Rights Group Wants Sri Lanka To Investigate Paedophile Somaratana’s Orphanage

May 5, 2012By Uvindu Kurukulasuriya -

Somarathana

Convicted pedophile, Chief Sanghanayaka Thera of Great Britain and chief incumbent of the Thames Buddhist Vihara Pahalagama Sri Somaratana continues to run an orphanage for under age children in Gampaha. Pahalagama Somaratana, was convicted at Isleworth Crown Court in London on Tuesday,  on four counts of indecent assault on a female under 10 years between January 1, 1977 and December 31, 1978.
Somarathana runs an orphanage called Pahalagama Orphanage in Gampaha. According to “THE GAZETTE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA -Part II of May 07, 2010, the Pahalagama Sri Somarathana Nayaka Thero Foundation”, a private Bill presented in Parliament by Vijitha Herath, MP for the Gampaha District, Somaratana can establish and maintain institutions for educational and social service activities such as children’s’ homes, elders’ homes, hostels and other social service institutions.
“We would like to unequivocally request the Government of Sri Lanka’s institutions for Child Protection which are the Ministry for Child Development and Women’s Affairs, the National Child Protection Authority and Department of Probation to look into the orphanage run by Ven. Pahalagama Somaratne. A monk convicted of sexual violence cannot be responsible or trusted with tender young lives. This orphanage ideally should be brought under state control or be handed over to a respected and credible organization to run. In the alternative, it can be closed up and the children transferred to other orphanages. The state cannot abdicate its responsibility by the children of this country,” the head of Colombo-based “Justice for Victims” Visakha Tillekaratne said,
After visiting the Pahalagma Orphanage Visaka Tillekaratne said, “they look extremely vulnerable with not much happiness on their faces”.
“Children living in orphanages or homes are more prone to child abuse because of several reasons,” a former Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority Prof. Harendra de Silva said.  “They are powerless and have no parents or relations: to whom can they complain? Only to the authorities in the home who are likely to be the perpetrators or linked to the abusers through monetary or power gain. Some are dependent on the persons for employment and are likely to be silent – ‘passive perpetrators’”, Prof. Silva pointed out. However, Child Development and Women’s Welfare Minister Tissa Karaliyedda said that he was not aware of the conviction of Ven. Somaratana Thero and that he would have to look into the legal aspect of him running an orphanage if found guilty by the courts.
He said that there were other monks who operated orphanages in the country and was therefore unable to identify the Pahalagama Orphanage by name.
Karaliyedda said that he would now look into the matter.

Sunday May 06, 2012

Jaffna May Day: Chances taken and opportunities missed

Sunday May 06, 2012

UNP May Day rally in Jaffna

IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST By Javid Yusuf

The UNPs decision to hold its May Day rally in Jaffna was the subject of a number of taunts from its critics. The SLFP rightly claimed that this was made possible by the Government's achievement in defeating the LTTE. The UNP dissidents, in a 'cutting-the-nose-to-spite-the-face' type of exercise, attempted to undermine the event by efforts to elevate the Premadasa commemoration into a rival event which coincidentally falls on May Day, through distributing handbills in public places and other activities that would convert the usually simple remembrance of its former leader in to an event that would equal the scale of a May Day event. read more..

Kshenuka gives details about Minister Nimal to the President

Monday, 07 May 2012 

Additional Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry Kshenuka Seneviratne has revealed many details against Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to the President, a senior Air Force officer told us.

Seneviratne had made this revelation to the President when he had come to pay his respects to the Air Force Commander’s father, who passed away a few days back.

After paying his respects, the President had sat with the Air Force Commander’s relatives and been engaged in a friendly chat. Several military heads had also sat near the President and started to talk. Seneviratne had on several occasions walk passed the crowd indicating her desire to speak to the President. The President had ignored and continued with his conversation with the others. She had once again walked near the President, but he had ignored. Every one around the President had seen that she wanted to urgently speak to him.

After realizing the President was not going to pay any attention to her, Seneviratne had bent down in two before the President in typical Mervyn style and said, “Sir, Minister Nimal betrayed you to the Indian delegation. He told the Indians that you will never allow the implementation of the 13th Amendment.”

The military heads who were around the President had left making space for Seneviratne to speak to the President. After listening to what Seneviratne had to say, the President had indicated that he was not interested and left the funeral house after speaking to the Air Force Commander’s family.

Senior military officers have spoken with disgust about the manner in which Seneviratne, who is a second level public official, had behaved before the President.

However, Seneviratne and MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena have been trying hard during the last few weeks to get Sri Lanka’s ambassador to France Dayan Jayathilleke and Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to Geneva, Tamara Kunanayagam removed from their posts. Sources from Temple Trees said that the attempt to get Jayathilleke had failed.

Jayathilleke who was in Sri Lanka a few weeks back had met the President for lunch at Temple Trees and revealed a large number of corrupt deals Seneviratne has been involved in.

