Leadership in a dilemma - Face the enemy in unity or back the chauvinists and perish

  Sunday 12 February 2012

Leadership in a dilemma

Face the enemy in unity or back the

chauvinists and perish

Pro government trade union leaders claim that a certain group of people backed by International Non Government Organizations is conspiring against the country, when it is on the right track for development after 30 years of protracted war. They say that these elements are acting with ulterior motives to reverse the achievements made by the country in the aftermath of the conflict. On the other hand, they say that those who talk about human rights today did not raise their voice, when hundreds were brutally killed by terrorists.  When terrorists targeted civilians, thousands of people died in bomb blasts. Apparently these elements who talk about human rights violations are trying to tarnish the country’s image internationally by hatching various conspiracies. Hence, pro government TU leaders are of the view that stern action should be taken against those who conspire against the country. Pro government TU leaders are led by W.H.Piyadasa, the president of Public Service Trade Union Federation. Comrade Piyadasa has said “Some trade unions and media organizations are attempting to create political instability by causing turmoil. This move is driven by both anti-government political groups and extremist groups backed by some western countries” What a hilarious statement to be made by a politburo bureau member of the communist party. As a partner of the regime he should know better. This government is supported by the western powers, in particular by the IMF. Not only the western powers but all others in the G20, including Japan and BRIC countries, support this oppressive reactionary government.
Comrade Piyadasa says “The accusation that there is a tangible oppression against trade unions and media is totally baseless. Nobody can prove that the government is suppressing the media and trade unions. This is a conspiracy with a sinister agenda.” What a shame; he does not realize that the very campaign organised by him against media and trade unions, accusing them of conspiracy backed by western powers, is a gigantic oppressive act. Today comrade Piyadasa is a powerful member of the dictatorial government, with many privileges. He is now many light years away from the Piyadasa who participated in the general strike of 1980. He has also forgotten that MR, with the 18th amendment, has concentrated more powers than JR ever could. Piyadasa while harping on a Yankee conspiracy drives the repressive power of this monstrous dictatorial regime against all of us. However the railway strike has shaken the foundation of this monstrosity. Stationmasters, guards and signalmen took strike action that was called off following a discussion they had with transport minister Kumar Welgama. Pressing for several demands, including the elimination of their salary anomalies, the railway workers struck work, and train passengers were severely inconvenienced as a result. The strike which came without prior notice of the date and time hit the government like a thunder on a dry day.

Prison riot a conspiracy

Only last week, the government claimed that the prison riot to be a conspiracy. I am sure our comrade Piyadasa will claim that also to be a part of the conspiracy hatched by western powers! Few weeks back ministry of power exposed another conspiracy.  A senior engineering assistant has alleged a Chinese conspiracy was behind the recurring technical issues at the Norochcholai coal power plant. The Chinese firm that has obtained the contract for maintenance and operating activities was plotting to keep the contract to themselves. U.R.A. Senaratne of the CEB technical engineering trade union has said. Who gave this contract? Does that mean that minister Champika is also involved in the western backed conspiracy?  But the real western conspiracy will be launched in the coming period. We are told that the United States is set to table a resolution against Lanka at the next sitting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has mentioned the option of a resolution in a letter to Lanka’s External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris. Western powers are concerned about the non implementation of the LLRC recommendation. That investigation, carried out by the government’s own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee (LLRC), was published in November. Though it is really an eye wash to save the government the recommendations given are important. However, the government has so far, failed to implement the recommendation given. Therefore, many are positive about America’s move to support a resolution against Lanka at the HRC.   So the options for the regime are very clear. It can start a bogus anti imperialist campaign based on chauvinist elements or else take the demands of the TNA seriously and close the door to foreign intervention. Mahinda has to decide whether he is going to unite the country and face the global powers or to be a prisoner of Sinhala chauvinism and push the country to civil war and slavery.

Massive protests against steep increase of fuel prices on an unprecedented scale in SL history

Sunday 12 of February 2012

(Lanka-e-News-12.Feb.2012, 11.45PM.) The MaRa regime with effect from midnight yesterday (11), raised the prices of petrol , diesel and kerosene by Rs. 12/-per liter , 31/- per liter and 35/- per liter respectively. These price increases are the highest ever in the history of Sri Lanka. These steep sudden increases which are unbearable had plunged the entire country into a turmoil causing grave hardships to the people and the business community , particularly when they are already in deep trouble owing to the cost of living spiral ,ruthless taxations and tariff increases this regime has imposed on them. Specially the transport sector is crippled.

