Peace for the World

Peace for the World
First democratic leader of Justice the Godfather of the Sri Lankan Tamil Struggle: Honourable Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam

Sunday, February 10, 2013


Sinhala paramilitary attacks Tamil dairy farmers in Batticaloa

TamilNet[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 February 2013, 20:41 GMT]
A group of armed Sinhalese ‘home guards’ have attacked Tamil farmers who were herding their cattle, after ‘allowing’ the Tamil farmers to breed their cattle. The attack has taken place at ‘Mangalagama’ area in Vellaave'li division two days ago, the victims said, adding that they were using the grazing lands to breed their cattle for four decades. 

Since the war against Eezham Tamils ended in Vanni in 2009, Sinhala ‘home guards’ paramilitary, comprising Sinhala men living along the border of the Batticaloa district, started killing the cattle of Tamil farmers alleging that the cattle of the Tamil farmers were destroying their crops. 

Those who question the conduct of the armed squads get targeted by the paramilitary during nights. 

Affected Tamil farmers say they have repeatedly made complaints with the SL Police, Divisional Secretary and officials of the Sri Lankan Agrarian Service Department. But, the SL authorities have tended to turn a deaf ear to such complaints, Tamil farmers say.

" May 17" movement has notified that  the United Nation has failed to impede the genocide occurred in Sri lanka in year 2009, hence condemning the UN act,  they will siege all the UN offices on Tuesday.
 
During the period war was in occurrence in Sri Lanka, UN Council did not take any attempts to obstruct it.  UN's assignment concerning Sri Lanka war is under review. Blunders committed by UN were accepted by General Secretary Ban Ki Moon.
 
This clearly establish that the  UN  also assisted towards the genocides in Sri Lanka was pointed out by the “May 17” movement, and condemning these activities,  has decided to engaged in protest.
 
The main protest will be held in front of UNICEF office located in Tamil Nadu and meanwhile similar protest will be held in front of all the UN offices worldwide was notified by the “May 17”  movement.
Sunday , 10 February 2013

Sunday , 10 February 2013
 More than 100 shops belonging to Jaffna Urban Council were an illegal manner had been distributed and the permanent traders notify that their future is affected.
 
Concerning this many complaints have increased, hence opposition party members have forwarded to the Urban Council to arrange a special meeting to debate this.
 
A letter has been forwarded to Jaffna Urban Council Mayor, Deputy Urban Commissioner and Secretary.
 
Tamil National Alliance Jaffna Urban Council opposition party members jointly signed this appeal and had forwarded the letters was said by member Vinthan Kanagarathinam.
 
He further mentioned 100 pieces of lands and shops belonging to Jaffna Urban Council have been distributed in an un-systemically manner.
 
We received complaints that the shopping units not only for business but for other requirements had been given.
 
Due to these activities our tax collectors, people living inside the council periphery and permanent traders are severely affected. Regarding this we were not given any clear clarification.
 
To obtain information concerning this, we have requested to arrange a special meeting at the end of this month.
 
How many piece of lands are given temporary?  How many sales outlets given temporary?
 
Places where lands and shopping outlets distributed, details of the road, the names and addresses of those who had got the lands and sales outlets, out of them those living inside the council periphery, those living outside districts, those living outstation their details, the allocated monthly rent and tax for each shop, if agreements done, the details,  the prescribed time period given for pieces of lands and shops, if these shops are removed for town developments, what are the alternatives, the Urban Council should furnish the entire details was mentioned in the letter forwarded by us was said by Vinthan.
Sunday , 10 February 2013

Commonwealth Secretary-General Is Expected To Discuss The Issue Of Independence Of The Judiciary

Colombo TelegraphBy Colombo Telegraph -February 10, 2013 

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma is expected to discuss, among other issues, options for advancing Commonwealth values and principles, including the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers. “The Commonwealth approach is to highlight our shared values and to offer best-fit practical assistance that helps achieve progress” says Richard Uku, Official Spokesperson and Director of Communications and Public Affairs.
Kamalesh Sharma
Issuing statement Richard Uku says; Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma will visit Sri Lanka from 10 to 13 February 2013, his third visit to the country as Secretary-General.
The Secretary-General will discuss matters of shared interest between Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which takes place in Sri Lanka in November. The Secretary-General will review organisational preparations for CHOGM and discuss possible outcomes that Sri Lanka and Commonwealth leaders will want to achieve at the summit.
Richard Uku said: “We want the 2013 summit to achieve significant outcomes for all members. It should show ways in which all Commonwealth citizens – be they city dwellers or residents of remote communities – can increasingly become beneficiaries of national development and growth, and be confident that they can shape their societies through democratic culture and processes. Development and democracy are mutually reinforcing.”
During the Secretary-General’s last visit in September 2012, his discussions with government identified a number of areas in which Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth would collaborate to deepen their partnership. These included the strengthening of the Human Rights Commission; strengthening the public service, local government, electoral institutions and processes; youth entrepreneurship; sport for development and peace; supporting implementation of the report of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission; legislative drafting; and strengthening an independent media. The Commonwealth Secretariat has been working with the Government of Sri Lanka to take all of these forward.
The Secretary-General’s engagements in Colombo will include meetings with the President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Minister of External Affairs.

