JVP tells Edu. Minister to stop playing blame game

By Dasun Edirisinghe-December 25, 2013, 6:16 pm 

The JVP-led Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union (CTSU) yesterday urged Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena to take action against those who admit students to primary classes of popular schools through the back door, causing classes therein to be overcrowded.

CTSU General Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe told The Island that Minister Gunawardena blamed politicians for admitting students through influence from Grade Two to Five, but he should take action to stop that without playing the blame game.

Minister Gunawardena recently revealed that thousands of students who had got through the Grade V Scholarship Examination, with high marks, had been left kicking their heels for want of space in classrooms of popular schools already filled with children of those with political backing.

Citing a ministry report, Jaysinghe said that principals of popular schools had overloaded Grades Two, Three, Four and Five under political pressure. Parents who failed to have their children admitted to Grade One classes at popular schools secured politicians’ help to facilitate their admission later on, he said.

Jayasinghe said that Bandula Gunawardena had assumed office in 2010 and he, too, was responsible for admitting students through the back door. "We ask him to reveal the name of those politicians and officials who issued letters from the Ministry to admit students to the primary sections of popular schools," Jayasinghe said, adding that they should be punished after a proper investigation.

Jaysainghe said that several leading schools, including Rahula College Matara and Dharmaraja College Kandy could not accommodate students this year based on the Grade V Scholarship Examination results due to space problem.

Jayasinghe said that cut-off mark of most popular schools had gone very high due to the problem. "We also ask minister to reveal the number of students eligible to be admitted under the Grade V Scholarship Examination to popular schools," the unionist said.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that his ministry had already removed an Education Ministry Secretary for issuing of letters to admit students to popular schools and appointed a new secretary few months ago.

திருக்கேதீஸ்வரம் மனிதப்புதைகுழி பற்றி சர்வதேச விசாரணை தேவை: ராயப்பு ஜோசப் திருக்கேதீஸ்வரம் மனிதப்புதைகுழி  கடைசியாக பிரசுரிக்கப்பட்டது: 25 டிசம்பர், 2013 தமிழ் இலங்கையின் வடமேற்கே மன்னார் மாவட்டம் திருக்கேதீஸ்வரம் பகுதியில் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள மனிதப்புதைகுழி தொடர்பான இலங்கை அரசின் விசாரணையில் நம்பிக்கையில்லை என்றும், எனவே அது குறித்து சர்வதேச விசாரணை தேவை என்றும் மன்னார் ஆயர் இராயப்பு ஜோசப் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். திருக்கேதீஸ்வரம் பகுதியில் வீதிப் புனரமைப்பு நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கான பணியில் ஈடுபட்டிடிருந்த பணியாளர்கள் நிலத்தைத் தோண்டிபொது, மனித எலும்புக்கூட்டு எச்சங்கள் இருந்தமை கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. இதனையடுத்து அந்த இடத்தைப் பார்வையிட்ட மன்னார் நீதவானின் உத்தரவுக்கமைய அந்த இடத்தைத் தோhண்டும் பணிகள் ஆரம்பிக்கப்பட்டன. மன்னார் நீதவான், சட்ட வைத்திய அதிகாரி மற்றும், காவல்துறையினர் முன்னிலையில் இந்தப் புதைகுழி தோண்டும் பணிகள் முன்னெடுக்கப்பட்டபோது பத்து மண்டையோடுகளும் மனித எலும்புக்கூட்டு எச்சங்களும் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டு, நீதிமன் உத்தரவுக்கமைய அவைகள் இரசாயன பகுப்பாய்வுக்காக அனுப்பப்பட்டிருக்கின்றன. கிறிஸ்மஸ் பண்டிகையையடுத்து டிசம்பர் 28 ஆம் தேதிவரை இந்த புதைகுழியைத் தோண்டும் பணிகள் ஒத்திவைக்கப்பட்டிருக்கின்றன. இந்த மனிதப் புதைகுழி குறித்து கருத்து வெளியிட்ட மன்னார் ஆயர் இராயப்பு ஜோசப், மன்னாரில் மட்டுமல்ல, வடக்கில் யாழ்ப்பாணம் உட்பட பல இடங்களில் இவ்வாறான மனிதப் புதைகுழிகள் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தன. ஆயினும் அரச விசாரணைகளின் மூலம், அவைகுறித்த உண்மையான தகவல்கள் வெளிவரவில்லை. குறிப்பாக செம்மணி பாரிய மனிதப் புதைகுழி நீதவான் ஒருவர் முன்னிலையில் தோண்டப்பட்டு, விசாரணைகள் நடைபெற்ற போதிலும், அங்கு புதைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தவர்கள் தொடர்பிலோ அல்லது யார் அந்த சடலங்களைப் புதைத்தார்கள், புதைக்கப்பட்டவர்கள் யாரால் எவ்வாறு கொல்லப்பட்டார்கள் என்ற உண்மைகளோ கண்டறியப்படவில்லை என்று மன்னார் ஆயர் சுட்டிக்காட்டியுள்ளார். இதனால் இலங்கை அரச விசாரணைகளில் தமக்கு நம்பிக்கை இல்லாதிருப்பதனால், திருக்கேதீஸ்வரம் உள்ளிட்ட மனிதப் புதைகுழிகள் தொடர்பில் சர்வதேச விசாரணைகள் நடத்தப்பட்டு உண்மைகள் வெளியில் கொண்டு வரப்பட வேண்டும் என்றும் அவர் பிபிசி தமிழோசையிடம் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். Bishop Joseph calls for international investigation into Mannar mass grave26 December 2013 The Bishop of Mannar has called for an international investigation into the mass grave unearthed in Mannar, reported BBC Tamil. Dismissing any inquiry by the Sri Lankan government, Bishop Rayappu Joseph, said that other graves had been unearthed across Jaffna, and he did not believe the investigations undertaken were authentic. Last week construction workers attempting to installing a pipeline in Thirukketheeswaram,found the remains of two human skeletons. Further excavation revealed four human skullsearlier this week. Photograph Tamilwin According to BBC Tamil ten human skeletons have now been found. Excavations have been postponed till the 28th December, due to the festive period.

