CHOGM 2013: Anglo-Indo-Lanka Ties And Tangles From DS To MR

By Rajan Philips -November 10, 2013 | 

Rajan Philips

DS Senanayake’s foreign policy was simple and straightforward even though DrNM Perera poured scorn on it, calling it: “Anglo mania and India phobia”.  This controversial starting point of independent Ceylon’s foreign policy reflected the political dominance of a certain worldview espoused by DS Senanayake and his UNP government in contrast to the alternative thesis advanced by the island’s political Left.  There were other considerations in between, especially the political relationship between the Sinhalese and the Tamils.  Overall, the conflicting attitudes to Anglos (or the West in general) and India at the political level were influenced by domestic political differences arising from their respective social bases and ideological biases, as well as the egotistical impulses of individual leaders.  The relative dominance of these attitudes in domestic politics has shaped the twists and turns in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy since independence.

Starting with “Anglo mania and India phobia” under DS Senanyake, steered along the non-alignment road by the Bandaranaikes, and reversed abruptly and then turned sharply into a ‘game-changing’ agreement with India by JR Jayewardene, Lanka’s foreign policy attitudes have been veering towards “China mania and Anglo-Indo phobia” under Mahinda Rajapaksa.  Yet, the country not only cannot cut itself loose from either the West or from India, but also does not want to sever those connections.  Therein is the dilemma for Sri Lanka despite establishing numerous independent connections with other countries and nations from China to Russia to Cuba over the last sixty years.  The hosting of the 2013 Commonwealth summit brings into sharp focus how this dilemma has been playing out in Sri Lankan politics from the Premiership of DS Senanayake to the Presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa.  And Commonwealth is the one forum where, despite the organization’s growing irrelevance in the world, Sri Lanka’s present and its future come to terms with its colonial past and its geographical reality at the same time.

Jungle John and Oxford SolomonRead More

The Truth Will Set You Free

By Malinda Seneviratne -November 10, 2013 |

Malinda Seneviratne

There is a lot of irony in the Government mulling the setting up of a Truth Commission on the lines of the model adopted by post-apartheid South Africa just days after the Chairman of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), former Attorney General C.R. De Silva passed away.

The LLRC was maligned even before it began sittings by many who were virulently opposed to the Government.  Its independence was questioned, its mandate found fault with and the value of conclusions pre-judged. Ironically, these very same objectors praised the LLRC report and, true to form, castigated the Government for not implementing recommendations therein.  The objectors turned cheer-leaders, naturally, indulged in a pick-and-choose exercise that amounted to an affront to the Commission and the tireless and thankless work it did.

Part of the irony is Bishop Desmond Tutu’s involvement in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of South Africa.  Tutu has uttered unadulterated nonsense on Sri Lanka, regurgitating fabrications circulated by the LTTE.  That said, the TRC is still worthy of visitation by a nation facing multiple post-conflict challenges, including the unfair and pernicious attacks by outside forces that cannot stomach the fact that their outcome preferences did not materialize.

The LLRC is said to have exceeded mandate, but few if any will claim that C.R. De Silva and his fellow commissioners were moved by anything but good intention.  The proposed Commission must not only complement the LLRC but be teethed in a manner that makes implementation of recommendation a non-negotiable outcome.                              Read More

Sri Lanka hardens stand on pact to lease oil storage to IOC

Monday, 11 Nov 2013

Hardening its stance, Sri Lanka has refused to sign a decade old agreement to lease the Trincomalee strategic oil storages to a unit of Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and is blocking the Indian firm's plans to set up a bitumen plant in the island nation.

In 2003, Lanka IOC - a subsidiary of state-owned IOC - bought one-third share in Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Ltd which operates the China Bay tank farm. Ceylon Petroleum Corp (CPC) and Colombo entered into an MoU with Lanka IOC to grant a long-term lease to the Indian firm for operating the 99 storage tanks at Trincomalee for 35 years for an annual fee of USD 100,000.

However, the 35-year lease finalisation dragged on and now Colombo has reservations on leasing out 'state asset' to Lanka IOC, industry sources said.

Since commencing operations, Lanka IOC has invested close to USD 15 million at regular intervals in creating facilities like additional storage tanks, lube blending facilities and refurbishing of jetty.

It also wants to invest another USD 17 million in creating bitumen handling facilities at the tank farm and had applied to the Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka, they said adding BOI has told Lanka IOC that approval can be given only after settlement of lease issue.

Sources said with Sri Lanka government having reservations on leasing the facilities to Lanka IOC, the entire project is stuck.

