Sri Lanka got 163rd place in World press freedom rankings.

Thursday , 17 January 2013

According to the world press freedom rankings; Sri Lanka move down to 163rd place with comparing past years. However Sri Lanka got 51 place in the 2002 year, but recently Sri Lanka facing many disputes in the press activities. In this ranking list 179 countries included based on the activities of press in 2011-2012 period. Finland got the first place in the world press freedom ranking with their best activities to help press freedom. In this Norway got the second place and Estonia got the third place. However Ethittiriya got the last place and ranked on 179th place.

 

Top 5 countries in best press freedom;

Netherland

Australia

Finland

Norway

Estonia

Netherland

Australia   

 

 

Thursday , 17 January 2013

Waning Economic Euphoria

Muttukrishna Sarvananthan-THURSDAY, 17 JANUARY 2013 

The immediate post-civil war years of 2010 and 2011 in Sri Lanka were trumpeted as record-breaking eight percent or greater annual real growth rate of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for two consecutive years including the highest ever economic growth rate of 8.3% recorded in 2011. However, the GDP growth rate in 2012 is unlikely to exceed six percent and the prospect for 2013 is even less. Besides, post-civil war economic growth rates all over the world are always in double-digit and therefore there is nothing to gloat about in the high single-digit growth rate in Sri Lanka in 2010 and 2011.         

The quarterly GDP growth plummeted to 4.8% during the third-quarter 2012; lowest quarterly growth rate since third-quarter 2009 (4.2%). The agriculture sector, in particular, recorded negative growth of (-) 0.5% during the third-quarter 2012 largely due to severe drought. The agriculture sector is expected to have declined even further during the fourth-quarter 2012 because of severe floods in the major agricultural districts throughout the country in the Eastern, Northern, North Central, and Southern Provinces causing extensive damage to the agricultural crops. The last and first quarters of a calendar year are the main agriculture season (Maha) in the country. More critically, the services sector growth rate of 4.6% during the third-quarter 2012 was the lowest quarterly growth of that sector for more than a decade. The deceleration of the services sector growth rate is critical because the services sector accounted for 58% of Sri Lanka’s GDP in 2011 whereas the agriculture sector’s contribution was only 12%.

The external sector of the economy is even more precarious because the trade deficit in the first eleven months of 2012 was (-) $8.6 billion and is likely to have reached at least (-) $9.5 billion by the end of 2012. While total exports (in terms of US$ value) declined by (-) 6.6%, total imports declined by (-) 4.5% during the first eleven months of 2012. About half of the trade deficit would be compensated by nett income from services trade and nett transfers (foreign remittances). That would still result in about (-) $4.5 billion deficit in the current account of the balance-of-payments in the external sector in 2012. The total income to the capital account of the balance-of-payments is unlikely to erase the huge deficit in the current account. Therefore, there is a serious likelihood of the overall balance-of-payments in red (deficit) by the end of 2012 for the second consecutive year; probably by a lesser amount than in the end of 2011. The overall balance-of-payments was in deficit by (-) $1.1 billion by the end of 2011.    

The critical state of the overall balance-of-payments was indirectly admitted by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance who has indicated of seeking $1 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2013 “if IMF is willing to provide loans for budgetary support and infrastructure development activities in the country”. I am afraid it is not the mandate of the IMF to provide development financing to member countries; IMF’s sole function is to lend to countries experiencing shortfalls in foreign exchange reserves because of deficit in the (overall) balance-of-payments account or countries unable to service its external debt. The foregoing statement by the Finance Secretary is also an admission of the un-sustainability of the state-driven public infrastructure-led development strategy pursued since the end of the civil war in May 2009, which is yet another expression of the waning of economic euphoria.    

The Fitch Ratings in a recent report highlighted the vulnerabilities of the financial sector in Sri Lanka dominated by the state-owned commercial and specialised banks and government interference in the private banks and financial institutions through the purchase of shares by the government and nomination of government appointees to the governing boards of those institutions. The financial sector in Sri Lanka is further destabilised by the unethical and illegal disclosure of bank account details of the Chief Justice thereby prompting relatively richer people including senior bureaucrats and politicians to stash their money overseas.

