Dissecting the Opioid/Heroin Epidemic to Discover its Ugly Roots

Aug-20-2014-Marianne Skolek Salem-News.com Investigative Reporter

What if the FDA, the DEA, Pharma and their
Lobbying Groups were responsible for the national
conspiracy in the Opioid/Heroin Epidemic?

Graph: thenationalcouncil.org

(MYRTLE BEACH, SC) - Hypothetically, what if the FDA had an "interest" in approving dangerous opioids when just nine years an opioid called Palladone was pulled by the FDA after only a month of being on the market for its danger to the public?

Purdue Pharma, maker of the opioid, epidemic making drug OxyContin produced Palladone and had hoped to piggyback more profits in the billions with two blockbuster opioids.

Dissecting the Opioid Heroin Epidemic to Discover Its Ugly Roots by Thavam

பாலியல் வல்லுறவு குற்றச்சாட்டில் இலங்கை இராணுவச் சிப்பாய்

இலங்கைப் படையினர்

19 ஆகஸ்ட், 2014

இலங்கையின் வடமேற்கே மன்னார் பிரதேசத்தில் சிறுமியொருவர் பாலியல் வல்லுறவுக்கு உட்படுத்தப்பட்டிருப்பதாகக் கிடைத்த முறைப்பாட்டையடுத்து, நடத்தப்பட்ட விசாரணைகளில் இராணுவ சிப்பாய் ஒருவர் இதில் சம்பந்தப்பட்டிருப்பதாகத் தகவல் கிடைத்திருப்பதாகக் காவல்துறை பேச்சாளர் அஜித் ரோகண பிபிசி தமிழோசையிடம் தெரிவித்தார்.

இந்தச் சம்பவம் இம்மாதத்தின் முற்பகுதியில் நடைபெற்றது என்றும், நான்கு நாட்களுக்கு பிறகே இதுபற்றி தங்களிடம் முறைப்பாடு செய்யப்பட்டதாகவும் காவல்துறை பேச்சாளர் தெரிவித்தார்.

பதினான்கு வயதுடைய பாதிக்கப்பட்ட சிறுமி, பாலியல் வல்லுறவுக்கு உட்படுத்தப்பட்டிருந்தார் என மருத்துவ பரிசோதனை நடத்திய சட்டவைத்திய அதிகாரி உறுதிப்படுத்தியுள்ளார் என்றும் காவல்துறை கூறுகிறது.

இந்தச் சம்பவம் தொடர்பில் சாட்சியொருவரும் தகவல் வழங்கியிருப்பதாகவும், அதன் அடிப்படையில் சந்தேகத்திற்குரிய இராணுவச் சிப்பாய் இதில் சம்பந்தப்பட்டிருக்கிறார் என்பதைக் கண்டுபிடிப்பதற்கான விசாரணைகளை மன்னார் காவல்துறையினர் மேற்கொண்டிருக்கின்றனர்.

இச்சம்பவம் தொடர்பில் மன்னார் நீதிமன்றத்திற்கு அறிக்கை சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட்டதையடுத்து, மேல் விசாரணைகளை நடத்துமாறு காவல்துறையினருக்கு நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

Tamils in Sri Lanka must enjoy 'equality, dignity, justice and self-respect' says India

Photograph Colombo Page

22 August 2014
Tamils in Sri Lanka must enjoy "equality, dignity, justice and self-respect" India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj told the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on Friday in New Delhi. 

"She [Sushma Swaraj] stressed the need for a political solution that addresses substantially, the aspirations of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka for equality, dignity, justice and self-respect within a framework of a united Sri Lanka," the ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said during a weekly press briefing on Friday. 

The six member TNA delegation included leader R. Sampanthan and TNA MPs Mavai Senathirajah, M.A. Sumanthiran, Suresh Premachandran, Ponnambalam Selvarajah and Selvan Adaikalanathan.

"This is the first delegation of the TNA to visit India after the new government of India has taken office. Obviously this is part of our effort to engage with all - the government of Sri Lanka as well as all political parties in Sri Lanka, with the ongoing process of reconciliation," India's external affairs ministry spokesperson said. 