Eye witness evidence vs forensic evidence and police manipulation of evidence

December 25, 2013, 5:39 pm 

Continued from Midweek Review of Dec 18, 2013

By A concerned scientist

Police manipulation of evidence

Senior readers may recall the famous Sathasivam case in the early fifties where a housewife was found murdered in a garage in a house in Colombo. The Police suspected the husband and the servant boy but later got the servant turn to a crown witness despite the fact that he had made a confession to the murder at the initial inquiry. Subsequently he had given evidence against the husband as an "eye-witness" implicating him to be the murderer.

Fortunately, the accused had the resources to defend himself by retaining a forensic expert brought down from UK and save himself from gallows (Those days death penalty was in force). Suppose he did not have the resources to produce expert evidence in his favour and the court believed the evidence of the crown witness, wouldn’t there have been a chance that the accused was sent to gallows? If it happened, who would have been responsible for such a "legal murder"?

More recently, it was reported in a Sinhala Weekly (Irida Divayina of 08.12.13) how a person alleged to have killed his father, an owner of a hotel at Biyagama, had attempted to implicate the caretaker of his land for the murder with the connivance of the local police and the police area crimes division. The attempt, however, got foiled because the villagers had brought the matter to the attention of higher authorities in the police.

Had the case not proceeded in this manner, couldn’t there have been a possibility that the accused was found guilty of the offence, particularly if an eminent lawyer was retained by the prosecution. In this instance, were the police officers involved in this dastardly act given any punishment? Isn’t this a worst crime than suppressing an inquiry to save an accused as has happened recently at Talangama Police?

Conviction record

It is also interesting to look at the statistics on grave crimes given in the Police Dept. website. During the 6 year period from 2005 to 2010, there have been a total of 8,106 homicides/suicides reported with an annual average of 1,351 ranging from 742 in 2010 to 2,044 in 2006. However, only in 85% cases that suspects have been apprehended. In more than 56% of the cases, police investigations are still proceeding and in another 25%, cases are held up at various stages in the system.

The database also reveals that during all these 6 years, out of 8,106 homicide cases, only 9 cases had ended up in convictions and in 75 cases the accused were acquitted, which means that there had been only 0.1% convictions and 0.9 % discharges, annually. This is indeed a very poor record for our legal system and is not acceptable by any standard.

The authorities, I believe, should examine the reasons for Sri Lanka having such a very low conviction record. Could it be the dependence too heavily on low quality eye witnesses? Or could it be the lethargic investigations conducted by the police? Or could it be the brilliance of the defending lawyers? Once the causes are identified, corrective measures could be taken to improve the situation.

