Peace for the World

Peace for the World
First democratic leader of Justice the Godfather of the Sri Lankan Tamil Struggle: Honourable Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

ascistic farce founders - Dr Vickramabahu

wickramabahu
Wednesday, 29 April 2015
We are all angry with a sense of disgust. We who braved the risks of resisting Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime knew that the death could be standing at our door-step. To day we laugh merrily about the statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena which expressed this reality: “I would have been seven feet below the ground where I stand today if we had lost the election”.
Fascistic threat was defeated electorally by the people but this reality is not yet over. Mahinda group did not build their regime to abandon it for nothing. As expected they retreated and now coming back, licking their wounds. They have begun to mobilize with venom. The thrust of the game could be seen when we look at those that slept inside the floor the parliament. Then, during Mahinda regime, we were angry with the liberal radical parliamentarians of the opposition for not using parliament for sathyagrha; when the country was being sold to global capital including Chinese investors.
People in Lanka have no pity for those who now rally around to protect the privileges of the Ex-President. Did the Ex-President protect poor from evil? What can the oppressed expect from a president who betrayed the very General who helped him to win the war? What did he do with the sacks of gold robbed from the areas of war, especially from Mulathivu and surrounding areas? What did he do to protect a poor worker who was assaulted by a Cabinet Minister and who also tied him to a tree and forced the person to admit that he tied himself up? Did he act against Ministers who openly claimed that they made journalists to flee the country? The former President remained indecently silent when his own colleague, Baratha Lakshman Premachandra was killed. As a threat for all others the regime sent sleuths from the criminal investigation department to record a statement from Mahinda’s erstwhile friend Vasudeva Nanayakkara. All cabinet ministers shut their mouths afterwards. Thousands have disappeared during the Rajapaksa regime. Dead bodies were found thrown into shrubs. Some were assassinated in broad daylight like Lasantha and Raviraj. Raviraj and Joseph Pararajasingham were parliamentarians.
Mahinda led fascistic chauvinist movement understands how to inculcate fear and violence. That is internationally known method of this kind of politics; thugery is the application and they know it gives the best results. This is what they are unleashing again, now. Muscle power combine with crude words and vulgarity were taken inside the parliament. The President was there and he was watching; we should not underestimate his ability; but liberalism has failed in many countries by agreeing to compromise with fascistic forces. Obviously President Sirisena should not give in to these corrupt forces that planned to kill him with the family in case he was defeated. On the other hand it is the duty of the left to mobilize masses and use counter pressure to bring order in to the present political process. Unfortunately the Left that participated in the struggle to oust Mahinda is divided, and sectarianism has cut across the efforts of the Left. Effort to compromise opened the door to a shameless lot to be drawn into the yahapalana governance process. These are the people who violated multiple elections laws, used violence and “bought votes” misusing state resources to continue in power. In an independent and free election dozens of these crooks in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), would certainly get defeated. The fascistic regime of Mahinda robbed samurdhi funds, and one brother that slipped out of the country with looted funds has come back. The people are happy that the authorities are now taking action against him for robbing the funds of the poor which came under the Divi Neguma Programme.
Clearly somebody is paying for the expenses, for the mobilizations taking place now, to support fascistic politics. Bus loads were used to bring in people. Masses were brought to welcome Basil and to maintain the political carnivals of Mahinda supporters. Surely the devotees of temples visited by Mahinda do not spend money for his political visits. Who is the rich uncle that will spend the funds for the ‘massive’ May Day rally being organized by the fascistic gang? Surely we know that these political groups have little or no funds at all. Hence one could be sure these expenses are paid by Mahinda from the spoils gotten from deals, tenders and contracts rubber stamped by the ‘Cabinet of Mahinda’.
These brothers and the fascistic gang knew how to rob people and the recourses of this country. They put into practice ‘make the rich richer, then rob the rich and let a little trickle down to the miserable poor. On the other hand each according to his/her ability robs the state coffers cunningly and ruthlessly’. MNCs that got the most out of these treacherous rascals are sad about the end and hence these external masters will not take the sovereign people’s wishes kindly. Looking at the rallies and carnivals conducted by them in the recent past to make plans for the come back, we firmly believe that a conspiracy is on against the sovereign people of Lanka. The powers who paid for the extravagant Mahinda regime want the reinstatement of the despot. From the beginning these forces were against the passing of the 19th amendment. The fascistic ideology demands a chauvinist state intolerant to any kind of democracy. It is clear that the rogue state they built required unbridled power, with something more than simple immunity. This is not about the democracy, western or Asiatic that we wants to discuss. They are not fighting with each other to end poverty in Lanka. These forces who robbed from Divi Neguma funds and others who are trying to cover these acts are yearning to re-establish the mafia state. Unfortunately Lanka is facing another ugly struggle. We have to continue the democratic struggle. Fascistic forces will resort to thugery and violence, and make the present government more unpopular by this type of parliament take over. By such actions they hope to make parliamentary democracy a mockery. Each one of these MPs who are hell bent on bringing back Mahinda is one of those who got rich with Mahinda’s support. These families enjoyed these perks on the back of the blood, sweat and tears of workers and peasants.  They are used to this plunder and they have been doing this for years. Obviously they will defend it with everything they have.
Those who have sold the very soul of mother Lanka, her rich resources cheaply and made her the unique display in the Indian Ocean are traitors and agents of global powers. Those pundits who support them are deliberately concealing this conspiracy, by pointing their crooked fingers towards the West. It is the people who voted for President Sirisena that liberated us from the clutches of looting forces of the global capitalism. We have to denounce all plundering forces eyeing our beautiful island. The people of Lanka have always taken the proper political decision if the Left intervenes at the correct time.

