Monday, October 28, 2013

Sri Lanka opens $292 million Chinese-funded airport highway

Sun Oct 27, 2013

(Reuters) - Sri Lanka opened a $292 million Chinese-funded airport highway on Sunday, amid Indian concern about Chinese influence as the island nation rebuilds after a nearly three-decade war.

Sri Lanka has invested heavily in infrastructure since the war ended in 2009 with defeat for separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

The new 25.6 km (16 mile) airport highway was built with a loan of $248.2 million from Exim Bank of China, with China Metallurgical Group Corporation as the contractor CNMET.UL.

China provided weapons to Sri Lanka in the final phase of the civil war and President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government has awarded more than $4 billion worth of infrastructure projects to China, mainly with Chinese loans.

India, Sri Lanka's giant neighbor, shared intelligence with Colombo late in the war, but has also asked Rajapaksa to seek a political solution to the conflict's root causes.

Rajapaksa's government has come under heavy pressure from the West and human rights groups for alleged war crimes.

The Sri Lankan president, responding to Indian concerns over Chinese commercial deals, has said the relationship with China is more commercial than political in nature.

Sri Lanka has planned over $6 billion worth of projects, including airports and sea ports, highways,coal and hydro power plants and railways, mainly to be funded by Chinese loans.

(Reporting by Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

The Renewal Of The Opposition & The Role Of The Intelligentsia

By Dayan Jayatilleka -October 28, 2013

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

Mental habits, however damaging, die hard. Having spent many years erroneously attempting to achieve peace by placating Prabhakaran rather than prevailing over him, the UNP has been repeating the error of searching for a solution while retaining the problem: that party is seeking to overcome its chronic crisis by equivocation and placation of Ranil Wickremesinghe, rather than by decisively rejecting him. This is not the profile of a party that the electorate would consider fit to rule a country facing an existential threat from the fanatical Tamil Eelamist movement in neighbouring Tamil Nadu and the Tamil Diaspora.

The pro-Opposition ideologues and commentators who criticise me for attacking Ranil Wickremesinghe’s UNP more than I do the Rajapaksas or State, should ask themselves why there is very little criticism of the Tsar and his family in the 45 volumes of Lenin’s writings, despite the execution of Lenin’s beloved older brother by the Tsarist autocracy! Much of those writings are taken up with polemics against various trends and sub-trends in the anti-Tsarist, i.e. Oppositional space. In Lankan politics today, the ‘key link’ (which Lenin and Mao said must be grasped) or the ‘game changer’ (as Barack Obama would have it), is terminating the citizens’ lack of a viable democratic option; ending the absence of competition in the political system and the near-monopoly enjoyed by the regime due to the endemic crisis of the Opposition which in turn is reducible to a crisis of leadership.

Reading Padraig Colman’s critical commentary (‘Gramsci, Dayan and New Labour’, Ceylon Today, Thursday, Oct 24^th 2013, p 13) was a delight for its intelligence, style and sly wit (as a recipient of a gift from my wife of the collected Blackadder DVDs, I loved the Baldrick reference). It was also a sharp contrast to the critiques that usually come my way. A sheer sense of disgust and a sense that ‘time is tight’ (as Booker T and the MGs insisted) has prevented me from responding, for instance, to the rancorous, rancid racism of Prof GH Peiris and HLD Mahindapala, who are attempting to mount a rearguard action having recovered from the shock of the reactivation of the Northern Provincial Council which they polemicized against fanatically, secure in their conviction that they had a strongman on their side who would put a stop to all this nonsense of devolution. Read More

Mihin Lanka loses over Rs. 900 million in 2011

Monday, 28 October 2013

The pet project of the President’s financial coordinator, MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena, Mihin Lanka has incurred a loss of over Rs. 900 million in 2011.

The annual report of Mihin Lanka has stated that Sajin’s ‘budget’ airline has incurred a loss of Rs. 940 million in 2011.

