13 Tamils killed by wild elephants deployed by Colombo in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 January 2014, 23:40 GMT]
Wild elephants that have been brought from the jungles in South to jungles close to Tamil villages in Batticaloa have claimed the lives of 13 Tamils in Batticaloa district since December 2012 to December 2013, Eastern Provincial forest officials said. Seven persons have been handicapped in the assaults by the wild elephants. 12 of the slain victims were men. Many of the families of victims have not been provided compensation. 45 houses have been destroyed partly or fully. 

Despite the complaints from the people and their representatives, the forest department officials from Colombo have been bringing wild elephants from Hambantota. 

The wild elephants often reach settlement areas and agricultural lands, searching for water, and destroy the properties of the resettled Tamils. 

The villagers complain that the elephants are deployed to force them away from their native villages.

Following are the details of victims slain and injured in the assault by the wild elephants within the past year:

K. Kanagasabai, N. Kathirgamathamby and S. Muthulingam were the victims slain in Ma’nmunai West (Vavu’natheevu) DS division. 

S. Sinnavan, J. Thasmil and S. Vinayagamoorthy lost their lives and A. Asservatham has sustained injuries in Ea’raavoorpattu (Chengkaladi) DS division. 

S. Saravanamuththu, K. Kanesamoorthy and S. Rasanayagam were killed by wild elephants in Poaratheevup-pattu (Vellaave’li) DS division. 

Two persons, S. Ponnthuthurai and K. Yogeswaran, were killed in Ma’nmuani South West (Paddippazhai) DS division. M. Azhakurasa sustained injuries. 

Ms Valliyammai lost her life and two men, V. Rasalingam and K. Pathmanathan sustained injuries in Koa’ra’laip-pattu North (Vaakarai) DS division. 

K. Raveendrasingam was killed in Ko’ra’laip-pattu South (Kiraan) division. 

The threat by wild elephants is reported in the following villages in Batticaloa: Chelvaa-puram Colony (38), 7th division, Navakkiri-nakar, Tha’lavaayk-kaadu, Thikkoadai, Charava’naiyadi-yoottu and Viveakaanantha-puram in Poaratheevup-pattu (Vellaave’li) DS division; Katchat-kodi, Kevu’liyaa-madu, 40th Mile Post and Thaanthaa-malai in Ma’nmunai South-West (Paddippazhai) DS division; Unnichchai, Karaveddiyaa’ru, Rasathurai-nakar, Nediya-madu, Pancheanai, Ka’ndiyanaa’ru, Kaanthi-nakar, Iru-noo’ru-vil, Chippi-madu, Paavat-kodich-cheanai, Ka’n’naki-nakar, Maavilang-ka’ndadich-cheanai, Ooththu-madu, Katpak-kea’ni and Paththaraik-kaddai in Ma’nmunai-West (Vavu’natheevu) DS division; Eera’lak-ku’lam, Periya-pullu-malai, Maanthoaddam, Kochchith-thoaddam and Aththa-va’lak-kaadu surrounding the Kiraan-pul anicut in U’rukaamam in Ea’raavoor-pattu (Chengkaladi).

Katchatheevu agreement should be reviewed, Union minister Vasan says

Arun Janardhanan,TNN | Jan 24, 2014
CHENNAI: Union shipping minister G K Vasan on Friday said theKatchatheevu agreement with Sri Lanka should be reviewed to ensure the fishing rights of Indian fishermen. 

The minister expressed his opinion while speaking to newspersons in Chennai, a day after the Centre informed the Madras high court that Katchatheevu belongs to Sri Lanka and that Indianfishermen have no right to fish near the islet. 

On Thursday, the Centre told the high court that according to the bilateral agreement between the two nations signed in 1974, and 1976, Sri Lanka has the ownership of Katchatheevu. 

Several organizations and parties in Tamil Nadu have been demanding the retrieval of the islet from Sri Lanka since the ownership of Katchatheevu with the island nation has resulted in several confrontations between the fishermen of both countries and the arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan navy. 

