Chinese firm accused of stealing US software

By AP News Jun 28, 2013 

MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) — China’s largest wind turbine company and three people are accused of trade secrets from a U.S. software company, the Justice Department announced Thursday.

An indictment handed up in Wisconsin alleges Sinovel Wind Group and the three individuals stole proprietary wind turbine software technology from Devens, Mass.-based AMSC, formerly known as American Superconductor Inc., cheating the American company out of more than $800 million.

It alleges the defendants stole software that was developed in Wisconsin by downloading it from an AMSC computer in Middleton, Wis., to a computer in Austria.

None of the individual defendants is in custody. The Justice Department said two of them are Sinovel employees who live in China, while one who now lives in Serbia formerly worked for an AMSC subsidiary in Austria.

The indictment charges Sinovel; Su Liying, 36, the deputy director of Sinovel’s research and development department; Zhao Haichun, 33, a technology manager for Sinovel; and Dejan Karabasevic, 40, a former employee of AMSC Windtec GmbH, an AMSC subsidiary in Klagenfurt, Austria; with one count each of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, theft of trade secrets and wire fraud.

Sinovel officials did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

AMSC issued a statement calling on the Obama administration and Congress to re-evaluate the U.S. trade relationship with China. It said the stolen software was used in four Sinovel turbines that have been installed in Massachusetts.

“The fact that Sinovel has exported stolen American intellectual property from China back into the United States — less than 40 miles from our global headquarters — shows not only a blatant disrespect for intellectual property but a disregard for international trade law,” Daniel McGahn, AMSC’s president and CEO, said in a news release.

McGahn said more than 500 AMSC employees around the world have lost their jobs because of Sinovel’s actions.

AMSC said it filed four civil actions against Sinovel in China in March 2011 after the company abruptly broke several contracts, and that it asked Chinese police to bring criminal cases against Sinovel and some of its employees after it discovered the theft a few months later, all without any apparent success.

“The allegations in this indictment describe a well-planned attack on an American business by international defendants — nothing short of attempted corporate homicide,” John Vaudreuil, the U.S. attorney for the western district of Wisconsin, said in a news release.

According to the indictment, the AMSC software was designed to regulate the flow of electricity from wind turbines to electrical grids and to keep wind turbines operational when there is a temporary dip in the flow of electricity in the grid.

If convicted, Sinovel faces a maximum penalty on each count of five years of probation and fines on each count of up to $1.6 billion, the Justice Department said. Su, Zhao and Karabasevic each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, 10 years in prison for theft of a trade secret and 20 years in prison for wire fraud.

DPF to back TNA at Northern polls

by Aisha Nazim-2013-06-27

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Democratic People's Front (DPF), met on Tuesday (25) to discuss the government's position on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, while confirming the understanding the DPF will extend its support to the TNA in the Northern Provincial Council elections.

"When the last Local Government elections were held in the North, we supported the TNA. Likewise, they supported us during the Local Government elections in Colombo. We will of course form an alliance and support each other, but that does not mean that we will be candidates," DPF Leader, Mano Ganesan, told Ceylon Today.

The main topic of discussion between the two parties was the 13th Amendment, as both parties were not in favour of any changes to be made to the Amendment, DPF General Secretary, Dr. Nalliah Kumaraguruparan, said.

"We discussed how we have been deceived and how the government first said they will give us 13 Plus, but are now cutting down on land and police powers. Those powers are what define the 13th Amendment," he told Ceylon Today.

He claimed the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is not properly constituted as it has not given any room for the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and leftists such as Tissa Vitharana and
Dr. Rajitha Senaratne had been left out.

From Stymieing The Mass-Grave Probe To Postponing The Northern Polls?

By Tisaranee Gunasekara -June 27, 2013 |

“If a people is to pass away,

Then will the furies will just send a man

Who, spreading deceit all over, will indoctrinate

The healthy people in crime…”

Friedrich Hölderlin (The Death of Empedokles)

Chathurika de Silva, the courageous magistrate who placed the rule of law above the law of the rulers, was abruptly transferred out of Matale.

And with that sudden (though hardly unexpected[i]) transfer, the hope of a free and fair inquiry into the Matale mass-grave evaporated.

Magistrate de Silva’s transfer was preceded by the equally sudden (and not-unexpected) transfer of Dr. Ajith Jayasena, the JMO in charge of the case, from Matale to Kurunegala.