The bus transport services are getting ready to stage a strike from midnight today (12) following Govt.’s refusal to grant concessions to the private sector bus operators.

Meanwhile the main opposition party expressed its strong opposition to these unprecedented and unconscionable price increases :

The Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at Ratnapura and Bandaragama charged that, while there is a justifiable agitation for salary increases for a long time owing to the unbearable cost of living and abysmal hardships the people are facing , this Rajapakse regime instead of granting the salary demands ,had further aggravated their sufferings by increasing the prices of fuel .

He lamented that , while the UNP warned the Govt. of the oil price increases ahead, five years ago, the MaRa regime which has got accustomed to its parasitic habits living on the people and wallowing in their sufferings did not care two hoots about it . Without taking suitable measures to combat this trend , it entered into interminable transactions with Iran , he pointed out.

The JVP M P and its publicity Secretary Vjitha Herath said, the MaRa regime spent Rs. 21 billion on Deyata Kirula Exhibitions ; Rs. 14. 54 billion to import vehicles during the first half of the year and Rs. 270 million towards vehicles for Presidential security division. It is to meet these colossal and profligate expenditure , that the Govt . is compelled to make these unprecedented and ruthless fuel price increases with utter disregard to the untold hardships the people are already encountering. The M P added that the JVP will take to the streets tomorrow (13) Island wide along with the people to demonstrate their opposition against the Govt.’s action. The M P went on to say thus :

Namal Rajapakse of the Govt. is talking of increasing the speed limit of the new Highway to 120 Km. per hour from the present 100/- km per hour speed . He is concerned about speed limits and their increases because he is unconcerned about the increase of unbearable burdens on the people.

Meanwhile , Pubudhu Jayagoda of the new campaign , ‘People’s struggle’ addressing the media today said, the petroleum Minister stated to the media that the petroleum Corporation has incurred a loss of Rs. 85 billion because of non payment of debts due to it by Govt. Institutions. Jayagoda pinpointed that the Minister should tell this before the Parliament and it is useless talking of this to the media. Jayagoda went on to explain thus : 

The Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has no need to collect its revenue only on diesel, petrol and kerosene oil ; there are so many other ways. Prior to the implementation of the new liberal economy in Sri Lanka , the CPC had such avenues of income. While the crude oil was produced there were many allied Industries. But , all these Industries were sold by our rulers with the implementation of the new liberal economy .Cloth , pesticides , manure and other Industrial production can be engaged in. The CPC also had a ship oil division. In 2002 , that was reckoned as a different Company and sold to John Keells Co. By those Industries the oil prices could be brought to a stable level.

SriLankan Airlines’ losses fly higher: Moves to lease Heathrow slots

Sunday February 12, 2012

By Sunimalee Dias

The national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, plans to sell or lease its slots at Heathrow airport in Britain under an extensive review programme as it acknowledged incurring a huge loss for the current financial year. The losses made in 2011/2012 financial year ending March 31 would go beyond the 2010/2011 level of Rs. 202 million and exceed the budgeted loss of Rs. 8.3 billion, SriLankan Airline’s Chairman Nishantha Wickremesinghe told the Sunday Times. The airline had budgeted the 2011/2012 losses at Rs. 8.3 billion but had expected it to increase due to the high fuel prices.READ MORE...

US – India Alliance Puts Pressure On Sri Lanka

• India’s Mathai meets Otero in the US
• UNP looking at Joint Mechanism with the TNA

Pressure on the government is mounting ahead of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions on the 27th with India showing a likelihood of supporting US moves to present a resolution on Sri Lanka to the Council.
Several key US government officials are visiting the country ahead of the HRC sessions when the US is to move a resolution on Sri Lanka.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, Hillary Clinton, Ranjan Mathai, Robert O. Blake and Maria Otero

The motion is to call on Sri Lanka to take more concrete actions towards reconciliation and especially, addressing the accountability issue and implementing the recommendations put forward by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).
In an interesting turn of events, a senior Indian government official was last week in the US discussing several issues ranging from sanctions on Iran and other issues related to South Asia including US engagement in the UN.
Indian External Affairs Secretary Ranjan Mathai was on an official tour in the US last week where he met with several key officials from the US State Department on Wednesday (8) and Thursday (9). Read More »

Wellawatte businessman abducted ahead of FR case

Sunday February 12, 2012

An armed group grabbed a businessman from outside his residence at Wellawatte around 3.30 p.m. yesterday, two days before a fundamental rights case filed by him was to be taken up. Police said Ramasamay Prabhakaran, 42, was bundled into a white van by seven men armed with assault rifles and hand guns before it sped towards Dehiwala.

