A backward march towards 1915?

By Dr. Ameer Ali-2013-02-26  In the aftermath of a pyrrhic victory over the LTTE and in a mood of triumphalism, President Mahinda Rajapaksa lectured to an anxious nation that there would henceforth be no more Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims, and no more majority and minority in his country but only Sri Lankans. Those who listened to those words at that time or read them afterwards heaved a sigh of relief. After a little more than one quarter of a century of physical and mental trauma inflicted upon the nation by a reckless civil war, there was every reason for the people to believe that those words of the President would be the harbinger for a bright future in which there would be genuine democracy with its embedded qualities of freedom of expression, rule of law, equality of opportunity and justice. Disappointingly, the political and administrative developments since then have made it clear that the President's words were no more than political rhetoric. The war wounds still remain unhealed; the national Legislature has lost its democratic aura and credibility; the Judiciary – the ultimate refuge for the grieved in a democratic society – has lost its independence; nepotism and corruption are rampant; dissent to reigning views is suppressed; and the economy in the name of globalization is increasingly falling under foreign ownership. Much has been written and commented upon these developments and to discuss them again is not the intention here. What follows instead is a focus on another worrying phenomenon that has all the hallmarks of a similar occurrence that took place almost a century ago but in a different political and economic environment. The spectre of 1915 is looming large on the horizon. Is the country marching backwards? The mosque in Sri Lanka, and for that matter all over the world, is the most conspicuous marker of Islamic religion and Muslim culture. Just as its multiplicity announces to the world the growing strength and religiosity of Muslims, so does any violence targeting the mosque translates automatically, at least in the eyes of Muslims, into a kind of Islamophobia. Historically, the market, like the mosque, is also closely associated with Islam and Muslims. Makkah, where Islam was born in the 7th century, was a market city situated at the cross roads of several caravan routes. Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, was born amongst a trading clan and he understood how the market works. The Quran, the Holy Book of Islam, and the hadiths, the sayings and practices of the prophet, are replete with market terminology and principles of trade and commerce. Among the Rightly-guided caliphs, Uthman, like several others after him, accumulated his riches through the market and from trade. In short, Islam was born and grew around the market, and trade and commerce are the most representative professions of that religion Accommodated them in Kingdoms In Sri Lanka, it was trade that brought the early Muslims to the shores of Sarendib, and the mosque came along with them. Their arrival was not one of trade following the flag but trade leading the crescent. The Sinhalese monarchs of ancient and medieval times were more than happy to welcome their arrival and accommodate them in their kingdoms, especially at a time when there was an acute shortage of a native merchant class. Muslim traders, most of whom were Arabs at the early stages, proved to be an invaluable asset to Sinhalese monarchs to establish diplomatic relations with the Muslim world. Hence, the local rulers had no qualms in allowing Muslims to practise their religion as long as it did not disturb domestic peace and inconvenience the followers of Buddhism. To practise Islam however, a mosque is essential to accommodate worshippers, because the religion exhorts praying in congregation, led by an imam. Thus, as opportunities for trade and commerce increased and the market expanded, more Muslims arrived and with more Muslims, the number of mosques also must have multiplied. The market-Muslim-mosque congruence operated harmoniously in a tolerant Buddhist environment. The advent of the Portuguese in the 16th century spelt disaster to this congruence. Christian bigotry and economic rivalry forced the Portuguese to expel the Muslim businessmen from the occupied territories and to severely restrict the economic activities and religious practices of those who remained. The expelled sought refuge and were accommodated in the independent Kandyan Kingdom. The market-Muslim-mosque congruity resumed its existence in new surroundings. In course of time, Muslims as a community became indigenized, their market expertise won State recognition, and their mosques became another decorative piece in the kingdom's religious and cultural kaleidoscope. Although the anti-Muslim trend in the maritime districts eased somewhat during Dutch rule, it was only under the British regime and after 1815, when the whole island fell under the new colonial yoke, that the Muslim community had its previous freedom fully restored and were allowed to settle anywhere in the country and engage in any occupation of their choice. More Muslims, especially from the Indian