Doctors seek transport payment

20 February, 2012

'It is only about 5000 of them are doing private practise' Medical doctors working in the state sector in Sri Lanka have warned to take industrial action if the government fails to pay them an additional transport allowance. Dr Sankalpa Marasinghe, the spokesman for the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said though the request is long overdue, the allowance is more needed in the wake of fuel price hike. The GMOA is seeking an increased transport allowance of Rs.33,000 per month. Dr Marasinghe said the government doctors would be compelled to engage in more private practice, if their demand for the additional transport allowance is met. Private practise "There are about 16,000 doctors working in government hospitals. It is only about 5000 of them are doing private practise," he told BBC Sandeshaya.  The overall majority of doctors in Sri Lanka do not engage in private practise but most of them will be compelled to if a proper salary is not paid   Dr Sankalpa Marasinghe Not only the doctors, he said, it will be very difficult to keep other professionals such as engineers and accountants in the government sector if “an acceptable salary” is not paid to them. “The overall majority of doctors in Sri Lanka do not engage in private practise but most of them will be compelled to if a proper salary is not paid,” the GMOA spokesman added. Dr Marasinghe, however, refused to comment whether private practise for doctors should be banned in Sri Lanka. Fishermen, farmers, three-wheel drivers and private transport companies as well as the opposition parties have been protesting the recent hike of fuel prices by the government.

US Congress tables resolution on Baloch self-determination

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 February 2012, 17:08 GMT]
A resolution has been introduced in the US Congress last week, calling upon Pakistan to recognize the right to self-determination of the Baloch people, whose main territory Balochistan, bordering Iran in the west and Afghanistan in the north, is currently a province in Pakistan. It is the US policy to “oppose aggression and the violation of human rights inherent in the subjugation of national groups as currently being shown in Iran and Pakistan against the aspirations of the Baloch people,” the motion said. The resolution also talks on the distribution of the Baloch in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, their long revolts since 1958 and the need for the world to give them an opportunity to choose their own status among the community of nations. Balochistan is rich in oil and minerals with pipeline access to sea besides its strategic importance to US engagements in West Asia and 
Afghanistan.

Provinces of Pakistan and the former principality of Kashmir now occupied between India and Pakistan.

The revolts in Balochistan, in 1958, 1973 and 2005 “indicate continued popular discontent against Islamabad’s rule, and the plunder of its vast natural wealth while the province remains the poorest in the country,” the motion in the US Congress said.

“The Baloch, like other nations of people, have an innate right to self-determination. The political and ethnic discrimination they suffer is tragic and made more so because America is financing and selling arms to their oppressors in Islamabad,” the motion further said.

The resolution was tabled by the US Congressman Dana Rohrabacer, who a few days ago chaired a Congressional hearing on Balochistan. 

Meanwhile, there were strong reactions in Pakistan.

On Monday Pakistan foreign ministry summoned the acting US envoy Richard Hoagland to lodge a strong protest.

Hoagland was "told in clear terms that the move in the US Congress was contrary to the spirit of friendly relations and violative of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and recognized norms of inter-state conduct", the statement said.

Pakistan’s parliament earlier passed a resolution condemning the hearings of the US Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee.

The provincial assembly of Pakistan’s Punjab, adjacent to Baloachistan, condemned the US bill and wanted the US ambassador to be summoned to its house for an explanation.

Questioning the US silence over the Kashmir issue in contrast, the Pakistan-Punjab assembly also wanted the federal government in Islamabad to take up the Kashmir issue more effectively and to convince to US congress to raise its voice against Indian brutality in the Kashmir valley. 

However, many in Pakistan believe that the US Congress bill is not the view of the US Administration and is only a pressure tactic.

But political observers think that the USA and India are likely to take a common stand on Balochistan.

The map shows the demography of Baloch nation in the province of Balochistan now in Pakistan, as well as in Iran and Afghanistan. The map also shows the communication and pipeline potentialities of the country with China, Central Asia, West Asia and with the Arabian Sea. Instead of the route to China, shown in the map, China on its own now works on a shorter route through Quetta to Karakoram and then to China.