The point-to-point rate of inflation has been fluctuating between 8.9% and 9.8% since June 2012 narrowly avoiding hitting the market sensitive double-digit. The point-to-point rate of inflation was 9.2% in December 2012; the highest since January 2009. The annual average rate of inflation was 7.6% by the end of 2012 compared to 6.7% at the end of 2011. The annual average rate of inflation by the end of 2012 was the highest since the end of 2008. In terms of both measures, inflation at the end of 2012 was the highest in the past four years (2009-2012).  

The domestic sector of the economy is expected to continue to deteriorate as the government will attempt to buy the support of the masses through fresh recruitment and pay rises to the public sector (middle-class) and extravagant subsidies and hand-outs to the rural population in order to contain the widespread discontentment caused by the arbitrary and illegal impeachment of the Chief Justice, which would result in soaring fiscal deficit. Moreover, the crisis of governance caused by the arbitrary and illegal impeachment of the Chief Justice would seriously undermine business confidence within the country and severely restrict the flow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to the country. No sane foreign investor would invest in a country where the Executive and the Legislature blatantly violates the Constitution of the country which they have taken oath to uphold. This is on top of the enacting of the “Act to provide for the vesting in the government identified underperforming enterprises and under-utilised assets” of 2011 (popularly known as the Expropriation Act).   


There do not seem to be any prospects of the external sector of the economy bouncing back in 2013 because of the continuing crisis in the major markets for Sri Lanka’s exports (viz. the USA and UK), negative perceptions (in the USA and UK) caused by the serious assault on the rule-of-law in Sri Lanka, and because of the overvalued rupee due to arbitrary interventions by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in the foreign exchange market. China, for example, undervalues its currency in order to boost its exports. Ironically, in Sri Lanka the rupee is overvalued in order to artificially keep inflation in single-digit (by lowering the costs of imports) and minimise the burden of external debt servicing.

The economic policies pursued in 2013 should ensure that it would not be a repeat of the year 2001 when the economy recorded a negative growth rate for the first time since independence following a year of 6% growth in the previous year 2000.

Muttukrishna Sarvananthan is a Development Economist by profession and the Principal Researcher of the Point Pedro Institute of Development, Point Pedro, Northern Province. He can be contacted at sarvi@pointpedro.org

France sees signs of communal tensions in northern Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, Jan. 17 — France said Thursday that there are signs of communal tensions in northern Sri Lanka, particularly in the town of Mannar.

French Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Christine Robichon, in a statement said that she had toured the areas where both the Tamil and Muslim communities displaced by the war, are being resettled including recently reopened part of the former high security zone in Jaffna.

The purpose of the tour was to see the progress in development activities conducted by the Sri Lankan government and to have a better understanding of the needs and the aspirations of the people, with a specific focus on the fishermen.

She said the briefings of the commander of the northern naval area, representatives of the government and of fishing societies and cooperatives, enabled her to assess the damages of the trespassing of Indian trawlers on the livelihoods of local fishermen, and the consequences of the use of banned methods of fishing on the environment and natural resources.

The fishermen underlined other difficulties they are facing, particularly restrictions imposed by the navy, the embassy statement said.

“It is encouraging to see that Tamil and Muslim work together to provide support to all the war affected people in some organizations but it is worrying to perceive signs of communal tensions particularly in Mannar,” the statement quoted the ambassador as saying.

The Sri Lanka army defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels four years ago after 30 years of war. Tens of thousands of Tamils and Muslims were displaced in the fighting.

Video: Fire at construction site on Chaitya Road 17 JANUARY 2013  A fire has broken out at a construction site on Chaitya Road in Colombo, the Fire Brigade said. It said the fire had not caused much damage to the property. Meanwhile steps were being taken to put out the fire.

UPDATE 1-Iranian ship flees detention in Sri Lanka

 Thu Jan 17, 2013 

Sri Lanka navy fired warning shots in previous attempt

* DVB to seek seizures of 2 more vessels on debt claims

* Bank says now in talks with Iranian firm IRISL

By Shihar Aneez and Jonathan Saul

COLOMBO/LONDON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - An Iranian-flagged cargo ship has fled Sri Lanka's waters after weeks of detention by its navy, acting on a court order obtained by Germany's DVB Bank , officials and a lawyer acting for the bank said on Thursday.

The Sri Lankan navy last week fired warning shots to prevent the MV Amina from leaving but said that late on Wednesday the vessel made its departure in rough seas.

"If the ship is beyond 12 nautical miles from our shores, then we can't do anything according to U.N. laws, unless the ship has committed crimes in our country," Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya said.