Earlier in the article, I raised the question about the effectiveness of the SOCO programme. I believe the conviction percentage in homicides would be a good indicator. If this programme is going to be really effective, there should be a corresponding improvement in this factor in the future.

Legal support for the Police

In all criminal cases, I believe it is the police that handles the prosecution with the assistance of the Attorney General’s Department. The question is how competent are the police officers in handling complicated cases in which highly paid eminent lawyers appear for the defense trying to find loop holes in the evidence for the prosecution. If a case is taken up at a higher court, a state counsel may appear for the case. Yet, a single contradiction by a witness is sufficient to tilt the balance in favour of the accused.

According to a news item appearing in another daily on 09.12.13, a judge has acquitted all 8 accused in a triple murder case in Horana on the grounds that the prosecution was unable to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, and that is after a 13-year long hearing.

Shouldn’t something be done to reform the entire system and improve the conviction record? Should an attorney be appointed to every major police station to handle serious criminal cases taken to courts? Should a mechanism be introduced to collect more forensic data in a scientific manner?

Solution- Bring back Govt.

Analyst’s Dept.

It would therefore be in the interest of the country, if the Govt. Analyst’s Dept. re-establishes the category of staff entrusted with the task of initial examination of scenes of crime that it had earlier, but with enhanced entry requirements and enhanced salaries. They need to be given a thorough training in scientific methods of criminal investigations overseas at the best laboratories at Govt. expense.

If the universities commence a discipline of forensic science as suggested earlier, graduates who have followed these courses should be recruited for these posts. They also should be given housing and transport facilities as well as security ensuring their safety from undesirable elements.

The SOCO division in the Police could continue but its officers need to work under the supervision of the Govt. Analyst’s Dept. scientists. The latter should be responsible for the collection of forensic data in a scientific manner following international standards. They could also testify and face any cross examination by defense lawyers with greater confidence without leaving any doubts in the minds of the jurors and the judge and prove a case beyond reasonable doubt. The public could then have faith in the system that justice will be done for the victims of criminal offences.

Concluded

Genocide has to be compensated by separation: Sikh politician

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 December 2013, 22:30 GMT]
“Tamils can’t live [in a united Sri Lanka] after the perpetration of the crime of genocide. I think the wounds are too deep historically there to be reconciliation. After a State has committed genocide, there can’t be any reconciliation,” says Simranjit Singh Mann, the president of Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar party, who advocates the formation of Khalistan as an independent and sovereign State for Sikhs, in an exchange of views with Tamil Nadu based May 17 Movement. “Pirapaharan and his movement was too powerful for the Sri Lankan government,” he said, adding that “it was under the collaboration of UPA-led Congress government that the Sri Lanka government was able to achieve and crush the movement for freedom by committing a genocide on the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.” 

Simranjit Singh Mann

A major tactic deployed by the Indian State was to make sure that Tamil Nadu didn’t rise up to exert pressure on the Indian Government. This was achieved through wooing collaborators from Tamil Nadu with positions and money, he said. 

“The Tamil people would have listened in revolt and in favour of what was happening to the Tamils in Sri Lanka [in 2009]. But, for the fact that these Tamil leaders had been ‘bought over’, this didn’t happen,” the Sikh leader told Tamil activists from Tamil Nadu.

“Government of India rules Tamils of Tamil Nadu and the Sikhs of Punjab through collaborators, in keeping the Tamils and the Sikhs subdued and not letting in the nationalist feelings be turned into votes,” Mr Simranjit Singh said drawing parallels between the genocide against Sikh people and the genocide against Eezham Tamils. 

“I came across Mr Vaiko while I was in parliament from 1999 to 2004. But, other than that, the Tamils have not taken up the cause of the Tamil people in [Indian] parliament,” Mr Simrajit Singh said. 

“My experience of the Tamil people is that when the Central Government of Mr Sastri [in 1964-66] wanted to impose Hindi all over India and abolish English [as lingua franca], it was the Tamil people who rose up against it. They committed mass suicides. The pressure went up that the Hindi-speaking Northern Indian people had to give up their designs to poise Hindi on all of India,” he said. 

The Sikh politician was advocating for the use of electoral politics as a means to demonstrate the democratic will of the people [of Tamil Nadu]. 

