War crime video was passed to the world by State media : Hence govt. unable to sue channel 4 -Kiriella

War crime video was passed to the world by State media : Hence govt. unable to sue channel 4 -Kiriella
(Lanka-e-News-17.Dec.2013, 11.30PM) UNP leadership council member and M.P. Lakshman Kiriella revealed to Lanka e news that the video footage regarding the Sri Lanka (SL) war crimes was passed to channel 4 by none other than the government media itself , and it is why the government is stymied and unable to institute legal action against channel 4 . It is therefore only just wasting time by just blabbering and screaming against it.

It is only the state media that were allowed to be in the frontline during the final phase of the war , and therefore not only the channel four , but even the other foreign media too was able to publish them since the SL state media sources sold these video footages to them on the sly, he added.

To illustrate his point , Kiriella referred to the conduct of State television channel reporter , Samankumara Ramawickremage who covered the war front . This reporter had covered the events via two cameras , and while sending the reports of one camera to the State media had also transmitted the reports covered by the other camera via the satellite to the foreign media channels, based on information disclosed by other reporters who were in the war front with him.

Kiriella went on to point out that Al Jazeera media too reported on the war scenes at the same time ; and if those were based on copies of the reports of the SL state media , they should have had the State media emblem , but as the emblem was not there in those reports , it is testimony that a facsimile of the report sent to the government media had been forwarded to the foreign media too clandestinely. The government which is fully aware therefore that other reports and video footages of the war too may have been sent across to the foreign media surreptitiously is unable to open its mouth and expose the truth , Kiriella observed.

The government which is guilty , after becoming aware of the true facts , removed the video footages that were in the State national TV channels and entrusted to the custody of the defense Ministry . Having come to know that it is its own media that has made these gross betrayals (following in the footsteps of the regime which is also notorious for betraying the people after coming to power on false and hollow promises ) , it has only one option , that is camouflage the scenario by making loud announcements only of filing action against the channel 4 while slyly refraining from taking such action, Kiriella pinpointed.

Kiriella regretted that , when he revealed these facts in Parliament on December 2nd and 7 th , not one Minister or M.P. of the government could furnish an answer , and added that it is the government itself that paved the way for the war crime incriminations, and is therefore the architect of its misfortunes.

In the joint communiqué issued on 29 th May 2009 when UN secretary Ban Ki Moon visited SL , it was stated the government acknowledged and agreed to hold a war crime investigation.

Kiriella commenting further said , when he made these disclosures in Parliament , the foreign Minister in response denied it , and quoted only the first sentence of the joint communiqué , but when Kiriella referred to the last sentence in the communiqué and wanted him to read it , the Minister remained silent . In the last sentence the SL government has clearly agreed to conduct a war crime investigation , Kiriella noted.

It is not that a foreign Minister like Dr. G .L. Peiris does not know a joint communiqué means a communiqué issued with the concurrence of both parties , Kiriella emphasized. The last paragraph of that joint communiqué states : ‘The Secretary general underlined the importance of accountability process for addressing the violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. The government will take measures to address those grievances .’

The SL Rajapakse government has thereby very clearly agreed to an international investigation . Kiriella asserted .

The joint communiqué is appended herein.

Take bearing from PPT verdict in delivering justice to Eezham Tamils: May 17

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 December 2013, 07:14 GMT]
The recent verdict by the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) on Sri Lanka, which found the Sri Lankan State guilty of genocide, was a landmark decision in the path of justice to Eezham Tamils, say the activists of May 17 Movement from Tamil Nadu, who were present at the session in Bremen as expert witnesses on the genocide against Eezham Tamils. In an interview to TamilNet on Tuesday, Mr Thirumurgan Gandhi and Mr Umar of May 17 stated that the next step in the path of justice to the victims should be legally binding international investigation on genocide – not something that only deals with war crimes – and the parallel delivery of political justice to the victims of genocide. Any intervention or monitoring in the process to ensure this must avoid the forces of the countries that were complicit in the genocide, they said. 



Tamils should not demand any investigation other than a legally binding international investigation on genocide. Those who demand investigations on war crimes have a different agenda to gain their interests. They don’t listen to Tamils as a party to the conflict. 