From Stymieing the Mass-Grave Probe to Postponing the Northern Polls by nelvely

Lessons Mahinda can learn from Ahmadinejad

2013-06-26 

In recent times Mahinda Rajapaksa has been continuously assailed by bad news about his erstwhile friends in the international arena; the latest casualty being Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Due to the two-term restriction imposed by the Iranian Constitution, Ahmadinejad was prevented from seeking another turn at the Presidency. Making things worse for him is the candidate who secured a resounding victory, is an American and Western friendly reformist.

Valuable ally

Lessons Mahinda Can Learn From Ahmadinejad by nelvely

Saffron Marches And The Ides Of September

By Dharisha Bastians -June 27, 2013

Dharisha Bastians

Last Wednesday, police officials paid a visit to the beef stall at the Bambalapitiya Market on Galle Road. They had a polite warning for the beef vendors at the market. The Sinhala Ravaya and Ravana Balaya march would pass through the Galle Road in Colombo early next week, they said, and the best way to avoid unruly incidents was for the beef stalls to shut their doors on that day.

The warning came one day after participants in the Sinhala Ravaya foot marched from Kataragama to Temple Trees in Colombo, passing through Tangalle and setting Muslim owned beef stalls ablaze in full view of the police. The saffron army has passed through town after town along the Southern coast, issuing dire warnings of their arrival in the area 24 hours ahead and challenging meat vendors to remain open when the ‘river of people’ pass through their towns.

Saffron armies

Saffron Marches and the Ides of September by nelvely

No tourist visas for NGO activists

South Indian activist deported

June 26, 2013, 9:46 pm 

By Shamindra Ferdinando

A Non-Governmental Organization headquartered in Colombo, is under investigation for inviting South Indian women activists for projects in the northern and eastern districts as well as Puttalam.

Security sources told The Island yesterday that on the invitation of an NGO called Viluthu, several activists, including Sharifa Khanam and Ester Devakumari had conducted programmes here in the recent past. Responding to a query, a senior official said that Devakumari had been deported as she had been engaged with an NGO after having arrived here on a tourist visa.

The official said: "Devakumari arrived here on June 19. She conducted a workshop for a group of northern widows at the Nedunkerni Divisional Secretariat on June 23. Having arrested her at the Omanthai police checkpoint, Devakumari was brought to Colombo and deported the following day. She was sent back to Chennai."

Viluthu focuses its activities in Trincomalee, Jaffna, Puttalam and Batticaloa.

Sources said that a group of Viluthu activists was believed to have visited Tamil Nadu in December 2011.

The official said that NGO activists wouldn’t be allowed to use tourist visas.

Sources said that Viluthu had received funding from several Western and American donors and was one of the most active organizations in the post-war era.

Human Rights Commission to amend its Act

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda- June 27, 2013 
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) is to submit a draft of amendments to the Human Rights Commission Act before cabinet to empower the commission to file contempt of court cases before High Courts against public officers who did not comply with the commission’s recommendations.
Human Rights Commissioner Dr. Prathibha Mahanamahewa said yesterday that the commission had given an opportunity for Civil Society Organisations (CSO) to make their opinions and proposals regarding the amendments to the act and further said the commission was currently preparing the final draft.
Dr. Mahanamahewa said that the CSOs also proposed to blacklist public officers who did not comply with the recommendations and to make available provisions to issue declaration orders against them.
He further said that CSOs further suggested a broadening of the scope of the Human Rights in line with the International Human Rights Covenants, enabling to go beyond the fundamental rights mentioned in the country’s constitution. The Human Rights Commissioner further said amendments would also extend the tenure of a Human Rights Commission from three years to five years.
He finally said the final draft of the proposed amendment to the Human Rights Commission Act No.21 of 1996 would be presented before the cabinet after discussions with civil society organisations.

SRI LANKA: Police arbitrarily detained three children overnight and a Christian priest for 11 days for challenging the detention of children

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION-URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME-June 26, 2013

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-091-2013



26 June 2013
------------------------------------------------------
SRI LANKA: Police arbitrarily detained three children overnight and a Christian priest for 11 days for challenging the detention of children

ISSUES: Child rights; arbitrary detention; abuse of police power; discrimination; impunity; rule of law
------------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the police officers of the Kandy Headquarters Police Station detained three underage children in a police cell overnight without the attendance of either a woman police officer or a matron as prescribed by the Police Standing Orders. When Bro Anton Joe, who was in charge of the Home in which the children were living pointed this out to the officers they arrested him on a false charge and forced him to use the services of an attorney who charged exorbitant rates. This case is yet another illustration of the exceptional collapse of the rule of law in the country.

SRI LANKA Police Arbitrarily Detained Three Children Overnight and a Christian Priest for 11 Days for Chall... by nelvely

Why The Investigations Into Crimes Committed By Vass Is To Be Restricted To The Shyam Murder?

