CABARET, Haiti — After the near-annihilation of tiny Barbuda by Hurricane Irma, its 1,700 evacuated residents took shelter on its sister island of Antigua, hunkering down in government buildings and residential homes as Hurricane Jose approached.
A Caribbean airport popular with tourists and aviation fans was badly damaged by Hurricane Irma. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post)
The International Space Station captured Hurricane Jose on Sept. 8 as the storm passed through the Atlantic east of the Caribbean. (NASA)
Parents of Jemima Layzell, who died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm, want other families to consider organ donation
A 13-year-old girl who died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm has had her organs transplanted to eight people - the largest number in the history of the organ donation service.
Jemima Layzell was “lovely – clever, funny, compassionate and creative”, said her mother, Sophy Layzell, 43, a drama teacher from Horton in Somerset. Just a couple of weeks before her sudden collapse in March 2012, the family had a conversation about organ donation because a family friend had died in a car crash.
“They were on the register but their organs couldn’t be donated because of the circumstances of their death,” said Sophy. “Jemima had never heard of organ donation before and found it a little bit unsettling, but totally understood the importance of it.”
Her parents found the decision hard, but are glad they made it. Jemima’s heart, small bowel, and pancreas were transplanted into three people. Two people received her kidneys. Her liver was split and transplanted into another two people, while her lungs were transplanted into one patient.
The eight recipients included five children, who came from all over England.
Jemima collapsed during the preparations for her mother’s 38th birthday party and died in hospital four days later. A brain aneurysm, rare in a child, is a swelling in an artery wall and there are no symptoms unless it ruptures. When it bursts, it causes a haemorrhage in the brain which can kill or cause lasting damage.
Her parents set up the Jemima Layzell Trust in her memory to help survivors. “If Jemima had survived, the ruptured aneurysm would have severely affected her communication and the right side of her body,” they say on the trust website.
Her parents went through clothes and possessions, looking for clues as to why she had died so young. They didn’t find them, but they did discover about 20 diaries and notebooks she had been keeping since she was four years old. These they have turned into a book, called The Draft, sales of which will raise funds for the charity.
They tell the story of her brief life. Saturday 9 July 2011 Dear Diary It is times like this when I sit and wonder ‘where’s my Romeo? What happened to my Prince Charming?’ But then I stop and think, do I really deserve him? ... I want to leap out of bed, draw back the curtains and gaze out into the night. To lean out the window, sing for my true love, the love I do not yet possess and possibly never will. If only I weren’t so afraid. Monday 8 August 2011 Some people say that God can’t exist because if he did he would help all the poor people in the world. I object to that. I feel their despair but WE have to help them. They are there because we did this to them. They are there because we have a wrong to right. They are there to stop us from turning into complete monsters before it’s too late.
One extract even foretells the future: Sunday 7 August 2011 Anyway I need to write what I think and feel. Not all that you see here actually ‘happened’ but it’s still very real to me. I don’t care if I let my imagination run away with me! Plenty of brilliant artists and writers were mad! In fact it made their work more interesting! Even if they did cut their ears off, commit suicide, run round doing crazy stuff etc etc. People still loved them and their work just the same. And I want to be loved too. I almost feel as though I will never live long enough to become an author, to be married and have a family.
Her mother, her father, Harvey, 49, the manager of a building company, and her sister, Amelia, aged 17, run the Jemima LayzellTrust, which also promotes organ donation. They are proud that Jemima’s organs helped eight other lives continue.
“Shortly after Jemima died, we watched a programme about children awaiting heart transplants and being fitted with Berlin Hearts in Great Ormond Street hospital,” said her mother. “It affirmed for us that saying ‘no’ would have been denying eight other people the chance for life, especially over Jemima’s heart, which Harvey had felt uncomfortable about donating at the time.
“We feel it’s very important for families to talk about organ donation. Every parent’s instinct is to say no, as we are programmed to protect our child. It’s only with prior knowledge of Jemima’s agreement that we were able to say yes.”
NHS Blood and Transplant is hoping Jemima’s story will encourage more families to have the crucial conversation, because a shortage of donated organs is costing hundreds of lives every year, it says.
