International tribunal in Germany to probe Sri Lanka’s genocide allegations

BY RAMANAN VEERASINGHAM-

07 DECEMBER 2013

The wide-spread but credible allegations of genocide against the Sri Lankan State and charges of complicity with this crime against several other countries including the UK, the US and India are set to go before the Rome-based Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) from December 7 to 10 in Bremen, Germany.

International tribunal in Germany to probe Sri Lanka’s genocide allegations by nelvely

Sri Lanka’s twin challenges

DHANANJAYAN SRISKANDARAJAH 2 December 2013

The Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Colombo was the occasion for renewed demands that the state account for the brutal ending of its war with the Tamil Tigers in 2009. But Sri Lanka's appalling human-rights record does not only apply to its violent past: today too civil-society organisations are under heavy authoritarian pressure.

Sri Lanka’s twin challenges by nelvely

Indo-Lanka Accord, Crisis For The LTTE – The High Cost Of Politics Through Rhetoric

By Rajan Hoole -December 7, 2013 

Rajan Hoole

The Indo-Lanka Accord and Sri Lanka’s Fault Lines: July 1987 – Part – 2

India had in late 1983 become the patron of several militant groups, which were kept in a position where they competed for India’s favour. When the LTTE had decimated the TELO in May 1986, it resulted in a break in the arrangement maintained by India. By a series of attacks on Sinhalese civilians immediately afterwards, and in turn making the Tamils more insecure, the LTTE naively hoped to be accepted as India’s sole protege. For, it was soon to make itself the only force on the ground after similar strikes against the PLOTE and EPRLF as well. India’s hands seemed to be tied unless she was willing to countenance a total collapse of the Tamil militancy, resulting in a situation where she had no role in Sri Lanka.

Thanks to their advisers among the Tamil elite who fancied themselves to be ingenious strategists in international relations, the LTTE came to believe firmly in their monopoly of India’s goodwill. They openly boasted from platforms that they as the future rulers of Tamil Eelam, would be agents for India’s control over the South of Sri Lanka. They failed to take note of India’s repeatedly expressed commitment to Sri Lanka’s unity and integrity (see Rajani Thiranagama in The Broken Palmyrah, p.352). A section of India’s intelligence agencies sincerely or otherwise kept the LTTE in hope. But overall, India’s policy was to keep the LTTE at arm’s length, while pressing both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE to agree to a settlement.

When the Sri Lankan Army was poised to take Jaffna, the LTTE orchestrated demonstrations in Jaffna calling upon India to provide military hardware, including SAMs, to the LTTE. Without acceding to it, India used it to apply pressure on the Sri Lankan Government, which feared the consequences of such aid, to agree to an Accord. Both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government had reached a point of bankruptcy where they were forced to accede to the Accord. But implementing it would have required far greater resourcefulness on     India’s part since both the LTTE and an influential section of the Sri Lankan cabinet were waiting for a pretext to sabotage the Accord. As for the LTTE leader having accepted the Indo- Lanka Accord, there can be no doubt (Narayan Swamy pp.243-4 and his note on p.246). We also understand that in Prabhakaran’s meeting with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, as part of the settlement, the LTTE was awarded a monthly sum of Ind. Rs. 5 million (USD 300,000) of which Rs. 10 million for the first 2 months was subsequently paid.

An interesting incident that illustrates the relationship between the urge for total power and political purity (as originally conceived by the TULF) took place in Madras in November 1986. It also illustrates the dilemma faced by the LTTE in the coming years when it came to choosing between real power within a united Sri Lanka and a distant hope of Tamil Eelam.                                                Read More

To be continued..

*From Rajan Hoole‘s “Sri Lanka: Arrogance of Power  - Myth, Decadence and Murder”. Thanks to Rajan for giving us permission to republish. To read earlier parts click here

UK to discuss Sri Lanka with other international partners

Saturday, 07 December 2013

The UK has said it would continue to discuss the situation Sri Lanka including human rights issues with a range of other EU, Commonwealth and international partners over the coming months.

