Reliability Of Economic Statistics; Friday Forum Urges Govt To Seek A Credible Solution

January 12, 2014 

Friday Forum shares with several others, including scholars, politicians and public officials, deep concern with the reliability of macro-economic aggregates published by government and related agencies. Estimates that lose credibility because of improbabilities, inconsistencies, neglect and errors cut down the usefulness of these vital estimates. More seriously, wrong and misleading estimates can lead to costly and even disastrous errors in policies with sad consequences for the public. Central to these indices are estimates of National Accounts.

Jayantha Dhanapala

Friday Forum, as a group of concerned citizens, urges government to seek a long term credible solution to these urgent problems. They see a Committee of Experts appointed by the President in his capacity as Minister of Finance as the most suitable instrument to inquire into the question and propose solutions.  A Committee of such nature will require diverse expertise in a variety of related disciplines. Someone rich in local experience in the use of these data in policy making can lead this Committee. Someone fully conversant with the System of National Accounts in its application in a developing country in the region and another with high expertise in the conduct of National Sample Surveys and the processing of survey data would be the key technical personnel. It would be forward looking to include two promising senior lecturers from two different universities in the country to further their expertise in the theory and the practice of estimating National Accounts and the principles of their application in policy making. Such Committee would need to work over 12-18 months to agree on proposals and work out their application on the ground. They will need substantial resources, which Friday Forum sees as an investment for the well being of the people of this country.

Friday forum urges members of the public to articulate these concerns more forcefully than hitherto and government to take measures that would leave a lasting impact now on policy making in the country.

Jayantha Dhanapala and Dr. Usvatte-Arrachchi on behalf of the Friday Forum

Landowners without land 

By Camelia Nathaniel-Sunday, January 12, 2014

Land and resettlement of displaced during the war, have been two major topics of concern after the war that devastated the North ended. While the government claims that the resettlement of all those who were displaced during the war is complete. There are still many who languish in temporary shelters, unable to return to their original villages or lands, which are currently occupied by the military.

Landowners without land by nelvely

Villagers surround SL military camp, demand removal of soldiers harassing women

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 January 2014, 10:41 GMT]
The people of Pi’laavaththai village in Vaddukkoaddai, on Saturday surrounded the mini-camp of the occupying Sri Lankan military and demanded immediate removal of the soldiers, who have been harassing the women in the village. The SL military has been sexually harassing the women and those who opposed to it were being threatened and assaulted. The villagers surrounded the camp after Sinhala soldiers were threatening the women by throwing stones at their houses. The SL military has been forced to admit that they would be withdrawing the soldiers, but has continued deployment of additional troops around the mini-camp, news sources in Vaddukkoaddai said. 

The villagers surrounded the mini-camp and demanded the Sri Lankan Police at Vaddukkoaddai to arrest the culprits. 

But, the SL police refused to act on the complaints and the villagers stepped up their protest against the SL military. 

The villagers demanded complete and immediate withdrawal of the SL military from the camp. 

As the confrontation continued, the SL military officers finally chose to argue that they would be withdrawing the soldiers, but they had to place other soldiers to guarantee the ‘security’ of the military base. The villagers argued that the SL policemen could stay there to ensure the concerns of the SL military until the camp is dismantled. 

In the meantime, the SL military has beefed up its deployment around the camp. 

The villagers blame that the Sinhala soldiers were sexually harassing the women in the village for a long time.

7 new Buddhist temples, 54 Army camps in Batticaloa since 2009

12 January 2014
Seven new Buddhist viharas (temples) had been built in Batticaloa alone since the end of the armed conflict, along side a total of 54 Sri Lankan military camps, said P. Selvarajah of the TNA, reported Tamil Mirror. 

Speaking to journalists, he said that the rights of Tamils were being increasingly denied, with many Tamils being forced to relocate as their lands are appropriated by the Sri Lankan state. An area of land spanning 122,226 acres is to be acquired by the Ministry of Environment, uprooting Tamils who are resident within the zone
.

தமிழ்பேசும் மக்களின் ஜனநாயக உரிமைகள் விழுங்கப்படுகின்றன: த.தே.கூ

-எம்.எஸ்.எம்.நூர்தீன், எம்.சசிகுமார் -சனிக்கிழமை, 11 ஜனவரி 2014 

வடக்கு-கிழக்கு வாழ் தமிழ் பேசும் மக்களின் ஜனநாயக உரிமைகள் படிப்படியாக விழுங்கப்பட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கின்றன. என மட்டக்களப்பு சபராஜ் இன் விடுதியில் இன்று நடாத்திய ஊடகவியலாளர் சந்திப்பின் போது தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பு தெரிவித்தது.

