Blind leading the stone blind: speaker is blind, John is stone blind

(Lanka-e-News -01.Dec.2011, 11.30P.M.) The MPs of the Govt. had themselves questioned whether the speaker of Parliament is stone blind for imposing a 7 day ban on Sarana Gunwardena over the scuffle in Parliament on the day the annual budget was presented . Criminals Lohan Ratwatte who was tainted with mass murder charges and Rohitha Abeygunawardena , who is connected with a gold chain robbery were the culprits responsible for the assaults launched on the opposition MPs including Harin Fernando , and this has been clearly borne out by the photographs and videotapes . Hence the Govt. MPs are in bitter resentment against the MaRa regime and the Speaker for mounting charges against Sarana Fernando. When the Speaker was announcing the sentence to Sarana Gunawardena ‘s consternation , the latter exclaimed ‘ why , only me?’. According to reports reaching Lanka e news , the ‘blind’ Speaker when deciding on this punishment , had been swayed by other considerations : On the day of that scuffle , a water bottle missile had been hurled at the regime chief. The latter had said ‘ it is learnt that a water bottle has been thrown from the gallery , so please tell the police fellows (police karayo) to look for it’. The regime chief who still lacks refinement in behavior and language after being bred in the remote parts o f Medamulana village had used ‘police fellows’ as the term for ‘police officers’.. This was most insolent because the uncivilized regime chief at that moment forgot that his elder brother who is now in the Speaker ‘s seat was also a policeman. Since Sarana is aligned more with Basil ‘chief’ than regime chief , the latter had got most enraged and punished Sarana via the speaker. When inquiries were made , it has come to light the water bottle was hurled by Sarana Gunawardena. The latter had thrown it towards the opposition , but unfortunately for Sarana , it had fallen near the regime chief, and water from the bottle has got spilt on regime chief . What was most intriguing in this episode was , UNP M P and opposition chief Organizer , John Aamaratunge , the ‘sleepy John’ waking up suddenly with a yawn to say ‘thank you’ to the speaker over this issue. It is well to recall that yawning John , once came in for heavy flak of the opposition for traveling abroad with the regime chief at state expense.

CORRECTED-UPDATE 1-Sri Lanka SEC head resigns to "uphold principles"

Thu Dec 1, 2011

(Corrects value of hotel deal in paragraph 9 to $500 million (not billion)

* Resignation follows deputy's transfer

* Brokers, big investors pin bourse woes on SEC

* Sugathadasa's exit may hit confidence

By C. Bryson Hull

COLOMBO, Dec 1 (Reuters) - The head of Sri Lanka's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)resigned on Thursday "to uphold her principles," barely a month after her deputy was moved amid broker complaints that tougher regulation was hurting stock market prices.

Indrani Sugathadasa's resignation comes three days after the island nation's brokers met President Mahinda Rajapaksa to urge him to intervene in his capacity as finance minister to revive the slumping Colombo Stock Exchange.

Her decision to leave could further damage Sri Lanka's campaign to attract foreign investors after the end of a three-decade civil war in 2009, a campaign that has taken a series of hits since October including a warning from ratings agencies.

"I have decided to resign, upholding my principles," Sugathadasa told Reuters. She said she had written her reasons in her letter of resignation, which "would come to be known."

It was not immediately clear what prompted her exit, but brokers and influential investors have blamed increased SEC regulation for slumping prices and trading on the $20.2 billion bourse, which was Asia's best performer in 2009 and 2010.

The SEC this year has investigated several cases of share price manipulation, including "pump and dump" schemes involving illiquid shares, and tightened up the amount of credit brokers can extend to clients to avoid a crash.

The bourse through Thursday's close was down 8.3 percent on the year, the ninth best return in Asia year-to-date. That follows two years as Asia's best performer with a total return of 342 percent, surging with the end of Sri Lanka's 25-year civil war in May 2009.

CONFIDENCE CRISIS

Sugathadasa's deputy, Malik Cader, in November was transferred to the finance ministry after brokers and politically connected investors complained to the president his regulation of the industry was too aggressive and that he had urged them to only invest in blue-chip shares.

That move, along with the government's cancellation of a $500 million hotel deal and swift passage of a law that allowed it to take over state assets leased to private individuals, has dented investor perceptions of Sri Lanka.

Ratings agencies in November warned that the takeover law could hurt confidence and hit Sri Lanka's sovereign rating.

Last week's shock 3 percent currency devaluation may also have hurt, since the central bank -- the responsible authority -- was not made aware of it until Rajapaksa uttered it during his budget speech.

Sugathadasa, whose husband is the president's top aide, has been leading a campaign to bring Sri Lanka's capital markets into compliance with global standards, including hiring white-shoe consultants McKinsey and Co. to advise.