Over 12,000 Chinese, Indian workers in Sri Lanka

By Ashwin Hemmathagama -January 24, 2014
Our Lobby Correspondent
There are over 12,000 Chinese and Indian workers permitted to work in Sri Lanka, Parliament was told yesterday.
By 2011, there had been 6,600 Chinese workers and 6,297 Indian workers for projects in private and public sector approved by the Board of Investment for a period of one year.
“Competency and experience, skills, and the technical knowhow” are the key factors which were taken into consideration for granting visas, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management and the Leader of the House of Parliament Nimal Sirapala de Silva told Parliament yesterday.
“These workers are competent to complete the relevant development projects more efficiently and productively. The foreign workers are also being deployed in the country under foreign loans and aids as per the conditions depicted in most of the foreign aid agreements. Receipt of foreign loans and aid will be encouraged due to the deployment of such foreign workers and open doors to increase the benefits received,” said Minister de Silva, in response to a question for oral answer by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake raised on Indian workers being employed in Sri Lanka.
The Minister also confirmed that approximately 32 projects implemented in the country between 2006 and 2011 on loans and aid provided by the Indian Government had led the Government to issue work visas to Indian nationals.
“A considerable number of Indian nationals were brought into Sri Lanka by entrepreneurs on the recommendation of the line ministry to be employed in factories, specifically engaged in iron manufacturing. The Indian nationals have most probably invested money in these projects,” he confirmed.
“Levying visa fee is being carried out on the mutual agreement of both countries and is an amount equal to the amount being levied from Sri Lankans by the Indian Government under each category,” added Minister de Silva.

Child Ordination -Through A Mother’s Eyes!

January 24, 2014 

By Sharmini Serasinghe -

Sharmini Serasinghe

As a mother, the following is one of the most emotionally challenging articles I tasked myself with, as I see a son of mine, in each child-Samanera (novice Buddhist monk)!

At a recent alms-giving ceremony I attended, there were many such, of varying ages. Some as young as 7 – 8 years of age, while some of pubertal age.

These ‘little ones’, with shaven heads, and their thin bodies swathed in saffron robes, sat on the floor with their elders. It was hard to miss, their expressions of sheer wonder, coupled with mischief on their faces, as they watched the children of the laity, of similar age, running wild with chocolate smeared faces, brandishing their favourite toys.

One of these ‘miniature monks’ in particular, had his gaze fixed longingly on a teddy bear, and another on a train set. While those, in their mid to late teens, gazed appreciatively, at the pretty young girls prancing around, before quickly hiding their faces, behind their over-sized palm-leaf fans, when frowned upon, by a disapproving adult monk.

It was obvious, that these young children, thrust into monkhood, were oblivious to the fact, that they had been robbed of their innocent childhood, for no fault of their own!  Read More

Maligawatte issue resolved! 

BY STANLEY SAMARASINGHE- January 24, 2014

The Supreme Court yesterday terminated the fundamental rights petition filed by 100 residents of Applewatte, Maligawatta, after both parties signed an agreement to settle the issue, subject to certain conditions.

When the matter was taken up before the Bench comprising Justices Chandra Ekanayake, Eva Wanasundara and Rohini Marasinghe, Deputy Solicitor General (DSG), Viraj Dayaratna, informed Court that both parties had agreed to settle the issue, subject to certain conditions.
DSG Dayaratna further submitted that the petition filed by the residents of Applewatte, had stated that the Urban Development Authority (UDA), had taken steps to demolish the houses they were occupying.

He further said the UDA intends to construct new houses for the petitioners, which will be provided to them in one year. The DSG said it was necessary that the residents vacate the area as the UDA had to commence construction at the site.

Dayaratne further submitted that the petitioners and the first respondents, the Urban Development Authority (UDA) had signed an agreement, based on certain conditions to settle the issue.
Explaining the details of the agreement, he said the petitioners had agreed to vacate their houses on or before 31 March 2014. The UDA had therefore agreed relocate them in new houses within one year.

The UDA had also agreed to pay a monthly rent of Rs 10,000, each, until the petitioners are provided new house.
Those who want to build houses as a temporary measure, until the completion of their new houses will be given Rs 75,000 and land to do so. Those who were registered as voters of Applewatta in 2009 will be eligible for house as well as those whose names are not in the 2009 voters list. The UDA will consider them as voters if their names had been included in 2008 and 2010 voters list.

However, if a husband and wife apply for separate houses, the UDA will grant only one house for the couple.
Attorney-at-Law J.C. Weliamuna, with Pasindu Silva, appeared for the petitioners.
Deputy Solicitor General, Viraj Dayaratna, with State Counsel, Suren Gnanaraj, appeared for the respondents.

