Friday, July 5, 2013

Rajapaksa issues proclamation on NPC election

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. File photo- July 5, 2013

MEERA SRINIVASAN

Even as the Sri Lankan government mulls over changes to the 13th Amendment, President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday issued a proclamation to the Election Commissioner to conduct the Northern Provincial Council election.

The announcement, which local agencies attributed to the Government Information Department, comes at a time when Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa -- also the brother of President Rajapaksa -- is in New Delhi to inform Indian authorities of Colombo’s position on the 13th Amendment.

The 13th Amendment, an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987, allows for a merger of Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern Provinces, upon a referendum among the people of those provinces; legislative powers for the provinces through provincial councils and executive powers through a board of ministers and a chief minister and devolution of power, including those over land, to the provinces.

However, a couple of months ahead of elections to the Northern Provincial Council -- predominantly a Tamil settlement -- the Sri Lankan government is revisiting the clauses on the land and police powers, and the merger.

A Parliamentary Select Committee was recently appointed to study the 13th Amendment, but some parties, including UNP – the main opposition here – and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) -- which represents a group of Tamil political parties -- have boycotted the PSC. The NPC elections, as per the President’s earlier announcement, are scheduled this September.

Eelamism, As Livelihood

By Rasika Jayakody -July 5, 2013 |

Rasika Jayakody

Almost 14 months after the JVP insurrection in 1971, Eelamist Tamil Student League Leader Sathyaseelan attempted to murder A. Tiyagarajah, a Tamil Congress MP who dissented from the party, joined the ruling coalition and extended his support to the constitution of 1972. That was one of the earliest landmarks as far as the Eelamist struggle in Sri Lanka is concerned.

The first Police force member to be killed by the Eelamist militants was A. Karunanithy, a Tamil constable attached to the Kankesenthurei police station. That was almost two years after Sathyaseelan’s attempt to murder Tiyagarajah.

Eelamism, As Livelihood by nelvely

Trinco murder suspects remanded

The Trincomalee Magistrate has remanded 12 police Special

Task Force (STF) personal over their alleged

July 5, 2013

The Trincomalee Magistrate has remanded 12 police Special Task Force (STF) personal over their alleged involvement in the murder of 5 students in Trincomalee in 2006, the police media unit said today.

The incident referred to as the Trincomalee massacre, occurred when the five Tamil high school students playing by the beach were briefly detained and then shot dead.

The incident drew a huge outcry among human rights groups calling on the government to bring to justice those killed in the incident.

The killing of the five students was also mention by non-governmental organisations at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March this year.

Speaking just before the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report on Sri Lanka was adopted, the father of one of the students killed in Trincomalee, broke down in tears and demanded justice for his son’s murder.

Dr Kasippillai Manoharan, the father of Ragihar, apologized to the Council as he struggled to speak while making his speech.

Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe then responded by saying that the government is investigating the incident and needs time and space to do so.

He said that having concluded the work on the five students from Trincomalee, the Attorney-General had directed the Police to commence Non-Summary Judicial proceedings. (Colombo Gazette)

External Affairs Ministry questions BHC

Details

Created On Thursday, 04 July 2013 18:01
Category: General

The External Affairs Ministry is to reportedly seek a clarification from the British High Commission in Colombo about a travel advisory issued by the UK in May on Sri Lanka.

An External Affairs Ministry official has been quoted as saying that it is aware of the travel advisory and would seek information from the British High Commission on the reasons behind issuing such a strong notice to British citizens visiting Sri Lanka.

The British Foreign Office has warned visitors to Sri Lanka to be mindful of organised and armed gangs known to operate in Sri Lanka who have been responsible for targeted kidnappings and violence.
The Foreign office, in a May 30th update, has stated that while violent crimes against foreigners are infrequent, there have been an increasing number of reports of sexual offences including on minors.
It also says women should take particular care when travelling alone or in small groups, and carry a personal alarm.
“Organised and armed gangs are known to operate in Sri Lanka and have been responsible for targeted kidnappings and violence. While there is no evidence to suggest that British nationals are at particular risk, gangs have been known to operate in tourist areas. A British national was killed during a violent attack by a gang in a tourist resort in December 2011,” the travel advisory has said.
The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka was earlier in the week summoned by the External Affairs Ministry to seek a clarification on a travel advisory issued by the US State Department also in May.

