PSD Major who orchestrated the student killings exposed
(Lanka-e-News-06.Oct.2012, 9.30pM) Lanka e news is in receipt of more concealed information on the ghastly deaths of the two University students . There are more reports on the suspicious vehicles , namely two jeeps and two motor bikes of the President security division (PSD ) which were prowling in the area when the deaths occurred. 

When the Gampaha police night patrol security had inspected one of the jeeps , the individual inside the jeep has stated ‘we are of the PSD’. This individual who told this has been identified as Major R S D Tissa of the PSD.

The suspect , Arachchi Saralage Milinga Sanjeewa alias ‘Rail para Sanjeewa’, the underworld member linked to the murder of the students, after having committed the murders , has traveled to Yakkala clock tower junction by another vehicle. From there he had been taken away in the PSD jeep of the aforementioned Major Tissa. Thereafter , the vehicle in which the murderer had arrived for the crime was diverted towards Gampaha. It may be considered that all these have been recorded.

Rail para Sanjeewa who was so taken away murdered the students believing that there will be no evidence to prove his murders . But facts and evidence began to seep through that deaths were not due to an accident but due to killing .
Based on the inquiries conducted by Lanka e news , the native place of Major Tissa is Elahera, Dehiwatta. He is called as Podi Tissa Mahathaya. It is reported that Major Podi Tissa had conducted many operations of murders for the MaRa regime committed by the PSD paramilitary force .

My motto: ‘Live life to the fullest’-Bogus monk 

sentenced to 20 years in prison, tells Court


By Rajitha Pahalawatte

former bogus Buddhist monk garbed in saffron robes, Ruwanwelle Sobitha, aka Sunil Shantha, had reportedly told the Kegalle High Court Judge that he had used his bungalow to engage in physical pleasure with his friends – both males and females.  
It has been alleged that having posed as a priest, using the name Ruwanwelle Sobitha Thera, Shantha has confessed that he is clueless about Buddhism even while he wore a robe. 
The bogus monk had said that his motto is to live life to the fullest, and not to think of the future. He added that he had built an estate bungalow at Bulathkohupitiya with state-of-the-art facilities so as to cater in particular, to women who had come to him, seeking his advice and predictions on astrology.
Ruwanwelle Sobitha had maintained that he had hoodwinked a 17-year-old girl by promising her a job after which he had raped her at his bungalow.

What he deemed is right
At the Kegalle High Court he had said that he is not interested in living for long, and that he had deemed it right to indulge in luxuries and have as much physical pleasure as possible in the company of women, in the short time that he has on this planet. 
It is said that the immoral acts practiced by this bogus monk had been criticized for years not only by genuine Buddhist monks but by the scores of Buddhists in Ankokkawela, Matara, but no action had been taken to disrobe the monk by the authorities concerned.
It has come to light that people from areas such as Negombo, Galle, Matara, Badulla and Anuradhapura had flocked to have a meeting with this monk in order to seek his views on astrology and  help in that regard.
He was sentenced to 20 years in jail and fined Rs20,000 by Kegalle High Court Judge Menaka Wijesundera on October 2 (Tuesday) for tricking a 17-year-old girl by promising her a job and thereafter taking her to his estate bungalow and raping her.
Sobitha, the so-called Buddhist monk had been into practicing astrology and sorcery in the Ruwanwella area when he had committed the offence at the Lihiniyagala estate, Bulathkohupitiya, which he owns on July 16, 2005, or on a date around that time. He was also ordered to pay the victim Rs200,000 as compensation.

Aided and abetted
An aunt and an uncle of the victim, S.B. Anoma and E.M. Hemachandra, who had allegedly aided and abetted Shantha to commit the crime, were also handed down the same sentence. 
In the event the convicts fail to pay the fine, they have to serve an extra 18 months in prison, and if they fail to pay the compensation, they have to serve an additional two years in prison, as ordered by the High Court judge in Kegalle.  
Lawyers appearing for Shantha had pleaded that he, being over 50 years, has not been convicted before, nor are there any previous convictions, or any other cases pending against him.
They had also pleaded that since there are around 30 people employed by him, it would affect those employees and their families if he were to go to jail – all of which were overruled by the High Court judge.