“The Tamil Nadu State and the Tamil people in India will have to help Tamils in Sri Lanka to achieve their independence,” he said. 

“Democracy gives legitimacy. If we had elected representatives from Punjab and the other territories, we can pass a resolution and that would be accepted by the world,” he said. 

“But, if you try any other methods of gaining independence, the world opinion will go against you. You would be crushed not only by the State from which you want to separate, but the forces, which are operated in the world,” he said.

“Once, the American foreign policy was so great and Woodrow Wilson wanted the right of self-determination and he created Nations after First World War on the principle of nationalities. But today, America doesn’t believe in human rights, it doesn’t believe in the right of self-determination, in the right of people being the masters of their own destiny as sovereign states. 

“At the moment, or even during the British period, the Hindus got their independence through Congress and the Muslims got Pakistan through the Muslim League. They did fight the elections and that was the only determining factor on expressing what you want. If the history of our sub-continent to be followed, it was the determination of the people through the elections that made their voice legitimate and acceptable to the rest of the world,” he said. 

On a question on whether a policy change was possible in the Indian establishment on the question of Tamil Eelam, he said: “The theocratic State of India is very scared of helping independence movements, because it is so fragile with the Nagas, with the Kashmiris, with the Mizos, with the Tamils and with the Sikhs. If you see the periphery of India, the theocratic State over here rules all these states with the help of the Army and draconian laws, which give impunity to the Army and the police forces to commit crimes on the people. So, I don’t think that the Indian ruling class, the theocrats, they will ever help the Eezham people to separate.” 

“I don’t think the attitude of the UN is helpful to freedom movements though on its charter it allows for right to self-determination and the obliteration of the death penalty and things like that. But in practice, it is going along with the rulers who commit these crimes, whether they be anywhere. The UN at this moment of time is going along with the repressive governments. 

“Since the elections are near, your organizations should put up candidates who are Tamil nationalists, who want separation, sovereignty and independence. Then only can the crime of genocide perpetrated in Sri Lanka would be recognized. Like the Armenian people and the Armenian genocide, it took years and years for it to be registered in the American Congress and the Senate etc.

“So, if we want Sikh genocide to be registered in international forums, we need to have independent people in parliaments and in the legislatures to speak on this. 

“Tamil and Sikh people who are represented at these so-called democratic bodies [in India] do not take up these issues. 

“We want Khalistan to be an independent and sovereign Sikh State, which would be a buffer between Islamic Pakistan, Communist China and theocratic Hindu Indian State. Khalistan would ensure peace internally in South Asia, because the theocratic Hindu India, communist China and Islamic Pakistan, are deadly enemies [against each other] and a nuclear war can break out. 

“What would be the battlefield for the nuclear war? It is the Sikh territories of Rajastan, Punjab, Hariyana, Chandigarh, Jammu Kashmir and Himachal. 

“If a buffer State is created, the Sikhs would also be safe and the Hindus and Muslims who live here would be safe. Apart from that it would create peace in South Asia. For a plebiscite for the right of self-determination, we are in favour of an independent and sovereign state. 

Further excerpts from the exchange of views follow:

“The brutality and the perpetration of genocide of the Tamil people has been so severe by the Sri Lankan government that there cannot be any reconciliation after this crime has been committed – just like it was impossible for the Jews to live inside Germany after what they went through in the era of the holocaust during the second world war and Armenia which couldn’t stay with Turkey or any other country – they have to be separated after this. The Sri Lankans have committed enormous crimes on Tamil people living there. The Tamil Nadu State and the Tamil people in India will have to help them to achieve this. 

[…]

“The 13th Amendment doesn’t go as far as total independence and sovereignty. It talks about internal settlement […] I don’t agree with that. The Tamil people of Sri Lanka have to be independent. They must be the masters of their destiny after what they have gone through.”

[…]

If there are elections [under 13 Amendment], the people who are elected and who would be put as administrators or chief ministers or whatever you call that, they would become the collaborators of Sri Lanka. 

[…]

“We have always been keen about the struggle of Tamil people under Pirapharan and the mobilization for freedom and separation. Our party has followed these events very closely. If you see our website, we have tabulated each and everything from time to time what has been happening in Sri Lanka and to the Tamils. 

“It was under the collaboration of India under UPA-led Congress government that the Sri Lanka government was able to achieve and crush the movement for freedom by committing a genocide on the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. 