Philippines to allow US, Japan strategic access to military bases

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 July 2013, 23:28 GMT]
Philippines president Beningno Aquino, in a statement on Tuesday, said that his government would allow America and Japan, long time “strategic partners” of successive regimes, exclusive access to former US military bases in the country. This development has provoked reactions from the Chinese, who are currently locked in a maritime dispute with Philippines. AFP reported Chinese general Luo Yuan on Thursday as condemning the increased US-Philippines cooperation.

Philippines is considered by the US as a key strategic base in the Southeast Asian region.

The US has also provided extensive help to Manila in its counterinsurgency operations against the New People’s Army, a Communist rebel movement.

Analysts credit the increased strategic focus of the US in this region as a part of a grant strategy of ‘Look East’ policy in the Pentagon.

Reveal KP’s antecedent, before his nomination on UPFA ticket – UNP

Reveal KP’s antecedent, before his

nomination on UPFA ticket – UNP

by Dasun Edirisinghe-July 4, 2013, 9:35 pm

If the government was intending to field Kumaran Pathmanathan, alias KP, on the UPFA ticket, at the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council Election, it should, first of all, reveal the former LTTE leader’s involvement in terrorism as well as all other information pertaining to the recovery of LTTE assets, the UNP said yesterday.

Addressing a media briefing in Colombo, UNP MP Harin Fernando the UPFA’s decision to field KP was something to be expected as it had already made former LTTE leaders Vice Presidents of the SLFP and even given them deputy ministerial portfolios.

"We welcome the way that terrorists are becoming democrats, but they must be prosecuted for their former acts as they were directly involved in several massacres in the past," MP Fernando said, adding that complaints by some Buddhist monks from Andaulpotha against the former LTTE leader did not even get processed.

There were speculations that former LTTE heavyweight Kumaran Pathmanathan, LTTE Media Spokesman Velayutham Dayanidhi, alias Daya Master and LTTE Women’s Wing Leader Sivasubramaniam Sivahami, alias Thamilini, would contest the Northern Provincial Council election on the UPFA ticket.

The Badulla District MP said that the government was now going full steam ahead to amend the 13th amendment to the Constitution. "If the government had a real need to amend or scrap the 13th amendment, it should have done it just after the war ended in 2009," Fernando said, adding that at that time people welcomed anything proposed by the government.

Video: The Fascist Monks Of Sri Lanka – Part 2

July 5, 2013 |

Ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar has shocked the world and drawn attention to risingIslamophobia in Asia. Now Muslims in Sri Lanka are under dire threat as well.

The Sri Lankan Defense Secretary recently gave his support to the monks. “It is the monks who protect this country, religion and race” he stated.

He also cautioned the ultra nationalist groups not to promote “communal hatred.” But this communiqué was delivered in English, not in Sinhala.

On this week’s INFocus, which is a sequel for last week’s episode, we try to understand the reason behind this rising hatred and where the blame truly lies.

Courtesy PressTV

Part 2

Part 1 can watch here

Video: The Fascist Monks Of Sri Lanka

The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar has shocked the world and drawn attention to rising Islamophobia in Asia. Now Muslims in Sri Lanka are under dire threat as well.

The similarities with Myanmar are striking and foreboding. Buddhist monks are at the forefront of the rising hatred, the government is taking sides against Muslims and attacks have begun.

Full scale violence is threatening to break out to create another catastrophe for Muslims in the region. There have already been a series of attacks on mosques and Muslim places of work.

Hard line, ultra nationalist groups led by Buddhist monks such as Buddhist Strength Force (BBS) and Sinhala Echo preach the same message as those of the Buddhist Rakhine in Myanmar: “Muslims are taking over, they are building too many mosques and are trying to destroy our culture.”

On this week’s INFocus we document the rising crisis in Sri Lanka and attempt to bring the world’s attention to the issue before it’s too late.

