A revelation from the underworld about Eknaligoda

Sunday, 22 January 2012  

An underworld member called Pradeep who has fled to Italy has said that journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda had been kept in a secret location in the Eastern Province before murdering him.

One of the main supporters of the government, Pradeep had fled the country when authorities started to crack down on underworld members.

On January 24^th, it would be two years since Eknaligoda has gone missing. There has so far been no progress in the investigation being carried out into his disappearance and so far no arrests have been made regarding the matter.

However, the legal advisor to the Cabinet, former Attorney general Mohan Peiris told the UN Committee Against Torture that missing journalist Eknaligoda has received asylum in a foreign country.

The government has failed to respond to the request made by the journalist’s family and media organizations to reveal details about Eknaligoda’s whereabouts.

Sexual abuse of another foreign woman down south

Sunday January 22, 2012

Increased police presence needed for unsupervised, unlicensed guest houses in new tourist zones

A Dutch couple was holidaying in Polhena, Matara early this month. The 25-year-old woman and her husband in the early 30s, were relaxing on the beach, when the husband decided to visit the nearby market. A little while after the husband had left, the lone woman on the beach was approached by a guest house owner who told her there was a spa nearby and, if she was interested, to follow him. Not suspecting anything, she had followed the man. Once inside the ‘spa’, the woman was sexually abused. The husband, on his return, encountered a distraught wife who related the sordid crime committed on her. The couple made a written complaint to the Matara police, but, as their visas were expiring on the following day, they had to return to their country and hence could not pursue the case further. The Matara police arrested the hotelier (identified as one Ruwan) and produced him in Courts, where he was initially remanded and later released on bail. Southern Hoteliers Association has raised concern over the increasing number of sexual abuse against foreign women. File pic of a foreigner sunbathing on a beach down south Police said they were following the case, despite the absence of the complainant. There was concern from the Netherlands Embassy as well as from women’s rights groups about the incident. Netherlands Embassy First Secretary Jaco Beerends said, “The sexual abuse of a female Dutch national at a guest house in Matara can be considered a ‘terrible’ incident and the authorities must act upon any incident that concerns the safety of tourists arriving in the country.” “One such incident can create a huge impact, as safety is the important factor for a tourist on vacation, and we are concerned of the safety of Dutch nationals,” he said. Mr. Beerends said there will be no change in the travel advisory, as this is an isolated incident. According to him, 291,000 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in 2011, from Western Europe, mostly from Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland. “There is a growing number of tourist arrivals from the Netherlands. Recently, a Dutch tour operator has made arrangements for direct trips from the Netherlands to Sri Lanka. Tourists from Western Europe are known for long stays and spending more,” he said. He said the victim did not contact the Embassy after the incident. “As they have lodged a complaint with the police, we believe the authorities will inquire into the incident,” he concluded. Condemning the incident, Southern Hoteliers Association president Priyankara Wickremasekare said there is a need to increase the number of tourist police officers and a mechanism or body to monitor unlicensed tourist guest houses. “More police officers should be deployed in places where community tourism takes place, where tourists build close contacts with the people in the area. These incidents do not take place in known tourist zones like Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna, but in newly developed tourist zones like Tangalle and Madiha. People in these rural areas have the idea that European women can be approached easily,” he said. He said that authorities should take all measures to prevent these incidents “In this case, a motel owner was involved in the sexual abuse. There are unprofessional motel owners within the tourist industry, with no tourist body to guide or train them, or set a code of ethics. There are no laws in place in this regard,” Mr. Wickremasekare said. According to him, unlicensed guest houses do not come under the supervision of the Tourist Authority, as they have failed to meet the required standards. UNP Lakvanitha Movement president Ms. Shanthini Kongahage, this week, handed over a petition to the Child Development & Women’s Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadda, expressing concern about incidents of rape and sexual abuse of locals as well foreigners visiting the country. “If women coming to Sri Lanka, looking for hospitality, are being raped or sexually abused, that would not augur well for the country. We are worried about mothers and daughters,” the petition said. The organisation called upon the Minister to take action to prevent the increasing number of cases of sexual abuse of children and women. ----------------------------------------------------------- How hard is it to admit fault, Ambassador Wickramasuriya? Hence, in his own words, “100% I don’t agree with the report   1*‘Asia’s miracle’ of MaRa is indeed becoming miraculous ! – three teenage girls raped yesterday alone !! 2*Shavendra accused of abusing Keheliya’s daughter 3*"Russian tourist raped after attack in Sri Lanka" 4*LLRC ignored rape victims in its report 5*'Attempted rape' of Swedish tourist