FUTA Struggle: 100 Days Through The Vision Of Cartoonists

By A members of FUTA, University of Peradeniya -October 6, 2012
Background

The federation of university teachers association in Sri Lanka – FUTA – is on a trade union (TU) action. The concerns raised by FUTA include funding for education, university autonomy, stoppage of politicization, recruiting and retaining qualified university teachers etc. etc., which could be found among relevant reading by now. The trade union action, which started on 4th July 2012, is nearing 100 days.

One general observation during the time is that, while certain government officials – including ministers (NOT from higher education sector though) and officials from treasury – are making a genuine effort to solve the issues amicably, the higher education authorities and their allies are making an unprecedented effort to disrupt, discredit and derail the process. This is being done by way of filing fundamental right court cases by instigated students, giving undue publicity against FUTA TU action using less qualified political henchmen from university staff, who are willing to brand the FUTA struggle as anti-government, anti-Buddhist, pro-terrorists etc, to obtain personal benefits.

Read More

Oh, our universities – Learn from Singapore

Editorial
Times Higher Education World University rankings (2012), which were released last week provided yet another sad indictment of the crumbling state of affairs of the institutions of higher learning and research in this country. Rather predictably though, not a single Sri Lanka university made it into the top 400 universities in the world. According to another ranking formula of global universities, known as Webometrics, the University of Colombo is ranked at 1681. The University of Moratuwa is 2010 and the University of Peradeniya is 2466. As far as the University of Peradeniya is concerned, it is a sad indictment of an academia, which, at its outset under its first vice chancellor, Sir Ivor Jennings, held so much promise and potential. 
The standing of local universities among its international counterparts and the quality of education provided by them vis-à-vis their international competitors had been on the decline since the 70s. By the late 60s, many an academic would have noticed that local centres of higher learning were destined to die a slow death; the root cause of the gradual decay being the compulsory Swabasha education which was forced upon the students in 1956. That short sighted populist decision taken, rather paradoxically by Oxford educated prime minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike – whose offspring, nonetheless, had the privilege of studying in top French and British universities – blinded generations after generations of sons and daughters of the common man. And, a lucky and fortunate few, who escaped the curse of monolingualism, later left for greener pastures when it became evident that the statist economic policies in the 70s and crony capitalism in the 80s had only produced collective penury. 
Yet, some faculties in our universities are still islands of excellence. They still produce world class graduates. But, net migration rate of the alumni of high-end degree courses taught in the Universities of Moratuwa, Colombo and Peradeniya is on par with those rates of Indian schools of Technology, India’s only world class universities, which are known, in addition to high, quality education, for the exodus of graduates heading to the United States of America soon after their graduation. The bottom line is that the country is deprived of the benefits of its investment on education. 
Sri Lanka’s university system has failed to deliver. We state that empathetically, not simply because of the poor showing of local universities in international rankings, but due to the multifaceted problems that continue to beset local universities. 
First and foremost is the low public investment in universities. To make matters worse, cash-strapped local universities are being compelled to increase the number of student intakes each year. The focus on quantity over quality is eroding the academic reputation of local institutions. Without adequate public funding, the local university system is condemned to a slow death. 
However, let’s assume that the government would proactively increase budgetary allocations for universities. That would however not provide an automatic solution to many other inherent problems that beset our university system.                                                  Read mo re..

Student deaths : What were PSD jeeps and motor bikes doing in that district on that fateful night ?
(Lanka-e-News-06.Oct.2012, 9.30pM) It has now come to light that there is evidence that the two University student leaders who supposedly died in an accident , have in fact been murdered on a premeditated plan by the President’s security personnel, according to reports reaching Lanka e news. On the fateful day , two jeeps and two motorbikes belonging to the President’s security division (PSD) had been prowling about in the area during the night and have reported to the Police night patrol security service.

Based on information from Police inside sources, though the plan was to target the University students Council convener Sanjeewa Bandara , two other students had fallen victims .On the day of the murders , the students terminated their march at Nittambuwa. Past midnight that day , at Malwatte junction between Nittambuwa and Yakkala , and at Yakkala Oruthotawatte junction , there had been two jeeps stationed which had aroused suspicion. When the police night security patrol had questioned them , the inmates of the vehicles had stated that they are of the PSD.