It is therefore important to have an interim administration where Eezham Tamils could look after their own recovery and have the freedom to exercise their political aspiration. 

The intervention to monitor and conduct the interim administration and the referendum should be executed as a common responsibility of those who were not complicit in the genocide, Thirumurugan and Umar told TamilNet. 

For this to happen, the occupying Sri Lankan military must be removed from Tamil Eelam. 

The military forces of the countries such as the UK, USA, India, Pakistan and others that will be found complicit in the genocide should be kept away from any intervention, as they are parties of vested interests, the activists of May 17 said. 

The judgment delivered at Bremen by the panel of experts of the Peoples Tribunal was an important paradigm-setting event. 

The panel in its rulings said it believed the UK, the USA and India being complicit in the genocide, was a significant ruling setting the opinion. 

However, the panel of experts withheld their decision of India’s complicity pending examination of further evidence, as there were time constraints as the judges were focusing on the main charge of genocide. 

The panel had a clear understanding of the geopolitical intent of the world powers. On India’s complicity, they needed more time to further study the evidences. 

“We need to look back at how the panel ruled in 2010, when they said war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed and that genocide needed further investigation,” Mr Thirumurgan Gandhi said. 

“This time, they have done it. They spent a lot of time, almost the first two days in hearing the witnesses on the genocide and the complicity of USA and UK in detail. We were given less time than initially confirmed as allocated to us, due to the time constraints. The panel also had very limited time to study the evidence material presented to them on Indian complicity. The panel has acknowledged that further investigations are necessary on India. They have also clearly stated that they believe India along with USA and UK, is complicit in the genocide,” Mr Thirumurugan said. 

This is the first time India is getting accused for complicity in a genocide outside its own territory.

Oh Madiba, we need you here – now!

• 
  
• The King-Emperor of Reconciliation-  December 18, 2013

The year was 1995. The date was 24 June. It was the Rugby World Cup final at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, South Africa, between two southern hemispheric rugby power houses: The All Blacks of New Zealand and the Springboks of South Africa.
This was the ‘new’ South Africa, christened the Rainbow Nation by Arch Bishop Tutu. The nation that had emerged out of the horrors of white Afrikaner dominated apartheid. Rugby, even then in South Africa, still was the white Afrikaner man’s sport.
When Madiba’s father died when he was 12, he went to live with the Paramount Chief. He watched the Chief dispensing tribal justice mellowed with equity; this gave him an early interest in the law. The Paramount Chief liked to resolve disputes through consensus; he said the leader should be like a shepherd, directing his flock by skilful persuasion. It was a lesson in the art of politics which Madiba never forgot.

Oh Madiba, we need you here – now! by nelvely

Full Video: Charitha, Dhamma, Uvindu Live Censorship Case: Sri Lankan Government Tries To Prejudice Judges

December 18, 2013 
There has been a new development in the fundamental rights application against the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and others, which concerns the stoppage of a live political chat program in 2008. In November 2008, Uvindu Kurukulasuriya was participating in a state media chat show where he made critical remarks concerning the government’s media policy. In a fundamental rights application, Kurukulasuriya alleges that the program was suddenly terminated because of his critical views and in a bid to censor and silence him, in violation of his right to freedom of expression by a public-funded broadcaster.

Charitha Herath

Case 557 of 2008 came up yesterday, 17 December, before Justice Ekanayaka, Justice Dep and Justice Marasinghe. The new Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation filed a fresh affidavit annexing a series of publications from The Colombo Telegraph and Uvindu Kurukulasuriya, who is a petitioner in 557. Court granted one month for the petitioners to file a fresh set of counter objections.

It seems clear that the new documents are intended to prejudice the court rather than offer a defence to the alleged violation of fundamental rights of the petitioners.  Just because journalists are litigants in an on-going case, it does not mean that they are prevented from carrying out their professional activities. It is the duty of the journalists to stand up for editorial freedom and free speech.

SLRC fresh affidavit annexes;

Chief Justice Or Her Husband Must Resign

Can We Expect Justice And Independence From Servants Of Military Dictators?

