Sunday, September 23, 2012

Saturday, 22 September 2012

TONY JONES, PRESENTER: Many of the most recent asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat are from Sri Lanka. Whilst the Federal Opposition claims they're economic refugees and should be sent back, two Sri Lankan journalists tell a different story.

In a new documentary they say Sri Lanka's asylum seekers are escaping human rights abuses committed in the wake of their nation's recently-ended civil war. Kerry Brewster reports.

KERRY BREWSTER, REPORTER: These two journalists have documented the bloody events of a civil war.

Lokeesan was the last Tamil reporter in Sri Lanka's north, where up to 40,000 Tamil civilians who'd been herded into no-fire zones in 2009 are believed to have been deliberately killed by the Sri Lankan military.

BASHANA ABEYWARDANE, EXILED SRI LANKAN JOURNALIST: So they were attacked from air, they were attacked by the ground forces and they were attacked by the naval forces from the sea. There was something people used to call cluster shells. It causes multiple explosions. It rains over the people. They were quite a lot of burning (inaudible) and it looks like some kind of a chemical effect, some kind of a chemical explosive.

A. LOKEESAN, EXILED SRI LANKAN JOURNALIST (voiceover translation): If I had been identified and found by the Sri Lankan Government, they would have killed me.

KERRY BREWSTER: Before escaping to India, Lokeesan witnessed these scenes, some footage not seen before.

Bashana Abeywardane, a Sinhalese newspaper editor who advocated a political solution to the conflict, says he fled for his life after a source was gunned down in Colombo. He was granted asylum in Germany.

BASHANA ABEYWARDANE: 146,000 people are unaccounted for and no-one knows what happened to these people.

KERRY BREWSTER: These men appear in the film Silenced Voices in which exiled journalists document Sri Lanka's alleged war crimes and question the fate of potentially thousands of people.

BASHANA ABEYWARDANE: This is another photograph, you know, this - you can see all these people, quite a lot of young girls. And it looks like they are about to be taken away from this place to a unknown place for some unknown destiny, you know. We don't know what happened to these people, whether they are still alive, that they have been detained somewhere, that they have been killed.

KERRY BREWSTER: Three years after the war, independent journalists aren't allowed into the so-called "killing fields". This footage, shot secretly late last year, is said to show one of several internment camps.

BASHANA ABEYWARDANE: I think the situation has actually worsened for the Tamil people. And when no-one is watching, anything can happen.

KERRY BREWSTER: According to India's respected economic and political weekly, which sent an undercover reporter to Sri Lanka, 18 of the country's 20 Army battalions are based in areas once controlled by the Tamil Tigers. It says there's one Sinhalese soldier to every five Tamil civilians.

BASHANA ABEYWARDANE: I think the people are living in utter desperate situation. You know, they don't have any option, because the thing is after the war ended, if there had been any hope within the last three years, it has been completely shattered.

A. LOKEESAN (voiceover translation): It's very hard for people to get enough food to stay alive. There are no employment opportunities, schools have been destroyed, so there's no education. People feel at any moment their lives could be lost.

KERRY BREWSTER: Then there are the reported abductions, the men and women allegedly taken away by soldiers because of previous political activity or Tamil Tiger sympathies.

According to human rights activists, a person goes missing every five days.

Do you believe that?

BASHANA ABEYWARDANE: Of course I do believe that, because the thing is, I know the sources and I know the people who are working on such cases and they are not Tamil people even. Most of them are Sinhalese who are working on these issues. And when they says it, there's more reason to believe it.

KERRY BREWSTER: Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Australia says the journalists' allegations are untrue. Admiral Samarasinghe claims the former conflict zones are thriving.

THISARA SAMARASINGHE, SRI LANKAN HIGH COMMISSIONER: People in the north and east now are breathing peaceful air. Their progress is unbelievably very good. The people - the 27 per cent growth is indicated because the Government is investing heavily on infrastructure, agriculture and the fisheries, health and education are the key areas that the government is - that is why they are showing tremendous growth, including east, which is about 21 per cent.