"We tried to communicate and asked her to stop, but without responding to anything, she had gone."

This bank's attempt to seize ships to settle claims of millions of dollars in unpaid debts shows the growing difficulties facing Iran's fleet, which the Islamic Republic relies on for trade.

"The Iranians are having an increasingly hard time, especially with their oil revenues hit by sanctions," a ship industry source said. "Their fleet will face more heat, with the U.S. increasingly watching their every move."

Western sanctions have cut Iran's oil revenues by half in the last year and battered the economy as the rial has crashed in value. They aim to starve Tehran of funds that might be channelled into expensive nuclear weapons programmes, but Iran says its atomic work is for peaceful purposes.

"The ship Amina has broken the arrest; that is a very unusual move," a DVB Bank spokeswoman said. "DVB is in talks with IRISL to find out how to further proceed now."

MORE SEIZURES

The Amina is managed by Tehran-based Rahbaran Omid Darya Ship Management, which the European Union and United States have said is a front for Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), Iran's biggest cargo carrier.

IRISL has faced Western sanctions for years based on accusations of transporting weapons, a charge it denies.

The DVB spokeswoman said the bank was seeking to seize two more Iranian ships after obtaining an order from a Singapore court.

"The bank is trying to recoup as much as they can. I would imagine the repayment process will be complex," a second ship industry source said.

IRISL officials told Reuters earlier on Thursday the ship was owned by a private company and that they could not discuss the matter. Rahbaran Omid Darya Ship Management could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday.

The Amina was seized in December after DVB Bank obtained an order on Dec. 12 from the Colombo High Court to hold the vessel. Court documents showed that DVB Bank sought to recover millions of dollars.

"It has broken arrest and now it's a rogue ship and it has gone to Indian waters," said a lawyer for Neelakandan & Neelakandan, a Colombo-based legal firm acting for DVB Bank, who declined to be named.

The second shipping source said, "The Amina's escape just shows the pressure the Iranians are under at the moment. It's also desperation given the risks to the crew."

Foreign companies have cut ties with Iran's shipping sector for fear of losing lucrative U.S.business. A ban on EU ship insurance provision and the exit of certifiers from Iran - vital for access to ports - have added to woes for Iranian ship firms.

It was not possible to immediately confirm the exact location of the ship. Tracking data last showed it sailing away from Sri Lanka into the Laccadive Sea, a waterway bordering India.

"We have alerted the nearest coast guard vessel. Efforts to track it are on," Jacob Thomas, director of ports in the Indian state of Kerala, told Reuters.

An arrest occurs when a ship is detained by a court order to secure a maritime claim. The arrest may ultimately result in a judicial sale of the ship to pay the claim.

IRISL has tried to dodge sanctions by changing its flags and setting up front companies, the U.S. Treasury and the EU have said. Last year IRISL Managing Director Mohammad Hussein Dajmar said that if pressure from Western sanctions continued, the group would face increasingly grave financial problems.

Sri Lankan officials said there were 24 crew members on the ship, including eight Indians who were returned to their home country after the arrest. Iranian crew members were left aboard and a shipping agent provided them with food and other supplies.

An Iranian official in Colombo said the embassy was not aware of any ship being held by Sri Lankan authorities.

When asked about the ship, Sri Lanka government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said he had no knowledge about it. Both could not be reached later on Thursday for further comment.

It was not clear what cargo the Amina was carrying. Vessels of its size typically carry 60,000 to 70,000 tonne cargoes including grains.

The UN Internal Review Panel Report And Sri Lanka’s Urgent Need For Accountability