The men abducted the businessman in front of his wife and daughter shortly after the family had returned from Athurugiriya, police said adding that an islandwide alert had been sent out about the vehicle.

The Sunday Times learns that the businessman, had earlier been detained for about two years, on allegations that he had links with the LTTE but was released on September 16 last year due to lack of evidence and all charges were dropped.

Subsequently, the businessman had filed a Fundamental Rights case in the Supreme Court where senior police officers attached to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) were cited as respondents.
The FR case was to be taken up for hearing tomorrow. Leave to proceed was granted earlier.

“The armed men were hiding in our compound, surrounded by a brick wall. They grabbed my husband by the neck and dragged him towards the vehicle. He was screaming for help as they sped away,” his wife Shiromi told the Sunday Times.

She later made a complaint to the Wellawatte police. “The police told me that the registration number of the white van was a fake,” she said.

Pressure mounts on Sri Lanka accountability

12 February, 2012

The EU motion comes as the US Assistant Secretary of State, Robert Blake, visits Colombo

While a senior US diplomat is in Sri Lanka to discuss accountability issues, the European Parliament has called on the United Nations to establish an inquiry into the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

In a motion for a resolution, the European Parliament has called on the EU presidency, among many other issues, to urge the UN to implement the recommendations of the expert panel appointed by the UN secretary general on Sri Lanka.

It comes as US Assistant Secretary of State, Robert Blake, visits Colombo to discuss the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva, with Sri Lanka authorities.

A UN panel which gathered evidence into the war accused both sides of war crimes in the final stages of the conflict in 2009.

After a 10-month investigation, it concluded last April that "most civilian casualties in the final phases of the war were caused by government shelling".

Human smuggling

The motion submitted on 09 February on the UNHRC session, welcomes the EU initiatives to discuss the situation in Myanmar, Iran, Syria and Libya.

	Activists from campaing group ‘Walk for Justice’ have met MEPs in Brussels

The joint motion by representatives of five groups across the political divide in the EU parliament calls on EU president to forward the resolution to the EU executive, the member states, UN Security Council and UNHRC, among others.

Addressing Independence Day celebrations in Brussels on 05 February, Sri Lanka's ambassador to the EU, Ravinatha Aryasinghe, has called on Sri Lankan expatriates to visit Sri Lanka and explain about the developments in Sri Lanka to their host countries, instead of criticising.

Meanwhile, the European police Europol say it has busted an organised human smuggling group facilitating illegal immigrants from Sri Lanka into the EU.

Continue to call for the establishment of a UN Commission of inquiry into all crimes committed, as recommended by the UN Secretary General's panel of Experts on Sri Lanka   Motion submitted to EU parliament

"The operation is the result of more than a year of joint international efforts at police and judicial level, supported by Eurojust and Europol," the statement issued by the Europol.

Sri Lankans are among the highest groups of migrants who claim asylum fearing prosecution.

A commission set up by Sri Lanka's president to investigate the conduct of the civil war has said the government did its best to protect civilians.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconcilliation Commission (LLRC) report released last December recounted numerous testimonies of those who said their family members, often former fighters with the rebels, had disappeared after surrender or arrest.

However, Tamil political parties as well as human rights organisations have expressed scepticism of the government implementing the LLRC recommendations.

It said that specific instances of alleged wrongdoing - such as the killing of civilians - should be investigated and, if necessary, the perpetrators prosecuted, whichever side they were on.

 

Judicial Intervention to Control Lawful Rallies?

An Analysis on recent court orders obtained by Police to restrain meetings & rallies -By JC Weliamuna

(Lanka-e-News-12.Feb.2012,9.45PM) Basic Liberties cannot be taken away by any State Organ ------------------------------------------------------- Let me begin this article with the following often quoted words, worth reading and digesting. "The law is not the private property of lawyers, nor is justice the exclusive province of judges and juries. In the final analysis, true justice is not a matter of courts and law books, but of a commitment in each of us to liberty and mutual respect." (Jimmy Carter, Dallas-Times Herald, April 26, 1978). When court orders are frequently obtained by the police to restrain lawful protests and meetings, the public begin to wonder whether there is any legal basis for such actions, particularly when the Constitution guarantees freedom of association and freedom of speech. From colonial days until recently Sri Lanka has not seen the police making such unusual applications to courts to prevent mass protests, processions, strikes or peaceful meetings through judicial orders. This article is intended to examine some of the key legal provisions in this regards. Article 14 of our Constitution recognizes the citizen’s right to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association. However, this right can be restricted in terms of the Constitution, through a particular legal mechanism. Firstly there must be a law passed, restraining such rights and secondly, such law must be for a specific purpose such as “in the interest of racial or religious harmony, in the national interest, morality and for the purpose of securing due recognition of the rights and freedoms of others", as stipulated in Article 15 of the Constitution. Each of such rights is subject to corresponding restrictions. For example, freedom of speech is subject to restrictions such as contempt of court, defamation, parliamentary privileges and incitement to an offence. Our Supreme Court, time and again, has emphasized that there cannot be a restriction of any such rights without passing a law for that purpose or without acting under an existing law. Mere administrative or executive decisions are inadequate!