KERRY BREWSTER: Despite the glowing report, more Tamils are leaving their homeland.

Australian Federal Police based in Colombo are helping the Sri Lankan Navy and Coast Guard intercept asylum seeker boats before they leave Sri Lanka. Tamils are arrested and jailed, where according to activists, they're beaten. It's unclear how many are released.

Australia's Customs and border protection says it's helping prevent criminal people smuggling activity and Admiral Samarasinghe is very grateful for Australia's assistance.

THISARA SAMARASINGHE: They are helping at the moment and we would like more co-ordination and this has been discussed. And we will in the near future have better co-ordination and more assistance if this trend continues.

BRUCE HAIGH, FORMER DIPLOMAT TO SRI LANKA: Our relationship with Sri Lanka is predicated on one thing and one thing alone at the moment and that's turning back boats. We've lost the plot, we've lost our moral compass.

KERRY BREWSTER: Former diplomat to Sri Lanka Bruce Haigh says Australia is now actively supporting a regime of extreme cruelty.

BRUCE HAIGH: This regime in Sri Lanka is as bad as the regime in South Africa under apartheid, and yet there are people in this country that see it as benign. It is not benign.

KERRY BREWSTER: But the Federal Opposition's Julie Bishop and Scott Morrison promise to go further. They say all Tamil asylum seekers reaching Australia are economic migrants and that a Coalition government would turn their boats back.

There Are No Half Hearted Dictators

By Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena -September 23, 2012

Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena

Dictators do not believe in half hearted measures. This is an essential lesson that Sri Lanka is now learning at a painful cost. We were immeasurably too ignorant, too consumed by self interest or too stubborn to realize this until it was too late.

Dismal reality of the absence of law

This week, as President Mahinda Rajapaksa locks horns with the country’sJudicial Service Commission (JSC) over a few incredibly minimal demonstrations of judicial independence, these lessons assume great significance.

This is so, not only for judges and lawyers. Indeed, such reflection is vital if we wish to live in a country where basic law and order prevails, whether high constitutional governance or pedestrian land and traffic disputes are concerned. And to be perfectly clear, we fail miserably in that regard. Spiraling crime, politicians, political brats and their thugs who commit mayhem, the corresponding breakdown in law and order, uninvestigated attacks on medical personnel, the exponential increase in land frauds, rapes of children and women by local government politicians who are generally let off on bail together with almost daily protests by farmers, trade unionists, university teachers and students among others, bear this out. Gleaming new roads, spruced up cities, perennial cricket matches and mushrooming five star hotels cannot quite hide that uncomfortable fact.

Drawing a line with the past Read More

Military romance and rising suicides...

120 soldiers have committed suicide during the past three years

Nearly 120 soldiers have committed suicide during the past three years, military officials said.
Military Spokesperson, Brig. Ruwan Wanigasuriya told The Nation that 400 military personnel had died during the said period due to various reasons, ranging from illness to homicide.

The latest incident was reported when Major Nalin Sampath Kumara (37) attached to the 8th Gajaba Regiment, Saliyapura Army Camp, committed suicide following a personal dispute.

The major was reported to have been having a love affair with a 17-year-old schoolgirl from Kamburupitya for nearly five months. According to the Police, the incident had occurred when the Major had a meeting with the father of the girl to discuss marriage. The father had rejected the proposal. Thereafter, a heated argument ensued and the angered Major had run to his double cab, taken a hand grenade and pulled the pin. The father and daughter did not sustain injuries and the police had recorded their statements.

Wanigasuriya said military personnel were allowed to carry pistols, but not hand grenades. Investigations are proceeding to uncover how the hand grenade was in the double cab.

