VIDEO: UNP WILL JOIN PSC WHEN GOVT DECLARES STANCE ON 13A - KIRIELLA

UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella gestures during a press conference in 
Colombo today (July 12). Pic by Osanda Daham Nimsara



The UNP today stated that a false fear has been created regarding police and land powers for Provincial Councils because the government has no other topic to talk about. 

The government is unable talk about the unemployment, cost of living and the economy of the country, therefore it needs to create a problem in order to go face the public, UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said. 

He stated that for awhile the government dragged on the Halal issue and since recently they have clung on to the 13th Amendment. Actually Halal and the 13th Amendment are not the main problems existing in the country today, he said. 

He stated that the problems the masses have to deal with are how they will live, how do they find employment for their children and how to eliminate the lawlessness in the country. “Those are the problems.”

Kiriella questioned why the government has not repealed the 13th Amendment yet, despite demands by the JHU and NFF, even though it has two-thirds majority. “If it’s so bad, why don’t they repeal it,” the UNP Parliamentarian inquired.

He claimed that the reason the 13th Amendment is not being repealed is because the government fears it will lose its two-thirds majority in Parliament.

He stated that some parties within the ruling alliance itself are against repealing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The government is asking the UNP to join the PSC while the government itself does not have a common stance.

Kiriella stated that if the government announces the alliance’s stance on the 13th Amendment tomorrow, the United National Party is willing to participate in the PSC. 

“In short, the government has no policy on power devolution,” he told reporters in Colombo today. He also stated that power devolution is important as the country cannot unite without it.
 

USPACOM positive about military-to-military relation with India, China

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 July 2013, 10:37 GMT]
In a press briefing before the US Department of Defence on Thursday, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, the current commander of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM), stated that the US was positive about a strategic military-to-military relation with India and China in the Asia-Pacific region. Responding to questions on India he opined that there was a positive trajectory of increased relations with the country, adding that "we also had an initiative to try determine how we can do more defence trade with each other, and how to remove barriers on both sides, bureaucratic barriers, that are keeping us from being able to do cooperative military procurement projects together." The Admiral also said that while the US did not have any plans to open new bases in the Asia-Pacific, they were looking for opportunities to help allies in their defence or to assist in case of disasters. 

Responding to a question on whether he saw the expanding Chinese military strength as a threat or an opportunity, he said that it was an opportunity "if this opportunity is not realized, as it would be with any growing military, it potentially could become a threat", adding that it would best to approach it as an opportunity.

He also said, noting possibilities of “miscalculations” in the future, that there was dialogue with the Chinese military as regards future situations when the Chinese navy gets larger.

Admiral Locklear however was evasive regarding the subject of US presence in Philippines, which is a point of consternation for China. 

Last month, Locklear was part of a team to India led by US Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss greater US-Indian co-operation.

The Politics Of Giving

By Arjuna Seneviratne -July 12, 2013 

Arjuna Seneviratne

In the previous post, I reflected on what giving should be. In this, I will reflect on what giving has become. Both I think should be read in tandem. Enjoy…*winks*

The conventional meanings assigned to the term aid are a) help, assist, or support (someone or something) in the achievement of something, b) assisting a person or persons overcome their own stated problems and minimize the their own stated  threats and c) support for acts on the part of a person or persons to overcome their own stated problems and minimize their own stated threats.The term does not imply the following: a) assistance in overcoming problems perceived to be so on the part of the Samaritan regardless of whether or not the person or persons being assisted think them to be so, b) assistance in overcoming problems real or imagined that are fashionable to address and c) assistance that provides the Samaritan with a return on his investment of time, resources and effort. These types of assistance can be rightly called disgusting,dangerous and dumb.

And yet, over the last 70 years or so, current global understanding of the word “aid” has systematically distanced itself from its natural meaning and become increasingly aligned with the disgusting, the dangerous and the dumb. In that process of transmogrification from a human good that is both just and natural into a human failing that is vicious and manipulative, there has evolved an interesting lexicon and phraseology that has both shocked and amused me by its semantic incongruity, its basic idiocy and its inherent indecency.

Here are a few:                                    Read More   

Sri Lankan diplunacy: Stray dogs, pricks, tigresses and CHOGM 2013

Sri Lankan diplunacy: Stray dogs, pricks, tigresses and CHOGM 2013

Groundviews- 12 Jul, 2013

Photo courtesy Transcurrents / by Tony Ashby, AFP

Bandula Jayasekara (@bundeljayse) is currently one of Sri Lanka’s highest-ranking diplomats, as Consul General in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia and former Consul General to Toronto, in Canada. His Twitter account has consistently featured bitter invective and all-manner of unsubstantiated allegations against civil society and human rights activists in Sri Lanka. Recently, a tirade of abusive tweets against British documentary maker Callum MacRae, calling his, inter alia, a paid LTTE mercenary, a chicken, anti-Sri Lankan and going on to unequivocally and unilaterally note “I will not allow him to come to Sri Lanka on any ground”.