subcontinent, arrived, adding to the total number of Muslims. Immigration and natural increase with sporadic conversions from other religious groups increased the numerical strength of the Muslim community. Of a total population of just over 4.1 million in the 1911 census, Muslims counted 6.9%. The plantation-led capitalist economy that developed in the 19th century created new opportunities for trading and commerce. The Muslim community that had a historical proclivity to engage in these professions utilized those opportunities and maximized the rewards. However, the country's trading and commercial sectors were not the monopoly of Muslims. There were also others. For example, the 1911 census enumerated 51,020 Sinhalese, 19,850 Tamils and 29,239 Muslims as traders. Of the Muslim traders 18,037 were 19th century arrivals. This means, of a total of 100,109 traders, the indigenized Muslims constituted only about 11%. Yet, the Sinhalese traders could not compete, not only in the export-import sector but also in the large retail sector which were in the hands of the Muslims. The 51,020 Sinhalese traders were part of a rising class of Sinhalese petty bourgeoisie which resented economic competition from foreigners and minorities. It was this class, conjoined with Buddhist nationalists like Anagarika Dharmapala, who campaigned against the ubiquity of Muslim businesses and brought about the first Sinhalese-Muslim racial riots in 1915. In that episode, it was a religious-related incident surrounding a mosque that provided the immediate trigger. Although the anti-Muslim violence died down in the following years, Dharmapala had already warned that "there will always be bad blood between the Moors and the Sinhalese" (Dharmapala, 1965:541). Generally speaking, 'anti-minority feelings of the Sinhala traders persisted in the consciousness' (Kumari Jayawardena, 1986: 26). Reduce influence of minorities In post-colonial Sri Lanka, even though the Muslim community, unlike the Tamils, always supported the ruling Sinhalese regimes for pragmatic reasons, the anti-Muslim consciousness of the Sinhalese did not fail to burst out into open violence, especially in times of national economic adversity. At times, the undue influence that Muslim Parliamentarians could exert in national decision-making was another reason that angered the Sinhalese. In fact, one of the reasons that impelled President J.R. Jayewardene to change the Constitution from the Westminster model to a hybrid Gaullist model was to reduce the influence of minorities, particularly of Muslims, in the national legislature. It was to counter that move the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress was formed as a political party. Yet, six decades after 1915, between 1976 and 2002, there had been a total of 30, mostly localized, Sinhalese-Muslim riots in various parts of the country (M.S.M. Anas, V. Amirdeen and A.J.L. Vazeel, 2002/2008). Once again, after the defeat of the LTTE, sections of the Sinhalese Buddhists under the leadership of the militant Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and its new offshoot, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), the nation is witnessing a new phase of Islamophobia. Tolerated by elected government The resumption of anti-Muslim campaigns to boycott Muslim businesses, avoid eating in Muslim restaurants, and stop selling property to Muslims; rallies led by militant Buddhist monks to attack mosques and demanding the government to close them down; and political leaders re-labelling Muslims as aliens and urging them to go back to Arabia – all echo the same anti-Muslim sentiments of the 1915 Sinhalese Buddhist agitators. The 19th century phase of this Muslim resentment and its current phase have one thing in common, that is, an open economy. The difference is that the earlier phase was suppressed by a colonial regime but the current one is tolerated by a popularly elected government. The mosque and the market are in a serious state of crisis. The post-1976 era coincided with the ushering in of an open economy that is currently being vigorously promoted by neo-liberal economic policies modelled on 'Washington Consensus' and monitored through Bretton Wood agencies. Although by nature open market economies create economic inequities, its late 20th century reincarnation has worsened economic inequities and created and bred 'ethnic hatred and global instability' (Amy Chua, 2003). This is a worldwide phenomenon engendered by the so-called market democracy under the aegis of economic globalization. Sri Lanka is no exception. It was economic inequity in the 19th century that led to the riots in 1915, but that inequity reflected an urban-rural divide in which poverty remained largely a rural phenomenon. The ubiquitous retail Muslim trader in the villages and country towns inevitably appeared as the epitome of this inequity and became an easy target for the Sinhalese petty bourgeoisie and nationalists to vent their anger against colonial capitalism. In contrast, the current scale of inequity, in spite of respectable growth rates after 2009, has no such divide but a national phenomenon. It is systemic. Then why have the Muslims become the target of attack this time?