Euthanasia: Political, Social And Health Dilemmas

By Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D -September 16, 2012

Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge MD

You don’t need to kill the patient to kill the pain –Dr. Andre Bourque University of Montréal

Euthanasia or assisted suicide is a controversial topic that is defined as deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering. Today several countries have legalized euthanasia and some view it as a human right. Those who support euthanasia point out that the importance of personal autonomy and self-determination, the right of every human being to have his / her wishes respected in decisions involving his / her own body and the recognition of every human being is in principle, master of his/ her own destiny.

In 2002 Holland became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia and in 2003, 1626 cases were officially reported fromHolland. The Dutch euthanasia law gives doctors immunity from prosecution if they help to kill patients over the age of 12 who are suffering unbearably from incurable conditions and who have repeatedly requested euthanasia.

‘Neither Justice Nor Peace’,How Prophetic!

Meditation is Good For You: A How To

Meditation with a mala on Buddhis Mantras is healthy

‘Neither Justice Nor Peace’,How Prophetic!

By Gamini Gunawardane -

Writing on the Malaka fiasco you recently referred editorially, to the famous judgments of King Kekille. The latest turn of events where the complainant Major Pradeep is reported to have filed an affidavit in courts withdrawing his complaint against Malaka and others, seem to subvert the present Criminal Justice System to head towards the Kekille system. At this rate it might end up hanging the JAIC Hilton Hotel manager for running a casino in his hotel!

The Premadasa regime made Sotthi Upali a Reserve Sub-inspector of Police. This government could improve on President Premadasa by appointing Malaka too to the police and going one step further, attach him to the Police Narcotics Division!

Jokes apart, the poor Major could now be liable to be charged for making a false complaint implicating the innocent Malaka, under Section 180 of the Penal code or may be under sec.208 as the case may be, of course upon the sanction of the Attorney General in terms of sec. 135(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. But that is only if the Rule of Law prevails in this country. However it will be interesting to see what the Magistrate would do as he has correctly called for medical reports from the Military Hospital where the major had been warded consequent on this incident.

There seems to emerge a pattern in the incidents involving Mervyn and his son. (It reminds one the grave digger Jerry Cruncher and his son in Charles Dickens’ novel,’ Tale of Two Cities’). In the incident where Mervyn assaulted an official on duty at the Rupavahini Corporation, the victim did not make a complaint to the police. When his son Malaka assaulted the Narcotics Bureau officials no action was pursued. When Mervyn tied a Samaurdhi animator to a tree at Kelaniya in the presence of a police officer, the Samurdhi animator claimed that he voluntarily tied himself to a tree and that he deserved to be tied to the tree for neglect of duty on his part.This duo seems to be enjoying a queer kind of immunity that only the incumbent President of this country is entitled to. In fact this was underlined when some SLFP members of a Pradesheeya Sabha in the Kelaniya electorate agitated that Mervyn should be removed from the Kelaniya seat owing to corruption, a President’s sibling asserted that this man could be removed from office if at all, only by the President himself and by no other. This duo seems to be a standing embarrassment to the President, or are they?

Whatever may be the eventual outcome of this fiasco, which of course is not difficult to predict, I think the stories of King Kekille and those of Mahadenamuttha, should be taught at the Police College, SLIDA and at the Judges’ Institute. It will enlighten the present and future generations of Police Officers, Judiciary and the Bureaucracy and also the intlligensia as to how they contribute to subvert the Rule of Law in a country. It may be ironical here to recall the words of an IGP of old when he described the police as “the handmaid of Justice”. In the same breath I am reminded of an occasion where the Late G.G. Ponnambalam QC after demolishing a Justice of the Peace of dubious back ground in the witness box, summed up his cross examination with the remark : ” neither Justice nor Peace”. How prophetic!

*Gamini Gunawardena, Senior DIG (Rtd)

MaRa hatches conspiracy to devastate the University Dons’ protest march in the bud -after returning from India

(Lanka-e-News -23.Sep.2012, 4.00PM) The Regime Chief had given orders to crush and cripple at any cost the proposed massive protest march to be commenced from Galle tomorrow (24) by the University Dons , according to reports reaching Lanka e news.