Sri Lankan Diplunacy Stray Dogs, Pricks, Tigresses and CHOGM 2013 by nelvely

Government Set Policies For Another Rupee Crisis

By Hema Senanayake -July 12, 2013 

Hema Senanayake

The Exchange Control Department has issued a press release on June 12, 2013. The objective of the press release was to relax foreign exchange regulations. The press release justified the relaxation of regulations and says “During the past few years, Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic fundamentals have improved and the domestic financial sector has become stronger and more resilient.” This was the learned conclusion of the Exchange Control Department (ECD).

Within one week of the said press release, it has been proved that the “learned observation” of the ECD was grossly wrong. Within days after the press release the rupee depreciated quickly; the selling rate of U.S. dollar hit Rs. 130 on some days. However, exporters wanted to take the advantage quickly and they began to exchange part of their dollars to rupees which helped to stabilize the rupee a few days later.

However the rupee will never gain the value it had on the day of the said press release of ECD. Why? Forget about the appreciation of rupee, even significant depreciation cannot be stopped, at least, due to two reasons if the government fails to borrow in USD.                                Read More

TNA and Ranil on the right side of argument, wrong side of history

2013-07-12 

"Until the lion has a historian of his own, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter."
– African Proverb

Speaking at a Vipakshaye Virodaya press conference in Colombo on Sunday, 7 June 2013, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran asserted the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to look into any changes to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution is not a Parliamentary Select Committee at all, but actually a 'President's Select Committee.' He stated the idea for a PSC to find a solution to the national issue was formulated in September 2011 during bilateral discussions between the TNA and the government and that it was pushed 'in-between' talks.

TNA and Ranil on the Right Side of Argument, Wrong Side of History by nelvely

Thus Spoke The Hypocrite

By Hameed Abdul Karim -July 12, 2013 

Hameed Abdul Karim

When Barack Obama visited Africa the people there did not give him the kind of welcome you would expect when a village kid who has made it good in the big city comes a calling. Probably that was what the first black US president had expected, but he was to be disappointed.

Nelson Mandela’s family did not see it fit to allow him a hospital visit as the anti-apartheid icon battled for his life. Before his departure Obama had said he was hoping to see his ‘inspiration’ Nelson Mandela.  So the spin was that he did not want to visit the great man because he did not want to disturb his ‘peace and comfort’.

When Obama became the first black president of the U.S, Nelson Mandela, in the first flush of victory, congratulated him with these words. ‘“We wish you strength and fortitude in the challenging days and years that lie ahead. We are sure you will ultimately achieve your dream of making the United States of America a full partner in a community of nations committed to peace and prosperity for all”.  It didn’t take long for Obama to disappoint Mandela. After the congratulatory note which contained the message for peace and prosperity for all, there was hardly a word on Obama by Mandela. Perhaps the pithy message from the leading U.S. critic Noam Chomsky stating there will be no change in the U.S. or in its foreign policies with Obama’s entry into the White House because the president is and always will be a prisoner of Wall Street and the gigantic U.S. military machine. This testimonial from a man who knows his onions would have put paid to Mandela’s hopes.

Read More

VIDEO: IUSF CONVENER FURTHER REMANDED

July 12, 2013 

The Convenor of the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) Sanjeewa Bandara, who was arrested for disregarding police orders and organizing a demonstration, was further remanded until July 15 by the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court.

When the case was taken up today, Mirihana Police informed court that Sanjeewa Bandara is not a university student and that this has been confirmed by the Vice Chancellors of the Ruhunu and Sri Jayawardenapura universities.

Therefore he has no right to illegally organize a protest march with the participation of students from those respective universities, police said. 

 Bandara was arrested on July 08 for organizing a protest on June 26 while ignoring orders issued by the police.

Police most corrupt institution in Sri Lanka

Police most corrupt institution in Sri Lanka

Daily Mirror cartoon: How police become corrupt-Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) released by Transparency International on 9 July, contains findings suggesting that corruption is still perceived as a problem in Sri Lanka, with some 64% of Sri Lankan respondents claiming corruption was on the increase in the country in the past two years, while only 18% thought it has decreased.

For the second time running within three years, the general public in Sri Lanka rated Police as the most corrupt institution in the country. When taken as a whole, in South Asia, political parties have been perceived as the most corrupt institution.