Petroleum Secretary Vivek Rae has written to Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh to take up the issue at the diplomatic level.

Lanka IOC, at the instance of Sri Lankan government, had in May submitted a proposal to operate the tank farms in a joint venture with CPC but there has been no response so far.

India voted against Sri Lanka in a US-sponsored resolution at the Human Rights Council in March, and has now downgraded its presence at the first multilateral CHOGM meeting in Colombo from the Prime Minister's level.

Right after the UN vote, the Sri Lankan government had announced it would renegotiate the tank farm agreement signed in 2003.

The China Bay tank farm, a World War II depot in Trincomalee, is the largest tank farm in South Asia and of great strategic value as it falls between the Middle East and Singapore.

Under privatisation, Colombo gave Lanka IOC the farm of 99 storage tanks, of which 15 are being used and two more are being refurbished at a cost of USD 17 million.

The 99 storage tanks and ancillary facilities are divided into 'upper' and 'lower' farms. The lower tank farm with 15 tanks is currently being utilised by Lanka IOC for storing and distribution of petroleum products. The upper tank farm consists of 84 tanks in an area of about 800 acres and is not being utilised presently except for storage of water in 4 tanks. (PTI)

India PM 'to boycott Sri Lanka Commonwealth summit'

COMMENTS (92)William Hague: "Let's make full use of Sri Lanka being in the spotlight"video

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been under pressure over the summit

Continue reading the main story

10 November 2013

Indian PM Manmohan Singh will boycott this week's Commonwealth summit in Colombo, officials say, amid a row over Sri Lanka's human rights record.

Indian media said Mr Singh had written to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to say he will be represented by his foreign minister instead.

India PM 'to Boycott Sri Lanka Commonwealth Summit' by nelvely

Post-CHOGM Challenge: Vision and strategies for Sri Lanka’s post-war rejuvenation

• by Gnana Moonesinghe
• - on 11/10/2013

For the last couple of months we have been wallowing in the CHOGM Dilemma- will it happen or will it not? Which country will be represented? How many of the Heads of State will attend? What kind of rabbit will the Diaspora pull out from their magic bag?  Which of the states will come out without blemish if the commonwealth values are applied uniformly to all? Will Sri Lanka be angry and lash out, at all the accusations of deficit, in the last stages of the war against terrorism and/or since then in governance?

• the challenge to build with the available tools.  The road will lead to unity of purpose, of hearts and minds.

Post-CHOGM Challenge Vision and strategies for Sri Lanka’s post-war rejuvenation by nelvely

Sri Lanka: The Unbreakable Bond

By T. Thurai -November 10, 2013

T. Thurai

When I wrote my novel The Devil Dancers, I could not have predicted that the cycle of events in 1950s Ceylon which provided the historical background for my book would re-surface in contemporary Sri Lanka.

An important influence on Sri Lankan politics since Independence – which has neither been fully appreciated nor understood by the West – is that of the Buddhist clergy or sangha. This is partly due to Western misconceptions regarding Buddhism.

Shaped by notions of Zen Buddhism, a liberal dose of romantic Orientalism and the traditional separation of power between Church and State, the European perception of Buddhism is that of a purely spiritual practice, completely disengaged from the interests of the temporal world.

We are therefore surprised when confronted by the blend of political activism and nationalism which can occur within the Theravada branch of Buddhism common to both Sri Lanka and Burma.

From the western perspective, Buddhism is viewed as a uniformly pacifist, politically neutral faith. It comes as a surprise, therefore, to learn that in some parts of the world – namely Sri Lanka and Burma – there is a particular brand of Buddhism in which monks are not only politically active but have also become embroiled in activities that are aggressive, violent and sometimes criminal.

Recent TV news items from both countries have shown Buddhist monks taking an active part in attacks against minority religious groups. While Moslems have been the main target, they have not been the only one. Attacks on Christians have also been reported in Sri Lanka.

What is the reason for this? Perhaps history can help to explain.Read More

Lee Rhiannon, Jan Logie Released After Being Detained In Sri Lanka

November 10, 2013 

Australian Parliamentarian Lee Rhiannon who was detained and questioned by Sri Lankan Immigration authorities for breaking immigration laws by attempting to hold a press conference, was issued her Special Projects Tourist Visa by Colombo’s Consulate in Sydney, an Australian newspaper reported.

Lee Rhiannon

Rhiannon told Fairfax media that she was advised to obtain a special projects class visas as a visiting parliamentarian.