இதில், தமிழ் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பின் மட்டக்களப்பு மாவட்ட நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர்களான பொன் செல்வராசா மற்றும் பி.அரிய நேந்திரன், கிழக்கு மாகாண சபை உறுப்பினர்களான சட்டத்தரணி கே.துரைராஜசிங்கம், இரா.துரைரத்தினம், ஜனா கருணாகரன், பிரசன்னா இந்திர குமார், எம்.நடராசா, கிருஸ்னப்பிள்ளை ஆகியோர் கலந்து கொண்டனர்.

இந்த ஊடகவியலாளர் சந்திப்பில் கருத்து தெரிவித்த நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் பொன் செல்வராசா இலங்கை சுதந்திரமடைந்த நாள் தொட்டு இன்று வரை இலங்கையின் பண்மைத்துவம், வழி வழியாக வந்த பேரின வாத அரசுகளினால் முர்க்கத்தனமாக மறுக்கப்பட்டே வந்து கொண்டிருக்கின்றது.

விழுங்கப்பட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கின்றன

வடக்கு-கிழக்கு வாழ் தமில் பேசும் மக்கள் தங்கள் தனித்துவங்களை பேணும் வகையில் தொடர்ச்சியாக நடைபெற்று வந்த தேர்தல்களில் தங்கள் ஆணையை வெளிப்படுத்திக் கொண்டுதான் இருக்கின்றார்கள்.

ஆனால், இலங்கை ஆளும் தரப்பினரோ இது ஓர் சிங்கள பௌத்த நாடு என்ற கோட்பாட்டின் அடிப்படையில் தங்கள் அனைத்து நடவடிக்கைகளையும் மேற் கொண்டு வருகின்றனர்.

இதன் காரணமாக இலங்கையின் வடக்கு கிழக்கு வாழ் தமிழ் பேசும் மக்களின் ஜனநாயக உரிமைகள் படிப்படியாக விழுங்கப்பட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கின்றன.

கடற்கரைப்பகுதியில் கட்டப்படும் உல்லாச விடுதிகள் தமிழர் தம் கலாசார சீரழிவுக்குக் காரணமாய் அமைவதோடு இங்குள்ள வலைப்பாடுகள் வெளி மாவட்டத்தை சேர்ந்த பெரும்பான்மை மீனவர்களால் அதிகார முனைப்போடு கைப்பற்றப்பட்டு கைமாறிப் போவதால் எமது மீனவர்களின் வாழ்வாதாரமும் மிகப் பெரும் சவாலுக்கு உட்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இருப்பு கேள்விக்குறியாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது

நிலப்பிரதேசத்;தை பொறுத்தவரையில் வெளிமாவட்டத்தை சேர்ந்த பெரும்பான்மை இனத்தினரால் மேற் கொள்ளப்படும் அத்து மீறிய குடியேற்றமும், மேய்ச்சல் தரை அபகரிப்பும், கரும்புச் செய்கை, சுற்றாடல் அமைச்சின் வர்த்தமானிப்பிரகடனம், புதிதாக முளைக்கும் பௌத்த விகாரைகள் நிறைந்துள்ள இராணுவத்தினரதும், புலனாய்வாளர்களின் நடவடிக்கைகள் என்பவற்றால் எமது மக்களின் சட்ட மற்றும் ஜனநாயக உரிமைகளைக் காலில் போட்டு மிதிக்கப்படுவதோடு இருப்பு கேள்விக்குறியாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மட்டக்களப்பு மாவட்டத்தில் தமிழ் பேசும் மக்கள் தமது இயல்பு வாழ்வை படிப்படியாக இழந்து வருகின்றனர் .மட்டக்களப்பு மாவட்டத்தின் வெல்லாவெளி, பட்டிப்பளை, வவுணதீவு, ஏறாவூர் பற்று, கிரான், வாகரை, ஆகிய ஆறு பிரதேச செயலகங்களினதும் அம்பாறை மற்றும் பொலனறுவை,  மாவட்ட எல்லைகளில் வௌ;வேறு பின்னணிகளோடு அத்து மீறி குடியேறி பயிர்ச் செய்கை மேற் கொள்ளும் வெளிமாவட்ட பெரும்பான்மையினரால் ழோயிரத்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட ஏக்கர் நிலப்பரப்பு காடழிப்பு, மற்றம் மேய்ச்சல் தரையைக் கைப்பற்றல் எனும் நடவடிக்கைகளினால் அபகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இரண்டு இலட்சத்து  ஐம்பதாயிரத்துக்கு மேற்பட்ட கால்நடைகளை பராமரித்து வந்த மேய்ச்சல் தர நிலம் அபகரிக்கப்பட்டு கால் நடை வளர்ப்பாளர்கள் குறுகிய நிலப்பரப்புக்குள் முடக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதோடு எமது மக்கள் எதிர்காலத்தில் குடியேறவும், பயரிச் செய்யவும், நலமற்றவர்களாகும் அபாயம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.

