Children of a Lesser God

by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“…justice by its very nature has to have a universal reach, rather than being applicable to the problems and predicaments of some people but not of others”.

Amartya Sen (The Idea of Justice)

( October 31, 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Rs.1.8 billion was spent on building one kilometre of the Katunayake-Colombo expressway.

That was more than the 2014 Budgetary allocation for Child Development and Women’s Affairs (Rs.1.24 billion), Culture and Arts (Rs.1.48 billion), Telecommunication and Industrialisation Technology (Rs.0.957 billion), Wildlife Resources and Conservation (Rs.1.31 billion), National Heritage (Rs.1.26 billion) or Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare (Rs.0.58 billion).

Children of a Lesser God by nelvely

SL abjectly surrenders to China :National flag is taboo at Katunayake expressway opening

(Lanka-e-News-31.Oct.2013, 8.00PM) Like how when the new breakwater and the southern terminal were being opened of the Colombo harbor constructed by China so at the recent inauguration of the Katunayake – Colombo expressway built by China , the Sri Lanka (SL) national flag was not allowed to be displayed. Only the small school children who arrived to welcome pompous Medamulana MaRa were permitted to carry small flags on sticks .

Even along the way , the SL flags were not on display. But of course permission had been granted for display of huge cutouts of the two Medamulana Sri Lankan betrayers who are making SL a Chinese colony.

The Chinese who made sure that the SL national flags are not on display at the venue of the ceremonies however made sure that even at the entrance to the expressway , a massive cutout is displayed with a message of warm welcome in Chinese language . Sadly , even the welcome message had not been allowed to be displayed in English , Sinhala or Tamil , the languages Sri Lankans know.

All these only go to prove how disdainfully ou mother Lanka is being treated and how abjectly SL has surrendered to China. Is this what is meant by ‘SL the miracle?’ or is this China’s ostentation of pride after converting ‘SL the miracle’ into ‘SL the debacle ?’ concerned Sri Lankans question .

The Medamulana scoundrels whose gaze are fixed only on illicit commissions in every deal have taken loans from China on prohibitive interest rates which rates even the mother earth is unable to endure. In short after ‘selling’ the country to China , the Medamulanas have only filled their private coffers and lined their pockets while pretending all this is done for development of the country and deceiving the people after offering them sugar coated fatal pills.

The so called cardboard patriots too are watching idly with opened mouths all these disastrous actions in the name of socialism because monies are flowing into their party funds in a deluge. Therefore they are blind to China’s colonization of our motherland . Only the suddhas (whites) who colonized before 1948 they can see as Mahasonas (devils).

The bottom line is the so called socialists have metamorphosed into capitalists following illicit amassment of wealth via the Medamulana regime which has opened the gateway wide for corruption , bribe taking , illicit commissions and ‘legalized’ them for its regime members and its bootlicking politicos who are permitted only to fawn on them and not utter a word against after securing positions , perks and evil power at people’s expense.

‘Ceylon Today’ sports editor refuses to do Tiran’s biddings, resigns!

 Thursday, 31 October 2013 

Callistus David has resigned as sports editor of ‘Ceylon Today’, owned by MP Tiran Alles.

The most immediate reason behind David’s resignation is that he had been reprimanded by the owner for having published an article in the sports page to the effect that sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage had ordered Sri Lanka Cricket president Jayantha Dharmadasa not to attend an ICC meeting and that secretary Nishantha Ranatunga should participate instead.

The talk of the media circle these days is Callistus, a man of silent habits and small in stature, but very big in self-confidence, in light of the fact that there are editors who dance to the tune of media institution owners and do their dirty biddings.
 
He is the second journalist to resign due to intimidation by Tiran Alles, after Shantha Wijesuriya, who left ‘Mawbima’ following pressure by the owner.
 
Shantha later received death threats and had left the country.

Monk arrested for possession of cannabis

BY Yapa Kumara and Premalal Rathnayake-Thursday, 31 Oct 2013

The Mahiyanganaya Police have arrested a monk for allegedly transporting a stock of cannabis in a bus plying from Thanamalwila- Mahiyanganaya.