US$ 6m overhaul for three combat aircraft

Sunday January 22, 2012
The Government will spend US$ 6 million (around Rs. 684 million) to overhaul three Chinese-built combat aircraft as part of modernization plans for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).

Three Karakorum or K-8 SLAF fighter jets are to be equipped with a Head Up Display System (HUD) and a Multi-Function Display (MFD) configuration. The HUD is a display panel that presents data to pilots without having to look away from their usual viewpoints. The MFD on the instrument panel of the fighter jets puts on display data from radar, weapons stores and navigation information.

The Cabinet last month approved the payment of US $ 6,040,300 to China National Aero Technology Import and Export Company (CATIC) for the overhaul deal. It came on a recommendation made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is Minister of Defence.

A negotiation committee that worked out the deal with CATIC has said the brand new price offered for K-8 combat aircraft including HUD/MFD modification in 2008 was US $ 2.7 million each. According to them, the overhauled aircraft would also have the same flying lifetime of a brand new K -8 aircraft.

Part of the existing fleet of Sri Lanka Air force K – 8 fighters are used to train jet pilots. Others have been used in combat. The three aircraft to be overhauled will be shipped to Shanghai and moved to a CATIC facility where the upgrading work is to be carried out. The K-8 is fitted with a US built engine and is manufactured in China.
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Thalaimannar IDPs 'made refugees again'

Nearly 600 families are now made refugees in their own village, they say, as their ancestral land has been taken over by the military The refugees are even finding it difficult to find drinking water --------------------------------------------------------- Dispossessing And Disempowering The People Sunday, September 11, 2011    By Tisaranee Gunasekara Shanties will disappear with the beautification of Colombo - Photos courtesy:

THE KOLIAVERI (KILLER RAGE) AND KOLLAIVERI (PLUNDER RAGE) TRAITS ARE BOUND TO HASTEN THE END OF DELH

by Vssubramaniam    January 10, 2012 

THE KOLIAVERI (KILLER RAGE) AND KOLLAIVERI (PLUNDER RAGE) TRAITS ARE BOUND TO HASTEN THE END OF DELHI SONIA RULE IN INDIA.

The popular ‘kolaiveri’ song   (with over 30 million hits) carries the ‘murderous’ or ‘killer’ rage connotation that tempts many to adapt it to lament human sufferings caused by bloodthirsty oppressors. The adapted versions of the ‘kolaiveri’ song are immensely popular with Eelam Tamils who   suffer the pain of the Rajapakses’ ‘kolaiveri’   genocide. ‘Kolaiveri’ trait also afflicts the Sonia junta; Sonia UPA/Congress partnered in the Rajapakse ‘kolaiveri’ SL genocide. The two regimes have too much in common;  the victims of the Rajapakses’ kolaiveri’ are mainly the Eelam Tamils, now  includes the Sinhalese themselves who disapprove the Rajapakses’ dictatorial governance.  For the Delhi Sonia junta its kolaiveri  victims are the Kashmiris and also the dissenting mainstream Indians and non mafia Congress regimes in the states.     