Colombo hosting CHOGM: India to play determining role

GL meets with Commonwealth Sec-Gen. in London

 
article_image
External Affairs Minister Professor G. L. Peiris and High Commissioner Chris Nonis with Ian Paisley, Member of the British Parliament and Stephen Hammond M.P., Junior Minister of Transport at the Sri Lankan High Commission in London.

By Sujeeva Nivunhella in London

India will a play a crucial role in determining whether Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be held in Sri Lanka this year or not, according to political observers in London. 

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma left for India last Tuesday to seek the country’s views on this matter, they noted. Refusing a visa for former Indian Chief Justice J. S. Verma would not help Sri Lanka’s cause, the observers said. 

Following the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, Canada has complained to Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and want them to discuss Sri Lanka in their next meeting to be held in London in April. If CMAG decides to place Sri Lanka on the agenda, Colombo will not be able to host CHOGM.

According to President’s office sources Sharma will arrive in Colombo from India today (Sunday, 10th Feb.) and will leave Colombo on the 13th February. During his stay in Sri Lanka he is scheduled to have a luncheon meeting with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and  External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris will host a dinner for him. Sharma is also scheduled to meet the opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission.In this backdrop, External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris arrived in London on February 5 on his way to Brazil and met with Commonwealth Secretary General to discuss about legal ramifications about Canada trying to bring up the issue of Sri Lanka at next CMAG meeting.

Minister Peiris briefed the Secretary-General in detail about the arrangements currently being made by the government of Sri Lanka for the hosting of the main conference in Colombo as well as the Commonwealth Business Forum, the People’s Forum and the Youth Forum.

In the course of the discussions Prof Peiris made a strong case against the inclusion of Sri Lanka as an agenda item at the next meeting of the CMAG.

The Minister pointed out that such a course of action is contrary to the decisions taken by the Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting in Perth, Western Australia in October 2011 regarding the mandate of CMAG and the scope of its functions.

Talking to Sunday Island Minister Peiris said CMAG rules do not allow Sri Lanka to be taken up for discussion. Keeping with the CMAG rules, CMAG can take up a matter only after exhaustion of the Good Offices Role of the Secretary General. That is the condition precedent. Diaspora influence should not lead to intervention in the affairs of the other countries under the umbrella of the Commonwealth. The motivation to punish Sri Lanka is Diaspora pressure. It is wrong for some countries to be held hostage to the political fortunes of personalities in other countries. That is entirely contrary to the spirit of the Commonwealth.    

He also said that he pointed out to Sharma the legal bindings of the CMAG and the same information was sent to foreign ministers of the CMAG countries. Before leaving for Brazil, Minister also invited all the High Commissioners of CMAG countries to his hotel and briefed them the situation.

In the mean time, British Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Alistair Burt had a question and answer session via Twitter on 5th February and confirmed that  UK has not yet decided the level of participation to CHOGM in Sri Lanka. He also stressed the point that the UK will support a United States sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka at United Nations Human Rights Council session in Geneva later next month.

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
The Sunday Leader
Sunday, February 10, 2013