One Retired Chief Justice Turns To Monkhood While Another Returns To Advice A Kleptocracy

Rajapaksa’s Second Choice- Corrupt Justice Hettige

In an earlier statement with regard to this case, RSF said:

Reporters Without Borders condemns the government pressure that led to the debate programme “Ira Anduru Pata” being cut short as it was being broadcast live on the evening of 4 November 2008 on state TV station Rupavahini. It ended a discussion of a new broadcasting law by three guests, including Free Media Movement convener Uvindu Kurukulasuriya.                                         Read More            

President to turn gem-encrusted filled-pot to stone!

 Wednesday, 18 December 2013 

The president has ordered the Terrorism Investigation Division officials to immediately bring to him an 800 year old gem-encrusted filled-pot, locally known as Pun Kalasa, which a coordinating secretary of his by the name Dhammika Premalal Raigama, a retired Army major and another person had tried to sell to a Japanese national for Rs. 35 million. TID officials are now busy preparing a glass case to take the filled-pot to the president, said TID sources.

This artifact had been brought to Wattala from the Kotelawalapura, Kaduwela home of Dhammika Premalal Raigama to be sold to the Japanese man. On information provided by the two persons arrested along with the filled-pot, the president’s coordinating secretary was arrested and on an order from the higher up, was released today (18) after a statement being recorded from him. The order from the higher up also said the artifact should be brought to Temple Trees for the president to have a look at it.

When Matara district MP Mangala Samaraweera raised this matter in parliament today, sugar industries minister Lakshman Seneviratne responded on behalf of the government and said there was no president’s coordinating secretary by the name Dhammika Premalal Raigama.

The paintings and ‘artifacts’ now being on display at the President’s House now are fakes that had been created recently, with the originals gone missing. The disappearance of the original paintings and artifacts there began during the period Ranasinghe Premadasa was the president. We are in possession of all the details of how the famous ‘Mulkirigala Painting’ had been smuggled by a Tamil into a luxury apartment owned by the Premadasa family at Kensington, London and sold at an auction of ancient paintings for hundreds of thousands of pound sterling. When the time comes, we will reveal these details.

Government grants more tax concessions to China

 Wednesday, 18 December 2013 

The government has granted more tax exemptions to China for a project to renovate and refurbish the country’s Superior Court complex.

The Cabinet has granted approval to the tax exemptions for the Chinese funded project.

The Chinese Government has reportedly agreed to undertake the project to renovate and refurbish the Supreme Court building in Colombo.

The proposal to grant tax exemptions for the items required for the project was made by Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem.

Modi Triggers Hopes and Fears in Lanka

By P K Balachandran -18th December 2013

The BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi dominates the discourse on Indian politics in Sri Lanka both among the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils. Given the media barrage emanating from India, the general feeling in the island nation is that Modi will be India’s next Prime Minister, heading a BJP-led coalition.  But Lankans differ on the question of the desirability of having Modi at the helm in New Delhi.

The TNA, as a political party, is silent on the issue, given the party’s dependence on the government in New Delhi. But the Tamils, as a whole, are looking forward to the coming of Modi. They believe that the Congress had let them down badly by secretly collaborating with Lankan government in Eelam War IV to decimate the LTTE. They believe that the BJP does not carry the political baggage that the Congress carries vis-a-vis Lankan Tamil issue and will, therefore, take a new route, especially if it is in alliance with the pro-Tamil AIADMK.

The Tamil media here noted with satisfaction Modi’s remark in Chennai that States should be given a role in shaping foreign policy vis-a-vis neighbours.

Sinhalese Split

However, the feelings among the majority Sinhalese are mixed. The Mahinda Rajapaksa government is hopeful that Dr Subramanian Swamy would swing the BJP in its favour given his publicly expressed gratitude to Rajapaksa for decimating the LTTE. 

Turtle mystery

Editorial-December 17, 2013, 7:18 pm 

An extremely rare white turtle said to be worth about Rs. 50 million is reported to have been stolen from a private hatchery in Kosgoda. Two police teams have been deployed to trace it, we are told. The person who runs the place has told the media that, having turned down an offer of Rs. 35 mn from a Sri Lankan for the animal, he hired four security guards and even kept a guard dog to ensure its protection, but in vain.

In a country where invaluable artefacts have gone missing from the National Museum and very rare paintings from the President’s House, the disappearance of a reptile hasn’t come as a surprise to many. One only hopes that the poor creature is safe!

