GR tells IPKF general not be misled by LTTE

August 8, 2012,

By Shamindra Ferdinando

External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday defended the right and the responsibility of the government of Sri Lanka to maintain a considerable military presence in the Northern and Eastern Provinces to thwart a possible re-emergence of terrorism.

Addressing a gathering of Colombo-based diplomats and visiting foreign military representatives, at Hotel Galadari, the External Affairs Minister and Defence Secretary said that the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009 meant the military had a different role to play to facilitate the speedy restoration of civil life in war-torn areas.

Dismissing calls for total withdrawal of troops from the Northern Province, Prof. Peiris said that it would be reckless on the part of the government to even consider a total pull-out. Explaining that the military was deployed in all parts of the country, including Hambantota, Prof. Peiris described a move on the part of GoSL to vacate the Northern Province as an extremely unwise decision.

Peiris and Rajapaksa pointed out that there had been a gradual decrease in military presence in the Northern Province since the end of the war.

In his keynote address on the opening day of three-day seminar ‘Towards Lasting Peace and Stability’, the Defence Secretary said that bases and troops in the Northern and Eastern Provinces had been reduced to a bare minimum. He said that 28 battalions had been moved from the Northern Province to the South and the East. During the past three years, over 21,000 troops had been shifted from the Northern theatre of operations, he said stressing the need to maintain troop presence at strategic locations. He assured that their presence would be non-intrusive.

However, retired Maj. Gen Ashok K. Mehta of the Indian Army disputed the government’s position as regards the post-war military presence in the Northern Province on the basis of information received by India. Maj. Gen. Metha, who had served in Sri Lanka with the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), quoted unnamed sources as having contradicted the SriLankan government’s stand on de-militarisation. He referred to what he called an overbearing SLA presence in the North, calling called for an explanation from the Defence Secretary as regards a statement attributed to him that there was no space for re-emergence of Sri Lanka’s problems due to many beneficial developments that had taken place since the conclusion of the conflict.

Maj. Gen. Metha queried whether the government would consider a presidential pardon for 383 ex-LTTE combatants undergoing legal action.

Defence Secretary pointed out that Prof. Peiris had explained the importance of continued military presence in spite of the conclusion of the conflict. Briefing recalling the heavy sufferings experienced by people of all three communities, the Defence Secretary stressed that armed forces’ primary duty was to protect the country. He said that the armed forces would have to ensure that those disruptive elements wouldn’t re-group again.

The Defence Secretary alleged that pro-LTTE Diaspora and other anti-Sri Lanka elements had given false information to India. Citing the difficulties experienced by GoSL in the post-war era. He told Maj. Gen Metha the country wasn’t in a position to rectify shortcomings overnight.

Commenting on Maj. Gen Metha’s comment on the possibility of release those ex-LTTE cadres facing legal action, the Defence Secretary recalled that at the conclusion of the conflict, there had been 16,000 LTTE men and women in detention. Of them 12,000 had either surrendered or been arrested during the humanitarian operations and other had been taken in during separate operations. Of the 12,000 cadres, only 636 now remained at rehabilitation centres, the Defence Secretary said, adding that of the 4,000 persons, only 383 now remained in custody. All others had been rehabilitated and reunited with their families, the Defence Secretary said, adding that the country was proud of its achievements as regards the post-war national reconciliation process.

South Africa offers support for Sri Lanka's peace initiatives
2012-08-10

COLOMBO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- South Africa has offered assistance and advice to Sri Lanka in its effort to reach a political solution following the end of 30 years of war.

The External Affairs Ministry said that the assistance was offered by a South African government delegation which met with External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris in Colombo on Friday.

South Africa's Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Ebrahim Ebrahim and former Minister of Constitutional Affairs Roelf Meyer met and discussed with Peiris about the government's efforts to achieve peace.

The discussion followed up on a range of issues which Peiris had discussed with South African leaders including President Jacob Zuma and Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane during an official visit to South Africa in March this year, the External Affairs Ministry said.

Peiris gave the visiting South African delegation a comprehensive update on developments in Sri Lanka, in particular the progress which had been made with regard to resettlement of internally displaced persons, the re-integration into society of ex-combatants and the successful completion of de-mining operations.

