A Heads-Up For Sri Lanka Press Freedom Watchers

June 2, 2012

By Bob Dietz -

Bob Dietz

Former Attorney General Mohan Peiris has been ordered to testify about a statement he made at the U.N. Committee Against Torture in Geneva on November 9, 2011, in which he said that Prageeth Eknelygoda was alive and living outside the country (see “Sri Lanka’s savage smokescreen“). Peiris will have to appear at the Homogama Magistrate’s Court in Colombo on June 5, next Tuesday, which has been hearing the case brought by Eknelygoda’s wife, Sandhya, to learn more about his disappearance on January 24, 2010.

Government lawyers had argued against making Peiris appear and testify, saying that doing so amounted to harassment of a government official (see “In Sri Lanka: Protecting Peiris, hounding victim’s family“). But if he doesn’t show up, he will be violating the Appeal Court’s decision ordering his appearance. Of course, he could feign illness and not appear–or the government’s lawyers could find another stalling tactic in this case, which has been going on for years. Peiris is now the senior legal adviser to the cabinet, and many Sri Lankans say he is aiming to become the next Supreme Court Chief Justice–so you can be sure he has the government’s backing in whatever he plans to do on Tuesday.

If you’re not well acquainted with the case, here’s some background:            Read More

Sri Lanka's hidden scourge of religious child abuse

1 June 2012
By Saroj Pathirana   BBC Sinhala service

Pahalagama Somaratana Thera is one of the few Sri Lankan Buddhist monks to have been found guilty of child abuse inside or outside the country.

Tens of thousands of children regularly attend Sri Lankan Buddhist temples as helpers or novices

Somarathana Thera runs children's' homes in the UK and Sri Lanka

Many Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka are ordained at a young age


But if Children's Affairs Minister Tissa Karaliyadda is to be believed, child abuse in religious establishments by both Buddhist and Christian clergy in Sri Lanka is rampant.

Yet according to figures from Sri Lanka's National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), only three Buddhist monks have been convicted of child abuse in Sri Lanka in recent history.

One of those died from poison he drank after he was sentenced for raping a girl aged 13 in 2005.   
 Full Story>>>

Rajapakse proposes amendments to make venomous ‘Medhanandas’ more spiritual and less worldly

(Lanka-e-News-02.June.2012, 5.30AM) President’s Counsel and MP Wijedasa Rajapakse yesterday tabled a private member’s motion to the Secretary to Parliament Dammika Kitulgoda proposing an amendment to the constitution prohibiting all religious priests including Buddhist monks from holding MP posts. 

Rajapakse under this private member’s bill based on the 19th amendment to the constitution points out that the provision 89 in the constitution that permits any religious priest to be appointed as an MP shall be abrogated .

Wijedasa's proposal indicates that this amendment must be taken up either at the end of the Parliament sessions or after it is dissolved. It is the view of Rajapakse that by the priests holding MP positions the respect shown to the priests as religious dignitaries is being undermined. 

What prompted Rajapakse to so suddenly propose this amendment stems from the disgraceful utterances made by the racial extremist Priest Ellawala Medhananda , the so called archeological expert that after the monks entered Parliament they had to face the most degrading behavior of opposition politicos including the manhandling of the private parts of the Bhikkhus.

Among the shameless utterances and sordid activities of the monks which had damaged the Buddhist tenets are Medhananda’s boorish and outrageous announcement that liquor consumption in temple Trees is no issue; consenting to the gambling bill when it was proposed at that time; and approving the illicit treasure digging by the STF.
This proposal of Wijedasa Rajapakse is most salutary, and every community shall hold discussions and take decisions with a view to extending its support to this , as holding an MP post by a religious priest is absolutely running counter to the tenets and precepts of every religion.

Under Pressure, Rajapaksa Played His Card Smartly On Fonseka

June 2, 2012

By James Pryor and Muheed Jeeran -

James Pryor

Muheed Jeeran

Today, the former Army Chief of Sri Lanka Sarath Fonseka is able to move freely to any part of the country he chooses. But his political future looks very uncertain in becoming a lawmaker in Sri Lanka. He will however, be a headache to this current regime. It looks like he is not going to give up his confrontation with the Rajapaksa regime and will play a vital role as part of the opposition politicians in the future election in Sri Lanka.