At about the same time two suspicious motor cycles had been parked on Railway cross Road , Veyangoda . When another police night patrol security service had questioned the motor cyclists , they have also told that they are of the PSD. The police officers have made a record of this .
Lanka e news had already reported supported with facts on this PSD paramilitary force under the Rajapakses that are apart from and not under the control of the IGP or the Army Commander.

It is still a most perplexing question why two jeeps and motor cycles were at Nittambuwa district and its environ when the President was in Colombo on that day , and no functions or events had been organized in those areas for the President. Therefore why were they there and for what purpose are big question marks.

‘GSL Should Increase State Spending In education As It Agreed In International Forums’ Says 22 Scholars Around The Globe

By Colombo Telegraph -October 6, 2012 |

“Progress will require the highest priorities of the State, and the Government of Sri Lanka should increase state spending in education to the order of 6% of GDP, which has been recommended by UNESCO and agreed to by the Government of Sri Lanka in international forums. Indeed, the greatest investments any country can make are in its citizens, which include teachers and students. Our appeal to address the crisis in education is as much about education as it is about building the foundation of democracy. Prioritising and democratising education is imperative to the process of rebuilding a just and prosperous society. As those invested in accessible, fair and just education for all persons, across the world, we strongly urge the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate note of the education crisis, negotiate with teachers’ and university teachers unions in good faith, and put in place a vibrant process to address this serious concern.” says a large group of intellectuals from different parts of the globe.

In a joint statement, 22 scholars around the globe noted that only 1.86 per cent of the GDP was being spent on education in the island nation.

Read the statement below for further details;

An Appeal to Address the Education Crisis in Sri Lanka 

We, as economists, academics and social activists are deeply concerned about the continuing crisis in the education sector in Sri Lanka. Austerity measures and attacks on social welfare in many countries have been disenfranchising children and youth from education as a central avenue for social equity. This has led to protests and social unrest in many countries across the board.

In decades past, we saw social and human development with free education and health in Sri Lanka, to be a model worthy of emulation by other countries. But insurrections, civil war, increasing militarisation and authoritarianism over the years, have made a deep dent in the democratic structure of society. Today, in the post war era in Sri Lanka, we look to the country to rebuild its social foundations that would serve to democratise and further improve the quality of life for people. Investing in a robust education system, as is well known, will leave an indelible mark on this rebuilding process. However, to the contrary, investment in education has been decreasing to where state expenditure in education is now 1.86% of the GDP; the lowest in South Asia and one of the lowest in the world. Such drastic declines in state investment are related to the mounting issues in the education sector in Sri Lanka. This crisis is compounded by reports of rural school closures, problems in schools and university entrance exams and the politicisation and militarisation of the education space.

Such a predicament has led to the recent university teachers strike action, agitations by teachers’ unions and mounting protests by students. These interventions have brought our attention to the crisis of education in Sri Lanka. We stand in solidarity with teachers, academics and students in Sri Lanka who have taken it upon themselves to shed some light on this crisis.

The post war period holds much promise for the people in Sri Lanka and in that hope we appeal to the Government of Sri Lanka, university and teachers’ unions, students’ movements and parents’ organisations, and foreign aid donors to engage the crisis in education and arrive at a solution that can again rebuild the foundations for a democratic and prosperous society. The world is watching Sri Lanka to see if past achievements in education will again be revitalised.

Progress will require the highest priorities of the State, and the Government of Sri Lanka should increase state spending in education to the order of 6% of GDP, which has been recommended by UNESCO and agreed to by the Government of Sri Lanka in international forums. Indeed, the greatest investments any country can make are in its citizens, which include teachers and students. Our appeal to address the crisis in education is as much about education as it is about building the foundation of democracy. Prioritising and democratising education is imperative to the process of rebuilding a just and prosperous society. As those invested in accessible, fair and just education for all persons, across the world, we strongly urge the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate note of the education crisis, negotiate with teachers’ and university teachers unions in good faith, and put in place a vibrant process to address this serious concern.

Signatories                              Read More

‘I don’t want to die under a dictatorship’ – Karu

Saturday, 06 October 2012

UNP Gampaha District MP Karu Jayasuriya is among the key leaders invited and determined to attend a meeting organized by the United Bhikkhu Front to be held on Oct 18 at Hyde Park as a common platform for the abolition of the executive presidency and several other issues such as restoring good governance and freedom of speech.

