Rs 600 M missing from Education Cooperative Fund

2013-02-22 A sum of Rs 600 million, deposited in a State bank by the Education Employees' Cooperative, Thrift and Credit Society Limited has gone missing, the Coalition Against Corruption alleged. As a result, around 150,000 members of the society are unable to obtain loans and other facilities, the Transparency International press release said. The media release stated: The membership of the Society, which was established in 1930 comprises mainly teachers and other staff in the education sector. Each member contributes Rs 466 monthly as subscription. The Society earns additional income through interest on loans issued to its members. However, the government does not contribute towards the fund. Coalition member and General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU), Joseph Stalin, alleged already Rs 11,250,000 from the fund has been spent on purchasing a land with an extent of 25 perches in Badulla to build a district office for the Society. “The value paid for the land is quite excessive and it has been later found it had been a paddy land, which is not at all conducive for any construction. Up to now no building has been constructed on the land,” he added. No citizenship By Chrishanthi Christopher-2013-02-22 The Sri Lankans, who have sought asylum in other countries, have been excluded from the Sri Lankan citizenship under the new Citizenship Act, the Controller of Immigration and Emigration, Chulanada Perera told Ceylon Today. He said the Department and Emigration will soon start accepting applications for dual citizenship. Perera said the Department is awaiting an amendment to the Citizenship Act that will come into force soon. "The Bill is with the Legal Draftsman for amendment and will soon be ready," Perera said. According to the amended Act, all Sri Lankan citizens, who have applied for dual citizenship will be acutely scrutinized as to their suitability and worthiness to the country. "Those who have left the country and claimed asylum in other countries cannot apply for citizenship. "There is definitely no chance for them," he said. Talking about the amendment to the Act he said all applicants have to fulfil certain criteria to be eligible. He dismissed media reports that Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa will meet them and have a one-on-one interview. "It is not possible, but all those who qualify according to the terms of the new amendment, will be granted dual citizenship," he said. He revealed that some 750 applications that have been on hold since the suspension of the dual citizenship scheme in 15 February 2011 and will be processed. The Department, although wanted to start processing the applications early as 1 January 2013 has been held back because of the delay at the Legal Draftsmen's office. "The Cabinet has already approved the bill," he said. It is learnt that around 3,500 Sri Lankan citizens living abroad enjoy dual citizenship in Sri Lanka. Convener of the Coalition, Saman Ratnapriya said a land on Keppetipola Road, Kandy was purchased for Rs 36,400,000 with only three members approving the purchase. “However, it was discovered the land is the subject matter of an ongoing testamentary case between five persons and as a result the Cooperative lost 11 perches subsequently. Therefore, the fund lost a further Rs 8.7 million on this purchase. The money belongs to the members of the cooperative and losses are due to the failure to follow established practices such as calling for tenders.” Ratnapriya also said around May 2011 steps were taken hastily to establish six district offices. “Thereafter, Rs 80,000 and Rs 70,000 were paid as advances for a two-year lease periods for two premises in the Gampaha and Kalutara Districts respectively. These offices are not necessary for the cooperative society. The payment of rent for the district offices is an unnecessary expense and a waste of public funds. “Rs 60 million was allocated by the board of the society to repair 10 holiday bungalows of the Society, but it is reported the repairs are substandard. The level of the holiday bungalow in Anuradhapura was to be raised by one foot as it was frequently affected by floods that hit the area. A further Rs 3.5 million was allocated for this purpose and to purchase new furniture. However, only a few mattresses have been purchased till date. Air conditioners were to be fixed for every bungalow, but that has not been done as yet,” he charged. According to W.P Dayaratne, Secretary of the Professional Teachers’ Association, Rs 940,000 has been spent on demolishing part of the main office building of the Cooperative Society located on the Galle Road, which required to be modernized. “However, this has turned out to be futile as there are no funds to rebuild and modernize the main office. “Rs 400,000 is being paid to a team of lawyers who have been retained by the board on behalf of the society for court cases in which the society is not a party. Two vehicles purchased for Rs 8 million at the time the present management board was elected, are now being used for the personal work of the board members. No tender procedure was adopted nor was any needs assessment done prior to the purchase of the vehicles. “As at present, the fund and the assets of the society are valued at Rs 7 billion. However, no audit has been carried out in recent years. The Cooperative Society has now received written orders and from the minister who has been assigned the subject of Cooperatives to pass the purported audited accounts without holding an Annual General Meeting.” The Coalition Against Corruption also said the accumulation of applications for distress and property loans, which are not processed, failure to allocate funds for scholarships and gratuity, the introduction of a waiting list to issue loan applications, failure to pay bonuses to the members and the failure to meet daily administrative expenses of the cooperative society and to pay salaries of the employees of the society is indicative of the dismal state of the funds of the cooperative. According to its members, the main reasons for this state are the waste of the funds, malpractices and corruption in the management of the Cooperative Society.” (Ceylon Today Online)