It was the pressure mounted from international community to release Fonseka that made forced the regime to release him. However, the government categorically denied any knowledge of international pressure and even stated to the local media (via their politicians) that they did so based purely on local interest.  Well some reports clearly indicate that the Rajapaksa regime is not totally immune to international pressure.

The President said to the local media that his brother (and current Defense Secretary), Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the person that has the most interest in Sarath Fonseka’s release. If you look at the recent interview given by the Defense Secretary to the Sunday Leader Newspaper on 27^th May 2012, he contradicts the President’s statement. In that interview, Editor Frederica Jansz was asking her first five questions about the release of Fonseka and the Defense Secretary was not at all interested in talking about the matter and threatened to cancel the interview if the editor continued to press him on the issue.

Read More

A Glorious Chapter in Sri Lankan History
29-May-2012

(Santasilan Kadiragamar, Ed., HANDY PERINBANAYAGAM: A Memorial Volume (Kumaran Book House, Chennai/Colombo, 2012), pp. 339.

By V. Suryanarayan

Prof. Santasilan Kadiragamar has done yeoman service in bringing out this edited volume, which provides rare insights into one of the glorious chapters in the modern history of Sri Lanka. The Jaffna Youth Congress (JYC), inspired by the ideas and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, was in the forefront advocating complete independence for Ceylon from British domination. It stood for national unity, it advocated a secular state and highlighted the necessity to get rid of the evils of untouchability and caste barriers and stood for an education policy which laid emphasis on mother tongue and bilingualism, without ignoring the English language. The book, as Prof. Wiswa Warnapala has written, will be an eye opener for many Sinhalese youth. To quote Prof. Wiswa Warnapala, “People who see Tigers among Tamils should read the book to discover that there were Tamil patriots who fought relentlessly for Sinhala-Tamil unity and total political independence”. 

The first edition of the book was brought out in 1980 by the Handy Perinbanayagam  Society, Jaffna. This revised edition has been made possible with the financial assistance of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation. The book is divided into two parts. The first part traces the history of the JYC. Written by Prof. Silan, the chapter provides a synoptic view of the origins of political consciousness in Jaffna, the beginnings of the JYC, the leaders who were behind the movement, its policies and programmes  and how it was able to galvanise and inspire the educated sections of the Jaffna population. Based on a variety of published materials and interviews with those who were active in the movement, this lucidly written section of the book is delightful reading. For a whole generation of Jaffna youth, the life and writings of Handy Perinbanayagam were a source of great inspiration.  More so for an academician/political activist like Prof. Silan Kadiragamar. In the last phase of his life, Mahatma Gandhi was interviewed by a Western journalist, who asked him what his message was for future generations. Gandhiji said, “My life is my message”. The same holds true of Handy Perinbanayagam. He believed in practicing what he preached and in preaching what he practised.To quote Handy Perinbanayagam, “Conscience has been my guide and not my accomplice”.  Leaders like Handy Perinbanayagam have become a rare species in South Asia today.   

Full Story>>>

Dallas who does lip service hasn't a way to stifle his oral stench

How Alahaperumas are living on people’s funds -Part 2

(Lanka-e-News-02.June.2012, 3.00AM) Since our exposure recently of how the Alahaperumas following in the footsteps of the Rajapakses are devastating the country in much the same way as the Rajapakses or even worse, more details and data have come to light on Alahaperumas (the other half of the Rajapakses) and their anti national and sordid activities. We reported in our previous article , how Minister Dallas Alahaperuma is prostituting his official position to develop his own families rather than the country , by sending his younger brother Oshadi Alahaperuma who has no qualifications or competence as a foreign Ambassador , and even arranging posts for children too.  Today , we are revealing how people’s funds are being wasted owing to the rackets of Alahaperumas ….  Full story >>

USA Child Abuse Case: A Roman Catholic Church Official Had Shielded Predatory Priests
June 2, 2012

By Erick Eckholm -

Cases Close for Philadelphia Diocese Official

Monsignor William Lynn leaves the Criminal Justice Center/ Photo AP

New York Times /PHILADELPHIA — In an emotional summary after more than two months of testimony, the prosecution in a landmark sexual-abuse trial said here on Thursday that overwhelming evidence showed that a Roman Catholic Church official had shielded predatory priests, lied to parishioners and victims, and exposed innocent children to abuse. 