He also provided detailed information with regard to structured implementation of recommendations contained in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, a commission appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa following the end of the war with the Tamil Tiger rebels three years ago.

A matter which received emphasis in the discussion was the importance of a home-grown solution if implementation is to be achieved, the External Affairs Ministry said.

The ministry said that the South African delegation told Peiris that they would be happy to render all assistance to Sri Lanka, drawing upon their own experience and insights.

'Mass graves' for Myanmar's Rohingya

Courtesy: Al Jazeera 

Exclusive report from Rakhine state exposes an entire region divided by religious and racial discrimination.
A Rohingya family in Bhumei village outside Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state in Myanmar.

(10August, 2012, Naypyitaw, Sri Lanka Guardian) A recent journey to western Myanmar has revealed a provincial capital divided by hatred and thousands of its Muslim residents terrorised by what they say is a state-sponsored campaign to segregate the population along ethno-sectarian lines.

Decades-old tension between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in coastal Rakhine state exploded with new ferocity in June, leaving at least 78 people dead and tens of thousands homeless.

Exclusive reporting conducted last week in the highly restricted region suggests that the long-term fallout from recent violence could be even more damaging than the bloodshed.

The United Nations has estimated that 80,000 people are still displaced around the cities of Sittwe and Maungdaw, and international rights groups continue to denounce Myanmar for its role in the conflict.

As it stands, any thought of reconciliation between local Buddhists and Muslims appears a distant dream.

Many Rohingya have fled the polarised region, fearing revenge attacks and increasing discrimination. Their status has sparked international concern and disagreement.

Rights groups have condemned the violence. The Myanmar government has denied any wrongdoing, while neighbouring Bangladesh has rejected an influx of refugees and slashed access to aid.

For those Rohingya caught up in the dispute, the day-to-day situation is rapidly slipping from desperate to dire.

Social 'non-engagement'                  Read More 

Champika confesses

The Minister of Power and Energy Champika Ranawaka has had to explain to the country regarding the breakdown of ‘Lakvijaya’ power station and power cuts being carried out at present.

For the first time Minister Ranawaka admits that the state of Lakvijaya Coal Power station in Puttalam is not satisfactory. He has said the power station has three errors from its construction.

The Minister says, “We cannot be satisfied with the power house from its construction. The power house was not constructed at the correct place, at the correct time and not with proper technology. The power house that was to be built in 1997 was one with international standards. However, we were unable to get this technology. It is the Chinese Government that provided us with technology for the power house. However, the necessary technological standards have not been completed.”

Speaking further the Minister says, “This power house is very important specially at a time like this. Without this power house we are unable to give electricity all 24 hours of the day when we are unable to generate hydro power.”

He said, “The power house broke down as it had to work continuously and also owing to a failure in the main transmission line from Lakvijaya Power Plant to Weyangoda. We would take all measures to restore power generation at the plant as soon as possible,” and added that, “This is not an issue that could be resolved by blaming one or two individuals.”

Lakvijaya Power Plant that was declared open in March, 2011 has been inoperative for 135 days on three occasions.

MaRa left high and dry by his election fraudsters
thursday 9 of August 2012
(Lanka-e-News-09.Aug.2012, 8.30PM) Three chiefs who were at the helm of Rajapakse regime’s election frauds and malpractices in the past , have withdrawn from these sordid and unscrupulous activities at the forthcoming elections, according to informed sources from within the Govt. These three individuals are : a former JVPer who somersaulted to MaRa’s side; a former police chief ; and a trade union leader . These individuals were having separate teams under them in connection with these election frauds and malpractices. They have also created a situation whereby without them , these teams cannot be operated by any other, it is learnt.

These election fraudsters shouldered a huge responsibility at MaRa’s Presidential elections for the second term, and made an immense contribution towards his victory. Hence , this sudden turnabout is a tremendous immeasurable loss to MaRa regime. The absence of police chief for the election rackets has crippled the MaRa regime’s monumental lawless conspiracies and operations at elections. Besides there is a risk of exposures of the past irregularities , offences and election malpractices. The JVP pole-vaulter who is a notorious double dealer and an expert at rackets also withdrawing from Rajapakse illicit election manipulations is having a serious adverse impact, sources within the Govt. say.
In the circumstances , it is in doubt whether the Govt. can win the upcoming north and eastern province elections . In Polonnaruwa , it is predicted that the Govt, cannot in any event win , while in Anuradhapura it is vacillating between defeat and victory ., regime’s informants have intimated to the head of the regime.