In response to a question by a British Parliamentarian, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire has told the British Parliament that, “The UK has been voted back on to the Human Rights Council and will play an active role in building international support ahead of the March Human Rights Council session. We will continue to discuss Sri Lanka with a range of other EU, Commonwealth and international partners over the coming months.”

He has also said that Prime Minister David Cameron was clear with the Sri Lankan President at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo in November that “...we expect real progress on human rights, reconciliation, accountability, and political settlement. The Human Rights Council will assess progress in March.”

Swire has further said, “In particular, the Prime Minister pressed for credible, transparent and independent investigations into alleged war crimes and made clear that if these investigations have not begun properly by March, then we will use our position on the UN Human Rights Council to work with the UN Human Rights Commissioner and call for an international inquiry.”

UN envoy raises land issue

December 6, 2013

Visiting UN Special Rapporteur Chaloka Beyani raised the land issue in the North, when he met Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem today.

The Justice Ministry said that Hakeem had told the UN envoy that the land issue is being addressed at this moment.

Hakeem also said that all communities in Sri Lanka are now co-existing following the end of the 30 year war.

The Minister briefed the UN envoy on the post war progress and measures taken to implement the LLRC recommendations.

Beyani today ended his five-day official visit to Sri Lanka where he examined the overall situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country.

During his visit he had meetings in Colombo, Jaffna and Mullaitivu.

The Special Rapporteur met with representatives from the Government, civil society and the UN, among others. He also visited various sites of displacement and meet with displaced persons and local authorities.

Beyani will present preliminary observations through a written statement shortly after the end of mission. His full report will be presented to the Human Rights Council in June 2014. (Colombo Gazette)

Sri Lanka must 'fulfill public commitments' - US

The United States has reiterated that Sri Lanka must implement recommendations from the LLRC, and credibly address all allegations of 'serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law'.

Speaking at the US State Department's Daily Press Briefing on Friday, Marie Harf, Deputy Spokesperson stated in response to a question on Sri Lanka,

“The U.S. has long urged the Government of Sri Lanka to fulfill its public commitments, to implement the recommendations of its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee report, and to develop credible justice mechanisms to address outstanding allegations concerning serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law”.

“We do also continue to be concerned about ongoing issues regarding restrictions on freedom of the press and expression, the erosion of the rule of law, and violence against religious minorities. And we also note with concern that human rights defenders have continued to face reprisals. Obviously, this is something that needs to end.”

Question at 06:20

Earlier this week, the United States Secretary of State for South Asia, warned that the international community's patience with Sri Lanka “will start to wear thin”, if issues of accountability remain unaddressed.

Academic Exposing Corrupt War Procurement Tender Process Threatened By Rajapaksa Government

December 7, 2013 

The Rajapaksa Government has commenced a campaign to threaten and intimidate Sri Lankan academic Dr.Thrishantha Nanayakkara who exposed for the first time the tender procedure about the controversial MiG 27 purchase by the Defence Ministry in an article he wrote in the Colombo Telegraph recently.

Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara

Dr. Nanayakkara’s family in Sri Lanka have been visited by military intelligence officials who have urged him to stop writing, the Colombo Telegraph learns. He has since de-activated his Facebook account.

Repeated attempts made by Colombo Telegraph to reach Dr. Nanayakkara have proved futile.

Dr. Nanayakkara is a Senior Lecturer at the King’s College London, where he is attached to the Centre for Robotics Research. As an ex-academic at the University of Moratuwa, Dr. Nanayakkara has served on the technical evaluation committees at the Defence Ministry run by President Rajapaksa’s brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The controversial MiG 27 deal was first revealed by Sunday Times Defence Correspondent and Senior Journalist Iqbal Athas in December 2006 and further exposed in The Sunday Leader then edited by murdered Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa filed legal action against The Sunday Leader newspaper to prevent further exposure of the corrupt deal. The investigative reports on the MiG deal proved to be one of the last reports on controversial defence purchases under Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s reign in Sri Lanka’s mainstream press.

In a recent article published in the Colombo Telegraph, Dr. Nanayakkara claimed that the Ministry of Defence calls on academics to sit on Technical Evaluation Committees for defence purchases, gives them less than 24 hours to review documentation and then finally blames academics when things begin to go wrong.