Last year, 457 people died waiting for a transplant, including 14 children. There are 6,414 people on the transplant waiting list including 176 children.
Anthony Clarkson, of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Every donor is special and Jemima’s unique story shows the extraordinary difference a few words can make. Hundreds of people are still dying unnecessarily waiting for a transplant because too many families say no to organ donation.
“Please tell your family you want to donate, and if you are unsure, ask yourself; if you needed a transplant would you accept one? If so, shouldn’t you be prepared to donate?”
To join the NHS organ donor register visit organdonation.nhs.uk or contact the 24-hour donor line on 0300 123 23 23.
In her submission to the Congress Subcommittee on Asia-Pacific’s hearing on US influence in South Asia, the US Acting Assistant Secretary of State, Alice Wells on Thursday reiterated the need for Sri Lanka to implement a credible mechanism to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes and fulfil the commitments outlined in the UN Human Rights Council resolution co-sponsored by both countries.
Assuring the US’ commitment to work with Sri Lanka towards fulfilling the resolution, Ms Wells highlighted what she described as “specific steps” towards the resolution commitments including: “constitutional reform devolving more administrative power from the central government to Sri Lanka’s regions, the replacement of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with a law that meets international standards of fairness and due process, the return of land seized by the military during the war, and the establishment of transitional justice mechanisms such as the Office of Missing Persons (OMP), a truth and reconciliation commission, an office for reparations, and a credible mechanism to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes.”
Commenting on how the US’ military engagement with Sri Lanka has increased since the present coalition government made commitments towards a reform agenda, Ms Wells noted “all along, however, we have recognized the need for Sri Lanka to take concrete steps toward its reform objectives. In accordance with limits set by Congress, our modest military-to-military engagement has therefore expanded slowly and incrementally.”
Full extract of her submission on Sri Lanka is reproduced below:
“Since its historic January 2015 elections ushered in a path to reform and reconciliation, the United States has been partnering with Sri Lanka to make its workers more skilled and its citizens more empowered, while ensuring the Government continues its ambitious reform agenda.
Our cooperation continues in economic development, governance, trade, and security. We are working together to fulfil the steps to which our nations agreed in a resolution (30/1) at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in 2015, and which were reaffirmed in a further HRC resolution (34/L.1) in March 2017. These resolutions committed the Sri Lankan government to transitional justice and prevention of the recurrence of the violence and abuses experienced during the nation’s 26-year conflict through constitutional, legislative, and security sector reforms. Specific steps include constitutional reform devolving more administrative power from the central government to Sri Lanka’s regions, the replacement of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with a law that meets international standards of fairness and due process, the return of land seized by the military during the war, and the establishment of transitional justice mechanisms such as the Office of Missing
Persons (OMP), a truth and reconciliation commission, an office for reparations, and a credible mechanism to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes. The United Nations will continue its oversight of the implementation of these steps through March 2019.
The current coalition government’s commitment to a reform agenda has prompted growing interest in expanding engagement with the U.S., including in military-to-military relations. All along, however, we have recognized the need for Sri Lanka to take concrete steps toward its reform objectives. In accordance with limits set by Congress, our modest military-to-military engagement has therefore expanded slowly and incrementally.
Our FY2018 request of $3.4 million in foreign assistance focuses on strong support for security cooperation and enhanced strategic trade controls, while contributing to Sri Lanka’s progress toward becoming a mine-impact-free nation by 2020.
Additionally, the MCC is developing a compact with Sri Lanka after it successfully passed the MCC policy scorecard in 2016. In June, MCC approved an initial $7.4 million to study potential projects and conduct due diligence work in the transport and land sectors. MCC is working closely with the Government of Sri Lanka to bring a compact for Board approval in 2018.
The recent TV Show ‘Face the Nation’, presented and moderated by Shameer Rasooldeen and broadcast over MTV discussed several current contentious issues.
The discussion centered around politics, governance, corruption and role of the judiciary.
Commencing the discussion, Prof Wijesinha (RW) voiced his dissatisfaction with the current good governance government. He was one of its initial members. He was critical of the departure from President Sirisena’s election manifesto beginning with Ranil Wickremesinghe being sworn in as Prime Minister a few minutes after Maithripala Sirisena’s own swearing, with a sitting Prime Minister still in office. It also differed with what was previously agreed. He contends, thereafter, it has been a regular case of contradicting the good governance manifesto and broken promises. He opines, the Yahapalanaya administration has since lost all interest in structural reforms and was dishonest. RW concluded, in the event of a general election, he would vote for people opposed to the current government.