By Thiruni Kelegama -January 17, 2013

The Report of the United Nations’ Internal Review Panel1 was released one year after Sri Lanka’s self-appointed commission of inquiry, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, submitted its findings to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The LLRC was established in May 2010 to investigate events between the February 2002 ceasefire with the LTTE and the end of the conflict in May 2009 and make recommendations aimed at ethnic reconciliation. When the LLRC Report was submitted, it was assumed that it was merely going to clear the government of any accountability, especially in relation to allegations of violations of International Humanitarian Law during the final military offensive against the LTTE in 2009. The outcome was, however, an unsuccessful attempt to bury questions of war crimes, with the LLRC Report stating that even though the military gave highest priority to protecting civilians, many had been killed, albeit accidentally. This was a step forward as it clearly contradicted the Government of Sri Lanka’s (GoSL) previous stance insisting that there were no civilian casualties.2Given the prevarication on the part of the GoSL with regard to the implementations of the recommendations put forth by the LLRC, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution in March 2012 titled “Promoting Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka”. Although one of the results of the UNHRC resolution was the formulation of the “National Action Plan”, it did nothing to change the country’s culture of impunity and the fact that the government continues to resist any independent investigation into alleged war crimes or other human rights violations. This situation and the recently concluded Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session on Sri Lanka of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have raised many difficult questions for those interested in genuine peace and reconciliation in the country. The GoSL has consistently rejected suggestions that it allow an international role in human rights monitoring and accountability efforts, both in the context of the first UPR in 2008 and subsequently as well when calls for an independent international investigation into alleged war crimes intensified. Three and a half years since the final battle was fought and won, the GoSL continues to be evasive. Against this backdrop, the release of the Petrie Report has refocused international attention on the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

The Petrie Report and the UN’s failure

During the internal conflict that started in Sri Lanka three decades ago, several UN agencies, along with various other Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOS) and international non-governmental organizations (INGOS), were based in the war-torn North and East, serving people affected in the conflict zone. The situation provided ample opportunity for these international organisations to attain an insiders’ view and a better understanding of the difficulties faced by civilians living in these areas, while providing them with much needed aid. It has been widely reported that towards the end of the war, on the directive of Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry, the UN agencies as well as the other local and international organisations were compelled to leave the areas demarcated as the war zone, in spite of the large number of civilian demonstrations pleading with the UN agencies to stay because of the protection their presence would ensure. The Petrie Report asserts that the closure of offices and the subsequent withdrawal of UN agencies from the war-affected regions represent a failure on the part of the UN to “…act within the scope of institutional mandates to meet protection responsibilities” (pp. 27).

Produced by a panel appointed by the UN Secretary General and headed by Charles Petrie, the report draws on almost 7000 internal documents. Its final conclusion is the damning fact that UN agencies failed to ensure the safety of innocent civilians. A key revelation of the report is that UN staff members were in possession of reliable information showing that the GoSL was responsible for the majority of the deaths. The report reveals that two-thirds of the killings were inside safe zones unilaterally declared by the Sri Lankan government, purportedly to protect civilians. It states that “Numerous UN communications said that civilians were being killed in artillery shelling, but they failed to mention that reports most often indicated the shelling in question was from Government forces” (pp. 20), Moreover, “From as early as 6 February 2009, the SLA (Sri Lankan Army) continuously shelled within areas that became the second NFZ (No Fire Zone), from all directions, including land, sea and air. It is estimated that there were between 300,000 and 330,000 civilians in that small area” (pp. 11).

Summing up the UN’s failures, the Report points out how the UN’s acts of omission and commission unwittingly served the GoSL’s agenda, and thus exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe. It states:

Seen together, the failure of the UN to adequately counter the government’s underestimation of population numbers in the Wanni [warzone], the failure to adequately confront the government on its obstructions to humanitarian assistance, the unwillingness of the UN in UNHQ and Colombo to address government responsibility for attacks that were killing civilians, and the tone and content of UN communications with the government on these issues, collectively amounted to a failure by the UN to act within the scope of institutional mandates to meet protection responsibilities (pp. 27).

 Read More

Kindergarten to be operated by Sri Lankan Air Force Tamil Guardian 16 January 2013 The Sri Lankan Air Force has opened a kindergarten for Tamil children in Batticaloa. A report on the Defence Ministry’s website says that the pre-school will be run by “qualified personnel of the SLAF who have undergone specialised training in language and Pre-School teaching”. The report further says that the SLAF has undertaken a number of community development projects in the northeast of the island, including the conducting of free medical clinics, construction of school building and operation of pre-schools.

Sixty SLFP MPs with Chandrika – Rajitha says

Wednesday, 16 January 2013 

Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne has told the President that 60 SLFP parliamentarians had secret dealings with former President Chandrika Kumaratunge and that they were conspiring against the President.

The Fisheries Minister had said that he was informed about the matter by a leader of the Mahajana Party who keeps in close contact with the former President. The Minister had had this discussion with the President after last week’s Cabinet meeting and had also given a list of names of 60 MPs to the President.

Senaratne had also asked the President to be careful when dealing with MP Tiran Alles. He had noted that Alles and DNA MP Arjuna Ranatunge have recently met with Kumaratunge.