Since its inception, Mihin Lanka has failed to launch as a successful budget airline and has been recording losses that are continuing to increase.

The airline has become a white elephant that is draining public monies from the state coffers.

It has been revealed that the losses incurred by the airline between 2007 and 2010 is Rs. 1373,50,00,000.

The Auditor General has also reported that the airline is in debt to the tune of Rs.500,000,000 to the airport and aviation services company and Rs.381,070,000 to a bank.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has reported that the remuneration of it directors was increased from Rs.5.4 million to Rs.11.2 million.

The already cash strapped Treasury has had to bail out Mihin Lanka with millions of public monies.

Many Sri Lankans in danger if sent back, lawyers warn

Ninesh Sivansammaddi fled Sri Lanka after witnessing police shoot six villagers. Photo: Justin McManus

Nick Toscano-October 28, 2013

Hundreds of Sri Lankan asylum seekers are being sent home to face persecution because Australian authorities are rushing through refusals of their protection claims, human rights lawyers say.

Research conducted in Sri Lanka by Melbourne's Human Rights Law Centre has found immigration authorities are grossly underestimating the country's ongoing danger.

Despite the end of a three-decade civil war, centre research director Emily Howie said human rights concerns included increasing erosion of the rule of law, reprisals against dissent and one of the highest numbers of ''disappearances'' in the world - about two a month - second only to Iran.

Almost 80 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who arrived by boat on October 11 were flown home last week, bringing the number of people returned to Sri Lanka to nearly 1400 since mid-2012.

A young Tamil asylum seeker living in Braybrook, in Melbourne's west, says he fled Sri Lanka after witnessing police shoot six villagers, killing two. He fears he will be killed if deported.

Ninesh Sivansammaddi said he hid at a relative's house while police hunted him. The 21-year-old said he boarded a boat bound for Australia when police officers threatened and bashed his father to find his whereabouts.

Mr Sivansammaddi felt he was unable to tell immigration authorities his full story after being ordered to keep his answers short during his first interview in Perth, and his claim was rejected.

Although he was permitted to challenge the ruling, the Refugee Review Tribunal rejected the appeal, partly because he came to rely on facts he had failed to mention during the first interview.

''They don't believe me … they don't believe me about my dad or that the police are chasing me still,'' he said. ''I am too scared to live in my country. They will definitely kill me. And they will be even more angry I came to Australia.''

In a move that will further speed deportations, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has ordered ''enhanced screening'' of Sri Lankan boat arrivals that would allow for rejection after a single interview without legal advice.

Under Labor, a similar screen-out policy applied to Sri Lankans, but it was not enforced on those arriving in Australia from third countries.

''Australia is able to determine fairly quickly whether there is a genuine protection obligation … and the matter is finalised and the action is taken and then people were removed as appropriate, and that's how it works,'' Mr Morrison said.

''People should understand if you come to Australia on a boat, particularly if you come from some place like Sri Lanka, then you will face that.''

Ms Howie has slammed the use of the screen-out policy, saying there was ''no room for short cuts'' in processing the life-and-death decisions of Sri Lankans' asylum claims.

''The government has said it will endeavour to turn people around within 48 hours, and that's really worrying when we're talking about a country like Sri Lanka that has ongoing persecution,'' she said.

''People might be at risk when returned, so we need to provide them every opportunity to have their cases heard and to be heard properly.''

23rd Anniversary Of Northern Muslim Exodus In Sri Lanka

by Rifai

( October 28, 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lankan Muslims of Northern Province still vividly remember those dark days in their life. It was at the end of October 1990 that Muslims of Northern provinces were abruptly asked to leave their own homes and properties within the time limits of few hours. They were also asked not to take any valuable items with them. They were not allowed to take even their hard earned money or jewelleries. They were not allowed to sell their properties and belongings to anyone. They were asked to leave their native villages empty handed. They were forced to evacuate their native place of birth with cloths that they were wearing. This happened in this so called modern civilised world.