MR writes to the Pope

https://sites.google.com/site/ceylon2nations/hot-news-1/headline2/home/befaithfultotheprinciplesofjusticeequalityandunity

MR writes to the Pope

FRIDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2013

Recalling the encouraging words of guidance and counsel given to him, President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a letter to Pope Benedict XVI said he was ‘surprised and saddened’ to learn of the resignation.

 

“I will always remember with great respect the encouraging words of guidance and counsel given to me at the audiences with Your Holiness that helped me in my tasks of governance, during the most trying times in my country,” the President stated.

 

Following is the full statement issued by the office of the Presidential Spokesman & International Media Adviser

 

February 22, 2013 

 

President Rajapaksa Sends Message of Good Wishes to Pope Benedict XVI 

 

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has sent a message expressing his gratitude and good wishes to Pope Benedict XVI, following the announcement of the Pope’s resignation. 

 

“I join the prayers of the Catholics of Sri Lanka, and the good wishes of all other people of our country, for your good health and many more years of blessings,” President Rajapaksa said in the message that was delivered yesterday. 

 

President Rajapaksa expressed his gratefulness to Pope Benedict for always being supportive of Sri Lanka. 

 

“The Sri Lankan people will recall with immense gratitude your strong opposition to terrorism that threatened our State, as it continues to endanger other societies and nations too,” President Rajapaksa stated. “The Catholic community in Sri Lanka, both the clergy and laity, were strengthened and inspired by your words to support the cause of peace in our land and the unity of our people.” 

 

Noting that he was “surprised and saddened” to learn of the resignation, President Rajapaksa expressed his personal gratefulness for Pope Benedict’s guidance. 

 

“I will always remember with great respect the encouraging words of guidance and counsel given to me at the audiences with Your Holiness that helped me in my tasks of governance, during the most trying times in my country.”

Professional Independence of SEC Investigations ?

Friday, 22 February 2013

How does new SEC Chairman, Nalaka Godahewa, former Chairman, Divasa Finance, with his close business dealings with Dilith Jayaweera controlling Divasa Finance and other companies deal with SEC investigations that were pending against the following companies –

1. Colombo Land & Development Co. PLC, controlled also by Dilith Jayaweera and on which Nalaka Godahewa is Chairman ?

2. Citrus Leisure, formerly known as Hotel Reefcomber PLC, controlled by Dilith Jayaweera ?

Were not Nalaka Godahewa and Dilith Jayaweera in Singapore recently as at end of February 2013 together for a Board Meeting of Colombo Land & Development Co. PLC with the Singapore Directors of Colombo Land & Development Co. PLC ? Did they not stay at the same Hotel in Singapore ?

Attached are pages from the Report submitted to COPE by the SEC last August, giving the positions of the SEC investigations into Colombo Land & Development Co. PLC and Hotel Reefcomber PLC, later named changed to Citrus Leisure PLC.

With such cozy business dealings and overseas travel , how can one expect independent investigations into the above ? What had happened to these investigations ?

Did not Nalaka Godahewa as CEO of Sri Lanka Insurance give a very big advertising contract of Sri Lanka Insurance to Dilith Jayaweera’s Triad ?

Did Nalaka Godahewa make large deposits in Divasa Finance of Dilith Jayaweera to have become its Chairman ? Otherwise, what was his competence in the financial services sector ?