"It is not for the formation of a political alliance or a party but only a get-together of like-minded people against the executive presidency and for the restoring the law and order to save the country, which is heading towards a despotic regime," Jayasuriya told an interview with The Island held at his residence at No 2, Amarasekera Mawatha, Colombo 5. "I lived in a free and independent Sri Lanka with basic human rights guaranteed. I do not want to die under a dictatorship. Therefore I will stand up to safeguard democracy at whatever cost," he said.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: Could you tell us about the political alliance or the parties that are going on stage on October 18?

Read more.

Support education with honesty and commitment

In an article submitted to one of last week’s The Island Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha had promoted a more sustained involvement of the military in Sri Lanka’s rural education. In an unusually uncritical assessment in the militarization of ideological fronts, Wijesinha takes as his model of reference a Pakistani venture; and sees its suitability to Sri Lanka’s now less free educational domain. Counter essays were quick in coming and in an edition of the same paper, later that week, Ravindra Jayananda writes back raising negative concerns that can arise through focused militarization of education. Jayananda shows that the Pakistani model – a country which has faced debilitating effects of the heavy military presence in public and administrative spheres – is undesirable as a prototype and further aruges to show how a field such as education should have a central master.       
However, in my view, Wijesinha’s opinion should be assessed not in isolation, but in the wake of where our education and higher education is being driven to at present. While we see an overall destabilization of resources, agendas, policies, etc., which (as it is often accused) have “unsettled” the twin spheres in question the governmental involvement in preserving the academy as a bastion of the welfare state is becoming less and less of a priority. In the professorial politician’s own words, our education system, for the past “few months” is in a “crisis” – and it is partly as a remedy to this diagnosis that the fetishized Pakistani school programme is eagerly proposed. The “crisis” Wijesinha locates in our secondary and tertiary education, however, cannot be related to in the singular – nor can we speak of them in abstract, for successive governments over the past two decades or so and the inertia of their educational policies are catalysts of this multi-faceted breakdown. The developments of the last few months are merely the eruption points of a surging volcano.
Placing the crises in the current context, as this is written, the Ministries of Education and Higher Education, alongside the ministers under whose purview they are stationed have become the most hated and most ridiculed examples of bureaucratic impotency. Today, under the inefficiency and arrogance of these state-appointed agents, crises have engulfed multiple fields which are directly connected to education. These  include the setting of syllabuses, the provision of course material, the quality of programmes, issues related to the setting of papers, evaluation of answer scripts, credibility of exam results, the payment of lecturers, monetary allocations for education, infrastructural facilities, et al. A close examination shows that the accelaration of these crises have taken place since the last cabinet shuffle, even though the roots of decay, as mentioned earlier, can be traced further back where necessary.