But a defense lawyer for the official, Msgr. William J. Lynn, told the jury that Monsignor Lynn had done all he could to protect children within his limited powers and that he deserved praise rather than condemnation.

Monsignor Lynn, 61, as secretary of the clergy for the Philadelphia Archdiocese from 1992 to 2004, was responsible for priests’ assignments and for investigating abuse allegations. He is on trial for endangering minors and conspiracy to keep an accused priest in active ministry, charges that could carry a sentence of 10 ½ to 21 years.

He is the first Catholic Church official in the country to face criminal charges not for committing abuses himself, but for enabling abuses by playing down credible accusations and reassigning suspect priests to new parishes.

 Read More

To read Pahalagama Sri Somaratana and religious child abuse  Stories click here

Government’s financial crisis hits commercial banks
Saturday, 02 June 2012

A decision has been made to utilize the investments and deposits in commercial banks for state development programmes. Investment deposits in commercial banks are considered as assets of the banks.

Commercial banks are classifies as weak financial institutions when their investment deposits decline.

However, the government’s decision has placed commercial banks in a risk. The government has decided to use these monies in road development projects and it is learnt that these financial institutions are faced with a huge crisis due to the problems faced in regaining the monies.

Speaker urged to table Govt’s Action Plan on LLRC proposals to US

June 1, 2012,

by Zacki Jabbar

The government’s Action Plan, on the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommendations, which was submitted in secrecy to the US recently, should be tabled in parliament, the UNP has told the Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa.

Lakshman Kiriella MP, in a written communication to the Speaker yesterday, said that a delegation headed by External Affairs Minister, Prof G. L. Peiris had met the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington on or around May 18, 2012 and submitted the government’s Action Plan on the LLRC proposals, while denying the legislature and general public their inalienable right to know its contents.

The Action Plan, which stemmed from the US Resolution on Sri Lanka on Accountability and Reconciliation, that was adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council on March 22, should have been submitted to parliament first, he said while noting that there could not be secret negotiations on national issues.

The proper procedure would have been to permit the legislature to debate the proposed programme of action, before making secret pledges to the US, UN or any other foreign organization, the MP observed.

Kiriella said that the government, which accuses the UNP of being traitors at the drop of a hat, was dancing to the tune of the Obama administration, while claiming that it would not allow foreigners to dictate terms.

The US Resolution called on the Sri Lankan government to implement an Action Plan for the UN Human Rights Commissioner to work in consultation and with the concurrence of Sri Lanka, in implementing the LLRC proposals.

Bill to stop monks from becoming MPs

Friday, 01 June 2012 00:01

United National Party (UNP) front-liner Wijedasa Rajapakse yesterday submitted a Private Member’s Bill asking that Sri Lanka’s Constitution be amended to prevent a priest of any religion becoming a member of parliament.

Mr. Rajapaksa said this Act may be called the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. “The Article 91 of the Constitution be amended by adding the Article 91 (H) Priest of any religion,” it said. The Bill also mentioned that the, ‘Amendment shall come into operation soon after the expiry or the dissolution of the 17th Parliament.’

Mr. Rajapakse said he had decided to bring this amendment for the purpose of maintaining and preserving religious dignity and holiness of all religions.

Breaking News:Chief Sanghanayaka Thera Of Great Britain Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison For Child Abuse 

By Colombo Telegraph -June 1, 2012

Chief Sanghanayaka Thera of Great Britain and chief incumbent of the Thames Buddhist Vihara, Parivenadhipathi of the Vidyaravinda Pirivena, Pahalagama, Gampaha and Chief Lekakhadhikari of the Sri Kalyani Samagi Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha has been convicted of four counts of indecent assault on a underage, sentenced to 7 years in prison a judge ruled today. He is also banned for working with children for life and his name is added to sex offenders register for life, a court spokesman told Colombo Telegraph.