Readers are familiar with the gruesome details on the continuing Rajapakses’ blood thirsty ‘kolaiveri’ genocide on the Eelam Tamils and the Delhi Sonia junta’s ‘in the loop’ association with the Rajapakses’ ‘kolaiveri’ massacres. The ‘kolaiveri’connection explains the Sonia junta’s continued silence on the May 2009 Mullivaykkal massacres, a savage human tragedy of huge proportions (40 000+ civilians mercilessly killed within the span of a few days) in which the Sonia junta trio had a major role. Readers are also aware that Delhi opposes the initiatives of the international community to bring the ‘kolaiveri’ Rajapakses before the ICC for its massacres of civilians and war crimes in which the Sonia Delhi’s hands are stained as well.  more

At UN Despite Ban's Claims, Doubts on Yemen, Haiti, Sri Lanka, Buckpass on S. Sudan

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 19 -- Touting the rule of law at the UN on Thursday, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon claimed to oppose amnesties and support international prosecutions, saying that people want accountability and transparency.

  But after Ban spoke with Yemen strongman Ali Saleh on November 23, Inner City Press asked him if he had raised to Saleh his push for the immunity he is now in the process of obtaining. Ban replied that "I have not discussed in detail on that matter." If he opposed amnesties, that was the time to say it.

  Likewise in international prosecutions, since his visit to Sri Lankan internment camps in May 2009, when children at gunpoint sung to him, Ban has done little to push for prosecutions on the many reports of war crimes by Sri Lankan authorities, including some at the Sri Lankan mission to the UN.

  In fact, at a meeting with Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ban openly criticized his own staff rather than the alleged crimes of those he was meeting with.

  On accountability, Ban's UN does not practice it. Faced with a detailed claim that the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations introduced cholera to Haiti, Ban and his officials and spokesman have repeated refused to answer questions about the claim, saying the matter is with Ban's chief lawyer Patricia O'Brien, who refuses to speak with the press. Transparency?

(c) UN Photo
Ban and spokesman, answers on cholera claim etc not shown

  Ban is good at reading speeches that are full of holes, and then not taking questions about them. On January 18, while many media organizations "went dark" to protest prospective Internet censorship legislation in the US Congress, Ban gave a speech whitewashing his and the UN's failure to speak loudly and arrange for alternative helicopters in South Sudan after being told in mid November that the Russian helicopters would not fly.

  After the bloodbath occurred in Pibor and the UN was unable to bring "lethal assets to dissuade" attack, and then refused to even estimate those killed, Ban has now shifted all the blame to the Russians for saying, from mid November on, that they would not fly.

As Inner City Press quoted in its January 11 story, "Maybe when asked to come and help civilians, [the Russians] should have," one Security Council member told Inner City Press. "But they weren't required to and it's [the UN's] fault that they didn't have an agreement with the Russians. Now they're trying to blame it on them." Click here for Ban's January 18 "Responsibility to Protect" speech.  And so it goes at Ban's UN.

Footnote: if this UN does not have a rule of law, it does have protocol. On January 13 Inner City Press asked the spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly if there would be a minute of silence to Guinea Bissau's deceased president, as there had been for Kim Jong-Il of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. She answered, and Inner City Press that day reported, that Guinea Bissau had not made any request. Today as an update the follow has arrived:

"Dear Matthew, In follow-up to your question on above matter, the mission of Guinea Bissau has requested 2 days ago a minute of silence in the GA in memory of HE President Malam Bacai Sanha. Accordingly a minute of silence is planned at the plenary on January 25th."

Well alright then. Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky has by contrast refused to provide even initial answers, much less updates, on Yemen, web censorship, even who pays for Ban's travel. Watch this site.

Fonseka Is Between Scylla And Charybdis

Saturday, January 21, 2012

• Equivocation on criminality in the name of peace has made peace ever more remote

By Uvindu Kurukulasuriya

Sarath Fonseka, Namal Perera after being attacked AND Tamil civilians killed during the war Picture courtesy: www.asiantribune.

