Young women sent to S’pore for prostitution
By Gayan Kumara Weerasinghe

The Women and Child Protection Bureau of the Police Department has nabbed a woman involved in procuring young girls for prostitution in Singapore under the guise of providing them with lucrative jobs in that country. 
The woman concerned had been a resident of Maharagama and inquiries carried out into her alleged dealings in this regard indicated how she had engaged in her trade while operating a job agency for all intents and purposes. 
The suspect is also alleged to have sent a young woman from Maharagama to work as a nurse in a hospital in Singapore, promising her a salary of Rs100,000.
Investigations had later revealed that the woman suspect had forcibly used the young woman from Maharagama into prostitution. 
Inquiries alsorevealed that the young woman had become a sex worker for 22 days during her stay in Singapore.
It has also come to light that two brokers had forcibly held the young woman in a housing scheme before forcing her into prostitution. 
Being so sold to foreign clients during her stay in Singapore, the hapless woman had been forced to serve up to at least 20 men on certain days.
It has been further alleged that this woman had been held in a room and not allowed to venture out while two persons had been detailed to watch her throughout 24 hours of the day. 
Police sources said that one day she had been forced to serve an Indian client who had appeared to be kind. She had therefore taken the opportunity to relate her ordeal to him.
The Indian national had then brought her plight to the notice of Singaporean officials who had consented to facilitate her return back home.
Returning to Sri Lanka the young woman had promptly lodged a complaint with the Women and Child Protection Bureau of the Police Department that had intensified its inquiries to nail the woman, suspected to be behind the operation. 
Police sources said that they have now sought the help of Interpol in order to seek out and save the Sri Lankan women who have been thus forced into prostitution in Singapore by the woman concerned.

SLC TAKES STEPS TO ADDRESS SEX SCANDAL ALLEGATIONS

August 19, 2012 

The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket will take steps to address allegations of a sex scandal which has hit the SLC head office.

The SLC statement comes in the wake of print media reports which raised these allegations.

The SLC stated that that the allegations tarnishes the good image of the SLC’s reputation while it does not condone such acts of misconduct if proven correct.

A statement from the SLC read:

“The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket met on Saturday (August 18) at 9.30 am at an Emergency Meeting in relation to various print media reports alleging ‘sex scandals at SLC head office’ etc.

Sri Lanka Cricket takes serious note of these allegations which also tarnishes the good image and the reputation of Sri Lanka Cricket. SLC as an institution shall not condone any such acts of misconduct if proven correct, and will take all steps which are necessary to bring the culprits to book. On the contrary, if such allegations are found to be false, SLC will also take steps to ensure that such persons who made these allegations are brought before the Disciplinary Committee for appropriate action. 

Sri Lanka Cricket regrets the undue publicity which has been created. The Executive Committee having taken all the circumstances into account has decided to hand over the matter to their disciplinary Committee for immediate inquiry and report, following which subsequent action as deemed necessary will be taken. Due to the serious nature of the media reports the Disciplinary Committee has been tasked to forward their findings on the said matter latest by Monday 27th August 2012.”

Gunaratnam bluffs on the national question 
Sunday 19 August 2012

 

FLSP no different from JVP on NQ

A pologies for the acronyms in the title – FLSP is the Front Line Socialist Party which emerged as a breakaway from the JVP less than two years ago; NQ is short for national question. Gunaratnam is one of the leaders of FLSP. He is one of the two who were abducted by an agency of the Lankan state and tortured in a secret location, but rescued from assassination by intervention of the Australian High Commissioner. He was deported because he holds an Australian passport. This piece is a dissection of the erroneous views expressed by Gunaratnam in an interview with Peter Boyle and published in the website Links which describes itself as an international journal of socialist renewal based in Australia. The interview gives a summary of the abduction and leaves the reader in no doubt who is behind this and similar white van abominations now commonplace under this regime.
Many in the left movement, this writer included, had hoped that the emergence of a youthful faction would be the occasion for a renewal of Marxism and correcting the two fundamental errors that have dogged the JVP from its birth – adventurism and narrow nationalism. The Gunaratnam interview has dashed any hopes that the FLSP would abandon narrow minded Sinhala nationalism and grasp the basic concepts underlying Lenin’s exploration of the national question. At this time in world history Marx’s analysis of the periodic catastrophes of capitalist economics and Lenin’s grasp of the national question are two crucial contributions, much valued by political activists and scholar alike. It is disappointing that Gunaratnam is weak in his grasp of the former and scandalously backward on the national question.
This piece will not discuss the former – that is Gunaratnam’s errors on neo-liberalism, imperialism, socialism and class struggle, though it amazes me that a person with such rote-learned notions of “Marxism” is the leader of an important left group. I will confine myself to exposing his capitulation to trite Sinhala chauvinist concepts on the national question.