China at the moment builds a deep-water harbour, similar to Hambantota in Sri Lanka, at Gwadar in Balochistan, and is also engaged in building a highway linking the harbour with Balochistan’s capital Quetta close to Afghan border, eventually to link the harbour with China, through the Karakoram Pass of the Himalayas. 

China has also invested in oil and minerals in Balochistan.

Apart from oil and gas, Balochistan is rich in gold, copper, zinc and coal.

The Karakoram Pass, through which China proposes to link Gwadar in Balochistan and the Arabian Sea

China’s control of the corridor through Balochistan can "bind India down in South Asia, restricting its capacity to operate elsewhere," a Forbes feature in May 2010 said. In its ventures in Balochistan, China is wiling to play in the bribery culture traditional to the area, the article further said.

Meanwhile, last week, Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa wanted to assert to his newly found international status as ‘expert’ in handling national questions through military and genocide. The SL president visiting Islamabad had secret talks on providing military expertise to Pakistan in the subjugation of Balochistan, political circles of the Baloch accused.

Rajapaksa’s secret deal with Pakistan sabotages India’s designs in Balochistan, commented a South Asian diplomat.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) sometimes back pointed out the discrepancy in the outlook of the international community regarding national questions: favouring some of them, not favouring some others and watching the rest.

The US Congress and especially the State Department are answerable for their discrimination in recognising neither the genocide committed on Eezham Tamils nor their right to self-determination, Eezham Tamil circles pointed out.

The Tamil Nadu State Assembly, confining only to the war crimes, was not strong enough in defending the national cause of Eezham Tamils, compared to the boldness of Pakistan-Punjab provincial assembly in dealing with foreign affairs of its interest, commented political observers in Chennai.

The Dravidian-speaking Brahui people, having prehistoric relations to Tamils in language and numbering around three million today, are mainly natives of Balochistan. They also are found in the neighbouring Iran and Afghanistan, as part of the Baloch identity. 

The four major ethnic groups of Pakistan in 1980 [Map courtesy: University of Texas at Austin, Wikimedia Commons]

Sri Lanka: Government fears strategy of “Regime Change” through external intervention

Lanka  standard   

Dr. Jehan Perera | Published on February 20, 2012

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s speech to the nation on Independence Day provided an indication of his two major concerns for the future. One concern was the persistent international pressure on

Blake

his government on human rights issues during and after the end of the war. The other concern was the efforts to destabilize the government through mass agitation that is taking the form of anti government public demonstrations and street protests. The political instincts of the President which have given him an edge over his rivals appear to have been confirmed in the events that have unfolded in the fortnight since his speech.

Increased pressure

The increased pressure on the government from the international community was more or less to be expected. The government had ample forewarning that the March session of the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva would not be an easy one. It was on account of this that government leaders made use of every opportunity to take wing to foreign nations to lobby their governments on behalf of the nation. The government’s trump card in appealing to the governments of fellow developing nations is that all of them have their own apprehensions about Sri Lanka being made a precedent that they might have to follow.    Full Story>>>

A Criminal Monk To The Police Commission

Colombo Telegraph FEBRUARY 20, 2012

IN JOURNALISM TRUTH IS A PROCESS

Highlighting concerns raised when the Eighteenth Amendment was passed, the recent appointment of the Police Commission shows just how unacceptable the new framework for independent bodies is. The appointments to the new Police Commission includes the Buddhist monk Elle Gunawanse. It is difficult to imagine someone more unsuitable to serve in the Police Commission, of all things. Truth, sometimes, is really stranger than fiction.

Gunawanse was subsequently reported being seen at the Cinnamon Gardens Police station, having come in a jeep with a pistol tucked under his robes, demanding curfew passes.