"The TNA delegation made a presentation to the external affairs minister in a fairly detailed manner about what they perceive as the current situation in Sri Lanka in terms of the political environment and their engagement or otherwise with the Sri Lankan government," he added, stating that the delegation is due to meeting Prime Minister Modi on Saturday where "they intend to put forward a detailed projection of their understanding of the situation as well as suggestions that they may have in this context about Indian engagement on this issue."

The spokesperson also said there "was a discussion about the Indian developmental projects in the region, including in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. This included the housing project, as well as hospitals and various other projects, including reference to the Sampur thermal projection also."

See full press conference here. (Questions relating to TNA and Sri Lanka at 11:16, 18:13, 23:20)

Asked by a reporter to clarify what a "substantial solution" meant, the spokesperson said: "the 13th Amendment was stemming from the India-Sri Lanka Accord, and that is something that the Sri Lankans themselves have adopted as their legislative framework and that's the framework in which we are working."

Speaking after the meeting with Swaraj, Sampanthan said the TNA delegation had stressed to the minister the importance of India's role in resolving the ethnic conflict on the island. 

"They [people who live in Sri Lanka] have their roots in India. Their culture is Indian and everything is Indian. So, I think India is one country that can play a major role," Sampanthan said after the meeting.

Gary A'sangaree for Canadian Parliament Sampanthan roots for Sangaree's son

BY ANANTH PALAKIDNAR- August 22, 2014 

The Leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R. Sampanthan, has pledged his support to the Canadian Liberal Party candidate, Gary Anandasangaree, the son of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) leader V. Anadasangaree, at the forthcoming Canadian Parliamentary polls.
However, the TULF leader described Sampanthan's support for his son as a mischievous act to create problems between the son and father.

Commenting on the support extended by Sampanthan to his son Gary, Anandasangaree told Ceylon Today Sampanthan's letter, endorsing support to Gary, was meant to strain the feelings between son and father. "I am proud of his role as a human rights activist. He has given voice in a meaningful manner, support for the Tamil civilians affected by war. Therefore, Sampanthan need not worry about Gary's candidacy at the Canadian polls. Sampanthan should not try to spoil the chances of Gary winning the polls," Sangaree said.
In the meantime, despite his rivalry with Sangaree, within the Tamil National Alliance, Sampanthan has extended his support to Gary Anandasangaree who is seeking nomination from the Liberal Party of Canada for the Scarborough-Rouge Park at the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

According to informed sources, Gary Anandasangaree's Scarborough – Rouge Park constituency, has a large number of Lankan Tamil expatriates domiciled there, therefore, Sampanthan's support for Gary would be a tremendous boost for him in the Canadian polls.

Gary Anandasangaree is a lawyer by profession and owns a leading law firm in Canada. He has also been identified as a Human Rights activist who is actively engaged in the welfare of the Lankan war victims, sources said.
The letter written in support of Gary Anandasangaree by the Sampanthan reads: "We particularly remember the commitment with which he advocated the rights of our people at the UN Human Rights Council for several years, when very few activists saw that as a useful avenue.

He also inspired many others to join in this effort, which eventually bore fruit this year with the passage of a resolution setting up an international investigation into violations committed in Sri Lanka.
Gary has worked closely with the TNA, being the democratically elected representatives of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, by discussing the strategies of our struggle and we have benefitted immensely from his experience and counsel.

At a time when we need strong advocates all around the world to speak responsibly on behalf of our people, Gary's election to the Canadian Parliament will be a tremendous boost.
I have no hesitation in recommending Gary and endorsing his candidature. I am confident that he will serve all Canadians well if elected to the Canadian Parliament. We earnestly seek the support of all our people for Gary Anandasangaree in this endeavour. I wish him well."

Meanwhile, the TNA delegation, led by Sampanthan will travel to New Delhi today.
The delegation will comprise Parliamentarians Mavai S. Senathiraja, Suresh Premachandran, M. A. Sumanthiran, Selavam Adaikalanathan and Pon. Selvarasa.