 Full story >>

EU Parliament Call For UN War Crime Inquiry On Sri Lanka

Colombo Telegraph

IN JOURNALISM TRUTH IS A PROCESS

EU Parliament Call For UN War Crime Inquiry On Sri Lanka

POSTED BY COLOMBO TELEGRAPH ⋅ FEBRUARY 12, 2012

By Colombo Telegraph – The European Parliament passed a joint motion asking UN to investigate all crimes committed by Sri Lanka. The European Parliament’s position on the 19th Session on the UN Human Rights Council resolution says ”Stresses the need to further support efforts to strengthen the accountability process in Sri Lanka and continue to call for the establishment

The European Parliament passed a joint motion asking UN to investigate all crimes committed by Sri Lanka. The European Parliament’s position on the 19th Session on the UN Human Rights Council resolution says 

”Stresses the need to further support efforts to strengthen the accountability process in Sri Lanka and continue to call for the establishment of a UN Commission of inquiry into all crimes committed, as recommended by the UN Secretary General’s panel of Experts on Sri Lanka; invites the Sri Lankan government to launch an invitation to the UN Special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression”

The Joint motion is passed by the all major parties in the European Parliament. See the paragraph 22 of the below motion.

 … Continue reading »

Independence Day Message 2012 of the Rt Revd Kumara Illangasinghe, Bishop Emeritus of Kurunagala.

Saturday, 11 February 2012 

In our reflections last year on the commemoration of independance annual letter. A friend sent it on to us. hence we emphasised with much concern that the sixty third commemoration of our Independence can be meaningful only by creating an environment where all people alike will be able to live without fear or suspicion and without any hesitation, they will have to feel and believe that they are a valuable and a useful part of this country.

Further that they need to have the freedom of expression and movement, together with all necessary background to live peacefully and independently in our country. It is now for us to evaluate our performance in the past year.

In South Africa in the struggle for freedom, Nelson Mandela in the Charter for Freedom advocated that, “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people, that our country will never be prosperous or free until all our people live in brotherhood, enjoying equal rights and opportunities and that only a democratic state, based on the will of the people, can secure to all, their birthright without distinction of colour, race, sex or belief”. Sri Lanka as a nation is yet to see the creative and progressive signs of a prospective developing nation towards a free, independent and a sovereign society, far short of being the wonder of Asia. The fundamental need for such an environment is the credible functioning of the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary in serving the interests of the people of the nation. It is appropriate for us to compare our own situation on the 64th commemoration of our Independence and at a time almost three years after the end of the arms struggle, the civil war.

In many democracies, with no exception in Sri Lanka, it appears that the will of the people is tested at the time of the elections and the winners take on the authority of all decision making without any consultation or reference to those who elected them, even to the extent of violating the mandate received on the declared policies. The last year has seen a number of legislation that had to be withdrawn as they did not have the will of the people. In such situations we have observed responses in the form of some aggressive steps taken, leading even to loss of lives.

It is very much a doubt whether our people are living in brotherhood or sisterhood, enjoying equal rights and opportunities. Opportunities are restricted to all those who enjoy the favour of those who matter, rather than the ones to whom they are due, irrespective of where you live in the country. The rights of minorities are still a basic shortcoming which is expressed well and truly in the failure of those in authority to make any attempts of moving towards a political solution to the causes that led to the war. As a nation we have failed to alleviate the fear, the suspicion, the mistrust and the bitterness of the war victims, who have suffered enormously.

Resettlement process is still not complete after many years, not only of those who were affected by the war, but the ones who have been displaced even before. Claims of resettlement are not authentic at all. It does not mean only the process of taking the victims away from the camps and putting them in their own land, as claimed and with some limited initial material support. It is true to say that concerns of rebuilding the lives of the displaced like livelihood, education, health, shelter and all other causes that led to the war, have not been dealt with. It is an urgent need for us to have a clear and an authentic understanding and a definition as a nation, about what it means to be resettled.