The 62 year old monk who is attached to a prominent Temple in the Hambegamuwa area was arrested for the possession of 4kg cannabis.

The suspect was arrest when the Police who were inspecting the bus had discovered the stock of cannabis concealed in the suitcase belonging to the monk.

The monk has been released on bail after being produced before the Magistrate’s Court, while the Case is due to be taken up again. (Ceylon Today Online)

Lascivious notorious Navy Commander as Corporation chairman: militarization of country forges ahead

(Lanka-e-News-31.Oct.2013, 8.00PM) The latest in the series of measures taken towards militarization of the country is the appointment of Navy Commander Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage as the chairman of the shipping Corporation. This is the first time in SL , while a commander of the forces is continuing in that post , an additional appointment has been awarded to him in a civil organization as a chief.

Going by this trend , in the future , officers of the forces will be appointed to the Rupavahini Corporation , Broadcasting Corporation , Film Corporation and so forth. If a country is to be militarized there is no other method than this. Hitler too followed this same approach.

Jayanath Colombage who was given an extension of service in his navy commander post while he is not competent even as a navy commander being given an additional appointment defies all cannons of logic and norms, which is all the more because of his ignominious reputation as a notorious womanizer , meaning that he is going to bring disgrace on the government service wholesale. 

He is the accused in a case No. D / 4897 that is being heard in he Gampaha court in which he is indicted on charges of breaking up a family due to his illicit relationship with a woman by the name Chandima Bambarenda .

In this case filed by the husband of Bambarenda it is alleged that his family was broken up by Jayanath Colombage .Two cases of the children of Bambarenda claiming maintenance are being heard in that court . It is specially noteworthy that the children are claiming maintenance from their mother who was snatched away illegally by Colombage . The case Nos. are M/202 and M /203

One of the respondents in these cases is Jayanath Colombage the present navy Commander and chairman of shipping corporation from today. Truly and legally speaking , Colombage should have been thrown out lock, stock and barrel from his posts for bringing the government service to disrepute by his shameless and disgraceful conduct.

A classic case in point is :

When a former Air force Commander was involved in a vehicle accident at Borella , he was at the wheel with an ‘unknown’ woman and because this was recorded in the police register , he had to resign his post of Commander. 

In the cases that are being heard in the court against Colombage , the latter is not only indicted, but among the production to court , an inexplicable photograph with that woman who is another man’s wife was one. In such circumstances how can it be said Colombage had not defamed or disgraced the government service ? 

We shall bring to you shortly more reports on the lascivious behavior and misconduct of this womanizer . The appointment of misbehaving officers of the forces to the high echelons of government civil service , should naturally be opposed by the public, out of whose funds they are paid. In this instance , Colombage the womanizer is holding two government posts concurrently . The public must therefore protest twice over.

Tolstoy’s Hadji Murad : Sri Lankan Parallels?

By Charles Ponnuthurai Sarvan -October 31, 2013 

Prof. Charles Sarvan

The mind often functioning associatively, this work by Tolstoy (set in Chechnya; one of the last stories he ever wrote) reminded me of Sri Lanka and of a certain Tamil militant now turned government supporter. Subservient and still useful to the government, he is permitted to have an armed gang; as a reward, he is above the helpless and hapless Tamil population.

Russia attempted to absorb Chechnya into its empire but met with fierce resistance: the leitmotif of the novella is the thistle which defends itself using its thorns with ferocious determination. The mountains and thick forests they knew so well were an advantage. Their resistance made the Russians fear and hate the Chechens, and they resorted to all means to vanquish the guerrillas, including attacks on civilians (children and women not exempt) and the deliberate destruction of their livelihood. Many were killed, and many more fled the region. In 1847, the Chechen population was about 1. 5 million; in 1861 it was 140, 000 and in 1867 it was down to 116,000. (Tamil dispersal and dwindling are on-going.)

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The World Today: China, India And The United States As Seen From Sri Lanka

By Rajiva Wijesinha -October 31, 2013

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

Let me begin with one of the formative myths of the Sri Lankan state. It deals with the introduction of Buddhism to the country, in the 2^nd century BC. The king at the time, Devanampiyatissa, was out hunting when he came across a strange man in the forests of Mihintale. This was Mahinda, the son, or some say the brother, of the Mauryan Emperor Asoka, who had converted to Buddhism after a terrible war in which, to complete his conquest of India, he had slaughtered thousands.