According to the GCB report, more than 72% of the people surveyed in Sri Lanka believe ordinary people can make a difference in the fight against corruption. Over 78% showed their willingness to ask the government to do more to combat corruption.

When asked for their views on the effectiveness of the current government in the fight against corruption, 47% of them have said the government is inefficient in combating corruption.

Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer (the Barometer) is the world's largest public opinion survey to collect the general public's views on, and experiences of corruption. The Barometer explores the general public's views about corruption levels in their country and their government's efforts to fight corruption.

The Global Corruption Barometer 2013 is a survey of 114,000 people in 107 countries, and it shows corruption is widespread. Between September 2012 and February 2013, more than 6,000 people were interviewed from six different countries in South Asia on their views of corruption levels in their countries and their governments' efforts to fight corruption.

More than one person in two thinks corruption has worsened in the last two years, according to the GCB, but survey participants also firmly believe they can make a difference and have the will to take action against graft.

"Bribe paying levels remain very high worldwide, but people believe they have the power to stop corruption and the number of those willing to combat the abuse of power, secret dealings and bribery is significant," the Chair of Transparency International, Huguette Labelle, said. The Global Corruption Barometer 2013 also found that, in too many countries, the institutions people rely on to fight corruption and other crimes are themselves not to be trusted. Thirty-six countries view police as the most corrupt, and in those countries, an average of 53% of people had been asked to pay a bribe to the police. Twenty countries view the judiciary as the most corrupt, and in those countries an average of 30% of the people who had come in contact with judicial systems had been asked to pay a bribe.

"Governments need to take this cry against corruption from their citizenry seriously, and respond with concrete action to elevate transparency and accountability," Labelle said, adding, "Strong leadership is needed from the G20 governments in particular. In the 17 countries surveyed in the G20, 59% of respondents said their governments are not doing a good job at fighting corruption."

Politicians themselves have much to do to regain trust. The Global Corruption Barometer 2013 shows a crisis of trust in politics and real concern about the capacity of those institutions responsible for bringing criminals to justice. In 51 countries around the world, political parties are seen as the most corrupt institution. Fifty five per cent of respondents think their government is run by special interests.

Selective Treatment And Women’s Issues: I Wish To Lodge A Strong A Protest

By Rosy Senanayake -July 12, 2013 |

Rosy Senanayake

Today (11/07/2013) I sought to present the Bill which appeared as item 4 in today’s Order Paper, at which point the Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena raised an objection that the Attorney-General’s views had not been obtained. Consequently the matter was put off pending a ruling by Mr. Speaker.

In this connection, I wish to draw your attention to Standing Order 47 which sets out the procedure for presenting Private Members’ Bills.

You will note that there is not one word about obtaining the views of the Attorney-General.

Reference should also be made to Article 77 of the Constitution.

There again the duty is cast on the Attorney-General – not on the Member seeking leave to present a Bill.

It is for this reason that Standing Order requires the Bill be referred without discussion to the relevant Minister. Casting the obligation on the Minister to refer it to the Attorney-General.

Read More

Kremlin Turns Back To Typewriters To Avoid Security Leaks

Agence France Presse  |  ByPosted: 07/11/2013 

A Russian state service in charge of safeguarding Kremlin communications is looking to purchase an array of old-fashioned typewriters to prevent leaks from computer hardware, sources said Thursday.

The throwback to the paper-strewn days of Soviet bureaucracy has reportedly been prompted by the publication of secret documents by anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks and the revelations leaked by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

The Federal Guard Service, which is also in charge of protecting President Vladimir Putin, is looking to spend just over 486,000 rubles ($14,800) to buy a number of electric typewriters, according to the site of state procurement agency, zakupki.gov.ru.

"This purchase has been planned for more than a year now," a source at the service, known by its Russian acronym FSO, told AFP on Thursday.

The notice on the site was posted last week. A spokeswoman for the service declined comment.

Pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia said the state service was looking to purchase 20 typerwriters because using computers to prepare top-secret documents may no longer be safe.

"After scandals with the distribution of secret documents by WikiLeaks, the exposes by Edward Snowden, reports about Dmitry Medvedev being listened in on during his visit to the G20 summit in London, it has been decided to expand the practice of creating paper documents," the newspaper quoted a FSO source as saying.

Unlike printers, every typewriter has its own individual pattern of type so it is possible to link every document to a machine used to type it, Izvestia said.

Documents leaked by Snowden appeared to show that Britain spied on foreign delegates including then president Dmitry Medvedev at the 2009 London G20 meetings, said British newspaper The Guardian last month.