By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
The government is to re-apply for the EU GSP Plus trade concession that was withdrawn from the country in August 2010 for the non-compliance of the conditions connected to the facility, The Sunday Leader learns.
Despite government claims in 2010 that the loss of the GSP Plus facility would not have a severe impact on the country’s economy, the EU’s decision to withdraw the facility was estimated to cost the government US$ 1.5 billion.
The continuous closure of industrial factories and the increase in the unemployment rate due to the loss of the GSP Plus facility has now forced the government to re-think its stance on the EU’s trade concession.
The Sunday Leader reliably learns that the government is currently engaged in preparing the initial paperwork related to the re-application for the GSP Plus facility.
The necessary documents are being prepared by the Commerce Department and are to be handed over to the EU Commission in June 2014.
“Although the final application has to be sent by June 2014, the initial paperwork is currently being done,” a government source said.
The government also said at the External Affairs Ministry consultative meeting in parliament last week that discussions were underway to re-apply for the GSP Plus facility.
EU Commission’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Bernard Savage when contacted said that he was unaware of the government’s decision to re-apply for the GSP Plus facility.
However, he said that EU would look at the conditions that were previously not met by the relevant applicant when considering the request.
The EU’s decision to withdraw the GSP Plus facility from Sri Lanka in 2010 was based on the government’s failure to show improvement in three main areas such as the application of international conventions agreed to by Sri Lanka on civil rights, labour rights and children’s rights.
Meanwhile, the loss of the GSP Plus facility that was granted by the EU to Sri Lanka is continuing to result in the closure of factories in the country making thousands jobless.
It was earlier reported that two such factories had closed down on January 2 since they are shifting their businesses to Bangladesh, a country that enjoys the GSP Plus facility.
President of the Inter Company Employees Union (ICEU), Wasantha Samarasinghe said that contrary to claims made by the government, the loss of the GSP Plus facility has affected many private sector businesses in the country.
He observed that the recent closure of two garment factories in the Gampaha District has affected the direct employment of 1,500 while a large number of indirect employment opportunities have also been affected.
He said that Chrystal Sweater (Pvt) Company in Malwatta Investment Promotion Estate in Nittambuwa was closed down on January 2nd and Firefox Pvt Ltd in Pamunugama in Wattala was closed down on the same day.
According to Samarasinghe, these factories have been established with the Board of Investment (BoI) approval.
“The government assured that the country would not face any economic fallout due to the loss of the GSP Plus facility. But now factories are closing. The government needs to provide solutions to the current crisis,” he said.
Samarasinghe added that the government has failed to address the issue of people losing their jobs.
“Although some employees have received some form of compensation payments due to the intervention of traded unions, some other workers have lost their jobs even without proper compensation,” he said.
The EU’s GSP Plus tariff concession allowed Sri Lanka to sell over 7,000 products to the EU countries tax-free. The country’s garment industry was the most benefited by the facility.
It is learnt that 10 garment manufacturing factories have been closed in Biyagama, Nittambuwa and Katunayake investment zones.The government has stated that these closures have caused losses amounting to around Rs. 5 billion to banks.

Govt Objects To Pillay’s Report »

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema and Camelia Nathaniel
The Sunday Leader
Sunday, February 10, 2013
The government has objected to the draft report on Sri Lanka prepared by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay which is to be submitted at the February-March session of the Human Rights Council.
According to government sources the report has been seen as biased and unfair.
The report focuses on the engagement of UN mechanisms in support of the accountability and reconciliation processes in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatilaka Amunugama said that the government had seen the draft of the report prepared by Pillay to be presented at the Human Rights Council Session later this month.
He told The Sunday Leader that the External Affairs Ministry had studied the draft and summed their observations. However Amunugama declined to comment on the observations or the draft report, saying that it would not be proper to comment on it as the final report is not out yet.
The report by the UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay is expected to address Sri Lanka’s progress and shortcomings with regard to implementing the recommendations of the LLRC and investigating human rights abuses in the final phase of the war.
The Office of the High Commissioner will table a report on Advice and Technical Assistance to the Government of Sri Lanka on promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka when the UNHRC’s 22nd Session opens on 25 February 2013.
Sri Lanka will feature on the agenda at least three times during the HRC’s 22nd Session, during the presentation of Pillay’s report, the tabling of Sri Lanka’s UPR report and the US sponsored ‘procedural’ resolution that Washington says it will move in Geneva this year. Highly placed diplomatic sources said that the US Government was pleased with Sri Lanka’s progress on some fronts following the adoption of the UNHRC resolution in March 2012, but found there had been ‘zero discussion’ on issues of accountability in the post-resolution phase.