கரும்புச்செய்கை.                              

செங்கலடி,வவுணதீவு,கிரான் ஆகிய மூன்று பிரதேச செயலகப் பிரிவுகளிலுமுள்ள 11500 ஏக்கர் வரையிலான நிலப்பரப்பு கரும்புச்செய்கை மேற்கொள்வதற்காக இனங்காணப்பட்டுள்ளது.இவற்றில் ஏராளமான நிலம் சுவிகரிப்புக்கு உள்ளாக இருப்பதுடன் மிகுதிப்பகுதியில் நெற்செய்கையில் தேர்ச்சியுள்ள எமது விவசாயிகள் ஏமாற்றப்படவுள்ளனர். சோமாலியா மற்றும் தான்சானியாவில் கரும்புச் செய்கை காரணமாக மண் வளமற்றுப்போய் மீண்டும் எவ்விதத்திலும் வளமூட்ட முடியாதுள்ள துர்ப்பாக்கிய நிலை இங்கு திட்டமிட்டு மறைக்கப்பட உள்ளது. 

சுற்றாடல் பாதுகாப்பு அமைச்சின் செயற்பாடு. 

இவ் அமைச்சு வர்த்தமானி அறிவித்தல்கள் மூலம் 122,226 ஏக்கர் நிலத்தை சுற்றாடல் காப்பகங்களாக பிரகடனப்படுத்தியுள்ளது. இதன்காரணமாக எமது மக்கள் இப்பகுதியில் நடமாட முடியாத நிலமை ஏற்படுவதோடு இப்பகுதிகளில் உள்ளடக்கப்படும் எமது மக்களின் மேய்ச்சல்தரை, குடியிருப்புப் பூமி, பயிர்ச்செய்கை நிலம் என்பன பறிபோகும் நிலையில் உள்ளன. 

புதிய புதிய பௌத்த விகாரைகள் அமைக்கப்படுதல். 

யுத்தம் முடிவுற்றதன் பின் எமது மாவட்டத்தில் சிறியதும் பெரியதுமான 07விகாரைகள் புதிதாக அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.விகாரையின் மணியோசை கேட்கும் தொலைவுவரை பௌத்த குடியிருப்புகளே இருக்கவேண்டும் என்ற இலங்கைப் பௌத்த பீடத்தின் கொள்கை நடைமுறைப் படுத்தப்படும் நிலை ஏற்பட்டால் எமது மக்களின் இருப்பு கேள்விக் குறியாக்கப் படும் என்பது இங்கு மனங்கொள்ளத்தக்கது.  

இராணுவ மற்றும் கடற்படை முகாம்கள். 
மட்டக்களப்பு மாவட்டத்தில் சிறியதும் பெரியதுமான 54இராணுவ மற்றும் கடற்படை முகாம்கள் உள்ளன.இவை கிட்டத்தட்ட 646 ஏக்கர் நிலப்பரப்பைத் தம்மகத்தே கொண்டுள்ளன.சில இராணுவ முகாம்களின் அமைவு காரணமாக அங்கிருந்த பாடசாலைகள் வசதி குறைந்த வேறிடங்களுக்கு இடம்மாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளன.மேலும் சில தனியார் வீடுகளில் புதிதாகக் காவல் நிலையங்கள் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதால் வீடுகளின் சொந்தக்காரர்கள் வாடகை வீடுகளிலோ இரவல் வீடுகளிலோ இருந்து காலந் தள்ளவேண்டியுள்ளது.