23rd Anniversary of Northern Muslim Exodus in Sri Lanka by nelvely

Nuns protest rape and murder of woman in Jaffna

By Our Jaffna Correspondent-Monday, 28 Oct 2013

Catholic nuns in Jaffna on Thursday (24) protested the increasing violence against women and called for justice over the mysterious death of a 42-year-old woman, in Jaffna.

The deceased, has been identified as M.Logarani, from Nedunkulam, Ariyalai. Her decomposed body was found near the temple chariot shed at Naachimar Amma Kovil, on the KKS road, Jaffna.

The preliminary inquiry into the death has revealed that the woman had been sexually abused before she was brutally murdered.

Women's groups led by Catholic nuns and the relatives of the deceased staged a protest on the A-9 road in Jaffna demanding justice over the brutal murder of the victim.

The protestors carried placards saying 'stop violence against women' and urged investigations on the murder be expedited in order to bring the offenders to book.

The women's groups in Jaffna also said violence against women was currently on the increase in the Peninsula.

A recent survey conducted in the North has also highlighted that the women affected by the war in large numbers have been forced to engage in prostitution due to no proper social security or livelihood assistance.

Meanwhile, several schools in Jaffna have also conducted awareness programmes to alert the students against sexual violence and other forms of anti social activities.

The newly formed Northern Provincial Council has also given priority to the welfare of the war victims and the women and children who have become destitute.

Sri Lanka Navy accused of firing at Tamil Nadu fishermen

Mon, Oct 28, 2013, 12:27 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Oct 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka Navy is accused of firing at a group of Indian fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Saturday according to a report in The Hindu.
The fishermen who have returned to the shore unharmed have told the reporters that the Navy had fired 20 rounds when they were fishing on the high seas near Aathuvai in the Sethu Canal. At least six of those bullets have hit their boat, the fishermen have said.

According to the fishermen, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel have come in a speed boat and opened fire without a warning when they were fishing near the Sethu canal off Danushkodi in the Saturday afternoon.

"The Navy did not issue any warning by opening fire in the air and straightaway fired at the boats," a fisherman has said.

They have told The Hindu that the Sri Lankan Navy had fired at least six rounds at their boat and all the six fishermen in the boat lied down in the boat for safety and were hiding for about 45 minutes.
The fishermen have snapped their nets and returned to safety and once the Navy left area after about two hours the fishermen have gone back and collected the nets.

On their return to the shore, various security agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau, Q branch, Special branch and Marine police have inquired the fishermen and obtained statements.
However, they have not found any spent bullets in the boat that was allegedly fired upon.

The fishermen have accused the Central Indian government of ignoring their problems and urged the Central and State governments to take up the issue with the Sri Lankan government and protect the livelihood of the fishermen.

Gota fails to pay security forces suppliers

Monday, 28 October 2013

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has failed to make payments to the suppliers who provide goods and services to the security forces for several months.

The three armed forces have failed to pay its suppliers, resulting in the heads of the forces receiving letters from suppliers.
The suppliers have informed the heads of the security forces that they have bills amounting to billions of rupees that are yet to be paid.

They have also warned that they would be unable to continue supplying goods and services to the security forces if their payments are not made.

It is learnt that the Army has failed to make payments to their suppliers for one year while the Navy has failed to pay for nine months and the Air Force for eight months.

One of the suppliers has to receive a payment of over Rs. 150 million for supplies provided for 10 months, it is reported.
Due to the prevailing situation, suppliers have been unable to make payments to their employees as well.

Big Brother is watching you

October 27, 2013,

An irate German Chancellor Angela Merkel telephoned US President Barack Obama the other day to register her protest against the National Security Agency (NSA) having tapped her personal phone for years. The White House has gone on the defensive following the revelation in a classified document disclosed by former NSA operative turned whistleblower Edward Snowden that the US has monitored telephone conversations of 35 world leaders. The reaction of most of others is not yet known. They, too, are likely to take it up with President Obama.