Self-determination 
and devolution
I need to quote at length; otherwise you will not believe the chap actually uttered all this.
Quote: “Unlike the JVP, we in the FLSP believe that there is national oppression of the Tamil people and the Muslim people. But in the present circumstances in Sri Lanka we do not believe accepting self-determination or devolution of power for the Tamil majority areas will help to solve the national question. On the contrary, it will worsen the situation. At the same time we believe that there is a national oppression against the minority communities.
We believe a solution should be based on democracy and equality but it is not going to be a reality under the present neo-liberal capitalism. And also a solution should be able to unite the different national communities but not to divide them. Division of nationalities means division of oppressed classes. It doesn’t strengthen the class struggle but courses further weakening. We do not encourage the drawing of vertical national lines but work towards uniting proletarians of different national communities for the sake of advancing the class struggle.
Imperialist powers, including India, preach and encourage so-called devolution of power and self-determination according to their political agenda in the region. But at the same time we oppose the unitary state concept, as it further widens the differences between different national communities. Both unitary and federal state structures represent the same neo-liberal capitalism at present.” Unquote.
Now I never had any expectation that an off-shoot of JVP could develop a thoroughgoing Marxist understanding of the self-determination concept. It seems to be beyond the grasp of even TNA politicos, so what can you expect from a JVP rump – see Sumanthiran’s cock-up of inanities like “internal and external self-determination,” as though he was talking about bowel movements, in an extract I recently read in Groundviews.
But I will admit that you could have knocked me down with a feather to hear this featherhead come down hard against devolution. Devolution, the decentralization of power and administration to the people, reducing centralization in favour of the grassroots, that’s bad!! Perhaps Peter Boyle misunderstood Gunaratnam’s accent and wrote things back to front! This is just unbelievable. To repeat, while I did not expected the FLSP to ever arrive at a Marxist understanding of self-determination theory, that it actually opposes simple devolution makes we wonder about the groups sanity.

Ah! the real problem
I have never called the JVP chauvinists and I do not call the FSLP chauvinists either because their nationalism is of the passive type – unwillingness to stand up for the rights of minorities – not of the active type that does positive harm to minorities; that is the domain of DS, SWRD, JR and the Rajapaksa siblings. Now I will let you into a secret; I will tell you where the JVP/FSLP problem lies. If you ask them about devolution of power to workers, the rural people, the grassroots, the Frontline Socialists like the JVP will stand up and cheer. But you see the problem starts for both of them as soon as you want to devolve power to the Tamils, Muslims and Upcountry Tamils; that’s the secret. No devolution to minority communities, but on a class basis it’s ok. So deep inside, the FSLP is no different from the JVP, narrow Sinhala nationalists in red shirts and Che Guevara caps.
What do they offer the minorities? Wait till the golden dawn of socialism, they say, when all will be well and all your problems will be solved, be patient – wait for the great millennium. You don’t believe me? OK here’s a quote from the Gunaratnam interview.
Quote: “We should practice a socialist programme instead a social-democratic programme. In Sri Lanka there are number of unfinished democratic revolutionary objectives, including the national question, which has to be accomplished under socialism. FLSP believes that an effective and practical political programme should be implemented to unite the working class and the peasants among different national communities… Devolution of power is a slogan imposed by India. We don’t want to divide the country into ethnic territories. We won’t oppose any form of democratic reform. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the government are pushing power devolution but we are going to explain to the Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala people that this is not a solution for the national question.” Unquote.
Gunaratnam’s position is the polar opposite of Leninism. Lenin called for recognition of the right to self-determination of Russia’s minority nations to link together the struggle of the working class for liberation from capitalism with the struggle of minority nations for emancipation from Great Russian chauvinism. National liberation of minority nations was a part of, an essential and part of the revolutionary struggle, and not in his wildest dreams did he come up with idiotic notions of minorities accepting majoritarian chauvinism till the class struggle had triumphed and socialism had dawned. Hence I fear the good work the FLSP has been doing among the Tamils has been harmed by this foolish interview.
Can you go to Jaffna, say you are opposed to devolution, and not be ridiculed?