 இங்கெல்லாமுள்ள இராணுவத்தினரதும் புலனாய்வாளர்களதும் மற்றும் இவர்களால் பணிக்கமர்த்தப்பட்டுள்ள சாதாரண குடிமக்களாய் நடமாடும் கூலிப் புலனாய்வாளர்களதும் செயற்பாடுகளால் மக்கள் பேச்சுச் சுதந்திரம் , கருத்து வெளியிடும் சுதந்திரம் , சிந்தனைச் சுதந்திரம் , ஒன்றுகூடும் சுதந்திரம் மற்றும் மனச்சாட்சியைப் பின்பற்றும் சுதந்திரம் போன்ற அரசியலமைப்பால் உத்தரவாதமளிக்கப்பட்ட அடிப்படை உரிமைகளை முழுமையாகப் பாவிக்க முடியாதவர்களாயுள்ளனர். 

இவற்றையெல்லாம நோக்கும்போது மட்டக்களப்புவாழ் தமிழ் மக்களின் எதிர்காலம் அவர்தம் கலை,கலாசாரம்,மொழி,வாழ்க்கைமுறை,அரசியற் பிரதிநிதித்துவம்,அரச நிர்வாகத்தில் பங்கேற்றல் ,தமதும் தமது வாழ்நிலத்தினதும் அடையாளத்தைப் பேணல் போன்ற எல்லா அம்சங்களிலும் சவால்மிக்கதொன்றாகவே அமையப் போகின்றதென்ற நியாயமான அச்சம் தோன்றுகின்றது.

எனவே,இத்தகு சவால்களை முளையிலேயே கிள்ளியெறியும் வகையில் மட்டக்களப்பு வாழ் மக்கள் விழிப்போடு செயற்பட வேண்டுமென்று கேட்டுக்கொள்கின்றோம் என அவர் இதன் போது மேலும் தெரிவித்தார்.

Saffron-Robed Enforcers And Premier Stakes

| by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“While the piety of presidents and monarchs remains their own business, it is clear that any religiosity they express or resources they spend on religious projects are above all strategies to achieve political ends…”

Madawi Al-Rasheed (Al Monitor – 17.12.201)

( January 12, 2-14, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Geneva Season has become an annual event in the Lankan political calendar. .Every March/April a new resolution on Sri Lanka is presented at the UNHRC session. Tensions rise, tempers fray, promises and threats are made, and then it is all over. The resolution is voted on, and Lankan political-life returns to its violent, arbitrary and abusive grooves. For the next several months, the Rajapaksas rule, more or less as they like it, until it is Geneva Season again.

Saffron-Robed Enforcers and Premier Stakes by nelvely

Human Values and Universal Responsibility

Published on Nov 14, 2012

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's talk to a gathering of Japanese lawmakers at the Japanese Parliament building on November 13, 2012. (www.dalailama.com)

Religion and Science

Published on Dec 7, 2012

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks on "Religion and Science" at Christ University in Bangalore, India, on November 26, 2012. (www.dalailama.com)

Dalai Lama, Pope Francis, And Maduluwawe Sobitha

By Jagath Asoka -January 12, 2014 |

Dr. Jagath Asoka

This article has two sections; the first part is related to my previous articles. The second part is about Dalai Lama, Pope Francis, and MaduluwaweSobitha Thera.

The recent articles written by Shyamon Jayasinghe, Mahendra De Silva, andKapila Abhayawansa demonstrate the snowball effect of the conversation that I started on Buddhism. The Buddhist in me constantly struggle not to undress people in public with my words, but if you are trying to tell me that you do not believe in God, first, convince yourself and ask yourself, “Have I ever asked God’s or gods’ assistance; have I ever prayed to the Buddha when I was totally helpless?” God is transcendental, beyond name and form, and beyond human description. God is protean and take many forms. In Shyamon, Mahendra, and Kapila, God has taken the name and the form of the Buddha. I do not have to be a professor or pundit, and have a Ph.D. in God or Buddhism to talk about God and Buddhism. I began my ferryboat journey with Kalama Sutra. As far as Buddhism is concerned, like Christianity and Islam, the truth is that nobody can ever produce the original words of the Buddha, Jesus, or Mohammed with absolute certitude because they were illiterate, and did not write anything for posterity, even though all of us venerate them as if they were God, except Mohammed who is just a messenger of God. All articles are very thought-provoking and interesting and deal with different facets of this subject, but none has the authority due to paucity of authentic texts. We can conduct a scholarly textual analysis or comparison, but we do not know the authenticity of any canonical texts in Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. In one of my very first articles, I talked about pseudepigraphy, which scholars have extensively studied in Christianity; most Sri Lankan scholars who study Buddhism are reluctant to open the door of pseudepigraphy in Buddhism because even a mere suggestion of pseudepigraphy evokes a violent reaction in people who suffer from neurosis caused due to the infantile and puerile attachment to Buddhism. My thoughts on Buddhism and politics in Sri Lanka have produced both positive and negative reactions; I have not seen a lukewarm response or an attitude of insouciance when people comment; most people enjoy reading my articles, but that does not mean that they agree with everything that I have to say; that is exactly what it should be. Those who write schizophrenic gibberish are just mental patients. Schizophrenia—the Prevalence Rate is approximately 1.1%—is a serious mental disorder; I have worked on Central Nervous System (CNS)-related diseases for nearly two years. External factors such as reading the articles that I have written can precipitate Schizophrenia, so if you have a vehement and uncontrollable reaction that causes you to spew schizophrenic gibberish when you read my articles, please see a psychiatrist immediately because schizophrenia is highly treatable. So when you are reading my articles, you are inadvertently being tested for schizophrenia.