It is learnt that the list of 60 names given by Senaratne had been given by the President to the Opposition Leader. The President had asked the Opposition Leader to accept them to the UNP at any point since they had a conspiracy to remove him from the post of Opposition Leader.

Senaratne had told a former Deputy Minister Shantha Premaratne that he would not be afraid to politically attack Kumaratunge. However, he had added that he would not be able to do the same in the event Vimukthi Kumaratunge entered politics due to the friendship he had with Vijaya Kumaratunge.

However, it is believed that positions held by the SLFP seniors who have link with the former President are likely to be curtailed during the next Cabinet reshuffle.

Lawyers get threatening letters

THURSDAY, 17 JANUARY 2013 

Attorney-at-law Dr. Jayampathi Wickramarathne PC, J.C. Weliamuna and M.A. Sumanthiran had received threatening letters, Human rights lawyer, J.C. Weliamuna said today.

Accordingly J.C Weliamuna had lodged a complaint at the Kohuwala Police station, while Dr. Wickramarathne had lodged a complaint at the Welikada Police.

President’s Counsel (PC) Romesh de Silva also received a copy of letter that was sent to Mr. Weliamuna.

Meanwhile, police spokesman SSP Prishantha Jayakody confirmed that the Police had received complaints from the lawyers.

Breaking News

Priority to the release of Tamil political prisoners - New Chief Justice

Thursday , 17 January 2013

Chief Justice Mohan Peiris with much confidence said yesterday, that he would function to give priority to the issue of the Tamil political prisoners’ release.

After he was sworn in as the new Chief Justice, he made a statement to the “Udayan” newspaper.

 Mohan Peiris in his statement said, the Tamil political prisoners issue cannot be disregarded.

The country is moving towards peace. We should find settlement to the many crisis. On this category, the Tamil political prisoners issue is vital.

Mohan Peiris said, he had decided to function by giving priority to expedite investigations to their cases and including issues.

He was questioned whether there are restructured projects for the judiciary structure and in reply he said certainly, through the judiciary I will perform conscientious service to all the people for which I will process adequate actions.

Meanwhile the new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris has decided to tour  north and east and will discuss about the judiciary structures and the issues which has to get solved  is according to information. 

Reconciliation: Looking Forward xi – Pursuing Universal Values

By Rajiva Wijesinha -January 17, 2013 

Prof Rajiva Wijesinha

I used to find it most entertaining, I once told Bob Blake, that the main hopes of the West with regard to Sri Lanka rested on a Stalinist and a Trotskyist. This was in the days when some elements in the West were trying to stop us destroying the Tigers, while others, whilst appreciating our need to escape the threat that had bedeviled life here for so long, were anxious that we also moved towards greater pluralism. I used to place Blake in the latter category, and though it seems that he condoned the games that some Embassy staff such as Paul Carter played later on, I had no objection to his support of pluralism.

I was also glad that he appreciated DEW Gunasekara and what he had achieved in a couple of years for language policy, which no government had bothered about in the nigh twenty years previously after Tamil had been made an official language. This was because the foreigners who welcomed the measures DEW had introduced could not claim that these were done to keep them happy.

We know that there are elements in Sri Lanka, as represented most obviously by the egregious Dharisha Bastians, who nine months ago declared, in conformity with the views of her patrons in the Ministry of External Affairs, that Sri Lanka had finally decided who her real friends were, and would therefore obsequiously follow the West. That particular act of dancing on the graves of Tamara Kunanayagam and Dayan Jayatillekaand myself has since given way to virulent attacks on the government, with similar sanctimoniousness. These have become more shrill recently following the drama of the impeachment, and contribute to the view that everything has to be seen in black and white, with any opposition to the impeachment of the Chief Justiceconstituting an attack on the government.

This is why the approach DEW Gunasekara adopted, along with fellow party member Chandrasiri Gajadeera and former Trotskyist associate Tissa Vitarna is so refreshing. Coming from a standpoint that has never seen following Western predilections as desirable, their principled stand about the absence of due process is a refreshing reminder that dissent based on principles is acceptable, and not necessarily seen as threatening.