When the monk saw Tissa, he asked him whether he saw the mango tree before them. Tissa said yes, and then the monk asked whether there were other mango trees. Tissa said yes, and then the monk asked if there were trees other than mango trees. Tissa said yes again, whereupon the monk asked whether, apart from all the other mango trees, and all the other trees that were not mango trees in the world, there were any other trees.

Tissa thought hard, and then replied that there was indeed the original mango tree the monk had pointed out. This was when Mahinda decided that Tissa was a fit person to understand the doctrines of Buddhism, so he preached to him and converted him and through him his people. Buddhism has since been the dominant religion in Sri Lanka, though, I think uniquely, we also have substantial proportions of our population belonging to the other principal faiths of the world, Hinduism and Islam and Christianity.

When I was young I used to think the story a silly one, but I have since understood its implications for the way we should look at the world. It seems to me now the epitome of what I would describe as the Eastern vision of the individual, society and the world, as opposed to the dichotomies the West believes in, and therefore often creates. In what I would posit as an ideal concept of our relations with the world, we should see ourselves as existing at the centre of several concentric circles, to all of which we belong. While we share aspects of identity with others belonging to those circles, ultimately we need also to be aware of the unique nature of our own individuality.

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The “De-Zionization” of Israel: Drying up Ideological Wellsprings of Arab – Israeli Conflict

Global Research

By Nicola Nasser-October 30, 2013

Gradually, awareness that de-Zionization of the US and European foreign policy as well as the internal policies of the State of Israel has become a prerequisite for peace in the Middle East is steadily taking roots in Israeli and world public opinion and consciousness.

However this awareness has yet to wait for drying up the Zionist ideological wellsprings of the Arab – Israeli conflict and translating it into real politics by de-Zionization of Israel and disengaging western foreign policy from its ideological attachment to Zionism.

In his article published by Foreign Policy on last October 25, James Traub quoted US President Barak Obama in a speech last May, “announcing a re-formulation of the war on terror,” as saying: “We cannot use force everywhere that a radical ideology takes root;” the only alternative to “perpetual war” is a sustained effort to reduce “the wellsprings of extremism.”

The “wellsprings” of “perpetual wars” and “extremism” in the Middle East during most of the past twentieth century until now could easily be detected in the unholy combination of real politics and the “radical ideology” of the secular – turned – religious Zionism.

This combination made it possible and seemingly ethical for Americans and Europeans to accept and justify the unethical displacement of the indigenous Arab people of Palestine to be replaced by a multi-national artificial gathering of Jews who suffered oppression, anti – Semitism, pogroms and holocaust in their western home countries.

US and European continued attachment to the Zionist ideology lies at the heart of their treatment of Israel, the offspring of this ideology, as one of their top “vital interests” in the Middle East, which is an attachment that in turn lies at the heart of anti-Americanism and other forms of Arab conflicts with the “west.”  

The safe haven of the “new world” in America was a timely and practical solution for Europeans to get rid of and solve their “Jewish Question;” it now absorbs more Jews than Israel does.

The communists offered their own solution; it materialized in the Jewish autonomous “Oblast” first ever republic in the Russian Birobidzhan, close to the border of the former Soviet Union with China, which was home to some three million Jews before some one third of them immigrated to Israel following the collapse of the communist empire.

The nation states basing citizenship on the rule of law is now the rule of the day in Europe , where Jews enjoy full constitutional religious, civil, political and all the other rights enjoyed by their compatriots.

There is no more a “Jewish Question” in Europe in particular or in the west in general. If such a question still persists there it is one related to the disproportionate influence of Jewish citizens on the decision makers in the political, financial and media arenas.

Nonetheless, the Zionist propaganda in Israel and abroad is still fervently inciting that Jews are an endangered species outside Israel , soliciting Jewish immigration, encouraging dual citizenship and binational loyalty among them and considering all Jews outside Israel as “refugees.”