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BBS claims ACJU misleading society on Halal 

   
  January 12, 2014

By Niranjala Ariyawansha & Umesh Moramudali

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) yesterday claimed that All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) distanced itself from issuing Halal certificates to mislead the society.

BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagodaththe Gnansara thera told Ceylon Today that they will not stop their campaign against the Halal issue.

He said that issuing Halal certification for export products was acceptable, but for local products such a certificate was not needed.

“Religious organizations cannot decide what people should consume. In order to ensure the safety of the food, there are certifications such as SLS and ISO,” he noted.  

Meanwhile, sending a letter to the ACJU, the National Freedom Front (NFF) emphasized that issuing Halal certification was totally for commercial purposes and not for religious pur

WANTING TO BE HEARD…

anuary 12, 2014

A group of Buddhist monks and laymen today (Jan. 12) launched a protest against a prayer center which had been operating on the Hikkaduwa-Baddegama road for the past 16 years. The protesters, demanding the removal of the center, entered the institution and only left the premises following police intervention. However, they resorted to sit down and protest along Galle Road, causing traffic disruptions. Pastor JLW Chinthana Prasanna of the prayer center, however said that it is operating under religious freedom confirmed by the Sri Lankan Constitution and that no one is forcefully recruited by them. (Pic by Deepal de Silva)  

 

Monks lead protest on churches (Updated)

By admin on January 12, 2014

A protest was staged in Hikkaduwa by monks and area residents today against Christian churches operating in the area.

The protesters blocked a section of the Galle – Colombo road during the protest and our reporter in the area said that some property was also damaged.

The monks who led the protest said that two Christian worship centers were operating without authorization and demanded that they be shut down.

The Assembly of God (AOG) Hikkaduwa, (Baddegama Road) and the Calvary Free Church, (58, Amarasena Mawatha, Hikkaduwa), were attacked by a large mob led by monks this morning, demanding their closure, the church said in a statement.

The two churches were severely damaged and equipment destroyed. AOG said the congregation was marooned in the building of the Assembly of God church building. The police have not been able to restrain the mob.

“We have also been informed that contrary to previous reports the police gave very feeble assistance. Lawyers are now meeting with the police. As of now the immediate situation has been diffused but there is still some tension in the area. Although many of the details are unclear, it is clear that a mob attacked the churches while they were engaged in religious worship, which is a violation in terms of the Penal code. The police were also unable to control the mob,” AOG said in a statement, (Colombo Gazette)

Southern and Western Provincial Councils are to be dissolved tonight 

Southern and Western Provincial Councils are to be dissolved tonight


By Kasun Ganewatta-January 12, 2014 


The Southern Provincial Council will be dissolved with effect from midnight today (12 January 2014), the Governor of Southern Province Kumari Balasuriya told Ceylon Today Online.

Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Governor of the Western Province Sunil Abeywardena said that the Governor Alawi Maulana has also signed the Gazette to dissolve the Western Provincial Council.

Thereby with effect from midnight today both Southern and Western Provincial Councils will be dissolved and the election dates will be decided by the Commissioner of Elections. 