By Priyantha Gamage -June 27, 2013 

Priyantha Gamage

The IGP,

Inspector General Police,

Police Headquarters

Colombo 1.

Dear Sir,

Investigations into crimes alleged to have being committed by SSP Vass Gunawardena

The standing committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on Rule of Law views with deep concern the report that the investigations into the alleged crimes committed by SSP Vass Gunawardena is to be restricted to the alleged killing of the businessman Shyam and that the investigations into allegations on the commission of several other crimes that were revealed during the investigations are to be stalled.

If this is correct, it will be a travesty of justice and the betrayal of the trust that the people have on the investigative process.

We express our deep concern on this development and call upon you as the head of the police to take action regarding these revelations of commission of crimes under law.

Priyantha Gamage

Convener

Standing Committee of the BASL on Rule of Law

I like to think the old Mahinda is dormant within him: 13th Amendment should not be rolled back -Mangala

Videos

(Lanka-e-News-27.June.2013,10.30AM) One time government strongman and a man who was considered one of the most powerful Ministers during the tenure of the Former President, and now one of the current regime’s most vociferous critics, speaks to Daily Mirror on the current regime, the alternative he proposes, the fallacy of the ‘computer jilmart’ and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his friend.

Q: How has Mangala Samaraweera turned a good Samaritan now after being an integral part of the previous SLFP led government, and a root of the existence of the present one?

I Like to Think the Old Mahinda is Dormant Within Him 13th Amendment Should Not Be Rolled Back Mangala by nelvely

Sri Lanka: Local Government Without Women

By Chulani Kodikara -June 27, 2013 

Chulani Kodikara

Following the 2011 round of local government elections, for the first time in more than two decades, all local authorities (LAs), barring two, comprising Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas, across Sri Lanka have been constituted. LA’s form the lowest tier of elected government in Sri Lanka and have a range of functions, from provision of vocational training and recreational facilities to primary health care and solid waste management. In addition, Pradeshiya Sabhas have powers in relation to local level development in terms of Sec. 19 of the Pradeshiya Sabha Act No. 15 of 1987. Their potential to be a force in relation to local development has however always been hampered by the lack of financial powers, skills and capacities; excessive powers of and dependency on the central government; the use of political office to promote narrow interests and instrumentalise LAs, etc.

In this article, however, I focus on women’s under representation in local government as an impediment to local development and also as an indictment of the state’s commitment to gender equality in post war Sri Lanka.

Women in Elected Political Bodies

Rice is Cooked? The Domestic Violence Act, Familial Ideology and Cultural Narratives in Sri Lanka (2012).

Sri Lanka Local Government Without Women by nelvely

Indian outfits, Sinhala military, hijack Tamil religious struggle in East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 June 2013, 08:57 GMT]
An RSS-linked outfit ‘Hindu Sevaa Sangkam,’ (HSS) in collaboration with the genocidal Sinhala military, attempts to hijack and deviate the religious part of the struggle of the genocide-facing Eezham Tamils in the East. Backed by SL military intelligence, and run by members of the Pillaiyaan group, the HSS uses the name of Vishva Hindu Parishad in infiltrating and breaking the national struggle of Eezham Tamils, in order to serve the unholy alliance of Indian corporatism and genocidal Sinhala State, news sources in Batticaloa said. Under the occupying Sinhala military, while Saiva temples face destruction, desecration and plunder everyday, but new Buddhist stupas mushroom, a protest of the grassroot YMHA was banned but an HSS hoodwink was permitted this month in Batticaloa. 

Indian Outfits, Sinhala Military, Hijack Tamil Religious Struggle in East by nelvely

Education: Meeds and needs

Editorial-June 26, 2013

Sri Lanka has been able to reduce the number of out-of-school children to two percent, according to a UNICEF study, as we reported yesterday. There were 57 million children out of school worldwide in 2011, according to the latest UNICEF data. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than one half of them. About 27 per cent of those unfortunate children are said to be living in South and West Asia.

For a developing country like Sri Lanka, keeping the number of out-of-school children at that level is no mean achievement, which has rightly been attributed to our free education system. Let the statues of the visionary statesman, C. W. W. Kannangara, who fought quite a battle against numerous odds to make free education a reality, be covered with fragrant flowers! However, there is room for improvement and our goal should be to ensure that each and every child attends school.

Similarly, everything possible needs to be done to make schools real seats of learning. Children will achieve hardly anything by attending school unless a well-rounded education is imparted to them.