Writing in the http://www.huffingtonpost.com on September 6 last year, Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian leader and elected parliamentarian, quoted Shlomo Hillel, a government minister and an active Zionist from Iraq , as saying, “I don’t regard the departure of Jews from Arab lands as that of refugees. They came here because they wanted to, as Zionists” and quoted Former Knesset member Ran Cohen, who immigrated from Iraq , as saying: “I have to say: I am not a refugee. I came at the behest of Zionism.”

Consequently, the “Jewish Question” moved ironically to the very Arab safe haven to which the oppressed European Jews fled with their lives to survive the culture of inquisition in Medieval Europe. The largest Jewish minority among Arabs in Morocco nowadays tells the story.

This Arab safe haven was turned by the Zionist ideology into a hell of wars, instability, ongoing conflict and home of a revived “Jewish Question” since Israel was artificially created 65 years ago in the heart of the Arab world, where Jews used previously to be a prosperous minority in every one of the capitals of the 22 Arab states except Jordan.

Zionism justifies the creation of Israel in Palestine by two basic controversial arguments: That God promised the land to Jews no matter what would happen to its Arab inhabitants who was there long before Joshua and his army crossed River Jordan to destroy Jericho and kill every man, woman, child and animal by “God’s command.”

On November 2, 1917, British Foreign Secretary then, Lord Balfour, acted as the self – appointed messenger of God’s will to issue a modern God’s promise to Jews to have a “homeland” in Palestine .

The modern justification of the Holocaust does not care that another people, namely Arab Palestinians, pay the price for a crime they did not commit.

Ironic but informative as well is the fact that Zionism was not originally a Jewish product.

According to the author of “Christian Zionism: Road-map to Armageddon?” (InterVarsity Press, 2004) Revd. Dr. Stephen Sizer, writing in the Middle East Monitor on last August 1, “The origins of the movement can be traced to the early 19th century when a group of eccentric British Christian leaders began to lobby for Jewish restoration to Palestine as a necessary precondition for the return of Christ… Christian Zionism therefore preceded Jewish Zionism by more than 50 years. Some of Theodore Herzl’s strongest advocates were Christian clergy.” Dr. Sizer headlined his article, “Christian Zionism: The Heresy that Undermines Middle East Peace.”

He, together with the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem: The Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, Archbishop Swerios Malki Mourad of the Syrian Orthodox, the Episcopal Church Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal and the Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop Munib Younan issued in 2006 and signed the Jerusalem Declaration on Christian Zionism, which concluded: “We categorically reject Christian Zionist doctrines as a false teaching that corrupts the biblical message of love, justice and reconciliation.”

The Zionist narrative was challenged by Israel ’s “New Historians.” Benny Morris, Ilan Pappe’, Avi Shlaim, Tom Segev, Hillel Cohen, Baruch Kimmerling and others have already reconsidered and created a post – Zionists’ awareness. Pappe’ concluded that the Zionist leaders planned and executed “ethnic cleansing” to displace most of the Arab Palestinians.

Shlomo Sand’s trilogy – - “The Invention of the Jewish People,” “The Invention of the Land of Israel ” and his upcoming third volume “The Invention of the Secular Jew” – - hits hard at the very foundations of Zionism.   

The fact that the secular Zionism was not popular among the world religious Jewry in the early stages of the movement and that it is an ideology still opposed by a strong Jewish minority is a fact Zionists are keen to smokescreen.

“The UN avenue” in Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv was renamed “The Zionism avenue” in response to the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) of Resolution 3379 on November 10, 1975, which determined that “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination;” it was revoked by the UNGA resolution 46/86 in 1991; the ongoing Israeli Zionist ideology and practices render its repeal a premature step that should be reconsidered to reinstate it.

The world community as represented by the United Nations, by adopting resolution 181 of 1947 dividing Palestine between its indigenous Arab Palestinians and the invading aliens of the Zionist settlers played in the hands of Christian and Jewish Zionism to commit an historical mistake that doomed peace in the Middle East as an elusive humanitarian hope for a long time to come.