Courtesy PressTV

DOCUMENT - SRI LANKA: CHILD FEARED ABDUCTED IN SRI LANKA

URGENT ACTION

CHILD FEARED ABDUCTED IN SRI LANKA

Sivasooriyakumar Sanaraj, 15 years old, has been missing since 13 June, after he failed to arrive at school in Vavuniya, northern Sri Lanka. His family fears that he has been abducted, and he may be at risk of torture or extrajudicial execution. Despite complaints lodged with the local police by his family, the police have failed to investigate.

Sivasooriyakumar Sanaraj left his home in Ukkulankulam, near Vavuniya, to go to school as usual on the morning of 13 June, but never came back. When he did not return home that evening, his aunt went to look for him at his school, and was told that he had not arrived that day. Another of his aunts went to the Vavuniya police to report him missing. However, the police did not take the case seriously; they refused to register the case and told her that he would eventually turn up. The following morning, his aunt returned to the police to lodge a complaint, at which point they assured her that they would visit the school to obtain a statement. However, they did not do so.

Document - Sri Lanka Child Feared Abducted in Sri Lanka by nelvely

Should not kneel down infront of India - Naval personals attacked Rajive Gandhi

[ Friday, 05 July 2013, 07:51.06 AM GMT +05:30 ]

The day 30th July 1987 was the following day the Indo Sri Lanka agreement was signed. Before the then Prime Minister of India Rajive Gandhi was to depart he was accorded a naval salutation parade in Colombo

‘Vijith Rohana Wijemuni’ a 23 year old the naval officer was in the front row of the naval salutation parade. The Indian Prime Minister Rajive Gandhi the great statesman was slowly approaching the end of the parade, alongside in body guards.
The Sinhala blood began to boil.The person who was responsible for our independence to be changed. The young 23 year old were deadly fuming in anger and his fervent wish was kill him for the damage he did for his motherland.
The rifle which was given to him was devoid of bullets. Within a split second his intention of the young navy personnel was to beat Rajive Gandhi on his head with all his might with the grooved barrel of the rifle with the intention of killing him.
But the luck was on the Prime Ministers side. In a flash while seen this he took evasive action by bending. The barrel of the gun struck his shoulder. He escaped in a miraculous manner.
The suspect was arrested and jailed. It was a proud jail sentence. This living hero was again remembered at a press conference of the National Organisation Unity held yesterday. He made his speech with his ‘lion blood’. He was against the decision to give police and land powers to the North in terms of the 13th amendment. He added that powers should not be given according to the manner the Indian government wants.

Gota’s Interview Re-Produced For Comments

July 5, 2013

The Colombo Telegraph has received a considerable amount of emails requesting us to re-produce the yesterday’s Daily Mirror interview with the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa. They point out that Daily Mirror readers are not allowed to comment under the said article and this is the first time that such a ban is in place. We publish below the Daily Mirror interview in full allowing readers to give their comments.

I deplore any form of extremism; Gota

The country’s powerful Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa spoke to the Daily Mirror in one of his most wide ranging interviews in recent times, on a gamut of issues. Rajapaksa explained why he believes that devolution of power is not the solution to the national question.
He also expressed his candid views about his percieved relationship with hard-line Sinhala groups,the issues surrounding the arrest of a senior Police officer on charges of murder and about the controversial Matale mass grave among other topics on this interview.

Full interview

Q: You come from a political family. What are your views on the presidencies of J.R. Jayewardene, R.Premadasa and Chandrika BandaranaikeYour impressions of their times in power?

Gota

I was in the Army under President Jayewardene and President Premadasa, and I see it purely in a defence perspective, in the sense of national security. In my view, both President Jayewardene and President Premadasa were not able to properly understand and comprehend the situation which was leading to the conflict that dragged on for so many years.

Gota’s Interview Re-Produced For Comments by nelvely

PS Chairman nabbed for alleged bribery


PS Chairman nabbed for alleged bribery

FRIDAY, 05 JULY 2013

The Walallawita Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman was arrested today by the Bribery Commission when he was allegedly soliciting a bribe of 2 million Rs from the Chairman of the Benthara Paradeshiya Sabha, the Bribery Commission said.

The Chairman Udeni Nanayakkara is to be produced before a magistrate shortly.

