Dalai Lama cancels South Africa trip over visa

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Writer: AFP News agency

Position: Agence France-Presse

The Dalai Lama on Tuesday cancelled a trip to South Africa after Pretoria failed to grant him a visa, fuelling criticism that President Jacob Zuma's administration is appeasing China.

• Published: 4/10/2011 at 05:32 PM
• Newspaper section: news

The Dalai Lama attends a special prayer session at The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya in January. The Tibetan spiritual leader has cancelled a trip to South Africa after Pretoria failed to grant him a visa.

Anti-apartheid leader Desmond Tutu had invited the Tibetan spiritual leader, a fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner and longtime friend, to give an inaugural peace lecture as part of celebrations for Tutu's 80th birthday.

"His Holiness was to depart for South Africa on October 6, 2011 but visas have not been granted yet," said a statement from the Dalai Lama's office in India.

"We are, therefore, now convinced that for whatever reason or reasons, the South African government finds it inconvenient to issue visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama," the statement said.

A spokesman for the Tibetan government-in-exile based in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamshala said Pretoria had acted out of fear of angering China.

"We are very disappointed that a sovereign nation like South Africa would succumb to Chinese pressure. It is a great pity," spokesman Thubten Samphel told AFP.

South Africa had previously denied the Dalai Lama a visa in 2009 and openly admitted it was acting out of deference to Beijing, which views the Tibetan leader as a "splittist".

The cancellation came after Tutu accused Zuma's government of foot-dragging over the visa application for the week-long trip.

"The only response to the letters received to date have been acknowledgements of receipt," said a statement by Tutu's office.

Zuma had said on Monday that he did not know if the Dalai Lama would be granted a visa, adding that the matter was in the hands of the country's international relations department.

Tutu's birthday celebrations will include a book launch on October 6 and a public church service followed by a picnic party on his actual birthday the next day.

The following day the Dalai Lama had been due to deliver Archbishop Tutu's 80th Birth Anniversary Inaugural Lecture.

China has always sought to curb the Dalai Lama's overseas travels, warning host governments that any visit would harm bilateral ties, especially if he was met by state officials.

"Wherever His Holiness goes, they make an attempt to block his visit," said Dalai Lama Spokesman Tempa Tsering.

Announcing the cancellation, the Dalai Lama's office said the Tibetan leader had no wish "to create any inconveniences to anyone, individuals or governments".

South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe last week made a four-day visit to China, where he signed a series of trade deals but made no mention of the visa issue.

The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since 1959 when he fled an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet.

SLA encroaches 100 acres of farmland in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 04 October 2011, 17:20 GMT]
The occupying Sri Lanka Army in Vanni has forcibly taken over about one hundred acres of farmland situated between the villages Shanthapuram and Kanakaampikaik-ku'lam 5 km southeast of Ki'linochchi town. Earlier, the farmland was the livelihood of hundreds of people under a poverty alleviation scheme under the civil administration of the LTTE. A church and a well used by the residents of Shaanthapuram and Ira'naimaduk-ku'lam are also located in the land militarised by the occupying SL military. The SL military says it wants to exhibit military hardware seized from the Tigers in the farmland, which is situated near Ira'naimadu. 

The SLA has fenced the seized land  to confirm their possession.

The SLA soldiers who brought two tanks and three artillery guns that were seized from the LTTE to the lands and said the military was planning to exhibit military hardware of the Tigers in the land now being occupied from the civilians. Some families in the acquired lands are given alternative lands elsewhere.

Meanwhile a portion of land located east of Thiru-mu'rika'ndi village along A-9 highway is brought under “High Security Zone” by the SLA.

Residents of this area still remain as uprooted people in so-called welfare centres and with relatives and friends although they possess legal documents to prove their ownership of their lands in HSZ.

The SL authorities have refused to accommodate their requests to allow their resettlement in their legally owned lands.

However the setting up of SLA camps and destruction of coconut plantations and other food crops in the land are continuing, the uprooted people complained.