Turtles are born white due to an abnormal condition, but it is claimed in some quarters that their blood could neutralise malefic effects of planetary combinations on humans. We reported a few years ago that a powerful minister had, in the buff, got into a burlap sack filled with gingelly and stayed there overnight on his astrologer’s advice. There are also some wealthy yet vain people willing to pay any amount of money just to possess white turtles and other such rare animals.

Turtles are an endangered species and they must be protected whether they are black or white or green. But, one was surprised when one heard a senior police officer speak to a radio station yesterday about the missing turtle on condition of anonymity. Asked whether the so-called turtle hatcheries had obtained permission from the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) to carry out their operations, he answered in the negative. But, he trotted out some lame excuses when he was asked why the police had taken no action against them.

It is said that these hatcheries help conserve turtles. That may be so, but since it is unlawful for private individuals or organisations to keep turtles, the DWLC should take over the task of conserving them without letting its work be outsourced to non-experts. Else, with the expansion of tourism, unauthorised turtle hatcheries are bound to mushroom along the coast as they are a major tourist attraction.

The bane of this country is that its laws are not properly enforced. The Fauna and Flora Act is implemented selectively or simply ignored at the behest of politicians and other influential people. In Ahungalle close to Kosgoda, a private zoo functioned for years though menageries are prohibited here. The authorities concerned turned a blind eye to it, in spite of numerous public complaints, even though some dangerous animals were kept there and visitors were exposed to danger. They were jolted into action only after a ‘pet’ lion had killed a schoolchild in 1997. The mini zoo was closed.

There are many people, especially the nouveau riche, who want to own elephants to boost their egos. The private ownership of elephants including those illegally captured and brutally tamed must be banned. Sadly, the government politicians, instead of liberating the jumbos from the clutches of vain bipeds who unflinchingly subject the poor animals to cruelty and exploitation, give away pachyderms including sucklings as if they had fathered them. It was only a few months ago that the ali potha or the so-called elephant register went missing under mysterious circumstances. Animal rights activists expressed fear that some politically backed thieves of elephants were trying to destroy the official records of domesticated elephants and/or capture more animals and register them.

Such is the callous disregard governments have for animal rights. The missing white turtle must be traced and those responsible for stealing it brought to book. And, the problem of unauthorised turtle hatcheries needs to be addressed and a solution found urgently.

President & Kasippu Wasantha lock horns

 Wednesday, 18 December 2013

A clash has erupted between president Mahinda Rajapaksa and Matale district MP, deputy minister Lakshman Wasantha Perera, who is second only to minister Johnston Fernando in helping the Rajapaksa family to earn their ‘monthly earnings’, according to Temple Trees sources.

Better known among his parliamentary colleagues as ‘Kasippu Wasantha’, lawyer Lakshman Wasantha Perera has liquor distilling as his main income. The Hingurana Sugar factory and several other distilleries owned by him manufacture substandard liquor. During a raid by the Customs in Biyagama last year, it was revealed he was using formaline, urea and other hazardous raw materials for liquor manufacturing.

However, the Customs investigations were stopped and the members of the raiding party suspended on the orders of the president. A leading shareholder of Hingurana Sugar factory is Lekshika Fernando, a niece of the president and the wife of Shashindra Rajapaksa, Kataragama Devale Basnayake Nilame, who is the son of Chamal Rajapaksa.

The clash between the president and Lakshman Wasantha Perera is due to the MP not giving the president his ‘share.’ The president’s anger has increased as the MP has confined only to words a promise to MP Namal Rajapaksa’s ‘Tharunyata Hetak’ to build 600 swimming pools across the country.

Deciding to take some action, the president has spoken to his news planter, Ranjith Ananda Jayasinghe of ‘Lankadeepa’ and instructed him to attack ‘Kasippu Wasantha.’ As a result, the journalist planted a lead news article in last Sunday’s issue of the newspaper under the heading ‘2 politicians behind ethanol racket.’

Since he had to spent millions on his son’s electioneering for the north western provincial council polls recently, minister Johnston Fernando too, has failed to give the president his ‘share’ and deputy minister Lakshman Wasantha Perera having followed suit, the president’s monthly income has decreased and his anger increased.