A King Calls On Us

By Ravi Perera

In the morning of August 15 the Colombo Fort area was thrown into chaos once again with several vital roads closed for vehicular traffic. For nearly two hours the main business centre of Colombo, where the Twin Towers (World Trade Centre) and the Bank of Ceylon Head Office are located, were closed. This is where our Stock Market, the Board of Investments, several hotels, banks and other important institutions are located. Of course the harried policemen who were directing traffic were far too frazzled to offer any explanation for the sudden closure of the roads. Like many of those down in the chain of command they didn’t probably know why they had to close the roads. Those who had legitimate business in the area and a busy schedule ahead of them that day had to park as far away as the D. R. Wijewardena Mawatha and walk or taxi back to that area. The policemen looked so stressed out that it looked quite likely that any demand for an explanation would result in a physical response, quite contrary to the spirit of the law!
On further inquiry we learnt that the reason for the closure of the roads was that Mswati, the King of Swaziland, who was a state guest, was visiting the World Trade Centre which is in the heart of Colombo to look at some gems on display there. Because of this visit the thousands who had business in the area were told to just buzz off.

Read More »

Society Has Run Down To An Appalling Level Of Deterioration

By Victor Ivan -August 18, 2012 

Victor Ivan

The overall content of the social psyche of the current Sri Lankan society has run down to an appalling level of deterioration. The degree of degeneration is such that it has reached almost the point of putrefaction. This phenomenon is rather obvious and it can no longer be concealed. The religious institutions i.e. the temple, the church and the kovil have failed in rescuing the country from this predicament. Various political movements both capitalistic and socialist and many other diverse political movements too, have equally failed in arresting this trend. In this back drop, both religion and politics have become a part of the problem itself rather than playing a redemptive role in the process. The failure is not restricted to a particular segment, place or thing. It has become a universal scenario pervading almost all spheres and every aspect of social fabric.

Deterioration of Social Psyche

The violent conflicts had become a common feature during the past thirty years. Some of those conflicts remained intra racial in character while some others assumed the character of inter racial conflicts. However, in the final analysis one can safely conclude that factors such as race, caste, religion, language, culture and politics have contributed significantly towards these conflicts in one way or the other. The number of people assassinated in this process by different parties is exceedingly high. But no one knows the exact number for sure. Yet, it can be safely presumed to be more than one hundred thousand. Similarly, we do not know the race, caste and religion which the victims of these assassinations belonged to.
A considerable number of wives lost their husbands owing to these conflicts. Parents lost their children. The number of children who lost either their father or mother is also very high. People had been assassinated singly as well as collectively. Some of them had been assassinated in a manner depriving them of even the last respect that they deserved. There were Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus among the victims. There is a large number of victims who have been maimed for life due to injuries sustained in the process. Their number can be three to four times more than the number that got killed. They still continue to live amidst us as living epitomes of violence. The number of violent incidents that occurred during this period was extremely high. But no proper inventories of these incidents have been taken. Moreover, there was no consistent pattern in the assassinations and the assaults launched. There were instances in which Sinhalese had been assassinated by Sinhalese and Tamils by Tamils. In other instances people of one race resorted to killing those of the other race. Those who escaped death with injuries were compelled to live witnessing the on going violence and atrocities and lamentations of the beloveds of the victims. Thus, when one group was dying physically the other group that survived had been dying spiritually.
The circulation of weapons and the number of people using them increased rapidly. Both the rebels and the armed forces used them to intimidate and subdue their opponents and kill them when they refused to obey their dictates.  Society was compelled to obey the orders of the rebels or the official armed forces unquestioningly for over 30 years. Disappointingly this situation had dried up the fountains of free thought.
In this process, not only the rebels but even the government was obliged to manipulate the infamous criminals to support them. They were formed into an active force and trained  in the use of weapons. There was even a policy adopted in providing them with modern weapons. As a certain portion of deserters of the government security forces and the rebel groups invariably tend to engage in underworld operations, the underworld in turn turned out to be a mafia organization using modern weaponry and modern criminal methods.  Politicians employed notorious criminals as security personnel. The former in turn were obliged to defend the criminals providing them with political protection.  Consequently, criminals enjoyed political protection and while ensuring the safety of the politicians, continued to pursue their brutal practices. Even the police seemed to support them when they knew that they were within the halo of politicians. Or rather, the police adopted a policy of simply turning a blind eye when they were engaged in criminal acts. Consequently, the criminals continued committing their usual crimes with impunity without fear of being punished by the law. They were engaged in the acts of killing, looting and taking ransoms. The consequent criminal atmosphere not only accelerated the crime rate but also made a corrosive and destructive impact on the social psyche and the spirit of society. The response of electronic and printed media in this context was such that in reporting this situation, instead of resorting to allay the pathological conditions created in the social psyche and the spirit of the society it adopted methods that further aggravated the problem.