Mrs. B & Shirani B: How Male Politicians Could Get Rid Of Them

By Rajan Philips -February 9, 2013 
Mrs. B & Shirani B: How male politicians could get rid of them and get away with it is part of the story 
Colombo Telegraphof sixty five years of independence  
Rajan Philips
There are similarities and continuities between the impeachment and banishment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake from the Supreme Court and the disenfranchisement of Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike and her banishment from Parliament more than thirty years earlier. The obvious common ground is that Sri Lanka’s male politicians managed to get rid of two women at the highest levels in public life by foul means. First, it was the world’s first female Prime Minister, and now it is Sri Lanka’s first female Chief Justice. Women could justifiably say that hell hath no fury like Sri Lankan male Presidents scorned!
It is not my purpose to compare and contrast the two banishments, but to see if we could understand how Sri Lanka as a society and a polity could have come to allow these almost unique banishments which hardly have a parallel in any other country. At the social level, it is not difficult to see the hand of patriarchy at work. It is not a coincidence that the first political leader and the first Chief Justice to be disposed of by an Act of Parliament and a presidential order were women. It is inconceivable that men would have acted so cavalierly against fellow men.
Mrs. Bandaranaike entered politics as a residual heir (i.e. the absence of a male successor, presaging similar residual successions in other South Asian countries) but she soon established herself as a political leader in her own right. Shirani Bandaranayake climbed her way to the top through the hard work of professional education and accreditation. Although her appointment from academia to the Supreme Court was unusual in Sri Lanka, it is not uncommon at all in many other countries with successful, competent and independent judiciaries.
Remember also the old, not necessarily accurate, adage that only bad lawyers end up on the bench! The appointments to superior courts typically come from career judges and practising lawyers. The system worked in Sri Lanka and elsewhere because, as long as the really bad lawyers were not appointed as judges, the better lawyers who were not appointed to the bench could go on with their careers amassing wealth and fame all the while. Quite a few of them would politely decline a judicial appointment. During British colonial rule before most of us were born, a famous Madras Tamil Brahmin lawyer and a man of great prominence and influence in all of India, Sir CP Ramaswamy Iyer, declined his nomination to the bench saying that he would “rather speak nonsense for few hours a day than hear nonsense all day long!” The wag would add that the fees for speaking nonsense have always been considerably higher than the salary for hearing it.
Historically, about a third of the US Supreme Court judges have had no law degrees, but that was mostly in the 19th century and it is unthinkable now with the informal but institutionalized involvement of the American Bar Association in the ranking of judicial nominees for presidential selection. The Sri Lankan government deliberately bypassed another opportunity to establish a proper process for identifying, ranking and selecting superior court judges. Instead, it has made arbitrary firing and hiring of judges a constitutional routine. One of the reasons for establishing Labour Tribunals separate from the courts more than 50 years ago in Sri Lanka was the class prejudice of judges against workers. Now Sri Lankan judges may have better luck at a Labour Tribunal than in their own courts, subject of course to future Standing Orders.
Patriarchy and phallic sovereignty                                    Read More

Rajiv case reprieve may have spurred secrecy

CHENNAI, February 10, 2013
Return to frontpageThe government acted swiftly to carry out the execution of Afzal Guru a mere six days after his mercy petition was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee on February 3.
It showed similar swiftness and secrecy in the case of Ajmal Kasab too. This is perhaps explained by its experience of seeing the three death row convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case obtain a stay on the execution after news of the rejection of their mercy petition was made public. Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, sentenced to death for plotting to kill Rajiv in May 1991, were informed by a letter dated August 12, 2011 that the President had rejected their mercy petitions. Thereafter, the authorities fixed the date of hanging as September 9 that year. This information gave them vital time to challenge the prolonged delay — 11 years and four months, to be exact — in the disposal of their mercy petitions.
News that the mercy petitions had been rejected caused a political outcry in Tamil Nadu, and the Assembly adopted a resolution on August 30 recommending that their death sentences be commuted to life terms. The High Court admitted their petitions the same day and stayed their execution. Subsequently, the Supreme Court itself decided to hear these petitions and the matter is still pending there.
The sequence of events in Afzal Guru’s case, as given by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, does not indicate whether he was informed of the President’s order rejecting his mercy plea. “We sent it to the President on January 21, 2013. On February 3, the President sent Guru’s file rejecting the mercy plea to the Home Ministry.
I put my signature on February 4 and sent it for further execution to the department. The due procedure was followed and it was then decided that the hanging will take place on February 9 [on Saturday] at 8 a.m.”
TNA to submit report to UNHRC

By Our Political Correspondent-2013-02-10 
 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will submit a report at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in March and request an international probe into the disappearances and civilian deaths occurred during the final stage of the war, TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said. The Jaffa District parliamentarian said the report will focus on the disappearances, the issues faced by the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and their resettlement.


He said the report released by the army on the war has ruled out disappearances, in total contrast to the finding of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).


There would not be reconciliation until the truth is out, he warned.


A US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka is also expected to be presented at the upcoming sessions.