Unearth the authors
The innocuous suggestion that our education is in crisis, requires us to take a step back and unearth the authors of these crises, for we are dealing with a field that demands responsibility and credibility. Similarly, what measures have been taken to locate the agents and bureaucrats who have caused this debilitated tilt and what remedial processes are suggested? In short, has the government genuinely made an entry into negotiating with these crises? These are fundamental and obvious questions and they field issues one must compulsorily address before handing the rural education over to a third party for its “lack of quality.”  
If one is to take the ongoing trade union action engineered by the Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) as a symptom of the crises in question, the government’s response to this had, for the main, been dubious and lethargic. In fact, the discussion table had to bring in ministerial heavyweights outside the educational portfolios for talks to progress; and even then, we are still suspended in mid air with strenuous progress being made. Into its third month, the Minister of Higher Eeducation can still be seen making appearances on TV channels and public meetings issuing scathing and dehumanizing statements that would not help the spirit of a positive negotiation. With this absence of commitment and negotiative impetus the entry of the third, powerful minister (who has shown a keen interest in the prolonging debacle) has become inevitable. 
Wijesinha’s locating of the Pakistani military-run type school, in the context of Lankan education, invites several objections. Why one must insist on a “military-run” school as a prototype has to be fundamentally questioned, while being amused at Wijesinha himself, who is a proxy of the government which downplays the FUTA proposal that lobbies for a 6% GDP allocation for education. Is Wijesinha’s thesis stimulated by the fact that more than 20% of the budgetary allocations are already made to the Ministery of Defence and Urban Development? Or is it that in such a megalomaniac proposal there is enough impetus to extend the militarization of education which the government, at different capacities, has already gleefully undertaken? My feeling is that Wijesinha (though it is sad to admit that a one time Liberal Party stalwart would think this way) chooses not to be critical of the disastrous and irrevocable outcomes that may issue from regimental education. The treatment of ideologically controlled, socially enclosed Pakistan as a totem is a betrayal of critical and reflective scholarship.    
The trajectory of a hegemony is to expand control over the masses, contorting them to regimentation and straitjacketed modes. Under the current regime the military has been effectively used to monitor and direct public spaces and to “watch over” civil movement. In their capacity as an unquestioning labour force, the military has been readily deployed to appease the whims and fancies of the political VIP class, creating a “buffer tier” between the politically “chosen,” sacred sliver and the common citizen/law abiding commoner. In post-2009 Sri Lanka, the military presence has been meditatively infiltrated into general society, making traditional public spaces the ready preserve of the militant. From the diplomatic and foreign service, chairs of departments, presidencies of sports bodies, cricket ground maintaining forces, to the membership of provincial and local councils have been directly or indirectly brought under the influence of the military. Its latest act was the appointment of chosen school heads as Brevet Colonels – placing them under the direct authority of the military; who in turn is directed by the regime. 

Reversing the programme
The concern of the committed educationist and policy maker, if at all, should be to raise an unequivocal voice in safeguarding the autonomy of education; and to preserve it from politicization and the infiltration of greedy, shortsighted politicos. Whether the Pakistani military school model can meet the cherished founding stones of our post-Kannangara ethics in scholarship has to be considered with care. My feeling is that the current regime is in the process of surely and neatly reversing the programme of the “visionary Kannangara” (whom Wijesinha, too greets in those very words), making education a commodity; while depriving the rural and the less priviliged of an equal ground for social mobility. One should be more social conscious and honest to one’s chair before making “crazy salad” statements. A politician, in the ethic of a statesman, may veil his prose with patriotic concern. But, the ugliness of the contorting notion of a regimented academy should not be veiled from us.

Student killings : Truth unfolds – it’s no accident , killed elsewhere

(Lanka-e-News- 05.Oct.2012, 10.00PM) Sources inside the police have made a shocking disclosure that the two student activists of the Inter University Council did not die in a hit and run accident , but they were killed in cold blood on a premeditated conspiracy.. They had been murdered at a different place by attacking them in their heads with heavy weapons. After killing, their bodies had been brought and deposited elsewhere to make it look as if they had met with an accident in a motor cycle and their helmets had knocked the object. Hereunder are details : The first information regarding these deaths that it was given to the Werellegama police post under the Gampaha police headquarters by a vehicle that had been traveling is an absolute lie. On the contrary , the first telephone call had been received by the Gampaha police headquarters. The information had been first given by an anonymous caller on the 27th at 4.40 at dawn . He had stated that at Imbulgoda , two individuals are lying fallen down and a motor cycle is in the vicinity. He had not told whether it was a vehicle accident or whether the victims were dead. At 4.45 a m . , the Gampaha police headquarters had informed the Werellagama police post that they had received information that there had been a vehicle accident on Kandy Road , Imbulgoda , and to conduct investigations. In the Werellagama police post telephone register under No. 163 this phone call is recorded. Therein , it is mentioned that it is police sergeant 23355 ,R S B Perera who had recorded this at 4.45 a.m. What is most perplexing is , though the phone call to the Werelagama police post is on record , the first call to the Gampaha police headquarters had not been recorded. If the informant is reluctant to reveal his name to the police , that should have been noted. Yet , nothing in that connection is recorded in writing though those are most important and crucial. Full story >>

UN Dep. Secretary visits Jaffna - Discussions at closed room

Saturday, 06 October 2012

UN Deputy Secretary Ajay Sifer paid one day visit to Jaffna district today.