Committing Crimes                    Read More

Buddhist clergy unhinged by Minister Rauff Hakeem’s faux pas
Sunday 19 August 2012

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How rapist Miswathi became mentor for MaRa who killed his infant daughter

–wide pictures depicting how virginity is determined

(Lanka-e-News -17.Aug.2012, 11.30PM) Following the recent exposure by Lanka e news uncovering the hidden truths of the brutal, uncouth child rapist Swaziland King , and the red carpet welcome that was accorded by our own ‘Maharaja’ in order to pedestal this rapist as a most exalted King , while the whole world on the contrary was frowning on him as a barbaric rapist responsible for his country’s bankruptcy , the pro MaRa henchmen are in the process of concocting views and popularizing them to counter the exposures . They are propagating two theories : the first theory tries to sustain the view that the Reed Dance is a custom in Swaziland and even running a harem is its tradition . We cannot oppose that custom, for it exists entirely in another country . The second theory advanced is : according a welcome to a guest visiting our country is our dutiful custom. Hence ,to call him as a muddy water reptile and insulting him is not appropriate. But , Lanka e news based its theories on an entirely different premise. What we advocated was , we who are living in a modern world of refined traditions should not resort to hole and corner methods of supporting and propping the brutal and bestial activities of barbaric immoral leaders , and make them as models to be followed. The Reed Dance of the Swazi people is also not our concern, but what concerns us is the subsequent actions of rapist Miswathi , their King conducting himself in the most inhuman and immoral direction, unbecoming of a leader in a modern civilized world . This bestial King Miswathi arrived in SL with one of his so many women , a few days ago. What is most shameless is our own self proclaimed MaRa receiving him most Royally giving him a red carpet welcome. In other words , MaRa accorded a most reprehensible grand welcome to Miswathi, the King who is considered as a villain possessed of the basest human qualities by the entire world and therefore virtually discarded as unworthy of any official recognition. That is, the welcome accorded by our ‘Maharaja MaRa’ is meriting condemnation , for he had disgraced our own nation before the world by exalting such a sadistic brute .We are herein carrying photographs taken to confirm this. Miswathi’s ‘animals in human form’ henchmen examining whether the girls are virgins before they perform the Reed Dance in front of this beast of a King Miswathi is depicted in these pictures. The first and second photographs show how the poor helpless teenagers between 12 and 14 years are being placed on mats and examined. Thereafter a certificate is issued to confirm their virginity. The second photograph shows the girls with the certificates . How can a nation entrenched in cultured traditions and moral values forbear a Royal treatment being accorded to such a sex starved sadistic animalistic King Miswathi by our Maharaja ‘MaRa’? Can we just dismiss this issue as a custom in that country, when the whole world in the modern context of decent society , moral and social values , is introducing stringent laws and meting out punishment to such sexual ‘ beasts’ who are deflowering young girls? Aren’t we Sri Lankans belonging to that refined and cultured world which considers those inhuman ruthless acts as absolute violations of fundamental rights of the victims , as worst child abuse, and as heinous crimes committed on women ? Didn’t Gautama Buddha whose teachings a majority of Buddhists follow in SL emphasize on these crimes, the sins and evils attaching thereto as well as the deterrent punishment to be meted out long before the UN introduced these laws and punishments ? Is our ‘Maharaja MaRa’ not a follower of those teachings ? or is he by all these actions trying to introduce a new ‘Miswaathi rape culture’ in this land of Buddhists who bitterly abhor even at the present moment the raging rapes in SL under our ‘ Maharaja MaRa’ reign? A true Buddhist will never condone this conduct or actions.

