Monday, February 25, 2013

Minister Gamarala’s son brutally assaults DIG’s son : ‘my father will very soon be P M, so none can stop my hooliganism’

(Lanka-e-News -25.Feb.2013, 6.00PM) In the latest incident in the series of violence underlining the monumental lawlessness in the country stoked by the ruling regime itself , following a vicious and ruthless assault launched by the health Minister Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena’s son and his cronies on the son of the Eastern province DIG Ravi Vidyalankara at the Kalkuda beach , the victim has been admitted to the Hospital in a critical condition .

The victim was admitted to the Batticaloa hospital following the assault last evening (24) .

The son of the DIG and son's wife had been bathing in the beach when the group comprising the Minister’s son and friends have videoed them without permission. The DIG's son who could not endure this insolent and uncouth conduct of the Minister’s son had told , ‘don’t record video’

Minister’s son had replied ‘ado, my father is going to be the Prime Minister of this country in a day or two . I shall do whatever I want. Who the hell are you to question me ?’ . Thereafter an argument had followed eventuating in a brutal attack on the DIG’s son by the Minister’s son and his group who had been under the influence of liquor.

When the police were trying to enforce the law , due to the intervention and pressures exerted by the health Minister , the police had abandoned the action against the hooligan son and his group. It is learnt that another group has been arrested instead to camouflage the crime.

Maithripala, meanwhile had used his power and influence and expunged the news from the media publicity . According to reports , Minister Maithripala had already rushed to Kalkudah and is moving heaven and earth to suppress the episode and rescue his son.

Maithripala’s thug son who assaulted DIG’s son bailed out

MONDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2013

Daham Tharaka, the son of Minister Maithripala Sirisena, and 13 of his associates who had inhumanly assaulted Asela Waidyalankara, son of DIG Ravi Waidyalankara, who was in charge of Batticaloa District, have been released on bail.

Minister Maithripala’s son and his accomplices are charged of assaulting the son of the DIG at a tourist resort at Passikudah.

While Mr. Asela Waidyalankara was in the hotel with his mother a group in a drunken state had come there and had attempted to take nude photographs. When Mr. Waidyanlaka objected to this there had been an argument. At this Minister Maithripala Siriena’s son and his associates have assaulted the DIG’s son.

Mr. Asela Waidyalnakara has been admitted to Intensive Care Unit of Kalubowila Hospital.

Tamils needs only leadership - Dr. Wickramabahu Karunarathna

Monday, 25 February 2013

There was a commotion during the Sathyagraha launched by the IDPs near Durga kovil, Telipallai, in Jaffna 15 Feb. 2013, when few of people started to hoot soon after Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had left the place after giving a speech.

The IDPs were on a hunger strike – sathyagraha-- urging the government that they be resettled in the original home lands owned by them. They claimed that thousands of acres of fertile land are occupied by the army and the latter is making permanent constructions, while the owners are not allowed to visit their property. TNA MPs supported by Tamil congress leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam have organised this event and Protest of the Opposition- VV –parties were invited to participate. From TNA MPs Senadirajah, Sumanthiran, Suresh Premachandra and several others participated. Dr Vickramabahu, Mano Ganesan, Azath Sally and several others arrived with the leader of the opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Eyewitnesses said that the incident began as soon as Mr. Wickremesinghe ended his speech. They said that Dr Vickramabahu and several NSSP men started shouting slogans demanding that land should be handed over to the owners. Many others who were there supported their demonstration. They shouted “give back our land! Down with land grabbing government! Release political prisoners! where are the disappeared! And down with Mahinda regime!” Few pro- government people hiding among the IDPs started hooting. When large crowds gathered there started attacking them, they started running towards the near by army camp and several disappeared into the camp. But two were captured by the angry protesters, one green shirted and other with a red cap and yellow shirt. They were handed over to the police. Police identified them as army intelligence activists and handed over to the army officers who rushed to the place. Immediately Army officers had taken these men away.