Our official literacy rate is said to be 96 per cent. This, no doubt, is reasonably high for a developing country, but the question is how reliable it is as an indicator of our functional literacy. In May 2007, we pointed out in an editorial titled, Towards a nation of maths-haters and ignoramuses, that the National Education Commission (NEC) had, in a survey conducted with the participation of 4, 054 students from 70 schools representing all provinces, except the North and the East, revealed that 18 per cent of the sixth graders could not write at all! The NEC found that 28 per cent of the tenth graders could not write legibly and only 35 per cent of them could take down a passage dictated to them. Of the sixth graders concerned, only 41 per cent were at a satisfactory level of performance.

On Dec. 17, 2008, we pointed out in these columns that the failure rate in the GCE (O/L) mathematics was shocking; it stood at 57%, second only to that in English—63.18%. About 52% of candidates had crashed in Science. Pointing out that 51% of students had failed the whole examination we asked what the future held for a country where so many children failed in Mathematics, Science and the international language. This is the harsh reality we ought to come to terms with instead of preening ourselves on our high literacy rate.

The Education Ministry now tells us that the situation has improved and 65% candidates passed the GCE O/L examination in 2012 and the failure rates in Mathematics, Science and English have come down to 45%, 32% and 52% respectively. We hope that the Education Department has not lowered the bar to bring about this improvement.

In December 2008, the results of a teachers’ examination conducted a few weeks back prompted us to comment on the standards of teaching in the state-run schools. Thousands of teachers who had sat that examination seeking career advancement as principals (Grade II) could not score more than ten to fifteen marks! What really took the cake was that some of those teachers aspiring to be school heads had mistaken Balangoda Maanawaya or the prehistoric Balangoda Man referred to in a question for the late Most Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maithriya Thera! Calling that blunder a posthumous affront to the great monk who did Sri Lanka proud we argued that not even the three hundred and thirty million devas believed to inhabit this thrice blessed land would be able to save our children from such teachers!

One must not make the mistake of tarring all teachers with the same brush as the aforesaid lot. But, the poor performance of students and the deterioration of teaching standards are issues that should receive the attention of not only politicians but also teachers’ unions which go into the attack mode at the drop of a hat.

The education sector, as we keep saying, is in a mess from Grade One admissions to university entrance and even beyond. Out of a total of 140, 000 students who clear the GCE A/L barrier only 23, 000 (16%) are admitted to national universities for want of resources, both human and physical. About 117, 000 children who qualify for university entrance are callously left out for no fault of theirs. Little surprise that youth unrest finds expression in violent uprisings from time to time.

So, instead of crowing about the low percentage of out-of-school children and success rates at public exams, it is high time the government went full steam ahead to develop the education sector with the national university system expanded and equipped to accommodate many more students.

Video: The Fascist Monks Of Sri Lanka

June 27, 2013 

The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar has shocked the world and drawn attention to rising Islamophobia in Asia. Now Muslims in Sri Lanka are under dire threat as well.

The similarities with Myanmar are striking and foreboding. Buddhist monks are at the forefront of the rising hatred, the government is taking sides against Muslims and attacks have begun.

Full scale violence is threatening to break out to create another catastrophe for Muslims in the region. There have already been a series of attacks on mosques and Muslim places of work.

Hard line, ultra nationalist groups led by Buddhist monks such as Buddhist Strength Force (BBS) and Sinhala Echo preach the same message as those of the Buddhist Rakhine in Myanmar: “Muslims are taking over, they are building too many mosques and are trying to destroy our culture.”

On this week’s INFocus we document the rising crisis in Sri Lanka and attempt to bring the world’s attention to the issue before it’s too late.

Courtesy PressTV

MP, staff apologise to monk

THURSDAY, 27 JUNE 2013 

Digamadulla MP Sarath Weerasekara, two of his secretaries and six others who allegedly verbally assaulted the Chief incumbent of the Deegawapi Temple formally apologised to the monk today. They had verbally assaulted the monk when he objected to taking photos of the temple. (Pix and Video by Wasantha Chandrapala)

Sinhala Ravaya’s Beef Stall Attack : Bar Condemns The Lethargy Of The Police And Urges Immediate Action

June 27, 2013

The standing committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on Rule of Law wants the Inspector General of Police to take immediate action on the attack on a beef stall at Tangalle in broad daylight in the presence of the police and the public by the Sinhala Ravaya. 

“It is our view that individuals however powerful they may be cannot be permitted to take the law on to themselves and act in breach of Rule of Law. ” it’s Convener Priyantha Gamage today wrote to the IGP;

We publish below the letter in full;

File Photo

The IGP

Inspector General Police,

Police Headquarters,

Colombo 1.