Freedom of expression and the right to information is extremely restricted as increasingly there are controls on dissent and information channels are blocked. Providing authentic information regarding the dead and those who have disappeared, to their relatives, continues to be an urgent humanitarian need. There is a misrepresentation of such action, as not taken in the interest of national security and it is unfortunate that in many occasions, those who speak the truth, probably contrary to the official position are branded as national traitors. This also links with the operation of para-military groups, either with or without the knowledge of those responsible for security of our country. It is shameful to observe that they appear to be ignorant of these groups. Urgent remedial action is needed in this regard to protect the freedom of our armless and probably defenseless people.

As we celebrate independence day this year, we need to be conscious that large numbers of media personnel are still living abroad as their lives are in danger in their own country. We appeal to all those responsible to create the necessary free environment, so that such persons can return to their country with their lives secured.

There are many political prisoners who are yet to be charged. The draconian laws that provide for such prolonged detention continue to tarnish the image of the independent and sovereign Sri Lanka. It will be meaningful if these laws can be repealed and withdrawn before independence is celebrated. It is an urgent need to legally charge all political prisoners and to take immediate steps to release all those against whom charges will not be framed. This will certainly help in rebuilding their lives and creating trust and confidence in their minds and in the minds of their loved ones.

Freedom of the wild Ass has been displayed by a substantial number of those who use our road ways. Utter irresponsibility on their part has led to many accidents and loss of lives. We believe that there is an urgent need for law abiding citizens, not only on our roads, but also in all spheres of life in our society.

Corruption and theft has reached unprecedented proportions and the greed for money of some powerful persons is unbelievable. It appears that there is a highly discriminated sharing of resources and disproportionate access to the limited resources, is a common factor. This reality has arisen in the recent years more than ever in the history of independent Sri Lanka and we appeal to the authorities to arrest this deteriorating situation, before the voiceless in our society go starving and resort to undesirable ways of regaining and securing their basic needs. We continue to hear about wide scale financial scandals, while the people are suffering with heavy economic pressures. In the recent weeks we have observed the sentiments expressed in the line of protests, strikes and forceful action taken by some sections of the working sectors. Suppression of such feelings and actions can be done with might, but in the long run it will do a lot of good if such grievances are addressed with care and creativity.

We do appreciate the LLRC report but not surprised at all that we received a somewhat useful report of this nature. This probably is the need of the hour, taking into consideration the challenges and pressures faced by the government from within and outside the country. However the credibility of this report does not depend on the words and sentences in it or on those who drafted the same. We are aware of the plight and the fate of many of the reports that our country has seen, since independence. It remains the boundan duty and responsibility of the government of Sri Lanka, to ensure the implementation of the recommendations in it at least, even though they fall far short of the expectations and the aspirations of the victims of the war and all those belonging to all communities of our country, who long for true and authentic reconciliation.

We wish all Sri Lankans a blessed future with peace and prosperity and an environment of authentic and genuine freedom, and to that end we offer our prayers as we move forward to the 65th year after Independence. Shalom and with every blessing.

- Kumara Illangasinghe

A nasty political cocktail: human rights, oil, external reserves and external affairs

February 11, 2012,

Rajan Philips

Seldom have ethno-politics, economic imperatives and external affairs have got so mixed up in a political cocktail as at the present time. I wrote last week that Sri Lanka faces either a showdown or dialogue at the 19th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that will be held in Geneva from February 27 to March 23. What I did not know at that time was about reports that the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had written to her Sri Lankan counterpart expressing concerns about the Sri Lankan government’s inaction on the LLRC recommendations and the likelihood of a resolution at UNHRC in Geneva to commit Sri Lanka to a postwar reconciliation program based on LLRC recommendations and to address accountability issues.     Full Story>>>

Ministers say government would collapse soon

Saturday, 11 February 2012

A group of governing party ministers have discussed that the government was heading towards a downfall. These ministers have discussed this issue soon after this week’s Cabinet meeting.

They have said that although the proposal to increase fuel prices had been approved in the Cabinet, the ministers have discussed that they would be unable to visit the people in their constituencies due to the massive opposition that would rise against the government.

They have discussed that local fuel prices could be contained to some extent if the “Family members” minimized their corruption.

External finance the Achilles’ Heel

How bad are external financial prospects?