Reasons for the soliciting of the bribe have not been confirmed yet

State bank manager remanded

FRIDAY, 05 JULY 2013

The Colombo Fort Magistrate today remanded the Assistant Manager of a leading state bank in Colombo, for allegedly soliciting bribes in return for the promise of employment.

The female manageress of the Head Office of the state bank is alleged to have solicited 500,000 Rs each from each from two residents of Matale.

The Manageress was remanded till July 19th.

ESTATE SUPERINTENDENT HACKED TO

DEATH IN DERANIYAGALA

July 5, 2013

Nuriyawatta estate superintendent has been assaulted and hacked to death in Deraniyagala, police stated. The murder had taken place this morning (July 5) at around 9.30am.

The superintendent Nihal Perera was attacked by a group which arrived in an SUV while traveling on the road.

He was rushed to the Deraniyagala hospital with serious injuries which he later succumbed to, hospital sources claimed.

Two others who were injured in the incident were taken to the Karawanella hospital, police reported.

Police also claimed that the victim had been threatened by a group involved in a timber racket while the suspects had fled the area following the attack.

Bolivia 'could close' US embassy after plane incident

President Evo Morales (L): "If necessary, we will close the US embassy"-

President Evo Morales has threatened to close the US embassy in Bolivia after his official plane was banned from European airspace.-5 July 2013

Edward Snowden is wanted in the US on espionage charges

The warning came as four other South American leaders offered him support at a special summit on Thursday.

His plane was forced to land in Austria on Tuesday after France, Portugal, Italy and Spain apparently barred it from flying through their airspace.

There were unfounded suspicions that US fugitive Edward Snowden was on board.

The Bolivian president blamed Washington for pressurising European countries into refusing him passage.

"My hand would not tremble to close the US embassy," Mr Morales said.

"We have dignity, sovereignty. Without America, we are better off politically and democratically."

'No reason to apologise'

His presidential jet was rerouted as he travelled from a meeting in Russia where he had suggested he would be willing to consider an asylum application from Mr Snowden.

Mr Morales was joined by the presidents of Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Venezuela and Suriname at a meeting to discuss the plane dispute in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba on Thursday.The former CIA contractor is believed to

be holed up at the transit area of Moscow airport after leaking details of a vast US surveillance programme.

The leaders issued a statement after the meeting demanding an explanation from France, Portugal, Italy and Spain over their actions.

The US was not mentioned in the statement, but several of the leaders criticised the Americans in comments after the meeting.

"If this had happened to the president of the United States, it probably would have been grounds for war," said Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa.

"They think they can attack, crush, destroy international law."

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said in a TV interview on Friday that Madrid had "no reason to apologise".

He said airspace was never closed to Mr Morales' plane, but that the delay in Austria meant the flight permit had expired and had to be renewed.

He also said in reference to Mr Snowden: "They told us he was inside [the plane]."

Mr Garcia-Margallo's comment is the first official recognition by the European states that the incident with Mr Morales' plane was connected with the Snowden affair.

However, he did not say who had given the information to the Spanish authorities.

France earlier apologised for the plane incident, blaming it on "conflicting information".

The US state department has not commented directly on the latest claims, saying only that Washington had "been in touch with a broad range of countries" over the Snowden case.

Demonstrators marched on the French embassy in La Paz on Wednesday, burning the French flag and demanding the expulsion of the ambassador to Bolivia.

Mr Morales' plane took off from Vienna on Wednesday morning and arrived back in La Paz on Wednesday night.

Scarborough lawyer produces dying art form of Tamil opera at convention in July

Scarborough lawyer revives the ancient Tamil art of Naddu Koothu for a performance at the North American convention of Tamil organizations in July

Manuel Jesudasan takes the role of the king in a classic Sri Lankan opera he also directs that will be presented this Saturday.

The Toronto Star

By: Debra Black Immigration Reporter, Published on Thu Jul 04 2013

For Scarborough lawyer Manuel Jesudasan, opera and dance are longstanding passions passed on from his late father, who taught him the ancient Tamil art form known asNaadu Koothu in a small northern coastal village in Sri Lanka.