Those who have read Dan Brown’s unputadownable novel, Digital Fortress, may have dismissed its storyline as a figment of authorial imagination. But, thanks to Snowden, we now know Brown has got very close to the truth which is oftentimes stranger than fiction. The book tells us about a secret NSA surveillance project and one of its employees, Ensei Tankado, who is hunted down and assassinated for turning against the institution in protest against its intrusion into people’s private lives.

Likewise, what George Orwell wrote, in his dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty Four, way back in 1940s, has come to pass. ‘Big Brother is watching you’ with the NSA playing the role of the Thought Police, in a manner of speaking. The aforesaid leaders are in the same predicament as Winston Smith, who is placed under surveillance by Big Brother’s spies.

Merkel has accused the US of ‘a breach of trust’: "We need to have trust in our allies and partners, and this must now be established once again. I repeat that spying among friends is not at all acceptable against anyone, and that goes for every citizen in Germany." Her sense of being betrayed is understandable, but she is being naïve when she insists that there be trust among ‘allies and partners’. Trust is something conspicuous by its absence in international politics. If it is there, then why, on earth, should the world powers stockpile nukes and have them aimed at one another? With allies like these, as someone has said, who needs enemies?

If this is the way the US treats its ‘allies and partners’ who gang up against the rest of the world to advance the agenda of the capitalist bloc, the question is what it wouldn’t do to others when it feels its interests are threatened. The eavesdropping scandal is sure to lend spurs to the critics of the US, who accuse Washington of far worse conspiracies against America’s enemies, both perceived and real. It may be recalled that BBC quoted Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who fought an unsuccessful bout with cancer, as having said in December 2011 that he thought the US might have used a secret weapon to ‘give’ Latin American leaders cancer ‘as the number of them with the disease is difficult to explain using the laws of probabilities’. He told his army in a recorded speech: "Would it be strange if they had developed the technology to induce cancer and nobody knew about it?" He sought to bolster his argument by pointing out that Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff had been treated for lymphoma; her predecessor, Lula da Silva had suffered throat cancer and Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo was also battling lymphoma.

In the early 1980s, Apple used a revolutionary advertisement to gain a turbo boost to beat its rivals including Microsoft. Dubbed the 1984 ad, it features a woman smashing a giant two-way telescreen with a sledgehammer exactly when Big Brother, having harangued a captive audience declares, "We shall prevail!" It looks as if the time had come for Merkel and others who have taken umbrage at their phones being tapped by the US, to do something similar or take it lying down while saying obsequiously: "Hail thee, Big Brother!"

The Legacy Of Lakshman Wickremesinghe, Thirty Years After

By Rajiva Wijesinha -October 28, 2013 |

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

Late Bishop of Kurunegala, Revd. Lakshman Wickremesinghe

Lakshman Wickremesinghe, Bishop of Kurunagala from 1962 to 1983, died 30 years ago, on October 23^rd. He was undoubtedly the most impressive Anglican Bishop Sri Lanka has produced, and with every year that passes his stature seems to grow.

Much has been written about him recently, most notably in Rajan Hoole’s detailed assessment of what happened in July 1983. Hoole shows how those events contributed to his premature death for, though he had a heart condition and had been advised to take things slow, he threw himself into trying to assuage the hurt felt by Tamils who had suffered in the state sponsored attacked on them.

Late Bishop of Kurunegala, Revd. Lakshman Wickremesinghe

By Rev. S.J. Emmanuel -October 23, 2013

Rev. Dr S.J. Emmanuel

In Memory Of Late Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe

Thirty years ago on the 23^rd of October 1983, Sri Lanka lost one of the ablest Sinhala Christian Leader – Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe,- a loss not only for his church but also for the whole country. I am informed that after the massacre of 1983 Black July, the bishop was very heart-broken at the tragedy that overtook the people of this country and the unwillingness of the rulers to be ashamed and guilty on behalf of the majority people and their rulers. Now after a prolonged war and destruction, when some attempts are being made for reconciliation among the various ethnic and religious communities of the island, it is right and fitting that we recall to mind the exemplary leadership given by the late Bishop to his people. Though he was bishop only of a diocese and that too only for about two decades, he reached out to all ethnic communities and religions and their leaders with a sincere love for a peaceful country.