The Ira'naimadu tank is the largest irrigation scheme in the Northern province. The occupying military wishes to keep lands close to the dam under its permanent control, political observers in Vanni said.

Suspect dies in police custody

Another suspect of a murder case has died in police custody. The suspect Lalith Prasanna who was held by the Moratuwa police was the second to die in custody within a week. Prassana jumped in to the Bolgoda River while he was being escorted to show a murder wepon used in the murder of a police constable said Sri Lanka's defence spokesman. Director General of the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) Luxmun Hulugalla said that a policeman who attempted to save the suspect from drowning has also been admitted to the hospital. In the recent past a number of suspects have died in police custody and asked why adequate protection is not provided Hulugalla said “you must remember that they are criminals and there is a limit to the protection we could provide. Meanwhile the Free Media Movement (FMM) said that police have erased a video tape of journalist Indika Sri Aravinda who interviewed the victim's family at the police station. The MCNS head said, "if journalists behave in a manner that obstructs police duty, they are compelled to take legal

Dompe victim's parents seek justice

Protest by angry villagers resulted with the arrest of five policemen The parents of an alleged police torture victim have called upon Sri Lankan authorities to conduct a proper investigation into the death in order to prevent any such incidents in future. 29 year old Gayan Rasanga arrested by Dompe police on Thursday was found dead in custody on Friday morning. His funeral was held on Monday amidst heavy military presence. Security personnel were seen taking photographs of those attending the funeral, reports journalist Prasad Purnimal Jayamanne. Angry villagers who pelted stones at the police station and set fire to the police building and vehicles following his death forced the arrest of five policemen, including the Chief Inspector.     Full Story>>>

Wikileaks- Eight GAs were ordered to send the result to President’s house – before sending them to EC

Colombo Telegraph

POSTED BY COLOMBO TELEGRAPH ⋅ OCTOBER 3, 2011  

 FILED UNDER  ANTI CORRUPTION, AUTHORITARIANISM, DEMOCRACY, ELECTION MONITORING, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE,PATRICIA A. BUTENIS, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2010, SARATH FONSEKA, SRI LANKA

By Colombo Telegraph

Including those in Ampara - Kannangara GA Ampara

“The president’s campaign had ordered eight GA’s including those in Ampara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa to send election results directly to the president’s house for his review before sending them to the Election Commissioner.” the US ambassador wrote to Washington.

The US ambassador Patricia A. Buttenis and USAID Mission Director met with about ten business representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ampara District and made a separate call on Ampara Government Agent Sunil Kannangara less than a week before the presidential election 2005.

The leaked cable classified as a “CONFIDENTIAL” by the ambassador Patricia A. Buttenis under the title of “ELECTIONS IN AMPARA: INTIMIDATION AND WEAK ALLEGIANSCES”.

“Business representatives reported that Iniya Barathy, Karuna’s second in command and Rajapaksa campaign coordinator, controlled 600 to 700 armed supporters and had created a climate of intimidation that precluded any expression of support for the opposition. On the other hand, support for Rajapaksa appeared weak” Ambassador Patricia further wrote.

30.45% and 67%

Rajapaksa’s chief opinion pollster and close advisor Sunimal Fernando said to the US embassy in less than a week before the election, the President was doing very poorly in the East, mainly due to the corruption issue. Read the Colombo Telegraph story yesterday;http://colombotelegraph.com/2011/10/02/wikileaks-%E2%80%9Crace-is-neck-and-neck%E2%80%9D-rajapaksa%E2%80%99s-chief-pollster-sunimal-fernando/  However Rajapaksa received 67% and Fonseka received 30.45% in Ampara district. See the election results here;  http://www.slelections.gov.lk/presidential2010/13A.html