Any which way one looks at a Fonseka pardon, he is between the devil and the deep blue sea. Speculation is rife whether the former army commander Sarath Fonseka will be given a presidential pardon before the March 2012 United Nations Human Rights Council sessions. Even if he is pardoned, it looks like he will be faced with a war crimes trial abroad. Fonseka is a Legal Permanent Resident in the United States and has family and property in Oklahoma.
A leaked US Embassy cable, dated 15 January 2010, updated the Secretary of State on war crimes accountability, following the end of the country’s long and bloody conflict. Ambassador Butenis noted there had been some limited progress in investigating potential war crimes, but added: “There are no examples we know of a regime undertaking wholesale investigations of its own troops or senior officials for war crimes while that regime or government remained in power. In Sri Lanka this is further complicated by the fact that responsibility for many of the alleged crimes rests with the country’s senior civilian and military leadership, including President Rajapaksa and his brothers and opposition candidate General Fonseka”.

Read More »

Man posing as private secy. to Defence Secretary nabbed by SIU/CID-Has craftily evaded arrest for two years

Sunday 22 January 2012

By Gayan Kumara Weerasingha

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the CID was able to apprehend a suspect who had been allegedly involved in deceiving big time businessmen and wealthy persons to the tune of millions of rupees while at the same time posing off as a private secretary of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
This suspect had indulged in this nefarious activity for over two years and had evaded police arrest before he was nabbed last week by the Special Investigation Unit of the CID. The suspect has also been referred to as a major in the Sri Lanka Army and he had been engaging in these illegal activities promising to hand over the cash he has obtained to the defence secretary. The SIU had been alerted of the suspect’s conduct, and investigations had been handed over to a special police team under the coordination and supervision of Senior DIG Anura Senanayaka. It is alleged that the suspect had used the names of all the members of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s family to carry out his trade. It is also allegedly that he has been carrying out his nefarious activities throughout the country. However, the first such complaint with regard to the suspect’s activities had been received by the SIU in early 2010 from a female in Ambalangoda.

False promises

It is alleged that the suspect had deceived the female by promising to find her a job at the Central Bank with the assistance of Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his wife. He had also pretended to know the defence secretary and his wife personally, which tactic had paid off with no one being suspicious of his moves.
As the days went on the suspect had hoodwinked the female to the tune of Rs 100,000 promising to find her a job. A complaint had been lodged with the SIU of the CID as the woman concerned had not received a job even after the lapse of a few months.

Suspect entertains lavishly

Following inquiries by the SIU it was ascertained that the suspect was nothing but a big-time fraudster and that he was in no way related or even connected to the family of the defence secretary. Afterwards, another complaint had been received by the SIU of the CID from a person in Weboda. It is alleged that the suspect concerned had deceived that person to the tune of Rs 300,000. 
The suspect had then hosted that family to a meal at the Jetliner cruiser as well giving the impression that the party had been organized on the instructions of the defence secretary. But it had later transpired that the suspect had used the money he had obtained from the family concerned to host the party on the ship. The fraudster had then told the family from Weboda that he was going to tour the USA accompanying the defence secretary and had deviously kept his cellphone switched off during that period to give the impression that he was not in the country. But after a few days he had told the family from Weboda that he had even visited the White House and had attended an official dinner given by President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama. 
This statement had led the family from Weboda to become suspicious of this person in veiw of the fact that had the defence secretary attended any official dinner with the US President then such an occasion would have been highlighted in the local media. But as none of that had taken place they became wary of the fraudster. But he had managed to get out of that situation as well and it was around this time that the SIU of the CID received a complaint from the family in Weboda. 
Having conducted detailed inquiries through cellphones, the investigators were able to discern that the fraudster was from Kotikawatta. He is 51 years and by the time he was nailed he had allegedly got married a few times as well. It is reported that the CID had taken two years to nail the suspect as he had craftily evaded being arrested. 
When he was eventually nabbed he had been hiding in a house in Hokandara. According to the police he is the 141st person who has been guilty of deceiving the public while using the name of President Rajapaksa and his family members. 

Cases reduce, thanks to SIU

According to CID sources, so far they have received 182 complaints against suspects who are engaging in such nefarious activities. Out of that number, 152 complaints had been received in 2010. However, by 2011, that number had come down to 30. This was due to the setting up of the SIU of the CID and the actions the unit has been taking to contain the issue. 
The majority of complaints – 48 – had been for the use of  President Rajapaksa’s name while 36 complaints had been for using the name of the Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa. MP Namal  Rajapaksa’s name had been used in 24 such cases while the First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa’s name had been used in 23 complaints. Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s name has been used in 12 of the complaints received by the CID. A further 16 complaints had been received concerning the Presidential Secretariat and the illegal usage of its name.