New Delhi infringes into historical and cultural rights of Eezham Tamils

 [TamilNet, Thursday, 09 August 2012, 17:17 GMT]
By officially announcing a ban on the word “Eezham,” New Delhi establishment’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) infringes into the historical and cultural identity of a people outside of its jurisdiction, accused Eezham Tamil civil groups in the island and in the diaspora, responding to an official instruction of the MEA dated 9 August 2012, sent to TESO organisers in Chennai that “Eelam may be dropped from the title of the conference” for MEA clearance of approval. Whether New Delhi has already started thinking that the island is part of its empire and the Eezham Tamils are its ‘conquered’ people to impose orders on the identity of another people, asked the enraged civil activists. Meanwhile, New Delhi’s foreign missions sabotage giving visa to Eezham Tamils attending the TESO conference, news sources from several countries said. 

The title of the conference of the Tamil Eelam Supporter’s Organization (TESO) scheduled to start on 12 August, is “Eelam Tamil Rights Protection Conference.”

Letter from the Indian External Affairs Ministry

“This Ministry has no objection from political angle, for the proposed International Conference, with foreign participants, with the proviso that “Eelam” may be dropped from the title of the conference, and subject to clearance of Ministry of Home Affairs and other competent authorities,” the clearance document from New Delhi’s MEA said.

Eezham Tamil is the cultural and historical identity of a people. It is not even a term of a country as such Tamil Eelam, for which a struggle is being waged for decades. What is the authority of the MEA in New Delhi to order for the deletion of a term of identity that was in use for centuries before anyone has ever heard the term India, asked Eezham Tamil civil activists.

The MEA clearance was sought, as it was demanded by New Delhi establishment’s foreign missions from the Eezham Tamil visa applicants who had been invited by the TESO organizers.

The clearance for foreign participants for the 12th August conference was issued only on the 9th, and that too with hitches such as further clearance from the Home Ministry as well as ‘other competent authorities’, meaning probably the intelligence outfits.
   
Citing the hitches, the Indian missions have not issued visa to a number of participants.

As there is going to be a weekend, the Indian missions will have a convenient excuse to sabotage the TESO conference by not issuing visa to foreign participants. 

On one hand, the Eezham Tamils in the island are gagged by the constitution of the genocidal state from openly coming out with their opinion on the solution they want, and on the other hand, the New Delhi establishment now officially interferes into the rights of the Eezham Tamils as well as Tamils in Tamil Nadu, even from uttering a word of identity, Tamil civil activists in the island said. 

New Delhi did it covertly when Mr. Karunanidhi convened a meeting two years back, to remove the word Eezham from a conference banner. But now it comes out openly, they commented further.

Reincarnation/Rebirth Of The Indo-Lanka Accord

By S. V. Kirubaharan -August 9, 2012

S. V. Kirubaharan

Reading this headline, extreme Singhalese may say, ‘another……. paving the way for a separate state’, extreme Tamil nationalists may say, ‘another one going against the independent state’, but the wisest from both communities may say, ‘the right thinking at the right time’.

Twenty five years ago on 29^th July 1987, when the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Sri Lanka President J. R. Jayawardene signed the Indo-Lanka accord, it was a day of mourning in the South of Sri Lanka, a day of confusion in the North and East and a miraculous day for India, especially for the Gandhi family. In the South, half of Colombo was on fire. The majority of the people, politicians, the then Prime Minister, many cabinet Ministers and the present President were angered by India. The people of the North and East were in the dark, knowing nothing about the Indo-Lanka accord. At the same time, it was a miraculous escape for the Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi who was attacked by a Sri Lankan Navy soldier with a rifle in an attempted assassination. Fortunately the heavy blow which landed on Gandhi only injured his shoulder, while he was inspecting the guard of honour in Colombo. If the Navy soldier’s strike had hit as planned, today’s history of Sri Lanka would have been very different.