TNA MP M A Sumanthiran confirmed that Mr. Wickremesinghe had completed his speech and had left the location of the hunger strike when the disturbance began. Apparently this group of men had subsequently started assaulting the people gathered at the site and tried to disperse the crowd. However the crowd that totally out numbered these men, fearlessly began to hit back at them when the army had arrived. Several organizers said the army took four suspects away. Asked for a comment, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said the government itself had amply demonstrated how law and order was suppressed in the north. TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran said his party would support the leader of opposition in his effort to conduct a proper investigation into this failed attack by the army.

“The government has done the country good by demonstrating to every body what was going on in the north. The Opposition Leader was witness to this attack on the fast organised by the opposition in Jaffna. Now, we can take a back seat. The government itself demonstrated how the military rule is conducted,” he said. Dr Vickramabahu said “fascist styled army rule could not frighten the people and the resistance shows that Tamil people are asserting themselves. It is the duty of the VV to bring people out in to demonstrations and mass actions to win freedom and democracy.”

Letters: The verdict - we need better jurors

Thursday 21 February 2013

In the Vicky Pryce trial the jury took 14 hours to come up with a list of 10 questions which only served to demonstrate their lack of understanding of the principle of the jury and their role in considering evidence.

Were they fit to be jurors? Is the system lacking in allowing jurors to be appointed if they don't have the basic understanding of their duty? This was not a complex trial. How can we ensure that the 12 people are competent to decide on the guilt or innocence of a fellow citizen?
One of the problems in selecting a jury is that there are all sorts of exclusions, including age. I would not consider my two brothers, both over 70, incapable of intelligent thought. If people over 70 were allowed to serve, these jurors would have the time and more experience of life. We are all living longer and the Government is putting up the retirement age. I suggest there should be an actual preference for those who have retired from full-time work.
A stricter line on people claiming exclusion because of work commitments would also be sensible. The 12 good men and true was a concept that has roots in Anglo-Saxon times. I'm not sure if the local lord in those days would have allowed all sorts of excuses to get off from attending.
We need the best-quality jurors – so that we can have fair trials and so that we can avoid the tremendous waste of time and money caused in the Vicky Pryce case.
Victor S Ient
Lewes, East Sussex
The defence of "marital coercion" is an interesting one. It is not available to men or to partners in same-sex relationships. Those of us who believe in equality before the law expect a level playing field. Should the law be changed to allow its use by all marital partners, or should it simply be abolished?
Nigel Scott
London N22
Ministers failed to act on energy crisis warnings
Your headline "Britain warned to prepare for an energy dark age" (20 February) gave me a déjà vu moment. People in the power industry have known for 25 years that we would face an electrical power shortage starting in 2015.
That long ago, the UK was negotiating the Large Combustion Plant Directive with fellow members of the EU. With that signed, it was inevitable that a large number of coal-fired plants would be unable to satisfy the directive and would close down, around 2015. At the same time, the majority of our nuclear power stations, which have already had their lives extended, would also be on the closure list.
Every senior person I met in the power industry in the UK had given up trying to point out to ministers that power stations can't be built by Friday week and some long-term plans needed to be implemented.
David Pollard
Isle of Mull
When the electricity industry was privatised, the then Government explicitly regarded the obligation of the Central Electricity Generating Board to secure the supply of electricity as something that could be dispensed with, as the market would provide. My advice at the time was do not buy shares in the electricity industry but invest in a stand-by generator for when the supply fails.
Dr D W Budworth
London W4
The Independent had much to say about the imminent shutdown of much of the UK's coal generation plant (20 February) but nothing to say about the risks of relying on wind power.
Eight gigawatts of coal-fired generation will be shut down shortly but on Monday and Tuesday we were deprived of more than 8GW of wind capacity because of the lack of wind. Since this is not uncommon and the Government is committed to boosting the proportion of wind generating capacity, this is a problem that can only get worse.
Roger Chapman
Keighley, West Yorkshire
The arms trade and Sri Lanka
I was disappointed to read the article "Revealed: UK sells arms to Sri Lanka's brutal regime" (18 February), which misrepresented the UK's export control policy towards Sri Lanka.
The article suggested the UK had changed its policy towards Sri Lanka and was focused on selling more arms to the Sri Lankan military. This is not the case and the facts speak for themselves. During the period your article covered, only two licences were approved for the Sri Lankan military. One related to shotgun cartridges for sporting use and the other communications equipment for a transport aircraft.