In his latest article, Dr. Nanayakkara notes that it was very unfortunate that the Ministry of Defence itself took to exposing the names of professionals and the recommendations of those TECs when things went wrong. “It seemed to us that the professionals who were kept in the darkness whole throughout the TEC process were just used as a cleansing shield in the event things go wrong. I am not alone in this concern. One can check with any academic in the University system in Sri Lanka on this,” he explains.

Responding to the fraud said to have taken place when purchasing MIG 27 fighters for Sri Lanka Air Force, the Ministry of Defence exposed the names of the Technical Evaluation Committee.

UN Celebrates Censorship, Stories on Nepotism, Sri Lanka & Corruption Targeted

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 4, updated -- How does censorship work at the UN? 

 Yesterday Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson about Ban's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee being named country representative to Kenya of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

UN Celebrates Censorship, Stories on Nepotism, Sri Lanka & Corruption Targeted by nelvely

‘Census on human and property damages due to conflict’: Critical points, translation & scanned version

• by Social Indicator
• - on 12/07/2013

The Census on human and property damages due to conflict – 2013, which began data collection last week is one of the key recommendations in theLessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report. According to astatement by the Department of Census and Statistics “The responsibility to conduct a Census to assess the human and property damages has been assigned to the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs and the Department of Census and Statistics. This Census which has to be completed within six months is scheduled to be held in October, 2013.”

‘Census on human and property damages due to conflict’ Critical points, translation & scanned version by nelvely

Dangerous two leaders and News method of crushed demonstrations: Secret advice to security council from SIS chief and Army commander revealed
(Lanka-e-News-07.Dec.2013, 10.30PM) State intelligence service (SIS) and anti terrorism unit (TID) chief DIG Chandra Nandana Wakishta at yesterday’s (06) meeting of the security council meeting proposed that, as President of the Federation of the University Teacher’s Association (FUTA) Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri and JVP labour leader Wasantha Samarasinghe are posing dangerous threats to the Rajapakse regime they must be somehow silenced. Testerday’s security council meeting was presided over by defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse.

Chandra Wakishta said , he has with him evidence to arrest Dr. Devasiri on charges of misusing state property of the University, and against Wasantha Samarasinghe he has evidence to mount charges of conspiring against the government. While criminal defense secretary began to show great enthusiasm like a wolf after an innocent prey following this revelation , Wakishta went on to reveal Wasantha Samarasinghe has had discussions with workers of over 100 Institutions to stage a number of strikes between January and March next year.

If Dr. Devasiri is taken into custody the other University Dons will be demoralized and lose heart, Wakishta pointed out. 

Army Commander Daya Ratnayake also disclosed to Gotabaya that in the coming year a number of protests are going to be staged as reported to him by the intelligence division of the Army, and therefore suggested that a new methodology should be put in place to crush demonstrations and protest marches. 

Ratnayake explained that the present method of attacking the marchers from front should be stopped , and instead after placing security barriers in front obstructing them , the attacks must be launched from behind. This method will be most effective he asserted.

Ratnayake added that in Pakistan this methodology was adopted and had been most successful in controlling protest processions. Besides, the arrest of the leader of the protests is also facilitated via this method.

The intelligence division chiefs also confirmed without any doubt they are informed that the UNP is going to stage a series of massive protests next year.

(This Rajapakse regime security council meeting proceedings was covered by LeN inside information division )

Labour demands Lanka probe

December 7, 2013

Britain’s main opposition Labour party says it will push Prime Minister David Cameron to seek an international led inquiry into human rights in Sri Lanka and cut short the deadline of March 2014.

Labour MP and shadow Foreign Minister Douglas Alexander said that 2014 could be a crucial year for accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, given the growing calls for an independent, international war crimes inquiry to be established.

Alexander said this after meeting a group of Tamil Diaspora organisations in London including the Global Tamil Forum (GTF).

“This was a useful and productive meeting with Tamil community leaders. Our discussions allowed me to thank them for all they have done to raise the issue of human rights in Sri Lanka here in the UK. They made clear their commitment to work together on this important issue in the months and years ahead. Working with the Tamil community here in the UK, Labour will continue to highlight these issues and urge action from the Government of Sri Lanka,” he said.