I read with interest the recent articles by Col. R. Hariharan and Major General Ashok Mehta entitled ‘25 Years On, IPKF…..’.  Both served in the Indian Peace Keeping Force – IPKF in Sri Lanka. Their articles spoke about the shortcomings and pessimistic views of the Singhalese and the Tamils towards the Indo-Lanka accord. In both articles wrong terminology was used to indicate the status of the Tamils in Sri Lanka!  But one cannot expect military personnel necessarily to use the correct political terminologies. If Tamils in Sri Lanka are‘minorities’, there would have been no Indo-Lanka accord and no third party mediation or involvement.

Strategic reasons!     Read More

Sri Lanka refuses UN intervention in post-war reconciliation
2012-08-09

COLOMBO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's government has confirmed that a United Nations (UN) team will visit the country next month to evaluate post-war reconciliation but insisted that their feedback would not be considered, an official said here on Thursday.

Cabinet spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella strongly responded to previous media reports that the UN team would provide expertise on reconciliation efforts made by the government.

He insisted that the team was coming on a government invitation but that they would only be observers and not act as advisors.

"We have invited any interested party to come to Sri Lanka and see for themselves the progress that has been made over the past three years. This latest visit is simply part of that process and is not a contradiction to the government's previous stance," he said.

Rambukwella on previous occasions had voiced the government standpoint that no foreign teams would be allowed into the country to conduct evaluations as that is in contravention of Sri Lanka's sovereign rights.

It was earlier reported that experts from the UN Human Rights Council will arrive to "offer advice and technical assistance" to the Sri Lankan government towards implementing the human rights related resolution on Sri Lanka that was passed in March at the council.

ReliefWeb report

Sri Lanka-

Integrated Mine Action Intervention in support of high risk communities in northern Sri Lanka

Following its strategic objective to contribute to the safe return and resettlement of IDPs, SDC supports the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) to demine and clear land for resettlement and to clear common wells of explosives and hazardous materials. Since April 2011, approximately 19,000 IDPs have returned and resettled in land released as safe by FSD. Furthermore 437 wells have been cleared of hazardous material, providing safe drinking water for more than 5,000 IDP families.

Returnees now have access to safe, productive and residential land. The release of valuable agricultural land has also resulted in improved livelihood opportunities for returnees. The FSD media team in Sri Lanka has produced adocumentary on well clearance activities funded by SDC.

In addition to clearing land and wells, FSD is also involved in various other mine related interventions, especially to build enhanced awareness of mines and Unexpolored ordnances, among returnees. FSD’s Community Liaison Staff play an important role in facilitating these activities. These Community Liaison activities have ensured that the number of mine and UXO accidents has been statistically negligible in FSD areas of operations, despite the high number of returnees living close to dangerous areas. FSD has also distributed 225 water pots among 210 returned families in Mullaitivu and Vavuniya.

With several teams working on the ground in the Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullativu Districts, the return process is ongoing and more IDPs will continue to benefit from FSD released land and cleared wells. The overall goal of the SDC strategy is ‘to contribute to the safe resettlement of IDPs in their Mine/ERW cleared villages and land according to plans made in close coordination with the government authorities and relief agencies’. SDC continues to support FSD in their invaluable service to resettle the returnee population.

Norochcholai also inferior quality like fuel – project still born at birth
(Lanka-e-News-09.Aug.2012, 8.30PM) The commonly heard story that the eternally problematic Norochcholai power plant is giving trouble has again emerged .On the 8th morning , the power supply to Veyangoda from Norochcholai had broken down suddenly , and as a result the power plant had automatically ceased functioning, according to the CEB of Minister of power and energy Champika Ranawaka. The CEB added , the bearings have to be checked in this connection . Owing to this failure , the national power system will be deprived of 300 megawatts power .

Champika Ranawaka recently said , there could be a power Mafia in the country.

Though the Minister and the CEB are blaming on their bearings and a mafia to cover up their incompetence and Govt. rackets, the crux of the problem lies in the Govt.’s anxiety to install inferior plants ( like the inferior fuel import) overriding national interests in order to line its pockets with illicit commissions. 