Iran-style economic crisis: C’wealth summit in balance

    The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka
  • US investors hold massive stake in stock and bond market; catastrophe if they pull out�
  • Govt. media spokespersons lack common approach; faux pas over Afghanistan story
  • UNHRC sessions to focus on Lanka; strong resolutions and other measures likely
By Our Political Editor-Sunday, February 10, 2013
Media should know basics to use more than one source for a story. Big problem in Sri Lankan media.
That gratuitous advice in the form of a tweet came from the Director (International Media) of the Sri Lanka President’s office.
Security was tight when President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Buddha Gaya on Friday. Pic by Sudath Silva
There is little doubt about the wisdom of what she says. Those elements of journalism are taught to those who aspire to be hard-nosed newspersons. However, is that a big problem for the Sri Lankan media? Hardly any editor of the national media would agree there is indeed one, or that the media does not know their basics. Of course, there are the occasional misquotes or wrong stories that generate a denial. They are accommodated with corrections if the media is wrong or with strong assertions when the media is right. That is standard practice not only in Sri Lanka but the world over.
However, here is an instance where none other than the Director (International Media) of the President, has not followed the basic journalistic tenet of checking her own facts before saying what she said. That too, on her official twitter account. The cause for that public admonition was a news story that appeared in the official government website news.lk. The story was picked up in Colombo by SMS news alert operators and the international media. The following account in Agence France Presse (AFP) moved across the globe gives one an idea:
COLOMBO, Feb 5, 2013 (AFP) – Sri Lanka said Tuesday it had rejected a US request to send troops to Afghanistan but retracted the claim within hours, triggering angry responses on social media about the government’s credibility.
“President Mahinda Rajapakse has rejected a call by US to send Lankan troops to Afghanistan,” the government’s information department said in an SMS news alert which was immediately rebroadcast by almost all local media outlets.US diplomats in Colombo appeared puzzled over the Sri Lankan government claim and privately said that there was no pending request.
A couple of hours later, presidential spokesman Mohan Samaranayake officially trashed the government’s own claim.”President Rajapakse has neither received nor rejected any requests by the US for Lankan troops to be sent to Afghanistan,” he said in a brief one-paragraph statement.
President Rajapakse’s own twitter account @PresRajapaksa admonished journalists to “double check facts w/multiple sources” before publishing and this drew sharp responses from Sri Lankan reporters.
“Are u saying we can’t even ‘TRUST’ what the Govt. Info is saying through its SMS service. Who can we trust?,” tweeted Gandhya Senanayake.