Did Nalaka Godahewa and Dilith Jayaweera working together with the help of Damian Fernando fix the Sale of a large volume of Shares of Lanka Hospitals PLC to an Indian company above the market price ? Was not the Seller a company of business magnate Harry Jayawardena ? Was it not reported that the Board of the Seller's company had approved the payment of about Rs. 125 Mn. as Commission for this Sale of its Shares of Lanka Hospitals PLC ? Whom was such Commission paid to ?

Should not the SEC investigate the above independently and deeply to protect the investing public and to enforce the law ?

Annexes

Binder -1

Don’t make scholars do the job of money collectors – VAC

FRIDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2013 

The government has made scholars in the education sector money collectors says the convener of ‘Voice Against Corruption’ (VAC) Wasantha Samarasinghe.

Mr. Samarasinghe said this speaking at a media conference held at Hotel Nippon today (22nd) to apprise the media regarding complaints received by VAC on collection of funds in the education sector.

He said VAC received 2616 complaints from masses in response to the request made to inform the organization regarding collections from school children and asked whether the government could continue to say no money is collected from school children.

Mr. Samarasinghe said complaints have been received on various types of collections from schools including that of admissions, paying of electricity and water bills, fixing gates, repairing chairs and desks, repairing official residences and added there were teachers, parents and past pupil associations among the complainants.

He charged that the 2008/38 circular has given legality to such collections by school managements committees and called upon principals and teachers not to be intimidated by circulars or threats from the government. He said a common broad opposition for such injustices should be garnered against the moves of the government instead of isolated protests and called upon the aggrieved sections to come forward.