The private lawyer of the Election Commissioner, Elmore Perera challenged the EC Dayananda Dissanayake just after the presidential election (26 January) to appear live on TV and truthfully divulge to the country where, and with whom, Disanayake and his wife were between 3.30 p.m. on 26th January 2010 and 4.45 p.m. on January 27th 2010. Read his challenge here;http://transcurrents.com/tc/2010/03/where_and_with_whom_were_you_a.html

Read the full confidential cable below;   Continue Reading

FRINGE MEETING AT CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE

BTC / OCTOBER 3RD, 2011 / NO COMMENTS »

Richard Graham MP for Gloucester and Foreign office PPS

Freedom from Torture and Human Rights Watch screened channel 4′s Killing fields of Sri Lanka at Conservative Party Conference.
Keith Best, former Conservative MP and head of Freedom from Torture highlighted the tragic plight returned deportees to Sri Lanka had to face.
Richard Graham, MP for Gloucester and Foreign office PPS reiterated that all options were on the table if Sri Lanka did not conduct a credible independent inquiry.
Callum Macrae, producer of Channel 4′s documentary said that the LLRC conducted by GOSL was a whitewash and an independent international inquiry was needed.

Callum Macrae, Channel 4

Federal Conservative MP Patrick Brown on screenig of "Sri Lank's Killing fields" in Canadian Parliament

Barrie MP, Patrick Brown ][ Oct 04 12:39 GMT ]

Member of Parliament to Barrie, I was proud to host the screening of the UK Channel 4 - “Sri Lanka’s Killing Field” documentary in the Canadian Parliament on Wednesday, September 28th. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Human Rights Watch and my follow colleagues NDP’s Rathika Sitsabaiesan and Liberal’s John McKay for co-hosting the event with me. [ full story |

AG who bragged of filing action after being silent asked a series of questions by a Lawyer in US

Tuesday 4 of October 2011


Why aren’t action filed against LTTE leaders KP, Karuna, Pillayan against whom there is a host of evidence?(Lanka-e-News -02.Oct.2011, 11.55P.M.) After the ex AG of Sri Lanka (SL) bragged two days ago when speaking on the case filed against Shavendra Silva in the US courts that he is ready to file two or more cases against those groups who are agitating and mounting charges , a SL Lawyer in New York , US had sent a letter to LeN indicating that he has a number of questions to ask based on the AG’s loud mouthed utterances. The Lawyer wishes not to disclose his name . As we believe these questions posed by this lawyer in New York are relevant to all of us concerned , we append them herein.

The US based Lawyer states, the AG who speaks about his readiness to file counter action to combat the case filed against Shavendra Silva has not made mention of the case filed against the President Rajapakse in the Southern court of New York.

The questions posed to Ex AG and present Cabinet advisor Mohan Peiris are given hereunder :

1. He stated that he can file three law suits, if that is true
(a) where he is going to file? Is it America or Sri Lanka?
(b) For what purpose?
(c) to punish the LTTE leader in criminal nature or to collect compensation for their criminal act?
(d) When did he get the idea of filing a law suit?
(e) Why he could not file the criminal case against the LTTE leaders like Karuna, Pillian and K.P when there are plenty of proof that these people killed and harm our nation?
(f) Why he could not file the civil case against them before Sri Lanka courts ?
(f) Why he could not file any of these cases when he was assumed office as attorney general?Mr. Ex. Attorney General didn’t you have brain that you had all these options when were in the office as attorney General.

Mr. Ex. Attorney General, do you know why the world community accuse Sri Lanka for human rights violation, because they have no faith about attorney general’s office.? ( See the War Crimes Report)

Mr. Ex. Attorney General Can you appear in the United States District Court on behalf of Shavendra Silva? Answer; No. You cannot practice in the United States because you are not a Lawyer who can practice law in the United States. If you are a member with good standing in the Sri Lanka Bar Association, then you know you cannot even give legal advice about American Law, that is called unethical legal practice as a lawyer.
2. Mr. EX. Attorney General do you know who pays money to file?

(a) lawsue against anyone? May be you can file before Sri Lankan courts without money, but you cannot file in the United States. You have to hire a lawyer who appear before the United States District to file a case and has to pay fees. Do you know how much?