Full story >>

Commission for Norochcholai is US$ 50 million

The company that constructed the Norochcholai coal power plant had given a commission of US$ 50 million to a high powered government politician, sources from the External Affairs Ministry said.

The monies have been taken saying it would used to construct the SLFP headquarters in Battaramulla. An official from the Chinese embassy in Colombo has made this comment to a government minister when inquired about the breakdowns at the Norochcholai plant.

The agreement for the Norochcholai coal power plant was signed during the tenure of President Chandrika Kumaratunge and the construction work was carried out under the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration.

Colombo's immigration arrests 53 Tamil Nadu Tamils in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 August 2012, 23:54 GMT]
Sri Lankan police in SL military occupied Jaffna on Wednesday and Thursday arrested 53 Indian citizens, most of them Tamils from Tamil Nadu, for overstay in the peninsula without informing the Indian mission in Jaffna while hundreds of Chinese workers, including sex workers, are allowed to stay in the island with no regards to visa regulations. The occupying colonial State, which functions as an agent state for the International Community of Establishments (ICE) including the establishment of New Delhi, has become increasingly paranoid about the grassroots business links and people to people interactions between the South Indians and the Eezham Tamils, informed sources close to SL Police in Jaffna told TamilNet. 

The SL police has received fresh instructions from W.A. Choolananda Perera, the controller of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo, to monitor South Indians staying in North for business purposes, the sources further said. 

Sinhala policemen have raided restaurants targeting cooks, pavement vendors and those who are engaged in saree and traditional clothing business using bicycles in the remote areas of Jaffna peninsula. 

Tamil Nadu businessmen who are engaged in business by reaching remote areas of the peninsula and Vanni maintain good rapport with the local population. Some of these have been subjected to attacks and thefts in recent times. 

An Indian cloth seller was attacked recently at Paal-pa'n'nai (Milk Farm) Road in Thirunelveali, Jaffna and his cloths were put to fire by the attackers. 

In the meantime, sellers from the south of the island are engaged in collaboration with the Sri Lankan military intelligence to carry out anti-social activities such as pornography and narcotic trafficking in the peninsula. 

Sri Lankan military officers have been directly involved in wooing Tamil females to join garments industry in the south of the island as reported earlier.

 Sri Lankan court releases politician accused of child rape on bail

Sat, Aug 18, 2012, 12:35 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Aug 17, Tangalle: A Sri Lankan court today has released a politician charged with raping a underage girl on bail.
The Tangalle Magistrate�s Court today released the councilor of the Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha Anjana Liyanage and 9 other suspects who are accused of repeatedly raping a 13-year-old girl.
Tangalle District Magistrate Yuresha De Silva released the suspects on a 25,000 rupees cash bail and two personnel bails amounting to one million rupees each.
A total of 21 suspects have been arrested for sexually abusing the teenage girl over a period at an inn in the southern beach town of Tangalle.
Eleven of the suspects had been released earlier on bail. The owner of the inn where the girl had been kept and raped is still in remand custody.
The case will be taken up on August 29 for hearing.
The case has outraged the child rights activists who demand severe punishments to the culprits who commit heinous crimes on children.
Despite tough laws in existence, child molestations have been alarmingly on the increase in Sri Lanka, since the punishments are not imposed strictly, especially when politicians are involved in the crimes, child rights groups point out.
They say most of the offenders get out on bail and repeats the crimes and call for authorities to make rape a non-bailable offense.

Fishermen attacked even within Indian waters: State government

STAFF REPORTER-MADURAI, August 18, 2012

The State government on Friday alleged that fishermen were being humiliated, assaulted and killed by Sri Lankan Navy not only when they crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) but also when they were fishing within the Indian territorial waters.