In The Country Of The Entitled: Education Vs. Jogging Paths

By Lakmali Hemachandra -January 12, 2014

Lakmali Hemachandra

Free education was introduced to the country in 1947, after the second world war ended, when European and American bourgeoisie were recovering from political and economic chaos, that included  war, fascism, many attempted proletarian revolutions that failed and one that succeeded. It was not without a struggle that the Free Education Act was passed into law, even if it was the most favourable time for the welfare state, with Keynesian economic reforms revitalizing the British and American economies with the New Deal and the Soviet Russia threatening the liberty of capitalism. Education was a privilege of the few before free education; it was the privilege of the rich and the privilege of men.  What free education did for the country sets Sri Lanka apart from India in the social progress it reached post-independence. In Indi a the literacy rates never reached more than a mere 50%, education was not made accessible for discriminated sections of the society such as women and low castes and therefore education as a social mobilizing force and a force of modernization was never actualized in India. Contrarily, Sri Lanka has a very high rate of literacy and whatever the discriminations women might suffer in this country, education opportunities has never been one of them since the introduction of the Free Education Act in 1947.

Unfortunately, some, especially the sons and daughters of those who rose to such heights with the help of free education now call it a part of the mentality of entitlement that the people of this country suffer from, and claim that it will only be cured when they are made to pay for their education. Minister S.B.Dissanayake might be the loudest among them but in a country where privilege wins over the rights of the people, he is certainly not alone.

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Vidanapathirana sticks two fingers up at the law 

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan- January 12, 2014 

Hearing the news that Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, Sampath Vidanapathirana, the main suspect in the murder of a British national in Tangalle, is absconding arrest, the UK victim’s Roshadale Constituent MP, Simon Danczuk, told Ceylon Today “This incident proves that the suspects should not have been on bail in the first place.

They should have been in remand. “It is beginning to look like Sampath Vidanapathirana is sticking of two fingers up at the law and thinks he is untouchable. We desperately need to see the rule of law applied and justice being allowed to run its course,” the MP added.

Meanwhile, a special CID team was deployed to the Southern Province on Friday, 11 January, to arrest Vidanapathirana, Police spokesman, SSP Ajith Rohana, told Ceylon Today.

The Colombo High Court issued an arrest warrant on 09 January, on the suspect for failing to appear in Court over the murder of Khuram Shaikh.

Vidanapathirana was ordered to appear in Court last Thursday, ahead of the trial which is set to begin in March.

Fishing Invasion Causing 60 – Million Dollar Loss 

By Camelia Nathaniel- Sunday, January 12, 2014

With 49% seafood processing facilities and registered export processing facilities in India located in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which depends largely on fish from disputed waters, Indian trawlers continue encroaching on Sri Lankan territorial waters, causing losses in excess of US$ 59.18 million annually to Sri Lanka.

Fishermen from Sri Lanka and neighbouring India, who both share the Indian Ocean, have a history of fishing illegally from each other’s territorial waters. During the war however, these Northern waters were out of bound to fisherman from both countries. Now that the war is over these waters are open to fishing, and the abundance of aquatic resources are attracting fisherman from both countries.

Fishing Invasion Causing 60 – Million Dollar Loss by nelvely

Basque protesters rally in support of ETA prisoners

BILBAO, Spain Sat Jan 11, 2014

1 OF 2. Demonstrators hold up banners calling for the regroupment of ETA prisoners in Basque jails during a march in Bilbao.

(Reuters) - Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Bilbao in Spain's northern Basque Country on Saturday in support of jailed members of the Basque separatist group ETA, defying a court ban from Madrid.

A high court judge had vetoed the march, which was initially organised by prisoners' supporters to call for inmates to be moved to jails closer to their homes.

But two of the region's main political parties - the Basque pro-independence party Bildu and the more moderate nationalist PNV (Partido Nacionalista Vasco) - joined forces to restyle the rally as a march for "human rights, understanding and peace".

The treatment of ETA prisoners is an awkward one for the Madrid government, which would be certain to anger victims' associations if it made any concessions to the prisoners.

ETA - or Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, which means Basque Homeland and Freedom in Basque - is accused of killing more than 800 people over more than four decades, many with car bombs.

However, the group called a ceasefire in 2011, and speculation has grown that it might soon announce a full disarmament.

"This is a unique opportunity to show the world our desire for peace and the obstacles that the Spanish government is putting in the way," said Jose Mari Agirre, 55, at the march.

ETA prisoners' demands to see out their jail terms in the Basque Country could advance after they said last month they would recognise Spain's criminal justice system.

