Heroin smuggler's VIP connections

By Ravi Ladduwahetty-Wednesday, 04 Dec 2013


The importer/smuggler who was nabbed with Asia's largest haul of heroin of 260 kg on 30 August, said to have a street value of Rs 2.6 billion, had connections with the Prime Minister's Office, the JVP charged in Parliament yesterday.


JVP Parliamentary Group Leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, making a special statement in Parliament, said that the nabbed importer, Rohan Impex, of T-30, Railway Quarters, Maligawatte, had asked for concessions on demurrage and port charges, claiming that the container had ceramic ware and grease, but instead, on inspection, the container was found to have Asia's largest stock of heroin.


He said there were letters written in response by an official in the Prime Minister's Office, and communication had been made using the official letterhead of the Prime Minister.
Allegedly written by the Coordinating Secretary to the Prime Minister, he had also promised the smuggler that he will recommend to the Prime Minister that port...


...charges and demurrage be slashed, based on the fact that this was the first time the importer had brought in a consignment comprising ceramic ware and grease.


Dissanayake also requested the minister-in-charge to disclose, (1) What were the materials that had been cleared from the container and the quantities of the same? ( 2) Were there any documents which were submitted to obtain any concession? (3) Who had advised him to request the stated concessions? (4) What action had been taken against the person who had sent the letter? (5) Has the cooperation of Interpol been sought? (6) What was the overall progress of the inquiries in this regard?


Prime Minister, D.M. Jayaratne, replying to the questions that had been posed, said he was aware that inquiries were proceeding, and promised to reveal the details when the inquiry was concluded.

MaRa abuses IGP in filth -why douse the BMICH fire ? ‘we have the Nelum Pokuna yakko’ he yells out

(Lanka-e-News-02.Dec.2013, 11.55PM) The IGP who appointed a special police team including a DIG to 

probe the fire that broke out at the BMICH had been furiously berated by Medamulana MaRa , the President of the country . According to reports emerging from the inside sources of Temple Trees , the IGP was scolded in the choicest filthiest language by MaRa who is never in want of filth and foul language. 

What purpose are you trying to achieve by investigating the BMICH fire? Why, haven’t you any other tasks? MaRa had questioned the IGP following it with a barrage of filthy verbal abuse.

‘Probe the cases of women cut , chopped and thrown on the roads ( MaRa has unwittingly admitted the uncontrollably lawless murderous culture under his regime) . Yakko even if the BMICH is consumed in fire or even bulldozed to dust , Nelum Pokuna is there for us,’ MaRa has thundered in perfectly blended raw filth. ‘Even if Bandaranaike Airport catches fire there is the Mattala Airport now. Try to understand that,’ MaRa had shouted in a fit of rage.
When IGP had tried to give a reply from the other end of the telephone conversation , MaRa had got angered more , ‘are you also trying to become another Fonseka ? be careful,’ MaRa had warned and terminated his phone call.

It is to be noted that the Fire brigade arrived at the BMICH only after a delay of one and half hours to douse the fire .

Believe it or not ! in any other country , the highest in its hierarchy orders the police to take immediate action to douse a conflagration , but it is only in Sri Lanka , under Medamulana Rajapakse , the President gives orders not to douse the fire engulfing a building.

SL : is indeed a miracle in the making under MaRa ! lest we forget it is Rajapakse style of course !!

Rajapakses who feed the oppressed people with fire , metaphorically speaking , when they ask for food and water (Rathupaswala incident) for their living, and thrive in causing arson to be committed across the country had confirmed this by the BMICH conflagration.

This fire at the BMICH on the 30 th of November is a calculated conspiracy – how did the fire extinguishing equipment too at the BMICH fail to function ?

NEW ARMY RECRUIT HANGS HIMSELF IN TRAINING CAMP

December 3, 2013 

A newly recruited army soldier undergoing training has committed suicide by hanging himself within the premises of a training camp in Puttalam, police said.

The deceased, B.T. Shehan, a resident of Thitthagala in Ahangama, was undergoing training under the Puttalam Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment.
He had informed the army officers in charge of training exercises that he is unwell for the past couple of days.
However, fellow soldiers discovered his body hanging from a Margosa tree this morning while he had used rope provided for soldier uniforms as a noose.

A postmortem examination is to be conducted.  

Former Police officer arrested for fraud

By Menaka Indrakumar

An individual was arrested last morning (2) by the Special Crime Operation Unit, in Mirihana for defrauding various people by posing as high ranking police officials, the Police Media Unit told Ceylon Today Online.