Govt. should not take on halal certification – BBS

By Rashini Mendis-2013-02-28

THe Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) yesterday strongly recommended that the government desists from accepting responsibility to certify products as halal, as was suggested by the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU).

Addressing the media in Colombo, BBS General Secretary Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thero said, "The ACJU has very cunningly tried to pass the halal certification off on the government. They mustn't accept this suggestion. The ACJU must step back, not just a few feet but several kilometres."

He said Sri Lanka has no need for halal, and added: "There is absolutely no need for halal products in the country. Even in completely Muslim populated countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the halal standard is only required for meat products. So, what is the need for it in this country, which only has a minority Muslim population?"

He said that the concept of an organization existing for the provision of a halal certificate is laughable, pointing out that the ACJU is the only such organization in the world.

"This is a laughable matter. In a Sinhalese-Buddhist country like Sri Lanka, there is no need for any other laws to be brought in. The rights of 90% of Sri Lankans have been violated by the ACJU, and with the way they have been harming Buddhism and the culture of the country, they have no right to approach us for a debate on the subject," he said, confirming that the BBS would not be holding any talks in the future with the ACJU.

The BBS General Secretary further said that ministers had been tricked by the ACJU. "This is clearly an extremist attempt, which has even managed to fool Sinhalese businessmen."

Opposing the claim made by the ACJU that only one business organization in Sri Lanka had removed themselves from being 'halal certified,' he said, "I can say with conviction that a number of businesses have removed themselves from halal certification, not just one as the ACJU claims. They are lying before God and the media by making such false claims."

On the attack on Eastern Provincial Council member Priyantha Pathirana, he said, "We strongly condemn this attack on Pathirana, who was speaking out against the Muslim extremists of the East on behalf of the BBS, and we wish him a speedy recovery."

VIDEO: GOVT. CANNOT TAKE OVER ISSUANCE OF HALAL CERTIFICATION - KEHELIYA

February 28, 2013  

The Government today stated that it could not take over the responsibility of the issuance of the Halal Certification, Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said today. 

The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) on February 26 requested the government to take over the issuing and administration of Halal certification in Sri Lanka.

The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama, the Muslim scholar council asked the government to take an initiative to end the row after Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), or Buddhist Force, staged a rally and issued an ultimatum that all halal certified goods must be taken off the market shelves by end of March.

“We suggest that government take over the process which should be acceptable to all stake holders”, Rizwie Mufthi of the ACJU, Sri Lanka’s main body of Islamic clergy told reporters on February 26.

He said the country could model the system along what is being practised in Thailand and Singapore where the government is responsible for Halal certification.

Last week, they said they advised the trade to limit the sale of Halal certified goods only to Muslims.

The decision was aimed at promoting peaceful co-existence and harmony with the majority Sinhalese who constitute 74 per cent of the island’s 20 million population.

The BSS had earlier issued an ultimatum that all Halal certified goods must be taken off the market shelves by the end of March and the practice must be done away with.

The BSS said the non Muslims, mostly Buddhist were being forced to consume items certified Halal, which is an Islamic religious ritual.

The BSS also accused ACJU of making money in the practice of issuing Halal certificates.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed a ministerial committee to look into the growing religious tensions.

Why We Should Boycott Halal Products?

By Kasun Adikari -February 28, 2013

Kasun Adikari

“Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumour; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another’s seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, ‘The monk is our teacher.’ Kalamas, when you yourselves know: ‘These things are bad; these things are blameable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,’ abandon them.”- Kalama Sutta: The Buddha’s Charter of Free Inquiry

Introduction

Violence in the name of religion has become the predominant model for politics in the modern world. In the present context, has increased in its frequency, scale of violence, and national reach in Sri Lanka.  Too much emphasis is wrongly placed among the majority on various aspects on the practice of other religions especially on the concept of halal. It’s telling that more verbal and political energies are being channelled to create anxiety about this.

The purpose of this article is to provide a basic understanding on the concept of halal and how it operates internationally, to people from my own community since they often tend to be provided with inaccurate, lacking and sometimes simply fabricated facts of the same. Hence, right understanding of the concept may help to alleviate vague or poor understandings and in some way enhance peaceful relationship betweenSinhalese and Muslims which we have been maintaining it for more than thousand years without any cracks.