Pahalagama Somaratana

Monk Pahalagama Somaratana, 65, of Dulverton Road, Croydon was convicted at Isleworth Crown Court on 1,  May, of four counts of indecent assault on a female under 16 between January 01, 1977 and December 31,1978 at an address in Chiswick.

He was found not guilty of the rape of a female under 16 between January 1,1977 and December 31,1978 at an address in Chiswick and not guilty of indecent assault on a female under 14 between January 01,1985 and December 31, 1986 at an address in Croydon.

In May 2010 Child Abuse Investigation Command officers began an investigation into historical allegations of indecent assault and rape. On Tuesday, 14 September 2010 a (then) 64-year-old monk was arrested on suspicion of an historical indecent assault and rape. He was questioned at Heathrow police station and later bailed pending further enquiries

He was charged on 12 September 2011 and further charged on 11 November 2011.

On Friday, 23 September Pahalagama Somaratana,  chief incumbent of Thames Buddhist Vihara, of Dulverton Road, Croydon appeared on bail at Feltham Magistrates’ Court charged with rape of female under 16 between January 1, 1977 and December 31, 1978 at an address in Chiswick and indecent assault on a female under 16 between January 1, 1977 and December 31, 1978 at an address in Chiswick.

Pahalagama Somaratana , has been charged with another eight counts of sexual abuse on Friday, 11 November, the London Metropolitan police told Colombo Telegraph. According to the metropolitan police these eight indecent assaults on a female under 14 took place between January 01,1985 and December 31,1986 at an address in Croydon.The 65-year-old Pahalagama Somaratana thero appeared on bail at Feltham Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 2 December and was bailed to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on December 20, 2011.

To read Pahalagama Sri Somaratana Stories click here

SRI LANKA: An innocent man has been detained more than six months without being produced before any court or charged

June 1, 2012

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION-URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-093-2012

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Jesuthasan Tennisan Leon (27) has been detained in Boossa Detention Camp for more than six months without being produced before any court by the state authorities. Leon was abducted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2001, a period when many villagers in his location also faced the same fate. Leon was forced to undergo training by the LTTE.

In early 2009 he was able to escape the LTTE and returned to his parents and found employment. However, after his return he was followed by the officers attached to the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID). Later he learned that these officers gone to the Arpico office where he was working. Leon was tortured in custody and has been held in Boossa detention Centre for six months without being produced before a court of law or charged. This case is yet another illustration of the exceptional collapse of the rule of law in the country.

CASE NARRATIVE:    Full Story>>>  

SRI LANKA: An innocent man has been detained more than six months without being produced before any court or charged

K Shanmugam makes official visit to Sri Lanka


01 June 2012
SINGAPORE: Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam was in Sri Lanka for a four-day official visit.

During his trip, he visited Trincomalee, a port city in the Eastern Province and Jaffna, the capital city of the Northern Province.

Mr Shanmugam met the Governor of the Eastern Province Mohan Wijewickrama and Governor of the Northern Province G A Chandrasiri and other local leaders in both cities. 

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said they briefed him on their respective development plans and priorities. 

The focus in Trincomalee was in building up tourism, agriculture and fisheries. 

Mr Shanmugam also visited the Prima Flour Mill in Trincomalee.

Prima is the largest Singapore-based investor in Sri Lanka.

The ministry said in Jaffna, Mr Shanmugam saw a province that was slowly recovering from the decades-long conflict. 

He was briefed on the reconstruction and development efforts there.

In his meetings, Mr Shanmugam said Singapore would be happy to consider some technical assistance in capacity building, such as skills upgrading and teacher-training in computer literacy. 

While in Jaffna, he also visited the Jaffna Public Library.

In 2011, Singapore contributed a project to refurbish the Children's Section of the Library and provided training of Jaffna librarians. 