The suspect had impersonated as Kularatne, DIG of the North and Premalal Ranagala, a senior Police officer of the Ampara District.

The 39 year old suspect, who is a resident of Balapitya had defrauded the public by calling them from different telephone numbers, using the names of the high ranking Police officials.

The male suspect was caught based on a tip off received by the Special Crime Operation Unit in Mirihana, while attempting to call a person in Vennappuwa.

According to the Police the suspect was a former police officer, who was suspended a few years ago.

The police are conducting further investigations, while the suspect was produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate today (3).(Ceylon Today Online)

ANOTHER SUSPECT OF KAMBURUPITIYA MURDERS DEAD

December 3, 2013 

Chinthaka Wasantha the main suspect of the murder of a police constable and his wife in Kamburupitiya died due to a confrontation with STF at Nigala last night, Police said. The Police spokesman claimed that when the STF had surrounded the suspect in Nigala last night the suspect opened fire at them and died in the shootout.

This is the fourth suspect in the Kamburupitiya murders to die before being produced in court.

On November 27, two suspects arrested in connection with the murder of a police constable and his wife in Kamburupitiya drowned after trying to flee police. The suspects had allegedly drowned in a lake in Benagama, Hakmana after trying to flee while they were taking a police team to show an arms cache. 

On November 22 one of the main suspects was also killed following a confrontation with police

A Police Constable (PC) attached to the Matara Division Anti-vice Squad and his wife died after they were brutally assaulted by an unknown group who broke into their residence in Kumburupitiya on November 16.

The police officer passed away after he was admitted to the Kumburupitiya Hospital while his 30-year-old wife who was being treated at the Karapitiya Hospital succumbed to injuries the following day.

The couple’s 2-year-old son who was also allegedly injured in the attack was treated at the Karapitiya Hospital and discharged.

The 33-year-old Police Constable had been serving in the Matara Division Anti-vice Squad and had taken part in several raids and operations, police said.

Gilad Atzmon on Ken O'Keefe's Middle East - TPV pt.1

Dec-03-2013
If you aren't familiar with these two you should be.

Gilad Atzmon and Ken O'Keefe on "The People's Voice"

(LONDON) - Two of the world's most outspoken critics of the Zionist government of Israel, Gilad Atzmon and Ken O'Keefe, scrutinize the role of language in political discussion and Palestine solidarity discourse in particular.

In this segment they examine Zionism, Israel, Jewish tribalism and the usage of the 'J word'.

If you aren't familiar with these two you should be. There are only a handful of people in this world who command the attention of Ken and Gilad when it comes to disassembling the false logic behind racist ideology.

There are few topics that set off an offensive reaction like Israel and Palestine. But this bitter political problem is best taken straight on and it requires brave intellectuals like these two.

Talent and Human Values

Gilad was born and raised in Israel, his book The Wandering Who? exposes the problems associated with Jewish identity politics. His inside-out critique of Israel involves great understanding. His book and other writings provide indisputable facts about Israel's record on human rights that rile Israel's staunchest advocates.

Considered one of London's top jazz musicians, Gilad has played with giants like Paul McCartney and Sinead O'Connor. He was a member of Ian Durry and the Blockheads famous for the late 70's hit, "Sex and Drugs and Rock-n-Roll". Gilad currently plays and records with The Orient Ensemble, and writes for Salem-News.com.

Courage and Relentless Advocacy

Ken O'Keefe has spent the last several years as a high profile activist for the people of Gaza, who live isolated from the world, surrounded by Israeli walls, a sea blockade by the Israeli navy, and hostile Egyptians who have closed the tunnels that previously allowed essential goods into Gaza.

Ken's background for human rights is varied and serious. He has brought attention to persecution all over the world, Ken, a former U.S. Marine, was aboard the cruise ship Mavi Marmara that was attacked in open ocean waters by the Israeli military, which killed nine unarmed people and left scores wounded and bleeding. Ken also writes for Salem-News.com.

http://www.thepeoplesvoice.tv/watchnow

British tour for Maj. Pathirana for setting fire to ‘Udayan’ office

 Monday, 02 December 2013 

The Defence Ministry has taken action to send Jaffna commanding officer of Gajaba Regiment Major Pathirana and Gajaweera and Munniragedara of the Special Forces Regiment on a tour of Britain ‘in recognition of their services.’ Maj. Pathirana has become qualified for this Christmas prize for his having set fire twice to the Udayan newspaper office in Jaffna on the orders of Jaffna commander Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe. In addition, Maj. Pathirana and the two officers have been thus rewarded for having sabotaged electioneering in the north.