The real MIA in Sri Lanka: Basic Human Rights

02/19/2013 

It always starts with James Franco, doesn't it? "Pineapple Express," a Franco and Seth Rogen vehicle that came out in 2008, used "Paper Planes" in a red-band trailer for their film. Thus the artist M.I.A. became known outside of cognoscenti hipsters and became a full-blown pop star. With that stroke of luck, Mathangi Arulpragasam, better known as M.I.A., became the most visible face of the Tamils as a people that existed. She immediately used her public time to speak on behalf of sundry issues facing the dispossessed, including advocacy for the Tamil people of her birthplace, Sri Lanka. Just over a year later, in May of 2009, the Sri Lankan government would declare a military victory in the civil war that spanned three decades. Is this good news? The Sri Lankan government would have you think so. The Tamil people would say otherwise.
The Tamil and Sinhalese communities coexisted happily for decades until the complicated moves and twists around the time of independence from colonial occupation. With moves reaching back to the mid-1950s, the Sinhalese majority took progressive steps to either ignore or actively disenfranchise the Tamils. The fuse towards armed conflict wasn't lit until steps taken in the early 1970s began the march towards the civil war breaking out in the mid-1980s. M.I.A. isn't just the moniker of the world's most famous Tamil. It is also the acronym that might describe human rights for Tamils in today's Sri Lanka. Disturbingly, the government of Sri Lanka has resisted calls for accountability in human rights in the war and aftermath. Why? 
Impressively, the response from the Tamil people, including the global diaspora, has been to push for a system of democratic organizing and advocacy that involves trying to advocate for mechanisms of international accountability. The aim is still to call for a separate state for Tamils in Sri Lanka, but the commitment to nonviolent political means to achieve such aims are important. Impressively, after the military defeat of the LTTE, there were a series of referendums held throughout the diaspora of Tamils around the world. 99% of those who participated continued to prefer independence. Subsequently, a multinational advisory committee (including a number of non-Tamil advocates, consultants, academics, and legal experts) came together to form the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam, which convened for the first time in Philadelphia in 2010 and elected Mr. Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran to lead. 
Approximately 100,000 people were killed by the Sri Lankan military in the closing campaign of the civil war by some counts. The tally of the civil war at large is still unknown and contentious. There are over 90,000 Tamil war widows. The government of Sri Lanka has resisted calls for international investigations or human rights monitoring. The world's attention has drifted elsewhere in South Asia with the ongoing concerns in the so-called AfPak theater and the global focus on fighting "wars on terror" rather than the gritty work of building awareness and respect for human rights. One can only presume that the formidably fierce Tigers of the LTTE still has enough operational capacity to remain a thorn in the side of the government for decades to come or even to reignite the conflict itself. The surprising thing? That's not what's happening.
Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has highlighted a number ofconcerns with the Sri Lankan failure to respect basic human rights for the Tamil minority. This is setting the stage for a replay of history in building new grudges and thus the groundwork is laid for another round of marginalization and religious/ethnic conflict. Why would the Sri Lankan government want to do this instead of working on a political solution and dialogue?
The most important shift in Sri Lanka has been the fact that the Tamils have shifted from an armed conflict for rights to a nonviolent political movement for democracy. Who could possibly oppose this change? Who could not embrace it? The current government of Sri Lanka has been accused of making the wrong steps and moving into a familiar pattern of family-connections instead of prioritizing the rights of all its peoples.
With almost 60% of the global population in Asia, and with an enormous level of development happening there, it is taken for granted that the continent's resolutions of issues regarding energy, food, water, and environment will have decisive weight for the rest of the planet. The same recognition should be extended to basic human rights. There are other nations that have been undertaking struggles towards greater appreciation for human rights and better transparency and accountability in governments. Indonesia has come along by leaps and bounds. Thailand is in process right now. Even Burma/Myanmar has begun the road to better practices (in spite of the gravely concerning conflicts in Kachin and Rakhine, with all the eerie similarities to the conflict in Sri Lanka).
We have an obligation to human rights for all humans everywhere. The campaign undertaken by the current Sri Lankan government against Tamil self-determination and the imperatives of basic human rights for all citizens are disturbing. The response of the Tamils in the postwar period to continue their campaign without violence and with maximum organization, democracy, and transparency? Inspirational.
The LTTE, the Tamil Tigers, once mounted one of the most fearsome campaigns of armed resistance and conflict ever seen in South Asia (or Asia period). The decisively military end of the conflict has changed little in terms of the bases for Tamil concerns for their rights, and may have considerably strengthened the people's commitment to achieve them. Having said that, they are unquestionably committed to nonviolent politics. One would think that a sensible Sri Lankan government would try to engage them and to work towards real political dialogue instead of more stonewalling. The transformation from "Tigers" as a fighting force into Tamils as a political force(Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam - TGTE) is a testament to political growth that might serve as a model for any number of conflicts plaguing Asia and the world. It would be nice if the government in Colombo would step up to the cricket bat and play fairly on the field of human rights.
Watch this space for more occasional articles on Tamils, the transformation of conflict, and the pursuit of real human rights in Sri Lanka.

My Recommendations To The President: On Structural Changes To Promote Reconciliation

By Rajiva Wijesinha -February 22, 2013 

Prof Rajiva Wijesinha

On the basis of consultations undertaken over the year as Adviser on Reconciliation to the President, I submitted a report, with several recommendations. One set deals with problems raised at Divisional meetings. I give here the preamble, and the actual recommendations -

Much dissatisfaction is created by the sense that government is distant, and decisions are made without consideration of local wishes and needs. Explaining government decisions, and why delays are inevitable even though planning is based on a commitment to equitable development, often relieves feelings.

A second problem is resentment of perceived corruption. Enhancing accountability, and providing opportunities to discuss expenditure, with concentration on outcomes and value for money, would reduce resentments.

Confusion is also caused by overlapping areas of responsibility. Though the Divisional Secretariat was intended to be the primary unit of administration, functions impacting strongly on people are based on different areas of responsibility. These include the police, education and health. This makes coordination difficult.

Recommendations 

1.Strengthen Local Government Institutions and give them full responsibility for administration of functions closely affecting the daily lives of people. These include education and vocational training, health and sanitation, local roads and bridges and transport, water supply and drainage and waste management, markets and agricultural extension work.

2.While policies in these areas should remain the preserve of the Central Government, consultation procedures should be entrenched. Draft legislation for local government contains provisions for consultation, but these could go further. Consultation should be of the grass roots, with mechanisms to convey ideas from Grama Niladhari level, and obtain responses. When these are negative, which will often be the case, alternative remedies for problems posed should be offered, with a time frame.