“And the reason was that the Congress Party believed, rightly or wrongly, it was the Tamil people, who had assassinated their leader Rajiv Gandhi. And, they had been working in many ways to have Pirapaharan and some other people extradited from Sri Lanka. Those in the Sri Lankan government wanted to ‘help’ India. But, the fact was that Pirapaharan and his movement was too powerful for the Sri Lankan government and its Army to capture him alive and hand him over to the Indians. 

“So, in a plot and conspiracy with the Sri Lankan government, they first bought over the Tamil [Nadu] political leaders like Mr Karunanithy and Mr Chidamparam. Then, by bribing these Tamil leaders, they kept the people of Tamil Nadu from not helping the State movement for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. 

“For instance, Mr Karunanidhi and the Central Government had his daughter in an important post. Mr Raja was given a ministerial post in which they made a lot of money. Mr Chidambaram had also made a lot of money. That is how they suppressed [Tamil Nadu]. 

“My position is that the Tamil people would have listened in revolt in favour of what was happening to the Tamils in Sri Lanka. But, for the fact that these Tamil leaders had been ‘bought over’, this didn’t happen.”

“The Tamils constitute a separate Nation. They are a separate race. They have their separate Hindu religion. But, they are oppressed by the Brahmins, who have been priests for generations – by the Brahmanical system in India. Tamils have a separate language, separate history, they have a separate school of drama, music, art, and in the history, they have ruled their land and they have been great colonizers in South East Asia. 

“And I do believe that the Tamil people should, like the Sikhs, be separated and should have their own sovereign State, like what we Sikhs are fighting for. 

“So, we studied the Tamil movement very closely and have been to Tamil Nadu and have given speeches. We have spoken very freely that the Government of India rules Tamil Nadu and the Punjab and the Sikhs through collaborators, who collaborate with the Government of India in keeping the Tamils and the Sikhs subdued and not letting the nationalist feelings be turned into votes. 

“Since the elections are near, your organizations, should put up candidates who are Tamil nationalists, who want separation, sovereignty and independence. Then only can the crime of genocide perpetrated in Sri Lanka would be recognized. Like the Armenian people and the Armenian genocide, it took years and years for it to be registered in the American Congress and the Senate etc., 

“So, if we want Sikh genocide to be registered in international forums, we need to have independent people in parliaments and in the legislatures to speak on this. 

“Tamil and Sikh people who are represented at these so-called democratic bodies do not take up these issues.

Rift Between Wigneswaran, Guv Deepens in North Lanka

By P K Balachandran - COLOMBO

Published: 26th December 2013 

The conflict between the Governor and the Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-speaking Northern Province is escalating with Governor Maj Gen G A Chandrasiri asking the police to investigate telephonic threats to Chief Secretary R Vijayalakshmi

The conflict between the Governor and the Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-speaking Northern Province is escalating with Governor Maj Gen G A Chandrasiri asking the police to investigate telephonic threats to Chief Secretary R Vijayalakshmi, who he had appointed in the teeth of opposition from Chief Minister C A Wigneswaran.

On his part, Wigneswaran has been saying publicly that the Lankan government is commissioning a “former LTTE military commander to restart an LTTE outfit subservient to the powers-that-be,” with an aim of eliminating Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leaders. The CM reportedly said this both in his budget speech on December 10, and at a meeting of Sarvodaya workers in Colombo on December 21.

On December 25, Daily Mirror reported that Governor Chandrasiri had told the Jaffna police that Chief Secretary Vijayalakshmi had got anonymous calls demanding her resignation. Some of the calls had come from Lankan numbers and some from overseas, it was alleged.

Chief Minister Wigneswaran has been complaining that the Governor is appointing civil servants without consulting him. But the Governor defends himself saying that he enjoys sole power to appoint civil servants under the Provincial Councils Act 42 of 1987.

Wigneswaran, who has been demanding the replacement of a military man by a civilian in the Governor’s post, charged last Saturday that the 150,000-strong Lankan military stationed in the North, was grabbing the local peoples’ lands, snatching employment opportunities, and “Sinhalising” the North. To defuse the conflict, President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the Governor and the CM to meet. In his speech on the budget in parliament a few days ago, Rajapakasa invited TNA to join the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on devolution of power.