Alle Gunawanse was known to be a firebrand Buddhist monk with a tendency to go out of control once he began to speak. There were several monks like Gunawanse, who began their careers by encroaching on state land and putting up a small structure. Their success depended on political patronage. Gunawanse too encroached on crown land in Colombo 7 (Cinnamon Gardens) opposite the BMICH on Bullers Road.

It was well known to contemporaries that Gunawanse had strong links with late Minister Gamini Dissanayake and was a recipient of patronage from the Mahaveli Ministry. His humble structure was replaced by an impressive one from state funds, and in honour of the Maheveli Project received the grand name of Maheveli Maha Seya. He also acquired a Pajero Jeep – the symbol of the new rich of the Jayewardene era. As an extremist he was very much in tune with Gamini Dissanayake’s politics of that period. Gunawanse was known to organise karate classes for his Buddhist Front and ministers had participated in black-belt awarding ceremonies. It is clear that in this (as in any other) opportunistic alliance between politician and monk, it was the politician who reaped the long-term advantages. Gunawanse came in a long line of monks who occupied such positions (e.g. Buddha Rakkitha Thero of the S.W.R.D Bandaranaike era who later featured in the latter’s murder trial).

Sinha Ratnatunga’s ( now the Editor in Chief – Sunday Times) book Politics of Terrorism: The Sri Lankan Experience released in 1988, ascribes to Gunawanse an important role in the events of July 1983. He first appears (p.12) trying to whip up the emotions of the crowd at Borella cemetery. Gunawanse, wanted to harness the anger of the crowd and turn it against the Tamils. Gunawanse played on the alleged mutilated condition of the bodies to incite the crowd, demanding that the bodies be shown – ‘even a little dismembered finger’. That was the beginning of the holocaust.

The monk, who was the leader of the Sinhala Mahajana Peramuna is presented on the evening of the 24th of July asking the Army funeral authorities to show the bodies of the dead soldiers before they are interred. There is an oblique reference to him (p.16) as the monk who had come uninvited to the cemetery, who, that same evening, led a mob down Cotta Road, Borella, with a list in hand. He was subsequently reported being seen at the Cinnamon Gardens Police station, having come in a jeep with a pistol tucked under his robes, demanding curfew passes. The longest reference to Gunawanse’s activities appears on page 32 regarding the events following the late night cabinet meeting on 27th July. ( Read “Sri Lanka: Arrogance of Power – Rajan Hole.” for an in-depth analysis of Gunawanse’s criminal behavior )

Tamil people should work hard to take over their rights: Canadian Internatio​nal Conference

 Lankasrinews.com Monday, 20 February 2012

Monday, 20 February 2012, 01:03.50 PM GMT +05:30 ] International Protection of Human Rights in the 21st century and it’s challenges case study on SriLanka held day before yesterday at the Toronto city in Canada. Several Human Rights activist and human rights experts arrives from the various parts of the world delivered special speech at this event. They also stress about the importance of work to be carried out by the migrated Tamil people to achieve victory and justice for their community. David Metros, Danilova Rays. Dayti Macknol, Alipaydun, Diyoter Orlyn, leader of the Global Tamil Forum Fr. Immanuel and Professor Sri Ranjan also delivered special speech on various topic of human rights. Representatives of migrated Tamil people in United States, Britain, France, Germany and Norway present at this event. It should be specially mentioned parliamentarians of the main three political parties in Canada delivered special speech at this seminar. Conservative party parliamentarians Kitchner Mathi, Stephen Woolworth, Misusaga Sirwealth, Brad Butt, Canadian Opposition party New Democrati party parliamentarian Rathika Sitsabesan Liberal party parliamentarians John Maclo and Gim Karigiyanis were also present at this event. During the time of seminar delegates discuss about the threats which were raised against the human rights in the 21st century. This conference would be more strengthen for UN HNRC session which is scheduled to begin end of this month. This conference was held with the support of Human Rights Council organization and several Tamil organizations of this world. More than 400 delegates preset at this conference. At the end of conference special musical programme was also organized by the Canadian National Organization. 25 thousand dollars from the total income was hand over towards Rev.Fr .Immanuel for the future work of Human Rights. 5 thousand dollars were allocated for case which is filed against SriLanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa and Army Commander Shavindra Silva in United States.