The Regime chief who returned to the Island on the 22nd noon after the conclusion of his Indian tour had given this savage order while also taking a number of crucial decisions in this regard.

Instructions have been given that 35 members of the STF sans uniforms who are trustworthy to the Govt. are dispatched to report tonight to SSP Vaas Gunawardena of the Galle division .Vaas Gunawardena is to follow up by issuing further instructions on the conspiracy planned to devastate this peaceful protest.

Orders have also gone out that another 60 STF soldiers in uniform shall report to DIG Lalith Jayasinghe of the Southern range. It is to be noted that Lalith Jayasinghe was a loyal underling and henchman of former IGP Chandra Fernando who was a police and legal advisor for MaRa . Chandra Fernando was a friend of MaRa from their School days.

In addition to these official hoodlums, preparations are being made to enlist even the political thugs (the unofficial Govt. hooligans) in order to create mayhem and crush the peaceful protest march of the University Dons. It is learnt that a Govt. politico of the South had been given instructions to get ready with the thugs to violently sabotage the march.
Might we recall the Minister of Higher education S B ( better known as Slimy Buffalo) Dissanayake earlier on in his characteristic Buffalo style bellowed boastfully , the Govt. needs only two mins. to crush the peaceful protests implying what ruthless and brutal measures the Govt. has in store.

The main Opposition party the UNP , the united opposition , the JVP , Peratugami socialist party , other opposition parties as well as Trade unions, Student Organizations, civil Organizations and many leading Organizations have already assured their fullest active support towards the protest March.

Prepared to give up post, if required

Majeed plans on developing East with President’s blessings!

Sunday 23 September 2012

By Kamani Hettiarachchi

Despite several political upheavals the government last week managed to appoint the new chief minister to the Eastern Province, Abdul Majeed Mohammed who polled 11726 preference votes contesting under the UPFA banner in the Trincomalee district.
He also created history in the annals of the PC polls in Sri Lanka by becoming the first Muslim chief minister since Provincial Councils came into being way back in 1987.

Excerpts of the interview with the new Eastern Province chief minister:

How do you view the new chief minister’s post that you have been appointed to?
I wish to emphasize at the outset that I am not a rookie politician. I have been a MP for no less than 13 years. Hence this particular post is nothing new. Some time ago I also worked as the Development minister for the Trincomalee district, working for the welfare of the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim communities in the East without any discrimination, and treated everyone equally.
I have given Rs 30 million for the renovation of kovil’s in the province, and the road network and libraries were also upgraded.
6-4

Therefore I consider the chief minister’s post as another opportunity given to me by the president to serve all the communities in the East to the best of my ability.

Could you briefly explain how you entered politics?
My father, the late Abdul Majeed was a politician who was in the past held in esteem in the East. He was a prominent politician of the SLFP as well.
Back in 1960, he first emerged as the SLFP MP for Muttur. In 1970, he was the deputy minister of Information and Broadcasting. Then in 1987, at the height of the North-East conflict, my father was assassinated by the LTTE.
Afterwards, Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaika appointed me as SLFP’s Muttur organizer. I entered parliament after the 1994 general election and did likewise at the 2000 parliamentary polls as well.
After the 2000 polls, I was appointed as the deputy minister of Posts and Telecommunication. I lost the 2002 polls, and won once again at the general election in 2004.
It was at that time that President Rajapaksa appointed me as the Trincomalee District Development minister. In 2006, I was also given the portfolio of Minister of Cooperatives and Development.
I lost my seat at the 2010 parliamentary polls. I was given nomination by the UPFA to contest the recently concluded PC polls in the East.