In a statement, the prisoners also acknowledged the pain caused by decades of violence.

The group has already been significantly weakened by hundreds of arrests in both Spain andFrance as well as a decline in political and social support in the Basque Country.

About 600 ETA members are in prison in Spain.

(Reporting by Arantza Goyoaga in Bilbao and Inmaculada Sanz in Madrid; Writing by Tracy Rucinski)

The Plight of the Globe’s Domestic Workers

Written by Susan Froetschel-FRI,10 JANUARY 2014

Justice in short supply

Indian diplomat case highlights the difficulties they face

The arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York for lying on a visa form and underpaying a household nanny at a time when the United States examines its own growing inequality. And India’s vehement defense has put a spotlight on cultural differences for treatment of domestic workers.

The Indian consulate officer, Devyani Khobragade, was removed from New York Thursday without prosecution despite a criminal indictment by the US attorney’s office. Khobragade is to be transferred to the Ministry of External Affiars Office in New Delhi. The US State Department acknowledged that the woman has full diplomatic immunity .

On one side, families in many undeveloped countries rely heavily on live-in household staff to cook, clean, watch children and tend the elderly. Families in the United States and much of the developed world typically do without live-in domestic servants, relying on dishwashers and other modern conveniences as well as government-regulated institutions for the care of children or the elderly.

New York is especially sensitive to rights of domestic workers, enacting a bill of rights for this class of workers in 2010, the first law of its kind in the nation. The law requires overtime for live-in employees, one day of rest per week and three paid days of rest per year, as well as written policies agreed to by both parties.

Lifting standards of domestic workers to those of other workers is the aim of the Domestic Workers Convention, a global treaty in force since September that covers minimum wage, access to courts, regular payments, annual leaves and rest periods. The convention also aims to abolish child labor, harassment and abuse, and unsafe working conditions. “Without legal protection, domestic workers are at the mercy of their employers,” notes Human Rights Watch.

As of the first week of January, 11 countries have ratified the treaty. Many more, including the United States and India, have enacted legislation that partially satisfies treaty terms.

Reports suggest that at least 50 million domestic workers toil in every country of the globe, though the true number could be double that.

The domestic-help sector has grown steadily over the past decade, yet developed nations generally rely less on such workers, according to a 2013 report by the International Labour Office, “Domestic Workers Across the World: Global and Regional Statistics and the Extent of Legal Protection.” Less developed nations of Asia and the Pacific region account for about 40 percent of all domestic workers while developed nations – including Japan, South Korea and Singapore – account for 7 percent. About 80 percent of the globe’s domestic workers are women.

Among the regions, less developed nations of Asia stand out for a lack of legislation on treatment of domestic workers: As of 2010, more than 75 percent of developed countries had minimum wage coverage and limits on work hours for domestic help. In Asia – excluding Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which were included with the developed nations – less than 3 percent of the countries had legislation on such protections. In Latin America and Africa, more than 70 percent of the nations have legislation on work limits and more than 80 percent have statutory minimum wages for domestic workers that are the same or better than for other workers.

The ILO report singled out Nordic countries for the minuscule rates of private domestic help. “This is partly due to the public provision of childcare and elderly care, tasks that are often undertaken by domestic workers in other countries.” India was singled out in the report for sketchy data, with estimates on total domestic workers ranging from 2.5 million to 90 million domestic workers.

Hidden and informal arrangements, room and board deductions, lack of employment contracts, cross-border migration, and inability to file complaints or seek redress in courts are cited in the report for encouraging abuse.

Travel abroad and awareness of cultural differences can prompt new understanding and behaviors. “An invitation to an American home will give you a chance to see American family life,” suggests the International Services Office of the University of Rochester. “Most American households do not have domestic help, so it is courteous to offer your help to your hosts.”

Before heading abroad, diplomats should be schooled on such basic cultural differences. Many in India have argued that low wages for Indian diplomats justify low wages for domestic help and the United States could have handled the matter with more sensitivity. Critics in the developed world counter that the diplomat who cannot afford basic fair wages for a live-in domestic help should do without.

The United States and the diplomat’s attorney may settle this case. But in a highly interconnected world through travel and communications, a single high-profile arrest unleashed globalization’s force to expose troubling cultural differences, ensuring that cross-border work arrangements and visas will receive more scrutiny – at least for a while.

(Susan Froetschel, author of the novel Fear of Beauty, writes and edits for YaleGlobal Online.)