This Chinese project was introduced sans transparency and ignoring legal tender procedures as the paramount need of the Rajapakses was illicit commissions . The Minister on the other hand who knows the inside out of this racket is defending this project which was still born from the time of its birth depending on technical and technological bombasts via the media to delude the people who have to bear the brunt of all the Govt. and the Ministers’ blunders, sins and swindles. The Minister of course takes pride in making inspections of the site wearing a yellow helmet and in the glare of media publicity. May the Minister who is a part and parcel of these deceitful practices understand at least at this belated stage that what the people need is electric power and not power produced by his stinking lying mouth.

Let this Minister and the Govt. who are apparently ignorant of the past power projects of SL be enlightened that the people have never heard news that the Polgolla power plant which has been supplying power for the last 50 years has ever failed. Even the Victoria power plant that is nearly 35 years old had never failed , at least there had never been such reports .

This was because the Governments of that time were primarily concerned about the country and the services to the people , whereby they took special pains to introduce projects and programs of quality and excellence., unlike the present Rajapakses whose gaze is fixed only on illicit commission collections even on death and despair of the subjects.

By installing this cheap Chinese power plant, only the Rajapakses have stood to gain to the detriment of the country. By analogy ,now this project is like a woman who is married by a man for greed of dowry only to realize too late he has to court eternal suffering . But the irony of it in the Govt.’s case is , it is the people who have to pay for the evil greed and ulterior motives of the Govt.

Let's make Britain and America practice what they preach

Thursday, 09 August 2012

In just a few days time, delegates from 19 countries, including the UK and USA, will take part in a public relations stunt organised by the brutal autocrat Gotabhaya (Gota) Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's Defence Minister. 

Unless you stop them.

Click here to take action.

Last year the Sri Lankan military organised a series of seminars designed to help whitewash their reputation and promote the "Sri Lanka model" of purely military responses to internal strife. And last year we ran campaigns to prevent these events from turning into the PR coups the Sri Lankan military were hoping for. 

It is not too late, twice now nations have pulled out at the very very last minute

Previously various countries - including Canada, the UK and South Africa - pulled out under pressure, sending a powerful message that human rights violations will not be tolerated. It also hugely embarrassed the Sri Lankan military and Gotabhaya himself, weakening their position within the country.

This year, the Sri Lankan Army is planning another conference, from 8-12 August, giving Gota the chance to hold court in front of at least 19 countries including the UK and USA, at a session misleadingly called "towards lasting peace and stability".

Click here to stop that happening.

We know from history, from Gota's involvement, and from the way this is being presented in the Sri Lankan media that this is not a legitimate attempt to address issues. It is a cynical PR exercise designed to whitewash the Army's reputation, cement its ownership of the reconciliation process, and promote the government's highly flawed reconciliation plan to an international audience. Gota himself badly needs good publicity: he last made headlines for ordering a commercial plane to pick up a puppy from Switzerland, then threatening the journalist asking about this farcical abuse of power.

Don't let them get away with it. 

Twice now your outcry has caused nations to pull out of these PR stunts at the last minute. Please help us make it a third.

We only have a few days to take action. Click here now and forward this to others who care about Sri Lanka.

Demands Of University Dons: Who’s Gone Cuckoo?

By Amal S. Kumarage -August 9, 2012

Prof. Amal S. Kumarage

One can only thank Mr. C.A.Chandraprema for choosing an apt title ‘University Dons in Cuckoo land’ for his article published in the Sunday Divaina and Sunday Island of 4^th August.

There is no disagreement that is exactly where university dons have been for the last several years. The difference now is that finally they have realized how ‘cuckoo’ they have been to believe that Sri Lanka is marching towards a Knowledge Hub when over the last 6 years the reality is that funding per university student has been gradually reduced; students per staff ratio increased; attempts to use university positions for political purposes has increased and above all the university community is kept out of discussions of urgently needed reforms in the education sector.