Docs on token strike on 30 January 

By Umesh Moramudali- January 24, 2014

Doctors will launch a countrywide, token strike on 30 January, demanding that the government implements the Amended Service Minute, as per circular 06/2006, the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA), said yesterday.

Addressing the media, GMOA Media Spokesman, Dr. Naveen de Soysa said, although they made numerous requests to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to implement the Amended Service Minute, the requests had been ignored.
As a result of not implementing the Amended Service Minute, doctors have to wait 18 years to obtain promotions.

"According to the circular 06/2006, a public servant needs to serve for only 10 years to obtain a promotion. Through the Amended Service Minute, the number of years a doctor has to serve to be promoted, had been reduced to 10 years from 18 years," he noted.
Dr. Soysa said a doctor who obtains post-graduate qualifications needs to be in service for 10 years to be promoted to the next grade. Consequent to the Amended Service Minute being passed, doctors with such qualifications need to serve six years to be entitled to a promotion.

The Amended Service Minute, as per circular 06/2006 was drafted by the Health Ministry and had been approved by the Ministry of Finance and the Salaries and Cadres Commission but, it has not been implemented so far due to the inefficiency of the PSC, he charged.

The GMOA doctors serving at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Castle Street Hospital for Women, De Zoysa Maternity Hospital, National Cancer Institute, Maharagama, and Sirimavo Bandaranaike Specialist Children's Hospital, will not be involved in the strike.

UK, SL equally responsible for addressing accountability issues – European HR body

By Shamindra Ferdinando-January 23, 2014

The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) said that it hoped member states of the UN would raise war crimes committed by the UK in Iraq at the forthcoming session of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March.

 Andreas Schueller, legal adviser at the Germany-based ECCHR said that he would appreciate UNHRC members as well as those representing other countries referring to a comprehensive UK war crimes dossier the ECCHR together with prominent law firm Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) of the UK recently handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

Schueller was responding to questions raised by The Island in the wake of the ECCHR and PIL pushing the ICC to launch war crimes probe targeting the UK. The 250-page dossier titled, ‘The Responsibility of UK Officials for War Crimes Involving Systematic Detainee Abuse in Iraq from 2003-2008’ dealt with accountability issues. 

Having accused Iraq of stockpiling Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), the US and UK spearheaded the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. 

Asked whether they would submit a copy of the same dossier to UNHRC ahead of the next Geneva session, Schueller said that the Geneva body was a political organ and therefore they felt no need to move it. The decision to send the dossier to the ICC was taken on the basis it was a judicial body, the official said.  

The UNHRC consisted of 47 countries divided into five sectors namely Africa (13 seats), Asia-Pacific (13 seats), Latin America and Caribbean (8 seats), Western Europe and other states (7 seats) and Eastern Europe (6 seats).

 Responding to another query as regards the UK membership in the UNHRC in the wake of war crime allegations, Schueller emphasised that the UK should address accountability issues raised by ECCHR and PIL. The UK should especially explain its failure to conduct domestic prosecutions. Schueller stressed: "Every state is duty bound to effectively investigate and prosecute international crimes, this includes the UK as well as Sri Lanka." 

Members of the council serve for a period of three years and are not qualified for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms. The UK won a term beginning 2014. 

When pointed out that the UK had ruled out the possibility of appearing before the ICC, Schueller said that the decision would be made by the ICC as the UK was a signatory to the Rome Statue.

The UK ratified the ICC Rome Statue on Oct 4, 2001 though the US shunned the ICC.

A spokesperson for UK Defence Ministry earlier told The Island that there was absolutely no need for ICC intervention as the allegations were either under thorough investigation or had been dealt with through various means including through the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, independent public inquiries, the UK and European Courts and in Parliament.

The official said: "Further action through the ICC is unnecessary when the issues and allegations are already known to the UK Government, action is in hand and the UK courts have already issued judgments. Should we be approached by the ICC, we will take the opportunity to explain the very extensive work underway to deal with historic allegations of abuse."

The UK Premier David Cameron has set March 2014 deadline for Sri Lanka to address accountability issues or face the consequences at the UNHRC. The deadline was given on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) last November.