Defence Ministry Probing Kotahena Abduction

 Saturday, January 21, 2012

By Indika Sri Aravinda

Christopher Fernando

The Defence Ministry is investigating the alleged abduction of an individual in Kotahena last month, a relative of the missing person said.
Christopher Fernando was allegedly abducted in a white van in Kotahena last month and has not been heard of since then.
Fernando’s relative Roy Fernando told The Sunday Leader that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has now personally got involved with the investigations.
Roy Fernando said that initial investigations had revealed that the number plate on the van used in the abduction was fake.
Asked if he had faith in the investigations, Roy Fernando said that he has placed his faith in the Defence Secretary and no one else.
Christopher Fernando (55), a UPFA supporter and an associate of UPFA MP Duminda Silva, was going about his business at Jampettah Street in Kotahena on December 5, when in broad daylight a white van pulled over near his shop and a group of unidentified men with T-56 weapons in their hands, pulled him inside the van and sped away. Roy Fernando, told The Sunday Leader that witnesses had seen five armed men clad in white shirts and pants carry out the abduction.

Govt behind abductions - Fonseka

20 January, 2012 

Mr Fonseka says he 'strongly condemns' the disappearance of activists in Jaffna

The former army commander of Sri Lanka has accused the government for being responsible for series of abductions and disappearances recently reported in the north.

Former general Sarath Fonseka made the accusation as he was brought to Colombo High Court as a suspect of a case involving alleged corruption when he was the army commander.

The government on Thursday said that it does not have any information on the whereabouts of Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganathan, who went missing in Jaffna since 09 December.

Quoting from a police report, Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva told the parliament police are yet to get any important leads on the incident.

'LTTE payroll'

Saying that he "strongly condemns abductions," Mr Fonseka said: "The government should take the responsibility for it (abductions)."

	JVP dissident group has lodged a complaint with the UN regarding the disappearance

Mr Fonseka also accused the current security forces commander in Jaffna, of being responsible for the spate of abductions and disappearance in Jaffna.

"The commander in Jaffna is the one who took Rs 30,000 a month as a bribe from the terrorist leader in Colombo during the war. He is the one who is behind these incidents" he added.

The military under Mr Fonseka is also accused of gross human rights violations including abductions and involuntary disappearances.

The Appeal Court had earlier accepted a petition submitted by the parents of two missing human rights activists asking the court to order the army commander in Jaffna to produce them before courts.

The activists of JVP affiliated Jana Aragalaya (People's Struggle) were in Jaffna to organise a protest to commemorate the International Human Rights Day.

The petitioners argued that since Jaffna peninsula is under army control, the security forces are responsible for any incidents happening in the peninsular.

Media protest in Galle

Sri Lankan media rights activists participated in a protest in Galle on Saturday and distributed leaflets highlighting media suppression and human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

The protest was held near the venue of the annual Galle Literary Festival where international authors are attending.

The organisers said that the objective of the leaflet campaign was to draw international attention to media freedom and harassment to journalists.

Writer and activist, Sunila Abeysekera who is attending the literary festival said that the Sri Lanka journalists also should have the opportunity to experience the freedom enjoyed by the participants.

She said members of media organisations are trying to draw international attention through the participating authors and writers at the festival where Sri Lankan elite also attending.

“The so called elite must know about the burning issues in the counry,”she said.

Several international authors said that they expected a better place for journalists after the war.

They said that there should be an environment where journalist can live without fear and write freely.

Sri Lanka: Making Progress on Reconciliation

The Foundry January 20, 2012    Lisa Curtis and Rebecca Graebner

Ever since Sri Lanka ended a two-and-a-half-decade civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) in 2009, the government has faced questions about alleged violations of human rights and the killing of thousands of civilians during the war. Despite the Sri Lankan government’s initial resistance to exploring these issues, it took a notable stride forward last November when it released the findings and recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

In May 2010, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa created the LLRC to begin an inquiry into events that occurred during the civil war. The mandate of the LLRC was to investigate and report on what took place specifically between February 21, 2002 (establishment of the Ceasefire Agreement) and May 19, 2009 (end of the civil war).