That has often put her at odds with big market players who benefit from lax standards, and brokers who have enjoyed huge commissions amid a post-war influx of small investors, who often act on rumours to their own detriment.

Among the loudest critics are a number of high net-worth investors who either hold government positions or who sit on corporate boards with top government officials.

The government has increasingly moved into the private sector by re-nationalising privatised state assets, or by buying large stakes of private companies through the central bank-controlled Employees' Provident Fund and, in some cases, appointing board members. (Additional reporting by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Matt Driskill)

Wife of President’s Secretary sick of her appointment made by the sick regime

(Lanka-e-News -01.Dec.2011, 11.30P.M.) Indrani Sugathadasa , wife of President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunge and Chairperson of Bonds and price index Commission had resigned her post today(1). She had stated that this was a policy decision. It is learnt that following the crash of the share market owing to the swindling businessmen who are regime’s stooges , pressures have been brought to bear on her against her controlling and curbing the racketeers and swindlers. This is an outcome of a dispute erupting between the President ‘s Secretary and the regime .

It was Malik Cader who was the Director General of the Bonds and price index Commission before her. After his appointment as a senior advisor to the Finance Ministry , it was Ms. Indrani Sugathadasa , the chairperson of the Commission who acted as its Director General as well.

Consequent upon her resignation both posts are vacant.

According to reports reaching Lanka e new s, Thilak Karunaratne is to be appointed as the next Chairman of the Bonds and price index commission by the MaRa regime.

SRI LANKA: A video in Sinhala that explains the difference between law and order, and the rule of law

Asian Human Rights Commission
(Hong Kong, December 1, 2011) Janasansadaya, a well-known human rights organization in Sri Lanka has produced a short interview with Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission. In the interview, the difference between what is now popularly called "law and order" and the concept of the rule of law is explained. In Sri Lanka, governments have used the words "law and order" to mean whatever action the government deems fit in order to maintain what it calls 'order'. For example, extrajudicially killing suspected criminals is considered good practice in order to maintain order; suppression of the expression of public opinion is also considered good practice in order to prevent challenges to the government in the name of order. 
The government's idea of law and order is the prevention of challenges to the government and the most important requirement for law and order is to prevent all opposition to its plans.
Opposition to the government is considered as disorder. Thus, the idea of law and order is to maintain total control by the government with or without law.
On the other hand, the rule of law means the following, as summed up by the eminent British jurist Tom Bingham:
"The core of the existing principle is, I suggest, that all persons and authorities within the state, whether public or private, should be bound by and entitled to the benefit of laws publicly made, taking effect (generally) in the future and publicly administered in the courts." (Tom Bingham, Rule of Law. Penguin Books 2011, page 8).
These concepts are discussed in this video.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je3embauxtU

MPs take aim at Sri Lanka minister over dumped coconuts

  30 November 2011    By Charles Haviland BBC News, Colombo

A government minister in Sri Lanka has come under fire over the fate of thousands of Indian coconuts.

Coconuts are an intrinsic part of Sri Lankan culture and cuisine

Questioned in parliament, internal trade minister Johnston Fernando admitted that 22,500 coconuts had been dumped in the sea last year.

They were imported because of a shortage in Sri Lanka but the scarcity had subsided by the time the nuts arrived, the house was told.

They were then thrown in the ocean so as not to compete with local producers.

Mr Fernando's remarks have been criticised as "hilarious", while the speaker said the coconuts should have been given to those in need.       Full Story>>>

EXCLUSIVE: Sri Lankan government gave orders to commit war crimes, new evidence shows

The International    WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2011 By The International

Photographer: ComSec

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia, on October 28, 2011.

The Sri Lankan army ordered extra-judicial killings and assassinations during the final days of the country’s civil war, according to allegations made by a former member of the army. The source made the statements in an affidavit, obtained by The International as a part of an investigative report on the civil war, published today. The allegations were also accompanied by statements made by a witness who claims that he saw a number of serious war crimes being committed against civilians.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photos allege S Lanka war massacre

Falsehood and Statehood

( November 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Our sincere support for the just struggle of the Palestinian people to achieve their inalienable rights, including the right to statehood, the President Rajapakse said recently.

Why this principle cannot be applied to the Tamils? Are the Tamils undesirables, therefore not entitled to the very same rights? Judgements cannot be made whilst stampeding the very same inalienable rights principle at home.Will now Israel recognise the inalienable rights of statehood of the Tamils? The President speaks for the oil and oil money and not with the heart of sincere feeling.

Independent Palestinian state, Lanka’s wish - President

“On this solemn occasion to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I wish to reaffirm, on behalf of my government and the people of Sri Lanka, our sincere support for the just struggle of the Palestinian people to achieve their inalienable rights, including the right to statehood,” states President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a message to mark International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People which falls today.