3. Who pays legal fees for Shavendra silva’s case. You should pay out of your pocket because you gave wrong legal advice to Sri Lankan government. Because all these people who served Sri Lanka during the War, sent to America with your advice as attorney General during the time you acted as Attorney General. If you gave proper legal advice you could have avoided this mess.

4. Do you know how much Sri Lanka has to legal fees for Shavendra Silva’s case? At lease 500.000 to one million dollars.

5. Now the Sri Lankan Tax payers has to pay the legal cost for Shvendr De Silva case? Do you
think this is a Joke. You should pay all legal expenses for Shavendra’s as compensation for legal malpractice.

6. Do you know Gotabhaya has to come to America if the Shavendr’s case going to trial to prove
that Shavendra (if he claims that he did not do any wrong doing)in his defense, as s witness?

7. We believe that you as a supporter to Rajapakse President is liable for these matters?

8. If you file case against the LTTE in a civil case and obtained monitory award, you can collect
nothing because Sri Lanka Government kees billions of dollars belongs to LTTE and Sri Lanka is stake holder in the law suit.

Top Aussie diplomat in Sri Lanka criticised

Updated October 4, 2011 14:45:43

Australia's High Commissioner in Sri Lanka has been criticised for taking part in a ceremony in which former Tamil rebels were given certificates of rehabilitation.

The former rebels at military-run run camps where they've been held since the end of the civil war had gone through a two year rehabilitation process.

But John Dowd, president of the International Commission of Jurists in Australia, says the camps are run for re-education, not rehabilitation purposes.

He says no Australian diplomat should be participating in such a process.

Presenter: Bruce Hill
Speaker: John Dowd, president of the International Commission of Jurists in Australia

• Listen:
   
• Windows Media

Tamils seek support from Cuba & L.A.

By Ron Ridenour

Sri Lankan President Mahind Rajapaksa and Cuban President Raul Castro. File photo from colombopage.com

HAVANA TIMES, Oct. 3 – “We Tamils, inside and outside the island of Sri Lanka, still want an independent state. And because the war crimes and severe brutality of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government against our people has become well known, our cause is being spoken about all over the world,” Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran told me recently in Manhattan, New York.

A positive sign of recognition for Tamil rights is the dramatic Channel 4 UK documentary, “Sri Lanka Killing Fields”, shown first at a June Human Rights Council session and then worldwide.

Full Story>>>

Tamil Tigers: defence demands Dutch judges step aside

Published on : 3 October 2011 
By Geraldine Coughlan (Photo: RNW)

The panel of judges should be removed from the case against five Sri Lankan men, Dutch lawyer Victor Koppe demanded on Monday. The five are accused of supporting the Tamil Tigers (LTTE), listed since 2006 by the European Union as a terrorist organisation.

Dutch prosecutors have asked for jail sentences between 10 to 16 years against the men for allegedly aiding the rebel movement from the Netherlands, including collecting funds.

But Koppe told the special War Crimes Chamber at The Hague District Court that the trial process was unfair. He said the three judges should step down as they did not guarantee more time for his defence statement. Koppe said it seemed the court was “blatantly ignoring” his defence.

If the judges are ordered to step down by an independent appeals panel, the trial which started last month must begin again with new judges.

Arrested last year as part of a probe in the Netherlands into the activities of the LTTE, the five men have lived in the country for a long time and have Dutch nationality.

But their possible convictions, due later this month, are just the tip of the iceberg - in a case which will be interpreted in Sri Lanka as a decision on who is right and wrong in the country’s 30-year civil war.

If you believe CBI, Dhanu didn’t die in the blast that killed Rajiv Gandhi

Published: Tuesday, Oct 4, 2011, 8:30 IST 
By Nikhil S Dixit | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

India’s premier investigative agency – the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) – just doesn’t seem to get it right. After having goofed up on the 50 most wanted list earlier this year, the agency has scored another major blooper.