During the time of visit deputy secretary hold secrete investigations on present situation of the district. Group lead by the UN Deputy Secretary arrive to Jaffna at 9.00 am this morning and hold discussions with the human rights activist at the district human rights commission office. This meeting held at a closed room and also relevant officials maintains silence about the discussion. Secretary was present at the discussion held at the Jaffna Divisions Secretary compound and discuss about the resettlement activities and the present live style of the war victims at the district. However secretary returns back to Colombo in the evening.

Monks destroy Muslim shrine as police stand idle

NO THREAT TO SRI LANKANS IN BANGLADESH - GOVT

Monks destroy Muslim shrine as police stand idle

The picture herein shows the statue of Ganadeviya (the deity)within the Temple burnt down by setting fire to it using a tire.

Peace for the World ! Your War Our Lives

A Buddhist monk tries to salvage his belongings from a burned temple after an attack by Islamic radicals, in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012. - REUTERS

There is no security threat to the Sri Lankan Community including the University Students in Chittagong, in the wake of attacks by Islamic radicals on Buddhist temples and homes in Bangladesh, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The ministry said its attention has been drawn to the recent incidents that took place in the South Asian country, which have caused a sense of anxiety and grief among some sections of the Sri Lankan community both here in Sri Lanka and in Bangladesh.

The attack on several temples, pagodas and Buddhist dwellers in the Chittagong District Bangladesh sparked out from 29th September, causing panic among the Buddhist community living in the Chittagong District. 

The latest reports indicate that about 15 temples and pagodas and about 100 houses of Buddhists living in the area had been set on fire. 

Responding to the incident, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, expressed her deep concerns and ordered security to be provided to Buddhists living in the Chittagong District. Further, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and Minister of Industries Dilip Barua had also visited the affected area soon after the incidents. 

The High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh on 03 October directed the Government to provide all mosques, temples, churches, pagodas, and other places of worship across the country to be provided with adequate security. 

“Officials from the Police Diplomatic Security Divisions in Dhaka had informed the High Commission that security in Chittagong and affected areas have been brought under control and also there is no security threat to the Sri Lankan Community including the University Students in Chittagong,” the ministry said in a release on Friday.

It said that the High Commission in Dhaka is constantly in touch with law enforcement authorities in Bangladesh so as to ensure the safety and security of Sri Lankans in Bangladesh. 

The Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Chittagong, Mr Kaizer Javed Ally also has made arrangements with relevant authorities to safeguard the interests of the Sri Lankan community there while the Police had strengthened security of the Chancery and the Residence of Sri Lanka. 

The Government of Sri Lanka in close consultations with the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is constantly monitoring the situation in order to ensure the safety and well being of all Sri Lankans in Bangladesh, it added. 

SL military stops renovation of Hindu temple, appropriates Islamic burial ground in Ampaa'rai

Present CJ targeted- MaRa mobilizes his Mafia team

(Lanka-e-News- 05.Oct.2012, 10.00PM) 

The latest of the victims of the regime targeted by MaRa ,the chief of the regime for venting his venom and vengeance is the present Chief justice (CJ). Using Asoka De Silva the former CJ and present advisor , MaRa is exploiting the family tie and Mafia between them for the most sordid and atrocious objective of attacking the present CJ, according to reports reaching Lanka e news. The only ‘wrong’ the present CJ has committed to fuel MaRa’s virulence is her not falling in line with the MaRa Kangaroo court (MaRa karanaya) goals when performing her duties while on the Bench. Of course , MaRa has chosen the right person to do the wrong job , for Asoka De Silva is notorious for his putrid antecedence when he was a CJ doing all the sordid biddings of MaRa even compromising the sacrosanct laws and the judiciary.

As part of the plot to wreak vengeance on the present CJ, a complaint was made to the Bribery and corruption Commission against the CJ’s husband Pradeep Kariyawasam ,when he was the Chairman of the National savings Bank (NSB) in connection with share market transactions, when purchasing shares of The Finance Co. This investigation was entrusted to the Commissioner of Bribery Commission , Wimalachandra , an ex Judge.

Following the investigation , it was the conclusion of his and those under him that the Bribery Commission cannot file a case on this , as Kariyawasam could not be incriminated on any account- that is , there is no proof that he had taking bribes or any transaction that was tainted to constitute a bribe.