Three major communities live in the East. As the new chief minister would you be able to serve all of them without any discrimination?
I don’t think that will be an insurmountable problem. I know the issues the people of this province face and they know who Abdul Majeed is. Otherwise they would not have voted for me. I have understood the sectors that need rapid development in the East such as health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, etc.
It must be said that the people of all communities live like brothers and sisters here and it was never more evident than the time when the tsunami struck the area in 2004.
Even during the height of the North-East conflict this solidarity was evident. The president has already told me that he will back me to the hilt, and I should work for all the communities without any discrimination. And I also fervently hope that the main opposition UNP too will extend their support to me in my efforts to develop this province.

Are you confident that the youth of the East will never resort to arms and give life back to the now defunct LTTE?
I am positive that nothing of the sort will ever happen again, at least not during my lifetime. If we can solve the pressing issues of the people in the East there won’t be any room left for another armed struggle to take off.
Most politicians who have came to power since independence looked at the national issue from a parochial angle. It is only President Rajapaksa who identified the concerns of the people in the East. Given these reasons I don’t think there will be any scope for the emergence of another armed rebellion.

Some Muslim political parties are divided in the East. They have even gone to the extent of assaulting each other. In this backdrop will you be able to bring about any form of national reconciliation in the East?
Though there are a number of political parties, it is the people of the East who believe in the president. Therefore I have no doubt that the people of the East will flock behind the president and the SLFP.
When I was sworn in as the new chief minister of the East, all my political friends and rivals were invited for the ceremony. Nobody would be able to deceive the people of this province – be they Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims, and they know that I have the president’s blessings to carry out my responsibilities.

The government has promised to hand over the chief minister’s post in the East to the SLMC after two and a half years. As such isn’t your appointment temporary?
I too have come to know of such an agreement and if it is made by the president then I have no issues.

What are your plans to develop this province?
There are ample natural resources available here and by using these resources I intend to develop this province during my tenure as the chief minister.
I also intend to further develop the tourism sector by making use of the beaches in the Eastern Province.

Why Colombo is the key to dominating the Indian Ocean
Harsh V Pant - Saturday, September 22, 2012

Notwithstanding the headline grabbing news of MDMK protests and an unfortunate self-immolation, the three day visit of the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, should be a time to reassess the trajectory of India-Sri Lanka ties. The decision by the Indian government to accord summit level status to Rajapaksa’s visit for the inauguration of the University of Buddhist and Indic Studies in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh has already underlined a new seriousness on New Delhi’s part to impart a sense of dynamism to a very important relationship that seems to have become hostage to the domestic political dynamic in Tamil Nadu.

Many in India and especially in Tamil Nadu are rightfully concerned about the slow pace of the rehabilitation of Tamils in Sri Lanka and the disinclination of the Rajapaksa government to find a lasting solution to ethnic problems. The anger in Tamil Nadu at Rajapaksa’s government’s conduct during and after the war with the LTTE remains high.

The political parties in Tamil Nadu continue to exploit the Lankan Tamil card with an eye on the state electoral calculus, even though the issue had little resonance in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

New Delhi has repeatedly emphasised the need for urgent steps to resettle internally displaced persons and urged the government to undertake speedy rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka.

New Delhi has underlined the need for a meaningful devolution package, building on the 13th amendment that would create the necessary conditions for a lasting political settlement. The Rajapaksa government remains largely non-committal on this. But the Tamils in Sri Lanka are not going to get a better deal by attacking Sri Lankan visitors in Tamil Nadu.

The Sri Lankan president is at the height of his power after having defeated the LTTE and winning an overwhelming mandate for himself and his party. Yet his government’s human rights record is under critical scrutiny in the West and stable ties with India help him in underlining India’s backing for his government to the world.

It is important to recognise that beyond that symbolic value, Sri Lanka is rapidly slipping out of India’s orbit. India failed to exert its leverage over the humanitarian troubles that Tamils trapped in the fighting were facing. New Delhi’s attempts to end the war and avert a humanitarian tragedy in North-East Sri Lanka proved utterly futile.

