Thursday, January 30, 2014

Pavithra tries to fit a mouse in an elephant’s shoe

Pavithra tries to fit a mouse in an elephant’s shoe

By Mario Andree- January 30, 2014

Minister of Power and Energy, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, yesterday morning tried to fit a mouse in an elephant’s shoe, by comparing Sri Lanka to China. According to her, the contrivances on the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant (NCPP) were unnecessary attempts to create national issues.

Assuring uninterrupted electricity distribution, she told State media, Rupavahini, that the media was trying to create unnecessary issues on the breakdowns at the Norochcholai Plant, and that these were not matters of concern.
Claiming that the government was trying to provide electricity at affordable rates to the public, she said there were instances of such breakdowns even in advanced economies that depend on coal power.

According to her, as Sri Lanka had only one major coal power plant, the media and the public were creating unnecessary hype. If there were many plants across the country, such incidents would not be highlighted, she opined.
Pointing at an incident which according to her was a major issue, she said, “If a dog crosses the road on the expressway, the media would make a big noise about it; however, if there were several expressways, such news will not even be considered for publication.”

She partly blamed China for the breakdown at Norochcholai, and said that China has taken the responsibility and has started investigations of how such breakdowns take place. The Sri Lanka Government too has sought help from neighbouring India, who has sent a group of experts to provide assistance.
She also said Sri Lanka generated less than 3,500MW out of which less than 12% was coal power, while 70% of China’s 99,000MW were coal generated.

“No one takes an interest, if one coal power plant in China breaks down as there are a large number of coal power plants in that country. However, in Sri Lanka, there was only one, which has attracted unnecessary contrivances,” she said.
According to Wanniarchchi, it was not that the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant could not be operated; it has been halted to rectify issues.

Ceylon Today reported last Sunday (26) that the first phase of the Norachcholai Coal Power Plant, which cost US$ 555 million, has already broken down a record 27 times since it was commissioned four years ago. The first phase is currently out of commission and the CEB engineers have been trying for weeks to resume operations.
Trials of the Second Phase which began last Friday (24) also crashed on Saturday (25).

'Condom theory’ for Duminda & Rayynor!

Thursday, 30 January 2014

There are signs that Hiru TV and radio owner Rayynor Silva and his brother, Colombo district MP R. Duminda Silva, are to be eliminated from the Rajapaksa regime, according to internal sources at the media institution.

Recently, Rayynor had been summoned to the Defence Ministry and the defence secretary had reproached him mercilessly without any reason. Even now, Rayynor cannot understand as to why he had been rebuked thus all of a sudden. It was with the defence secretary that the Silva brothers have been having a closer relationship, than with the president. The defence secretary has been backing all their activities. As a result, they have been able to carry out their illegal earning activities without any disruption by the law or the police.

Silva brothers are persons who pay a predetermined part of their income to the Rajapaksas and the various subject ministers. In addition, they have very close dealings with top government officials. For instance, Rayyor well knows what media minister Keheliya Rambukwella wants more than money. Rayynor always takes care to fulfil what the minister wants as soon as he gets a call from him. Due to this relationship, Rayynor has been able to become a powerful figure in the media field.

That power is such that he has the power to ban any website in the country if and when he wants. It is him who is behind the banning of several websites in Sri Lanka. The existence of certain of these websites are not known even to the defence secretary. Rayynor does this through Anusha Pelpita, who maintains that he is unaware about a ban and that he just follows the advice of the Defence Ministry. Rayynor and Pelpitya are very close friends. It is through Rayynor that Pelpita has invested all the black money, mostly at the Colombo share market, he had earned from telecomunciation firms recently. Rayynor also financially supports the construction of a house by Pelpita in Nugegoda.

According to rumours, the sudden enmity between Rayynor and the defence secretary is due to Hiru channel’s news carrying criticisms of the government. However, the real reason is the red alert issued by international anti-narcotic agencies against Sri Lanka. They have warned Sri Lanka would have to suffer serious repercussions if the government does not take action to curb the drug mafia that is centred on the island. They have stressed that these allegations could be more serious than the war crimes charges already faced by the country.

Informed sources say this is the reason for the change of face by the defence secretary. In light of this development, the Rajapaksas have decided to sacrifice the Silva brothers as they are persons who do not hesitate to sacrifice any person for their own existence. Therefore, within the next few weeks, state as well as pro-government media will launch a sudden campaign against the Silva brothers.

patient lodges FR complaint against Peliyagoda Police

By Skandha Gunasekara- January 30, 2014

A complaint has been lodged against the Peliyagoda Police at the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) by a cancer patient claiming that her Fundamental Rights (FR) were violated by the Peliyagoda Police.