Sri Lanka feels pinch of Iran sanctions

  Al Jazeera English.

Sri Lanka, which relies heavily on imports of Iranian oil, is feeling the impact of US-led sanctions on Tehran.

Rising global prices, due in part to US-led sanctions against Iran along with the weakening of the Sri Lankan rupee, have led the price of kerosene to rise 49 per cent, diesel 36.9 per cent and petrol 7.7 per cent in Sri Lanka.

Adding to Sri Lankan frustration is the fact that the South Asian nation's only oil refinery works best with Iranian light crude.

Colombo is also unable to receive payment of approximately $25m in lieu of tea sent to Iran due to the sanctions that began last June.

Al Jazeera's Minelle Fernandez reports from Colombo, where some say smaller nations are the hardest hit by tougher sanctions against Iran.

A government not bound by the law

The disarming and prosecution of political thugs holding illegal firearms and members of illegal armed groups is already mandated by law. The observance of stringent safeguards regarding arrest and detention, the warning that detainees cannot be held for long periods of time without charges being brought against them and the duty to prevent the harassment of media personnel, is already prescribed by the law.

l by Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

(February 19, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Does the Government of Sri Lanka need a 'roadmap' to implement the existing law in Sri Lanka? From where does this curious logic arise?

Recommendations already prescribed by law

These are two fundamental questions that should be directed towards the Presidency downwards. The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission's recommendations were, in many respects, a reiteration of the basic duty on the part of the Government to implement the existing law and the Constitution. Those recommendations that go outside that boundary and call upon legal reforms are also commonly accepted imperatives such as the need for Sri Lanka to have a Right to Information law and to criminalize enforced or involuntary disappearances. There is nothing startling or astonishing about either of these categories of recommendations.

The disarming and prosecution of political thugs holding illegal firearms and members of illegal armed groups is already mandated by law. The observance of stringent safeguards regarding arrest and detention, the warning that detainees cannot be held for long periods of time without charges being brought against them and the duty to prevent the harassment of media personnel, is already prescribed by the law.

The list of such LLRC directives traceable to existing legal norms and principles is long. What is quite remarkably clear is that strenuous thought is not needed to implement many of these recommendations if this Presidency and this Government had the political will to do so. Despite President Mahinda Rajapaksa's very bewildering claim that 'a lot has been done' to implement the LLRC's recommendations in his Independence Day address, the reality is to the contrary, indicating beyond all doubt that this is a government not bound by the law, a fact that the Sri Lankan people, from South to North are now increasingly at one in accepting.Read More »

MaRa a byword for lawlessness sends 45 soldiers to safeguard Male bosom pal blatantly violating Int. laws

(Lanka-e-News-20.Feb.2012,11.PM) It has been decided by the MaRa regime to dispatch a group of Sri Lanka security soldiers tonight to provide security to the deposed President Nasheed of Male.

Among those scheduled to be dispatched are : 10 STF soldiers of the security contingent of an ASP; 15 soldiers of the Forces and 20 security officers of the Rakna Lanka security service, a private security service of defense Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapakse.

The Rajapakses instead of dealing legitimately with the current legitimate Male Govt, , is resorting to illicit deals with deposed Male President Nasheed . This constitutes a grave violation of the international laws..

In order to cover up this underhand deal, this group is to be sent to Male on the pretext that these soldiers are arriving there for the security needs of the SL Embassy in Male, with files and documents prepared for them in conformity with this pretence. In support of this , necessary documents have been got down from Dickson Dela, the SL Ambassador in Male. Incidentally, Dickson Dela and Mahinda Rajapakse are close friends since the days of Schooling. Of course both also serve as ideal partners to one another when it comes to committing unlawful acts.

