SL High Commissioner In Australia Tries To Block The Book “Sri Lanka’s Secrets”
November 17, 2014
The Sri Lankan High Commission in Australia has been busy attempting to compel the University of Monash to withdraw its publishing support for a new book that sheds lights on events that occurred during the final phases of the war in Sri Lanka.
According to the Tamil Refugee Council, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner AdmiralThisara Samarasinghe had met with the university administration and its Vice-Chancellor on two occasions – September 8 and 26 in an attempt to get the university to withdraw their support for the book titled ‘Sri Lanka’s Secrets: How the Rajapaksa regime gets away with murder’ authored by veteran Australian journalist Trevor Grant.
Monash University Publisher Dr. Nathan Hollier has confirmed these meetings, adding that Samarasinghe even met with University Vice Chancellor Professor Magaret Gardner during which he had questioned the university’s selection approval processes for books chosen to be published. It is reported that he had even asked for an official apology from the University for allowing the book to be published.
Prior to the meetings however, the Deputy VC of the University Professor Abid Khan had written to Samarasinghe, rejecting his calls for censorship, pointing out that authors are free to publish their work through the Monash University without fear from institutional discipline and had added that the book however does not represent the University’s official stance.
Samarasinghe however had been asked to write a response to the book on the university website, as it would provide a chance to shed light on any errors or misinterpretations, which he in turn had rejected.
According to the Tamil Refugee Council, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner AdmiralThisara Samarasinghe had met with the university administration and its Vice-Chancellor on two occasions – September 8 and 26 in an attempt to get the university to withdraw their support for the book titled ‘Sri Lanka’s Secrets: How the Rajapaksa regime gets away with murder’ authored by veteran Australian journalist Trevor Grant.Illegal Presidential Poll Campaigning Begins
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed his brother, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa as the campaign manager of the UPFA
Even before the declaration of the Presidential polls, the Rajapaksa regime has kick-started their illegal campaigning activities, forcibly enrolling teachers in government schools into the Sri Lanka Freedom Party teacher union.
The enrolments have been carried out by Acting Directors and Service Advisors – who themselves are political appointees – who have been visiting schools in education zones countrywide and forcing the teachers through principals to obtain membership in the SLFP affiliated – Sri Lanka Nidahas Guru Sangamaya (SLNGS).
Aggrieved teachers have revealed that a list of teachers unwilling to obtain membership in the SLFP teacher union has been requested from each school and they have been informed that the eligibility to remain entitled to the motorcycles promised to those in the teachers service through budget 2015 would depend on their willingness to be part of the SLNGS.
Moreover, these Acting Directors and Service Advisors have also been holding meetings within schools for teachers that seeks to promote SLFP activities and the development work carried out by the government.