But the Governor and CM have not met, and the TNA has said after a party meeting in Vavuniya on Tuesday that it will not join the PSC. The TNA has reiterated its position that prior to the PSC there should be bilateral talks and a bilateral agreement between the TNA and the government. But Rajapaksa has said categorically that the PSC is the only forum for any talks on devolution.

VIDEO: UNP SLAMS GOVT’S ‘BACKWARDS DECISION’ ON SCHOLARSHIP EXAM

December 26, 2013  

The United National Party today stated that the closure of the government hospital in Baduraliya, a rural village in the Kalutara District, is a great example of the current state of the country’s public administration.

UNP Parliamentarian Ajith P. Perera stated that it has been 6 days since the hospital, which has served thousands of innocent patients in the area, was closed down, due to a disagreement between the hospital staff and the residents in the area. 

He questioned whether a police station can be closed down just because someone scolded the police, a school closed because the principal was scolded or a prison because the guards were scolded. 

Closing down the Baduraliya Hospital, which provides immediate necessary treatment for innocent villagers, for a day or even for an hour is putting the lives of all those people in danger, he said.

Perera stated that creating the necessary environment to reopen the hospital, by providing adequate security for its doctors, is the responsibility of the Western Provincial Council, which controls the hospital.    

“That responsibility cannot be transferred to the Government Medical Officers’ Association. They are only a trade union,” the Kalutara District MP said, addressing a press conference today. 

Therefore it is the responsibility of the government to take immediate measures to reopen the hospital, he said.

He stated that hospital is not closed down even during a war or in an area where the war is taking place and added that even when doctors are on strike the immanency services are still provided. “That is an accepted tradition.” 

However, completely closing down a hospital, especially due to a comparatively small issue such as this, shows us the inefficiency of public administration and the grave issues affecting the country’s good governance, he said.

The Parliamentarian also opposed the government’s recent decision to suspend the Grade 5 Scholarship examination from the year 2016, terming it as an “extremely backwards” decision regarding education in the country. 

He stated that parents consider the Grade 5 Scholarship exam as a highly important juncture in the future of their children.

Perera conceded that the exam has caused pressure on students and that it has gone to the point where students have been deprived of their beautiful childhood. “Definitely a change should be made,” he stressed.  

However, that change should be made after all other relevant issues are resolved, he pointed out. 

He stated instead establishing the facilities and prestige of popular National Schools in rural schools, the government has decided to rob the innocent children in villages of their opportunity to enter a major school in the country.  

Colombo arrests Indian journalist touring Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 December 2013, 01:48 GMT]
A young journalist from Tamil Nadu, Thamizh Mahaapirapaaharan, who was touring in the North was arrested by the occupying Sri Lankan military and the SL police Wednesday noon, while he was talking to the parish priest of St. Antony’s Church in Ponnaavea’li, news sources in Vanni said. The Indian journalist visiting the island on tourist visa was together with Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian S. Sritharan, Northern Provincial Council (NPC) member S. Pasupathipillai and Karaichchi Piratheasa Chapai (PS) member S. Thayaparan during the detention, interrogation and arrest, the news sources further said. 

The journalist, who had earlier visited the island and authored an article in Anantha Vikatan, was this time visiting the island on tourist visa to make a round trip as a visitor to North and East. 

TNA parliamentarian Sritharan had a meeting with the people of Ponnaave’li around 11:00 a.m. and was visiting Vearavil, Ponnaave’li and Valaippaadu villages in Muzhangkaavil area. The accompanying visitor from Tamil Nadu had also taken some photographs of the living condition of the people in these villages. 

More than 50 Sri Lanka Army soldiers surrounded the church around 1:30 p.m. and detained the journalist together with the TNA politicians. The SL military seized the cameras from the politicians and the visitor while the SL police took them to Jeyapuram Police station. After more than 4 hours of the interrogation at the police station, the TNA parliamentarian and the councillors were released after their cameras were inspected. The TNA politicians were later released, but Thamizh Mahaapirapaaharan was detained. 

He has been subjected to lengthy interrogations by the SL military intelligence operatives, informed sources said. His communication with outside world has been cut off. 

In recent times, the SL military intelligence operatives, deployed in the name of ‘Terrorist Investigation Department’ of the SL police, have been harassing, detaining and deporting journalists and other activists who visit the island in tourist visa and interact with local journalists or politicians in the North and the East. 