Next President Of Sri Lanka

By P. Bertie Ranaweerage -January 24, 2014 | 

Bertie Ranaweerage

After the elections in the Southern and Western Provinces in March, it is believed that the government is going to dissolve the Uva Provincial Council and hold elections there before the end of 2014. There is no doubt the President wants to test the water. If the government manages to win all the elections in the Western, Southern and Uva provinces comfortably, we can expect the Presidential election within the first 3 months of 2015 and the Parliamentary elections soon after.

The billion dollar question for the Opposition and other ant-government forces is who can pose a serious challenge or defeat the incumbent President.

If one wants to defeat the present President at the next election she or he has to study how and why he was able to win people before and after he was elected to the Office of President.

An old acquaintance of mine, who was close to Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was the MP for Beliatta electorate, said to me that Mahinda used to invite everybody who visited him at his Beliatta home for a meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner.

It is public knowledge that after he became the President he served food to more than one hundred thousand people who attended Temple Trees for official and unofficial matters .

Just before the last Presidential election he held hundreds of meeting at Temple trees and nobody was sent home in hunger. It is true that he had to meet people at Temple Trees as the LTTE was waiting in the street to assassinate him.                                                           Read More

The Story Of An Identity Being Born

By Mahesan Niranjan -January 24, 2014

Prof. Mahesan Niranjan

Last 

JSunday evening, my friends and I were out drinking. I had with me two of my countrymen from Sri Lanka. One was Polgahawela Aarachchige Don Soloman Rathmana Thanthiriya Bandarawela, of Sinhala ethnicity, and the other was Sivapuranam Thevaram, a Tamil guy. My Sinhala friend’s name is too long, so we will call him Pol, and the other uses only one name for all purposes: “Mr Thevaram” and “machan (buddy) Thevaram”. We had a special guest that day, whose name is Grr Gllk Kllk, an anthropologist from the planet Mars. Such complicated names these Martians have, no? The Martian claimed to be doing an internship at the local university, but this is just a cover for his mission to carry out an independent interplanetary investigation into happenings in our tiny little country. “aney aiyO (oh dear)!” I hear you exclaim.

To make our guest feel welcome, we went to a pub that the Martian’s ancestor had established. They also have the habit of travelling to faraway places and setting up kiosks of trade, just like we Sri Lankans do. For example, it is said that entrepreneurs from the Northern village of Karainagar are very good at travelling all over the Island and setting up surudduk kadai (cigar/corner shops), just as our countrymen from the Southern town of Matara are known for bath kade (rice eateries). And when you visit a strange place, it is customary for your host to take you to a joint where you might feel homely, which is precisely what we were doing with Grr Gllk Kllk in the pub.

Read More

கிளிநொச்சி மாவட்ட இளைஞரணிச் செயலாளருக்கு பயங்கரவாத தடுப்புப் பிரிவினரால் அச்சுறுத்தல்

[ வெள்ளிக்கிழமை, 24 சனவரி 2014, 12:06.09 PM GMT ]

தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பின் கிளிநொச்சி மாவட்ட இளைஞரணிச் செயலாளர் குணரட்ணம் சர்வானந்தாவிற்கு இன்று கிளிநொச்சி பயங்கரவாத தடுப்புப் பிரிவினரால் அச்சுறுத்தல் விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இன்று காலை தொலைபேசி மூலம் சர்வானந்தாவைத் தொடர்புகொண்ட கிளிநொச்சி மாவட்ட பயங்கரவாதத் தடுப்புப் பிரிவினர், அவரைத் தமது கிளிநொச்சி அலுவலகத்திற்கு வரும்படி பணித்தனர்.

அதன்படி மதியம் 1 மணியளவில் அவர்களது அலுவலகத்திற்குச் சென்ற சர்வானந்தாவை அங்கிருந்த பயங்கரவாதத் தடுப்புப் பிரிவினர் அச்சுறுத்தும் வகையில் தமது விசாரணைகளை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளனர்.

அவரை முன்னாள் போராளியா எனக் கேட்டு அச்சுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளார். அத்துடன் இவரைப் புகைப்படம் எடுத்துள்ளதுடன், எந்த நேரத்திலும் சர்வானந்தா கைது செய்யப்படலாம் என்று மிரட்டப்பட்டு அனுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளார்.

பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் சி.சிறீதரன் அவர்களுடைய அலுவலகத்தில் இவர் பணியாற்றுகின்றமை குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது. இவரிற்கு விடுக்கப்பட்ட அச்சுறுத்தலானது இளைஞர்கள் மத்தியில் பீதியினை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.Translate this page 

Kilinochchi District Secretary of Youth Wing Terrorism Threat

[Friday, 24 January 2014, 12:06.09 PM GMT]

TNA Today Kilinochchi Kilinochchi District Youth Secretary Gunaratnam carvanantavirku by the threat of terrorism prevention.

Sarvananthan contacted by phone this morning Kilinochchi district PTA groups, and ordered him to come to his office in Kilinochchi.

1 pm in the afternoon, according to their offices there last Sarvananthan threatening terror group has carried out their investigations.

Asked the former poraliya threatened him. The photo taken with him, would be arrested at any time Sarvananthan sent bullied.

C MP. Ciritaran his staff in their office said. Ivarirku death threats caused panic among the youth.

‘Tell Gota to shut up, or else we’ll be done for’ – Lalith’s message to president!

 Friday, 24 January 2014 

“We don’t need leaders. We know how to deal with our problems. We do not need American advice on how to solve them. I said that to the US ambassador to her face,” said Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at a meeting yesterday (23) with religious, political and society leaders and area’s military chiefs in Batticaloa to the big applause of ‘patriotic patriots’, and the ‘patriotic’ media reported it as the ‘best remark of the year.’ By now, ‘Gotabhaya Chinthanaya’ has been widely commended than the ‘Mahinda Chinthanaya’ by the ‘patriots.’

That may be so in Sri Lanka, but secretary to the president Lalith Weeratunga and the ‘nominal’ external affairs minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, who are presently in the US on a goodwill tour, are faced with a serious plight as a result of the defence secretary’s remarks, according to diplomatic sources. Early this week, the president’s secretary was in Geneva, Switzerland to explain in detail to the UN human rights chief Navi Pillai and other officials regarding the progress made so far in connection with the implementation of the LLRC recommendations. The image of Sri Lanka, which is being rebuilt by much effort by persons like Lalith Weeratunga, G.L. Peiris and Ravinatha Aryasinha, has become null and void due to just one idiotic remark by Gotabhaya.

Saddened by this development, the president’s secretary has telephoned the president and said, “Sir, tell the defence secretary to keep his mouth shut at least till the end of March. He undoes by 10 words what we achieve with much difficulty.” After comprehending the situation, the president has told those nearby, “There are several governments within my government. That is the problem.” Anyhow, the president has not condemned the defence secretary’s ‘patriotic statement.’ He is of the view that Sri Lanka will definitely be overwhelmed at Geneva, and it was better to go for a tit-for-tat diplomacy than accepting defeat silently.

Sanjeewa Bandara released on two personal bails

Sanjeewa Bandara released on two personal bails

January 24, 2014 3:34 pm   

Convener of the Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF), Sanjeewa Bandara, was released on two personal bails worth Rs 100,000 today.
 

He was charged with organizing a protest, which caused a road block from Pettah to Fort on 8 November 2013.

Packer gets nod for Sri Lanka resort, but not 

casino

Colin Kruger

James Packer has received approval from the Sri Lankan government to build a resort in Sri Lanka, but without explicit approval for the casino, which underpins the proposed $400 million project.

Crown confirmed that the resort had received cabinet approval, but denied reports that it would automatically be able to transplant the casino licence of its Sri Lankan partner into the project.

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‘‘Crown is still in discussions with the government on the gaming side of the project,’’ said a company spokesman.

Sri Lanka’s deputy investment promotion minister, Faizer Mustapha, told Reuters that a new gazette notification had been issued for Mr Packer’s project and two other similar casino resort proposals, but without any mention of casino approval.

The gazette notification means the proposals have received cabinet approval and will be presented to parliament where the current government has a large majority.

He reiterated that government policy was not to issue any new casino licences, but pointed out that there was a separate mechanism for casino operations in the country via existing licences.

It has fed speculation that the three projects will be able to transplant the casino licences of Sri Lankan partners into the luxury resorts.