The message adds: “Peace ensures security and that fundamental factor underscores the urgency of resolving the Middle-East conflict. This long standing unresolved conflict is a challenge to the values and aspirations of humanity.

“Having personally associated myself with the cause of Palestine for nearly forty years, I reiterate that the Palestinians have been denied their basic human rights for far too long and renew the consistent call of my government for the realization of a two-state solution.

“This year’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People comes at a fundamentally changed time with noteworthy developments.

“The Palestinian Authority leadership has submitted an application for admission of the State of Palestine to full membership in the United Nations. Palestine has been successfully completing its state-building programme, which has been widely endorsed by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the United Nations and others, as well as by the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee in Brussels in June, and in New York in September. There is emerging internal reconciliation between the relevant local political stakeholders.

“Therefore now is the time for collective resolve and action, to usher in an independent and viable Palestine State within secure borders, in peace and security. As I said in my address to the Sixty-Sixth United Nations General Assembly, it is a matter of profound disappointment that this has not yet happened.

We have a window of opportunity now and must make best use of it before it is too late.

It is time for decisive action rather than more desultory discussion. This will be in the interest of the security and the wellbeing of the entire region.

“It is the earnest hope and wish of Sri Lanka, to see the dawn of a Palestinian State flourishing in peace, harmony and prosperity in the near future,” the message adds.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Genocide History Repeating NOW in Sri Lanka by the Government against Tamil civilians.flv

Jobless youth protest under police attack

Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a street protest by the youth front of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) on Wednesday.

The Socialist Youth Organisation (SYO) that organised the protest against the 2012 budget proposals, says the government has ignored the country's tens of thousands of unemployed.

The youth were marching from the Technical Junction towards the Finance Ministry in Colombo to handover a petition that highlight their grievances when the police blocked their advance.

Tear Gas attack

They were blocked at the Lake House round about in Colombo where they came under an attack of tear gas and water canon.

SYO National Organiser Bimal Ratnayaka addressing protestors following the police attack said that there are 42,000 unemployed graduates alone in the country,

"It showed the inability of the President Rajapaksa's government to solve the ever increasing unemployment problem," he said.

Police too "seek help"

He said that police who prevented their march had come for help to JVP when they were in difficulties.

"They complain about unlawful appointments, promotions and other job related problems" he said.

Mr. Ratnayaka accused the government of compensating businessmen rather than giving relief to employees who lost their jobs as a result of closure of factories in the country.

"According to government statistics, there 300,000 who have lost jobs following closure of their work places. But government has given out 16 billion rupees as compensation to businessmen", he said.

Those businessmen, he said, have told the government that they could not find people for their jobs.

"Are we talking about Sri Lanka or another planet," exclaimed MP Bimal Ratnayaka

Sri Lankan Women Human Rights Defenders: Linking Past and Present Challenges

*groundview journalism For citizens  29 Nov, 2011Photo by
 Eranga Jayawardena

As another year begins to draw to a close on post-war Sri Lanka, we can take stock of which changes, or the lack of change, we see around us. The full scope of human rights are still not available to civilians living in areas formerly controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which are now tightly controlled by the Sri Lankan armed forces, with strong restrictions prevailing on their right to move freely and their right to assemble, amongst other fundamental rights.Continue reading »

Navy officer granted bail

THURSDAY, 01 DECEMBER 2011
A navy officer who was held in remand custody for more than a year for allegedly selling 270,600 litres of diesel valued at Rs.21.9 million belonging to the Navy to private filling stations was released on bail by a Colombo Court yesterday.

The suspect, G. Siri Lal Ranjith of Ruwanwella and another six suspects including three navy personnel, two Ceylon Petroleum Corporation employees and two fuel filling station owners were arrested by CID for committing an offence which came under the Public Property Act.

Filing a bail application before Colombo Fort Magistrate, defence counsel Jayantha Dias Nanayakkara with Ms. Ramani Abeygunawardena moved to grant bail to the suspect on the basis of the health condition of the suspect’s little daughter due to the separation from the father. Counsel also had stated that the conclusion of the preliminary inquiries into the matter and the one year remand period of the suspect should also be taken into consideration in granting bail to him. Counsel Nanayakkara had tendered several medical reports showing the bad health condition of the suspect’s daughter.

Magistrate Ms. Lanka Jayaratne observed that the Court had sought the Attorney General’s advice regarding the matter for a period of long time and it was pending. The Magistrate further observed that the Court had sent several reminders to the Attorney General and maintained that it would take a long time and as such his daughter’s health condition could further deteriorated. Finally, the Magistrate maintained that the health condition of the child could be considered as an exceptional circumstance and ordered that the suspect be released on a cash bail of Rs.15,000 and two sureties of Rs.250,000. The other suspects were further remanded till December 14. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)

Rathika Sitsabaiesan on Sri Lanka in Parliament – October 29, 2011

Ms. Rathika Sitsabaiesan (Scarborough—Rouge River, NDP): 
Mr. Speaker, on Friday we learned that the government plans to slash $31.5 million from immigration settlement services in Ontario. Community organizations are already struggling because of similar cuts last year and the year before. Ontario remains the number one destination for immigration in Canada. Why is the government making it harder for newcomers to access the services that they need?