3.Accountability mechanisms should be improved, with transparency as to public spending. Strict rules are needed to prevent rent seeking by politicians, and family involvement in government contracts must be prevented.

4.All government functions should be based on Divisional Secretariats, with entrenched mechanisms for consultation and coordination. Every Division should have a police station with an OIC responsible for that Division alone. The same goes for Medical Officers of Health. The Education Ministry already has plans to strengthen Divisional Education Offices and abolish Zones. This should be expedited, while a fallback to Districts is unnecessary, and will only delay decision making. The Divisional Woman and Children’s Units instituted by that Ministry should swiftly be established islandwide with clear responsibilities.

5.Cadre positions for all social concerns should be created at Divisional level with clear job descriptions and reporting mechanisms. Concerns include Women’s Development, Child Development, Child Protection, Counselling, Welfare, Disabilities, Elders, and Rural Development (called perhaps Social Development, so that attention is also paid to deprived urban areas). Positions should be filled, and teams such as existed in Social Care Centres should be established, with individuals assigned to liaise with each Grama Niladhari Division.

6.The recently initiated system to enhance cooperation between Police and communities is working well, with one or two police officers assigned to each Grama Niladhari level. Meetings at least twice a week should be mandatory, with opportunities to refer potential problems to other officials, to resolve before they become serious. This is particularly relevant with regard to social problems such as alcoholism, drugs and teenage pregnancies, where counseling and awareness programmes must be conducted systematically.

7.The Divisional Secretary should have regular consultations with social leaders, including the Police OIC, the Divisional Education Officer, the MoH, the Magistrate responsible for the area, and selected religious leaders and professionals.

The story behind his recall: Ambassador Assitha Perera tells it all

Friday, 22 February 2013 

The Ambassador to Italy Asitha Perera told Asian Tribune that he has received the letter of recall and he said that he has no regrets over his recall, but he alleged that it was a well coordinated ruse to get him out of Italy by vested interest groups – a section of the career diplomatic officials, both in Rome and Colombo and human smuggling facilitators.

Mr. Asitha Perera had told Asian Tribune that it was another well coordinated effort to undermine the non-career diplomat, head of missions, appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa .

He said, "I like to refer you to an article by Rajiva Wijaesinghe in the Transcurrent website of 7th of April, on Page 3, paragraph 2 and I Quote: “There is a concerted attempt to remove the most efficient and loyal non-career diplomats. We have Dayan in Paris, Tamara in Geneva, Asitha Perera in Rome, Palitha Kohana in New York, later I believe Sarath Konghage in Berlin and Chris Nonis in London. End Quote.

He said that, “It is in that context one has to take things and view and of course more recently there was a protest campaign in Rome, that was on last Sunday – 17th February, organized by a Buddhist Priest, as well as by some other Sri Lankans.”

He continued: I have been under increasing pressure to issue letters to the Italian Embassy in Sri Lanka to give visas for Sri Lankans to come to Rome. The human trafficking and human smuggling is the major problem and I cannot stoop to giving letters and facilitating human trafficking and human smuggling, because as you probably know, that it was an open secret in Sri Lanka, that Sri Lankans are charged between SLR Fifteen to eighteen lakhs as fee to bring them to Italy illegally. They are promised of employment and once they are brought here, facilitators disappear, no employment is provided and the consequent of this you get several hundreds of Sri Lankan and lot more, join the unemployed list , forcing a further burden on the already burdened Italian economy.

Ambassador Asitha Perea while talking to Asian Tribune said, "I don’t want to be a party to such type of things. I never did that. I served in South Korea from 2006 for a period of three years and during that time too there was pressure on me to be engaged on these type of things and that is not the way we have been brought up and I don’t want to be party to that and if somebody want to apply for visa, these are people I really don’t know and when we give letters, I give a letter signed by me to the Italian Ambassador in Colombo, then I must take personal responsibility and it was not possible for me to do that type of things to people whom I don’t know at all.