When Wimalachandra was about to close this file on this account last Friday , after explaining the reasons therein for doing so, the Chairman of the Commission , Jagath Balapatabendi, had called back the file alleging there are grounds to file legal action, and transferred the file to Attorney General (AG) Palitha Fernando. It was then and only then the family Mafia operation of MaRa cum JaRa Asoka De Silva ,and the conspiracy behind all these wretched aims directed against the present CJ who is discharging her duties duly sprung out.

Incidentally, the Bribery Commission Chairman Jagath Balapatabendi’s son is married to Asoka De Silva’s daughter. Attorney General Palitha Fernando is married to Asoka De Silva’s sister. It is therefore very clear like how the wolves are helpful to each other among themselves though they are innately and by nature most vicious, MaRa is pampering his favorite officials of the Mafia ring like how he indulges his relatives. The favoritism, corruption and unjust rule are reminiscent of that of Late Gadafi of Libya who finally had to hide in a drain only to be dragged out for attack by the people .
It is therefore being questioned widely by the people whether the MaRa regime is now introducing new drains and cleaning old drains with assiduous ardor in Sri Lanka after Gadafi's death because they are expecting to meet the same horrendous fate of Gadafi.

Earlier on, Lanka e news always first with the news and best with the views reported , when the present chief CJ was appointed , that her husband simultaneously holding the position of NSB chairman appointed by MaRa can create a conflict of interests, and that either she or he shall resign. Yet , the MaRa regime which is accustomed to selling honor for selfish and unscrupulous gains did not care two hoots. Naturally , having that overriding trait , it is unable to realize that if it sleeps with the dogs , it has to ine

Lawyers’ Condemns The Intimidation Of The Judiciary

By Priyantha Gamage -October 6, 2012

The Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association categorically condemn the threats, intimidationand the reported attempts to influence the Judicial Service Commission and / or its Members by any person of whatever status and calls to protect the independence of the judiciary and to allow them to discharge their service freely. 

Chief Justice

It is in this backdrop, the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association passed a Resolution at the Special Meeting held on 02nd October 2012 at the Kegalle Law Library, unanimously and unreservedly condemning this unprecedented and outrageous pressure and persecution.

The Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association unanimously   condemn the various forms of threats, intimidation and   attempts to influence upon the Judiciary, with the contempt it   deserves.

They expressed their unequivocal solidarity and unconditional trust and confidence in the present Judiciary and particularly Her Ladyship the Chief Justice and other Honourable Members of the Judicial Service Commission,whatever cometh.

The Lawyers said that they believed in the dire need to safeguard the safety of the Judiciary, a quintessential organ even in a most rudimentary Democracy; and also in the pivotal need to protectthe independence of the judiciary and to allow the same to discharge its service without being intimidated by influences, threats or undue criticism.

They unanimously condemned the reported unjustifiable attacks on the Judiciary, the Judicial Service Commission and their respective Members by certain Media Institutions and personnel and highlight the need to respect the Law of the land as well as human dignity and decorum and the solemn need to seek solace of the amply available provisions of the law rather than engaging in vile, vicious and vituperative personal slanders and obloquy.

They categorically deplored the concerted attempts to criticise and condemn the Judgments of the various levels of Judiciary from the Magistrate’s Courts to the Apex Court and the apex Judicial Administrative Body in the country through Media and public protests, specifically quoting the live and lurid incidents in Mannar, the protest march outside the Parliament against the Supreme Court ruling on the Draft Bill on Divineguma and the latest Statements of the Judicial Service Commission.

They resolved to call upon the President and the Government of Sri Lanka to, respect the independence of the Judiciary and to implement the much delayed provisions of the 17^thAmendment to establish the much needed Independent Commissions.

They also called upon the Hon. Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police (I.G.P) to ensure the personal safety of all Members of the Judiciary, to be vigilant and to take prompt legal action against anyone irrespective of their colour or calibre for any attempts to bring harm/ defame them in any way, whatsoever.

They re-affirmed their unanimous solidarity with the Judicial Service Commission as well as all the members of the Judiciary of the Island and assure of their cooperation and contribution towards any action as members of the Legal Profession to condemn any attempts to thwart the hitherto holy system into a mockery; to bring the culprits to justice; to uphold the integrity, independence and impartiality of the judiciary; and to ensure a non-recurrence of this nature.