Dr Saravanamuttu (PS) pointed out, a lot has not been done in terms promises made and expectations raised of voters in 2015. The commitments made to those promises and reforms has been seriously diluted and even cast aside. He further stated, what currently holds the government together was their desire to cling to power and not relinquish it to someone else. While conceding of some progress made, he spoke of the need for the present government to regroup and come up with a minimum consensus and program of action for the remaining period in office. PS emphasized, failures of the two main political parties currently in government voluntarily, to deliver on promises and expectations they raised would bring into disrepute, the institutions of representative democracy. On the subject of those resigning from high office reappearing in various other government positions as witnessed recently, he opined, notwithstanding the concept of ‘presumed innocent till proven guilty’, the political consequences of what was currently happening was important and expressed the need for “wrong doers to realize what they have done and go rather than wait to be pushed.”
Gomin Dayasiri (GD), in response to the moderator’s question “do you think Sri Lanka right now needs a new constitution, do you think we need the 20th Amendment to the constitution, what are the priorities of Sri Lanka right now” stated “we have got all our priorities mixed up”. He spoke of 20thAmendment being necessary to change certain very important aspects such as return of police powers to the central government and the need to change the electoral system as it was the live wire for much of the corruption taking place. Electorates were too big and MPs need to look for money before and after elections. He expressed his doubts if current constitution making efforts include those very important aspects. He highlighted the eradication of terrorism as the one single major achievement during last ten years but criticized the lack of effort, especially by the Rajapaksa regime in the reconciliation process thereafter. GD opined, even though structural development had been addressed, ‘People Development’ in the North had been overlooked. He further stated, the government had held out very high expectations, but had failed to fulfill many of the promises made. President Sirisena was praised on two issues, for appointing the three-man Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Central Bank bond scam which had resulted in bringing out “a lot of dirt and filth” not uncovered till the appointment of the CoI and for his declaration, foreign judges would not be permitted in Sri Lanka.
Malinda Seneviratne (MS) commenced by praising Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development Dr Harsha de Silva for his recent lament “the entire system is corrupt. I am sick of it”. While conceding to availability of “greater media freedom and breathing space” compared to pre-January 09, 2015 era, he stated “these are still early days” and referred to a senior government minister who had recently telephoned an editor of a newspaper and demanded “this column has to come off”. While praising some of the positive developments such as Right to Information act (RTI), 19th Amendment with independent commissions which corrected the faults of the 17th and repealed the 18th Amendments, he also highlighted the clauses in the 19th Amendment which permitted the government to “go around” the promise of limiting the number of ministers
Leaked official documents obtained by Fortify Rights reveal explicit government policies imposing extensive restrictions on the basic freedoms of Rohingya Muslims.
by Mass L. Usuf-
( September 9, 2017, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) There are not many countries in the world that can boast about being the repository of the orthodox Theravada Buddhism. By virtue of this unique position plus its obligation to the international community in the field of human rights, it behoves the Sri Lanka government to issue a statement expressing its concern at the genocide or ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanity as variously described by different organisations that is being perpetrated in Myanmar, a State predominantly of the Theravada tradition.
While the Myanmar government and the State Counsellor, the so-called Nobel Laurette and human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi hypocritically deny any abuse, Fortify Rights, a Swiss human rights organisation which investigate and document abuses in their report of 28 August 2017 states:
“The authorities evacuated 4,000 non-Muslim residents in northern Rakhine State, and not a single Muslim. This strengthens the appearance that an attack on civilian Muslims is underway. We’re receiving consistent reports that the army is opening fire on unarmed civilians and killing men, women, and children. We documented similar violations late last year, including horrendous killings of infants, mass gang-rape, and other violations.”