Their other act which has come in for praise by the Defence Ministry is their having turned north chief minister C.V. Vigneswaran back from visiting a Tamil school and a kovil being dismantled by the Army recently.

In recognition of all these, the Defence Ministry is due to send the three officers to Britain on December 15, purportedly on a special project. The External Affairs Ministry presently has the passports of the trio and it had liaised with the British High Commission and obtained visa for them. Without knowing the circumstances, the high commission has issued the visas.

Burkas and Niqabs banned at Moratuwa University

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MONDAY DECEMBER 02, 2013

The Moratuwa University has declined a request by two Muslim female undergraduates, to wear their face veils (Niqab) within the university premises, officials say.

According to University Vice Chancellor Prof. Ananda Jayawardane, two undergraduates have asked for permission a few months back to wear face veils within the university premises and subsequently the matter has been referred to the Resident and Disciplinary Committee, and the university’s senate.

Pointing out that this is the first time we received such a request, Prof.Jayawardane said that the said that easy identification of students was needed to ensure safety and discipline within the university premises.

He further said that they are allowing the students to wear headscarves and that this was a decision agreed upon by all the academics including the Muslim members of the staff.

Prof. Jayawardane said there was no such issue at all at the university over this matter.

Accountability Issues Must Not Displace Devolution

By Jehan Perera -December 2, 2013 

Jehan Perera

Prior to the Commonwealth Summit there were several positive signals from both the government and TNA.  It was the government that led the way by boldly deciding to conduct the Northern Provincial Council election, campaigning at the polls with enthusiasm and accepting its verdict with an appearance of good grace.   However, after CHOGM there has been a decline in good news in relation to post-war reconciliation.  The news is dominated by bitterness, be it the issue of the international community investigating the past or the pro-LTTE speech in Parliament by an opposition TNA parliamentarian.  There are signs of a growing deterioration in relations between the government and TNA.  The failure of the Northern Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran and the TNA to take part in the district development committee meetings in Jaffna and Kilinochchi bode ill for the cooperation between the central and provincial authorities.

The present structure of the provincial council system under the 13th Amendment is that power and resources are with the central government.  Without the cooperation of the central authorities, there is little that the provincial authorities can do.  The problem in regard to cooperation between the two parties at the district development committee meetings is that they are presently chaired by the minister of the central government in charge of northern affairs, Douglas Devananda.  He has been chairing these meetings, along with the Governor of the Northern Province at which very important resource allocation decisions are made.  One of the complaints of the northern people has been that these decisions reward only supporters of the government.  Another complaint has been that the decisions taken have emphasized infrastructure at the expense of the immediate livelihood needs of the war-affected population.

The Northern Chief Minister has so far rejected offers to co-chair the development committee meetings with Minister Devananda who has many years of experience of handling ministerial work and has the whip hand over the government officials of the area.  There is an apparent lack of confidence in an equal partnership or in joint and mutually acceptable decision making on the part of the newly elected provincial council members who belong to the opposition.  This is unfortunate, as there is a danger of this type of disagreement blighting the expectations of the Northern people in regard to the newly formed provincial council’s ability to deliver concrete results to them.  If the northern people feel that their expectations are not being realized within the structures of the Sri Lankan state, and that their elected representatives are powerless, this will surely serve to jeopardize the hard won peace that now exists.

External focus                                        Read More                    

New unit set up to spy on Anti-Govt personnel overseas

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MONDAY DECEMBER 02, 2013

A new intelligence bureau consisted of handpicked officers belonging to Sri Lankan State intelligence Service (SIS) the Department of Military intelligence (DMI) has been set up by the Govt, Indian media reports.

According to news reports this new intelligence unit has been named “The International Bureau of Investigation”. Officers attached to this unit are said to have been dispatched to Sri Lankan Embassies in foreign countries to engage in their operations.

It is said that these secret agents have been assigned to the task of collecting information about the personnel who are working against the Sri Lankan Govt overseas.

According to news reports a pack of 6 intelligence officers have already been dispatched to the Sri Lankan embassies in Australia, Malaysia, Britain, Canada, India and Indonesia.

-theindependent-

Jaffna university students stage protest

[ Monday, 02 December 2013, 09:01.40 AM GMT +05:30 ]

Students of Jaffna university stage protest since 8.00 am today.