Alexander said that British Prime Minister David Cameron left Colombo with no improvements in Human Rights secured.

Representatives from the Tamil Information Centre, the Global Tamil Forum , Tamils for Labour , Tamils Against Genocide, British Tamils Forum, the Chairman of Hindu Temples, Tamil National Alliance UK and the Tamil Youth organization attended the meeting.

At the meeting Alaexander said that along with the Tamil community in the UK, Labour will not let the matter rest and will urge the Prime Minister to immediately join calls for an international led inquiry into human rights and cut short the deadline of March 2014 that he has granted to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Cameron had earlier said his government will seek progress in Sri Lanka by March 2014, failing which he will push for an international inquiry through the UN Human Rights Council.  (Colombo Gazette)

Third Plenum Of The Chinese CP: Political And Social Implications

By Kumar David -December 8, 2013 

Prof Kumar David

China’s new Air Defence Zone and the Japanese and South Korean Zones

Last week I discussed the economic restructuring programme adopted at theChinese Communist Party’s 18-th CC Plenum of November 2013. I held back my views as there will be plenty of time in the future for that, and focussed on giving readers an account of decisions and their implications with only marginal comments. This week I relax this style, move from economic to social and political matters and interject my views more frequently. This piece picks up first the relaxation of the one-child policy, and touches on corruption, the judicial system and worsening relations with Japan. Finally, I intervene in the perennial debate on authoritarianism and the discourse on the nature of the state in Twenty-first Century China.

The ‘one-child’ policy is to be relaxed and the share price of condom maker Humanwell Healthcare Group has plunged!  Even previously, couples who where both only-children, were allowed a second child; rural residents too were allowed two if their first child was a girl or disabled; ethnic minorities were permitted three. Now, if even one parent is an only child, two children are permitted. As a result of previous policies 117 boys are born for every 100 girls as female foetuses were preferentially aborted. This sex imbalance ratio has given rise to many social problems.                                             Read More

Kamalini Selvarajan – A Child Of A Lesser God!

By Sharmini Serasinghe -December 7, 2013 |

Sharmini Serasinghe

Kamalini

“Kamalini my dearest friend

your smile and the magic of the aura,

that radiates around your vibrant self

always lit up the darkest of times

Though in your new world of the unknown

you no longer know me

yet you greet me with that charming smile

you gave so freely to friends and foe

in better times

And so, it breaks my heart to know

you don’t know me, once your friend, anymore

in this strange new world

your God has made for you!”

Forgive me my friend

but understand your God

I do not

He took away your soul

and left me a living shell

Did he not find one

more worthy of his wrath? 

(Sharmini) 

Kamalini Selvarajan, my friend and colleague at Rupavahini- Sri Lanka’s national Television, has been diagnosed with Dementia!

Kamalini is an iconic TV personality and film star. She was, and is still loved by all, irrespective of caste, creed or race.                                            Read More

The holy vs the unholy

Editorial-December 6, 2013, 

An anti-casino campaign led by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera and other religious dignitaries is gathering momentum. These prelates seem determined not to leave any stone unturned in their efforts to thwart a government plan to set up gaming resorts. A meeting they held in Colombo on Thursday was a success. Even some key Opposition politicians were present there though they usually don’t see eye to eye on other issues and go for each other’s jugular at the drop of a hat. Anyway, their presence and rare show of unity must have boosted the morale of the anti-casino campaigners to some extent.

The government, given to bulldozing its way through, may have thought it would be able to rush the new casino laws through Parliament like the so-called Expropriation Bill. This time around, it has come up against a brick wall. Resistance from some of its coalition allies themselves to casinos may also have prompted it to act with restraint—at least for the time being.

However, one should not be so naïve as to expect the government to concede defeat so easily. All signs are that it has crossed the Rubicon. It is banking heavily on James Packer et al for foreign investment and, therefore, will go to any extent to set up casino resorts.