There is good reason to believe that year 2012 will not be good for external finances and the government (Treasury) and the Central Bank (CB) are concealing the full picture from the public. It is not news that the two are at loggerheads about the rupee exchange rate; the CB is determined to prevent devaluation below Rs114 to the $, is selling dollars and buying rupees, while the Trea- sury won’t mind the rupee floating down another 5% to avoid depleting reserves. CB’s case that reserves are comfortable at $6 billion is misleading since it spent $1.6 billion in the last two months to support the rupee, and reserves are well below the $8.2 billion peak of August 2011. The crucial factor is that all indicators for the rest of the year point further southward.  
The quantum of Chinese funds injected into the economy has grown considerably in the last five years. Most is for projects and that in principle is good if the infrastructure development contributes to growth. Unfortunately, many will not. The Hambantota harbour development which in the end will cost $1.3 billion (all stages), the Mattala airport $230 million, the Nelum Pokuna Theatre extravaganza $26 million, and the planned show tower off McCallum Road $105 million, are a plain downright waste of money. The harbour and airport are unvarnished white elephants. 

Sound infrastructure projects

The Norochcholi power station ($450 million) and the southern highway ($600 million) are in principle the type of sound infrastructure projects that should be encouraged though the former has run into operational hitches and the latter seems to be underutilized. There are a number of other sensible Chinese projects in the pipeline including the $750 million Colombo port development programme. Putting the good, the bad and the indifferent together, a fair estimate is that by 2015 the total outlay on all Chinese funded projects in Lanka will be $4 billion or Rs450 billion – numbers are rounded and reasonable exchange rates assumed.
A major issue concerning Chinese financing is the secrecy of the Government of Sri Lanka; how much is grant, how much loan, what interest rates, repayment terms and periods for different tranches, and what grace periods before repayment? In the old days, with World Bank, ADB and state-to-state loans everything was transparent, and there was no secrecy. Now nothing is transparent; either the terms are not favourable and the government is reluctant to admit it (the Chinese side won’t mind) or the usual 10% hanky panky is going on. 
This leaves us guessing, so let’s guess. Say all the loans ($4 billion) are of 20 year repayment duration and the interest rate is 5% across the board. Simple mortgage-table calculation shows that annual repayment works out at $300 million (repayment made and interest calculated monthly).  Full Story>>>

MaRa panics over Male rebellion closely on the heels of Arab insurrections -Alerts Forces before scooting to Pakistan

(Lanka-e-News-11.Feb.2012,11.45PM) The rebellions which raged in the Arab countries now moving beyond that continent and erupting in peaceful Maldive Islands in close proximity to SL, had sent shock waves causing Sri Lanka's (SL) regime chief to become panicky. The regime chief prior to leaving for Pakistan yesterday (10) had summoned all the armed forces and mobilized them issuing a warning to be alert against a possible people’s rebellion , according to reports.. The regime chief has given notice of this order to the Parliament this evening.

The regime chief had flown to Pakistan today in order to avoid meeting the American State Secretary in charge of South Asian affairs , Robert O Blake who is scheduled to arrive in SL today(11) , sources say.

Blake who is scheduled to tour SL , has suddenly visited Maldive Islands today , in addition ,which is in a state of deep turmoil.
Meanwhile Indian Diplomatic sources say , India is on alert over the situation in Maldive Islands . It is something most significant to note that the new President Mohomed Wahid of the Maldive Islands , after assuming duties invited the SL opposition leader ignoring the SL regime chief. Accordingly , The opposition leader is to leave for the Maldive Islands next week.

Robert O Blake is to visit SL from Maldive Islands tomorrow. Ms. Mario Otario, the U S Deputy Secretary for Democracy and human rights is in addition to the US State Secretary Blake , also to visit SL today.

UNHCR: March action planned against Lanka, for a mid-year body blow?

Sunday 12 February 2012

By Namini Wijedasa

For months, Sri Lanka fought off calls for an international probe into war crimes allegations by marching its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission down the catwalk. 
Look, the government said firmly, let our domestic mechanism complete its work first. It was not something the world could dismiss. International devices gained relevance only if local processes failed. And there was nothing yet to say that the LLRC–despite its limited mandate–would not deliver. 
But just two months after the LLRC’s final report was made public, the novelty has worn off. The government is back in defensive mode. In January, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton informed External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris that the US would sponsor a resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) sessions next month. It will reportedly ask the government to “take more concrete action towards reconciliation, including on the question of accountability and implementation of LLRC recommendations.” 

Full Story>>>