The ‘Lankadeepa’ article has left both Johnston Fernando and Lakshman Wasantha Perera quite concerned and they have tasked their media secretaries with issuing explanatory media statements. A go-between of the president has spoken to both politicians and advised them to give the president his ‘share’ and get the matter settled before it gets too far, instead of making matters worse by issuing media statements. Sources at ‘Lankadeepa’ say Ranjith Ananda Jayasinghe is all ready, with Christmas nearing, to plant his next article for which he is expecting responses from the two politicians.

ICC opens file against SL : Kenya President who MaRa embraced in his tour is a war criminal himself

ICC opens file against SL : Kenya President who MaRa embraced in his tour is a war criminal himself

(Lanka-e-News- 17.Dec.2013, 11.30PM) The International criminal court (ICC) has already opened a file pertaining to the Sri Lanka (SL) war crimes , according to Dr. Dayan Jayatileke the UN permanent representative of SL in Geneva during the war period 2007 to 2009. Dr. Jayatileke revealed this in a statement made by him to the private radio channel

A year ago , the chief Director of the ICC ,Morano Okampo told a international television channel that already a file has been opened in relation to SL war crimes. Dr. Jayatileke said he was waching to that. It is based on ignorance , some are claiming that ICC cannot institute legal action citing the ground SL has not signed the SL –Rome covenant, he observed. 

Case was not filed in the ICC against former Yugoslavia President Molosovich , but a special court ( I C T Y – International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia) was established by the UN organization , Jayatileke pointed out.

Yugoslavia President was taken into custody on war crime charges, and the case was heard for 5 years while he was in detention. He finally died in custody. 

A resolution with data against SL is expected to be presented in Geneva in march next year , he further warned .

In any event , according to reports reaching Lanka e news, the Kenya President Uhuru Kenyata is an individual facing criminal charges before the ICC who de facto dictator Rajapakse held in warm embrace during his recent tour in much the same way as birds of a feather flock together. 

A preliminary trial was conducted against 7 accused including Kenyata . However charges against two of them were withdrawn subsequently. One other accused had fled and gone into hiding in fear. The charges against President Kenyata had been proved in the preliminary round, and from 5 th February next year , the trial against him will begin.

The first notice of summons was issued on 8 th March 2011 and at the preliminary inquiry on 23 rd January 2012, the charges were proved. The case trial is to commence on 5 th February 2014.

Among the five heinous charges filed against Kenyata are committing mass murder, inflicting torture , forcibly displacing people and rape of women .

It is worthy of special note that no sooner SL’s de facto dictator Rajapakse was appointed as the Head of the commonwealth , than he made a beeline to meet Kenyata the criminal brute of a leader, of all leaders !

Heroin haul: ­PM, former Speaker trade accusations

By Saman Indrajith-December 17, 2013, 8:48 pm 

Prime Minister, D. M. Jayaratne and former Speaker Joseph Michael Perera, MP yesterday traded accusations in Parliament during the budget debate.

The words, ‘heroin dealer’ and ‘drug peddler’ were heard. That prompted Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to say that it was unfair to accuse anyone of wrongdoing without being found guilty by a court.

Earlier, Premier Jayaratne had said that the government could not stop casinos, liquor and other social ills but the call for stopping them should come from the people themselves.

Prime Minister Jayaratne, participating in the third reading stage debate, on Budget 2014, under the expenditure heads of the 23 ministries, referred to a special select committee and the secretariat for special functions. He said it was an objective mentioned in the Mahinda Chinthana Manifesto to create a just society where people lived by honest means and where moralities would be given high priority.

Jayaratne said there were bhikkhus who dishonored the robe and attention should not be paid to the social disturbances caused by them. Those monks level allegations and blame just people therefore they should be ignored. "I have been working for the benefit of people for 62 years and am guided by what had been said in the Dhammapada that a righteous person should be like a solid rock that will not been shaken by the wind, or is not ruffled by praise or blame," he said.

UNP National List MP Joseph Michael Perera asked whether he could take action to provide text books to Dhamma schools?

Obviously exasperated, the Prime Minister asked MP Perera whether he had a religion. "If you have one then you should act according to the teachings of that religion."

MP Perera responded angrily reminding the PM of the recent detection of a heroin haul concealed in a container, for the clearance of which the Prime Minsiter’s Office had issued a letter to the Customs.