The incident had begun when the complainant, a businesswoman in Nugegoda, had attempted to lodge a complaint against an individual known as ‘Ranga’ for financial fraud at the Mirihana Police. The woman had complained that a cheque that had been given to her by ‘Ranga’ had been rejected by the bank.

However, before she was able to make the complaint she had been arrested by the Peliyagoda Police following a complaint made to them by said ‘Ranga’.

Following the arrest, during the time she was held at the police station, which amounted to almost an entire day, she was denied her medication for her illness and neither was she given any food or water.

Speaking to Ceylon Today, Human Rights Commissioner Dr. Prathibha Mahanamahewa said the case has been registered at the HRCSL, and a screening process had begun.

“Once the screening process is over we will ascertain whether it is in our mandate to investigate this case. If so we will immediately begin an investigation into the matter,” Dr. Mahanamahewa said.

Police Media Spokesperson, SSP Ajith Rohana, said he hopes a fair investigation would be carried out regarding this matter.

Child Ordination: Positive Aspect

By Kapila Abhayawansa -January 30, 2014 |

Prof Kapila Abhayawansa

Every phenomenon in the world can be looked at both positively and negatively. Child ordination too has no exception. Sharmini Serasinghe looking at the child ordination through a mother’s eye has seen completely the negative aspect of it, as she expressed in her letter appeared in the Colombo Telegraph. We cannot condemn her ideas for she presented them through an emotionally constituted state of mind. Emotion is not a trustworthy means to arrive at a truth involved in something. Emotions lead to the prejudices. Truth should be found out by means of impartiality. I am not going to deny the negative aspect of the issue of child ordination as revealed by Sharmini. What I am trying to say is that we must examine both the aspects, compare them and decide whether it is good or bad.

Buddha was always concerned with the esteem in which the public held his monastic organization. Such a consideration was vital for its existence and prosperity. In this respect, monk should be endowed with not only Buddhist religious values and qualities but also with the moral manners.

Child ordination in Sri Lanka is not a Mahawamsa- based Buddhist practice. It is reported that a seven years old Sāmanera known as Ngrodha was responsible for the King Asoka’s conversion to Buddhism. It is coming through the history of the Buddha-sāsana starting from the time of the Buddha. One of the stories related to Ven. Sariputta says that advice given by a seven year old Samanera respectfully accepted by Ven Sariputta. There is the rule in vinaya-pitaka which enable monks to ordain even a child. Therefore there is no objection from Buddhist Vinaya for child ordination. For the same reason it is in practice in all Buddhist traditions. In every country where Buddhism became the traditional practice child ordination has been a common occurrence.

NICK KOZAK FOR THE TORONTO STAR FILE

Jennifer Santori shows students Harpreet Rapyal, left, and Ravneet Gill, a tweet of Harpreet's school work. Throughout the school day teachers Santori and fellow teacher Matthew Smith tweet the events at their kindergarten class at Brampton's Queen Street Public School.

As technology transforms education, what will

classrooms and learning look like 10, 20 years from now? Teachers and researchers weigh in on the future of education.

The Toronto Star

By: Kristin Rushowy Education Reporter, Published on Fri Sep 06 2013

The room is renovated; power cords dangle from the ceiling for students to plug in their laptops or tablets. Desks — gone, replaced by five large wooden work tables Grade 6 teacher Bob Gardner built with the help of a colleague at Brampton’s Centennial Senior Public School.

Technology Transforming Classroom of the Future by nelvely

What Bill Gates could have missed out on

January 29, 2014, 9:04 pm

article_image

Before Gates went on record with his observations, the UNDP in its Human Development report for 2013, comprehensively outlined the emergence of the developing world or the global South as the growth hemisphere of the globe. What the report basically stated was that the global economic power balance has shifted sharply to the South and that countries, such as, those comprising the BRICS, would lead from the front in global wealth generation.

What Bill Gates could have missed out on by nelvely

Syria wiping neighbourhoods off the map to punish residents – rights group

Report contains satellite imagery showing seven areas that have been largely or completely destroyed

Syria aerial image of destroyed neighbourhood — The demolition of the Masha al-Arb'een neighborhood in Hama. Photograph: HRW/2014 DigitalGlobe

Martin Chulov in Beirut0-Thursday 30 January 2014

The Syrian government has demolished thousands of buildings, in some cases entire neighbourhoods, in parts of Damascus and Hama, as part of a collective punishment against residents of rebel-held areas, Human Rights Watch has found.