Colombo Crime questions the Northern Province journalists for four hours

police
Wednesday, 29 April 2015
It is reported the reason to call the four Tamil journalists from Mannar and Vavuniya to the Colombo Crime Division on the 28th of Tuesday is to get a statement of a death threat imposed via a telephone conversation.
When we inquired about this incident from Rosarian Lambert an independent journalist from Mannar he told JDS the four journalists who were called is to Colombo to inquire about a death threat imposed by a mobile telephone call against the executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi.
Intimidating telephone calls 
An independent journalist said “I and other three journalists who were called today for the inquiry received calls from that same number. The Colombo crime division wanted to check was that a similar threaten imposed against us was imposed to the head of PAFFREL”.
As journalists we receive number of calls for a day and we don’t keep track of those calls said Rosarian. We never received such intimidating calls during that period.
These journalists who stay 200 km away were asked to come to Colombo to get a statement following a four hour inquiry in the Colombo Crime Division. 
Waste of time 
A journalist attached to the Tamil Journalist Organization told JDS that there is no necessity to call these journalist’s to Colombo to obtain a statement. 
“If they want know the nature of this threatening call imposed against another person they could have taken it from the relevant police station where those journalists live. Despite informing the reason for the inquiry and calling them to come to Colombo from a distance is a waste of time and money” he further stressed.