This is the more satisfying because it shows the universality of the principles to which the Liberal Party too tries to subscribe. We of course can be accused of following Western ideologies, though ‘Liberal Perspectives for South Asia’, which Cambridge University Press in India published a few years back, makes clear, in some seminal articles by Chanaka Amaratunga and Nirgunan Tiruchelvam, that Liberalism has roots also in Eastern thought and in some teachings of the Buddha. But our point is that these values are neither Eastern nor Western, they are simply human, and it is good that we find others, whose political ideas can be very different from ours in other respects, sharing these.

I recall something of the sort a quarter of a century ago when we were engaged in forming the Democratic People’s Alliance under which Mrs Bandaranaike was to contest the 1988 Presidential Election. The discussions were initiated by Dinesh Gunawardena and the MEP, which had a much more inclusive view of the way we should proceed than I had associated with that party previously.

I did not attend many meetings but Chanaka would keep me informed, and found that, though they argued over many matters, he got on well with the JVP Politbureau called Dhammika who represented the party. They alone supported Chanaka in his effort to make English also an official language, which surprised us given that the Inter-University Student Federation, which we had seen as a stalking horse for them, opposed this. But the JVP turned out to be much more cosmopolitan, and said they were all in favour of English, provided it were not confined to a few – which is why making it an official language made sense.

When the JVP left the alliance, they had told Chanaka that, though they had disagreed with him often, they appreciated the fact that he understood political principles, whereas they felt none of the other constituent parties was serious about these. I have often thought of that comment, in bewailing the fact that we are not likely now to ever prepare a new Constitution, which we so sorely need, on the basis of a coherent philosophy.

But it is good to see the old Stalinists and Trotskyists affirming similar principles to ours from a different perspective. And I hope that, when the dust settles, this approach will be appreciated, since it commands understanding and trust, with obviously no connection to the confrontational opposition of so many others.

US NOT SATISFIED WITH GOVT. IN TERMS OF PROTECTING DEMOCRACY

January 17, 2013 

The United States has stated that it is not satisfied with the explanations given by the Sri Lankan government in terms of protecting democracy following the impeachment of former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.

Speaking to the media yesterday (January 16) Spokeswoman for the US State Department, Victoria Nuland stated that it is however too early to say what impact the impeachment would have on the foreign assistance given to Sri Lanka by the US.

She clarified that the US government assisted Sri Lanka with $27 million in 2012 which included $13.3 million in bilateral assistance programmes focused on peace and security, human rights, economic growth and democracy. She confirmed that there was also a request for $16.5 million for Sri Lanka for 2013.

When questioned about the response of the Sri Lankan government in terms of the explanation given regarding its actions with the impeachment of the former Chief Justice, she stated “we are obviously in contact with them. I would not say that the explanations are satisfactory in terms of protecting democracy”.

MANGALA MEETS WITH GLOBAL TAMIL FORUM

January 17, 2013 

 MP Mangala Samaraweera is said to have met with the London-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) in the UK, the Government Information Department reported.

The Spokesman of the GTF Suren Surendiran had confirmed that the MP had met with the group while talking to the Canada-based Tamil newspaper “Oru”.

Speaking to the Oru newspaper about the suspicion in which the meeting was viewed, Surendiran stated, 

“Understandably, it was viewed with suspicion. Firstly, this was a meeting that wasn’t a formal GTF meeting but was private in nature.

Unless we engage with people within and outside our community, we will not achieve our desired aspirations. In many conflicts around the world including ours many engagements are and were made of which some are/were disclosed and others not. Some are recognised and others were not.”

Canadian Tamils Hail Harper For Tough Stand On Sri Lanka Chief Justice’s Sacking

Wed, Jan 16th, 2013News East-West
TORONTO: The Canadian Tamil Congress has welcomed Canada’s swift condemnation of the Sri Lankan government’s dismissal of the country’s chief justice.

In a statement on January 13, Prime minister Stephen Harper had rebuked the Sri Lankan government for the manner in which it removed the country’s Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake

Thanking the prime minister and other political leaders for slamming the Sri Lankan action, the Canadian Tamil Congress said, “The recent statement from the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake of the Sri Lankan supreme court should be welcomed by everyone. Any country would descend into chaos when the democratic process is dismantled. Sri Lanka is no exception. With the lack of independence of the judiciary coupled with various allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the future of Sri Lanka’s people remains questionable.”

S. Umasuthan, president of the CTC, said, “We thank our Prime Minister for his swift statement, and the recent statements made by Minister Kenney and Minister Baird all relating to Sri Lanka’s lack of democratic process, human rights failings and lack of transparency.