Rethinking Forgiveness Amidst Probes On War Crimes

By Athulasiri Kumara Samarakoon -August 22, 2014

Athulasiri Samarakoon

“…the concept of the ‘crimes against humanity’ remains on the horizon of the entire geopolitics of forgiveness”. – Jacques Derrida

Sri Lanka’s incapacity as a nation state (or which has so far failed to become so) to give protection to many of its citizens, mostly during the war and its aftermath, has resulted in the current crisis of the country facing international probes. The world has come to know about the realities facing the average person in Sri Lanka after the end of the war in May 2009. And, today, the international community has begun to force open the eyes of the ruling regime to such realities. On the other hand, regime has failed to provide ‘laws for those who lost the protection of the national government’ and has increasingly placed such matters in the hands of the military or the police. This remains largely a cause for endless agitations in the North where the civilian administration is yet to be restored in its entirety. The military and the police have received unprecedented authority to act directly on the people. Mostly, as we have seen, the alleged perpetrators of violence during the ethnic war and the JVP insurrection were put to death by military in the name of national security without fair trials or any other mechanism even to have records of the death count. At the end of the long fought war too this practice has not ended, but gotten more rigorous. We often witness the truth of this situation from the killings of many of the alleged members of the underworld and others like media persons who protested against this government’s arbitrariness and anti-people policies through their activism as members of the civil society.

Rule of Law not in place

Extrajudicial killings, abductions, arbitrary arrests, torture, delay in legal procedures and many other impunities by the military and police in Sri Lanka have constituted a set of new undemocratic practices and anti-people norms which in turn have best served the interests of a few who have wanted to extend their power at any cost. All in all, democracy in Sri Lanka is being slowly led to the guillotine. Ritualistic elections have only served as eyewash to the world to justify our practice of democracy. As domestic politics kept growing like a cactus with severe authoritarian tendencies, the international pressure on the government too has grown in similar scales. The UNHRC advocated probe that the parliamentarians of ruling alliance did not want to take place is the best example for such external pressures.Read More

“A common candidate is the only way out”

 August 22, 2014

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) claims the Opposition is still not prepared to put forward a common presidential candidate, despite speculation.
TNA Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran asserted that although a common presidential candidate will be the only way out of the present situation, there is lack of seriousness in the talks about the matter. 
He added that a member of the Buddhist clergy will not be able to secure votes of all communities. “The present situation in the country is such that Tamils and Muslims will never support a Buddhist clergyman no matter how honest and genuine is.”
Following are excerpts from the interview:

Q

“a Common Candidate is the Only Way Out” by Thavam

Varatharajan’s funeral sends messages on Eezham Tamil political bearings

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 August 2014, 09:14 GMT]
Hundreds of Eezham Tamil students, academics, journalists, civil activists and political personalities from different districts on Wednesday came to the residence of popular educationalist and Tamil activist Sinathurai Varatharajan to attend his funeral on Wednesday. He passed away on Monday at the age of 63. The sum message of the entire funeral was that there was no one to replace the educationalist, who has been a mentor to the student community with his society-centred insight and grassroots-oriented commitment towards the advancement of Eezham Tamil nation facing structural genocide. 

Varatharajan’s Funeral Sends Messages on Eezham Tamil Political Bearings by Thavam

Record harvest loss, food shortages hit dry Sri Lanka

Traditional farming practices are difficult to change

COLOMBO, 21 August 2014 (IRIN) - Sri Lanka's government is scrambling to ease the impact of record harvest losses on millions of farmers as the country enters its tenth month of an acute dry spell.

“It’s severe. In some areas in the North, North Central and Eastern Provinces, the water levels in the irrigation reservoirs will be sufficient only for drinking purposes and that, too, will be barely enough. No harvesting will be possible [until the next rains],” Lalith Weeratunga, secretary to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the country’s top-ranked public official, told IRIN.

Record Harvest Loss, Food Shortages Hit Dry Sri Lanka by Thavam

Blackened MR plans and plots to shine exploiting Pope’s tour and latter’s aura
(Lanka-e-News- 22.Aug.2014, 8.15PM) His holiness the Pope’s scheduled visit to Sri Lanka from 12 th to 15 th January next year is to be exploited by Sri Lanka presidet Medamulana Mahinada Rajapaksha for his self publicity and as a propaganda campaign for Rajapaksha’s presidential elections, based on reports reaching Lanka e News inside information division. 