Russia was outraged by the revelations but said it had the means to protect itself.

Snowden has been stuck in legal limbo at the transit zone of a Moscow airport for a third week after arriving from Hong Kong on June 23.

Retired HC Judge Warawewa on 

UNP ticket

FRIDAY, 12 JULY 2013 

Former High Court Judge P.B. Warawewa is expected to contest the Central Provincial Council Elections on the United National Party (UNP) ticket from the Kandy District.

When asked from the former judge he affirmed his candidature from the UNP. Ex-judge Warawewa shot to fame following the dissenting judgement delivered by him in the ‘white flag case’ against former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.(J.A.L. Jayasinghe)

Yatiyanthota PS Chairman arrested 

for bribery

FRIDAY, 12 JULY 2013 

The Yatiyanthota Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Wasantha Kumara had been taken into custody today for allegedly soliciting a bribe of Rs.15,000 from a person to obtain a license to start a poultry farm in the area.

At a school event today he had reportedly made a speech stressing on the repercussion of taking bribes. It had happened a little while before he was arrested.

Director Investigations of the Bribery Commission SP Somaweera Lokuge said that a complaint had been lodged by the businessman.

Based on the information, a team of officials were placed at the scene where the transaction took place.

It is alleged that the PS Chairman had been delaying the license required to operate a poultry farm and then he demanded a pay-off to release the license. (Supun Dias)

Biggest Tamil event FeTNA opens in Toronto, 

lends colour and charm to city - See more at: 

Big Story / Life | By newsadmin-Sat, Jul 6th, 2013

TORONTO: Tamils from Canada, the US and elsewhere joined in Toronto on Friday in celebrating the 26th annual convention of the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA).

Attired in their colourful traditional dress, men, women

and children streamed into the Sony Centre of the Performing Arts and Novotel Hotel to mingle with one another, enjoy stage performances and participate in business seminars, exhibitions and networking sessions.

The three-day festivities began with the traditional Mangala Isai, the lighting of the lamp and the singing of Thamizh Thaai Vaazhthu at the packed Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. 

Biggest Tamil event FeTNA opens in Toronto, by nelvely

White paper cranks up Japan-China tensions

By Michele Penna Jul 12, 2013 

Already tense relations between Japan and China took a turn for the worse this month. On July 9, Japan published its 2013 defence white paper, painting a grim picture of its relationship with Beijing.

White Paper Cranks Up Japan-China Tensions by nelvely

Who or what could be blamed for the PRESIDENT’S ATTITUDE?

WEDNESDAY, 10 JULY 2013

The long awaited Provincial Council elections….

Finally the President agreed to have provincial council elections, without any changes to the constitution. However, it is clear to everybody including Indian rulers that Mahinda did not try to honour his promises to India. He showed, at least to those who are serious that he is not prepared to solve the national problem in the country. He wanted to avoid giving effect to 13A. Blame for this attitude cannot be imputed to the JHU and Weerawansa’s Party.
Some people believe what changed Mahinda after the war could have been, due to one reason and that one reason alone: Gotabhaya’s rejection of the entire Provincial Council system itself. They argue, though US and India could have been important to Mahinda over and above the JHU and JVP as revealed, no one can be more important to Mahinda than Gotabhaya, not just because he is his brother, but more so because he won the war for Mahinda to enable him to remain as President after the war. I do not believe in such superficial conclusions.

Who or what could be blamed for the PRESIDENT’S ATTITUDE by nelvely

Parliamentarians banned while military stages programmes in schools in North

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 July 2013, 23:55 GMT]
A circular sent to schools in the Northern Province of the country of Eezham Tamils at the orders of the occupying governor of the Sinhala State, Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasri aimed at banning Tamil parliamentarians participating any school programmes in the province. The circular dated 20 June and signed by Education, Culture and Sports Secretary, S. Sathiaseelan, functioning under the Sinhala governor, said that without prior permission from the SL governor, no function could take place in the schools in which parliamentarians participate. The target is the TNA-MPs, public circles said. Meanwhile, schools in Vanni, especially the Ki’linochchi High School, have become permanent programme centres for the occupying Sinhala military, said TNA-MP Mr Sritharan. 

@@tpl:right:1@@The SL military treats the Vanni schools as though it has taken them for lease, said the TNA parliamentarian, citing the kind of ‘exhibitions’ and carnivals run by the occupying military in the schools affecting the studies of Tamil children.

While Tamil parliamentarians attending Tamil schools is considered a threat, the habit of Sinhala military personnel occupying Vanni publicly taking bath in their underwear in the school wells, embarrassing girl students, is not an issue to the SL governor, the TNA-MP further said, citing such practices taking place at the Ki’linochchi Mahaa Viththiyaalayam.