Jews were an integral part of the region’s history and social fabric until Zionism cut this fact short. Only the prerequisite of de-Zionization of Israel and world politics will make peace a dream that would come true in the region and restore history to its normal course in it. The Crusaders’ interruption of the regional history is an informative precedent from which all those concerned could draw lessons.

* Nicola Nasser is a veteran Arab journalist based in Birzeit, West Bank of the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. nassernicola@ymail.com

CHOGM and the Indian conundrum

 October 31, 2013 

• For the Sri Lankan Government and the Commonwealth Secretary General, the absence of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at CHOGM 2013 will be keenly felt

The decision by Indian Premier Manmohan Singh to remain mysterious about his CHOGM attendance, with the summit getting underway in two weeks, is causing nervous flutters in uncanny places. The first of these, although appearances can be deceptive, is Temple Trees – the unofficial residence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

CHOGM and the Indian Conundrum by nelvely

TNA urges Army to stop demolition of houses immediately

By Our Jaffna Correspondent-Wednesday, 30 Oct 2013

A group of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians and Northern Provincial Councillors have visited Valikamam North and urged the Army to immediately halt the demolition of the private residences in the area.

The delegation comprising TNA Parliamentarian, E. Saravanapavan, and NPC members M.K. Sivajilingam and Dharmalingam Siddharthan visited the former High Security Zone on Monday (28), where Army personnel were allegedly in the process of demolishing houses in the area earmarked by the Army for expansion.

The visit was planned after the TNA received a number of complaints from the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the area.

A member of the TNA delegation said the Army had fenced off the area in Kadduvan, Valikaamam North where the buildings were being bulldozed.

The delegation had inspected the site from outside the fenced off area, but later were allegedly intimidated by the Army personnel engaged in the demolition, sources said.

According to military sources in Jaffna, the Army was clearing the shrubs and bushes in the area and several buildings that were demolished were already in a dilapidated state due to the 30-year conflict.

The houses that remain in good condition are looked after by the Army, military sources said.

However, the TNA delegation said the demolition was taking place at an accelerated phase.

Unable to comment on internal issues of SriLanka: Michel J Sison

[ Wednesday, 30 October 2013, 08:14.05 AM GMT +05:30 ]

US ambassador to SriLanka Michel J Sison said she is unable to comment on internal issues of SriLanka.

US ambassador met Northern Chief Minister at his residence on Wednesday afternoon. Responding to question raised by journalist on lands acquired by military personals in the Waligamam North in the Northern Province she added, this is internal issue of Lankan government and unable to comment on this issue. She further noted US have taken steps to upgrade livelihood of 5,000 families affected by the civil war and also said US continuously monitors present situation of the province. Speaking to journalist newly appointed Northern Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran added, TNA leader R.Sambanthan will hold discussions with Lankan government on acquiring lands and destroying houses of civilians at the high security zone in the Waligamam North. I have informed TNA leader R.Sambanthan on this issue and he will hold discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa this regard. During the time of discussions with US and Korean ambassadors I have brief on Waligamam North issue and they promised to pay their attention this regard. Wigneswaran further added I have brief ambassadors on military presence, livelihood issues and day today problems face by people in the Northern Province. CM urges support to upgrade livelihood of war victims in the province.

Dambulla Hindu Temple destroyed

October 29, 2013

A 30 year old Hindu Temple located in Dambulla has been demolished by the authorities despite appeals made against it, the Democratic Peoples’ Front said today.

Western Provincial Council member and deputy leader of the Democratic Peoples’ Front Dr. N Kumaraguruparan said that the Dambulle Badhrakaali Amman Kovil was demolished last night.

Kumaraguruparan said that both he and Parliamentarian R .Yogarajan had made personal appeals to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to prevent moves to demolish the Hindu Temple.

Monks in the area had on previous occasions protested against the Hindu Temple and a Mosque and wanted both places of worship demolished.

Kumaraguruparan said that he will raise the issue with the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka.