Suu Kyi Fuelling Violence
Commenting on the actions of this pseudo ‘beacon of Peace’, Fortify Rights further notes, “Suu Kyi’s inflammatory propaganda is fuelling anti-Rohingya and anti-aid-worker sentiment at a time when she should be doing everything in her power to instil calm, promote human rights, and open more humanitarian space. This is a pattern.” There is now a worldwide call to strip Suu Kyi of her noble prize.
Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International’s Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific notes that Aung San Suu Kyi has failed to live up to both her political and moral responsibility to try to stop and condemn what is unfolding in Rakhine state.
Earlier on 24 March 2017 the Human Rights Council decided (through Resolution A/HRC/RES/34/22) to dispatch urgently an independent international fact-finding mission, to establish the facts and circumstances of the alleged recent human rights violations by military and security forces, and abuses, in Myanmar, in particular in Rakhine State, including but not limited to arbitrary detention, torture and inhuman treatment, rape and other forms of sexual violence, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings, enforced disappearances, forced displacement and unlawful destruction of property, with a view to ensuring full accountability for perpetrators and justice for victims. Not surprisingly the Myanmar government is not issuing them visas or access to the conflict area.
Institutionalisation Of Hate
Metta (loving kindness) is not reserved only for the Burmese Buddhist. It is a universal expression of love and kindness to all mankind which includes the Rohingya Muslims too. It is difficult to comprehend that a country in which 88% call themselves Buddhists can act in this disgusting manner. However, the institutionalisation of hate through indoctrination campaign within the governmental hierarchy is a further serious concern.
Leaked official documents obtained by Fortify Rights reveal explicit government policies imposing extensive restrictions on the basic freedoms of Rohingya Muslims. The never-before published orders and guidelines outline discriminatory policies and abusive enforcement methods plainly designed to control the Rohingya population. The documents detail restrictions on movement, marriage, childbirth, home repairs and construction of houses of worship, and other aspects of everyday life.
Amnesty International observes that the authorities have placed northern Rakhine State under effective lockdown, imposing severe restrictions on the ability of journalists and independent human rights monitors to travel there.
Similarly, the Aluthgama riots of June 2014 did ‘bear the hallmarks’ of Wirathu violence. The infamous terror monk of Myanmar whom the Times called ‘The Face of Buddhist Terror’. It is reported that he sometimes calls himself the “Burmese Bin Laden”. In Aluthgama, besides looting, destruction of properties by arson, etc. on that fateful day, two were killed and two youth were rendered disabled due to injuries to their legs. One of them was Mohamed Asjal a teenager who had gone to see the riots. He was attacked and suffered severe injuries. His mother Fathima Selvia said that my son was taken to the Nagoda hospital, they had assaulted him and said this should happen to ‘Thambiyas’. They had refused to even give him some water. She alleges that due to the negligence of the hospital her teenage son’s leg was amputated.
This terror monk Wirathu has been accused of inspiring persecution of Rohingya Muslims through his speeches, although he claims to be nothing more than a peaceful preacher, despite openly referring to Muslims as the “enemy”.
Compare this ‘peaceful preacher’ claim of Wirathu with the statement of the Bodu Bala Sena’s Chief Executive Dilanthe Withanage, seen below:
“If BBS wanted to launch extremism, terrorism or violence, we have the necessary power and strength, but we won’t, and even Ven. Gnanasara always tries to find solution to issues through discussions.”
“However, despite Withanage’s claim that both his BBS group and Gnanasara have always resorted to finding solutions to issues in an amicable manner, the Colombo Telegraph possess several videos where Gnanasara himself admitted that he was behind the Aluthgama riots in 2014. In another incident in May last year, when a supporter of his group was arrested by the police Gnanasara threatened to launch a blood bath from the Muslim dominated Maligawatte.”
Does not the dishonest and deceptive claim of Withanage ‘bear the hallmarks’ of Wirathu’s humbug claim of being ‘a peaceful preacher?’.
It is normal for a monk to say, “Siyalu Sathwayo Niduk Wethwa, Neerogi Wethwa” (may all living beings be happy and healthy) – it teaches compassion, love not only of human beings but of all living beings including those in the animal kingdom. In contrast, consider the following words coming out of Gnanasara Thera’s mouth:
“In this country, we still have a Sinhala Police; we still have a Sinhala Army. After today, if a single Marakkalaya (derogatory term for Muslim) or some other parayah (alien, outcast, also a derogatory term) touches a single Sinhalese…..it will be their end.” At the Aluthgama rally on June 15, 2014, the day prior to the eruption of the Aluthgama violence.