Mr Shanmugam said: "I am very happy to see that a project by Singapore is helping so many children in Jaffna. The local officials have asked for further assistance to enhance the library, including the library data management system.

"I promised them that Singapore will certainly help where we can, to build on our earlier contribution. This is a worthwhile project. It will have a great impact on the lives of the children of Jaffna."

Mr Shanmugam also visited a village which resettled displaced persons. He was briefed by local officials on the progress of resettlement. He visited some of the houses and talked to the inhabitants.

Minister Shanmugam said: "Rebuilding is taking place. The government and local officials are focused on reconstruction and helping the people find new livelihoods. The international community should do what we can to help them so that they can have a better future."

Earlier, Mr Shanmugam met his counterparts Minister of External Affairs Professor G L Peiris and Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem on 30 May 2012 in Colombo.

Mr Shanmugam and Minister Peiris reaffirmed the friendly bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1970. Minister Peiris updated Minister Shanmugam on post-conflict developments in Sri Lanka, and the steps taken by the government towards national reconciliation.

The two ministers agreed that there was scope for expanding linkages in the areas of trade and investment, technical assistance and people-to-people ties.

In his interaction with business leaders at the seminar cum networking session organised by the Singapore Business Federation and the Sri Lanka-Singapore Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 30 May 2012, Mr Shanmugam shared their hope that the restoration of peace and reconciliation would bring about opportunities in trade and investment, education and tourism, which would mutually benefit people in both countries and bring about greater prosperity.

Mr Shanmugam and Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen jointly witnessed the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Singapore Business Federation and the Sri Lanka-Singapore Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce aimed at stepping up greater economic exchanges.

- CNA/ck

Incredible but true :World fuel prices down by 20 $– yet SL fuel prices shoot up again lastnight
Friday 1 of June 2012
(Lanka-e-News-01.June.2012, 3.00PM) Truth is stranger than fiction . Can you beat that ! , while the world market fuel prices have tumbled down on a record breaking scale , the fuel prices in SL have been raised yet again lastnight. Accordingly , the price of a liter of IOC super diesel has been raised from Rs. 118/- to Rs. 119/- , that is an increase of Rs.1/- , while normal diesel has shot up by Rs. 2/- per liter from Rs. 115/ - to Rs. 117/- 

What is most intriguing and disgusting from the point of view of the people who are being burdened daily as a routine by this ruthless regime is, why this increase in fuel prices at this juncture when the world market prices of a barrel of crude oil which was US dollars 108 in April had steeply plummeted to US $ 87.90 by now. That is when the price of fuel had declined by about US $ 20/- , why is the benefit of that price drop not passed on to the consumers who the Govt. burdens with price hikes immediately even when there is a price rise in fuel in the world market .
Those responsible for this say , these price hikes are necessitated even when the world market fuel prices have plummeted is because the value of the rupee has tremendously depreciated. The value of a dollar in SL Rs. is now 133.76 - fiscal mismanagement the cause.

The other reason they cite is ,in SL , imports of fuel has a 35 day time lag . Accordingly , the fuel which we are using today have been imported 35 days ahead. During that period, the price of a barrel of crude oil was US $ 117/- and that of refined oil was US $ 130/-. Hence when world prices dropped by a percentage subsequently , the local prices cannot be reduced, the Govt. Says

The Rights Of Women In The Post War Conflict: The Constitution And Its Guarantees

May 31, 2012

By Munasinghe Prasadika Sandamani -

Sri Lanka suffered enormously from the conflict between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) for more than 30 years resulting in economic, civil, political, social and cultural devastation. During the armed conflict a significant growth of continuous displacement resulted in more than a million people being internally displaced. Some of them were internally displaced within the districts that they inhabit whilst some were forced to leave the shores of their home and become refugees in countries such as India or other western countries. As a postmortem to the post war conflict, the male population has declined due to their disappearances or their involvement in the conflict which has resulted in their death and this has inevitably increased the female population in the North and East.