This protest was organised by the members of Jaffna University students union. Protesters thoroughly oppose long tern vacation for Jaffna university students and also said university administration fail to fulfill the requests made by the students union. Students raised slogans against the university administration. Police anti vice squad deployed in the premises of Jaffna University.

GTF denounces Nonis' comments

 Monday, 02 December 2013 

The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) said it was absurd that High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in London, Dr. Chris Nonis, has accused British Prime Minister, David Cameron, of speaking to the Tamil gallery in the UK, during a recent interview with BBC.

GTF Denounces Nonis' Comments by nelvely

Sauce For Gander Is Sauce For Goose

State media bought out with laptops

| by Pearl Thevanayagam

(December 02, 2013, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Daily Noise is spewing out venom on Tamils commemorating their dead in the war. Rajpal Abeynaike, the new editor of CDN (Ceylon Daily News) who was quick to grab a laptop from the President is forever indebted and the only way is to return the favour with honeyed editorials. Abeynaike has not a single shred of self-respect and he is too imbibed to make rational use of his talents as writer. His only crutch is cowing down to the government in power.

He informs us morons that JVP is a legitimate political party now that is has joined hands with the government and left behind its Marxist rebellion. The LTTE is on the other hand a proscribed terrorist outfit. Karuna, Pillayan and KP too should be made persona non grata; except the government lives in serendipitous hope the stashed diaspora funds given to the LTTE are in the bank accounts of KP. Post-war, the LTTE funds have gone into private accounts of those the LTTE entrusted with. Overnight they are buying businesses and properties like there is no tomorrow.

White Pigeon donations for Tsunami victims came from hard-working Tamils who ran shops, petrol sheds and restaurants. They donated in thousands of pounds by way of palettes of goods to help their brethren who were sidelined by the government. The government instead rebuilt Galle as if the East which was most affected did not exist. Even foreign media were ensconced in Galle’s luxury hotels since the East was too remote and without comforts.

The diaspora Tamils collected enough to commission a ship to the tune of £60,000 and goods such as essential items, food and medicine. But the government stubbornly refused to allow it inshore cautioning they would be used by the LTTE to strengthen their war machinery.

This writer was present to help out Tsunami victims on Boxing Day in 2004 and Angayatkanni (Douglas Devananda’s friend) and Dr Moorthi took charge of electronic transfer of funds from Tamils abroad.

How White Pigeon escaped Charity Commission probe begs belief.

Having said that it is true Tamils are no saints or patriots. Not unlike the Jews, their ambition is to accumulate as much wealth as and when possible. Go to any Tamil Hindu home and you will not see Saraswathi but Lakshmi. Saraswathi is the Goddess for education and Lakshmi is for wealth. Diaspora Tamils are not the Tamils who lived in the North and East whose hospitality is the same as those Sinhala villagers who would not hesitate to feed their guests even with their last morsels.

Perhaps having managed to flee from Sri Lanka leaving their lands and loved ones made their hearts grow stone-cold to the plight of others and they are hell-bent on accumulating, accumulating and accumulating. They truly and sincerely believe they should show-case to their impoverished and trapped brethren in Sri Lanka they have achieved and own properties abroad.

One will not get even a cup of tea in their homes and yet they plead poverty when it comes to paying for services such as home-help. While the government provides them with funds they will pay £3.00 an hour whereas the minimum wage is £6.10 to failed asylum seekers most of whom are students whose visas had expired. This includes impoverished Sinhala and Muslim youth. Should they argue they would simply inform the UK Border Agency they are overstaying their visas.

Racist politics apart and getting back to the prostituting journalists who in Mangala Samaraweera’s words that some could be bought with a bottle of whisky, Abeynaike sticks out like a sore thumb. The grin on his face as he received his laptop speaks volume for his subservience and respectful journalists cringe at the sight.

Callum Mcrae, the Channel 4 documentary maker, who was pilloried in the press for speaking out for the war victims in his three documentaries and Frances Harrison, former BBC correspondent in Colombo, who dared to make her own investigation in torture and sexual violence of captured civilians during the last stages of war were branded stooges of the diaspora propaganda.

Callum talked about the ingenious ways Sri Lanka independent journalists managed to convey to the outside world the curb on news getting out at Frontline Club in London yesterday during a panel discussion. They only touched the tip of the iceberg. Either they were constrained in their efforts to capture the full scenario of the media freedom in Sri Lanka or they had to protect their sources.

If there is any hope for freedom and justice in Sri Lanka it would be through fearless journalism. As long as we have cheque book journalists in the pay of the government no amount of international pressure would resurrect its populace from slavery and subservience.