The Rajapaksa Regime Is Boxed-In

By Kumar David-February 9, 2013 
Prof Kumar David
Colombo TelegraphDemocracy must strategize its counterattack; The Rajapakse Regime is boxed-in
The theme of this essay is the need for a multisided and flexible long-term approach that is free from narrow isms and prejudices in countering the threat to the rule of law, decency and democracy posed by the Rajapakse Regime(RR). The essay distances itself from three categories of people, all good anti-RR folk, but I think tactically, strategically of psychologically a bit on the wrong track; the talk-&-write only verbal champions of democracy, the ultra-left radicals who proclaim that veedi satang (mass uprisings on the street) should be the exclusive focus, and thirdly the dispirited and pessimistic. I recognise allies and potential allies among all these folks in resisting autocracy; but I also believe that sharing views on strategy and attitude will be beneficial.
It is not that I do not subscribe to an ism; I do. People who do me the honour of glancing at my column know I am an unrepentant Marxist. However, the first two lessons this ism inculcates is: (i) an all sided viewpoint (what else is historical materialism?), and (ii) goal oriented flexibility in alliances, slogans and activities (what else in Leninism?). I know most anti-RR folk agree with this but the difficulty is in identifying and prioritising the types of activity – the concrete in practise – which it is most appropriate at each point in time. I will make two suggestions before when closing this piece. But I welcome refinements and alternatives with the condition that they be specific (not hot-air generalities like “revolutionary uprising of the proletariat” at one end, or vacuous hopes of “engaging with President and government” at the other), and they must be doable now.
“Hit the bugger on all sides”
I was rather a sickly kid in my first six years and my mother would take me (in a rickshaw) to the family doctor Dr Sivapragasam who had a clinic on Galle Road, Wellawatte, near about Vihara Lane, if I recall correctly. In those days I was an incubator of throat infections, colds, streptococci, coughs and bronchitis. Dear Dr S had one all-round Leninist strategy that worked like magic; “Hit the bugger on all sides”. Immediate gargling, rest and keeping warm, nourishment, cough mixture and analgesics; that was his multipronged offensive. In later life I supplemented this with a whisky-sour, hot water and a teaspoon of honey. No throat virus can withstand this combined onslaught.
Not all those committed to anti-RR work and who see themselves as revolutionaries, perceive the multidimensionality of the task. Even their intervention in debates and writings has a ring more rhetorical and declamatory than patient, persuasive and practical. Some do not grasp on-the-ground Leninism (despite verbal allegiance to the master) at all, or the indisputable urgency of intervention in all forums, not only veedi satang. For example, they scorn enlisting international pressure against Rajapakse’s excesses; maybe they have not heard of Lenin’s transit through Germany to Petrograd in April 1917, in a sealed train with the compliments of the Kaiser and will be horrified to learn that he endorsed: “The organisation of a workers’ militia to be paid for by the capitalists as a measure of tremendous and decisive importance” (The Proletarian Militia; 1920).
Some purer-than-Marx revolutionaries stoutly object to taking cognisance of the bourgeoisie and the city elite, as though such association would deface their middle-class (sic!) proletarian purity. The on-the-ground reality is that RR is a threat to the upper classes since Klepto-Nepotistic Autocracy endangers their freedoms and despoils their economic ambitions. Yes, Marxists and the bourgeoisie cannot remain together in bed, in perpetuity, in the hope of begetting world socialism. But does this mean they should promptly cut each other’s throats instead of disembowelling the common enemy? It was the guru himself who called such Left-wing Communism an Infantile Disorder.
My point is not that everybody is equipped to work in all forums; each is better cut out for some tasks. I only ask that the broadness of the struggle be acknowledged and a cooperative state of mind be established. Frontline Socialists and the JVP will remain barren among Tamils till they get a rudimentary grip on the national question, but there is much they can achieve among the Sinhala petty-bourgeoisie; Friday Forum etc. had better steer clear of trade unions and the aforesaid petty-bourgeoisie and focus on expunging the short-sightedness of the international community; the Marx School is for training a future generation to replace the cranial vacuum in the Dead Left; the best thing the TNA can do is rebuild the self-confidence of the Tamil people; the UNP needs to get its underpants adjusted if it wants to be more than the butt end of perennial jesting. Sometimes march on your own, sometimes together, but always towards one shared objective – The Rajapakses must go!
Rajapakses on the run
I feel a new sense of self-confidence in recent months. I did say from August 2012 onwards that the slide in Rajapakse fortunes had commenced but did not anticipate that the avalanche would be so rapid. The Chief Justice affair was Rajapakse’s hara-kiri, self-immolation and self-inflicted evisceration. True, the siblings are shrewd, cunning and masters of undercutting, but even they are prone to fatal, yes fatal, mistakes. The damage they have done themselves is immeasurable. As the economy slips, if the Mohan Peries affair refuses to go away, if they lose the Commonwealth Heads Conference, if they get hammered in Geneva, if Delhi, notwithstanding Manmohan Sing’s legendary pusillanimity, tightens the screws, then this government will fall sooner than expected. OK this is a longish wish list and a best case scenario, but some of this will happen.
In the last few weeks RR has made one hell of a cock-up has it not? True, the ascent of the executive over a submissive judiciary is evidenced by the substance and style of the judgement on case against the pseudo-CJ; but it is unrealistic to expect obedient judges to sprout a spine in the absence of mass mobilisation. However, all this is having repercussions in Geneva and the Commonwealth. The revocation, ten days ago, of visas issued to the International Bar Association to visit Lanka for discussions with local counterparts is evidence enough that RR is in a funk and experiencing unplanned bowel movements.
The assertion that the international community (IC) has a vital role to play and can be decisive in preventing Mahinda Rajapake from becoming another Bashar al-Assad is indisputable. True I have often expressed exasperation with the IC, but that’s in recognition of its potential.
One practical act is worth ten thousand words
The opposition must target activities that will have the most productive outcomes and are doable. Little drops of water, little grains of sand, assiduously undertaken make a mighty avalanche. In conversation as well as in web comments I often encounter the “What can we do” wail of impotency. How very wrong; if only one thinks about it, there is a great deal every one can do. Let me suggest just two leaving it to others to add to the list.
The regime’s glaring uses and abuses the state machine to execute its deranged, despotic designs is palpable. But most public servants, corporation employees, legal and judicial personnel, police and military are all ordinary decent folks like you and I. They must be fed-up with executing illegal instructions, lying to the media and functioning as RR’s coolies. Hence, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, mothers and wives, and brothers and sisters, must target public servants without respite in an unrelenting Jehovah’s Witnessestype campaign denouncing unlawful pressures.
No one wants good public servants to lose their jobs and leave the field to crooks; but remember, right understanding is the forerunner to right action. The time will come when the good will face choices. What the political opposition is obliged to do is to instil an appreciation of good governance and an understanding of the moral obligation to oppose unlawful actions of government. Raising the consciousness of public servants and the services is a foundation and a priority. I can say no more in print or web; readers must fill in the blanks.
My second suggestion is more important. Unremitting work is needed in the Sinhala reading and speaking classes who do not access the wide range of current affairs material available in the English web and print media. The Sinhala media moguls treat their dayakayas like mushrooms: ‘Keep ‘em in the dark and feed ‘em shit!’ I am aware of a few efforts to fight back already in hand; a scheme has been initiated where 20 to 30 pieces a month currently unavailable to Sinhala readers are translated and circulated by e-mail on a big list;Ravaya embodies bold and independent journalism; and of course the JVP is out on a audacious campaign. Still not enough; the laggard is the UNP. Professional groups like lawyers and FUTA, and NGOs like CPA, though making a commendable contribution, are not equipped to penetrate the Sinhala community en mass. If the joint opposition can together develop a programme to address this deficiency, that would be great.
Time to sign-off; I need to engage in a few small practical acts; remember each is worth 10,000 words!