Sri Lanka’s emergency assistance to Nepal and return of exiled journalists

GroundviewsSri Lankan government has announced that it had dispatched emergency supplies and support personnel to Nepal a day after the devastating earthquake and that there would be further materials and personnel in the coming days[1]. The government also announced that Sri Lankans who had been in Nepal, can come back in the same flight. The solidarity towards a neighbor in distress and duty towards some Sri Lankan citizens is admirable.
Ever since the new President came into power, there have been public statements inviting exiled journalists to return home. But what the government has actually done to assist those who want to return is not clear. In particular, it’s not clear what the government and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Nepal had done to assist exiled journalists in Nepal to return to Sri Lanka, especially to those who had made it clear they want to return immediately after the new government came into power in January. I have been in touch with three such journalists throughout this period, till today. Despite numerous appeals by them and on behalf of them by media freedom organizations, friends and colleagues, there was no clear response within the 100 days of the new government. Appeals to assist them to return intensified after the earthquake. The question whether the journalists exiled in Nepal are treated in the same way as other Sri Lankans was raised in parliament on 27th April, with an allegation that the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Nepal was not in favor of assisting exiled journalists to return to Sri Lanka, but the Foreign Minister assured that steps have been taken to bring them back within this week[2]. Although the Foreign Minister claimed that the reason for the delay is the expiry of the validity of their passports, the journalists I have been in touch with assured me that their passports are valid. I hope that at least now, these commitments will result in concrete actions, and they will be able to return home.
A particular challenge that exiled journalists / human rights defenders (or any UNHCR recognized refugee) in Nepal face in returning home was to pay “overstay visa fees” and associated penalties. Although they have been recognized by UNHCR as refugees, Nepali government simply consider them as tourists who overstayed their visas and thus, expect them to pay the overstay visa fees. All three of them had to sacrifice their careers, their income. I have known them in Sri Lankan when they were at serious risk, visited them each time I visit Nepal, have been in regular touch with them and know that they lived very difficult lives in Sri Lanka and then in Nepal. When they went to Nepal, they were dependent on adhoc financial support from friends and colleagues. They are legally barred from being employed. They were later recognized as refugees and received a meager allowance of less than USD 60 per person per month from UNHCR.  There is no way the three of them could pay about USD 15,000 and also find costs of tickets and other expenses.
Three case studies of journalists / human rights defenders in Nepal waiting to return:
Each person in exile has a different story, some may even have abused the situation to seek better lives overseas. But the stories of my three friends can serve as indication of the large issues. Shantha Wijesooriya is a Sri Lankan investigative journalist who had been detained, threatened and the news websites he was working for have been subjected an arson attack and Police raids. One of his former editor lives in exiles due to death threats and his colleagues had been arrested. He finally left the country after narrowly escaping an abduction attempt in 2012. Jayampathy Bulathsinhala is a Sri Lankan human rights defender who ran a printing press, publishing many human rights and social justice oriented materials. He has been involved in human rights and social justice work for decades. In 2010, the Sri Lankan government enacted an anti democratic law strengthening presidential powers and weakening independent institutions. In support of opposition parties and civil society campaigns against this, Jayampathy published a poster painting the then president as a dictator. He, his wife Kumudu, and colleagues were arrested and when they tried to file a fundamental rights case, they faced threats, and were compelled to go into exile. Kumudu has also been working for a news website while in exile. When Shantha escaped an abduction attempt and fled the country, he was working for Lanka X News, a website run by the United National Party (the the opposition party) and the present Foreign Minister, Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, was reported as the Chief Executive Officer / Coordinator[3].  Mr. Samaraweera had also accepted that the poster printed by Jayampathy that led to his arrest and exile was done so on his instructions[4].
Even as I’m happy about the Sri Lankan government’s emergency support towards Nepalese and to assist other Sri Lankan citizens who were in Nepal to come home, I hope the Sri Lankan government (in Colombo and the Embassy in Nepal) will also assist Shantha, Jayampathy and Kumudu to come home, by taking into consideration the particular challenges they face, their unique contributions to promoting democracy and human rights in Sri Lanka and the sufferings they had undergone. In the short term they may need basic needs like accommodation, food, medicine, clothing and communication facilities for them to contact immediate relatives in Sri Lanka. It has been reported that the Sri Lankan Prime Minister has been in touch with his Nepali counterpart and the Acting Nepali Ambassador in Colombo[5]. All foreign missions with their citizens in Nepal are likely to be in touch with Nepalese authorities, including the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Nepal. Undoubtedly, Nepali authorities are overwhelmed with the emergency situation. But I hope the Sri Lankan government in Colombo and the Embassy in Nepal will also bring up the situation of my three friends (and others) in the conversations with Nepali authorities, work out modalities, and offer any assistance needed, and facilitate their long overdue return back to Sri Lanka soon.
I have focused this article only on three journalists / HRDs who I have been in close touch with me, before they went into exile and till today. But there are also human rights defenders and journalists in other countries (and possibly even in Nepal) who have expressed interest to return. I hope the Sri Lankan government will go beyond rhetoric and seek more proactive ways to assist exiled journalists and human rights defenders to return home.

Deported Sri Lankan returns to Switzerland

A Tamil asylum seeker who was sent back to his home country in 2013 and subsequently arrested has been allowed to return to Switzerland.

Several hundred Tamils demonstrated against the deportations in 2011 in front of the parliament building in Bern (Keystone)Several hundred Tamils demonstrated against the deportations in 2011 in front of the parliament building in Bern
APR 27, 2015 
swissinfoThe man, who was applying for asylum in Switzerland, was sent back to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo two years ago after the State Secretariat for Migration concluded he would not be in danger if he went back home. However, he was arrested immediately on arrival at the airport in Colombo and was abused during his incarceration, according to his lawyer.

The man was released from a detention centre in Sri Lanka a few weeks ago. Because Swiss authorities were not prepared to allow him to return to Switzerland immediately, his lawyer filed a formal complaint against the secretariat director Mario Gattiker.