The Difficulty of Finding Academics

From last year, dons who up to then had agitated only when their salary levels fell below embarrassment (as in 1996 and 2011) have realized that inadequate salaries are only the tip of the iceberg of problems facing them. The bigger problem is what lies below the surface. That is what the academia has been struggling to bring to the notice of the Government and also the public. The spending on education which was 5.2% of GDP in 1971 has now reduced to 1.9%. The admission rate of students qualifying at the GCE AL exam to proceed to university has remained at 15% for the last two decades. More than 1/3^rd of the academic cadre posts in universities are vacant at this time for want of suitable applicants. Of the people who have filled theses posts, over 50% have just first degrees at present and yet to qualify to teach. The percentage of funds allocated for research in most universities cannot be even calculated as there are none! Even in the Government budget only 0.05% percent of GDP was allocated in 2012 for all research and development when global knowledge hubs exceed 2 and sometimes 3 percent! So it is true that university dons have been in cuckoo land all this while, expecting the political promises of the transformation of universities to centres of excellence and to global knowledge hubs when we have in fact being taken in the opposite direction.

Loosing Accreditation                                                Read More

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURISTS (ICJ) SUBMISSION TO THE 
UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF SRI LANKA


ICJ STAKEHOLDER SUBMISSION ON THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF SRI LANKA
16 April 2012

Under the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on the UPR will be undertaking a review of Sri Lanka during its 14th session in October/November 2012. In a submission to the Working Group, the International Commission of Jurists has focused on the discrete issues of: (1) the failure of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and previous national commissions of inquiry to hold accountable those responsible for serious human rights violations; (2) the systemic barriers affecting the efficacy of thehabeas corpus writ as legal remedy for arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance; (3) the ongoing detention of Sri Lankans in “rehabilitation camps” and the lack of any independent monitoring mechanism; (4) Sri Lanka’s failure to implement witness protection measures; (5) Sri Lanka’s failure to properly incorporate the Convention Against Torture into domestic law; and (6) Sri Lanka’s party status to international human rights instruments and its cooperation with the UN treaty bodies and the Council’s Special Procedures.

 ICJ UPR Sri Lanka

 ICJ UPR Sri Lanka Comparison

Sri Lanka eyes Mi-17 helicopters

Sri Lanka is conducting a feasability study into the purchase of Mi-17 helicopters from Russia for use by the air force in its commercial venture

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Sri Lanka is conducting a feasibility study into the purchase of Mi-17 helicopters from Russia for use by the air force in its commercial venture.

The aircraft would be purchased under a $300 million credit line with Russia's state-owned arms trading business Rosoboronexport State Corp., a report by Sri Lanka's Sunday Leader newspaper said.

Cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said up to 14 helicopters could be purchased but nothing would be decided until conclusion of the feasibility study.

Sri Lanka initially agreed to purchase up to 14 helicopters because of requirements during the war with the separatist Tamil Tigers.

"Since the war was coming to an end, we decided there was no immediate requirement to purchase 14 helicopters," he is quoted as saying by the Sunday Leader.

"I do not know when the study will be completed but I don't think the air force would utilize the entire facility and purchase 14 helicopters."

Rambukwella said the air force was looking at purchasing helicopters to expand its existing commercial air transport work in its company called Helitours.

The air force would pay back the loan from profits generated by the commercial venture once the helicopters are in service, he said.

Helitours Sri Lanka is "the largest and premier domestic air service in Sri Lanka launched in the 1972," its Web site says.

The Helitours fleet consists of 20 aircraft in a mix of fixed-wing and helicopters, including the Mi-17 as well as the Bell 206, 212 and 412 helicopters.

Helitours also operates the 45-passenger Antonov high-wing twin-turboprop AN 32 B aircraft and the Harbin Y-12, a 15-passenger high-wing twin-turboprop aircraft built by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corp. in China.

Air force spokesman Group Capt. Andrew Wijesuriya wouldn't comment on the purchase of the Mi-17 helicopters but said Helitours would remain an ongoing commercial venture, the Sunday Leaders reported.

Helitours is run as a profit-making business and will continue as such until the country's domestic passenger services improve and the private sector starts to invest in the sector, said Wijesuriya.

Helitours is based at the air force's Ratmalana Air Base, otherwise known as Colombo Airport, which handles domestic as well as military flights.