What is halal?

Twenty years back when I was reading for my first degree at University of Moratuwa, I raised this question to one of my batch mate and now it is at the heart of a controversy for the majority Sri Lankans.

Oxford dictionary defines ‘halal’ as ‘religiously acceptable according to Islamic law.’ The word halal refers to anything that is considered permissible and lawful under religion. Muslims are supposed to live their lives by this concept, with its connotations of cleanliness, integrity and self-restraint. The opposite of this word is haraam. The term halal is widely used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law. In fact, it refers to permissible behaviour, speech, dress, conduct, manner and dietary. In a Muslim’s life, every aspect of life is regulated by Islamic law; therefore, the Halal-Haraam dichotomy almost always applies to everything, and Muslims make sure they understand what is what since saying or doing Halal will lead to Paradise and Haraam to Hell.

Halal Foods

Halal foods are foods that Muslims are allowed to eat under Islamic dietary guidelines. The criteria specify both what foods are allowed, and how the food must be prepared. Why Muslims want halal foods at all? “the logic behind this is that remaining blood in the body may become polluted and harmful to humans”.

The foods addressed are mostly types of meat. In order to be halal, permitted animals must be slaughtered according to prescribed methods of slaughtering (halal slaughtering), which emphasised on the aspects of hygiene, health, safety and humane treatment.  A study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Humane Society International concluded that the animals that are slaughtered according to halal method complies with the hygiene and environmental health issues and halal  meat should be labelled when it is put on sale, so that members of the public can decide on the choice.

Halal Certification

Halal is not only concern on meat foods, it emphasise that Muslims must ensure that all foods, particularly processed foods, pharmaceuticals, and non-food items like cosmetics, are also halal. Frequently, these products contain animal by-products or other ingredients that are not permissible for Muslims to eat or use on their bodies.

Halal certification tells Muslims that their ingredients and production methods have been tested and declared permissible by a certification body (i.e., internationally or locally recognised halal certification bodies certifies the product as halal, preferably with a trademarked and unique symbol). It also allows companies to export products to most Middle Eastern countries and South East Asian Countries.

Since the introduction of halal certification, many mainstream manufacturers, especially pharmaceuticals, prepared foods, and other products, as well as hotels, restaurants, airlines, hospitals, and other service providers have pursued the halal market. These companies purchase halal-certified products.

International Perspective

Halal Food Authority (HFA) is one of the UK’s largest regulators of halal foods. HFA is well established, both within the halal slaughter and wider food industry. Today, from Kelloggs cereals to KFC; from ASDA to British Airways, the HFA logo can be found on food products declaring them to be approved as halal.

The oldest and most well-known halal certifier in the United States is called the ‘Islamic Services of America’. In 2011, ‘Halal Products Certification Institute’ was established in California and became the first worldwide corporation that certified halal consumer products such as cosmetics, personal care products and perfumes & fragrances. The institute was established by Islamic intellectual scholars and Muslim scientists to assure the dissemination of halal consumer products.

Also in Europe, several organizations have been created over the past 20 years in order to certify halal products. A survey recently published by a French association of Muslim Consumers (ASIDCOM) shows that the market of halal products has been developed in a rapid way.

In South Africa, most chicken products have a halal stamp. The South African National Halal Authority (SANHA) issues certificates and products bearing this logo range from water, snacks, and even meat-free products (which may contain non-halal ingredients). The South African National Halal Authority also licenses the usage of the Halal logo in restaurants where the food is halal in addition to no alcohol or pork products being served.

McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) have been declared to be halal in most of the countries. In the United Kingdom, China, Malaysia or Singapore, halal fried chicken restaurants having thousands of outlets serve halal foods, such as the ChicKing Fried Chicken, Brown’s Chicken, and Crown Fried Chicken companies.

Also, in New York City there are numerous halal food carts in business which serve gyros, chicken platters, and other halal fast foods, whereas in Europe, there are many of halal certified Doner kebab shops. Very recently, twelve stores in the Mary Brown’s chain in Ontario and Alberta became 100% halal.