The secretariat had said that before a decision was taken on his return to Switzerland, the man needed to be questioned at the Swiss embassy in Colombo regarding his affiliation with the Tamil Tiger rebel group.
The man’s return to Switzerland on April 25 was organised by a group of NGOs. His wife and children, who were repatriated with him in 2013, had since been allowed to return to Switzerland and he was reunited with them. An investigation by the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Human Rights and the United Nations Refugee Agency found that the assessment of the man’s asylum application had not been thorough enough.  As a result, the secretariat issued a ban on repatriations to Sri Lanka in September 2013.

In May 2014, a more detailed report was released that said a series of blunders resulting from “systemic conditions” had led to the wrong decision being made in the man’s asylum case. Subsequently, the secretariat said it had reformed its practices and the ban on repatriations to Sri Lanka was lifted. Migration authorities now consider repatriations to Sri Lanka as “generally allowed”.

Some 250 Sri Lankans were sent back to their homeland by Switzerland between 2001 and September 2013.
 
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A Season Of Light, A Season Of Darkness


Colombo Telegraph
By Sarath De Alwis -April 29, 2015
arath De Alwis
arath De Alwis
Had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob.” – James Madison
We live in times of hope and despair. That is to be expected. The opposition seems to have succeeded in enlarging the composition of the Constitutional Council under the 19th Amendment. The opposition insistence on elected members of Parliament instead of independent members appointed by political parties though flawed is understandable.
In the light of the good governance practices of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the last one hundred days, the opposition position has some incontrovertible logic. Who defines independence and eminence? The Prime Minister described the three lawyers he appointed to inquire and report on the bond fiasco as eminent men. He has also made a number of other appointments where the appointees derive their eminence and exceptional credentials on grounds best known only to Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe and perhaps Mr. Malik Samarawickereme.
MaithriSo, why not members of parliament? In the opinion of this writer, the only member of the present parliament who should not be appointed to the constitutional council is Professor G.L.Pieris. He is a professional constitutional greaser and repairman. He is also the author of the 18th amendment which nearly excluded the God Father from running for a third term.
*Photo – President Maithripala Sirisena observes the voting on Second bill of the 19th amendment to the constitution from President’s Chamber inside the Parliament, April 28, 2015.                                           Read More

Mahinda lets it slip regarding assassination bid on Maithri :Corporal and firearm not taken into custody -An analysis


LEN logo(Lanka-e-News -29.April.2015, 11.30PM) President Maithripala Sirisena is a politician who escaped 6 assassination attempts on him . On 9 th October 2008 , in Boralesgamuwa , his car was targeted for attack by a  suicide bomber , stories did the rounds at that time the Rajapakse regime  was involved. Now , as recently as 25 th of this month , when Maithri was at Hambantota , the fortress of  the Rajapakses , an army corporal with a weapon allegedly attached to the security detail of Namal Rajapakse threateningly moved into close quarters of Maithri. Though he was reckoned as  a suspect he has still not been arrested. Lanka e news learns that the CID had only recorded a statement of his , even without dispossessing him of the weapon , and released him.

A Partial, But a Great Victory for Democracy

We are still not completely aware of the final shape of the 19thAmendment. When it came to the committee stage, there were 63 amendments from the government itself, while the opposition proposing 111 in competition. The government eventually withdrew some of their amendments as a way of compromise, while the opposition did the same or compelled to do so. The President Sirisena admirably influenced both sides for realistic compromises staying in his office in Parliament throughout the debate yesterday.
by Laksiri Fernando
Sri Lanka Guardian( April 29, 2015, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) Finally, finally the 19th Amendment is passed with only one UPFA MP opposing. Perhaps he was true to what he was advocating while many others were chickening out, including the ‘law professor.’ There was an eleventh hour compromise on the Constitutional Council, but the government rightly did not budge on the appointment of Cabinet of Ministers. If the President kept all the powers to unilaterally appoint the cabinet of ministers, as the opposition wanted through their dubious amendment, then there was no much meaning of the 19th Amendment. The main purpose finally was to remove the draconian powers of the Presidency. The complete abolition required a referendum as the Supreme Court determined. That was beyond the promise or the mandate.
We need a fresh beginning


2015-04-28 09
The article I wrote responding to the political moves made last week by the forces who wants to bring back Mahinda Rajapakse received positive and negative responses. Many wanted me to translate the article which appeared in a website to Sinhala and Tamil languages urging me to take the message to a wider audience including the 225 members in the legislature. Today I am giving expression to the deep