The UK operates one of the most rigorous arms export control systems in the world. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are mandatory, and we will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression.
The small arms to which your article refers were for export to private maritime security companies engaged in legitimate work countering the threat of piracy, and not the Sri Lankan navy. Export licence applications for this equipment were considered thoroughly and licences only approved when certain conditions were met. Security companies, for example, must be signed up to the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers; equipment may only be used by personnel of the named security company; and restrictions on the number and storage of firearms must be observed.
Alistair Burt MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London SW1
Poor advert for capitalism
Ian Birrell ("More capitalism, not less of it, is the answer", 20 February), what planet are you on? Why on earth would anyone want to be in our position?
The Independent's front page on the same day warned of an "energy dark age". We have an ageing population with pensioners seen as economic liabilities. We are cutting back and selling off public land and buildings. The NHS is being dismantled and will eventually be paralysed with the debt of PFI deals. Energy shortages, pension liabilities and failing health services are all ticking time bombs.
Capitalism is inherently corrupt. I hope the "developing" nations learn from us and do things differently.
Craig Hall
Great Harwood, Lancashire
I am fascinated by the new type of capitalism used by organisations such as the utilities and railways.
The normal system of capitalism is for companies to raise capital from shareholders and banks, invest this to create a product or service and then charge customers at a level they are prepared to pay to reward the investors for providing new products or improved services.
Now organisations are forcing customers to pay more for the same tired services and products so the shareholders can be rewarded for providing them without the handicap of having to raise more investment. For these extra prices customers are promised possible improvements some time in the future.
This is such a difference from real capitalism that it requires a new name. Perhaps "fraud" will suffice.
Martin Stokes
Ashtead, Surrey
Cameron missed Mantel's point
The alacrity with which the Prime Minister attacked Hilary Mantel for her critique of how royal princesses are treated by the British media raises causes for concern.
Had Mr Cameron read the speech or just been shown selected quotes? Who advised him? If they had read and understood it, they obviously considered support for the Daily Mail and the approval of its readers more important than the facts. Maybe he had just been shown the Mail and felt that, with a by-election pending, it was an opportunity too good to miss.
It does not take a great deal of intelligence to realise that the Mail's cynical attack was not the result of any criticism of the Duchess of Cambridge but because Hilary Mantel was drawing attention to the appalling way that much of the media behaves.
Whether Mr Cameron was guided by incompetent or scheming advisers, or just trying to make political capital is immaterial. We should be able to expect statements from our political leaders to be well considered, not kneejerk reactions, and based on fact, not quotes out of context.
Nicholas Bond
Lower Quinton, Warwickshire
Not all religious faith is blind
AC Grayling ("Ancient ignorance has no place in education", 21 February) is rightly concerned about faith as blind assent to a creed. He should be encouraged to hear that, for many of us who are religious adherents, our position has been reached on the basis of reasoned reflection on the available evidence and our own experience.
Teaching about religion is important, as he says, but teaching which emphasises the weaknesses and conflicts within religion without any consideration of the powerful spiritual experiences which lead people to it is as damaging as the forms of religion he opposes. A more nuanced debate would be much more helpful for everyone.
Susan Rowe
Manchester
A simple case
Whether the police version of events adds up or not is irrelevant, and we can simply go on what Oscar Pistorius says. He heard somebody moving in the bathroom and, without issuing a challenge or a warning shot, he fired at them. And who the victim was has no bearing on this case: whether it was a perceived burglar or his girlfriend is irrelevant. Given the well-known effects on the human body of bullets fired from a gun, how can this be painted as anything other than murder?
David Bates
Barnet, Hertfordshire
Cruel waste
Sport England has just announced that it is handing out its largest-ever subsidy to angling, £1.8m. It wants to encourage more anglers and get them to fish more often. It also wants to establish a national competition structure. Part of Sport England's money comes from the National Lottery, and its other source is the Treasury. In times of national austerity, it is a scandal that taxpayers are stumping up for what Lord Byron said was "the cruellest, the coldest and the stupidest of pretended sports".
Susan Walker
Manchester
To give or to gift?
You report (20 February) on Sir Denis Mahon's generous bequest, whereby his collection of Italian Baroque paintings is being "gifted" to various museums and galleries across the country. We must hope that proper precautions are taken, so that none of them is subsequently "thefted".