“We also welcome the statements released by the NDP and the Liberal party voicing their concerns over the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. We strongly believe a joint effort by all parties will certainly put a strain on Sri Lanka to move towards a more accountable and lasting peace process.”

The CTC chief added, “With the Sri Lankan issue taking centre stage once again at the UN Human Rights Council session in March 2013, it is imperative that continued pressure is exerted on Sri Lanka. We hope even at this late stage, that the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be moved to a more democratic country that promotes the values of the commonwealth nations.”

The 54-year-old chief justice’s dismissal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa came after the Sri Lankan parliament voted on Friday to impeach her allegedly on the grounds of ill-gotten wealth and misuse of power.

She was impeached after a parliament committee last month said in its report that the chief justice had accumulated illegal wealth and misused her power. However,  the chief justice denied any wrong-doing.
But the real reason for Justice Bandaranayake’s removal is that she had given a ruling against Rajapaksa’s brother who heads the economic development ministry.

Rebuking Colombo over the impeachment process to remove the chief justice, the Canadian prime minister said, “Canada is deeply concerned by Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa’s decision to remove the Chief Justice from office following an impeachment process which appeared to be highly politicized and lacking transparency and respect for the guarantees of due process and fair trial.

“We call on the Government of Sri Lanka to respect the country’s constitution and the independence of its judiciary and change course immediately.’’
Harper said Canada continues to have “serious concerns about the human rights situation, the need for reconciliation, and the democratic deficit in Sri Lanka. We will continue to raise these concerns forcefully, without equivocation both directly with the Government of Sri Lanka and through resolutions at both the United Nations and the Commonwealth.
“We will push for this latest troubling development to be addressed at the next meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group.’’
Earlier, the Canadian Press had reported that Canada may even boycott the Commonwealth summit scheduled to be held in Colombo later this year because of the Sri Lankan action to muzzle the  judiciary and its large-scale violations of human rights, mostly of the Tamil minority, during the last stages of military action against the Tamil Tigers in 2009.
As a UN panel has found credible evidence of human rights violations and war crimes against Sri Lanka, Canada moved a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council to force Sri Lanka to allow investigation of allegations of war crimes against it.

From A Shameless Impeachment To A Shameless Chief In-justice

By Tisaranee Gunasekara -January 17, 2013 

“Hitler seemed intent, in fact, on delivering these blows completely in the open so as to leave a deep and abiding impression, as if proclaiming from the rooftops his immutable will….” Joachim Fest (Plotting Hitler’s Death)

The end was preordained. The quintessentially Rajapaksa-impeachment produced a quintessentially Rajapaksa Chief In-justice. Mohan Peiris, the trusted acolyte of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the man who lied to the world on behalf of his political masters, is the ideal choice to head the Rajapaksa judiciary, given the critical absence of a Rajapaksa Sibling, Son or Nephew capable of holding that fort.

            The elevation of Mr. Peiris reveals the naked truth about the impeachment and about the force propelling it forward – the Rajapaksas. The Rajapaksas want to concentrate all power in their hands and they want to stay in power ‘forever’. The impeachment was aimed at removing constitutional and legal barriers on the path to absolute and eternal power. In order to bolster familial rule and ensure dynastic succession, the Rajapaksas need a judiciary which is abjectly servile, which has no will of its own, which would not hesitate to lie, cheat, violate the constitution or break the law, on demand.

The purpose of the impeachment was to create that mindless, shameless judiciary from top down.

Had the Rajapaksas so wanted, the impeachment could have been conducted less crudely, with at least an appearance of fair-play. The Rajapaksas chose to turn the impeachment into a witch-trial for several reasons. They hoped a brutish impeachment would force the CJ to resign. They desired to revenge on a woman who had the temerity to go against their royal wishes. Most of all they wanted to send a clear, unequivocal message to the judiciary, the legal fraternity and the larger society about the prohibitive costs of dissent. They wanted to maul Shirani Bandaranayake, publicly, in order to snuff-out the flame of resistance by encouraging some of the worst qualities in society – cowardice, opportunism, greed, duplicity, self-interest, apathy…

Had the Rajapaksas wanted to maintain appearances they could have appointed a more amenable Supreme Court judge to head their judiciary. They chose not to take that marginally moderate path because moderation, even in miniscule quantities, is alien to their extremist mindset. They care as little about legitimacy as they do about legality. Power is their God. Their willingness to tolerate dissent decreases as their hold on power increases. The more powerful they are, the less tolerant they become, less willing to accede to compromises, more determined to inflict a scorched-earth policy on any individual or entity who dares to disobey them.