Colombo’s centrality between Aden and Singapore makes it extremely significant strategically for Indian power projection possibilities. After initially following India’s lead in international affairs, even demanding that the British leave from their naval base at Trincomalee and air base at Katunayake in 1957, Colombo gradually gravitated towards a more independent foreign policy posture. And it was India’s enthusiasm for China that made Sri Lanka take China seriously, but after the Chinese victory in its 1962 war with India, Colombo started courting Beijing much more seriously. And today China has displaced Japan as Sri Lanka’s major aid donor, with an annual aid package of more than $1 billion. China is the first foreign country to have an exclusive economic zone in Sri Lanka. China is financing more than 85% of the Hambantota Development Zone to be completed over the next decade. This will include an international container port, a bunkering system, an oil refinery, an international airport and other facilities.

The port in Hambantota, deeper than the one at Colombo, is to be used as a refuelling and docking station for its navy. Though the two sides claim that this is merely a commercial venture, its future utility as a strategic asset for China remains a real possibility, to India’s consternation. China’s presence at Hambantota enhances its intelligence gathering capabilities vis-à-vis India. India has expressed its displeasure about growing Chinese involvement in Sri Lanka on a number of occasions. In 2007, India’s then national security adviser openly criticised Sri Lanka for attempting to purchase Chinese-built radar system on the grounds that it would ‘overreach’ into the Indian air space.

Yet Sri Lanka has emerged stronger and more stable after the military success in the Eelam war and two elections at the national level.

To counter Chinese influence, India has been forced to step up its diplomatic offensive and offer Colombo reconstruction aid. With the LTTE out of the picture, the Indian government had hoped it would have greater strategic space to manage bilateral ties. However, New Delhi’s diplomatic energies have been sapped trying to balance its domestic sensitivities and strategic interests.

Colombo matters because the Indian Ocean matters. The ‘great game’ of this century will be played on the waters of the Indian Ocean.

Though India’s location gives it great operational advantages in the Indian Ocean, it is by no means certain that New Delhi is in a position to hold on to its geographic advantages. China is rapidly catching up and its ties with Sri Lanka are aimed at expanding its profile in this crucial part of the world. Indian policy makers need to shape up soon or else they are in danger of losing this ‘game’ for good.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

India wants Sri Lanka to accept TNA as interlocutor

SANDEEP DIKSHIT-September 22, 2012

Asks it to commence discussion on a road map for political devolution of powers

With Sri Lanka’s human rights record coming up for review towards the end of the year, India believes that Colombo should accept the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as a credible interlocutor and get down to discussing a road map for political devolution of powers as this will send a positive signal world-wide to groups instrumental in arraigning it before the United Nations Human Rights Council in March this year.

During talks with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday — the first in over two years — it is understood that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reiterated that the sooner the Sri Lankan government finalises a road map with the TNA, the better it would be for all sides. India concedes that Colombo has engaged in serious dialogue with the TNA but feels that the time has come to convert it into a programme of action.

Mr. Rajapaksa is learnt to have said the issue has to be decided by the Select Committee of the Sri Lankan Parliament to which the two sides have not yet agreed. He assured the Prime Minister that he would talk to all the parties concerned to take it forward.

He said his government was planning to hold elections to the Tamil majority Northern Province but there were a number of steps that need to be taken, main among them being the “finalisation of electoral rolls” which would take some time.

New Delhi believes the ruling party is in a politically comfortable position to take the bold step of resolving the Tamil issue, especially in giving them political powers. In recent elections to three provinces, it won a majority in two and formed a coalition government in the Eastern Province which has a substantial Tamil population. On the other hand, the TNA too proved its credibility in the polls to the Eastern Province by winning 11 out of 35 seats despite a divided polity.

It is learnt that vote at the UNHRC in March this year (in which India voted against Sri Lanka) did not come up in the delegation-level talks. But it may have figured during the restricted talks between Dr. Singh and Mr. Rajapaksa.