Rajapaksa is country's dictator, Ranil is dictator for UNP, rotating politics cannot solve crises created by capitalism – JVP

logoSUNDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2013 
Mahinda Rajapaksa is the dictator of the county while Ranil Wickremesinghe is he dictator of the UNP, the ‘rotating political system’ does not have solutions for  the crises of capitalism said the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva adding that only a correct political leadership could find solutions for the tragedies confronted by the country.
The General Secretary of the JVP was addressing a meeting held at Piliyandala yesterday (9th) as part of the ‘People’s dialogue’ held under the theme ‘Rally against regime that torments masses.’
He said, “At a time where there isn’t any election in the country we have come to meet you to have a dialogue regarding crises confronted by the country and how they could be overcome. JVP comes to meet masses not only during election periods. We are going throughout the country and have made the masses of the country aware when the country is confronted by a crisis.  At this moment too we are going round the country addressing the people.
Recently, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa and his cabinet celebrated the 65th independence day at Trincomalee. Britishers left our country 65 years ago However, do our people celebrate genuine freedom? Our country is entangled in a massive socio-political-economic crisis. People’s real freedom is being denied to them. As such, the existing political environment should be understood properly.
You all know that Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, disregarding the verdicts given by the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court, removed, unethically and without any shame, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake from the post of chief justice through an illegal impeachment. Afterwards, his associate who was the adviser to the cabinet was appointed the chief justice. Then a law was brought enabling the police to detain arrestees for 48 hours. Laws are brought to suppress people not to protect them.
There was an outburst regarding Rizana recently. She was a child of school going age. Her age was altered in the passport for her to go to Middle East to keep her family living. She was murdered by the Saudi regime claiming she had erred. What did Mahinda Rajapaksa do? He couldn’t do anything. About 400 Sri Lankans who go for employment abroad die or are killed annually. The government doesn’t care about bringing in legislation regarding foreign employment. A court is to punish a girl who had picked eight coconuts to find Rs.800 the school demanded for a fund.  There are families in Sri Lanka that cannot find Rs.800. The children are confronted with the sorry situation of being unable to find money for school requirements due to the poverty of their parents. Isn’t the government responsible for this state?
This government doesn’t allocate funds for education. They only pay the teachers. The government does not maintain schools and their buildings. All this has to be done by the school staff. This is why principals have to collect money from students. This is why children have to pick coconuts. Now, Bandula Gunawardene has got excited and is issuing circulars. It is the government that issued circulars asking principals to collect money. We would like to ask the government how much was allocated for education from the budget. This is why University Teachers asked for an allocation of 6% of GDP for education of the children of this county. Did the government pay any attention to this? No. 2012 budget had an allocation of 1.86% for education;the allocation in 2013 budget for education is only 1.5%.  President’s daily expenses is Rs.20 million which means his hour’s spending is Rs.800,000.
Now the government has gone mad. The people in the county suit the government. They merely watch the government that has gone mad. We should not be inactive. We have to think of justice, law and fair play.
The A/L results have been released. There is good and bad in these results. There are about 16000 student who have failed all three subjects. This is the standard of education carried out by the government. There are no facilities; students have no way of studying properly. On the other hand about 1000 students who have got qualified to enter universities with three ‘A’ passes from Commerce stream would not be able to go to universities. Due to failure of ‘Z’ score students who have got three ‘A’s stay at home and those who have two ‘A’s and a ‘B’ go to the university. This is the state of education in this country. Not only in education, crises are developing in all sectors.
A Buddhist Bhikku has been hacked to death. Humans are killed for land issues. How low our society has stooped to! There is no value for human life. This social system has failed to give value for human life. The government is maintaining a pro-imperialist family regime. There is no regard for social values. The country is shown the development pomp. However, the economy is breaking down day by day and the society is disintegrating. Mahinda Rajapaksa has not selected the production economy. He moves away from production and sells lands and resources to foreigners. They are talking of an entertainment economy based on tourism. It is not a decent tourist economy that is aimed at. The government’s main aim is an entertainment economy. Now tourists do not come to enjoy the natural beauty of the country. What is being developed is tourism with the concept ‘3S’ – sea, sun and sex. Tourists come looking for prostitutes. This is why the government legalized casinos; took away tax for Lamborghinis. Prostitutes are also imported.