After 100 days the stark contrast between the Rajapakse and Sirisena Administrations

Groundviews
The conclusion of the one hundred (100) days is a good time to compare and indeed contrast the Maithripala Sirisena Administration from the Rajapakse rule that it replaced. This is particularly relevant in the context that Brother number two (no pun intended), Gotabhaya Rajapakse, has suggested that Mahinda Rajapakse should be prime minister, under President Sirisena. This suggestion of the Mahinda Rajapakse premiership is also what motivates the small appendages of the UPFA, the MEP, the NFF, the EPDP etc and a section of a Rajapakse old guard of about thirty SLFP MPs and declining following the removal of some of their number from the SLFP Central Committee.
Negating the people’s mandate 
The biggest objection of course to a Mahinda Rajapakse premiership is that it is actually a complete negation of the mandate of the people given on January 8th this year. The Maithripala Sirisena presidential campaign was not just an election, it was a campaign to end Rajapakse misrule and replace it with a Sirisena era of “yahapalanya” or good governance. Every aspect of Rajapakse misrule was placed before the sovereign people of Sri Lanka and the people delivered their verdict. The people are sovereign their voice needs to be heeded. “vox populi, vox dei” or the voice of the people is the voice of god, was the rallying cry of the ancient Greek movements which led to representative democracy. We hear a lot of talk about the 5.8 million who voted for Mahinda Rajapakse, but what of the 6.2 million plus who voted for Maithripala Sirisena. A public mandate was sought and given to end Rajapakse misrule. Rajapakse lost, hence he and his fan club need to accept that.
A tainted vote 
Further the 5.8 million was also a tainted vote. With alleged abuse of TRC, Divineguma and other government funds, fraudulent documents, state sector staff and a campaign long defamation by the state media of Maithripala Sirisena.  The forthcoming general election, without the abuse of the state resources and media would see Rajapakse acolytes’ loose considerable support. Further the vast bulk of the 5.8 million votes which Rajapakse received were SLFP votes and these should provide no further support for a Rajapakse return. The presidential election was not an inter SLFP caucus or primary for the result to be a mere seat swop and pecking order change between Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapakse.
A world of a difference
However the biggest impediment to a Rajapakse premiership under a Sirisena Presidency is simply this. The two world views, visions for the country, governing style, political philosophy (ideology if you like) and leadership lifestyle are not just poles apart but completely and diametrically opposed to each other.
President Sirisena believes and calls himself the chief servant of the people, while Mahinda Rajapakse encouraged and allowed himself, to be called and referred to as a king. 6.2 million Sri Lankans prefer to be citizens of a republic rather than subjects in a monarchy. President Sirisena believes in an inclusive, tolerant and pluralistic Sri Lanka while Mahinda Rajapakse allowed, at best (and encouraged at worst) discord and disharmony. There have been no violent mob attacks on mosques, Muslim owned businesses or Koran burnings after Maithripala Sirisena became president and Gotabaya Rajapakse was sent packing. The extremists are still there but defanged and reduced to doing violence to the national flag by removing the two stripes representing minorities. The apologetic Dulles Allaperuma should be more careful about the company he keeps and the nature of the rent a mob that is hired. Distorting the national flag is an offence under the Penal Code and the police, while producing the suspects for being in contempt of court, for their demonstration outside the Bribery Commission, should also investigate the distortion of the national flag.
The long list of contrasts and hence incompatibility between Mahinda Rajapakse and Maithripala Sirisena is very long.  President Sirisena’s governance is consultative and consensus seeking while Mahinda Rajapakse bulldozes his say and way. President Sirisena keeps his family strictly personal and out of governance, while the Rajapakse’s transformed themselves into a ruling family.  The Sirisena Administration seeks to be transparent and accountable, while governance under the Rajapakse’s from the mega deals to the constitutional reforms were shrouded in secrecy and accountability was not included in the Rajapakse dictionary. President Sirisena and indeed Prime Minister Wickramasinghe are generally simple and not given to illusions of grandeur and waste of public funds. In contrast, President Rajapakse and his regime believed that public funds and state resources from the state media, to the national carrier to state lands, even private lands, state coffers, government posts, were all personal property to be dispensed as he wishes to his family and friends, for their use and use. The list is endless and will need to be explored further, in future articles.
However the most substantive objections to a Rajapakse premiership are these.
  1. Mahinda Rajapakse does not believe his misrule was wrong, has made no expression of regret for his rank excesses, which promises for the electorate, of more of the same Rajapakse abuse if reelected.
  2. Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and for that matter Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva have accepted and submit to President Sirisena’s public mandate and political leadership, while Mahinda  Rajapakse and acolytes clearly do not.
Mahinda Rajapakse should retire with grace and dignity rather than being the godfather of a circus seeking his return.
(The writer is the Chairman of the Resettlement Authority. However, the views expressed are strictly personal).