Advocate General A. Navaneethakrishnan made the submission before a Division Bench, comprising Justice P.P.S. Janarthana Raja and Justice M. Vijayaraghavan, during the hearing of a batch of public interest litigation petitions filed last year seeking protection to the fishermen.

This was a new development in the case as the State government in a counter affidavit filed in February had conceded cross border fishing by the fishermen and contended that the legalities or sovereignty of nations “do not bind the poor and innocent fishermen just like fish which have no trans-boundaries.”

However, on Friday, the Advocate General submitted a list of documents, including First Information Reports registered by the local police in Rameswaram, Mandapam, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, and claimed that many incidents of alleged attacks on the fishermen had taken place in the Indian waters.

According to a report submitted by the Director of Fisheries to the Fisheries Secretary on March 22, a number of complaints had been lodged by the Tamil fishermen even after an interim order passed by the court in October directing the Centre to provide additional enforcements along the IMBL.

On the strength of the report, the AG requested the court not to close the contempt of court applications filed by one of the petitioners against Union Cabinet Secretary, National Security Advisor, Defence Secretary, External Affairs Secretary and Deputy Director General of Indian Coast Guard.

However, refuting the claim made by the State government, Additional Solicitor General M. Ravindran, appearing for the Centre, contended that there was no chance of the Sri Lankan Navy having entered the Indian waters as such movement by the warships would amount to waging a war.

He claimed that attacks, if any, on the Indian fishermen could have taken place only in the Sri Lankan waters as it was none other than the Tamil speaking fishermen of Sri Lanka who were against the Indian fishermen exploiting the marine wealth within the island nation’s territory.

MARINE WEALTH

“The marine wealth in the Indian waters had been overexploited over the years, whereas it was not the case with the Sri Lankan waters as those fishermen could not go for fishing for years together due to the civil war during the days of the LTTE.

“Only now, the Sri Lankan fishermen are able to fish freely in their waters and so there is a clash between them and the Indian fishermen who enter their waters and use banned fishing methods and equipments such as bottom trawling and mono filament nets to catch plenty of fish,” he said.

HEARING ADJOURNED

After hearing them as well as W. Peter Ramesh Kumar, counsel for one of the petitioners, the judges adjourned the hearing to September 24 after stating that the issue required a deep analysis in view of contradictory claims made by the Centre and the State.

167 incidents of attack on TN fishermen by Lankan Navy:TN

Madurai, Aug1 7 (PTI) Tamil Nadu government today told the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that there had been 167 incidents of attacks on state fishermen by Sri Lankan navy from 1991 to 2011 and cases had also been registered. Making the submission, Advocate General Navaneethakrishnan said there had been incidents of attack on Indian fishermen in Indian waters. The government said 85 fishermen died and 180 were injured in the attacks by Lankan navymen. Responding to writ petitions seeking proper security for fishemen operating in the Palk bay and the Gulf of Mannar, the government also said of the 746 fishermen apprehended by Lankan navy, 741 were repatriated, The bench was also hearing contempt petitions against the Coast Guard and Navy for not providing sufficient security to the fishermen as per the court order, leading to the incidents of attacks after the court order. The state government also submitted it was the duty of the Coast Guard to give protection to Tamil Nadu fishermen and their properties in Indian waters. They should liaise with Lankan navy to ensure protection. The question of deploying vessels near the International Maritime Boundary line was the responsibility of the central government. The state government said though the central government had taken the stand that Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka under an agreement, was and is an integral part of Sri Lanka, and traditional rights referred to in Art 16 of the 1974 pact did not include fishing rights, Tamil Nadu government said it did not think so and opposed that stand. The state government said it had been constantly reiterating that the traditional fishing rights of the state fishermen should be restored.

Tamil trader narrowly escapes murder in Vanni

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 August 2012, 23:16 GMT]
A 44-year-old Tamil trader narrowly escaped from a killer squad that came in motorbikes and fired at him after calling him to come out of his residence at Tha'n'neer-oottu in Mu'l'liyava'lai Thursday around 9:30 p.m. The attackers escaped through the military checkposts manned by the occupying Sri Lanka Army soldiers as the people from the area gathered at the site after hearing the shouting of the victim. 