(The writer has been a journalist for 24 years and worked in national newspapers as sub-editor, news reporter and news editor. She was Colombo Correspondent for Times of India and has contributed to Wall Street Journal where she was on work experience from The Graduate School of Journalism, UC Berkeley, California. Currently residing in UK she is also co-founder of EJN (Exiled Journalists Network) UK in 2005 the membership of which is 200 from 40 countries. She can be reached at pearltheva@hotmail.com)

CBK in Australia for conference on ‘inclusive growth’

(Lanka-e-News-02.Dec.2013, 4.30PM) Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga left for Australia on Sunday 1st December.

As a member of its Board of Directors she will attend the 2013 Annual Conference of Club de Madrid to be held in Brisbane. Club de Madrid is an Association of 90 former Presidents and Prime Ministers, who engage in advising Governments and Leaders on selected issues. 

Kumaratunga will also participate at a three day Symposium on “Societies that work - Jobs for Inclusive Growth from 7th to 9th December. The former leaders will identify measures to increase employment for sustainable growth, including legislation and incentives as well as sectors with potential for job creation. The conclusions will be officially presented to the Australian G-20 Presidency.

Singh doing a Cameron!

Editorial-December 1, 2013, 

All indications are that the Congress-led government in New Delhi is scraping the barrel with a few moons to go for a general election. The BJP is emerging very powerful and the scandal-ridden Congress is desperate for votes to avert an electoral disaster. Else, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would not have evinced so keen an interest in Sri Lanka. He needs Tamil Nadu backing more than ever.

Congress stalwart and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has gone on record as saying that PM Singh may visit Jaffna to hold talks with Northern Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran. He has also said that India wouldn’t rest until the 13th Amendment is fully implemented.

It looks as if India were trying to manipulate Wigneswaran in the same way as the first (and last) Chief Minister of the merged North and East and notorious Indian lackey, Vartharaja Perumal, who took on the Premadasa government and went so far as to resort to UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence) before running away. It is not in the interest of the northern Sri Lankans struggling to rebuild their lives for India to pit the Northern PC against the government. Such a course of action may serve only India’s purpose.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, who, we are afraid, behaved like an overgrown schoolboy while in Colombo skipping as he did a part of the recently concluded CHOGM to play cricket, succeeded in boosting the morale of some LTTE activists so much so that they crawled out of the woodwork to praise Prabhakaran in Parliament the other day. Prime Minister Singh’s planned visit to Jaffna is likely to have a similar effect.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, in Parliament on Friday, took a swipe at those who, he said, were now weeping buckets for the northern people of Sri Lanka, having encouraged the Sri Lankan government to go the whole hog and eliminate Prabhakaran. He stopped short of naming names, but he was presumably referring to India.

Had India really wanted to stop the Vanni war, it could have resorted to gunboat or parippu diplomacy the way it had done in 1987 to coerce Colombo into suspending or even calling off the final offensive. Indian satellites remained focused on the northern theatre of war and New Delhi even had its intelligence operatives on the ground, and, therefore, it should have intervened to stop the war if it had had any reliable information that war crimes were being perpetrated by the Sri Lankan army. The conflagration that led to the elimination of Prabhakaran and his trusted lieutenants had the trappings of a proxy war of sorts; the Congress-led government wanted Sri Lanka to get rid of New Delhi’s headache—Prabhakaran—so that it could have a puppet administration installed in the North like Perumal’s.

India has called for a credible investigation into Sri Lanka’s alleged war crimes and even voted for a resolution to that effect in Geneva. Sri Lanka, no doubt, has to fully implement the recommendations by its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which has dealt with accountability issues to some extent and proposed a way out. Why India does not order an investigation into the allegations of war crimes against the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) during its operations in Sri Lanka in the late 1980s is the question. Charity, as they say, begins at home and example is better than precept.

PM Singh will be left with no moral right to campaign against war crimes if he comes here and pays a floral tribute to the IPKF memorial in Colombo without ordering a probe into the alleged atrocities such as murder, rape, torture and involuntary disappearances the Indian military is accused of having perpetrated in Sri Lanka.

An apology from the Indian premier to the people of the North and the East for the crimes committed by the IPKF troops may be in order even if he does not visit Sri Lanka.

Another issue that needs to be taken up with the Indian leader is illegal fishing by the Tamil Nadu fleet in Sri Lankan waters. Poaching carried out with the help of banned methods such as bottom trawling has threatened the livelihood of Sri Lanka’s northern fishermen who have been staging protests, but in vain.