Wirathu Pattern
Intimidation, threats and physical attacks on persons by vigilante groups, destruction of property by arson or other methods, spreading hate by creating wrong perception, opportunistic politicians and monks instilling fear in the mind of the people through misinformation, discriminatory practices by state institutions, treating fellow citizens as aliens and humiliating such people etc. In Myanmar, they make the farcical claim that the Rohingya Muslims burn down their own villages and then accuse the Myanmar army and vigilante groups for it.
The Muslim community never responded with violence. The racist agenda was very clear. It was to provoke the Muslims to hit back and then the racists will create a riot which will allow them to loot, destroy, injure, kill etc. the Muslims. Finally, the blame will be placed on the Muslims with the standard statement that they (Muslims) started it. A startled Inspector General of Police said in June this year that the suspect, a Bodu Bala Sena member, who was arrested for an arson attack at the Nugegoda Muslim shop confessed to the Police that he planned to attack two or three Buddhist temples in order to create a backlash.
Another instance from the many others that ‘bear the hallmarks’ of the Wirathu campaign of violence.
The Call Of Buddha
Sanity prevailed in Sri Lanka because not all Sinhalese Buddhists are racists. In fact, in addition to the decent and respectable Sinhala masses many Sinhala civil organisations, religious leaders including Buddhist monks, honest Sinhala Buddhist politicians did not hesitate to express their condemnation of the intransigence and criminal activities of the Bodu Bala Sena and their cohorts. The government on its part is taking measures to foster peace, unity, reconciliation and co-existence among the various ethnic and religious communities living in Sri Lanka.
In view of these positive developments here, it is incumbent on the Government of Sri Lanka to issue a statement on Myanmar expressing its displeasure and condemnation of the gross violation of human rights especially, the treatment of women, burning of children, slaughtering the weak and the old. This is the call of the Buddha – Metta (loving kindness). The respectable Maha Sangha, civil organisations and all Buddhists brothers and sisters of this country must both individually and collectively act on this.
Speaking recently, at an internal meeting President Maithripala Sirisena asked those present to brace themselves for the Local Government and Provincial Council elections, it is learnt.
However the President has told the meeting that though the government had come up with the 20th Amendment to the Constitution to postpone the provincial council elections due this year, it all comes down to the determination by the Supreme Court. Large number of cases has been filed against the undemocratic suggestions included in the amendment. Still he said the party should be ready and waiting for elections to both the local authorities and the provincial councils to be called at any time.
In the mean time PM assured that every thing will be resolved democratically. The government will hold elections to the nine provincial councils before the end of 2018 by re-wording the 20th Amendment which was rejected by several provincial councils, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said. That means government is prepared to revise the 20th amendment proposal. “We are ready to introduce a fresh clause to the 20th Amendment to the Constitution compelling the government to hold the provincial council elections before the end of next year,” the Prime Minister has said. He has added “The 20A was prepared to ensure that elections to the nine PCs will be held under the mixed electoral system on a single day prior to the end of 2018."
When the proposal for 20th amendment to the constitution was revealed, Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran said after studying that there was no possibility of them supporting the draft 20th Amendment to the Constitution in that form. The Chief Minister expressed these views at a meeting held at the Provincial Council Complex in Kaithady, Jaffna. He said even at that stage that the government was attempting to take over the powers of the Provincial Councils and hand it over to Parliament by the Constitutional Amendments. Therefore it is necessary to consult the people f the Tamil homeland. Therefore he demanded that the people and the legislators of the province should be consulted when drafting the document. He was supported by the Chairman of the Council C. V. K. Sivagnanam, latter made arranged to summon the Councilors as soon as possible to discuss and to make a decision regarding the draft.
Western Provincial Council (WPC) also protesters about the ill effect of 20 amendment and postponed the debate and the vote on the draft bill on the 20th Amendment several times under protest.
The Governor had pleaded the Council to convey its decision on the draft Bill before September 12. However, Chief Minister Insure Desapriya said more amendments are to be included in the Bill and therefore, the debate should be postponed till the amendments were finalized. The postponement was approved by 77 councilors while five members objected to it. Two members did not vote.