The tourist industry Mahinda Rajapaksa talks about is not a developed or a pleasant one. Indians who have got tourist visas are working in paddy fields in the East. Some tourists use the iron for baking ‘rotty’ and making omelets. Robbers, plunderers and racketeers too come into the country with tourist visas. The government takes all these to its statistics of the number of tourists that visit Sri Lanka. This is a farce. Tourist industry cannot be developed in this manner. Valuable lands from Galle Face to the Eastern coast are sold to foreign companies.   Valuable islands have been given to multinational companies. The fields and tanks used by farmers for their cultivation have been given to ‘land’ sea-planes. Agriculture in the country has broken down. It doesn’t gain any income. It is only pomposity.
None of the projects that have been  built with loans earn any income. There is no income from Norochcholai power station, Hambantota port and the highway. Masses are taxed to pay the instalment and the interest of the loans. This type of development is a crown of thorns. The development has fallen on people’s heads. People are given what they do not want but they are not given what they want. Batons and tear gas was brought to suppress masses that take to the streets. It is not necessary to bring down tear gas as the eyes of our people are always filled with tears.
Ministries are created without any basis. Despite there is no atomic energy a ministry is created for atomic energy. A ministry is created for sugar as well. Ministries are partitioned to accommodate more ministers. Tea and rubber industries have broken down; coconuts are imported from India. However, there is a minister of plantation industries.
Loans, taxes and fines are the only income of the government . According to last budget a figure similar to the income had to be taken as loans to meet the budget deficit. This income is the money taken as taxes and fines from the masses. Mahinda Rajapaksa family has made this country their play ground. It is Carlton sports club of the family that plays all games. It is Carlton, the family channel that broadcasts sports.  Hotels too belong to Rajapaksa family. The people in the country doesn’t have any claim for the economy of the country.
The health and education sectors have broken down, No funds are allocated for them. The country is ruled according to the wishes of the World Bank and IMF of imperialists. Imperialism is gratified by promising lands, property and devolution of power. Mahinda Rajapaksa has now taken over the judiciary. Democracy was abolished to do it. Now, foreign pressure has increased. He is trying to pacify imperialists. Imperialists make use of democracy and human rights to interfere in countries. The government abolished both to get more power. Taking advantage of the situation the USA sent three representatives to Sri Lanka. They collected information. There is a possibility that recommendations at the Human Rights Council summit in Geneva in March would go against Sri lanka.  as such, G.L Peiris was sent to India to canvass its vote stating the government was prepared for a devolution package according to 13th amendment.  The country is betrayed to India while shouting patriotism. Some time ago a minister slaving for Rajapaksa Waluwwa was hollering that ‘13’ should be abolished. The government completely  ignored him. Now 19th amendment is to be brought to have more power.
Mahinda Rajapaksa regime is building an economy as required by imperialists. Lands in Sampoor were given to India. The power station  being built by India has been freed of tax for 25 years. The government dances according to the tune of the IMF. As such, masses that are being tormented by the conduct of mahinda Rajapaksa regime should understand the real reason why they are getting tormented. We are taking measures to rally the masses and build a people’s power against the tormenting regime. All should rally to defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa family regime and imperialist agendas in our country.
Many who trotted along the path Mahinda Rajapaksa is moving had to come down from their thrones amidst mass opposition. Some had to flee the country. This is the end despots like Ben Ali, Hosni Mubarak, Batista met with. Mahinda Rajapaksa too will  face the same fate.
Solutions for these crises cannot be found in isolation. There are no separate answers for education issues, increase in prices of commodities, unemployment or the bleak future for our children. The crisis is in the social system. Capitalism doesn’t have solutions for our issues. Bringing Ranil to take the place of Mahinda will not be a solution for this crisis. Rotating political system will not be the answer. How can Ranil, who cannot solve the issues in his party, solve crises in the country? Mahinda Rajapaksa is the dictator of the country while Ranil Wickremesinghe is the dictator of the UNP. Recently, the whole country saw on which side the UNP was. In all mass struggles the UNP was with the government.
As such, another way should be paved to solve crises. There should be a change in the social system. The masses should develop the economy of the country and masses should receive the  benefits of the economy. Now the economy is owned by Rajapaksa family and imperialists. The masses that maintain the economy do not get benefits of this economy. Hence, a system that gives benefits of the economy to the masses is required. Socialism is such a system. Capitalist Rajapaksas do not have solutions for issues of Rizanas, students, youths and the people in our country.
Only a party that is prepared to sacrifice everything, endure difficulties and has a correct vision could find solutions for these crises. MPs who get sold for money and other benefits cannot do so. Leaders who danced to the tune of imperialists cannot find solutions for people’s issues. As such, only the JVP could give leadership to solve these issues.
All Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim masses should rally to change the deplorable state our country is confronted with. They should not be mislead by various interested groups and allow any communal or religious clashes. All communities should unite against the enemy.  Unity is our strength. We invite everybody to take the flag of unity to their hands.”