Jayathilleke had informed these details about Seneviratne to the President with files to support the corruption allegations. He had also explained to the President that Seneviratne’s husband had been engaged in business dealings with LTTE businessmen.

After listening to what Jayathilleke had to say the President had said, “You don’t’ worry, I won’t work according to the whims of various women. She has become a headache even to me.”

Sunday, May 06, 2012

A Monk On The Rampage

• Ven Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero – Chief Priest Of The Dambulla Viharaya

By Niranjala Ariyawansha

Ven Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero

Ven. Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero, the Chief Priest at the Rangiri Dambulla Viharaya was in the forefront in recent times leading a protest at Dambulla to relocate a mosque which was within the sacred Vihara land, disputed by the Muslim fraternity. The issue is yet on the boil and the government has not resolved this sensitive stand off.
Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero is no stranger to controversy and has time and again led protests against the administrative and political structure. Our reporter Niranjala Ariyawansha interviewed the Chief monk. At the conclusion of this interview Sumangala Thero warned our reporter of dire consequences if she ever stepped foot into Dambulla.

Excerpts:
SL: You were first identified with protests against the construction of the Kandalama Hotel. What was the final outcome of that protest?
Ven Inamaluwe:      Read More »

A drop for you from the ocean of fraud sinking SL with the participation of Rajapakse–Cabraal, notorious swindlers
Sunday 6 of May 2012
(Lanka-e-News-06.May.2012, 8.30PM) The Island newspaper of the Upali newspaper Co. belonging to Govt. Telecom Chairman and Govt. Finance Committee member Nimal Welgama reported yesterday, that the President Mahinda Rajapakse had instructed to revoke the illicit deal (ostensibly legal) that was transacted by the husband of the Chief Justice jointly with the Central Bank Governor in the Colombo stock exchange amidst relentless charges mounted by the people of the country, day in and day out.

This backdoor transaction took place with the direct involvement of National savings Bank Chairman Prasad Kariyawasam who is the husband of the chief justice of SL, Sriyani Bandaranaike .. The Lanka e news exposed this sordid transaction where selected shares of The Finance Co. were purchased at inflated prices from the shareholders who were trading on them, whereby a storm of controversy was triggered Island wide. This also led to certain sections with the Govt. and opposition, as well as the media to raise strong protests against the deal.


Full story >>

Sunday, May 06, 2012

13 Plus Could It Be The Best Solution?

By Victor Ivan

J. R. Jayawardene and Rajiv Gandhi signing the Indo Lanka Peace Accord, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Manmohan Singh

Implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution with its attendant powers is held to be the best solution for the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka, particularly by India, Western powers, Tamil leaders as well as various critics who are interested in the devolution of power as a measure of a political solution. However, with the ethnic problem being only one aspect of the minority issues, any solution proposed for this problem should be one that will preserve the respect of all ethnic groups falling within the classification of minorities. The solution, apart from solving their problems should be capable of raising the confidence and trust of all minority groups. It is also important that the proposed solution will raise the confidence and sense of respect of the majority Sinhalese as well.Read More »

The Mosque Issue: Intolerance At Its Worst

May 6, 2012

By Visakha and Venetia – both Buddhists -

‘Unity within diversity’. In Tamil, there is a proverb that says ‘if the wall remains you can do your drawings’. (Suwaar irunthalthan chithiram varyalam)

This recent unsavoury and unacceptable issue of the attack on the mosque in Dambulla shames the Sri Lankan community, which for generations has lived with tolerance towards each others’ places of worship. The operative phrase being “tolerant towards each others’ place of worship” should be considered mindfully because this has not been the case where ethnic tolerance is concerned. This incident also reinforces the phenomena of a deeply fragmented society where the rifts and wounds are getting deeper and wider. This fragmentation is an epidemic which has all dimensions – religious, cultural, class, caste, wealth, cultural and political. The common good is not considered in the long term and short term petty gains are the order of the day.

Most tragic for Buddhism is that the word of the Buddha and tolerance which is innate in the Buddha Dhamma is totally misrepresented by a minority of Buddhists, especially a few (not all) of the yellow robed representatives, who are but intolerant beings masquerading under a shroud of sanctimony.

 Read More

Inside Menik Farm A Student’s Tale Of The 

Continuing Hardship In The North

By Raisa Wickrematunge

Collapsed houses after a storm ripped through Zone 1 of Menik Farm, damaging 942 shelters. Although the houses were quickly rebuilt, the inmates continue to beg for a chance to go back to their homes, Children's toys lie forlornly in the aftermath of the storm , Schoolbooks scattered and torn. The school inside had collapsed and Several people were injured when the roofs collapsed on their heads

Read More »

Indian-born Raksha is a student of the Graduate Institute in Geneva, where she is preparing to write her dissertation. She was in Chettikulam the day after a cyclone damaged 942 shelters in Zone 1 of the Menik Farm IDP camp on March 31. News reports said the situation was under control, with all the shelters speedily built, but Raksha was there to witness the direct aftermath of the storm.
‘It was a bad situation,’ she says. She visited the nearby hospital where she found people who had been injured by the sudden gusting winds. An electricity pole had fallen on one house, and a mother and daughter found themselves ‘stuck’ together and electrocuted, she said.