The Chandrasri Circular sent to Northern schools threatened the school principals that stern action would be taken against them if their schools were found to be the venue for any unpermitted meetings or discussions participated by politicians. 

The circular sent through the circuit education officers to the school principals in the North, insisted that the circuit education officers should get acknowledgements from the principals within 3 days.

The genocidal Sinhala military in Sri Lanka is groomed as a model for the new world order, especially by India and the USA. They may ditch anyone but not this military. The success of their entire operations of the last few years lies in making Tamils to accept this military as part of ‘normal’ life. There is no point in targeting this lascarin military if the Tamil polity is not prepared to wage a non-cooperation struggle directly against the real masters, commented Tamil circles for alternative politics in Vanni.

MasterCard breaks ranks in WikiLeaks blockade

Wednesday July 3, 17:00 UTC

MasterCard has broken ranks in the US-linked banking blockade against WikiLeaks.

For almost three years, US financial giants VISA, MasterCard, PayPal, the Bank of America and Western Union have been engaged in an unlawful banking blockade against WikiLeaks. The blockade started in December 2010 in response to the start of WikiLeaks’ publication of US diplomatic cables.

Now, one of the financial companies involved in the blockade, MasterCard International, has backed down and reversed its position. WikiLeaks was notified of MasterCard International’s change in position by VALITOR, the Icelandic partner for VISA and MasterCard.

On April 24, 2013 WikiLeaks and DataCell won a lawsuit, which had been running for two years, against VALITOR for breach of contract and blockading WikiLeaks’ donations at the behest of VISA and MasterCard. The Icelandic Supreme Court ordered VALITOR to recommence processing donations to WikiLeaks.

VALITOR complied and reopened its payment gateway, but gave formal legal notice that it would terminate its contract and reclose the gateway on July 1, 2013, citing a unilateral termination clause in the contract.

VALITOR has now fully reversed its position and announces it will honor the contract with DataCell and process payments to WikiLeaks.

In a letter from VALITOR´s lawyers, VALITOR relates how it sought the opinions of MasterCard International and VISA on the proposed July 1 cut-off. In its response MasterCard made clear to VALITOR that it no longer desires to blockade WikiLeaks. VISA has not responded.

Donations by credit cards to WikiLeaks through https://paygate.datacell.com are therefore fully re-instated as of Monday, July 1, 2013.

Other financial companies have not yet retracted their illegal blockade on WikiLeaks, including PayPal, Western Union and Bank of America.

The Supreme Court decision in Iceland was in favour of WikiLeaks and DataCell, but it did not include damages – deemed a separate issue under Icelandic law. A court claim for compensation is currently being prepared. Damages are estimated at 9 billion Icelandic Kronas (55.9m EUR or 72.7m USD).

To donate to WikiLeaks by bank transfer or using other methods, please see: https://shop.wikileaks.org/donate

For further information see:

http://wikileaks.org/FOR-THE-NEXT-4...

http://wikileaks.org/WikiLeaks-decl...

http://wikileaks.org/European-Commi...

http://wikileaks.org/WikiLeaks-dona...

http://wikileaks.org/European-Parli...

http://wikileaks.org/Press-Release-...

http://wikileaks.org/Wikileaks-has-...

Uthayan journalist attacked in the run up to NPC polls

Details

 

Created On Thursday, 11 July 2013 06:31

Category: General

A journalist attached to the Uthayan newspaper based in Jaffna was attacked last night. The journalist, Kunalan Dileep was working on a report for the newspaper on the Northern Provincial Council elections when he was attacked.

He was heading home after work on his motorbike when he was attacked by a group of men who had approached him in a three-wheeler.
The attackers had assaulted him near the Jaffna Mahajana College and then fled the scene.
He was taken to hospital with injuries sustained mostly to his arm and legs which were not serious in nature.
A complaint was lodged with the police over the attack.

Uthayan Jaffna journalist attacked

July 11, 2013

A journalist attached to the Uthayan newspaper based in Jaffna was attacked last night while he was heading home after work.

The journalist, Kunalan Dileep, was heading home on his motorbike when he was attacked by a group of men who approached him in a three-wheeler.

The attackers had assaulted him near the Jaffna Mahajana College and then fled the scene.

He was taken to hospital with injuries sustained mostly to his arm and legs which were not serious in nature.

The newspaper said that the attack came just days before he was to publish an article on the northern elections.

A complaint was lodged with the police over the attack. (Colombo Gazette)