“Government forces went along in civvies with a well-known Buddhist monk and requested them to remove the temple from the historically in habited Tamil area immediately or face the consequences. The trustee requested time till today for the religious rites to take place to close down the temple. However they demolished the Temple last night and are now building a fountain there,” he said. (Colombo Gazette)

Korean ambassador promised to develop fisheries industry of northern fishermen

[ Wednesday, 30 October 2013, 01:03.21 PM GMT +05:30 ]

Korean ambassador to SriLanka Jong Moon Choi met Northern CM at his residence in Jaffna this morning.

During the time of discussions ambassador promised to develop fisheries industry of northern fishermen and develop livelihood of northern people, CM said. Ambassador also stressed northern students to apply for their higher education in Korea and also encouraged youths to learn Korean language to obtain employment in Korea. Korean ambassador also visited to Jaffna Teaching hospital today.

VIGNESHWARAN ADMITTED TO JAFFNA HOSPITAL

October 30, 2013 

Chief Minister of the Northern Province, C.V. Vigneshwaran was admitted to the Jaffna hospital today (October 30) over a heart ailment, TNA sources told Ada Derana.

Sources claimed that the Chief Minister was admitted as a precautionary measure and is currently receiving treatment.

Commonwealth issues final report on Sri Lanka’s Northern Provincial elections

29 October 2013

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma has issued the report of the Commonwealth Observer Mission to Sri Lanka’s Northern Provincial Council Election, held on 21 September 2013.

The Commonwealth

The Secretary-General described the election as an historic election for Sri Lanka, and one which he said the Commonwealth was pleased to have been invited to observe.

Mr Sharma said Commonwealth observers had found the conduct of election day itself to be impressive.

“Voters turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise, and electoral officials conducted polling with dedication and diligence,” he said. “The post-results environment was also peaceful and for this, we commend the leadership of participating political parties.”

The Secretary-General, however, drew attention to the Commonwealth Observer Mission’s concerns about the pre-electoral environment. He said: “I support the Observer Mission’s view that an election is a process and not an event. The pre-electoral environment is vital to its integrity and credibility.”

Mr Sharma also noted the Observer Mission’s call for the establishment of an independent electoral commission, which is a widely valued Commonwealth good practice. The Secretary-General said: “We have an ongoing programme of work with Sri Lanka. We stand ready to assist Sri Lanka in strengthening its electoral framework as well.

“I echo the sentiments of the Commonwealth Observer Mission in hoping that this historic election marks a step forward in the harmonious development of the Northern Province and of Sri Lanka as a whole.”

The Commonwealth Observation Mission was in Sri Lanka from 14 – 28 September. Its mandate required its members to observe and consider all aspects of the electoral process and to assess compliance with the standards for democratic elections reflected in national election-related legislation and relevant regional, Commonwealth as well as other international commitments. The Observer Mission met with a range of stakeholders and on election day its members were present in the five districts of the Northern Province.

Com Sl 2013 Final Report-report of the Commonwealth Observer Mission by nelvely

Peter’s World: Response To Peter Heap’s CiF article

By TU Senan -October 30, 2013 

TU Senan

‘Disgusting’ is quite a mild word to describe Peter Heap’s CiF article in Monday’s Guardian. In it he defends the Sri Lankan state, a state that stands accused of war crimes.

To begin with Peter tries to play the numbers game, claiming the number of Tamil people killed in 2009 in the closing stages of the war was much less than the widely acknowledged 40,000. He also points the finger of blame mostly at the LTTE, despite reports of the army bombing hospitals and no-fly zones.

Peter’s free and easy way with numbers is somewhat concerning or only to be expected, depending on your point of view, given he is an adviser to the board of HSBC Investment Bank. But he obviously takes his boss’s branding seriously and treats the world as a ‘local bank’ – one where he and his ilk try to withdraw cash at every opportunity. He works with various businesses that also look to exploit workers across the world.

Then Peter, who arrogantly claims Sri Lanka’s critics don’t understand “what the country had gone through” explains to us that Sri Lanka has been a ‘functioning democracy’ since independence. The stacks of evidence to the contrary, including the UNHRC report, do not feature in Peter’s rosy world. By his logic we must dismiss the devastating conclusions of Navi Pillay, the UN commissioner for human rights, who investigated the situation and said that the Sri Lankan government is heading towards dictatorship.