Another male patient had been admitted after the roof collapsed on his chest, while yet another was getting stitches in his head.

World Press Freedom Day 2012 -SRI LANKA : The Rajapakse clan among the predators -RSF
Sunday 6 of May 2012
(Lanka-e-News-06.May.2012, 8.30PM) Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, younger brother of President Mahina Rajapakse, is not the only clan member openly hostile to press freedom. On 19 July 2011 the president personally issued a threat by telephone to Lal Wickrematunge, editor of The Sunday Leader newspaper after it published an article reporting embezzlement by the president and his son Namal Rajapakse, a member of parliament.

Violence, threats, censorship and propaganda aimed at journalists and press freedom defenders continue. On 29 July 2011 in Jaffna, Gnanasundaram Kuhanathan, editor of the Tamil-language newspaper Uthayan, was attacked by assailants wielding iron bars. The assault has gone unpunished.

Access to the main websites providing information critical of the government or the Rajapakse brothers, including LankaeNews, SriLankaMirror, SriLankaGuardian, Papracigossip9 and LankaWayNews, was blocked in October and November 2011.

In response to the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 27 February 2012, the ruling clan unleashed a fierce hate campaign against exile media and human rights defenders. Journalists were attacked by the Rajapakse government as terrorists and traitors for reporting on Council activities, for joining in the “Black January” media defence campaign, and writing about the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. The government carried out its campaign through official media such as the Lake House newspaper chain, the Independent Television Network (ITN Ltd) and the daily Dinamina.

The government’s media policy is fully apparent from the violence, threats and propaganda directed at journalists and free-press defenders during the first two months of 2012 alone.

A journalist killed every five days, six new “predators” brings total to 41.More >>

Daya Gamage, a personage nurtured by Buddhism’

Monday, 07 May 2012

UNP national organizer and opposition leader of the eastern provincial council Daya Gamage stresses the need during Vesak celebrations to conduct programmes to promote national unity and to make commitments for such unity in the path to economic development.

He was speaking yesterday at the opening of the seventh Vesak pandal in front of Daya Group headquarters at Pepiliyana in Nugegoda yesterday.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe opened the pandal depicting ‘Maha Supeena Jayatha’, and the ceremony was also attended by a gathering including UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake, MP Dr. Anoma Gamage and Colombo mayor A.J.M. Muzammil.

Speaking further, Mr. Gamage said the UNP-led combined opposition laid the foundation for national unity at their May Day rally in Jaffna, where all communities came together and raised the national flag at a single platform.

He pledged to continue his services to the nation and Buddhism despite hardships and disruptions.

In an Anusasana, Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera said Daya Gamage was a gentleman who makes immense contributions for the nation and Buddhism and an exemplary character in the area.

The top prelate wished Mr. Gamage the strength and courage to continue that service with the support of Dr. Mrs. Gamage.

Ven. Theeniyawala Palitha Thera, in an Anusasana, said he wished the country to see an end to crime and hardships and achieve peace and development as the 2,600th Sambuddha Jayanthis celebrations were coming to a conclusion.

He described Daya Gamge as an asset to Buddhism and the poor people, as he serves them without expecting any publicity or any personal gains.

Ven. Palitha Thera recalled his financial contributions towards the construction of a shrine room at Deegawapi.

Chief incumbent of Mayurapada Pirivena in Battaramulla, Ven. Gunasiri Thera said Daya Gamage was a personage nurtured by Buddhism.

The prelate went onto say that the country’s economic woes are apparent by the fact that there are not much dansels and decorations this Vesak.

Wake Up Call From Dambulla To Sinhalese And Muslims Alike

May 6, 2012By Latheef Farook -

Latheef Farook

To mainstream Sinhalese; Save the Sinhalese and the country from chauvinists.

To Muslim politicians and theologians; Don’t sell the community. You are under watch.

Muslim community’s overall response to vandalism at the Dambulla mosque by a mob led by Ven Inamaluwa Sumangala Thero on Friday 20 April 2012 has been “calm and dignified”. In one voice their message to the mainstream peace loving Sinhalese was “restore communal harmony”.

As a mark of protest, Muslims closed their shops throughout the east, Puttalam and other places on 26 Thursday and 27 Friday April 2012.They demonstrated after Friday Juma prayers not to resort to violence, instead to insist on communal harmony. The entire community prayed individually at homes and collectively at masjids while men and women throughout the island observed fasting.Read More