1. Government’s Efforts counterproductive for Reconciliation?

( October 28, 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The recent statement coming from the Sri Lankan army commander made in the Tamil Vanni area that if “anyone becomes extremists or tries to divide the country, it is not the country that will be divided but their heads that will be severed from their bodies” is a reflection of many things. While being a bombshell it is also a confession of sorts by a war criminal.

This is a threat held out with impunity not only against a section of elected representatives returned with overwhelming support by the Tamil people despite the numerous threats held out against them, but also a threat to the freedom of conscience guaranteed by the Sri Lankan Constitution for whatever its provisions are worth in so far as a true democracy is concerned, not to mention the freedom of speech, a freedom that is fast becoming a thing of the past in Sri Lanka, a luxury.

Perhaps this threat is a slight aberration of the explanation given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the recent interview with the Al Jazeera television where he said in references to the remarks on Navi Pillay by his ministers, that being a democratic country his ministers could say anything including officers. He also said: “We allow them to do that.”—as if as a matter of deliberate policy. Accordingly, the army commander is an officer of the State and apparently he could make such statements.

The army commander was also giving lesson in democracy to the Head of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) who also happens to be a former judge of the Supreme Court, of no mean repute during the days when the justice system still had some credibility.

Imagine the Head of the NPC telling the people of the north what a good thing reconciliation is, when a sword is being held over his own head to be beheaded at any moment. It confirms our view, that in reality even the remote possibilities of reconciliation are a very distant prospect.

The army commander was apparently concerned about those “Tamil extremists” exceeding the tenets of democracy within a democratic framework trying to divide the country but did not see any danger from the extremists that were trying to bring about ethnic and religious divisions and cleavages within the Sri Lankan society.

Having massacred more than at least forty thousand innocent non combatant Tamil civilians, severing the heads of the Tamils from their bodies is nothing novel to a war criminal but a child’s play coming from a barbaric army in every sense of the term. It would be recalled that during the war against the Tamil militants, sections of the Sri Lankan army were being trained by the Israelis, and just before the training programme had commenced the Israeli commander responsible for the training had warned his officers that he was to be engaged in the training of some barbarians. This was to be later confirmed by the behavior of the army personnel in Haiti sent there on a UN assignment with accusations of rape still under investigation.

We wonder whether the army commander was trying to tell the Tamil speaking people that with the NPC they have been endowed with the democracy that they could ever hope for. We would like to remind him that little learning could be a dangerous thing. If an army commander could silence a distinct nation with these kinds of cheap threats then he has something coming.

If the elected officers of the Council, which we believe is an eyewash, could be intimidated in such manner we shudder to imagine the fear in which the ordinary citizens living in the Tamil speaking areas would be subjected to. The statement by the army commander amounts to an admission of the atrocities and the massacres inflicted on the tens of thousands of the civilian population during the height of the war between January and May 2009.

( The writer is the editor of the Eelam Nation, an online journal)

Five killed and more than 80 injured in blasts at political rally at Patna in India

An investigation has been launched after up to six devices exploded close to the park in the city of Patna

At least five people have been killed and dozens more injured after a series of low-intensity blasts were detonated at the site of a political rally shortly before India’s most controversial politician was due to speak.

An investigation has been launched after up to six devices exploded close to the park in the city of Patna where opposition politician Narendra Modi was to give to deliver a major election campaign address. Another small blast was set off earlier at a lavatory in the city’s train station.