The agency, while patting its own back on investigation into the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, has said Thenmozhi Rajaratnam alias Dhanu of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was sentenced to death by the trial court as well as the Supreme Court. The fact is she had died in the explosion that killed Gandhi on May 21, 1991 in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai.

Dhanu, wearing a bomb suit, denoted herself while she was bending to touch Gandhi’s feet. Alongwith Gandhi and Dhanu, several others too were killed in the explosion. The weblink titled ‘Rajiv Gandhi assassination case’ has been recently put up by the agency on its web portal www.cbi.nic.in. It is part of CBI archives.

The CBI says the designated TADA Court in Chennai awarded death sentences to all the 26 accused. Later, after an appeal in the Supreme Court, only four (Dhanu and three others) of them were sentenced to death. Others were given various jail terms, the website says.

The CBI spokesperson did not respond to text messages and email sent byDNA requesting the agency for its reaction on the goof-up.

In May this year, glaring errors on part of the CBI were highlighted. The list of 50 most wanted men from India, which was given to Pakistan in March, had names of two men who were actually in India and not in Pakistan. Feroz Rashid Khan was lodged in the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai and was facing trial in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case.

While, Wazhul Kamar Khan, was also shown as wanted in the 2003 Mulund train bomb blast case, whereas he was residing in Thane with his family.

These instances had cause major embarrassment to CBI and the Indian government. Immediately after the expose, CBI had withdrawn the said list and had promised to correct all the errors. However, this latest goof-up by the central agency indicates that little has been done to correct the errors.

Bangladesh war crimes: First charges filed

BBC News

South Asia

By Anbarasan EthirajanBBC News, Dhaka
A senior leader of Bangladesh's largest Islamic party is the first suspect charged by a tribunal probing the 1971 independence struggle against Pakistan.Mr Sayedee is among seven people facing trial

BBC News

The war crimes tribunal accused Delawar Hossain Sayedee of mass murder and torture among other crimes. He denies all the allegations.

Mr Sayedee, a leader in Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami party, was arrested last year.

The tribunal was set up in 2010 to try those accused of crimes during the war.

Bangladesh was called East Pakistan until 1971 when a nine-month war of secession broke out leaving up to three million people dead.

"The court has framed charges on 20 counts including crimes against humanity and genocide against Mr Sayedee," Mohammad Shahinur Islam, registrar of the International Crimes Tribunal, told the BBC.

"He pleaded not guilty. He claimed all those allegations were false.

"With the framing of charges the trial has started. As a citizen, I should say this is a historic day for Bangladesh," Mr Islam said.

The case will be next heard on 30 October when the prosecution will make an opening statement.

Official figures estimate that thousands of women were raped when West Pakistan sent in its army to try and stop East Pakistan becoming an independent Bangladesh.

Last year, the Bangladeshi government set up the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka to try those Bangladeshis accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces and committing atrocities during months of violence.

Mr Sayedee is among seven people, including two from the main opposition Bangladeshi Nationalist Party, facing trial. All of them deny the accusations and accuse the government of carrying out a vendetta.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch says the tribunal needs to change some of its procedures to ensure a fair trial which meets international standards.

The trial is likely to go on for months.

TNA MP challenges 3 PTA regulations

MONDAY, 03 OCTOBER 2011

By S.S.Selvanayagam

Three Regulations promulgated by the Defence Minister under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) are challenged in the Supreme Court.

Jaffna district Parliamentarian Mavai Senathirajah, who is the General Secretary of Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (Federal Party) has filed a fundamental rights violation petition before the Supreme Court challenging the Prevention of Terrorism (Extension of Application) Regulation, Prevention of  Terrorism (Detainees and Remandees) Regulation and Prevention of Terrorism ( Surrendees  Care and Rehabilitation) Regulation.These Regulations have been promulgated by the Defence Minister and published in the Gazette on August 29         .Full Story>>>