While the Christians are aiming at making this December Christmas celebration a publicity campaign oriented towards his holiness Pope’s visit , Mahinada Rajapaksha who is most notorious for grabbing everything that belongs to the people including rights , liberties and their happiness ,while also being possessed of evil propensities of playing to the gallery, and gaining cheap publicity using even crap , is now seeking to exploit his holiness Pope’s visit too to make it a propaganda campaign for his own Presidential election, in order to advance his selfish self motivated political gains, it is learnt.

As part of this sordid plan , posters are to be printed with the face of his holiness the Pope alongside that of Rajapaksha , and pasted Island wide in areas where Christians are living. In addition huge cutouts with the faces of his holiness the Pope and Mahinda Rajapaksha are also to be produced . Already discussions have been held in this direction.

Though his holiness the Pope has absolutely opposed his tours being used by those countries he visits for political gains , in Sri Lanka however , as Rev. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is a pro Mahinda Rajapaksha prelate , he has raised no objections to this sordid plan and plot of MR to sacrifice his holiness the Pope at the altar of sinister self gains of MR and his self seeking election campaign .

Nevertheless , the true sincere Christians who are in resentment against the Rev. Cardinal’s evil motive and sinister policy conducive to the ‘sale’ of holy Pope to fulfill MR’s sacrilegious hope to win elections have intimated to the Vatican, Rome about this sordid deal , according to reports reaching Lanka e News.

Moon censures SL on refusal to grant visas to UN investigators: TGTE

 Friday, 22 August 2014 

President of the UN General Assembly urged to withdraw his invitation to Sri Lankan President to address the UN General Assembly

http://world.einnews.com/pr_news/219415403/ban-ki-moon-urged-to-censure-sri-lanka-for-its-refusal-to-grant-visas-to-un-investigators-tgte

1) UN Secretary General urged to publicly censure the Sri Lankan government for denying direct access for the victims of international crimes in the island of Sri Lanka to UN investigators.

2) President of the UN General Assembly urged to withdraw his invitation to Sri Lankan President to address the UN General Assembly.

3) Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is organizing a protest rally outside the UN in New York on September 25th to condemn Sri Lankan President’s actions.

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) urged UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon to strongly object to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapake’s refusal to grant visas for UN’s Office of the High- Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Investigation on Sri Lanka’s (OISL) on international criminal law, human rights, and humanitarian laws violations.

It is time for the UN Secretary General to publicly censure the Sri Lankan government for denying direct access for the victims of international crimes in the island of Sri Lanka to OISL investigators. As the UN Internal Review Panel Report demonstrates, quiet diplomacy or appeasement does not work with the Sri Lankan government, which is not susceptible to reason. Thus it is time for robust public diplomacy. We urge the Secretary General to use his office as a moral pulpit to galvanize international opinion against the obstinacy of the Sri Lankan government.

While the Sri Lankan President is denying UN access, he is still scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly on September 25th. Given the blatant disregard to the UN Human Rights Council, it is an affront to permit him to address the UN General Assembly, which in fact created the Human Rights Council.

Thus we urge the President of the UN General Assembly to withdraw his invitation to address the UN General Assembly.

TGTE also urges UN Member states to take note of this transgression and raise it in the appropriate forums to safeguard the credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations.

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is organizing a protest rally outside the UN in New York on September 25th to condemn Sri Lankan President’s actions.

We also note news of the rapes of very young girls by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel. Even handedness requires UN condemnation of such violation of human rights. The TGTE keenly monitors such events and is aware of the names of the alleged perpetrators and the chain of command involved. We request the Secretary General to condemn violations of human rights that takes place in Sri Lanka, not only against the Tamils but the Muslims and Christian minorities as well.

The Sri Lankan government forces have been accused of mass killing of Tamils in the final stages of the war, which ended in May 2009. Such killings continue. The government troops are in occupation of the NorthEast of Sri Lanka, inducing fear in the inhabitants. This is a violation of the norms of international law. The actions of the Government of Sri Lanka amount to a continuous genocide of the Tamil people. The United Nations has a duty under its Charter to bring this genocide to an end.

BACKGROUND:
Tamils have faced repeated mass killings since 1958 and the mass killings in 2009 prompted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to appoint a Panel of Experts to report on the scale of killings.