Brother in-law’s Casanova lifestyle creates problems in the President’s house

Monday, 25 February 2013

The Casanova style actions of First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa’s brother, SriLankan Airlines Chairman, Nishantha Wickremasinghe has created an internal rift in the Presidential house, it is learnt.

SriLankan Airlines is currently incurring a loss of close to US$ 20 million a month while the company’s Chairman has completely ignored the administrative work of the airline company. SriLankan Airlines is continuing to steadily deteriorate. However, the company’s chairman who has fallen for a damsel nearly half his age travels daily to Dubai to see her.

The young girl, SR (name withheld), who was at the SriLankan Airlines office in Singapore has been promoted by the Chairman as marketing manager and stationed her in Dubai. SR does not possess the necessary skills or qualifications to hold such an executive post in SriLankan Airlines. The chairman had therefore sent her for a special training programme at Emirates at company cost. It is a well known secret that the chairman travels to Dubai at least four to five times a week to see her.

Everyone at SriLankan Airlines are now aware of the chairman’s actions. Although the need to please his personal desires is a private affair, there is no option but to expose such acts when they are carried out at public expense.

The chairman does not show much interest in attending meetings where his presence is compulsory. However, he is in office by 8 a.m. when there are interviews for air hostesses, which the chairman usually does not attend. On such days he remains in office till late evening until the final applicant leaves the office.

Nishantha Wickremesinghe, who is over 60 years, pays great attention to beauty and make-up. The problem is that it is SriLankan Airlines that has to bear the costs of his beauticians and make-up. The make-up worn by the chairman had recently spilled all over his clothes when he had got wet by rain during a function. An embarrassed chairman had immediately left the event.

The President it is learnt is angry about his brother in-law’s actions. He had asked media personnel close to him to attack the chairman without showing any mercy. It was due to this directive that questions were posed by the media on the large sum of monies and the Rolex wrist watch that were stolen from the chairman’s residence during a robbery.

However, the President is unable to remove Nishantha Wickremasinghe from SriLankan Airlines since he is protected by his sister, the First Lady. The minute the President tries to say something against Wickremasinghe, the First Lady says, “You first do what is right before trying to teach others.”

The President then has no other option but to bite his lips in anger.

PUC reduces Rs.33 billion as non-essential expenditure at CEB

MONDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2013

The Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has acted to waive Rs.33 billion as non-essential expenditure out of Rs.268 billion estimated by the Ceylon Electricity Board as this year’s expenditure.

The amount waived had been included in the proposed increase of electricity tariff to be recovered from consumers. “The additional expenses that were to be borne by the CEB will be reduced by the amount that has been waived,” PUC Chairman Jayatissa De Costa said.

He said in the event the CEB increased its rates, it would be done after removing this amount from its estimated expenses and with the approval of the PUC.

This reduction had been possible by not obtaining power from some of the private companies and having also considering the increased capacity of the hydro power plants.