TNA ready to accept solution put forth by Tamil civil society

February 19, 2012, 

By Kalmunai Corr

The Tamil National Alliance on Saturday said it would never betray the aspirations of Tamil people and would continuously fight till the Tamils got their basic rights.

TNA leader R Sampanthan gave this assurance to Tamil civil society at a meeting held in Vavuniya on Saturday. The TNA would abide by a political solution put forward by the Tamil civil society to ensure the protection of rights of the Tamils.

TNA was represented by TNA leader R Sampanthan, MPs Suresh Premachandran, Selvam Adikkalanandan, M.A. Sumanthiran, E. Saravanabavan, A. Vinayagamoorthi, Sivasakthi Ananadan, Vino Goparadalingam, and S. Sritharan while the TCS was represented by a delegation led by Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph.

The TNA-Tamil civil society talks last for nearly four-and-a half hours. They discussed matters pertaining to elections for the Northern Provincial Council and the latest position of the talks between the government and the TNA. Bishop Joseph said that the talks had helped allay some doubts the Tamil civil society had entertained. He said he believed the TNA was wholeheartedly committed to winning the rights of Tamils through negotiations with the government.

MP Sampanthan said that he would never engage in anything that would place the aspirations of Tamils in jeopardy and would never cheat his people.

Will Another Documentary on Sri Lanka's Genocide Impact the Geneva Human Rights Session?

Feb-19-2012

Sinhalese journalists recoil with sharp tongues, yet they also speak truth about war crimes...

Courtesy: free-tamil.com

(SALEM) - U.S. human rights politicians are focusing attention on the gripping government-orchestrated mass murder on the island nation of Sri Lanka, finally...

As Americans increasingly come to terms with the fact that a terrible ethnic cleansing genocide enveloped Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2009, and that their own government helped foment the conditions for this bloodbath of murdered innocents and gut wrenching sexual depravity, media groups in Sri Lanka announce that a second documentary recounting the Genocide will air on London'sChannel 4.

This is a real burn for Sri Lanka's wallowing political leaders, who keep watching the light of their own future grow dimmer and dimmer. they claim that the program, reportedly set to air in the first week of March, is timed to coincide with United Nations Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva.

It is the Channel-4 documentary, Sri Lanka's Killing Fields, that blew the lid off this story in the first place. While many knew that a terrible series of murders had occurred in the country formerly known as Ceylon, few realized the extent of it. More than 160,000 human beings disappeared during this battle a country waged against its own citizens. Sri Lanka denied the facts, and suggested that Channel 4 had a personal beef against the current Sri Lanka government, and that the documentary was a "fake". It was anything but.

US Media Ignored Tragedy

While Channel-4 deserves nothing but support and applause for their efforts, American reporters, with a few notable exceptions, deserve absolutely nothing. Perhaps this is the worst example of what has taken place with braindead western media trends. In this event, they ignored world-scale tragedy.

That is what CNN, NBC, ABC, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, etc., can lay claim to.

They made references to the civil war, but the parties behind the state terrorism are allies of the U.S. government, and reporting the facts and truth might have compromised these networks and newspapers with their advertisers, with the Bush administration; so they looked the other way for the vast majority of it, and they continue to do the same thing today.

Advocates of Sri Lanka President Majinda Rajapaksa bemoan the news that yet another damning documentary about the Genocide will air, flocks of Sinhalese reporters are already writing their columns that villifyChannel 4 and news presenter Jon Snow, who have invested so much to bring this story forward to the world.

The Island has a current article titled: Another documentary ahead of Geneva human rights session, that states:

“

Government sources told The Sunday Island that the move was expected in the wake of the LTTE rump going flat out against Sri Lanka in the run-up to the forthcoming Geneva sessions, where the US would support a resolution targeting Sri Lanka. America’s Ambassador in war-time Sri Lanka, Robert O. Blake, now an Assistant Secretary at the State Department in Washington, last week told President Mahinda Rajapaksa of the US decision after meeting with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The US and human rights watchdogs, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Global Crisis Group are citing ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ as evidence of war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan military. Sources alleged that for those expecting to raise quick cash, Sri Lanka bashing seemed to be the easiest thing to do. They pointed out that the Canadian branch of the Amnesty International recently received 50,000 Canadian dollars from LTTE front, the Canadian Tamil Congress in return for its role in the ongoing anti-Sri Lanka campaign.