The Mi-17 -- a transporter which can be fitted out as a gunship -- was designed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. The aircraft first flew in the 1970s and around 12,000 have been built, mostly by the Kazan Helicopter Plant in Kazan in the Republic of Tatarstan.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2012/08/09/Sri-Lanka-eyes-Mi-17-helicopters/UPI-72641344508200/#ixzz233YeZ2KM 

Sri Lanka: Why People Don’t Like Their Former Presidents

By Basil Fernando -August 9, 2012 

Basil Fernando

One of the interesting things about Sri Lankan politics since 1978 is that the people do not remember their former Presidents with any respect. Of course people do not remember even the heads of the States of earlier times with much affection, though they do remember them with some good humour. The former Prime Ministers like D. S. Senanayeke, his son Dudley, John Kotelawala and the two Bandaranaikes, maybe target of many criticisms but they are still remembered with some good sentiments.

That is not the case with the three former Presidents, Jayewardene,Premadasa and Chandrika. There are hardly any celebrations for them even by their own party members. Their memories are mixed with remembrance of excessive greed, gross abuses of power, memory of killings and blood spilling and many ill-humored remarks about arrogance.

Perhaps this is because of the general dislike of humans for excess. It is like the way people dislikes excessive eating as gluttony, excessive drinking as alcoholism, excessive sex as debauchery and the like. There is something ugly about doing things in excess.

The problem of excess is the absence of restraint. Anything that lacks restraint is looked down by everybody and treated with contempt. Restraint is at the core of any human achievement that receives admiration, whether they be art or any other human activity.

The problem of the executive presidency that exists in Sri Lanka is the very absence of any kind of restraint associated with the exercise of any of its functions. The Executive Presidency has institutionalized excess of every form. It’s a kind of excess that makes one a maniac. Whether it comes to accumulation of personal wealth, use of cruelty and personal arrogance the former Presidents of Sri Lanka have become examples of doing any of these things without any kind of restraint so long as they could hold on to power.

The originator of this idea of the Executive Presidency, J. R. Jawardene, was known throughout his political career for his excess of ambition. The leaders of his own party in the past had kept him down due to their recognition of his incapacity for restraint in pursuing his own glory. It was at the point when his party lost his grip with the population. And as a consequence when there were no leaders left, Jawardene was able to achieve his fond hope for ascending to the highest post. Once he got there, within the shortest possible time he made the Constitution within which all the elements of restraint which is usually known as checks and balances was removed. Thus, this thing called the Executive Presidency, which could turn anyone into a political maniac, became a real political institution. That was what has made it possible for all who got into his shoes, to lose all restraint so long as they could hold on to power.

Thus there is no surprise as to why people do not remember any of those who held such power in any other way than people treat those who are incapable of restraint.

All glory, all gluttony and all cruelty and arrogance so long as they hold on to power and utter contempt when they lose power. That is the destiny of anyone who becomes the head of the State under the 1978 Constitution. This of course is not just a tragedy of such leaders but of the tragedy of the Sri Lankan people as a whole.

Troops will remain at strategic locations-Gota

WEDNESDAY, 08 AUGUST 2012 
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said though the military presence in the north had been drastically reduced, troops would continue to remain at strategic locations for security reasons but their presence will be non-intrusive.

“The number of troops deployed and the number of camps remaining in the North and East has also been reduced to a bare minimum. Twenty eight battalions have been relocated in the South and East. The overall number of troops in the North has been reduced by more than 21,000 since 2009.

Troops will remain in strategic locations for security purposes, but their presence will be non-intrusive. The day-to-day maintenance of law and order has been handed over to the police,” Mr. Rajapaksa said.

He made these comments speaking at the inaugural sessions of the ‘Defence Seminar 2012’ for lasting peace and stability with special focus on ‘Reconstruction, Resettlement, Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Reconciliation (5Rs)’ at Colombo Galadari Hotel. Several state administrators, academics, military leaders and resource personnel from here and abroad attended.

Mr. Rajapaksa speaking on the 5Rs described the ample gains that had been made by the government with the active support of the Army, which has now transformed from their fighting roles to protector roles.

The Army-initiated seminar held for the second successive year was attended by about 300 delegates, drawn from more than 43 countries including representatives from US, India, Pakistan, UK, China, Bangladesh, Brunei, Malaysia, Australia and Indonesia.

Mr. Rajapaksa spoke of the various challenges and obstacles that had to be overcome in the implementation of the programme for restoration of normalcy in the North and East.