In addition to the fishermen issue, a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), power linkages between the two countries and oil and gas also figured in the talks.

Attack on Indian fishermen

On Indian fishermen being allegedly attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy, the Prime Minister suggested that those who cross the maritime boundary line should not be attacked to which the Sri Lankan President said he had asked his Navy to operate with maximum restraint. However, the situation is not as simplistic despite one narrative from some political quarters here suggesting that the friction between the two sides is due to Indian fishermen being set upon by the Sri Lankan Navy.

In fact, New Delhi acknowledges — which is proved by satellite photos shown to the media here — that Indian fishermen go deep in the Sri Lankan waters in armadas of 1,000 boats at a time – captured on film by a foreign TV network too. There are also organised groups operating from some islands facilitating such an intimidating foray to dominate the Sri Lankan maritime waters and keep at bay Tamil-origin Sri Lankan fishermen who had been barred by their security forces from fishing till the war against the LTTE ended in 2009.

Now there is increasing agitation in parts of Tamil-dominated northern Sri Lanka as its fishermen are denied the one source of livelihood they had hoped to recover. Both sides feel the fishermen associations from both sides should be more actively involved in direct dialogue. But the answer also lay in exploiting the maritime resources in the open seas nearby which are currently being used for fishing by sophisticated trawlers by countries 2,000 km away.

‘Editor Threatened With Death Is Sacked As ARTICLE 19’s Warning To UN Comes True’ Says ARTICLE 19

By Colombo Telegraph -September 22, 2012

“The new owner of the Sunday Leader has sacked editor Frederica Jansz just two months after she received death threats from Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and five months after ARTICLE 19 warned the UN human rights body that the president’s affiliates were buying up the private media in order to take editorial control over all critical voices in the country.” says ARTICLE 19.

“The sacking of Frederica Jansz – one of the few remaining independent journalists critical of the government still in the country – is terrible news for the Sri Lankan media. We warned the UN in April that affiliates of the president appeared to be buying up the private media in order to control their editorial lines, resulting in a severely reduced debate in a country that has only just emerged from conflict,” said DrAgnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director.

“Worse still is that Frederica Jansz received death threats from the president’s brother, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, just two months ago. Rather than investigating and taking a stance against threats of violence, they’ve instead focused their energy on further undermining her, and freedom of expression in general,” she added.

In the shadow report for the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka – due in October 2012, ARTICLE 19 highlighted that media diversity and press freedom are under threat in Sri Lanka where affiliates of the president appear to be buying newspapers that criticise the government, in order to censor them.

Jansz told the Colombo Telegraph, an online newspaper run by exiled Sri Lankan journalists, that she had told the Sunday Leaders’ new owner, Asanga Seneviratne, that she would resign rather than prevent her reporters from reporting about and criticising the government.

Jansz was threatened with death in July 2012. She was conducting an interview over the phone with Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa when he told her: “You pig that eats shit! You shit shit dirty fucking journalist! […] People will kill you! People hate you! They will kill you!”

The Sunday Leader and its journalists have until now faced regular attack. The newspaper’s editor, Lasantha Wickramatunge, was assassinated on his way to work on 8 January 2009. Nobody has ever been prosecuted for the crime.

Search results for "Sri Lankan journalist Frederica Jansz threatened by defence secy - NewsX":

Published on Aug 14, 2012 by newsxlive

Reporters Without Borders have expressed concern after Frederica Jansz, the editor of The Sunday Leader received death threats from the “Sinha Regiment”. The handwritten letter in Sinhalese, was sent to the editor warning her over her involvement in the “White Flag” case, in which she is a key witness. In the case, Gen Fonseka is being tried over alleged “false statements” he gave in an interview to the Sunday Leader, where he claimed Defence Secretary Gothbaya Rajapakse gave the order to murder surrendering members of the LTTE. Sent to her home, the letter warns of extreme violence and sexual abuse if she were to give evidence in the case, threatening that she would “not be spared”. A verdict is expected on November the 18th.
For more log onto- http://newsx.com

Gota Is Mentally Sick, A Family Friend Reveals

Presentation by Brian Senewiratne at Fremantle Town Hall reception room on 1 September 2012. The forum was organised by a new network called "Human Rights in Sri Lanka and Tamil Eelam".