CHOGM 2013 /Sri Lanka: Opposition boycott as mobs close to Secretary of the Defence Rajapaksha play havoc

VIDEO: UNP WILL OPPOSE INDIAN PM COMING TO SL ON INVITATION OF NORTHERN CM

December 2, 2013 

The UNP will oppose the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accepting an invitation by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Vigneshwaran to visit Sri Lanka after he rejected the President’s invitation to take part in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, UNP MP John Amaratunga stated.

The UNP MP stated this in parliament today (December 2) while citing media speculation that the Indian PM is to visit Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Northern Chief Minister.

He claimed that this was part of an effort to weaken ties between the two nations.

CHOGM 2013 /Sri Lanka: Opposition boycott as mobs close to Secretary of the Defence Rajapaksha play havoc

Friday, November 15, 2013

In a letter to the Commonwealth Secretary Kamalesh Sharma, UNP General Secretary MP Tissa Attanayake informs that the UNP has been compelled to change their decision attend inaugural ceremony of the CHOGM today (15). In the letter sent yesterday, MP Attanayake stated that though it was initially stated that the UNP leader and other invitees from the party would attend the event, they had been compelled to change the decision due to latest developments which included the assault on the UNP leader by 'mobs transported by army and government vehicles'. 'In view of these developments, the UNP will boycott tomorrow's opening session and all other related functions,' MP Attanayake added.

The complete letter of the UNP General Secretary MP Tissa Attanayake is as follows :Read more »

UNP warns public of CHOGM consequences

November 20th, 2013

The United National Party (UNP) today denounced the lack of transparency of the extravagance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and claimed that ordinary public will be the victims of escalating cost of living in days to come.

Karu Jayasuriya; Chairman of the United Leadership Council –UNP issued a statement on behalf of the party.

Find the full statement of the chairman as below:             Read more »

Broad alliance to be formed for key elections

Sunday, 01 December 2013 

A broad political alliance is to be formed to face key elections that area expected to be held next year.

It is learnt that discussions are currently underway to for a broad alliance that would bring together Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

This broad coalition is looking at forming the alliance in time for the next key national election and is to present the common candidate at the next Presidential election.

The name of the common candidate is to be made public when the Presidential election is announced.

However, the JVP has not yet joined the discussions at a formal level.

Government has privatized state services, but kept the structures - JVP

 Monday, 02 December 2013 

The JVP has charged that the government contrary to its policy statements has privatized many state services while holding on to the structures.

JVP politburo member K.D. Lalkantha said in a programme on private television that despite claims by the government that privatization is not one of its policies, many state services have been given out to the private sector.

He observed that the country’s health sector was a good example where many services in the sector have been given out to the private sector while keeping behind the infrastructure facilities like buildings and equipment.

“When a patient earlier went to a state hospital all services were provided within the hospital, but now most services have been assigned to private health institutions and patients are directed by state hospitals to these private institutions,” Lalkantha explained.

Secret of Colombo millionaires becoming poor farmers in Kataragama

 Monday, 02 December 2013 

Issuing licenses for state land in Kataragama began in 2004 and then then divisional secretary for the area was Ariyaratne Edirisinghe. Under the first phase, 90 plots of land were given licenses, signed by him. In the 10 succeeding years, the Kataragama Divisional Secretariat has issued around 800 land licenses.

The basic qualification to become eligible to obtain a land license is being a farmer with a monthly income of less than Rs. 3,000. That license is for farmers’ category. Ninety per cent of the 800 licenses given so far have been issued to the names of millionaires of Colombo. Each license holder has spent between Rs. 500,000 and Rs. 1,000,000 per land. This is a completely illegal act. The Kataragama DS and Grama Seva Officers are selling these licenses for hundreds of thousands of rupees, although they should be issued free of charge.

Incumbent DS E.B.M. Atapattu and Grama Seva Officer Sanath de Silva have earned millions of rupees from this land license racket. The irony of it is that in 2004, the then DS Ariyaratne Edirisinghe used to visit Kataragama once a month, issue licenses, backdated with his signature, and go back with at least two to three million rupees in his pocket, according to very reliable sources.

Astrologers Alfred Sudasinghe and his son Mindula Sudasinghe, who have close connections with the president, have obtained several acres of land at Situlpawwa Road through this licensing method and already started constructing buildings. They have been given the land by the Kataragama DS on the orders of the president. Await a detailed report on this land racket in Kataragama...

“When the government says it does not privatize, it means the structures, since most services have already been given to the private sectors,” he added.