The main objective of this article is to discuss how far the constitution of Sri Lanka has gone to implement laws to address the rights of the women in the post war conflict with respect their religious, social and cultural differences. With this aim in mind the post war conflict experiences of women have been discussed. The first section of this report highlights the definition of constitutionalism and fundamental rights. Section two describes women rights and the main issues faced by women in the post war conflict. There is a brief review of the role of the Constitution and its crisis and I describe in overall terms of the world how far the post conflict problems have been solved. Government reforms and a conclusion are discussed in the last section.

What is a ‘constitution’?    Read More

Rwanda's Calllixte Nzabonimana gets life for genocide
31 May 2012

Up to 800,000 people were killed in just 100 days

A former Rwandan youth minister has been given a life sentence after being found guilty of playing a key role in the 1994 genocide.

Callixte Nzabonimana was found guilty of genocide, conspiracy, incitement and extermination by the UN tribunal based in Arusha, Tanzania.

His lawyer told AFP he will appeal.

Ethnic Hutu militia and soldiers killed some 800,000 minority Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus in 100 days between April and June 1994.

Public incitement

""The trial chamber found that... Nzabonimana instigated the killing of Tutsis. It also found Nzabonimana guilty of entering into two separate agreements to kill Tutsis," the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) said in a statement.

The conviction of the former youth minister hinged on his participation, alongside other members of the government, in a meeting held on 18 April, 1994 in the town of Murambi, in the central Gitarama province.

This meeting led to "an agreement" between Nzabonimana and other ministers "to encourage the killing of Tutsis... with the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Tutsi population as such in Gitarama prefecture," the AFP news agency reports the court's verdict as finding.

The three ICTR judges ruled that Nzabonimana used public appearances in different parts of Gitarama to incite people to kill Tutsis.

"We will definitely appeal. The appeal hearing starts now," lead defence counsel, Vincent Courcelle-Labrousse, said.

Nzabonimana, 59, was arrested in Tanzania in February 2008.

The ICTR - set up in Arusha shortly after the 1994 genocide - is due to wind up its work by the end of 2014.

More evidence of Tamils facing torture - TAG

Friday, 01 June 2012

A report by the Tamil rights group, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), provides primary evidence supporting the claims of torture against failed asylum seekers, and Tamils deemed to be political active.

Find report here.

See TamilNet article here.

One signed witness statement, which we should warn is extremely distressing, said:

"... about 5 CID officers beat me. And pushed me roughly and tightly. They hit my head against the wall and tore my T shirt off. Then one person untied the knots in my hand and ordered me to undress. They forced me to undress and then beat me left and right with their booted legs..."

"They tied my hands back again, spoke something in Sinhala, switched off the lights and locked me inside. The light switch was outside the room. I was locked alone in a small room. I was not given any food that day. I did not know what will happen to me ever after."

"After some time, they came in switched on the lights and opened the door. It should have been the following day. I wouldn't gage the time. I was lying naked on the floor. They came and kicked me with the boots. One of them spoke in broken Tamil. He said that I was a member of the LTTE because my family member was an important person in the LTTE."

"They beat me all over (my head, back and legs). I replied that I didn't know anything at all already screaming with pain. One of them spoke very bad Tamil and beat me with a big stick. He didn't want to my pleas and then they hit my genitals with their booted legs. I couldn't bear the pain and I fainted. I did not know what happened thereafter."

Speaking to TamilNet, Jan Jananayagam of TAG said,

"TAG's report presents these sources of evidence showing how failed asylum seekersmay face risks either simply by virtue of their status as failed asylum seekers, or due to imputed political opinion regarding LTTE involvement or support especially when returning from places such as the UK that traditionally have very active Tamil diaspora communities."

Union Station flooding shuts subway

Dylan C. Robertson
Staff Reporter

There will be no TTC rush-hour service at Union Station after flooding this afternoon, according to TTC Chief Operating Officer Andy Byford

Shuttle buses are being co-ordinated after foot-deep water caused the TTC to suspend its transit hub service around 12:30 p.m.

Service is also halted along the Yonge-University-Spadina line between Osgoode and Bloor stations. The University line is still running to St. Patrick station. But streetcars on the 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina are turning back upon approach to Union Station.    Full Story>>>>