We, the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association call upon all     the Members of the Legal fraternity  to  condemn this sordid   trend and to unite as professionals to  preserve the right of   every citizen to a just and a fair judicial  system and all the   integral values of a functioning democracy.

Secretary – Priyantha Gamage

THE RESOLUTION:

The Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association unanimously passed the following Resolution at the Special Meeting held on 02nd October 2012 at the Kegalle Law Library:

We, the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association unanimously condemn the various forms of threats, intimidation and attempts to influence upon the Judiciary, with the contempt it deserves.

We express our unequivocal solidarity with and our unconditional trust and confidence in the present Judiciary and particularly Her Ladyship the Chief Justice and other Honourable Members of the Judicial Service Commission, whatever cometh.

We believe in the dire need to safeguard the safety of the Judiciary, a quintessential organ of even in a most rudimentary Democracy.

We firmly believe in the pivotal need to protect the independence of the judiciary and to allow the same to discharge its service without being intimidated by influences, threats or undue criticism.

 We also unanimously condemn the reported unjustifiable attacks on the Judiciary, the Judicial Service Commission and their respective Members by certain Media Institutions and personnel and highlight the need to respect the Law of the land as well as human dignity and decorum; and the solemn need to seek solace of the amply available provisions of the law rather than engaging in vile, vicious and vituperative personal slanders and obloquy.

 We categorically deplore the concerted attempts to unduly criticise and condemn the Judgments of the various levels of Judiciary from the Magistrate’s Courts to the Apex Court and the apex Judicial Administrative Body in the country, through Media and public protests. We specifically quote the live and lurid incidents in Mannar, the protest march outside the Parliament against the Supreme Court ruling on the Draft Bill on Divineguma and the latest Statements of the Judicial Service Commission.

It is in this backdrop that, we  resolve to call upon the President and the Government of Sri Lanka to, respect the independence of the Judiciary and to implement the much delayed provisions of the 17^th Amendment to establish the much needed Independent Commissions.

We also call upon the Hon. Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police (I.G.P) to ensure the personal safety of all Members of the Judiciary and to take prompt legal action against anyone irrespective of their colour or calibre for any attempts to bring harm on / defame them in any way, whatsoever.

We re-affirm our unanimous solidarity with the Judicial Service Commission as well as all the members of the Judiciary of the Island and assure of our cooperation and contribution towards any action as members of the Legal Profession to condemn any attempts to thwart the hitherto holy system into a mockery; to bring the culprits to justice; to uphold the integrity, independence and impartiality of the judiciary; and to ensure a non-recurrence of this nature.

We, the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association call upon all the Members of the Legal fraternity to condemn this sordid trend and to unite as professionals to preserve the right of every citizen to a just and a fair judicial system and all the integral values of a functioning democracy.

Secretary

Priyantha Gamage

-On behalf of the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association

"Black hole of history" in Sri Lanka

Saturday, 06 October 2012
250 people attended the launch of a new book that details the atrocities committed in the final months of the war in Sri Lanka. Entitled "Still Counting the Dead," the book is the account of survivors of what the book describes as "Sri Lanka's hidden war".

Speaking to a packed book launch, Frances Harrison decried the "black hole of history" into which atrocities committed at the end of Sri Lanka's civil war have been allowed to sink. Former chief peace negotiator Erik Solheim, speaking at the launch, called on the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate steps to reach out to the Tamil community.

They were joined by former chair of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission Yasmin Sooka, who is a member of the UN Panel of Experts investigating the end phase of the Sri Lankan conflict. Also on the panel was International Crisis Group's Alan Keenan.

As well as launching the book, three exciting new projects were outlined. Former UN photographer, Benjamin Dix, spoke about his forthcoming innovative interactive graphic novel "the Vanni". Filmmaker Callum MacRae outlined plans for a further feature length documentary on the Sri Lankan civil war, and Christine Bacon of Ice & Fire theatre group outlined her forthcoming play - "the Island Nation" - based upon the book.

Erik Solheim said, "If the Government of Sri Lanka are serious about reaching out to the Tamil community there are four things they can do immediately:

1 - Release all Tamil Political Prisoners.

2 - Stop all disappearances and the so-called "white van incidents".

3 - Substantially reduce the military presence in the north.

4 - make a formal promise that there will be no state sponsored Sinhalaisation of the north and east."