He said also there were other ruses that were used and one of them was ‘to add on names’. When what we are told is to give a letter for a few people and that letter is translated by the facilitator into Italian language and several other names are added on and those people when they come to Italy, in fact it is so well organized that their passports are sent back to Sri Lanka to get other person and that persons goes and shows to the Italian Embassy and say that we people have comeback to Sri Lanka, but the actual fact they are in Italy.

There are lot of pressure on me and I have decided to go back to Sri Lanka. I prefer to go back home rather than engaged and be party to these types of things, Ambassador Asitha Perera said.

Ambassador profusely thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for having confidence in him and to appoint him for the first time to South Korea 2006 - 2009 as Ambassador and then in 2011 September to Italy.

He further said: My hands are clean and I have no regrets about it and I have done the best for my country and even in South Korea I got honorary citizenship for all the good work I did.

I don’t want to blame and make a fuss about these things. I am a person who resigned even from Parliament in 1999. I resigned from Parliament, because I felt I have served enough and somebody else should be given an opportunity to represent an area which I found that I will not be able to represent.

I also wish to underline that this is a well coordinated effort to undermine me and to portray non career diplomats as week administrators, corrupt administrators and I can remember Dayan was telling to me that he was accused of something of white-washing or painting of the Embassy or residence and this is certainly not our style and those are things that are handled by attaches and other staff of the embassy

I go back to Sri Lanka with no regrets and as three of us being moved out and in the future corrective steps have to be taken at least to protect the other non-career diplomats, especially the head of missions who have been appointed. And ensure that fair means looked into and they are not harassed.

I don’t know whether you know that the former Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam’s heavy baggage which should have left Geneva to Colombo several months ago , I think it is more than four or five months and it is still in Geneva. She was a capable head of mission we had and I think she made Sri Lanka proud. She told me “Asitha I can handle and fight the LTTE Diaspora, but I can’t fight three wars at a time”. She said, “I can’t fight the war with the LTTE diaspora , at the same time, I can’t fight the war with my staff in the embassy and with the Ministry of Foreign affairs in Sri Lanka”.

When we function as head of missions, we must be given the encouragement and the support to promote and represent our country effectively- he said.

Even in Italy I went to Palermo to establish good relationship with the Tamil diaspora over there.

I was trying to build bridges with different Sri Lankan communities living in Italy. And I succeeded to a great extent.

The foreign Ministry has given me notice and I have to have my heavy baggage packed and sent back to Sri Lanka, otherwise I don’t want to have the same fate my colleague Tamra Kunanyake is experiencing now. I want to ensure that my heavy baggage left the shores of Italy without any delay to Sri Lanka.

I wish to request our President that to have a meeting with the non career diplomats i.e. the head of missions, Ministers, Minister Counselors and others be given an opportunity to meet him and speak to him in private, to give him feedback of our experiences in our respective missions, so that he can decide what he wants to do about it in the future, about the plight of the non-career diplomats who are appointed by him to uphold his image and country's image.

'No Fire Zone' screens in India today against Sri Lanka

[ Friday, 22 February 2013, 03:24.07 PM GMT +05:30 ]

'No Fire Zone' a documentary produced by UK's Channel 4 is due to begin its screening in India today.

According to Indian Media the screening is due to commence at the New Delhi Head Quarters of the Constitutional Council in New Delhi for a period of 20 minutes. 'No Fire Zone' will be screened before an audience consisting of Indian Mp's, journalists & human rights activists. The screening is due to be followed by a discussion where the documentaries director Callum Macrae is also due to participate. According to Indian media reports the screening of the documentary ahead of the United Nations Human Rights Council Session in Geneiva is an attempt to daunt the island. However against this backdrop Indian Minister of External Affairs Salman Kurshid added that the authenticity of the photographs contained in the documentary could not be verified. Moreover Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalitha has requested of the Indian Centre to impose sanctions against the island whilst gaining impetus from Channel-4's latest documentary into alleged war atrocities. Expressing his views during yesterday's cabinet decision media briefing, Cabinet Media Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella noted that the country was victimised in such diabolical attempts since the period of the war.

Video: Halal Issue – All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama Speaks Out

By Colombo Telegraph- February 22, 2013 

All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama yesterday urged stores to sell halal meat only to Muslims, after protests bySinhala Buddhist hardliners.