Television footage showed plumes of white smoke hanging in the air while elsewhere people ran in panic to escape the scene. Mr Modi, who addressed the crowd without mentioning the blasts, later said on social media: “Blasts in Patna are deeply saddening and unfortunate. Condolences with families of deceased and prayers with injured. I appeal for peace and calm.”

The blasts took place as Mr Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime candidate for prime minister, was holding his first rally in the Indian state of Bihar since become the BJP’s official choice. The state, which contains 40 parliamentary seats, has become increasingly important as Mr Modi seeks to dislodge the ruling Congress party. Mr Modi appeared to have attracted large crowds.

Prakash Javedakar, a BJP spokesman and member of parliament, told The Independent, he believed the blasts were definitely linked to Mr Modi’s appearance, though he declined to speculate who may have set off the explosions. “It was a targeted attack,” he said.
The Press Trust of India reported that had least 66 people had been injured in the blasts. A bomb disposal expert were also said to have been injured while dismantling another device discovered at the railway station.

India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, condemned the blasts and appealed for calm. He spoke to the chief minister of the state of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, and asked him to ensure a rapid investigation.

“The Prime Minister has condemned the blasts in Patna and called for urgent steps to identify and take action against those responsible,” said a statement issued by Mr Singh’s office.

RPN Singh, a minister in the home ministry, told reporters that intelligence officials were assisting the investigation. It was reported that one suspect had been detained by police. “I can’t say whether it was a terror attack or political conspiracy. Only after the investigation, we will be able to tell anything,” he said.

The blasts at the rally came as Mr Modi’s main rival, Rahul Gandhi, was addressing an election rally in Delhi. While Mr Gandhi has not been named as the prime ministerial candidate of the Congress party, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family is heading its election campaign.

Mr Modi’s rally was designed by the BJP to prove his popularity in a state which was declared largely off-limits for him by the chief minister, Mr Kumar and his party, the Janata Dal United. Mr Kumar who depends heavily on the support of Bihar’s Muslims, sought to distance himself from Mr Modi after hundreds of Muslims were killed the state of Gujarat in 2002.

PAKISTAN: the country ranks third in the Global Slavery Index

October 28, 2013

Modern slavery: a matter of poverty, the rule of law and the indifference of the national government

Pakistan ranks third in the Global Slavery Index. It is estimated that there are 2,000,000 – 2,200,000 people involved in various forms of modern slavery in Pakistan. Pakistan counts a population of 179, 000,000 people and with the increasing birth rate the number of enslaved people will consequently escalate.

The Walk Free Foundation, an organisation based in Australia and which addresses the problem of modern slavery, has this month released the first edition of the Global Slavery Index. The Index assesses 162 countries (which together count approximately 7 billion people) and ranks them on the basis of the estimated pervasiveness of slavery (including bonded labor, child slavery, forced and unpaid labor, debt bondage, descent-based slavery), the occurrence of child, forced and servile marriage and the volume of human trafficking, both in and out of each country.

The findings of this Index, the very first of its kind, are alarming and dispel the myth that slavery is a form of inhuman treatment and abuse, as well as a condition of exploitation, related to the past and historically concluded in 19^th century.

"A key-finding of this Index is that there are an estimated 29.8 Million people in modern slavery globally".

Three of the five countries in which the prevalence of modern slavery turns out to be highest in the world are south Asian countries, these being Pakistan (which ranks 3rd in the index), India (4th) and Nepal (5th). However, the index also offers an alternative analysis of the phenomenon by providing an estimation of the 'absolute number' of people involved in slavery in each country. When considering the number of people enslaved the ranking changes and sees India and China as the two countries with the largest number of enslaved people. It is interesting to point out that in both rankings Pakistan is steady in third position, which means that the issue of slavery in the country is extremely serious both in terms of numbers and in terms of instigating factors and concentration of the problem.