This saving is expected to be in the region of Rs.33 billion. Dr. Costa said savings include unnecessary capital expenditure of Rs.5 billion and expenditure unrelated to the supply of electricity is another Rs.6 billion. The PUC will take these matters into consideration when fixing the tariff rates. (Ariyaratne Ranabahu)

The state of media in Sri Lanka: In conversation with Dilrukshi Handunnetti

25 Feb, 2013

Dilrukshi Handunnetti is currently Senior Deputy Editor, Ceylon Today and was, before Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder, lead investigative journalist at the Sunday Leader.

We begin by going into why after years as a journalist, Dilrukshi joined Transparency International for a few years to advocacy for many of the same issues that she had written about in the media. She is also asked whether in her current position at Ceylon Today – geared more to the oversight and curation of content others produce – she missed actually writing investigative articles herself.

We then talk about how, even after the end of the way years ago, Sri Lanka’s media freedom and space for critical dissent remains abysmal, and by some global indicators, ironically getting worse post-war. She explain why she is still interested in writing as a journalist in this context.

We go into this in more detail given the pushback from the Sri Lankan armed forces she got when writing a path-breaking story on IDPs (Putting paid to the Government’s false claims: The new IDPs in Sri Lanka, published in Groundviews last year as well as in Ceylon Today) and whether this degree of violence against journalists post-war is under-recognised within and outside the country (Editors note: Also read Restrictions and intimidation on journalists covering resettlement process in the Vanni).

We then talk about the apathy of the larger citizenry towards issues perceived as either inconvenient to the dominant post-war narrative of prosperity, peace and development as well as from voices, places and around events and processes considered peripheral. Dilrukshi is asked why as an investigative journalist she is interested in writing about and flagging stories no one really seems to care about, or interested in.

Dilrukshi is then asked to reflect upon the incredibly divisive state of Sri Lanka’s media freedom organisations as well as the deeply fractured relations between even exiled journalists. Aside from the Rajapaksa regime’s orchestrated violence towards independent media, Dilrukshi is asked whether the constitution of media freedom organisations, their politics and relationships with each other further stunt the growth of freedom of expression.

Dilrukshi then talks about the Government’s proposed Code of Ethics for Media, which it has promised to release for public discussion in the near future. She also notes that self-regulation based on existing frameworks and guidelines is better than regulations imposed by government.

Dilrukshi is then asked for her opinion about the future of investigative journalism in Sri Lanka when the current government cannot even acknowledge the importance of giving citizens access to information, through enabling FOI/RTI legislation, even though this was unequivocally recommended by the LLRC. She is also asked as to why there isn’t greater public demand and clamour for FOI/RTI legislation in post-war Sri Lanka.

Dilrukshi ends by looking at how new media can address and complement mainstream media, even without RTI/FOI legislation, in publishing stories that would not otherwise have made it to a larger public.

Who takes administrative decisions? Papa or Sona ? Thilanga’s cricket appointment can trigger international resentment

(Lanka-e-News- 24.Feb.2013, 7.30PM) The SL administration is slipping away from MaRa and is now under MaRa’s sonny , according to reports reaching Lanka e news which confirm this - decisions pertaining to administration are being taken by Son.

Cricket is a most important sport for a country like S L. If this small Island had won any fame internationally , among the few that earned a reputation is cricket in the main. But , now after the administration flouting international rules without let or hindrance , after its control being seized by the one and only synthetic lawyer in SL , the country’s cricket is being marginalized and disdained internationally.

MaRa who was trying to appoint Upali Dharmadasa as the SL cricket Board chairman, had finally yielded to the whim and fancy of his son Sonny , and is going to appoint Thilanga Sumathipala . With this in view , MaRa had summoned the latter and has held discussions today.

It is not the appointment of Upali or Dharmadasa that matters , but by trying to gratify the whims of Gothayas and Gorakayas and owing to the grave violation of ICC rules , the SL cricket as a whole is being plunged into serious jeopardy. It is a mandatory rule of the ICC , that an individual who is appointed to the cricket Council administration , his kindred , anybody connected to him , nursed and nurtured by him or engaged in betting business is barred from taking up such a position. Moreover , it is a regulation of the local cricket Act that nobody who is connected to the media or is holding a post in it can be a member of the cricket administration Council.