The prognosis if not good for finding a cure for Peter’s ‘business cataracts’ that stop him seeing beyond the world of big business profit. His argument moves on to Sri Lanka’s ranking on human rights abuses. It is the 68th worst country for human rights out of the 168 countries studied. Somehow in Peter’s view that translates to mean democracy is functioning!

A poisonous, disingenuous comment in the Guardian is one thing. But readers should know that the Con-Dem government also inhabits Peter’s topsy-turvy world. Its much vaunted ‘concerns’ for human rights are not so determined that they overstep the demands of big business profit.

Peter’s comments unmask the real Tory stance on this issue. The bosses of the CHOGM business club are the British government and they will try to milk whatever they can out of all its member states. David Cameron earlier confirmed the key aim is to establish business links.

Peter’s last comments shed further light. He argues: “When on the horizon lies the possibility of Britain leaving the EU, is this the time to snub the Commonwealth? Such an extreme step is surely not justified.” So leaving the EU – or staying on in the Commonwealth are not considered based on human rights but purely based on the interests of the 1%. It’s a business decision.

What should be the response to the madness? All activists and progressive people and organisations along with all the Tamils in the UK should come forw

No room for bilateral issues - govt

British PM’s vow to get tough with SL at CHOGM

By Shamindra Ferdinando-October 29, 2013, 12:00 pm 

There wouldn’t be room for bilateral issues at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) next month, an authoritative official told The Island yesterday.

"The CHOGM is primarily to discuss issues pertaining to the Commonwealth, therefore bilateral issues cannot be accommodated in the formal agenda," the official said.

The official was responding to a statement attributed to British Prime Minister David Cameron. Premier Cameron was quoted as having told Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi that he would have some very tough conversations with President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government.

PM Cameron said: "My decision is the right thing for us to do ... and have some very tough conversations with the Sri Lankan government. I’m not happy with their human rights record. I’m not happy with what they’ve done following the conflict, and we’ll have some very frank conversations to make those points."

The Queen will be represented by Prince Charles at the summit. The prince last visited Sri Lanka in 1998 to attend the country’s 50th independence day celebrations in Colombo.

Commenting on reports that a British delegation, led by Premier Cameron, would be visiting Jaffna, the official said the British High Commission in Colombo was in touch with the government regarding the planned visit.

In accordance with the government policy of transparency, the government didn’t see any problem in facilitating the British delegation’s visit to Jaffna, the official said, adding that it would be pertinent to mention that the Jaffna peninsula was brought under government control in early 1996.

Asked whether the British High Commission had discussed Premier Cameron’s visit to Jaffna, a BHC spokesperson said: "We have had discussions with the government of Sri Lanka about many aspects of the CHOGM programme and the UK delegation’s programmes. We are most grateful for the support that has been provided."

UK based GTF spokesperson Suren Surendiran told The Island that the grouping requested the British premier to boycott the Colombo summit. Surendiran quoted the GTF’s president, Rev. Dr. S. J. Emmanuel as having urged member states to "make a stand on Sri Lanka and boycott CHOGM 2013" and "to bar the Government of Sri Lanka from chairing the association for the next two years."

Claiming the lack accountability for past crimes and the on-going human rights abuses taking place on the island, the GTF president said: "Sri Lanka should not have even been allowed the right to hold this year’s event, but Commonwealth Heads of Government can still send a powerful message by staying away from Colombo in November."

A senior External Affairs Ministry official told The Island that Sri Lanka’s war had never been an issue at previous CHOGM. The official recollected the devastating LTTE truck bomb attack at Dalada Maligawa a few days before the country’s 50th independence day celebrations in Kandy. The government was forced to shift the celebrations to Colombo.

CHOGM host Sri Lanka faces rights queries

30 OCT 2013 

Sri Lanka is in the global spotlight ahead of it hosting Tony Abbott, John Key and other Commonwealth leaders for CHOGM 2013.

Sri Lanka wants the world to know it's moving ahead after years of civil conflict and thousands of deaths.

Hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) - to be opened in Colombo by Prince Charles on November 15 - is a major step in its campaign to convince the world that this is not just rhetoric but reality.