Satellite imagery taken over both cities has revealed seven areas where neighbourhoods have either been largely destroyed or totally demolished. None of the destruction was caused during combat. Rather, the buildings have been systemically destroyed using bulldozers and explosives placed by troops who first ordered residents to leave, then supervised the demolitions.

A report released on Thursday morning says the Syrian regime claims that the demolitions were part of an urban planning programme that aimed to remove illegally constructed buildings.

Human Rights Watch, however, claims the motivations were instead to punish areas that were deemed to be sympathetic to opposition groups. It says the destruction violated international law and the laws of war.

Claims of widespread abuses have been routinely levelled by the government and the opposition during almost three years of war in Syria, which has killed more than 130,000, displaced close to 8 million, led tens of thousands to disappear and battered the country’s renowned heritage sites. However, the scale of the physical destruction has been difficult to document, with reporting limited by government visa restrictions and the intensity of the fighting.

“Wiping entire neighbourhoods off the map is not a legitimate tactic of war,” said Ole Solvang, emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. “These unlawful demolitions are the latest additions to a long list of crimes committed by the Syrian government.”

Using satellite imagery, the organisation has compiled a dramatic series of before and after shots that it says show 145 hectares, the equivalent of 200 football fields, where the state policy has caused near-total destruction.

Some demolitions took place near areas such as the Mezzeh airbase and the international airport that the opposition viewed as strategic. While acknowledging that a military response in these areas could be deemed as legitimate, the report claims that the response was disproportionate.

The Mezzeh and Tadamoun areas of the capital, both opposition strongholds, have been particularly heavily hit, the images show. In Hama, where former president Hafez al-Assad killed tens of thousands of residents and wiped out neighbourhoods over several days in 1982, widespread destruction has again taken place. The satellite images show that the Masha al-Arb’een area has been wiped out. One image, apparently taken while the demolitions were under way, shows part of the area still standing – a grey blob of buildings juxtaposed against a white backdrop of ruins.

Above images embedded from Human Rights Watch website

Researchers compiled the report after viewing 15 satellite images and speaking to 16 witnesses to the demolitions, among them homeowners. Government statements, interviews with officials and videos posted to the web depicting the destruction were also used.

“No one should be fooled by the government’s claim that it is undertaking urban planning in the middle of a bloody conflict, ” said Solvang. “This was collective punishment of communities suspected of supporting the rebellion. The UN security council should, with an ICC [international criminal court] referral, send a clear message that cover-ups and government impunity won’t stand in the way of justice for victims.”

Nadim Houry, deputy director of Human Rights Watch for the Middle East and North Africa, said: "These are the areas that we were told about by witnesses. There are likely to be other areas, but there are many black holes in Syria where we don't have information. This is likely part of a systematic policy in rebel held areas elsewhere in the country as well.

"It shows yet again that this is not a one-off act by a commander. This is part of a strategy targeting all opposition-held areas. It is a mirror image of the starvation of people in Yarmouk [refugee camp in Damascus] or in Old Homs. It shows yet again how ready the government is to collectively harm areas of people that are supporting the opposition."

While the destruction of Syria’s towns and cities during fighting has been well-documented, the eradication of neighbourhoods as a form of punishment or deterrence against supporting the opposition has not been revealed.

The regime has claimed that all those fighting against it are internationally backed terrorists who have imposed their will on communities, which they then use as bases to hide and stage attacks.

Opposition-held parts of Aleppo have repeatedly been hit by large ballistic missiles, including scuds, as well as non-conventional high-explosive bombs dropped from helicopters, known as barrel bombs. Such attacks killed 13 people in Aleppo on Tuesday and have claimed more than 300 lives since the start of the year.

Earlier satellite images have also revealed the scale of destruction in Aleppo, Syria’s second city. A series of shots taken over other towns and cities during the past year has shown a physical landscape changed dramatically by the war.

Human Rights Watch called for its findings to be referred to the international criminal court and for compensation to be paid to homeowners. It also called for the international community to implement arms embargos that limit the supply of weapons and ammunition to the Syrian government.