Another rule of the Act is that anybody who runs or is associated with sports gear business in SL also cannot hold official position in the Council. Sumathipala is one who violates all these three regulations if appointed. Sporting star is his family traditional business. Lakbima media Institution is his. Even if he claims that business is not his but his brother’s , still it is a violation of the regulations. ‘Sumathi sports’ which is a sports gear business is that of his family. Hence , if he is to be appointed he cannot avert the violation of all these regulations both locally and internationally.

Earlier on , Thilanga came under the axe of MaRa regime and was sidelined , but now he has gained popularity with the regime after doing all the filthiest sordid biddings of the regime, that does not care two hoots for laws, decency, integrity or honesty as long as somebody stoops before them and becomes a party to their rackets.

During the recent unscrupulous impeachment motion propelled by MaRa , it was Sumathipala who supplied goons and gangs , and indulged in brazen violations of the law and justice at MaRa’s behest. Owing to his criminal actions he was jailed by the courts. Via these evils and vices , Sumathipala became the devil’s disciple and won back the hearts of MaRa.

In addition , after the creation of a backbenchers M P. Association in Parliament headed by Namal , Sumathipala by providing full support at the meetings of this Association to Namal during the recent past, he became a bosom pal of Namal. In the circumstances , though MaRa announced ,the chairman of the cricket Council is going to be Upali Dharmadasa , but now kowtowing to sonny’s wishes , it is learnt that he is going to appoint Sumathipala.

The MaRa regime that is already in a collision course internationally , will not be able to avert facing fierce opposition, disdainful resentment and rejection if Sumathipala is appointed . We have witnessed many instances where when a papa becomes a ‘King’ , the sonny becoming a ‘rabid dog’ running wildly in all directions wreaking havoc. But, what is most unfortunate in the present context is , destruction is being wrought by this ‘mad dog’ bunch on the cricket arena which has earned a reputation internationally for the country . The whole country being plunged into despair and disgrace is therefore inevitable.

Pilgrim’s Regress: On The ‘Usefulness’ Of Racism In Sri Lanka

By Anupama Ranawana -February 25, 2013

Anupama Ranawana

Purely for the sake of amusement, I encourage you to follow the Twitter account of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS). Claiming to be the revival of ‘real Buddhism’, the BBS will ask you to ‘rise up’ against the issuing of Halal Certificates, and inform you that they are enlightening Buddhists of the threats from the ‘dark forces’ of the minority. And just when you think you have them pegged as insufferably extremist, they will retweet a quote from the Dalai Lama espousing the need to have tolerance and love for all beings. It’s a masterclass in farce, and one wishes they were so easily dismissible. It is when their rhetoric becomes racist that you will perhaps need to block the BBS. Case in point- just a couple of days ago they responded to a Tweeter by calling him a ‘thambiya’- a terribly crude way of referring to a Muslim person. Whether Muslim or not, it was difficult not to be appalled.

Sri Lanka legal team pocketing public funds in Geneva

Monday, 25 February 2013

Our sources in Geneva say that the team representing the Attorney Generals’ Department for the upcoming UNHRC session are enjoying a luxury life from the public coffers violating government’s own regulations on expenditure.

Deputy Solicitor General Buwaneka Aluwihare, and Senior State Counsels Janak de Silva and Nerin Pulle are paid US $400 a day as allowances for the entire month in addition to be paid for their full-board hotel accommodation.

But all three of them pocket that money and stay with Sri Lankan friends in Geneva.

The trio, who are close associates of controversial CJ Mohan Peiris, have long been enjoying foreign trips for weeks and pocket all the expenses.

One of their recent cases involve staying in London and Singapore for weeks to argue the Hedging case for the government. But they never have won a major law suit, including the Hedging case, abroad.