According to the report by this UN Panel, tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed and women were sexually abused and raped by the Sri Lankan Security Forces (According to UN Internal Review Report over 70,000 Tamils were killed in five months in 2009).

These Tamils were killed due to deliberate and intense shelling and bombing of areas designated by the government as "no-fire zones", where Tamil civilians had assembled for safety. The Sri Lankan Government also restricted food and medicine for Tamils, resulting in large numbers of people dying from starvation and many of the injured bleeding to death.

According to the UN Panel, the killings and other abuses that took place amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Independent experts believe that there are elements of these abuses that constitute an act of genocide.

According to a May 2012 report by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Human Rights and Democracy; there are up to 90,000 Tamil war widows in the North-East of Sri Lanka.

UN Human Rights Council in March 2014 established an international war crimes investigation to investigate these killings and the investigations have begun.

A Buddhist Monk shot and killed a Sri Lankan Prime Minister in 1958 for having talks with Tamil political leaders to find a solution to the conflict.

Members of the Sri Lankan security forces are almost exclusively from the Sinhalese community and the victims are all from the Tamil community.

Tamils overwhelmingly voted in a Parliamentary election in 1977 to establish an independent and sovereign country called Tamil Eelam. This Parliamentary election was conducted by the Sri Lankan Government.

ABOUT TRANSNATIONAL GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL EELAM (TGTE):

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is a democratically elected Government of Tamils (from the island of Sri Lanka) living in several countries. TGTE was formed after the mass killing of Tamils by the Sri Lankan Government in 2009.

TGTE held internationally supervised elections among Tamils around the world to elect 132 Members of Parliament and is leading a campaign to realize Tamils’ political aspirations through peaceful, diplomatic and democratic means.

TGTE has a bicameral legislature and a Cabinet and held one of its Parliamentary sittings in the British Parliament. The Constitution of the TGTE mandates that it should realize its political objective only through peaceful means.

The Prime Minister of TGTE is Mr. Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, a New York based lawyer.

PAKISTAN/SRI LANKA: Inhumane and illegal deportation of asylum seekers from Sri Lanka should be stopped

August 22, 2014

A Statement from the civil society in Sri Lanka forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission

As Sri Lankan citizens and Sri Lankan civil society organizations, we are appalled by the recent arrests and deportation of asylum seekers from Sri Lanka. According to the UN, 108 Pakistanis have been deported as of 14th August[i] . According to the UNHCR, this included at least 11 women and 8 children and families have been separated, including a pregnant woman that had been left behind after the husband was deported[ii].
PAKISTAN SRI LANKA Inhumane and Illegal Deportation of Asylum Seekers From Sri Lanka Should Be Stopped by Thavam

100 Artistes And Intellectuals Urge Political Parties To Change The Present Governance System

August 22, 2014

Over 100 artists, intellectuals and social activists have made a public appeal calling upon the government as well as opposition political parties to make a change in the prevalent governance system.

Dharmasiri Bandaranayake

Among those who have signed the appeal includes Dr. Dharmasena Pathiraja, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, Professor Kumar David, Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, Gamini Viyangoda and Prasanna Vithanage. Pointing out the dangers of the direction in which the country is presently heading, they have called for a change in the prevalent system.

The petition has listed out the following points to elaborate on the worrisome state of the country:

• Despite the rapid development, the high interest loans that fund such projects have heavily burdened the public and has incurred detrimental impacts to the economic progress of the country
• Problematic state of the inter-racial and inter-religious relations
• Although five years have passed since the end of the war, residents of the North and East are still deprived of their fundamental rights and are instead pushed into a heavily militarised society
• Rising anti-Muslim sentiments in the country resulting in the tragedy of Aluthgama
• Deteriorating state of the public health and education systems
• Sorry state of the rule of law in Sri Lanka that has resulted in the country transforming into a state rampant with crimes
• Human rights situation falling to new lows
• Contortion of the constitution and the governance system of the country

The concerned artistes and intellectuals have pointed out the present situation is a result of the irregularities in the governance system and the societal structure.