“The people in the Sri Lankan consulate in Sydney approved the visa and there was no problem with it,” The Australian quoted her as saying.

Sri Lanka’s Consulate in Sydney is headed by Consul GeneralBandula Jayasekera, now in Colombo for CHOGM.

He told The Australian that the MPs were not being detained by immigration or deported, only being asked not to address the media because it breached the conditions of her tourist visa.

Ms Rhiannon was in the country on a ‘Special Projects’ class Tourist Visa, which she says, as a visiting parliamentarian, she was advised to obtain.

“They said that we had broken the law, and I challenged them on that. We obtained the correct visa, we followed their advice on which visa to obtain, the Australian government alerted the Sri Lankan government to our visit and about what we’d be doing. We followed the rules at all times,” the Australian Senator said.

Rhiannon and New Zealand Green Party MP Jan Logie were both detained by Immigration Officials who shut down a press briefing they were scheduled to hold at the office of the Tamil National Alliance in Bambalapitiya this morning.

The two MPs had been on a fact finding tour to Sri Lanka and travelled to the North where they said they had seen evidence of serious human and legal rights abuses. The two MPs were to issue a damning media statement at this morning’s press briefing, implicating a senior military commander in the abuse of women living in the North.

Joint Statement: Sri Lanka should not host CHOGM

media-releases

10 Nov 2013 | Lee Rhiannon
Human Rights

Australian Greens Senator Rhiannon and New Zealand Green MP Jan Logie will be holding a Press Conference today in Sri Lanka.

Time: 10.30am (local time)

Location:         Tamil National Alliance office, 32A, Retreat Road Colombo 4

Contact:   Lee Rhiannon:   +61 487 350 880 and Jan Logie: +64 21038 6101 

MEDIA STATEMENT 

10  November 2013

A delegation of Australian and New Zealand MPs at the conclusion of their fact finding visit to Sri Lanka have found that the ongoing abuses of human and legal rights are so serious that the Commonwealth meeting scheduled for Colombo should not proceed and that the Sri Lanka government should not be given the chair of CHOGM for the next two years .

Senator Lee Rhiannon from Australia and Jan Logie MP from New Zealand have been on a fact finding visit to Sri Lanka. Both MPs will report to their respective parliaments on their findings next week.

Joint statement from Senator Lee Rhiannon and MP Jan Logie:
“If CHOGM goes ahead and if Sri Lanka is given the Chair of this organisation the Commonwealth will have failed the people of Sri Lanka and damaged its own high standing with the international community.

“Elected officials and members of civil society in Sri Lanka have provided us with examples of massive illegal land confiscation by the armed forces; people being gaoled and detained with regular disregard for legal rights; violence, often involving rape, of women and children with no police investigation of these crimes; and ongoing intimidation of media workers.

“We visited areas where the army is occupying people's land. The homes of the displaced people are now tin shacks serviced by dirt pot holed roads. Many people have been living like this for more than two decades.

“Large numbers of women regularly suffer sexual abuse perpetrated by members of the Sri Lankan armed forces. One lawyer described to us the evidence collected about these crimes. In one case they have text messages from Major General Mahinda Hathurusingha to the 'comfort women' he frequently abuses.

"The level of hardship for women and their dependents is shocking. More than 40,000 households in the north and east of the country are now female headed and few of them receive any government assistance if they cannot find work.

"Politicians described to us incidents in the past week where young party workers have been intimidated and detained. One worker we met who had just been released from gaol after ten months was never charged.

"The harassment of media workers and media owners continues. In Jaffna we saw the bullet holes in the printing presses, the computers and walls of one media outlet. Journalists and paper distributors have been attacked.

"Clearly this is an unsafe country for journalists to work as those who commit these crimes have not been investigated or charged. We were left with the impression that the government is becoming increasingly repressive towards those committed to a critical independent examination of events in Sri Lanka.

"If CHOGM events proceed in Sri Lanka the Commonwealths heads need to ensure that their handshakes, talks and communiques with President  Rajapaksa are not used by this regime to claim legitimacy for their current operations.

"CHOGM's presence in Sri Lanka risks becoming an award for a regime accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. This international body should not allow itself to become a propaganda tool for the Rajapaksa regime.

"The Commonwealth played a key role in challenging apartheid in South Africa and oppression in Fiji. CHOGM should continue to stand by its own values and principles by working for improved human rights protection and justice in Sri Lanka.