The government is making a huge mistake by seeking easy investment, as it were, from gaming tycoons. If it gets its act together and creates a really investor-friendly environment with all required facilities made available, it won’t have to grovel before the likes of Packer in this shameful manner. Corruption, bureaucratic red tape, inefficiency, political interference, irresponsible trade unionism etc have stood in the way of foreign investment as is common knowledge. Foreigners who are aware of the Rathupaswala dispute which left three dead and many others injured and led to the closure of a factory catering to the export market must be wary of bringing in their money here. That issue was totally mishandled. The government should get its industrial policy right and prevent the setting up of factories haphazardly with no heed for the environment and public wellbeing.

The Mahanayake Theras have made a joint appeal to the government, urging it not to promote casinos. They have struck a responsive chord with all right-thinking people. But, unfortunately, not even those who have joined their anti-casino campaign seem to take their advice seriously. On December 18, 2011, it may be recalled, Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter Most Ven. Tibbatuwawe Sri Sidhartha, Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiri Chapter Most Ven. Udugama Sri Rathanapala Buddharakkitha, Mahanayake Thera of the Ramanna Chapter Most Ven. Weweldeniya Medhalankara Thera and Mahanayake Thera of the Amarapura Chapter Most Ven. Gnanissara Thera together appealed to the UNP to appoint Karu Jayasuriya its leader. Their request was not heeded at all. The country has come to such a pass that politicians take the prelates for granted.

The government has a steamroller majority in Parliament and even if some of the UPFA constituents break ranks over the gaming issue it could pass laws to facilitate the setting up of foreign casinos. But, if it is wise it will refrain from such action in deference to the religious dignitaries’ opinion.

Similarly, the religious and political leaders who have joined forces to keep Packer at bay ought to explain why they are silent on the existing casinos and bookies which have ruined many families as their breadwinners lose money on horse racing. It affects their credibility to be selective in campaigning against gambling. Will they tell us what they propose to do with Local Packers, so to speak, and their gambling dens? Let there be no double standards.

Rajapaksa Called Pusswedilla

December 7, 2013 |

The Colombo Telegraph published in a breaking story, how the Censor Board had banned the latest edition in the popular Pusswedilla series, and featured a speech made by Feroze Kamardeen, Playwright and Director apologizing to a disappointed audience on November 30, 2013 for being prevented from allowing them to enjoy the latest in the series (Pusswedilla 4.1 “the Comon Welthings Summit”). He pledged to uphold the right to make fun of politicians on both sides and promised fans not to give in to attempts to suppress this right of citizens. He ended his speech with a phrase borrowed from the lead character of the series (Chaminda Pusswedilla), saying “In the words of H.E. Chaminda Pusswedilla – Thank you for voting!”

As news of the ban spread, there was a massive public outcry from the public, condemning the ban as a sign of increasing suppression of the freedom of expression by the Rajapaksa regime, extending even to art forms. Following this outcry, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has called Kamardeen and promised to reverse the injustice.

Kamardeen published the following announcement through Facebook last evening:

“Just got a call from H.E. The President regarding the Chaminda Pusswedilla ban by the Censor Board. The President told me how much he enjoyed Pusswedilla when he watched it and assured me that this will be sorted out… Thank you Your Excellency… To all Pusswedilla fans out there….H.G.H.E. Pusswedilla will be back very very soon….”

Related posts;

Pusswedilla Banned By The Censor Board

Eastern PC to set up its own Housing Development Authority

 Saturday, 07 December 2013

The Eastern Provincial Council is to set up its own Housing Development Authority to implement the housing development programme for the province.

Provincial Minister of Road Development, Housing and Construction, Rural Electrification and Water Supply, M.S. Uthumalebbe has said that the setting up of such an authority will help the successful implementation of the province’s housing development programme with funds raised locally and internationally.

He has explained that the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA), which comes under the central government, is in charge of housing constructions island wide, but a separate Housing Development Authority should be established at provincial level to implement housing construction projects.

The draft proposal to set up the authority was submitted to the Eastern Provincial Council on Monday (2).

4000 Diplomatic passports issued to astrologers, murderers and hair plucking eunuchs of VIP’s wives
(Lanka-e-News-07.Dec.2013, 10.30PM) Following the Medamulana backwoods land crocodiles taking cruel and barbaric control of the country , there has emerged another rudely startling report of their indiscriminate destruction of traditions , procedures and assets of valuable Institutions.