Thailand and Philippines also has a noticeable population of Muslims and halal meat shops country wide. Within the People’s Republic of China, which has a sizable Muslim minority population, halal food is known as ‘Qingzhen’ means ‘pure truth.’

Charges justifiable?

Almost all the halal certifying institutions around the world incorporated as non-profit organisations and they are categorised under service sector. Besides, Halal certification is a long and meticulous process that requires investment in expertise, equipment and manpower. Therefore, organizations certify halal products are compelled to charge a fee to meet their expenses. Like any other certification process, halal certification also has a management cost involved. For example, when a company obtains the quality standard, the system standard or the risk management standard certification, it is charged for various costs with regard to logistics, communication, human resources, professional services and consultation fees. In addition to that, halal certifying institutions has to bear the costs in relation to  technological testing and research, human resource costs as they are obliged to maintain a dedicated team of food scientists, administrators, Halal auditors and a large team of supervisors based at certified plants.

Conclusion

From the above, it appears that the concept of halal has a global recognition and is wider in its scope. Specifically as far as Muslims are concern, the concept of halal is embedded with their day to day life and is considered as one of the significant aspects of practicing there religion.

As Buddhists, we must know how to regard other religions and their practices as we belong to the religious group that accepts and appreciates the reasonable teachings of every religion.   Buddhists can also tolerate the practices of other religious, cultural traditions and customs, although they may not necessarily wish to emulate them.

In other words, Buddhists respect the other man’s views and appreciate other practices without harbouring any religious prejudices. If there are certain Buddhists who feel they are unable to appreciate the ways of other religious practices, then the least they could do is to maintain their silence and refrain from any undue criticism: this attitude is very important for peaceful co-existence. If we study the teachings of Buddhism, then we can understand the basis of our religion and our attitude towards the other religions. To practise a religion we must be honest, sincere, truthful and kind to others: we must avoid deceit and cruelty: and in our relation with others we must be broad-minded.

According to the Buddha, if we adopt aggressive and violent methods to solve our problems, we cannot find the real solution to overcome them. No doubt, we can suppress some troubles and temporarily win the battle as long as our opponents remain weak. But when our opponents get the chance, they will not keep quiet and will not forgive us.   Therefore, if we act with violence, we can never find lasting peace.   This is why the Buddha once said:  “Hatred is never ended by hatred, but only by loving-kindness.”  Buddha also said:  “It is not that I quarrel with the world but the world quarrels with me.  A  teacher of truth never quarrels with others.

Accordingly, non-violence is at the heart of Buddhist thinking and behaviour. Nothing in Buddhist scripture gives any support to the use of violence as a way to resolve conflict. One of Buddha’s sermons puts this very clearly with a powerful example that stresses the need to love your opponent no matter how cruelly he treats you:

“Even if thieves carve you limb from limb with a double-handed saw, if you make your mind hostile you are not following my teaching.”- Kamcupamasutta,  Majjhima-Nikkaya I – 28-29

“All senior military men are UNPers. Act carefully” – President tells Gota

Wednesday, 27 February 2013

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has told his brother Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to be careful in his actions and when trusting heads of the police and military since most of them hailed from strong UNP families and have joined the forces after 1977.

The President had cited Major General Shavendra Silva and his family background as an example. Silva, who is currently a Rajapaksa loyalist, is hopeful of being appointed as the next army commander. Silva was recommended to the army by the late P.B. Kaviratne, who was the Cultural Affairs Minister of the former UNP government and was also a powerful UNPer in the Matale District. The President had told the Defence Secretary to always be mindful of the fact that all persons holding high ranks in the police and military have been recommended to the forces by powerful UNP politicians.

The President had explained that the allegations of war crimes and photographs backing the allegation have been released to the foreign media as part of a UNP conspiracy against the Rajapaksas. He had further explained that all those holding key posts in the forces are supportive of the Rajapaksas as long as they ruled the country and the minute they were out of power, all those who are now saluting them would give evidence against the Rajapaksas on war crimes allegations.

The President had then reminded Gotabhaya of an incident that had happened in the past. He had said that the police officer, who had helped him get his brother released from police custody when he was arrested in the 1970s, had arrested him seven to eight years later for drunk driving in Slave Island. He had said that the police officer had not shown any lenience towards him and had filed a case before court. However, since Rajapaksa had known the judge, he had managed to settle the matter by paying a small fine.