Above mentioned conflicts in both north and south PCs show that new solidarity has come among all PC members to defend the devolution and the powers given to them. Almost all are for autonomy and the chauvinist rivalry has gone out of the window. It is pleasant to see Vigneswaran and Isuru fighting together, for more autonomy.
Lankan Provincial councils are legislative bodies of the nine Provinces established by the 13th amendment to the constitution. In accordance with that, the provincial councils have legislative power over a variety of matters including agriculture, education, health, housing, local government, planning, road transport and social services. The constitution also gives it powers over police and land but successive central governments have refused to devolve these powers to the provinces. Even though on 14 November 1987 the Lankan Parliament passed the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution and on 3 February 1988 nine provincial councils were created by order, the elections were not held on the same day. The first elections for provincial councils took place on 28 April 1988 in North Central, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, and Uva provinces. On 2 June 1988 elections were held for provincial councils for Central, Southern and Western provinces. However present Yahapalana government has decided to hold all provincial council elections on the same day due to basically economic and financial reasons. Hence an amendment to the constitution has been proposed.
The proposed 20th Amendment to the constitution seeks to amend the law relating to elections to the provincial councils to ensure that these are held on a single day and not on ‘an ad hoc basis’. If the proposal is only for this time, as a tentative requirement then it may not create a problem of altering the autonomy of the provincial councils, but it is not. The government has explained that this would lead to a reduction in the costs of elections and give more stability to governance. The economic argument can only be tentative, other wise no democracy could function as all democratic activities are very costly. The stability argument is also inherently dictatorial as it is against very devolution. While the government is entitle to express these views as short term suggestions these are against fundamentals of devolution. Many organizations in addition to TNA have opposed this proposal and pointed to the disturbing elements within these proposals. Democratic movements have been demanding that the police and land powers should be given to the provincial councils. Though Ranil agreed to this demand, Maithree has not committed still, and discussion is going on within the SLFP.
In that scenario this amendment has created a substantial disturbance within the Yahapalanaya. The proposed law if enacted will create a problem to those provincial councils whose terms of office lapse early. Three provincial councils have their terms ending by October of this year. Some other provincial council, on the other hand, will have their terms continue until 2019. The proposed law if enforced, vests the power to administer provincial councils whose terms have ended, with the central authorities until such time as elections are held. Latter is unacceptable as it is again departure from the fundamentals of devolution and autonomy. The design of the provincial councils was a result of the quest for a political solution to the Tamil national problem and was meant to ensure political autonomy and self rule on a limited basis to the provinces. The provincial council system was originally established in 1987 to deal with the escalating war against the Tamil liberation struggle led by the LTTE. The anti terrorist Tamil national parties have sought to utilize it to as a building block to progress to a greater sharing of power while functioning within the existing unitary constitutional framework.
In this context, tampering with the provincial councils, by postponing the elections to them, and by further reducing their devolved powers even temporarily, should be opposed and pressed with mass actions. On the other hand the provision in the 20th Amendment to vest governance of a provincial council whose term has ended in the central authorities if implemented becomes a violation of the basic principle of devolution of power. However the government will hold elections to the nine provincial councils before the end of 2018 by re-wording the 20th Amendment which was rejected by several provincial councils, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said recently. So we have to wait and see.
(Lanka-e-News - 08.Sep.2017, 10.30PM) The whole country was sickened and infuriated to hear today (08) that the two convicts Lalith Weeratungeand Anusha Pelpita who committed colossal frauds and were in robust health laughing and joking on the 7 th have turned sick (feigned sickness) and were admitted to the prison hospital . The bed No. of prison hospital of Weeratunge who bears prisoner’s number V 18069 is 7402.
The prisoner’s number of Anusha Pelpita is V 18068 and his bed No. at the prison hospital is 7401.
The prisoner’s number of Sarana Gunawardena who was remanded earlier on is 6472 , and his prison hospital bed No. is 7360 . Sarana continues to remain in Prison hospital.