Analysts are of the opinion that, given their closeness to the CJ, they will soon be appointed as judges of the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court.

Lanka minister seeks to provoke India: Karunanidhi

Chennai, February 25, 2013

Objecting to a Sri Lankan minister's announcement that Lankan fishermen would rally against their Indian counterparts, DMK chief M Karunandihi on Monday described it as a "planned strategy" by Colombo to divert off attention from the "tyrannies" of Rajapaksa government.
Traditional industries and small enterprise development minister Douglas Devananda's statement warning of a protest "seem to be a planned strategy by Sri Lanka to divert off attention from the tyrannies of the Rajapaksa government which are slowly coming to light...," he said.

"I believe Indian government would have realised by now that Devananda's remarks amount to challenging it by provoking it," Karunanidhi said in a party statement.

Recalling that Devananda is an accused in a 1986 shootout case at Choolaimedu here, he said a man with such background making statements like these was against Indian fishermen and the Tamil people which "cannot be tolerated".

"Taking into account his arrogant talk, the Centre and the state government should take due action immediately," he requested.

Lankan fishermen would stage a rally to protest against their Indian counterparts for allegedly snapping their fishing nets and causing inconvenience to them, Devananda had said while participating in the St Anthony's Church festival at Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974.

Palestinian Filmmaker Detained at Los Angeles Airport on Way to Oscars

Monday, 25 February 2013

A Palestinian filmmaker on his way to the Academy Awards said on Wednesday [20 Feb 2013] he was held at Los Angeles International Airport and threatened with deportation before being allowed into the United States.

Emad Burnat, whose “5 Broken Cameras” is competing for an Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature category, said U.S. immigration officials took him, his wife and 8-year-old son aside when they arrived in Los Angeles from Turkey on Tuesday evening.

“Immigration officials asked for proof that I was nominated for an Academy Award … and they told me that if I couldn’t prove the reason for my visit, my wife Soraya, my son Gibreel and I would be sent back to Turkey on the same day,” Burnat said in a statement.

Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said in a series of Twitter messages that he stepped in to help resolve the situation.

“Although he (Burnat) produced the Oscar invite nominees receive, that wasn’t good enough & he was threatened with being sent back to Palestine. … Apparently the Immigration & Customs officers couldn’t understand how a Palestinian could be an Oscar nominee. Emad texted me for help … I called Academy officials who called lawyers. I told Emad to give the officers my phone # and to say my name a couple of times,” Moore tweeted on Tuesday evening.

Burnat said he and his family were detained for about an hour.

U.S. officials declined to comment on the incident, citing privacy laws.

“Travelers may be referred for further inspection for a variety of reasons to include identity verification, intent of travel, and confirmation of admissibility,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement. “The United States has been, and continues to be, a welcoming nation.”

Burnat, a farmer, is the amateur filmmaker behind “5 Broken Cameras,” which documents about five years of protests against land seizures by Israeli forces and Jewish settlers in his village of Bil’in in the occupied West Bank. It was co-directed by Israeli activist and filmmaker Guy Davidi.

It is the first Palestinian film to be nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars, according to representatives for the film.

“5 Broken Cameras” is one of five films nominated for an Oscar in the documentary category. One of its competitors is Israeli film “The Gatekeepers,” which looks at the decades-old Middle East conflict through the eyes of six top former Israeli intelligence bosses.

The Oscars, the highest awards in the movie industry, will be presented on Sunday in Hollywood.

-by Alex Dobuzinskis, Reuters

Courtesy – TRANSCEND Media Service

Gota disgraces and degrades IGP and orders him to quit immediately

(Lanka-e-News- 24.Feb.2013, 7.30PM) Lanka e news reporters at the defense Ministry reveal that the defense Secretary Gotbaya Rajapakse had ordered the IGP Ilangakoon to resign forthwith on Friday(22). The conflict that had been escalating between Rajapakse regime and the IGP during the recent past regarding the protection of security measures through lawlessness and laws has come to a head.