Therefore, the President had advised his brother never to fully trust any police or military officer.

“Story of a fast is a lie. But one person is not eating” – Prisons Commissioner

Wednesday, 27 February 2013

Prisons Commissioner P.W. Kodippili in an interview with a foreign radio station on the current crises in Sri Lankan prisons has said that no inmate in the Welikada Prison was engaged in a fast. However, when the journalist from the foreign radio station had asked for the name of the inmate, the Commissioner had said it was not actually a fast, but one prisoner was not eating any food.

The journalist realizing the level of intelligence of the Prisons Commissioner had decided not to push him any further. The journalist had smiled and said, “Yes, we asked whether the inmate was not consuming any food,” and changed the topic of discussion

Boycott Sri Lanka, Robertson urges

Falling out ... President Mahinda Rajapakse with Shirani Bandaranayake in May 2011, soon after she was appointed as Sri Lanka's first woman chief justice. Photo: AFP

February 28, 2013 

LONDON: The prominent barrister Geoffrey Robertson wants Australia and other commonwealth countries to boycott a leaders' meeting in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo to protest against the impeachment of the nation's chief justice.

The Australian lawyer also wants the Queen to steer clear of November's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting after Shirani Bandaranayake was declared guilty of misconduct seven weeks ago.

No-shows by powerful nations would signal the unacceptability of their behaviour. 

"Governments which respect the rule of law should not attend," Mr Robertson states in a written report for England's Bar Human Rights Committee.

Geoffrey Robertson ... Queen should not give seal of approval. Photo: James Brickwood

"Nor should the Queen or any royal family member provide a photo-opportunity for President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"Royal seals of approval serve the propaganda interests of people like this and no-shows by powerful nations would signal the unacceptability of their behaviour."

Ms Bandaranayake, the first woman to hold Sri Lanka's highest judicial post, was sacked by Mr Rajapaksa two days after parliament voted to impeach her in January.

She had previously stalled a bill that sought to grant greater political and financial power to the president's youngest brother who is the economic development minister.

In his report, released in London on Wednesday, Mr Robertson argues the Sri Lankan government's treatment of the judge "undermines the rule of law to such an extent that the country which suffers it will suffer the loss of that independent power which is essential to make democracy work".

He says the attack on the independence of the judiciary is a "calamity" for Sri Lanka but also an international problem because it could be emulated elsewhere if allowed to pass without consequences.

Speaking at the report's launch, Mr Robertson said the "fabricated charges" against Ms Bandaranayake were heard by government ministers in a secret star chamber with witnesses bullied and browbeaten.

The QC wants the 117 MPs who voted for impeachment and the seven ministers who declared her guilty banned from visiting Britain and other Commonwealth countries. He also wants their foreign bank accounts frozen.

"These identifiable people are collectively responsible for an unlawful attack on the rule of law and unless made to suffer for it others will do the same dirty work," Mr Robertson writes.

AAP

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/world/boycott-sri-lanka-robertson-urges-20130228-2f793.html#ixzz2MAQk1G9i

Canada PM says won't back off Commonwealth summit boycott

Global Post

February 26, 2013

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday held firm on his threat to boycott the Commonwealth summit in Colombo later this year, rejecting calls to make nice with Sri Lanka.

"I have indicated that unless changes occur in Sri Lanka I will not be attending the Commonwealth summit there," Harper told parliament.

"I am concerned with further developments, since I made that statement, which are taking that country in a worse direction," he added.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma has urged Canada to drop its threat to boycott November's meeting in Sri Lanka over allegations of war crimes committed there during the civil war.

Instead, Canada stepped up pressure, reporting Sri Lanka to the Commonwealth for allegedly violating the organization's democratic values by ignoring two court rulings and sacking Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake in January.

Bandaranayake had given rulings which were thought unfavorable to President Mahinda Rajapakse's regime, which is also accused of failing to probe the war crimes allegations.

Harper has warned that he may refuse to attend the Commonwealth's next summit unless Sri Lanka addresses allegations of atrocities during the closing battles of the war against separatist Tamil rebels in 2009.