Questioning the motive of Colombo’s interrogators, the NPC councilor Mr Pasupathipillai blamed the SL military and police for banning the interaction between the tourists and the people in the North. He also questioned why those on tourist visa cannot be present with the democratically elected representatives of the people while they were touring the North.

Concern over rising HIV infections among youth

COLOMBO, 26 December 2013 (IRIN) - Sri Lankan health officials have called for a greater focus on youth in the battle against HIV as they become more sexually active and the number of young people contracting the virus rises. 

“Youth and the risk of infection are two particular areas that we are paying greater attention to now,” Sisira Liyanage, the director of Sri Lanka’s National Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) and AIDS Control Programme, told IRIN. 

According to government figures, there are 1,808 (1,083 male and 725 female) people known to be living with HIV in the island nation, an increase over the 1,669 cases (981 male and 688 female) at the end of 2012. In 2013, 20 percent of the cases were between the ages of 15 and 25. 

“That is a very a sharp increase that we have witnessed in that age group,” Liyanage said. In 2009, the same age group accounted for just 5 to 6 percent of all infections. 

Sri Lanka has a population of some 21 million, and with an estimated 4,200 people with living with HIV is considered a low HIV prevalence country, according to the National HIV Strategic Plan Sri Lanka 2013-2017, released in February 2013. 

However, the national plan notes that there has been a gradual increase in the number of infections, particularly in high-risk groups, including commercial sex workers and their clients, men who have sex with men (MSM), and injecting drug users. The report also identifies youth as an at-risk group. 

“The low levels of awareness lead to risky behaviours. It is imperative that even in a low-prevalence setting, the general population is made aware of the risks of HIV transmission. All young people need to be aware of HIV and sexual/ reproductive health issues before they become sexually active,” the report stressed. 

Of particular worry was that more and more young people were becoming sexually active without an awareness of safety, Liyanage said, noting a lack of up to date data on this issue. 

“There is lot of exposure to unsafe sex at a younger age now,” he said. There was also evidence to suggest that young men were often having their first sexual encounter with older women, and at an earlier age. 

Another area of concern cited in the national plan has been transmission from parent to child. In 2011 only five such infections were recorded, but only three percent of pregnant women had been tested for HIV, even though over 95 percent of pregnancies had access to prenatal care. 

“The lack of testing, the lack of knowledge on HIV infections, and how to prevent more infections creates a vicious cycle,” Liyanage said. 

Milinda Rajapaksha, director of the National Youth Services Council under the Ministry of Youth Affairs, said in addition to young people, marginalized populations like intravenous drug users, the gay community, prisoners and internal migrants were also at high risk. The lack of health and testing facilities, and the low level of awareness were the main drivers of increased risk. 

He noted that Sri Lanka’s national health policies had yet to identify young people as a special category and undertake the appropriate interventions. “That creates a big drawback when you deal with youth health issues,” he said. 

The new National Youth Policy to be released in February 2014 recommends recognition of this group, and the formation of policy accordingly, Rajapaksha said. 

“Another major drawback in dealing with youth at risk is that both drug use and homosexuality are criminal offences, making it extremely difficult to work with such groups openly.” 

Liyanage said a new committee under his chairmanship, comprising representation from government agencies in health, education and youth affairs, had been formed in November 2013 to draft policy recommendations to stem the spread of HIV among young people. “One of the main focuses would be to create a peer group among the high-risk categories who can spread awareness,” he said. 

Rajapaksha said the authorities should also look at introducing sex education in schools. Students learn about reproductive health, but there is no segment on sexual safety. 

“Building awareness is the best way to curb the spread,” Rajapaksha said, “and what better places than in the schools to do this, since we have over 90 percent of our children going to at least primary schools.” 

Puttalam: Power shark caught in fishers’ net

By Ifham Nizam-December 25, 2013, 

With fishermen in Puttalam backed by local politicians blocking the Ceylon Electricity Board’s efforts to construct a high tension power line, to supply electricity from the second phase of the Norochcholai Power plant to the National Grid, it would be advisable for Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa to immediately intervene to settle the dispute, a top official said.

A senior engineer told The Island that the issue should have been settled by the CEB or the Ministry of Power and Energy without taking the matter to such a level when considering the colossal investment and the urgency of the project.

Recently, a high-level team comprising officials of the Power and Energy Ministry and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), held crucial talks with the fisher folk on the controversial Puttalam lagoon stretch.