All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama is the apex religious body of Islamic Theologians that provides religious and community leadership to the Sri Lankan Muslim Community who are 9.6% of the total population of the country.

Bangladesh War Crimes Tribunal And War Crimes File By Channel 4

February 22, 2013 

For the last sixteen days, Bangladesh has been in an intense new political phase. The ground has shifted and been recast by the scale of the Shahbagh movement. The flash point was the sentencing of the “Butcher of Mirpur” (a war criminal who collaborated with the Pakistan army in 1971). But, by now, the demands have expanded to a call for a ban on the main Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, or even Islamist politics altogether. Older leftist thinkers like Badruddin Umar are daring to ask questions of the hallowed place of “state religion” in the constitution. Younger bloggers are urging all to make it clear that the movement is about war criminals, not religion. But of course, with war criminals conflated with the Jamaat-e-Islami, and that party eager to present themselves as standing for “Islam,” category errors will happen.

That is one reason why I insist that the energy of Shahbaghh should be channeled into the desire to do thorough historical research, digging out solid evidence that can result in fair trials that do not require government contortions and interventions. This cannot be a transformative movement if its demands are made only of the government, a government that has otherwise been anti-peoples in its policies in many other areas. It must make demands of itself.

Read more

War Crimes File Dispatches Series by Channel 4

Twenty Twenty Television’s documentary War Crimes File, directed by David Bergman and produced by Twenty Twenty Television broadcast as part of the Dispatches Series by Channel 4 aired on 3 May 1995—recording eye witness accounts of Mueen-Uddin’s involvement in disappearances of journalists and other intellectuals in December 1971.

Video:UN reiterates importance of addressing accountability in SL THURSDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2013  The United Nations yesterday reiterated the ‘importance of addressing accountability in Sri Lanka through a genuine and comprehensive national process and achieving national reconciliation.’ During the daily press briefing at the UN headquarters Spokesman for the UN Chief Martin Nesirky made this comment in response to a question about photos of former LTTE’s son, that were released to the media. “We are obviously aware of the video footage and the reports about that video footage, but I don’t have any specific comment on that,” he said. Commenting on the panel, that was appointed to look into the UN’s own action during the last phase of the war in Sri Lanka, the spokesman said, “It’s not to do with looking into the actual events that took place in Sri Lanka. It is learning the lessons from them and it is an internal task force looking at how recommendations will be carried out within the UN." ►WATCH SOURCE: UN WEB TV

Government Agent is attempting to hide the whole pumpkin inside rice. Waligamam north divisional council Chairman denounce

Thursday , 21 February 2013

Jaffna district Government Agent made a statement that the details of those require resettlement is not available with him, is similar to, of attempting to conceal a whole pumpkin inside rice, was said by Waligamam north divisional council Chairman S.Sugirthan. 

The Coordination Committee meeting was held last year September month by the Divisional Secretary, in the presence of Minister Douglas Devananda and all the details of those required resettlement was submitted.

Details concerning the report further indicated that concerning the people required for resettlement in 24 grama sevaka units which are to be still released in the Waligamam north region with statistics was submitted on 11.09.2012 at the Tellipalai Divisional Secretariat, chaired by Minister Douglas Devananda at the Coordination Committee meeting, by Tellipalai Divisional Secretary.

Accordingly two thousand and 140 families resettled without basic facilities,  4 thousand and 562 families are not resettled,  6 thousand and 496 families who need  resettlement, the details and the Grama Sevaka divisions permitted for resettlement, the Grama Sevaka units which were permitted section by section for resettlement were completely furnished and notified by the Divisional Secretary.

Further 288 families living temporarily in welfare centers located in Waligamam north region who are the permanent residents of Waligamam north region and 1,268 families living in welfare centers in other regional secretary units, the complete figures were pointed out with statistics details.

In this state, Government Agent informing that information concerning those requires resettlements are not available with him, and the above details not brought to the attention of President at the special Development Committee meeting, creates much depression to us.

The statement of Government Agent is like similar to of concealing a whole pumpkin inside rice hence by understanding the actual situation, spread your helping  hands for resettlement was appealed on behalf of Waligamam north people.