The LLRC listened to over 1,000 witness testimonies over a period of a year and a half, finally releasing their report in November 2011. Criticism of the report was not in short supply. The Tamil National Alliance has called the report an illegitimate document, while others said it was a good launching pad for future progress.

Nonetheless, many view the exclusion of any reference to war crimes as suspicious. The report also doesn’t provide details on specific cases of civilian fatalities and instead alludes to “certain incidents,” thus entirely excluding cases where civilians were allegedly killed by the Sri Lankan security forces.

The LLRC cited “non-availability of evidence” throughout much of the report to support omission of human rights violations investigations. The LLRC report directly blames the LTTE for the targeting and killing of civilians while describing civilian casualties caused by the security forces as “caught in the crossfire.” Though the report largely absolves the security forces, it does suggest that deeper investigation be launched into cases where it is unclear who was responsible for civilian deaths in no-fire zones.

The report offers specific recommendations on the treatment of detainees and further investigations into civilian fatalities and missing persons. It proposes an “Independent Advisory Committee” to investigate the treatment of those who were arrested and detained for long periods of time under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

It also recommends an inquiry into alleged “deliberate attacks on civilians” and more thorough investigations into missing persons and property damage. Specifically, the report suggests that a survey be distributed to the families who suffered loss of property or family members in order to identify the manner of death and injury. It suggests that aid, both legal and financial, be made available to the affected families.

Chapter 8 of the report focuses on reconciliation and ways to promote national unity and maintain a diverse, yet peaceful, citizenry. Specific recommendations include reaching out to minority groups, addressing the grievances of the Tamil people, focusing on returning displaced Muslims to their homes, and rebuilding mosques, houses, and schools. Better resource allocation and development within villages is suggested to prevent tensions between neighboring ethnic groups. Recommendations also include creating an independent police commission that is separated from the state protection body and providing provincial police with better legal tools and expertise.

The LLRC report concedes that the investigation into human rights violations is a vital component to national reconciliation. With the release of the LLRC and its recommendations for further dealing with alleged human rights violations, there is an opportunity to better unite the country and address international criticisms on Sri Lanka’s human rights record.

The LLRC report is a good first step, but it needs to be followed up with action. The U.S. should actively encourage Sri Lanka to follow up on the recommendations made in the LLRC document in order to jumpstart the process of national reconciliation. The U.S. could even offer the Sri Lankan government tools to help carry out its recommendations.

It should be made known to the Sri Lankans that with continued steps toward democracy, and, over time, growing national stability, they will benefit from new sources of trade, foreign investment, aid, and extended hands of friendship from the West.

Return gift: Dose of rationalism for Lanka, from India

 By M Raghuram | Place: Mangalore  Saturday, Jan 21, 2012,

India learnt first lesson in rationalism from AT Kovoor of Sri Lanka. The man challenged several superstitions and questioned many religious practices as early as 1976. This was similar to a movement started by Dayananda Saraswati and Vinoba Bhave in social reformation. Kovoor was one of the patriarchs of rationalism who visited India four times and sowed the seeds of rationalism in India.

After 35 years, Mangalore is planning to return the favour. It is taking steps to revive that movement, which seems to be forgotten by the people of Sri Lanka.

“After the death of the rationalist crusader AT Kovoor, the island country had lost its rationalist movement and many superstitions have come to life misleading the people there,” said Prof Narendra Nayak, president of the Federation of Indian Rationalist’s Association.

“This has to be doused and vanquished forever, which is why the last generation of rationalists who have no leadership have called me to re-kindle the spirit of rationalism in Sri Lanka,” he added.