The fishing community backed by local UPFA politicians is opposing the CEB’s move to construct towers in the area for the new 220 KV line, necessary for transmitting electricity from Norochcholai to Veyangoda via Anuradhapura after the commissioning of the second phase of the coal power plant earlier scheduled for October this year, which is now expected to be completed next month.

Power and Energy Minister Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, CEB Chairman W. B. Ganegala and CEB General Manager Shavi Fernando have explained to the fishing community the importance of constructing three to four towers in the lagoon stretch.

A senior CEB Engineer told The Island that the last meeting with them was very crucial. "Even if the fishing community responded positively now, it would take the CEB between six to 10 months to construct the towers. Without constructing them, there is no point in going for the second stage of the first coal fired plant, in Norochcholai."

If the second stage of the 900 MW plant had been completed in October this year the country would have had 600 MW from the Chinese built Norochcholai plant by now, the engineer said, pointing out that though the second stage could be managed with little difficulty with the existing cable network, they could not possibly accommodate the third stage scheduled to be launched later next year,without it.

"There is no way for the third stage could be accommodated with existing lines as with the commissioning of the second stage the distribution lines would be overloaded and there is an additional risk factor involved of lines tripping due to overloading," an official said.

EX-MONK ARRESTED FOR CHEATING RS.5 MILLION

December 26, 2013 

A former Buddhist monk who allegedly cheated nearly Rs 5 million from several people after promising to take them on pilgrimage to Dambadiva has been arrested by police. 

Anuradhapura Police had received 172 complaints against the suspects, who had cheated residents of Anuradhapura and surrounding areas while he was still a Buddhist monk.  

The suspect and his driver were arrested by Anuradhapura Police, following extensive investigations, in the Sooriyawewa area in Hambantota.

However, the suspect had abandoned robes when he was arrested.

He is also said to be a former army soldier as well a former officer of the Ministerial Security Division (MSD).    

Both suspects were ordered remanded until January 06 after being produced before the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s 

Court. 

RS 1.3 MILLION ROBBED FROM BANK IN MALABE

December 26, 2013 

Two armed men have robbed around Rs 1.3 million in cash from a bank in the Malabe area today. 

Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said the suspects had arrived on a motorcycle to carry out the robbery at around 11.25am today (Dec. 26).

He stated that investigation have been launched to apprehend the robbers immediately. 

MAHAWA CRIMES OIC ARRESTED OVER SEXUAL BRIBE

December 26, 2013

The Officer-In-Charge of the Mahawa Police crimes division has been arrested by the bribery commission on charges of attempting to solicit a sexual bribe from a woman. 

The Crimes OIC was arrested at around 10.30am today (Dec. 26) at a restaurant in Kurunegala, the Police Spokesman’s Office said.

 He had allegedly attempted to solicit a sexual bribe from a 29-year-old woman in Blalla, Mahawa. 

Evidence Indicates bin Laden Died Just Over 12 Years Ago

Tim King Salem-News.com-Dec-26-2013 

The U.S. President blamed the terrorist attacks on bin Laden while he, in his own words, totally denied any connection to 9/11 - his statements were published all over the world, as was his 2001 obituary.

Usama bin Laden

(SALEM) - The death of Usama bin Laden was widely publicized in December 2001, though few Americans grasp this critical fact. A review of news articles published in late 2001 indicate that the notorious Saudi Mujaheddin warlord died peacefully in his sleep.

The man's passing must have been a relief to those who were hanging the deadly attacks against the United States on 11 September 2001, on bin Laden's already sordid reputation as a terrorist. His anger toward the U.S. had nothing to do with "hating our freedom" (ugh) - it resulted from the western military war in 1991 called Desert Storm. Requests to the Royal Family to have bin Laden's troops battle Iraqi forces were rejected. This was his bitterness.

Osama was a Patsy

The U.S. President blamed the terrorist attacks on bin Laden while he, in his own words, totally denied any connection to 9/11 - his statements were published all over the world.

In his statement from 2001, bin Laden said:

"The U.S. government has consistently blamed me for being behind every occasion its enemies attack it.

"I would like to assure the world that I did not plan the recent attacks, which seems to have been planned by people for personal reasons."

"I have been living in the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan and following its leaders' rules. The current leader does not allow me to exercise such operations."

Bin Laden says he wasn't behind attacks - CNN

Even FOX News reported bin Laden's death.