The IGP who was disillusioned with the illegal ousting of the chief Justice (CJ) had been trying to maintain his natural self respect when confronting issues in the process of enforcement of the law .

Recently in a police communiqué it was confirmed that the IGP intervened on behalf of the DIG Latheef to safeguard the police dignity. When goons of the district politico appear and attack the police officers in uniform until they bleed , how can a DIG who has self respect remain silent ? When such a DIG is being put to the guillotine on that same issue , how can the IGP who has self respect remain silent ? This was precisely why IGP has come forward on Latheef’s behalf.To the Rajapakse regime which considers laws and truth as thorns in its side , obviously felt uncomfortable like a fish bone had got stuck in its throat when the IGP came forward on behalf of Latheef.

One other incident that had infuriated the barbaric regime was the failure of the IGP to follow the instructions given to him to deploy the STF and drive away the lawyers who were arriving for the recent Bar Association elections . When senior DIG Anura Senanayake well and widely known as an unscrupulous stooge of the regime , as always had tried to carry out the regime’s sordid orders , the IGP had told the police chiefs that if they act unlawfully they will have to face the consequences individually themselves. Owing to this the regime’s attempts to foil the elections had foundered.

All these events got stirred up when defense Secretary Gotabaya summoned the IGP and ordered him to resign immediately. Gota a notorious uncouth individual had addressed the IGP most insolently and disdainfully , according to our defense Ministry reporters. The IGP who has still 8 years to go in the state service had been told to revert to his former Ambassador for Haiti post which he held prior to becoming the IGP. The latter however had not agreed to that proposal, and he had directly and openly retorted that he wishes to remain in the Govt . service until his period is over , and that he is not having inordinate love for positions. In any case the IGP who was disgruntled and disgusted over Gotabaya’s uncouth and uncivilized conduct had applied for sick leave and gone home on Friday.

WikiLeaks: ‘GoSL War Crimes Is The Most Difficult Issue On Our Bilateral Agenda’ – US

By Colombo Telegraph - February 25, 2013

“Accountability for alleged crimes committed by GSL troops and officials during the war is the most difficult issue on our bilateral agenda. (NOTE: Both the State Department Report to Congress on Incidents during the Conflict and the widely read report by the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) also detailed many incidents of alleged crimes perpetrated by the LTTE. Most of the LTTE leadership was killed at the end of the war, leaving few to be held responsible for those crimes. The Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) is holding thousands of mid- and lower-level ex-LTTE combatants for future rehabilitation and/or criminal prosecution. It is unclear whether any such prosecutions will meet international standards. END NOTE.)” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Butenis

The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable is classified as “SECRET” and analysed the issues relates to accountability. The cable was written on January 15, 2010 by the US Ambassador to Colombo, Patricia A. Butenis.

Butenis wrote; “There have been some tentative steps on accountability on the GSL side. Soon after the appearance of the State Department report, President Rajapaksa announced the formation of an experts’ committee to examine the report and to provide him with recommendations on dealing with the allegations. At the end of the year, the president extended the deadline for the committee’s recommendations from December 31 until April. For his part, General Fonseka has spoken publicly of the need for a new deal with the Tamils and other minorities. Privately, his campaign manager told the Ambassador that Fonseka had ordered the opposition campaign to begin work planning a “truth and reconciliation” commission (ref B).”

“These tentative steps notwithstanding,accountability has not been a high-profile issue in the presidential election — other than President Rajapaksa’s promises personally to stand up to any international power or body that would try to prosecute Sri Lankan war heroes. While regrettable, the lack of attention to accountability is not surprising. There are no examples we know of a regime undertaking wholesale investigations of its own troops or senior officials for war crimes while that regime or government remained in power. In Sri Lanka this is further complicated by the fact that responsibility for many of the alleged crimes rests with the country’s senior civilian and military leadership, including President Rajapaksa and his brothersand opposition candidate General Fonseka.” the ambassador further wrote.

We give below the relevant part of the cable;