Primary industries (brick kilns especially), manufacturing, commercial sexual exploitation, forced begging and domestic servitude are reported as the areas in which slavery in Pakistan concentrates the most. Bounded labour is defined as the greatest problem in the country, particularly in the Sindh and Punjab provinces. The combination of poverty and illiteracy affects a great deal of children (who are also sexually abused in an extensive manner), together with vulnerable Afghan refugees and other 'low-cast' labourers. Culturally related practices expose religious minorities and women to higher risks of being coerced into enforced labour and other forms of exploitation, including fraudulent recruiting practices for low skilled employment abroad.

Modern forms of slavery are a social, economic and cultural plague upon millions of people who are denied their freedom and dignity. They are born bound by hereditary debts, affected by poverty and unemployment and defrauded by false recruitment or forced abduction which leads to trafficking. The justifications (including 'customary laws', gender and cast-based discrimination), as well as the variety of deceptive means by which people become enslaved are numerous. However they all share the same illegal purpose of increasing unethical and criminal profits. Modern slavery, in fact, needs to be understood as a crime, which flourishes not only in circumstances such as institutionalised poverty, culturally tolerated discrimination, economic stagnation and environmental degradation, but it is also due to the extreme abuse of power, corruption, the poor rule of law, the absence of regulations and a weak monitoring of the labour market. The reality of modern slavery, therefore, entails serious legal implications and it is strictly connected to the national level of democracy and the implementation of law.

Policies and conditions within a country are essential components and provide the basic framework from which to tackle the problem of modern slavery and move towards adequate responses and action. With regards to the top three worst performing countries - Mauritania, Haiti, and Pakistan, all with low GDP per capita and limited overall development – the Index observes non-existent government responses aimed at the eradication of slavery.

"Criminal justice responses are clearly at the heart of any response to modern slavery. However, other key considerations include government coordination, budget allocation and accountability, victim support services, and responses to clearly identify vulnerable sectors (whether migrant workers or workers in the informal economy)"

The Index points out that despite the ratification of several international treaties relevant to the issue of slavery, such as the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (1957) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999), Pakistan is still lacking in coordinated and adequate policies on the matter. Although slavery is prohibited by the constitution, only some forms of modern slavery are criminalised and yet those few regulations are poorly implemented. The bad coordination between the central government and provincial institutions contributes to worsen the quality of the monitoring and the frequency of labour inspectorates. An effective partnership between state agencies and NGOs is also lacking. Furthermore, data collection at a grassroots level and national surveys are inexistent.

The current startling situation and the increasing number of people exposed to the risk of slavery have to be attributed mainly to the expansion of the informal sector within the country, together with privatization processes. The formal sector has been shrinking and the government has lost all its control over the labor market. The informal sector prefers to hire women and children as they represent a copious source of cheap labor and their employment allows avoiding labor laws. They are forced to work between 12 and 16 hours per day and are paid meagre amounts which are hardly enough for survival. The Government of Pakistan has failed in the supervision of the informal sector and hence is directly responsible for the perpetuation of slavery. Due to the absence of the rule of law, slavery has become the best way for commercial and industrial activities to prosper unethically.

The Global Slavery Index tries to offer a new tool to governments, trade unions, civil society groups and single citizens to understand the magnitude of the problem of modern slavery in their countries. Governments, in particular, have a decisive role to play, by enacting and enforcing relevant laws for the sake of human dignity and the protection of the most vulnerable sections of their society. The Government of Pakistan is challenged by the compelling necessity of undertaking essential measures in order to monitor and reduce the level of all kinds of slavery, as well as punishing those responsible for its prevalence.

The full report may be accessed here.

What Comes Next: The one state/two state debate is irrelevant as Israel and the US consolidate Greater Israel

Noam Chomsky on October 24, 2013

This post is part of “What Comes Next?: A forum on the end of the two-state paradigm.” This series was initiated by Jewish Voice for Peace as an investigation into the current state of thinking about one state and two state solutions, and the collection has been further expanded by Mondoweiss to mark 20 years since the Oslo process. The entire series can be found here.