"The Australian Greens and Green party of New Zealand will continue to work for an independent investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by all sides in the conflicts in Sri Lanka, and for CHOGM to stand with all the people of Sri Lanka not with a regime accused of war crimes.

"We look forward to reporting fully to the Australian and New Zealand parliament when we return.

Rajapakse regime arrests and sent back Australian senator and New Zealand M.P while CHOGM stares in its face

(Lanka-e-News-10.Nov.2013, 7.30PM) The SL Immigration and emigration intelligence department has this early morning arrested and seized the passports a New Zealand Parliamentarian and an Australian senator, and sent back them . The foreign VIPs had arrived in Sri Lanka earlier and they belong to two countries which are participating in the commonwealth summit in SL.

Lee Rinagan is the Australian senator , and Jaan Logi is the New Zealand Parliamentarian of green party. They had arrived in SL on the visas issued by SL under the special project after their foreign Ministries have informed the SL counterpart . They had been touring the north during the last three days and met with the northern provincial council members and held discussions with the newly appointed northern province chief Minister Vigneswaran.

The foreign Parliamentarian and senator were scheduled to leave SL today and they were to hold a press conference regarding their tour prior to their departure . This press conference was not something extraordinary and was to be just as usual. In this connection , the Tamil National Alliance had made arrangements to provide facilities to hold the press conference in Colombo. 

Just a while before the press conference began the Immigration and emigration intelligence division had swooped on the venue, arrested them and impounded their travel documents. Officers have questioned them seperatly. Subsequently they had been sent back after interrogation.

Chulananda Perera the Immigration and Emigration department administrative chief said , to hold a media briefing in Colombo , the permission of the Ministry of mass media must be obtained, and that they had violated visa regulations. 

It is noteworthy that Chulananda’s explanation is absolutely unjustifiable and is aimed at misleading the public because no permission of the media Ministry is necessary to hold a media briefing and there is no such legal requirement in SL.

TNA MP Sumenthiran attorney at law speaking to Lanka e news said, these foreign parliamentarian and senator did not come on invitations extended by his party . When they were touring the north they had met the TNA M.P.s and questioned about the situation in the north , and had even directly met the residents of the province . Later they had requested to hold a media briefing in their TNA party office Colombo , to which they complied with . However, subsequently the Immigration and emigration department took the MP and Senator into custody , Sumenthiran added.

Sumenthiran commenting further said , the government is making loud announcements that anyone can go to the north freely and make inquiries and get answers , but when they try to express their views , they are prohibited.

The foreign Parliamentarian and senator made a statement recently to the BBC reporter Dinasena Rathugamage , where they disclosed that they would be informing the SL government of their views through their governments at the end of their tour.

The SL Rajapakse regime about a week ago arrested the Directress of Asia pacific international media forum and her assistant when they attended a media workshop . They were harassed , intimidated and interrogated for two days after taking into custody , and then deported. That media Directress is also an Australian national. 

Some years ago , a parliamentarian ,Canadian national was also similarly deported over which the Canadian government was most offended and annoyed so much so that Canada even decided to boycott the upcoming commonwealth heads of countries summi

Over 2,300 Reported Missing

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Over 2,300 people in the North have been reported missing, according to data handed over to the Presidential commission investigating alleged disappearances.

A civil society organisation in Mannar handed over the data to the commission after conducting research on those in the North reported missing.

The report states that in the Jaffna District 904 people are still missing while in Kilinochchi the number of missing stands at 610, Vavuniya 181, Mannar 138 and Mullaitivu 468 people.

Former Judge Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama is heading the commission appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to investigate cases of missing persons from the Northern and Eastern Provinces during the war.

Others in the committee are Dimingu Badathuruge, Priyanthi Suranjana Vidyaratne and Mano Ramanathan.

The Commission which was appointed in August has been given the authority to conduct inquiries and necessary investigations, and submit a report to the President within six months. In President Rajapaksa’s instructions to the Commission, he stressed the necessity to identify the person(s) responsible in cases of abductions or disappearances and take legal action against those person(s).

The President indicated that the inquiries are being conducted in the interest of public security and wellbeing and to determine what measures should be taken to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. (ER)

Common Candidate Mooted 

By Easwaran Rutnam-Sunday, November 10, 2013

The United National Party (UNP) is considering putting forward a common candidate at the next Presidential elections, a UNP parliamentarian said.

UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the party is having discussions on the common candidate and will make a decision on it later.
“We will put forward the best candidate who can win the election,” Kiriella said.

The UNP MP, who had last week visited Kandy with UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya to brief the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatta chapters on the latest developments in the party, insisted that all the powers of the party leader were now vested in the UNP leadership council.