Maithiri’s 100 Days Lack Luster Performance

Colombo Telegraph
By M.K. Eelaventhan -April 29, 2015
Eelaventhan Manickavasakar
Eelaventhan Manickavasakar
Maithiri’s much publicized vote catching 100 days promised actionscommencing from January 8 started with a whimsy and has ended with a whimper, much to the disappointment of all Sri Lankans. However, some actions have been taken and/or initiated and the noteworthy step is the introduction of the 19th amendment. Reviving the independent police judicial and public service commissions and reducing the powers of president without abolishing it as promised and demanded by some political parties. This bill is likely to reach the statute book. The other notable changes are:
  • The reduction of fear psychosis from government sponsored criminals and ruling politicians
  • The fresh air of press freedom in the south while the north is still a haunting region for the Tamil journalists
  • Avoiding diplomatic and state appointments based on political favouritism and nepotism
  • Curtailing China’s hold on Sri Lanka while forging more friendly relationships with India and U.S
  • So far there are no signs of any abuse or misuse of power by Maithiri and also any dictatorial attitude. Maithiri has also not shown any lust or designs to cling onto the position of Executive President
  • Maithiri is still lacking the dominant spirit and move like a President with decisive step
Ranil and MaithriThe Maithiri-Ranil brittle and uneasy union is meandering and plodding to fulfill the promises and meet the aspirations of all Sri Lankans. Firstly, the disgusting pampering of the past regime’s corrupt officials, ministers, and including the self-made king of corruption, the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa is still continuing. Maithiripala Sirisena promised to close the airports to stop the fleeing of the corrupt including criminals. This promise is dead and no one knows the names of those who fled to avoid the long arm of the laws in Sri Lanka.
Secondly, some investigations have been initiated against the members of the Rajapaksa dynasty for their involvements in bribery, tamashas, frolics, misuse and abuse of state machinery, sexual trysts in homes and airlines. The media is exposing the disgusting details of various disgraceful episodes, but there is inexplicable slowness and reluctance to bring them to face the crimes and culpability upholding the rule of law, though the arrest of Basil Rajapaksa is a bold step and it is hoped that this will be followed by many more arrests including the defiant Mahinda. Ranil Wickremesinghe for his part has blocked the arrest of Gothabaya Rajapaksa, thus freeing from more grilling investigation. This lawless step of Ranil is just the writing on the wall and one can be rest assured that the Rajapaksa dynasty could be leniently dealt with while giving a body blow to good governance in Sri Lanka. It looks like Maithiri is haunted by the menacing spectre of Mahinda like a phoenix bird.

THE 19TH AMENDMENT: A WALK TO REMEMBER

Parliament_smaller
Icaruswept
constitution
“No one man should have all that power.”
– Kanye West-
APRIL 29, 2015 
If you were to liken the 19th Amendment to poop,  you’d end up with an incredibly crude but hilariously accurate description. It was a long poop. Protracted. Painful. It even made me want to quote Kanye West. But it was necessary, oh, so necessary.  Because Kanye, despite being a pop culture icon completely unrelated to Sri Lankan politics, is right: no one man should have ever had all that power.

Lawyers Collective: “19thA – A Victory for all Communities”

child2
Sri Lanka Brief29/04/2015 
Stating that the passing of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution marked a major stride for democracy, Lawyers Collective urges all political parties to use the next general election to obtain a fresh mandate to abolish the Executive Presidency fully in an appropriate manner.

Lawyers Collective expressed their disappointment at the attempt by few MPs to politicize the public service and regretted on how a section of MPs made every attempt to prevent the passing of the Amendment and later to dilute it.

“The passage of the 19A is a victory for all communities,” Lawyers’ Collective said.