“It was during the Emergency that the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution of India was promulgated. This gave an impetus to the development of scientific temperament, enquiry and humanism. This had come as a boost to the rationalist movement in India. Kovoor, who was in Mangalore in 1976, did raise some fundamental religious issues and courted the wrath of the Hindutva activists at the time. But Indira Gandhi treated Kovoor’s campaign as a compliment to the amendment and provided security to him.”

His campaign, mainly in Mangalore as well as other parts of the country, had given birth to many rationalists in India.

“I was one of them, but after his death on September 18, 1978, the rationalist movement died down in Sri Lanka and slowly the social evils came back to haunt the common people there. My mission will be to revive rationalism in Sri Lanka and re-kindle the spirit of scientific temperament and enquiry. I shall give talks, demonstrations, and interactive sessions and have dialogues with students, rationalists, policy makers and many other sub-sections of the society. I will also give lectures and demonstrations in the University of Preadeniya in Kandy where a large number of young students, researchers and teachers will be present,” he said.

On a mission to promote peace in Sri Lanka: Kalam

January 21, 2012
S. VIJAY KUMAR


Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

The former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will embark on a mission to promote peace, harmony and prosperity for all societal constituents in Sri Lanka and propagate an agenda for an inclusively developed nation.

On the eve of his four-day visit to the island nation, Mr. Kalam gave an e-mail interview toThe Hindu, explaining how he plans to meet leaders of “both sides” to convey a mission of building an environment for harmony and mutual trust.

He has asked the Sri Lankan government to arrange a visit to the camps for the internally displaced persons (IDPs). Mr. Kalam is going to Sri Lanka to participate in the launch of the ‘Trilingual Initiative,' an ambitious programme of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa that seeks to encourage Sri Lankans to learn all three languages spoken in the multi-ethnic country — Tamil, Sinhalese and English.

Excerpts from the interview:

How significant is the ‘Trilingual Initiative' and what kind of a change do you think it can bring about in Sri Lanka ?

Abdul Kalam: This initiative has to be a start for inclusive growth in Sri Lanka. This initiative will enable the students to learn their subjects better in their mother tongue. For example, I learnt in my mother tongue, Tamil up to tenth class. Also, it can bring cultural and civilisational unity. Above all, the individual languages can enrich each other.

Do you have plans to meet Tamils living in the IDP camps during your four-day visit to Sri Lanka? What do you have to tell them?

I am going to meet the leaders from both sides and convey a mission of building an environment for harmony and mutual trust. I have asked the Sri Lankan government to arrange a visit for me to the camps.

How important is it for Sri Lanka to accommodate the political and cultural interests of Tamils there?

In a democracy the well-being, individuality and happiness of every citizen is important for the overall prosperity, peace and happiness of the nation.

What do you think is the solution to the fishermen issue? How can Sri Lanka help in ensuring the safety of fishermen of Tamil Nadu?

We need a bipartite agreement between India and Sri Lanka, leading to a win-win situation for both the nations. The sharing of resources has to be planned and it should lead to increase in per capita income and ensure safety for the fishermen community.

Do you apprehend any criticism from political parties or organisations that may oppose your visit to Sri Lanka? How would you react to such criticism?

I am going to Sri Lanka with a mission of promoting peace, prosperity and harmony for all societal constituents. Even for this mission there could be criticism; that is what democracy is all about.

Several thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils are still living in India and abroad as refugees. How important is it for Sri Lanka to bring the refugees (Tamils) back home?

The onus is now on the Sri Lankan government to ensure a conducive environment for all Sri Lankan Tamils to come together in their motherland and work for the prosperity of the nation as a whole.

You have always advocated the youth to dream for a developed India. What is your message to the youth in Sri Lanka who have suffered years of ethnic crisis and war?

An economically peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka is the dream of youth of the nation. My message for the youth is to collectively work for an inclusively developed Sri Lanka. I am meeting thousands of students in multiple universities and schools and I will interact with them.

Wars bring the tragic situation, where fathers bury their sons, how can such an act be a solution? War is never a lasting solution for any problem. All wars signify the failure of conflict resolution mechanisms and they need post-war rebuilding of faith, trust and confidence.