The victim, P. Giritharan, managed to run away from the killers after receiving a gunshot wound in one of his thighs, news sources in Mullaiththeevu said. 

Mr Giritharan is admitted at Mullaiththeevu government hospital. 

Residents of Tha'n'neer-oottu suspect that the SL military has begun deploying killer squads in the district.

A/Level Z-score issue due to the President’s hurry

Saturday, 18 August 2012

A Higher Education Ministry official says the mess up in the Z-scores of last year’s Advanced Level examination had taken place due to a directive by the President to issue the results in a hurry.

The official said the President has rejected the request made by professors involved in calculating the results for more time since the calculation of Z-scores had to be done separately.

He added that the President even initiated a media campaign over the delay in releasing the A/Level results through the private media. It has now been revealed that the President has urgently pushed for the release of A/Level results ignoring concerns rasied by the two Education Ministers due to a personal reason.

A student who sat for last year’s A/Level exam had met the President and said he was unable to travel overseas to commence university education due to the delay in releasing the examination results. The student’s father is a close friend of the President.

The President has called on the officials to immediately release the examination results afterwards.

The respective student is currently studying overseas.

Video: Sex, Lies And Julian Assange

August 18, 2012 

Four Corners, an investigative journalism website, has released a video about how the Swedish case against Julian Assange came to be.

Four Corners is Australia’s premier television current affairs program, and has released a video  telling the story about Julian Assange‘s visit to Sweden, and the alleged rape charges against him.

The video contains everything you could want to know about the rape allegations against Assange.

In the video, it states that Assange arrived in Sweden in August 2010, “where he was greeted like a conquering hero.”

However, within weeks of his visit to Sweden, there was a warrant issued for his arrest and he was being investigated for rape and sexual molestation.

In the video, Four Corners reporters, Andrew Fowler and Wayne Harley, examine in detail what happened during the weeks Assange spent in Sweden, the nature of his relationship with the two women, and also what they told police that caused them to seek his extradition and arrest.

Julian Assange remains at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he is seeking political asylum in that country.

The full transcript of the video ;Read More

Displaced people still needs humanitarian aid

August 18, 2012

Displaced people in Sri Lanka still needs humanitarian assistance despite the end of the war three years ago, the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives John Rankin said.

In a message to mark World Humanitarian Day which falls on Sunday Rankin said that Britain remains committed to support demining work in Sri Lanka until the end of 2013.

“In Sri Lanka, there is still a need for humanitarian work, following the end of the war. The UK Government recognises and supports this. Early in 2011, we announced a further contribution of £3 million by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) towards continuing demining work in Sri Lanka. We remain committed to this until the end of 2013. Demining is an important aspect of safety and security, post-conflict livelihood recovery and a return to normalcy for those who have suffered in a war, been displaced and are now seeking to rebuild their lives and everything they have lost,” he said.

He also said that in an age of natural and manmade disasters, conflict and violence, humanitarian workers save lives and help people who have lost everything – their livelihoods, homes and loved ones.

“On World Humanitarian Day, we thank all those involved in humanitarian work, inspiring still others by their example,” he added.

Maithri gears for a new game

Saturday, 18 August 2012

SLFP Secretary Minister Maithripala Sirisena has challenged former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for a debate in order to show that he was leading the battle for the post of Prime Minister and to create an impression in society that he was the most suitable for the post.

Sirisena has issued a media statement saying he would reveal how Wickremesinghe had helped former President Chandrika Kumaratunmge during the Presidential election in 1994 in a face to face debate with him.

UNP Secretary Tissa Attanayake responded to Sirisena’s controversial statement and said he was prepared for an open debate on the matter.

Sirisena’s advisors have asked him not to go for a debate with Attanayake. They have advised him to have the debate as one between a former Premier and a future Premier. Sirisena’s media advisor, senior journalist Newton Gunaratne has made this statement.