Hon. Jason Kenney (Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, CPC):

To the contrary, Mr. Speaker. We are now providing three times more in funding for immigrant settlement services in Ontario than was the case under the previous Liberal government. Next year, Ontario newcomers will receive more than was the case in 2005. It is true, however, that the number of immigrants settling in Ontario has declined quite significantly, from 64% to 52% of newcomers. They are going to other provinces; it is only fair that the settlement dollars follow the newcomers and that we have fair funding across the country.

Ms. Rathika Sitsabaiesan (Scarborough—Rouge River, NDP): 

Mr. Speaker, the minister says he is doing better than bad. I guess that is the level that the government has set for itself.

With this shuffling of funds, we are still looking at an overall cut of $6 million and $45 million in cuts from two years ago, but the number of newcomers is at an all-time high. Pitting province against province is not going to solve the deficit.

This decision to cut services in Ontario was done without planning and with no warning. New Canadians are huge contributors to prosperity in this country. Will the minister maintain the key supports and services they need to thrive in this country?

Hon. Jason Kenney (Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, the premise of the question is completely inaccurate. There has been a great deal of planning by my officials over the course of two years to ensure that the adjustment in funding from Ontario to provinces with growing immigration numbers happens in an orderly fashion.

In terms of giving people notice, we just gave notice this week to the small number of organizations in Ontario that will be affected at the beginning of the next fiscal year. We have given them several months' notice.

The question is, why does the member think that newcomers to Ontario should be receiving $4,000 per capita in settlement services but that those in the rest of the country should receive only $3,000? We believe that newcomers all across Canada deserve the same support.

Courtesy: Parliament of Canada - November 29, 2011
Published on: Nov 30, 2011 19:41:17 GMT

--------------------------------------------------

Rathika Sitsabaiesan-Statements in the House

Citizenship and Immigration
Oral Questions

November 29th, 2011 / 2:40 p.m.

NDP

Rathika Sitsabaiesan Scarborough—Rouge River, ON

Mr. Speaker, the minister says he is doing better than bad. I guess that is the level that the government has set for itself.

With this shuffling of funds, we are still looking at an overall cut of $6 million and $45 million in cuts from two years ago, but the number of newcomers is at an all-time high. Pitting province against province is not going to solve the deficit.

This decision to cut services in Ontario was done without planning and with no warning. New Canadians are huge contributors to prosperity in this country. Will the minister maintain the key supports and services they need to thrive in this country?

Browse her statements in the House of Commons

Posted by Thavam

E01: The spectacular beauty & life-threatening dangers of Sri Lanka’s Southern Expressway

*groundview journalism For citizens  30 Nov, 2011

We drove down to Galle today on the newly opened E01 road, more commonly known as the Southern Highway / Expressway. Setting off at 6.33am, we were in Galle at 7.45am, and setting off after a leisurely breakfast at around 9.45am, we were back in Kottawa around 10.45am. Many will take this same journey in the days and weeks ahead just to experience the road, Sri Lanka’s first highway. To be able to go to Galle and return in such a short time is, for those used to the 3 – 4 hours it takes along Galle Road, nothing short of incredible.

Our impressions of the journey follow along with some photos of E01.

Continue reading »

Testimony of Elaine Pearson before the House of Commons of Canada regarding Human Rights in Sri Lanka

Canada regarding Human Rights in Sri Lanka

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

• 
  Elaine Pearson

DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES: 

Testimony of Elaine Pearson before the House of Commons of Canada regarding Human Rights in Sri Lanka (PDF)

RELATED MATERIALS: 

UN Rights Council: Act on Sri Lanka Report

Sri Lanka: Open Letter to Commonwealth Foreign Ministers

Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, thank you for inviting Human Rights Watch to testify at this timely and important hearing. Over the last two decades, my organization, Human Rights Watch, has documented human rights violations in Sri Lanka, especially violations committed by security forces and the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) during the conflict which ended in May 2009. Today I will talk about the lack of accountability for alleged war crimes, particularly in its final stages, and also about the current human rights situation in the country.

Alleged war crimes committed by LTTE and government forces

With regard to the final stages of the conflict, Human Rights Watch has interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses to abuses, we have analyzed photographs, video, and satellite imagery.[1]We issued a report in February 2009, War on the Displaced: Sri Lankan Army and LTTE Abuses Against Civilians in the Vanni,[2]based on firsthand information gathered by our researchers. Since the war ended we continued to gather more information.

Full Story>>>