The PM was heard saying words, ‘drug peddler’.

A slanging match ensued and Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa had to intervene to settle it.

Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga said: "We know that you, as the minister of religious affairs, had been fair by all religions and faiths and treat them alike. Now the religious leaders of this country have campaigned against casinos. Religious leaders, including the Mahanayakes, demanding that casinos be banned. Could you promise this House that the government would respect the words of religious leaders and stop setting up casinos?"

PM: A government cannot stop casinos. A government could not stop casinos, liquor and other social evils. The urge to stop them should come from within the people themselves.

Chief Opposition Whip: What is a government there for if it could not stop them? What is the use of ministers if they cannot stop them? Why do you all disrespect the request of religious leaders?

The Prime Minister did not respond to the queries of Chief Opposition Whip.

WikiLeaks: Gota Requests US Law Enforcement Assistance To Address Civilian-Military Issues

December 18, 2013

“Highlighting a reduction in civilian casualties as ‘the one thing to improve,’ Sri Lankan Secretary of Defense Gotabaya Rajapaksa requested U.S. law enforcement assistance to address civilian-military issues and improve communication. The GSL has taken measures to reduce civilian casualties in the fight against the LTTE, he stated.” US Embassy Manila (Philippines) informed Washington.

A classified diplomatic cable which details a meeting the US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte had with Gotabaya Rajapaksa on July 31, 2007. The Colombo Telegraph found the related US diplomatic cable from the WikiLeaks database.

Gota in a secret meeting with UN official

 Wednesday, 18 December 2013 

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has reportedly held a discussion with a senior UN official at a meeting that has been kept confidential by the Mahinda Rajapaksa government.

The meeting according to a foreign news report had taken place at the UN Headquarters in New York.

According to Innercitypress, Rajapaksa had met UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson.

Contents of the discussion are not yet known.

The Defence Secretary has been a staunch critic of the UN and has accused the UN Human Rights Commissioner of being influenced by pro-LTTE elements.

However, the government is now trying its best to address the growing dissention against its failures in addressing human rights and accountability issues at the next UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in March 2014.

The UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka that was adopted last year is to be taken up for review in March and members of the international community have warned of another resolution and severe repercussions if the government fails to address concerns before the next Council session.

Vavuniya Police on the trail of group of abductors 

By Premalal Wijeratne- December 18, 2013

The Special Investigation Unit of the Vavuniya Police is making inquiries to arrest a group of racketeers, who had abducted a person (56) and detained him in Delft Island asking for a ransom of 70,000 Francs from the abductee’s son, who is in France.

Investigations have revealed that the victim was abducted in the Kurukkal Pudukulam area.

A high-ranking police officer in charge of this area said the wife of the person who was abducted has lodged a complaint on the abduction of her husband.

The gang had got to know that the victim’s son had received a large sum of money as compensation because of an accident he had met with in France.

It is also revealed the victim had fled to Kayts Island, with the help of a young fisherman and reached the Vavuniya Police.

The gang had kidnapped him on 14 December, after tricking him into believing that he would be getting a water pump that had purportedly been donated by a Non-Governmental Organization.

The police have taken the driver of the van in which the victim was abducted, along with the van, into custody. They have deployed a team of police personnel to arrest the other suspects.

The police said the victim had lived in India for some time and had come to Sri Lanka recently.

A special police team is making further inquiries in this connection on the instruction of DIG, Vavuniya, Jayantha Wickremasinghe.(Ceylon Today Online)

Dullas & Dilan congratulates Punchinilame!

 Wednesday, 18 December 2013 

The Ratnapura high court today (18) absolved Susantha Punchinilame, then a UNP MP and now a UPFA minister, of the murder of MP Nalanda Ellawala and a driver of Dilan Perera at Kuruwita in Ratnapura on 11 February 1997. According to reports, the then closest friends of the murdered MP, Dullas Daham Kumara Alahapperuma and Dilan Perera have congratulated their cabinet colleague over his acquittal.

Susantha Punchinilame was also accused in the killings of medical student Padmasiri Thrimawitharana and two others in October 1988 and it is a well known secret that he had crossed over to the government in order to escape from the two cases. Accordingly, the Colombo magistrate’s court a few years ago cleared Susantha Punchinilame in the Thrimawitharna case and 16 years later he was found not guilty today in the Nalanda Ellawala murder. It is ironical that he is getting the acquittal from a SLFP-led UPFA government.