However, while Prime Minister Tony Abbott, his New Zealand counterpart John Key and most other Commonwealth nation leaders are happy to go along with this, Canada has heeded warnings of human rights groups such as Amnesty International and its leader is boycotting the event.

The British House of Commons foreign affairs committee called on British PM David Cameron not to go, citing human rights concerns, but he has confirmed his attendance.

Indian PM Manmohan Singh is also facing internal political pressure from parties in the state of Tamil Nadu to boycott CHOGM.

Rights advocates want an independent investigation into allegations Sri Lankan government forces committed war crimes towards the end of a 26-year civil war with ethnic-Tamil opponents that ended in 2009.

The UN says 40,000 civilians were killed in the last five months of the conflict.

As well, United Nations commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay raised concerns in August about the authoritarian direction Sri Lanka is headed under president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The rule of law and democratic institutions were being undermined, Pillay said, and the country was taking a worrying "authoritarian turn".

Amnesty International says surveillance and harassment of human rights defenders, journalists and other citizens is getting worse.

The human rights watchdog's deputy Asia-Pacific director, Polly Truscott, says countries such as Australia should agree on new measures to address the human rights crisis.

"Given the persistence of human rights violations in Sri Lanka, it would be ludicrous to reward the country with the commonwealth's chair," Truscott says.

Amnesty says there is a disturbing term used in the country - "white van kidnappings" - which describes people being bundled into vans and taken away for interrogation.

Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, a former navy chief who is high commissioner to Australia and New Zealand, told AAP his country had come a long way through a process of reconciliation and rehabilitation.

"We have taken a lot of steps to improve human rights," he says.

"We eradicated terrorism and human rights were restored - that is the best thing."

He says food, poverty, housing, infrastructure and health problems are all being addressed.

"We need the rest of the world to come and see it," he says.

As for human rights abuses, the high commissioner says the UN is biased and those countries electing not to attend CHOGM will make their own decisions.

"We need support, not unfair criticism," he said.

"There are some complaints that individuals have killed people, but they are punished and we continue to investigate. We are not shying away from any investigation."

At least one independent report seems to back up claims of progress.

A Royal Commonwealth Society report which measured 168 countries on human rights criteria such as press freedom, democracy and inequality, ranked Sri Lanka 68th in the world, but 14th in the Commonwealth. New Zealand was fifth and Australia sixth in the Commonwealth.

Canadian PM Stephen Harper has said that if the Commonwealth is to remain relevant it must stand in defence of the basic principles of freedom, democracy, and respect for human dignity.

"It is clear that the Sri Lankan government has failed to uphold the Commonwealth's core values, which are cherished by Canadians."

Mr Abbott takes a different approach.

"I intend to attend CHOGM and will do my best to make a constructive contribution to the deliberations there," he said in early October.

"You do not make new friends by rubbishing your old friends or abandoning your old friends."

Mr Key's office says while the prime minister agrees there is work to do on Sri Lanka's human rights record, he is still attending.

Former diplomat Bruce Haigh says it does not reflect well on Abbott that he's "pretending" no human rights abuses are being perpetrated against the defeated Tamil minority by the Rajapaksa regime.

He says this is because Abbott needs Sri Lanka on his side to stop the flow of refugees.

"It is unlikely that the Australian and Canadian high commissions in Colombo are sending back different information on the situation in Sri Lanka," he wrote in a recent article for the Canberra Times.

"It might therefore be assumed that the Australian government is formulating foreign policy with respect to Sri Lanka solely on the basis of domestic political considerations."

Admiral Samarasinghe says Tamils are leaving Sri Lanka not because of persecution but the "pull factor from Australia", which he believes is an issue only Australia can address.

Sri Lanka is willing to co-operate on getting rid of the criminals behind people-smuggling operations, he says.

Having hosted the 2011 CHOGM in Perth, Australian officials have been helping their Sri Lankan counterparts plan the 2013 event which has the theme "Growth with Equity - Inclusive Development".

With the eyes of the world on it, Sri Lanka has a chance to prove it is including its minorities in economic and social development.