“As a group keen to see a better tomorrow for this country, we request the government, its ally parties as well as the opposition parties to oust the corrupt, irregular and complicated societal structure and governance system and ensure it is transformed into a system that is accepted by the public where the Executive Presidency is replaced by a new democratic governance system  that would reinstate the public confidence in the governance structure,” the appeal statement reads.

The statement furthermore stresses that the new governance system should:

• Provide equal rights and opportunities to all communities and religions
• Guarantee people’s right to information
• Reject corruption, inefficiency,oppression and dictatorship
• Reprimand exploitation of power
• Ensure an equal distribution of centric political power between the central government and its peripheral entities
• Uphold the rule of law
• Constructive return of the power of the people’s mandate

Read the full statement here

Gota's heroin business partner Dato is also a film producer under fake name

(Lanka-e-News- 22.Aug.2014, 8.30PM) As heroin trafficking has become a leading business with container loads of it arriving on a scale unprecedented in the entire history of Sri Lanka , and currently the country is universally considered as an international hub for heroin business barons , so it has become notorious for money laundering . Reportedly ,one such businessman is running a media Institution while another is in the Cinema Industry in order to convert their massive illicit earnings into legal ‘white’ monies via money laundering.

The two heroin magnates , Gotabaya Rajapakse of Sri Lanka (SL) and Dato Mohomed Mujahid resident in Malaysia whose 59 kilos of heroin were detected in SL (reported lastday by Lanka e news) - the masterminds in the heroin business international chain have also produced a film by the name ‘Selvam’ , as far back as 2010 implying that the heroin partners have had close heroin business ties for more than four years. 

Sanjaya Leelaratne was the Director of the film ‘Selvam’ . He was a newcomer , and this newcomer was selected on purpose with a crafty objective. 

’Selvam’ film was produced using scenes of claymore mines in the north that were not defused immediately after the war and hundred of thousands of displaced civilians in refugee camps in the region . Of course , it was Gotabaya who provided all the support and facilities towards this. More important than all this production and ‘acting’ of Gotabaya , is the participation of Dato Mohomed Mujahid the bosom pal of Gota using a bogus name , Mohomed Mubarak during the production of the film.

Herein is the official website of the film ‘Selvam’. There the name is given as Mohomed Mubarak.

Of course to Gotabaya in charge o f the country’s security , as long as he is lavished with ‘kudu’ (heroin) monies , he does not care two hoots even if the country goes to the dogs , whether the money lining his pocket is from ‘Dato Mujahid’ or ‘ Mohomed Mubarak.’ 

After all , to Gotabaya who crows ‘any diddle will do’ every morning as he wakes up before ‘yankee doodle do,’ even money from muck means everything.

Gota hands over Amtrad Stones to Nissanka!

 Friday, 22 August 2014 

Amtrad, the company producing the amtrad stones or ‘Gota Gal’ to be laid in the pavements under the Colombo beautification project, has been handed over by defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to one of his closest friends retired Maj. Nissanka Senadhipathi, the owner of Avent Guard security firm, say defence ministry sources.

After the defence secretary handed over the floating armoury located in the southern seas and maintained by the Sri Lanka Navy to Avent Guard security firm, the Navy is incurring an annual loss of 15 million dollars. Nissanka Senadhipathi is getting that entire amount.

This major has become that close to the defence secretary after he had bought for twice the market price the house owned in the US by the defence secretary. Although he had bought the house for twice the price, Senadhipathi has earned ten times more by getting close to the defence secretary.

Writing is on the wall

August 22, 2014
This week, the global insurance giant, American International Group (AIG), announced that it was pulling out from Sri Lanka, effective from 31 August. The decision to withdraw from the Sri Lankan market was first communicated as early as June this year. AIG's share in the local insurance market is a meagre 0.3 per cent and its withdrawal is unlikely to have an impact on the local market.
 

An AIG statement attributed the pull out to the on -going effort to streamline its operations. General Manager of AIG's Colombo office, Baldev Singh was on record as saying, "the decision was based on the assessment of current size, future potential cost of capital and various other performances and economic indicators."
In the same week, US based fund Janus sold shares in Conglomerate, John Keells Holdings, resulting in a net foreign outflow of 4.52 billion rupees (US $34.73 million), the worst net foreign selling on the Colombo bourse since 25 March 2010.
 