Our Sun God and his Brothers

On Tuesday, the apex courts-complex resembled the occupied North. In another Sri Lankan first, police and military men surrounded the courts-complex and turned it into an open prison camp for a few hours. Sloganeering musclemen were at the ready in case lawyers, in their hundreds, came out in protest against the illegal occupation of the bastion of justice. That extra-precaution was needless; given the Bar Association’s all too explicable volte face, most lawyers seemed to have decided to watch from the sidelines. Only a handful, following the courageous example set by Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, came forward to defend the honour of their profession.

As the army and the police occupied the apex court premises, the President – and his handpicked Chief In-justice – vowed to safeguard judicial independence. The Rajapaksas, like all tyrants, have an instinctive understanding of ‘Newspeak’ without every having read Nineteen Eighty-Four. In the Rajapaksa-speak, servility is independence, just as a brutal war was a ‘humanitarian offensive’ and open prison camps were ‘welfare villages’.

Assisted by the Rajapaksa Judiciary, (and its incomparable Injustice-in-Chief), the Rajapaksa Legislature can now go all out to strengthen Rajapaksa Democracy. The law enabling the detaining of suspects for 48 hours will be debated and approved next week. Other laws will come, to make it even easier for the Rajapaksas to destroy every vestige of dissent, under cover of fighting crime/terrorism.

Impunity will become as ubiquitous in the South as it is in the North, the testing ground for Rajapaksa governance. An incident which took place in the Jaffna Magistrate Courton 20^th September 2011 may be an omen of things to come. Antony Nithyaraja, a man wanted by the police, went to the court and appeared before the magistrate voluntarily through his lawyer. “The Magistrate after considering the police submissions and court documents released him. However, seven police officers in civilian clothes arrested him and started beating Antony in the presence of the Magistrate, lawyers, court staff and a large number of people. He was dragged to the Jaffna Headquarters Police Station for detention” (Asian Human Rights Commission – 23.9.2011).  That act of injustice, committed within the halls of justice, may foretell future events in the South.

Remember Vellupillai Pirapaharan and understand Mahinda Rajapaksa. Remember Baby Subramaniam and understand Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Look at KP and understand Basil Rajapaksa. Like the Sun God and his Tigers, the Siblings too cannot afford to give up power. And the longer they stay in power, the more they will undermine Sri Lanka by destroying everything that is good about this land and its people.

As Steve Biko warned, “The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed” (I write What I Like). The Rajapaksas want us to succumb to them psychologically by accepting their new commonsense which worships power (and the powerful), celebrates cowardice and opportunism and enthrones mindless obedience as the highest virtue. They want us to believe that cowardice is intelligence, apathy is foresight and self-interest is wisdom. They want us to see nothing wrong in a country where the chief justice is hounded-out for abiding by the constitution. They want us to regard CJ Bandaranayake’s courageous resistance to the impeachment as an act of unparalleled foolhardiness.

They want us to feel weak and helpless.

They want us to accept aSri Lankain which courage is the ultimate stupidity, compassion is a sin, solidarity is dead and decency is unheard of. It is only in such a land the Rajapaksa Dynastic Project can take root and flourish.

That is why resistance, in any democratic and peaceful way possible, is not a choice but a necessity for those who do not wantSri Lankato become a country of and for the Rajapaksas.

And resistance begins by refusing to allow the Rajapaksas to occupy our minds. Do not embrace the Rajapaksa-worldview. Do not accept the Rajapaksa-commonsense that resistance is futile and wrong and silly. Do not allow the Rajapaksa-lies to affect our judgement and the Rajapaksa-deceptions to cloud our perception. Do not forget that the impeachment was unjust and illegal. Do not allow the Rajapaksas to convince us that this is democracy. Do not swallow Rajapaksa concoctions about national and international conspiracies and undead Tigers; they want to addle our minds with fear so that we will infantalise ourselves and cling to them for protection.

See the Rajapaksas as they are.

Remember where Adolf Hitler took the Germans and Vellupillai Pirapaharan took the Tamils; ask, ‘Is this the future we want for ourselves’?