Crown’s proposal was expected to be approved last year, but was delayed after opposition by religious leaders and politicians in Sri Lanka forced the government to alter tax concessions granted to its consortium.

The changes delayed the passage of legislation granting tax concessions to the project in October.

Sri Lanka’s Investment Promotion Minister, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, said the decision to alter the deal’s terms came after opposition politicians said Crown was getting concessions not given to Sri Lankan entrepreneurs. Buddhist leaders also said the casino could be detrimental to Sri Lanka’s culture.

In November, Mr Packer delivered a speech in Colombo before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. He said a luxury casino resort was a necessity if Sri Lanka was to achieve its potential to become “a leading tourist mecca for the rising middle class of India, China and the rest of Asia’’.

Mr Packer said Sri Lanka’s “ambitious’’ tourism targets were “only achievable with the right tourism infrastructure and attractions’’. He cited the success of Singapore in turning around its performance as a tourism destination with the development of two integrated casino resorts.

“The demographic changes we are seeing in India and China are extraordinary,’’ Mr Packer said. “The size of the middle class in India currently stands at around 170 million and is estimated to be growing by 40 to 50 million per annum over the near term.’’

He cited a McKinsey study which said income levels were expected to almost triple and the size of India’s middle class population base could swell to 580 million by 2025.

India’s gambling market is limited to two states, Goa and Sikkim, and laws prevent direct foreign investment.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/packer-gets-nod-for-sri-lanka-resort-but-not-casino-20140123-31awq.html#ixzz2rLIaHmY2

Laws as weapons

Editorial-January 23, 2014, 

UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera has taken umbrage at what he calls a government move to invoke an archaic Victorian law in Sri Lanka’s Penal Code as part of a political witch hunt against him. He accuses his rivals of using a domestic aide turned thief who broke into his house recently for that purpose.

We do not intend to go into details of the issue or elaborate on what MP Samaraweera has chosen to leave unsaid. Everybody has a right to privacy which needs to be respected.

However, it is our considered view that no one is without blemish in the obnoxiously dirty game that is Sri Lankan politics, where virtually anything goes. Politicians, except a handful, have mistaken politicking for destroying opponents, politically or even otherwise. Character assassination has become the norm. The government accuses some of Mangala’s confidants of having a hand in venomously defamatory attacks carried out by certain websites against key UPFA politicians including President Mahinda Rajapaksa. And Mangala blames the government and the state media for vilifying him and other prominent Opposition figures. This is a very sad state of affairs.

But, on no grounds could attempts to use laws as political weapons be countenanced. For, such measures, besides being morally reprehensible, are fraught with the danger of leading to further erosion of public faith in the country’s legal system.

Why was it that no issue was made of Mangala’s private life and nobody cared to invoke the draconian Victorian law at issue to deal with him while he was in the SLFP? He, it should be recalled, was one of the few SLFP heavyweights who had the courage to throw their weight behind the then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in the presidential election fray in 2005. They even incurred the wrath of the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and her allies hostile to the Rajapaksas for doing so. But for the senior SLFP ministers like him in the UPFA coalition at that time and the much-maligned Rathu Sahodarayas who beavered away against tremendous odds to enable the SLFP to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, perhaps the country would have had a different President.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at a post-CHOGM press briefing, minced no words when he told hostile western countries calling for a war crimes probe against his government: "Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones." This, the self-righteous, ruling party big guns accused of perusing the Penal Code in a bid to invoke prediluvian laws to silence their rivals should take cognisance of. They are no angels as is common knowledge and their alleged witch hunt may boomerang.

Some of the existing laws and penalties for certain offences are ridiculous. The world has changed and the Penal Code remains an anachronism. It is high time necessary changes were effected to it so that outdated draconian laws cannot be invoked according to the whims and fancies of those in power. Chief Justice Mohan Peiris himself, at a meeting with the Maha Nayake Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters the other day stressed the need for legal and judicial reforms.

The government flays western countries at every turn for their double standards on war crimes and invoking international laws selectively to harass Sri Lanka’s political and military leaders. It has no moral right to be critical of foreign governments for such deplorable action while adopting the same methods at home to deal with its opponents. If it has no qualms about using a thief’s statement to vilify an Opposition politician, then it should stop protesting against the use by the West of terror activists’ unsubstantiated claims to paint a black picture of it.