The full text of the statement states:

“Passing of the 19th Amendment by Parliament, respecting the mandate of the people marks a major stride for democracy,

“We note with gratitude, in particular, the commitment of civil society led by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha, and the political commitment and matured political leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe. The Public, civil society, various political parties, professional groups and trade unions deserve credit for their support. The 19th Amendment is a victory of all communities. Lawyers Collective is aware of the great commitment and efforts shown by the National Executive Council and the drafting committee in achieving this goal.

“Lawyers Collective keenly monitored the process of the passage of the Amendment, expecting the whole-hearted support of the parliamentarians. Unfortunately it is regretted that a section of parliamentarians, closely associated with the former autocratic President Rajapakse, made every attempt to prevent the passing of the Amendment and later their efforts to dilute its fundamental features. We are disappointed that some of the MPs wanted to continue with a politicized public service by appointing a Constitutional Council consisting of Members of Parliament. We are happy to note the commitment shown by the President, Prime Minister and political leaders and Members of Parliament in getting the Amendment through with such a massive majority.
“We urge all political parties to use the next general election to obtain a fresh mandate to abolish Executive Presidency fully in an appropriate manner.”
JC Weliamuna & Chandrapala Kumarage
Conveners
Lawyers Collective
 
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Happy?

Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations

Editorial- 


Sri Lankans may have thought they were a very happy lot. But, they stand corrected. The latest World Happiness Report (WHR) has ranked Sri Lanka 132nd among 158 countries.

Switzerland is the happiest nation in the world followed by Iceland and Denmark in second and third places respectively, according to the happiness survey. Of the SAARC member states, only Bhutan (79) and Pakistan (81) are among the first 100 nations.

The WHR rankings are said to be based on information derived through the Gallup World Poll besides some nationally determined factors. One may argue that happiness is only an interval between two moments of sorrow and cannot, therefore, be measured. However, most surveys are about quantifying the unquantifiable, aren’t they?

Interestingly, the WHR says there is a new worldwide demand for more attention to happiness as a criterion for government policy. If so, one may argue that countries like the US (15), the UK (21), Germany (26) and France (29) should seriously consider adopting the policies of Costa Rica (12) and Mexico (14) to make their citizens happier. Is it that Sri Lanka should emulate the countries which rank above it including Somaliland regions (91), Sudan (118), Ethiopia (122) and Sierra Leone (123) to improve her people’s lot and make them happier or at least less unhappy?

Curiously, Iraq (112) ranks above India, Sri Lanka etc. Are we to gather that bloody conflicts do not rob people of their happiness? We thought the first casualty of violence and anarchy was people’s happiness.

Among the variables identified by the WHR are gross domestic product per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, perceived freedom to make life choices, freedom from corruption and generosity. If so, how can countries plagued by conflicts, poverty and large scale human rights violations like Congo - Kinshasa (120), Haiti (119) and Ethiopia (122) rank above any other nation?

Anyone who subscribes to the world happiness rankings should stop cursing Robert Mugabe, the tyrant, because according to the WHR, the people of Zimbabwe (115) are less unhappy than their counterparts in India (117) and Sri Lanka (132)! Most of all, mindless violence unleashed by the militant groups in post-Gaddafi Libya (63) and the attendant suffering have not taken their toll on the hapless Libyans’ happiness! One’s mind boggles at it! And, the protracted economic crisis in Greece (102) has not made the Greeks as unhappy as Sri Lankans! If so, the question is why there are street protests in Greece with irate public demanding that their grievances be redressed.

If the WHR rankings actually reflect the true situation as regards people’s happiness what are we doing in this country which ranks below even most of the conflict-ridden, poverty-stricken nations? Let's all flee to Haiti or Congo or Libya and be less unhappy there! Cynics claim we may have to do so anyway sooner or later. For, what we are enjoying at present is only an interval in hell as it were. We are having a respite after decades of suffering at the hands of politicians because there is a government that fears people. Too weak to try people’s patience with a general election staring it in the face, the current administration is behaving. But, the situation is bound to change and we will suffer the torments of inferno again in the event of a strong government being formed after the upcoming parliamentary polls.

Sri Lanka is lagging behind other countries as regards national happiness because the focus of the WHR is on the ordinary people. If countries are ranked according to politicians’ happiness, you can bet your bottom dollar, this country will rank first easily and remain in that position indefinitely.