Udaya Gammanpila another most notorious fraudster who broke world records on cheating , Ranjith Soysa, Priyankara Jayaratne and Sarath Kumara Gunaratne of the UPFA who are all tainted with criminal charges whose cases are now being heard in courts have all visited the hospital to greet and meet these two ‘super duper’ robbers of public funds .Of course it is natural for buddies who rob together to grieve together like birds of a feather flock together.
Duminda Silva another infamous criminal who is in the death row is another ‘super’ prisoner enjoying preferential treatment – he is in the room of chief jailor, and Prisons Commissioner Venura too is there right now !
Weeratunge and Pelpita who were admitted to the prison hospital on a falsified medical report were engaged in a secret discussion lasting 15 mins .with the participation of chief Dr. Nirmali Thenuwara , Venura and chief jailor.
The convicts have together struck a deal to pay Rs. One million as bribe every month to Dr. Nirmali to keep them in the prison hospital without detaining them in the prison cell.
It is significant to note the court sentenced both these accused based on their grave crimes to 3 years of rigorous imprisonment - not to keep them in prison hospital and pamper them .
It is high time the people of the country at least take a decision in the national interest against this doctor Nirmali who is seemingly having an itch, owing to which she is itching to make a mockery of the sacrosanct laws of the country ,disgracing the medical profession and acting in total disregard of professional ethics.
Dr. Nirmali Thenuwara ‘s mobile phone No. is 0773 422250. Anybody who can cure the itch may contact her . That will do a great deal of good to the country.
“Nationalism does nothing but teach you to hate people you never met, and to take pride in accomplishments you had no part in.” ~ By an anonymous victim of nationalism
Sri Lankans were being well entertained by the Jagath Jayasuriya“issue’ during the last two weeks. First it was the foreign media who reported it, then the Lankan media picked it up and increased the hype, as if there are attempts (or conspiracies) to take the general directly to Hague, where the International court is located, and right after that to the so called electric chair.
The typical ending for this kind of sensation would have been that the Joint Opposition (JO) trumpeting that ‘Yahapalanaya’ government is betraying the war heroes and Mahinda Rajapaksajumping up and down saying that he would sit on the electric chair and sacrifice himself (or his butt) for the war heroes and after another week Sri Lankans being entertained by another hyped up news. But what makes life interesting is the unexpected twists it hides from us.Nobody has expected that Sarath Fonseka would make a public statement that he would testify against General Jayasuriya on the war crimes allegations. For the JO this was like getting all four aces in the card game and they really played it well.
The above paragraph is also the summarized version of the future history stating howField Marshal Sarath Fonseka became a traitor of the motherland.
Meanwhile in the same motherland, there were four war heroes being tried by the court of law. They obeyed the order from their superior officers and fired upon civilians protesting for clean water in Rathupaswala. But the JO patriots never utter a word about these war heroes of Rathupaswala. Even Mahinda Rajapaksha or Gotabaya Rajapaksa who were responsible for the defence ministry at that time, never say that they will volunteer to be hanged instead of the Rathupuswela war heroes.
Smart patriots Wimal Weerawansa, Dinesh Gunawardena and Udaya Gammanpilla, smart patriotic intellectual Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka and the Maha Sangha, everyone has never expressed their concern against the Rathupaswala war heroes.
Why even the war heroes are subjected to discrimination? Again, they acted against the terrorists who blocked the main road andundermined the rule of law in the country.
I discussed about this strange phenomena with some patriotic Sri Lankans. They said they too don’t know the reason for this strange phenomena.
No. Everybody knows the answer. The Sinhalese people accept that the army personnel involved in the Rathupaswala shooting which killed three innocent civilians should be tried by the court of law and punished. On the other hand, they don’t accept that the security forces alleged to have committed indiscriminate shelling on civilian concentrations, abductions, extortions, sexual assault and extra-judicial killings of journalists and opposing politicians should be tried by the court of law and punished.
CABARET, Haiti — After the near-annihilation of tiny Barbuda by Hurricane Irma, its 1,700 evacuated residents took shelter on its sister island of Antigua, hunkering down in government buildings and residential homes as Hurricane Jose approached.
The recent TV Show ‘Face the Nation’, presented and moderated by Shameer Rasooldeen and broadcast over MTV discussed several current contentious issues.