The local currency fell due to heavy dollar demand and a moral suasion by the Central Bank capped the depreciation.
The two events may appear unrelated, but not so, if you add the third: A leading Sunday English newspaper reported last week that international export credit agencies have begun imposing 'sanction clauses' into agreements with Sri Lanka, in anticipation of potential international sanctions. The 'sanction clauses' would mean that the local partners would have to pay a higher premium to the lending agencies if the sanctions are imposed. The newspaper also added that the Attorney General's Department has opposed.
It does not take an economist to connect the dots: The scary prospects of sanctions are looming large. It appears, some have already begun to jump ship.
 

Chinese and Russian
For the moment, the government is hinging on the hope that it would be defended by the Chinese and Russian vetoes, should matters related to Sri Lanka's alleged war crimes ever reach the UN Security Council (of which resolutions have a binding effect on the member States). That is a logical expectation. Both China and Russia, who view such interventions as an interference of internal affairs of sovereign States and also have their own human rights concerns in Chechnya, Xinjian and Tibet, would not commit to a move that would set a precedent on their own.
However, unilateral sanctions by the US and the European States, or possibly by the EU are a real possibility. Such measures are no less disastrous. Recent EU and US financial sanctions have already bitten the Russian economy which, however, had slowed down even before the sanctions were announced as an impact of the declining revenue from oil and gas.
 

Economic sanctions proved to be effective when they are imposed against 'friends'. ( in other words, countries that have a greater dependency on or interdependency with the punishing State/s).
The EU (26% of total exports) and the US (21%) are the two leading export markets of Sri Lanka. Any potential sanctions by those countries, who are also Sri Lanka's traditional friends (and also the main sponsors of a series of UNHRC resolutions on Sri Lanka) would be bound to take a heavy toll on the $ 67 billion Sri Lankan economy.
The incumbent government and its key interlocutors, who regularly bash the West, are disregarding those existential realities. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, early this week announced that Sri Lanka would not grant visas to the UN investigators. In the same meeting with the Foreign Correspondent, he was on record as saying: "I don't think anybody will take it [the UN investigation] seriously, other than the people who want it."
 

That is a dangerous misreading of the situation. 'People who want it', that is (powerful liberal democracies of the West) do actually matter the most in international politics. They simply rule the roost, whether you like it or not. They have military, financial and political power and have played a significant role in global peace and human rights. In the anarchical situation in the international system, as defined by all the major international relations theories ( because the States are sovereign entities, which exist in the absence of central authority), those States have historically exercised their powers to achieve desirable results, many of which are intrinsically influenced by the national character and strategic culture, shaped by liberal democratic values.
 

22,000 nationalist
That is why the Americans introduced democracy to the conquered Axis powers of Japan and West Germany while the Soviets and their secret police slaughtered 22,000 nationalist Polish officer corps in the jungle of Katyn and rolled down an iron curtain across the Warsaw bloc.
Sri Lankan government's mantra that it is a victim of the West and an international conspiracy may appeal to the local voter. However, it does not change the country's status quo in the international system. Myopia, paranoia and arrogance that have defined the government's policy towards the West and the UN probe further aggravates its delicate position.
 

What is sad is that Sri Lanka is risking another opportunity for an economic take off. The country squandered the earliest opportunity, due to the populist economic and social policies that were introduced soon after independence. In the '80s, it laid to waste another chance which came with the free market economy, by mismanaging its foreign and domestic policies.
 

Sri Lanka should not squander the latest opportunity, which offers economic salvation for its 20 million people. The economy is growing at a decent seven per cent and decades of backlog in infrastructure is being addressed and the country is surely on the move. However, all those attributes were out there, in the late '70s, after J.R. Jayewardene liberated the economy. However, soon optimism turned into despair as Jayewardene himself through his authoritarian tendencies and misreading of international system vis a vis Indira Gandhi's India plunged the country into chaos and two insurgencies.
 

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who won the war and thereby gave a new lease of life and hope, should not repeat the same mistake. However, his reading of the West and the US appear to be equally flawed and his reaction is no less irrational and dangerous than Jayewardene's towards India.