Scarborough Lawyer Produces Dying Art Form of Tamil Opera at Convention in July by nelvely

Football, rugby teams to play for Mandela

July 4, 2013

South Africa’s national football and rugby teams will play on the same day at the former World Cup showpiece stadium in Soweto to honour Nelson Mandela, bringing together the country’s two most popular sports that once underlined deep racial divisions.

The South African sports ministry said that Nelson Mandela Sports Day on August 17 at FNB Stadium, formerly Soccer City, was aimed at uniting the country and the world in "celebration and promotion" of the anti-apartheid leader’s legacy.

While calling the sports day a celebration of Mandela, the ministry referred to the sombre mood in South Africa, with its beloved 94-year-old national hero still in a critical but stable condition after 25 days in hospital.

"The launch happens at a time when South Africa is a nation in distress following the hospitalisation of our father and icon Nelson Mandela, who also happens to be the primary inspiration behind this initiative," the ministry said.

South Africa’s football team will play Burkina Faso in an exhibition, and the Springboks will start their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina.

Both games will be at the 94,000-seat stadium on the outskirts of Soweto, a site that holds significance for sports and Mandela himself.

The old FNB was where Mandela made his first speech in Johannesburg and held his first major rally after his release from prison in 1990, having been jailed by the apartheid regime for 27 years. Renamed Soccer City and rebuilt for the 2010 World Cup — the first in Africa — it also was where Mandela made his last public appearance, smiling and waving to nearly 100,000 fans as he circled the field before the World Cup final, three years ago next week.

South Africa’s first democratically-elected president has strong and emotional ties to sports in his nation. He famously supported the Springboks rugby team when it won the World Cup in 1995, and then the football team, known as ‘Bafana Bafana’, a year later when it captured the African Cup of Nations trophy at the FNB.

Rugby and football were previously examples of South Africa’s racial segregation, with rugby mainly followed by whites and football by blacks, until Mandela’s act of reconciliation and unity at the ‘95 Rugby World Cup, where he embraced the Springboks, a team associated just a few years earlier with apartheid and white racist rule.

Wearing team shirts on both occasions, Mandela endeared himself to sports-mad South Africans with his appearances at those rugby and football games, and he is still often referred to as a motivation for current South African athletes.

As well as the Springboks and ‘Bafana Bafana’ sharing the same field, the August 17 sports day also will feature a concert and another football match between former South African and Italian internationals.

Also recognised will be South Africa’s continental champion netball team and leading Springboks try-scorer Bryan Habana, the sports ministry said.

South Africa’s minister of sport and minister of arts and culture are to visit Mandela’s foundation offices in Johannesburg to deliver messages of support for the ailing former president.

Rescuing the memory of Latin America

The Rios Montt trial helps rescue memories to construct alternative histories of Latin America.

07 Jun 2013Manuela Picq-

Efrain Rios Montt was indicted for massacres that resulted in the killing of over 1,700 people in the early 1980s [AFP]

It took 10 days for Guatemala's Constitutional Court to annul the historic conviction of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt. In Brazil, despite testimonials that brought the room to tears, the government insists the Truth Commission will not lead to judicial prosecutions. In both cases, justice remains uncertain, but the rescuing of memory has been unleashed.

Rescuing the Memory of Latin America by nelvely

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Playing With Fire, Again

By Tisaranee Gunasekara -July 4, 2013

“In sooth this was a very base madness and a most horrible frenzy.” - Anatole France (Monsieur Bergeret in Paris)

‘Nationalist Collective’ is the latest Rajapaksa-concoction, a toxic brew of fanatics and opportunists, ladled together in an effort to convince Delhithat Sri Lankais being inundated by a spontaneous anti-devolution wave. Addressing its inaugural rally, Rev. Galagoda-Atte Gnanasara Thero raised the banner of militant Sinhala-Buddhism: “This is not the time for Buddhist monks to meditate in temples…. If politicians are going in the wrong direction, we have a sacred right to step in”[i].

‘Sinhala Only’ was not the only scourgeSWRD Bandaranaikebequeathed to us; ‘Buddhism First’ is his other baneful legacy. There was no popular demand for either; the clamour came from a vocal minority of fanatics and opportunists. SWRD Bandaranaike, a consummate opportunist, saw in their marginalised demand a path to power, for himself.

Playing With Fire, Again by nelvely