Dear Sir,

Attack on Beef Stall at Tangalle

The standing committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on Rule of Law expresses its deep concern that the police has not taken any meaningful action as required under law to apprehend and prosecute the persons set to be members of the group calling themselves Sinhala Ravaya who were involved in the attack on a beef stall at Tangalle in broad daylight in the presence of the police and the public.  This is not the first instance that serious crimes has been committed in the presence of the police and the public.

Incidents of this nature creates mistrust and loss of confidence in the law enforcement authorities of the state and will lead to a complete breakdown of the Rule of Law.

It is our view that individuals however powerful they may be cannot be permitted to take the law on to themselves and act in breach of Rule of Law.

We condemn the lethargy of the police and call upon you as the head of the police to take immediate action on this matter.

Priyantha Gamage

Convener

Standing Committee of the BASL on Rule of Law

Sri Lanka - Sun, Sea, Torture and Impunity

Allan Hogarth

Head of Policy and Government Affairs at Amnesty International UK

26/06/2013 

A heavily worked phrase used by the tourist industry is to describe a particular destination as a "country of contrast". Sri Lanka is surely such a country - at one level a popular tourist destination, which according to the advertising blurb offers travellers "such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences". In contrast it also detains its citizens without trial, restricts freedom of expression, arrests members of the judiciary, stands accused of committing war crimes and routinely tortures.

This contrast struck home with me this week on seeing a case highlighted by Amnesty International to mark the International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture on 26 June. The case was that of Thevan (not his real name) who recounts how he was tortured in a police cell in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Thevan's ordeal began when he was abducted by men driving a white van. He was blindfolded, beaten and tortured for days. When he could no longer stand he was eventually taken to hospital where doctors treated his injuries. A prolonged period of detention without charge, and further beating and humiliation followed. Eventually Thevan's family managed to bribe the right officials and secure his release - he promptly fled Sri Lanka and is now safe in another country.

Thevan was suspected of being a member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), itself a group that was no stranger to committing human rights abuses. The 26-year brutal armed conflict between the Sri Lankan Government forces and the LTTE ended in 2009, with tens of thousands killed in the final months. The human rights abuses that became entrenched over the period of the conflict continue to persist to this day.

In fact the situation in Sri Lanka is deteriorating. Journalists, lawyers, grassroots activists, even the judiciary - anyone who dares to criticise the authorities - can be picked up under arcane security laws and detained for years without access to the outside world. We have documented this Assault on Dissent.

It is in this climate of human rights abuses that Sri Lanka will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November. The biennial gathering will see the leaders of more than a quarter of the world's countries descend on Colombo to discuss a range of issues. To me it seems obvious that human rights must be top of the agenda and the opportunity must be used to press the Sri Lankan government to address its appalling record in this area.

We were disappointed that the UK Government was so quick to support CHOGM being held in Sri Lanka. We'd have liked to have seen them use the threat of re-locating the meeting to secure some significant progress on human rights from the Sri Lankan Government. However, they failed to do so, and they now need to use the meeting as an opportunity to secure such progress.

They must put pressure on Sri Lanka to end impunity for past abuses, use the September Session of the UN Human Rights Council to ensure human rights in Sri Lanka are scrutinized and they should support calls for an independent international investigation to be established into all allegations of war crimes.

Finally the UK Government must unequivocally condemn the escalating attacks on Sri Lankan human rights defenders and broader civil society, including the judiciary. Given the Sri Lankan Government's reputation for intimidation and harassment of civil society we are deeply concerned that this may escalate in the run up to, and during CHOGM.

The Sri Lankan Government will no doubt ensure that the advertising and public relations battle begins in earnest as they seek to portray the Island as an idyllic and tranquil paradise. They have a history here and have in the past employed public relations companies in an attempt to polish their tarnished image. We mustn't let CHOGM be used as a platform for the Government of Sri Lanka, there has to be progress on human rights.

VIDEO: THAMILINI WAS RELEASED TO CONTEST ELECTIONS UNDER THE SLFP - RAVI

June 27, 2013 

Thamilini was released because she is to contest the elections under the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake charged today (June 27).

Speaking at a press briefing held today in Colombo, the UNP MP stated that any criminal could cling onto the ‘Satakaya’ and save themselves.

He said that there were several views within the government regarding the 13^thamendment and that this had caused an internal split within the party while he demanded that the government announce their stand on the matter clearly before the elections in the Northwestern, Central and Northern provinces.

Karunanayake added that he had read a news story of the Pr