Full Story

NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden is Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by nelvely

Scarlett Johansson quits Oxfam amid SodaStream row

THURSDAY 30 JANUARY 2014

Scarlett Johansson quits her role as ambassador for Oxfam after coming under huge criticism for supporting the company SodaStream, that operates in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

Scarlett Johansson Quits Oxfam Amid SodaStream Row by nelvely

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Sovereignty: Is it a defence to cover up?

January 29, 2014

Introduction
The term sovereignty is frequently confronted with hostile claims. Human right and anti corruption movements are often challenged by various groups with different notions and ideologies on sovereignty. The purpose of this brief article is to examine some of the legal issues with reference to the concept of sovereignty in a global political context, especially in the light of the UN Charter.
Emergence of concept of sovereignty
It is interesting to note that the emergence of sovereignty took place at a time where France, England and Spain were looking for philosophical justification to have “supremacy over citizens without being bound by law and without recognising any external superior”.

Sovereignty is It a Defence to Cover Up by nelvely

President Reduces Democracy To Elections And Human Rights To Defeating Terrorism!

By Laksiri Fernando -January 29, 2014

Dr. Laksiri Fernando

I am basing this critique mainly on President’s interview to the Daily Mirrortitled “Critics of SL Have a Misguided Notion” published on 1 January 2014, as it is always better to be precise when discussing the issues of human rights or democracy. The views expressed in this interview have no excuses of ‘problems of articulation,’ like in a ‘on the spot’ interview, as it was conducted in advance through email, probably with other’s assistance.

It was highlighted in the preface to the interview, President saying that “those who criticise the Human Rights record of the country are either those who have not visited [or don’t know] the country or those who are the voices of the LTTE.” I cannot possibly be accused of either of these allegations, as I have always been a strong critic of the LTTE, and my knowledge of the country cannot be second to the President.

I understand, however, that he was aiming the allegation mainly to the ‘outsiders,’ but what it shows is his intolerance to any criticism and dismissal of any human rights advocacy as “voices of the LTTE.” He has also further stated in the same vein, “They simply act as the voice of the defeated terrorists. They are both within and outside Sri Lanka.” This is quite unfortunate as it equates ‘human rights criticism to terrorism.’

My focus of this article is not on the human rights record of the country as such, but the pitiable views expressed by the President on human rights themselves. Altogether he has answered 10 questions and most of them are to do with development and infrastructural projects on which I don’t have much issue here. However, what is characteristic is his attempt to highlight the achievements of development, in contrast to the record of human rights, as if to say that human rights and democracy are things that the people have to scarify in achieving development. This is unacceptable and defy the experiences of development and human rights in many countries.

Direct Question Read More

Sri Lanka: Resolution in Geneva Will Go Through

S. V. Kirubaharan for Salem-News.com-Jan-28-2014

The Rajapaksa government may be good at vote-rigging and manipulating the counting, but are they capable of doing this in the HRC?

(PARIS) - It has taken more than three decades for the International community to understand the attitude of Sri Lanka, which is unbending and characterizes each and every Sri Lanka government through history. Better late than never, two consecutive resolutions have been passed on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council – HRC.

Sri Lanka Resolution in Geneva Will Go Through by nelvely

Remembering The Abduction Of TRO Staff On 29 & 30 January, 2006

By A Special Correspondent -January 29, 2014

January 29 and 30 (Wednesday and Thursday) mark eight years since the abduction and execution of seven humanitarian staff of the Tamil’s Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO). The abductions occurred in two separate incidents.

The seven TRO staff were travelling from Batticaloa to the TRO Headquarters in Kilinochchi for training on 29 and 30 January, 2006 when they were forced to stopped, in full view of a Sri Lanka Army checkpoint at Welikande on the Batticaloa – Polonnaruwa border, by a ‘white van’ without license plates. The TRO van travelling on the 29th contained five persons and the van on the 30th had 15. The other 13 staff members were released. The seven have never been heard from again and media reports state that they were raped, tortured, and executed. They were:

Abducted on 29 January 2006:

Mr. KASINATHAR GANESHALINGAM (53 years old)

Mr. THANGARASA KATHIRKAMAR (43 years old)

Abducted on 29 January 2006:

Ms THANUSHKODI PREMINI (25 years old)

Mr. ARULTHAVARASA SATHEESKARAN (23 years old)

Mr. SHANMUGANATHAN SUJENDRAN (24 years old)

Mr. THAMIRAJA VASANTHARAJAN (24 years old)

Mr. KAILASAPILLAI RAVINTHIRAN (26 years old)

Thangarasa’s Family at the TRO Kilinochchi Office after hearing the news of his abduction

All of the TRO staff were humanitarian workers: Mr. Ganeshalingam was a member of the TRO Board of Directors, Coordinator of Pre School Education Development Centre (PSEDC) and was married with two young children; Ms. Premini was the Chief Accountant of the TRO Batticaloa Office and a student at Eastern University; Mr. Thangarasa, the driver of the van on the 29th, was the father of 5; the other four young men were accountants or trainee accountants at TRO Children’s Homes (orphanages) who were going to Kilinochchi for in-service training. (For extended profiles and photographs of the TRO staff please click here )

What happened to the TRO 7? Read More

No home to call their own!