”

It all sounds incredibly like Israel, a nation or 'state' as the case may be, suspected of thousands of war crimes- yet always protected by the United States when charged with crime in the United Nations. Israel brands those who resist its genocidal politics 'terrorists' and Sri Lanka followed Israel on this too, deeming the Sri Lanka resistance front, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as a terrorist group. The LTTE or 'Tamil Tigers' were originally formed simply to protect the Tamil minority in the north of this country. Before they fired a shot, they spent 30 years trying to negotiate, watching Sri Lanka do everything to eliminate their culture from existence.

When political leaders or journalists discuss Israel's patterns of terrorism, death and violence, they are retaliated against by the Jewish-American lobby as being 'antisemitic' and being 'Jew haters'. This plan of attack within the religious Zionist community, deflects attention from war crimes and drives attention back to the Holocaust, which has absolutely nothing to do with the current problems.

The Island outlined it for me, and while I disagree with their writer, Shamindra Ferdinando, on many points, I have to admit that several undeniably truthful points are made also.

“

Asked whether the government was concerned about the US threat, sources said that the UN Human Rights Council was a grouping of 47 countries, which couldn’t be easily manipulated. "The failure of the US to prevent UNHRC passing resolutions targeting Israel over war crime allegations is a case in point. Similar resolutions were also passed at the UN, though US strongly stood by the Jewish state." They said that the handing of the controversial UN commissioned Goldstone report, which dealt with atrocities committed by the Israelis during Dec 2008 –Jan 2009 Gaza and the US response to it revealed the absurdity of US position on so-called accountability issues in Sri Lanka. Those shedding crocodile tears for the LTTE should move the UNHRC to inquire into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. In the wake of revelations made by whistle-blowing website, WikiLeaks on the basis of US military and diplomatic cables, the UN couldn’t ignore the need to investigate abuses committed by Western forces, they added.

”

Too many countries considered moral and upright, are simply criminal organizations operating under unfair political rules similar to those that government Germany in the 1930's and 1940's. Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, but most of all the U.S., are responsible for most of the world's problems today, particularly Israel, Rwanda and Sri Lanka, all countries under the rule of zealots and the spell of greed and superiority.

As I have said before, thank goodness for Channel 4.

Special thanks to The Island

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=45610

Another documentary ahead of Geneva human rights session

February 18, 2012, 7:32 pm 

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Those responsible for ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ will telecast another documentary in the first week of March to coincide with United Nations Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva.


UK based Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow, who had presented ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ is also involved in the second project.

Economic hardship and Tamil Diaspora campaigns threaten Mahinda Rajapaksa’s powerbase

Monday, 20 February 2012 

ü  Part of the government coalition reads the Riot Act to the President for raising fuel prices beyond the means of ordinary people

ü  President throws toys out of the cot with dissatisfaction with the way the country’s External Affairs Ministry, The Central Bank are run and has reacted like a volcano with regards to the recent behaviour of the TNA, particularly with it’s leader

ü  Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been tasked to neutralise the vociferous Tamil Diaspora

ü  Fonseka release is put on ice

Economic mismanagement and corruption which have largely driven Sri Lanka to the verge of collapse and submission. The Sri Lankan currency, rupee had been formally devalued in the budget speech delivered by the President at the end of last year. The rupee has since depreciated even when the Central Bank has tried its best to artificially maintain the rupees’ value. IMF has flatly refused to let the final tranche of the facility be drawn due to lack of fiscal discipline, balance of payment crisis and out of control in public expenditure. Although various senior government ministers and the governor of central bank have articulated that Sri Lanka may not need the final tranche payment from the IMF, yet the President travelled to Pakistan to sign a credit facility for US $200m at a much higher interest rate. In his private conversations with the President and Prime Minister of Singapore a few days ago again the President has tried to persuade Singapore to help financially to avert a now unpredictable economic disaster.