Commission report makes Norway police chief resign

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 August 2012, 22:13 GMT]
Following an independent commission report that Norway police could have prevented all or part of a bombing and shooting spree by Anders Behring Breivik last year that killed 77, most of whom were teenagers, the Norwegian police chief Øystein Mæland resigned on Thursday, Reuters said. Norwegian government has also appointed an independent commission to investigate the failure of Norway’s peace facilitation in Sri Lanka that ended in genocide of Eezham Tamils. The commission report found fault with the peace facilitators for not withdrawing from the facilitation to tell the truth to the world, despite anticipations of the outcome. Mr. Erik Solheim, a leading facilitator didn’t resign, but was removed by his party ‘to give room to younger talents’. There was neither penitence nor any changes in Norway’s policy towards the question of Eezham Tamils. 

The independent commission on the massacre case in Norway has said that intelligence services could have learned about Breivik's plans months before the attack when he purchased bomb-making components, and that police had enough information to stop him as he made his way from the bombing scene to the youth camp.

Breivik insists that he is not insane as argued by prosecutors and that he committed the massacre of the youngsters participating the Labour Party youth camp, as young as 14, since he considered them as fair targets to drive in his point of political ideology, i.e., Norwegian ethnic purity, news reports said.

Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapaksa, abetted by India and the International Community of Establishments, committed a well-planned genocide without witnesses to achieve Sri Lanka belonging to the Sinhalese. The concerned outside establishments considered Eezham Tamils as a fair as well as an easy target to set precedents, political observers say. 

The Norwegian government upholds multiculturalism and denounces the massacre in its country. But the multicultural outlook facilitated genocide in the island of Sri Lanka and it is still not accepted as genocide by Norway.

Video: I will lead a movement for freedom and justice: Justice Warawewa

FRIDAY, 17 AUGUST 2012 
Retired High Court Judge W.T.M. Warawewa yesterday said he was willing to a lead a political movement that would ensure a society in which the law was equal to all its citizens.

“People have told me that after retirement I have developed political ambitions. Yes, as a citizen of this country I have the right to develop political ambitions. My political ambitions are to stand up against the decline of the rule of law, to ensure a peaceful and free society and to cultivate a society in which all people are equal before the law. These are my political ambitions, and for this I’m willing to take the leadership in any organistaion that is willing to bring about a society like this” he said.

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The retired judge who gave the dissenting judgment in the White flag case, made these remarks while speaking at a rally of the campaign to restore democracy at the New Town Hall.

Justice Warawewa went on to say that people who respected the rule of law and expected justice could not dabble in politics today.

“Today only rogues, thieves, druglords and other dubious characters can dabble in politics. It seems that no man who respects the rule of law and expects fairness and justice can do politics today” he said.

Justice Warwewa stated that the implementation of the 18th amendment was the biggest obstacle to a free and law-abiding society.

“The independent commissions that were introduced through the 17th amendment was an obstacle to the President because the rulers can’t control the state according to their whims and fancies. But after the 18th amendment was introduced even the elections commissioner doesn’t have the power to make an order to stop the abuse of state resources. That order is also issued by the president and before long it will the President who will make orders as to how elections should be held and votes should be counted,” he said.

Making a scathing attack at the current system Justice Warawewa said today there was no law in the country.

“There is no law in the country, people don’t trust the Police. Any murderer or rogue affiliated to the government is set free” he said.

Speaking further on the 18th amendment the retired high court judge said that at present the President is the head of all three arms of governance which is a grave concern.

“The president is the head of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary today. With the abolishing of the constitutional council the ruling party has all the power they want to appoint judges and this is a very grave situation” he said.

He also stated that he has sentenced many LTTE suspects after they were found guilty, but said that many of the suspects have spoken to him in court.

“When I was hearing the case of the town hall bombing the accused told court that she was only 14 years when she was arrested and that she had neither intention nor idea about the parcel being a bomb. She told that she did so because she was threatened by the LTTE to bring the parcel to Colombo” he said.

“ She asked me if the law only applies to her, when Karuna Amman, Pillayan and KP who ordered us to do these things are living like kings why have only we to suffer, she asked me” he said.

He also said that many people today are frightened to talk to him.

“Many people I meet think twice before talking to me, theyre frightened that a bullet aimed at me will hit them. This is the society we live in” Justice Warawewa said.

The retired judge urged everyone to rally together to ensure a society complete with freedom, justice and fairness to all. (Hafeel Farisz and Nishan  Cassem)