In a show of tribute to his best friend, the murdered Nalanda Ellawala, Dullas Daham Kumara Alahapperuma had named his son after him, but 16 years later, he is shaking hands with the murderer in show of the dark nudity of Sri Lankan politics. As Dullas’ beloved wife, songstress Pradeepa Dharmadasa asks, “Nadu Nethi Ratakata Monawada Payanawada Soorya?’ (meaning – why does sun rises in a country devoid of court cases) we have to ask the same question.

Mangala takes PM's side

 Wednesday, 18 December 2013 

UNP leadership council member - Mangala Samaraweera says that leveling baseless charges against Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne is unacceptable.

He was speaking on behalf of the opposition while opening the 14th allotted day for the Committee Stage Debate on the Appropriation Bill (2014).

The UNP MP emphasised that the Prime Minister is neither a fraud nor a drug trafficker.

MP Samaraweera also revealed in parliament that the government has spent funds on 07 MPs of the UK's Conservative Party.

He also questioned as to who came on a jet from Israel to the recently concluded CHOGM.

A heated situation took place in Parliament after the MP raised the question.

Courtesy - Sri Lanka MIrror

• Black Church Leadership Gathering Excludes Women

• December 11, 2013

This past Sunday in Miami, Bishop Paul S. Morton opened the Full Gospel’s ‘Generals of Faith’ event, Rebranding in the Body of Christ: The Ultimate Leader Shift, by announcing, “This room represents the movers and shakers of the kingdom."

Yet there was not a single woman in the room.

According to the press release “by invitation only prominent new generation pastors and leaders filled a room...to interact and to integrate their ideas in bold, powerful and world changing topics.”

The special invite from Bishop J.W. Walker included only prominent black male pastors of larger congregations in the country—and I just have to ask: how can an all-male group possibly create strategies that will impact the “kingdom” and ultimately the world without including the voices of women clergy who labor (twice) as hard and are just as committed?

This event should have been called ‘General Men’s Conference: How to Set the Black Church Back Forty Years’.

This gathering was not about coming together to create new strategies for the church; it was not about social and political reform. This event was an exclusive gathering for black men to huddle in support of men’s ideas and agendas—a slap in the face to countless women who are called and committed to ministry and social transformation. 

Women contribute a huge amount in both attendance and participation within Christian congregations. But Bishop Walker's group is implying that it is acceptable to take women’s financial contributions, gifts, and talents but is unacceptable to invite them to the table when strategizing for “ground breaking” change. In other words, they want everything women have to offer, except their opinions.

What kind of message does this send to the daughters and wives of these men? It bothers me that men admonish their daughters to be politically involved, but do not put this into practice in their own ministries. 

Sexism is alive and real. Men face racism, classism, and commercialism head on but are complicit in the fight against sexism. They would rather sit comfortably and bathe in their traditions filled with sexism. This attitude is problematic; it is the venom of the church. It condones women’s issues and voices being in the margins. This attitude screams selfishness and that male ideas and issues are priority. Gone are the days when patriarchy is pacified. And here I need to say it: your works are not commendable; they are shameful and irresponsible to the call of God.

Women’s voices are necessary for making strides for positive change in the church, and in the world. Think of women like Fannie Lou Hamer, whose Christian convictions inspired her to fight for voting rights. She didn’t let naysayers, police brutality or her poverty stricken upbringing stop her. Think also of Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas, Bishop Yvette Flunder, and Pastor Susie Owens—all influential in areas of advocacy while still committed to ministry.

Women have been making changes in society, fearlessly and fiercely, for decades. With or without the laws and tradition on their side, women have effected social, political and spiritual change. The church has been slow to combat societal issues, and in black denominational bodies, when someone finally steps up to the plate, the male leaders resemble those of the civil rights era, expecting the women to be unequipped to march at the forefront when there would be no forefront without them. 

The Full Gospel denominational body believes that the faces and black bodies of women could not possibly fit the description of a general, chosen generation, or world leader and yet women walk and live in these capacities every day.