Mangala Robbery Case: Sirasa Director Pays Legal Fees For Suspect’s Top Lawyer

January 24, 2014

A director of the Capital Maharaja Group that owns the Sirasa TV network is paying the legal fees of leading criminal lawyer Hemantha Warnakulasuriya who has decided to represent the thief that broke into the residence of UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera in Bolgoda earlier this month, sources told Colombo Telegraph.

Nimal Cooke

President’s Counsel Warnakulasuriya is being paid for his efforts by Capital Maharaja Group Executive Director and big businessman, Nimal Cooke. Meanwhile Warnakulasuriya is also a columnist at the Ceylon Today and Mawbima newspapers owned by DNA MP Tiran Alles. Both the Sirasa Network and the Mawbima Group are engaged in an intense mud-slinging campaign against Samaraweera using the suspect arrested for the break in at the MP’s house. The state media has also commenced a massive smear campaign about Samaraweera’s alleged relationship with the suspect.

Samaraweera filed a complaint against the suspect Hiran Priyankara. The suspect later complained to Police Headquarters after having obtained Warnakulasuriya’s services that the MP had been involved in ahomosexual relationship with him and the items stolen from his home were in fact gifts from Samaraweera. The suspect’s wife has also submitted an affidavit claiming that her husband was involved in a long-term liaison with the UNP MP. The suspect Hiran Priyankara was arrested by the police but mysteriously a guarantor had come forward to post bail for him on the robbery charge.

Warnakulasuriya escorted the suspect Hiran Priyankara to Police Headquarters in Fort to lodge the complaint against Samaraweera. The suspect is requesting the Police to investigate the nature of the relationship between Samaraweera and himself. Western Province DIG Anura Senanayake, a close associate of Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be conducting the investigation, according to Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana. The aim is to have Samaraweera harrassed and even arrested on the basis of his sexuality, under Section 365A of the Penal Code that outlaws homosexuality.

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By Rocco B. K. Panangadan -January 24, 2014

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Malaria is a deadly virus that can have effects ranging from headaches and nausea to coma and death. Although it can be controlled by vaccines, if not properly treated it almost certainly leads to death.

Malaria comes from the infected female Anopheles mosquito. It is prevalent in tropical and sub-tropical regions like Africa and Asia.

Malaria is an annoyance in warfare, due to it’s prevalence around the globe, infecting soldiers everywhere. In the First World War, nearly 80 percent of 120,000 French soldiers stationed in Macedonia were hospitalized due to malaria. However, if malaria was used as a biological weapon, the results would be catastrophic. Third World countries like Afghanistan or Iraq would simply not be able to survive the immense number of casualties if malaria was to break out now due to the ongoing civil conflicts.

Malaria as a biological weapon would not be as easily detectable as other viruses or chemicals due to it not being a manmade virus or chemical. It’s natural. People would just think it was a malaria outbreak.

If terrorists were to release 1,000 infected Anopheles Mosquitoes into New York City, the results would be terrible. Tens of thousands of people would be infected. However, everyone would still think it is a malaria outbreak, not a biological attack. But remember, New York City is a big place. You could get

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Geneva II: Syrian government warns of early talks exit

FRIDAY 24 JANUARY 2014

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem threatens to leave peace talks in Geneva if no serious discussions have taken place by Saturday.

His warning came on the day that government and opposition delegations were due to start separate talks with the international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi at the United Nations in Geneva.

Syrian state television reported that Mr Moualem told Mr Brahimi of his intentions during an initial meeting lasting barely an hour on Friday morning. Mr Moualem was reported to have blamed the "the other side's lack of seriousness or preparedness".

While the state television broadcast said the meeting had a "postitive atmosphere", today's meeting remain a massive challenge to the diplomats charged with brokering a deal.

Opposition demands

Earlier the opposition had warned that it would not meet face to face with the Syrian government delegation unless it endorsed a communique from the Geneva I talks in 2012, which called for a transitional governing body to be established in Syria.

Opposition delegate Haitham al-Maleh said "We have explicitly demanded a written commitment from the regime delegation to accept Geneva I. Otherwise there will be no direct negotiations."

UN spokeswoman Alessandra Velluci told a news briefing in Geneva: "This process is being shaped at the moment. It has to take time for the preparations. There are no Syrian-Syrian talks at the moment."