The energy and fuel price hikes which have significantly impacted day to day life of ordinary Sri Lankans, corporations small and large and the government departments themselves are creating havoc in the streets of Sri Lanka. Strikes, protests, demonstrations are building up. Opposition parties however weak they may seem to have been building bridges ignoring their differences with the view to create more hardship and splits within the coalition government.

Full story

Bayagotha in secret discussions over furiously growing protest demonstrations: Conspiracy to resurrect LTTE

(Lanka-e-News-20.Feb.2012, 3.30PM) Following the recent growing and alarming protests and demonstrations staged by the majority in the country against the Govt., the defense Secretary Gotabaya who has become jittery and by now better known as devil incarnate held discussions with an inner circle of his closest security henchmen.

The Army intelligence division chief Brigadier Aruna Wanniarachchi , the State intelligence service (SIS) chief Wakishta, Defense Ministry intelligence advisor Major Gen. Hendawitharne, Major Gen. Manawadu chief in charge of the South and Brigadier Shantha Dissanayake who is in charge of Colombo were among those who attended the special discussions .

The theme of the discussion had centered on the inability of the Govt . to avert protests and demonstration staged in the future.. It was decided that though the Govt. was able to stifle the hostilities against it by dividing and splitting the opposition parties so far, this may not be fruitful in the future in the face of the developing grave situation in the country.. It was proposed at the discussion that the Govt. shall based on a plot pretend that like what happened in Kataragama , a number of LTTE suicide jackets were found across the entire country , as well as claymore mines explosions had been planned , and give wide publicity thereof. At the same time it was suggested that laws shall be introduced while imposing emergency regulations to vindicate the Govt.’s stringent measures..

It was concluded that simultaneously with the introduction of the emergency regulations , those who are protesting against the Govt. and the Organizers of such protests be arrested and detained for 90 days under the powers stemming from those regulations coming into place. They added that by those measures the protests and demonstrations against the Govt. can be quelled.

But the whole conspiracy is hinged on the main question whether the emergency regulations are to be introduced before the March Geneva human rights Council sessions ? or after ? 

Meanwhile, a ‘counselor’ of the regime who claims to have knowledge of foreign affairs has spoken on the phone from abroad and advised it will be internationally advantageous if the emergency regulations are imposed prior to the Geneva sessions.

In any case , a conclusion was arrived at to leave aside the problems which require time , and to implement the other decisions .

First Lady also greeted with hoots

Monday, 20 February 2012

Thousands of music fans who were at the Sonu Nigam concert on the 18th had hooted at First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa for several minutes.

Our website published the story where Minister Wimal Weerawansa was hooted at the show. Although we immediately published the story of Weerawansa being hooted at the concert when a spectator at the venue gave us a telephone call at the time, we were unaware of the hooting incident concerning the First Lady.

However, the musical fans who had purchased tickets ranging between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 25,000 had hooted for 20 minutes in protest as soon as the First Lady’s name was announced in the show. The First lady had attended the concert dressed in a Lungi and had been accompanied by son Yoshitha Rajapaksa and his girl friend. The First Lady had been embarrassed by the hooting incident and the Presidential Security Division (PSD) officers had tried to prevent the cameras from focusing on the First Lady at the time.

People have started hooting at Minister Weerawansa afterwards.

Disturbed by the hooting incident, organizer of the show, Sudharma Neththikumara had asked the announcer to refrain from naming any politicians at the show.
It is learnt that although the First Lady and the President’s sons are usually greeted very highly when ever they attended any function, this time around, they had been isolated.

Popular actress, Sangeetha Weeraratne who supported Sudharma Neththikumara in organizing the show had congratulated her at the end of the show and ignored the First Lady. A special group of security personnel had arrived as soon as the concert ended and had taken away the First Lady, Yoshitha and his girl friend.