Are they really saying that Jarena Lee, Bishop Vashti McKenzie, Dr. Jackie McCullough, Rev. Gina Stewart, Pastor Claudette Copeland and all the other countless women who have given themselves fully to the call of ministry and service are to be applauded but not thought of as equally equipped to lead the “chosen generation”?

This is the weakness of The Black Church: gender oppression, inequality, and discrimination. The church cannot make moves to build the kingdom and impact the world if sexism is the standard and equality is preached but not practiced. 

When will women’s contributions to ministry be accepted as equal? When will male clergy take their voices seriously? Now is the time.

Indian diplomat says she faced repeated strip, cavity searches by U.S. officials

Supporters of right wing Rashtrawadi Shivsena, or nationalist soldiers of Shiva, protest against the alleged mistreatment of New York based Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013. (AP / Saurabh Das)

Nirmala George, The Associated Press -Wednesday, December 18, 2013 

NEW DELHI -- An Indian diplomat said U.S. authorities subjected her to a strip search, cavity search and DNA swabbing following her arrest on visa charges in New York City, despite her "incessant assertions of immunity."

The case has sparked widespread outrage in India and infuriated the New Delhi government, which revoked privileges for U.S. diplomats to protest the woman's treatment. It has cast a pall over India-U.S. relations, which have cooled in recent years despite a 2008 nuclear deal that was hailed as a high point in the nations' ties.

Devyani Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, was arrested Thursday outside of her daughter's Manhattan school on charges that she lied on a visa application about how much she paid her housekeeper, an Indian national.

Prosecutors say the maid received less than $3 per hour for her work.

In an email published in India media on Wednesday, Khobragade said she was treated like a common criminal.

"I broke down many times as the indignities of repeated handcuffing, stripping and cavity searches, swabbing, in a holdup with common criminals and drug addicts were all being imposed upon me despite my incessant assertions of immunity," she wrote.

An Indian official with direct knowledge of the case confirmed to The Associated Press that the email was authentic. The official, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the case, said India's priority now is to get the woman returned home.

"India's top demand right now is: Return our diplomat," he said, adding that Khobragade, who was released on $250,000 bail, would have to report to police in New York every week.

Khobragade's case has touched a nerve in India, where the fear of public humiliation resonates strongly and heavy-handed treatment by the police is normally reserved for the poor. For an educated, middle-class woman to face public arrest and a strip search is almost unimaginable, except in the most brutal crimes.

Prosecutors say Khobragade claimed on visa application documents she paid her Indian maid $4,500 per month, but that she actually paid her less than $3 per hour. Khobragade has pleaded not guilty and plans to challenge the arrest on grounds of diplomatic immunity.

Marie Harf, U.S. State Department deputy spokeswoman, said Khobragade does not have full diplomatic immunity. Instead, she has consular immunity from the jurisdiction of U.S. courts only with respect to acts performed in the exercise of consular functions.

If convicted, Khobragade faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for visa fraud and five years for making a false declaration.

The fallout from the case was growing. India retaliated against U.S. diplomats with measures that include revoking diplomat ID cards that brought certain privileges, demanding to know the salaries paid to Indian staff in U.S. Embassy households and withdrawing import licenses that allowed the commissary at the U.S. Embassy to import alcohol and food.

Police also removed the traffic barricades near the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi in retaliation for Khobragade's treatment. The barriers were a safety measure but India said they clogged up traffic.

On Wednesday, dozens of people protested outside the U.S. Embassy, saying Khobragade's treatment was an insult to all Indian women.

In New Delhi, the lower house of Parliament had to be temporarily adjourned Wednesday after lawmakers noisily demanded that it adopt a resolution against the United States.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Khobragade's treatment as "deplorable."

Arun Jaitely, leader of the opposition in the upper house, said the government had to register its "strongest protest" to the U.S. government for the "lack of respect for India." He called for a review of India's relations with the United States, a demand that was vociferously seconded by many lawmakers.

Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said the arrest was a "matter of national outrage." He promised angry lawmakers that the government would make an official statement in Parliament on the incident.

Harf said Tuesday that federal authorities would work on the issue with India.

"We understand that this is a sensitive issue for many in India," she said. "Accordingly, we are looking into the intake procedures surrounding this arrest to ensure that all appropriate procedures were followed and every opportunity for courtesy was extended."