Sri Lanka has denied allegations from international rights groups that government troops killed up to 40,000 civilians while battling Tamil rebels.

DOCUMENT - SRI LANKA: NEW DOCUMENTARY EXPOSES SRI LANKAN ATROCITIES

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
MEDIA ADVISORY 
26 February 2013
AI Index: ASA 37/008/2013

New documentary exposes Sri Lankan atrocities 
Amnesty International co-sponsors 1 March screening in Geneva 
No Fire Zone: Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields - a new feature-length documentary about the final bloody months of the Sri Lankan armed conflict, which ended in May 2009 - will be screened on Friday 1 March 2013 to coincide with the ongoing UN Human Rights Council session. 

The screening will take place ahead of a crucial UN resolution on the importance of accountability for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Sri Lankan armed conflict, to promote reconciliation and protection of human rights today in Sri Lanka.. 

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are co-sponsoring the screening, which will take place at the UN headquarters in Geneva. 
Amnesty International experts will be present and available for interviews before or during the day. 
Possible talking points: 
Impunity for crimes under international law
The Sri Lankan government has so far completely failed to follow up in any credible way on domestic and international recommendations to investigate the alleged killings of thousands of civilians at the hands of the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE during the final months of the armed conflict.

Escalating attacks on government critics
Despite the end to the armed conflict, the government has stepped up its crackdown on dissenting views in a bid to consolidate power. Those harassed, threatened or violently attacked include politicians, the judiciary, human rights defenders and journalists. 
Venue: The screening of No Fire Zone will take place in Room 23 of the Palais des Nations (UN), 12.00 – 14.00 CET, on Friday, 1 March. 
Contact: For more information or to arrange an interview, please get in touch with Olof Blomqvist, Amnesty International Press Officer for Asia/Pacific: olof.blomqvist@amnesty.org / +44 (0) 7904 397 956 
About the documentary: No Fire Zone is the culmination of a three-year investigation which has included two award-winning TV documentaries broadcast on Channel 4 – Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields (first screened in June 2011) and Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished (first screened in March 2012). For more information, including a brief introduction by Director Callum Macrae, visit the movie’s website: http://nofirezone.org/ 

Three pasting ‘anti-corruption’ posters arrested

Three members of the ‘Voice Against Corruption’ (VAC) organization, who were putting up posters of the organization, have been arrested by Modara Police.

The three members, Nadarajah, Lakshman and Asela were arrested while they were pasting posters in Modara area.

The posters had the question “Where’s gold, money & ships seized from the LTTE” in Sinhalese and Tamil.

Expenditure from the state revenue, to compensate loss occurred from electricity production, Minister of Power and Energy said.

A situation has arisen to compensate the loss occurred from the electricity production to exhaust a large amount from the state revenue was said by Minister of Power and Energy Mrs.Pavithra Wanniarachchi.

Under the Thermal Power station constructed at Nooraicholai, to distribute electricity to Anuradhapura district, electricity posts will get erected and electricity wires would be connected through Putalam.

Minister made this statement at a meeting arranged to explore the crisis faced by the fishermen.

Approximately 23 rupees and 50 cents is the expenditure for the electricity production for one unit. However ten million consumers are incurred three rupees for one unit.

There is reasonable to the protest carried out by the Puttalam fishermen that electricity distributions are supplied for outside districts from the Nooraicholai Thermal Power station.

However, we are attempting to use alternative ways. But it is not possible. The alternative ways which we identified will pave way for other crisis.

Hence considering the welfare of the country, we are compelled to give our coordination to this project.

Concerning this, if surveyed and if the problems faced are in detail identified, and a report is submitted to me, I could make arrangements to allocate the necessary financial allotments was mentioned by her.

Wednesday , 27 February 2013

Grama Seva officer attacked - Villagers stage protest

[ Wednesday, 27 February 2013, 01:54.25 PM GMT +05:30 ]

Villagers of the Ariyalai East stage protest on demanding to arrest suspects carried out brutal attack on S.Vijithan Grama Seva officer (Village officer) of the J/90 division.

End of the protest protesters handed over special petition to Nallur divisional secretariat. This grama seva official continuously raised voice against illegal sand digging process carried out by the Lankan army in the Ariyalai East area.