GREEN LEFT TV: Brian Senewiratne on deteriorating human rights in Sri Lanka

Gota Is Mentally Sick, A Family Friend Reveals

By Senaka Samaranayaka -July 17, 2012

Gotabhay Rajapaksa’s appalling behaviour started after LTTE suicide attempt some years ago and as a result of this his head on the right side was knocked so hard, since then he has no control over his emotions especially anger, a Rajapkasa family friend reveals.

Willa and DEW

Last Sunday, Willa Wickramasinghe a businessman and a close confidant of President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited a private hospital to check on an aged female family friend whom he had known for years and who was well versed in political matters in the country. During the visit which lasted for about an hour many interesting topics were discussed. The discussion then turned on to the latest media glare that spilt news on Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabhya’s puppy.

It was alarming to note that there was not a hint of remorse or a feeling of shame from this gentleman for the disgusting manner in which the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence replied to the Sunday Leader editor Frederica Janszwho called him to verify facts. This is despite the fact that the ailing patient went on and on to explain that such behaviour was not welcomed from a person from that caliber and position. She further mentioned that if such threats were made publicly by any other person he or she would have been sued.

Gotabhaya just after the LTTE attack - As a result of the attack his head on the right side was knocked so hard and since then he has no control over his emotions especially anger

Whilst any person with an iota of intellect would consider this tantamount to pure intimidation and threats as the person concerned is not just any one but a man of authority and power. It is hard to imagine that this senior citizen with all his left oriented ideas and years of experience, trying to whitewash Gota’s outrage by making an excuse, mentioning an attempted assassination which was blamed on the LTTE in 2006. It’s a fact that we all know that he escaped unhurt from this ordeal whilst two commandos were killed instantly. But he went on to justify his appalling behaviour saying “this is a result of the Secretary’s brush with death during the attempted suicide some years ago. As a result of his head on the right side was knocked so hard and since then he has no control over his emotions especially anger.”

Adding insult to injury he stated that he can’t imagine why the Gotabhaya Rajapaksa bothered to answer the call knowing very well that the caller was this woman journalist. He said “a man of such high position should have a person to monitor incoming telephone calls and only calls that are important should be answered by him”

This discussion was later joined by the senior Minister DEW Gunasekara who was very sympathetic towards the Secretary saying “In the interview which he has given to the media today he had admitted that he lost his temper”, implying we have to excuse this poor man’s behaviour no matter what and that Sunday Leader is only making a big drama out of the whole episode.

This reflects how senior citizens and people holding responsible positions who brag themselves to be leftists not only trying to justify but try to deny the fact that Defence Ministry Secretary is not to be blamed for his improper conduct and trying to divert blame elsewhere.

Psychiatric Disorder: An Analysis Of Gotabaya Rajapaksa

By Brian Senewiratne -

A Possible Psychiatric Disorder At The Top Of The Government, An Analysis Of Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Dr. Brian Senewiratne

This is a serious analysis of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary, effectively the de facto President of Sri Lanka, brother of the elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is only the de jure President.

A country with two Presidents

It is erroneously claimed that Mahinda Rajapaksa is the most powerful person in Sri Lanka. There is evidence that Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the most powerful (and certainly the most feared and ruthless) person in Sri Lanka.

A single (but crucial) example will suffice. With mounting international pressure to devolve some power to the Tamil areas (North and East), President Mahinda Rajapaksa initiated the All Party Representative Council (APRC) to look into a constitutional political settlement. The APRC limbered on from 2006-2009 and submitted a Report. This was never published. It was buried, as have so many Reports of Commissions of Inquiry and the like, in Sri Lanka.