmir and Sri Lanka in their Parliaments, but keep mum about what they did in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and so on.

After the 1880 uprising in Ceylon’s Uva (in the south), the British rulers killed every male aged above 14, and destroyed all water reservoirs to force the people into starvation. They took away land. They did that in India, too. And they talk of human rights now. The West wants me to be their lackey and I refuse to be that.Full Story>>>

Controversial White Flag Debacle: Judges have established a dangerous (Common Law) Precedent by denying Justice for General Fonseka

(Lanka-e-News -29.Dec.2011, 7.30PM) “Law is a system of rules imposed by the supreme authority in a politically organised society and recognised by the members of that society as governing or regulating their conduct or intercourse, one with another”. Professor Jenks.

Professor Glanville Williams defines a “crime” in the following terms “A crime (or offence) is a legal wrong that can be followed by criminal proceedings which may result in punishment”. 

Normally the combination of two factors is to be found in the decision to treat a certain class of conduct as criminal. The first is what may be termed the publicness of the conduct. Normally an act will only be labelled as a crime if it is thought to be more than an offence against one or more individuals. It must be injurious to the public in general. Of course all private injuries if they become sufficiently widespread become detrimental to the public. Nonetheless, the element of punishment seems to be an important aspect of any justification for treating conduct as criminal.

 Full story >>

SLA soldier shoots dead traveller on Poonakari Road

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 December 2011, 14:29 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army soldier, manning a check post on Poonakari Road, shot and killed a traveller on motorbike Thursday around 7:00 a.m. after demanding the traveller to hand over his motorbike, sources in Poonakari told TamilNet. The SLA soldier was reportedly killed in friendly-fire when he later confronted fellow soldiers, the sources further said. Tension prevailed in the area and the road remained closed for hours. Although the dead body of the SLA soldier was sent to Jaffna hospital and transferred to Palaali military hospital, the information or identity of the slain traveller is yet to be made public. SL military officials are yet to reveal details of the episode and journalists were blocked from reaching the site. 

The SLA soldier at the bridge had demanded the motorbike from the young man who was on his way to Jaffna from Vanni. 

When the man politely declined to hand over his motorbike saying that he was on an urgent trip to Jaffna, the soldier shot him, reportedly killing him on the spot. 

After killing the traveller, the SLA soldier started to fire at his fellow soldiers, who attempted to control him. 

When the situation got out of control, the SLA soldier was seriously wounded in the gunfire from fellow soldiers and later succumbed to his injuries. 

The slain traveller was an innocent victim, according to the construction workers, who witnessed the episode.