By Madhava
Kulasooriya – Vavuniya - January 28, 2014

No home to call their own!

The people of Vavuniya have lived through a brutal civil war, and had harboured hopes that they would be able to enhance their standard of living after the conclusion of the war. However, nearly five years post-war, the people live in extreme poverty with little hope for better standards in the immediate future.

The inhabitants of an area in Vavuniya claim that even though they were resettled and have been living in a village for over three years, government authorities have not taken any measures to provide the village with any of the basic facilities necessary to live in relative comfort.
The little huts in which the village folk live and call home, are nothing more than a small area of floor space covered by a thatched roof and tin walls.

Villagers neglected
“During rainy season it is impossible to live here. Our homes are made of polythene and tin sheets, and whenever there is a shower of rain, water pours into the house. Even though there have been numerous programmes and workshops for the development of relocated people in the Northern Province, none of those workshops have been of benefit to us. This is because we have not even been provided with any basic facility or service. Though several responsible officials of the Vavuniya District worked diligently to provide permanent housing schemes, electricity and basic infrastructure facilities to the people of many villages in the Vavuniya District, we have not received anything at all,” bemoaned K. Vinodan, a villager from Pulanaavur, Puravasankulama in Vavuniya.

He claimed that if the relevant authorities acted responsibly, the village people would not be in such a dilemma as they would have received permanent homes under the Indian Housing Scheme and the funds which were donated for the purpose of providing homes for the homeless.

In addition to the lack of housing facilities, the people are also bereft of electricity. Though electricity cables run right across the village, electricity is provided only to a military camp which is nearby, another villager, K. Shivakulugu said.

Facilities denied
She claimed that there were electricity cables running even right in front of her house and yet her house was not powered by that energy. She pointed out that if there were electricity transformers in the village, and if it was capable of providing power to a military camp, there is no reason for it to be incapable of providing electricity to the rest of the village as well. Shivakulugu further alleged that there was electricity in several other ‘resettlement villages’ which are yet to be inhabited; and if such was the case, she wanted to know as to why villages which are already populated were not granted the same facilities as unpopulated villages.

Speaking about roads and other facilities, Shivakulugu stated that the roads are in a pitiable state, and have not been restored for years. Meanwhile, toilet facilities for part of the village were provided by a non-governmental organization, while the other part of the village was left without even that facility, thanks to the incompetence of the government authorities, she said.

Recalling the past and the plight faced by the villagers during the civil war with the LTTE during 1990, she stated that it was impossible to continue to live in the village, and as a result of the trouble and harassment caused by the LTTE, many villagers opted to leave their homes and move elsewhere; some of the villagers took up residence in a refugee camp in Vavuniya, while the rest sought shelter with their relatives and family members in the area. They lived in this manner until 2010, at which point approximately 45 families were resettled in the village, Shivakulugu said.

Villagers’ issues
remain unresolved
Even students face difficulties due to the lack of basic facilities. Most of them attend Poovarasankulama Vidyalaya,Vavuniya, situated approximately 14 kilometres away from the Vavuniya town, she said, and added the children had to travel that far everyday to receive an education.

Another villager G. Kanendran, stated that despite all possible authorities were being notified of their plight, nothing had been done to date. The Vavuniya District Secretary and local provincial politicians are among those who have been apprised of the situation they face, Kanendran said.

“The people of four villages in the Poovarasankulama Division have held protests in front of the Vavuniya District Secretary’s office last November, demanding a permanent solution to their housing problems. However, nothing has been done in this regard, to date. We even handed over a letter explaining our plight, but it has had no effect either,” he added.

When the people of the Poovarasankulama Division had approached the Vavuniya District Secretary, Bandula Harischandra, he had assured them that he would provide an immediate solution to their housing problem as well as address the other problems they are facing. However, the villagers said that they are yet to see any tangible resolution to their problems.