The Medamulana backwoods land crocodiles have by now issued over 4000 Diplomatic passports (with Diplomatic immunity ) according to reports reaching Lanka e news , which large number even India , a very much bigger country has not issued ! 

A Diplomatic passport is issued to the President , Prime Minister , Cabinet Ministers , Governors, former Presidents and Prime Ministers , chief justice, supreme court judges, opposition leader, speaker ,attorney general, Central Bank governor , Auditor general and those in the foreign diplomatic service of the country only. Others in the high rungs of the government are issued only official passports .

In SL , the entitlement to a diplomatic passport falls into 27 categories . Among them , mayors , Sangha nayakes and Ministry secretaries also are entitled. 

Though these are the regulations governing the issue of diplomatic passports , under the Medamulana backwoods land crocodiles’ reign , sons , daughters , boy friends , girl friends , spouses and paramours of President’s secretary , advisors , their wives’ hair plucking eunuchs and astrologers have been issued passports with diplomatic immunity and are among these lucky 4000 diplomatic passport holders.

Based on reports , Galagoda Aththe Gnanassara the drunkard of Bebedu Sena (BBS) and Delft pradeshiya sabha chairman the EPDP criminal who was arrested for murder recently had also been issued with these Diplomatic passports .Going by this indiscriminate distribution of passports, Julampitiya Amare too the underworld criminal being issued with a diplomatic passport is not a matter for surprise.

According to Universal practice , diplomatic immunity does not attach just because one is a holder of a diplomatic passport, the immunity attaches only to a Diplomat with excellent credentials. In the circumstances, there is no doubt that very soon a Diplomatic passport of SL will be treated like a piece of paper internationally at this rate.

In SL only those with the qualifications mentioned hereunder who can officially be entitled to a Diplomatic passport.
------------------------------------------

01. The President, Spouse and their Children
02. The Prime Minister, Spouse and their Children
03.Former Presidents, Former Prime Ministers, the Speaker, Chief Justice, Ministers 
and Leader of the Opposition.
04.Representatives of the Government of Sri Lanka accredited to the Government of 
other countries while they are serving abroad.
05.Officers holding substantive appointments in the Overseas Service (including 
Officers Posted to Sri Lanka Mission from Department of Commerce) while 
serving abroad.
06. Governors of the Provinces.
07. Chief Ministers of the Provinces.
08.Deputy Speaker, Deputy Ministers, Deputy Chairman of Committees of 
Parliament, Chief Government Whip
(Spouse and Unmarried Daughters and Minor Sons of Categories (03 to 08).
09. Attorney General.
10. Judges of the Supreme Court.
11. Judges of the Court of Appeal.
12. Members of Parliament and Spouses.
13. Chairpersons of the Provincial Councils and Provincial Ministers.
14. Secretary to the President.
15. Secretary to the Prime Minister.
16. Secretary to the Cabinet.
17. Governor of the Central Bank.
18. Secretaries to the Cabinet Ministers
Advisors to the President
Deputy Secretary to the Treasury
Auditor General
Secretary General of Parliament
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman)
19. Secretary to the Leader of the House.
Secretary to the Chief Government Whip.
20. Secretaries to the Non-Cabinet Ministers.
Chief Secretaries.
Additional Secretaries to the President.
21. Chief of Defence Staff.
Commander of the Army/Navy/Air Force/
Inspector General of Police.
22. Mahanayakas’ of Malwathu, Asgiri, Ramanna, Amarapura Chapters. As approved
Archbishops of the Roman Catholic Church. by the Cabinet
Most Reverend Chief Priests of the other religions. on 15.11.2001
23. Ch./PSC, Ch./NPC, Ch./HRC, Ch./EC, Ch./CIABC
(Chairman of the Commissions appointed under the 17th Amendments to the 
Constitution)
24. Director General, Department of Commerce.
25. Deputy Inspector General, Intelligence Service.
26. Commissioner in-charge of Tea Promotion work (Overseas) 
on recommendation of S/FA.
27. Mayors of MCC to be specially approved by the President