Kiriella said that party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has said he is willing to give more powers to the leadership council to take decisions on behalf of the party.

“We need to look at this as a positive development. If anyone is saying the leadership council does not have enough powers, they must first come and see for about two months what powers it has and then withdraw if they feel the leadership council is toothless instead of withdrawing support even before the council can begin its work,” he said. Meanwhile, UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya insisted that the new leadership council of the party has full powers and that this was confirmed by party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Woodpecker And The Banana Trunk

By Ruvan Jayamanne -November 10, 2013 

There is a Sinhala proverb that says: “the woodpecker happily pecks away at trunk after trunk, but the day it pecks at the banana trunk it’s beak is stuck”. The reference is to the copiously threaded nature of the trunk of the banana that can entangle any object that pierces it, potentially suffocating the intruder, in this case the woodpecker.

It increasingly appears that in wangling the hosting of the CHOGM, the Rajapaksa regime has been pecking at a banana trunk.

The regime has so far stridently proclaimed its self-righteousness, and blamed “anti-Sri Lankan” elements for its international woes. By wangling the CHOGM it hoped to whitewash itself and get world attention; to showcase the Rajapaksa glory with its highways, ports, airports and other constructions; to cover up its misdeeds that constitute a long list from corruption and nepotism to ill governance and the denial of the rule of law; to get political mileage for continued ill governance and re-election; and to attract foreign investment worth an estimated US$ two billion.

Rather than any conceivable content of the Commonwealth conference, what has been increasingly gaining world attention are the misdeeds of the regime, most conspicuously war crimes, human rights violations and ill governance. Starting with the boycott by the Canadian prime minister and foreign minister, the regime’s expectations are dwindling by the day. The severest blow is that of the boycott by the Indian prime minister DrManmohan Singh, the leader of the nation most important for Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth. In addition, five Caribbean countries are joining the boycott, and the British prime minister David Cameron is expected to take up the demand for an international investigation into the alleged war crimes.

Contrary to the dreams of the Rajapaksa regime, the world media will be focused on the failings and crimes of the host rather than any substantial proceedings.

The local media, firmly in the regime’s grip, will sing its praises and portray Rajapaksa as a world leader.  For the negative publicity it is bound to get, the regime and its agents will blame the west, the Tamil diaspora and the NGOs.

Govt Finds A Way To Put The Noose On Foreign Scribes

November 10, 2013 |

Days ahead of the Commonwealth Summit in Colombo, the Government of Sri Lanka has devised ways and means to prevent foreign media personnel flooding the country to cover the summit from reporting on other issues in the country.

Charitha Herath

The CHOGM Task Force Secretariat in Sri Lanka has issued a directive to foreign media personnel accredited to cover the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo that they would require further clearance from the Government to pursue non-CHOGM related events and stories.

A notice signed by Media Ministry Secretary and Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub Committee Charitha Herath says foreign media seeking to explore “non CHOGM related activities and stories” will have to apply to the Accreditation Division of the Ministry of Mass Media and Information.

The foreign journalists would have to follow the regular procedures outlined by the government information department.

CHOGM leaders should urge media freedom in Sri Lanka

CHOGM leaders should urge media freedom in Sri Lanka

November 5, 2013
Dear Commonwealth Heads of Government:

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was set up more than 40 years ago with the aim of working together toward shared goals of democracy, freedom, peace, and the rule of law. In the past, formal meetings and private retreats at the summit have served as a platform for member states to discuss issues that affect all nations, such as apartheid in South Africa and the electoral dispute in Zimbabwe. 

CHOGM Leaders Should Urge Media Freedom in Sri Lanka by nelvely

Sri Lanka, 'Corrupted Journalism' and Channel 4 News

SATURDAY 09 NOVEMBER 2013 Sri Lanka , World

\Channel 4 News Editor Ben de Pear writes in response to a 222-page book entitled Corrupted Journalism given out to journalists attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka.

Channel 4 News Editor, Ben de Pear (@bendepear) writes:

In the media pack given to all arriving journalists at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)being held in Sri Lanka next week is a 222 page book called "Corrupted Journalism".

It is an out and out attack on Channel 4 and our journalism. As we only received our visas this week (our accreditation process took 8-10 weeks as opposed to the 2-3 weeks it took everyone else) I do not have this weighty tome in my hands, so I can't react to everything it says.

Sri Lanka, 'Corrupted Journalism' and Channel 4 News by nelvely