Fishing In Troubled Waters, Tamil Nadu And Sri Lanka

By S. Sivathasan -January 30, 2014 |

S. Sivathasan

The Crisis

No fish to fish. This is the plain truth. This reality explains why the waters separating Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka continue to remain troubled. Though hyperbolical, it describes aptly and bluntly the true reason for the predicament of fishers. A phenomenon that holds for the world, is more pronounced in certain regions, notably Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. In recent times inadequate availability to sustain the fisher community has caused a major conflict between the two states. For these troubled waters, a truthful statement is hurtful. It finds lesser acceptance than euphemistic phrasings of declining resources and depleting stocks. So with little thought of an enduring resolution, attempts are made to contain the problem through arrests and confinement of the fishers by both sides.

Fish in Perspective

Global food fish production at 130 million tons is 34% of animal protein, compared to 250 million tons of meat – beef, pork and broiler + turkey. An estimated 55 million people are fishers and fish farmers The importance of fish as a food commodity and fishing as a means of livelihood are easily understood. There are also fears about current shortfalls and serious anxieties of future non-availability. They derive from over exploitation and stock depletion. These are better appreciated in the light of relevant statistics. Fishery resources under exploited at 86% in 1950, declined to 3% in 2000. Fully exploited of 14% rose to 34% in the same period. The picture applying to the world holds for Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka as well. Hence the intensifying conflict and calls for urgent resolution.

Consumption                                            Read More

8 years since abductions of TRO workers

30 January 2014

8 years have passed since 7 TRO workers were abducted by Sri Lankan government-backed paramilitaries in Batticaloa. The kidnappings, which took place on the 29th and 30th of January, has not led to a single arrest.

8 Years Since Abductions of TRO Workers by nelvely

Bush's 'War on Terror' is a Blind Criminal Policy

Visvanathan for Salem-News.com-Jan-29-2014 

"The bottom line is, you can't lump all terrorists together. And I think we've got to do a much better job of clarifying what are the motivations, the raisons d'être of terrorists." - Hillary Clinton

(MELBOURNE) - After the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers, President George Bush's 'War on Terror' was blindly applied to all liberation movements, whether it was a righteous war or just pure terrorism to enforce their dogma or religious ideology on others. Senator Hilary Clinton's statement on Tigers to the British Guardian makes her point very clear.

Bush's 'War on Terror' is a Blind Criminal Policy by nelvely

When Professionals Give License To Despotic Regimes

By Gotamini Hathurusinghe -January 30, 2014 

One of the major reasons for a country to be subjected to bad governance is when its professionals do not speak out, but worse still these professionals actually gang up with those committing anarchy for their own benefit. What these professionals do not realize is that in the long term, they too would be subjected to the worst treatment by these despotic dictators whom they were keen to protect. Moeller’s theory being proved time and time again. Consorting with an autocratic regime is the worst act of treason against one’s country and its people.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa

In Sri Lanka this happens all the time. Conversely in many countries and regions that had positive change, or when the country quickly got onto the right path after being diverted towards the bad even for a short time, it is the professionals who led the positive change.

Let us take some examples of ‘nivata’ or slimy, spineless behavior on the part of Sri Lankan professionals. Mind you the examples can fill several hundred volumes.

Dr Keerthi Gunasekera, well known chest physician was sworn in as the President of the College of Physicians a few days ago. He threw one of the most glittering parties at the Hilton, where there were almost a thousand guests. The writer also had the fortune to be there and the misfortune to be in the same room asGotabaya Rajapaksa, Chief Guest on the occasion, Rajapaksa as usual played his gramophone record of misleading the people and professionals at that. Gotabaya, the master craftsman lied, in turn glossed over, turned tough with his words and at times even became diplomatic and persuasive!

                                    Read More

Gamlath refuses to go to Geneva!

 Thursday, 30 January 2014

Additional solicitor general Suhada Gamlath has pointblankly refused a request by the Presidential Secretariat to join the government delegation, led by Sajin Vaas Gunawardena, to the UNHRC session in Geneva, Switzerland in March, said attorney general’s department sources.

“Why should we go to Geneva? What can we say there? Have we implemented the LLRC recommendations? Those in Geneva cannot be deceived like Sri Lankan voters by our bailas. I wear clothes to cover my nudity. I cannot go their wearing any clothes,” he has said in rejecting the invitation.

Casting aside the experienced diplomats, the government has appointed MP Sajin Vaas, the unofficial external affairs minister. He will be assisted in Geneva by secretary to the president Lalith Weeratunga and president’s son Namal Rajapaksa. Regular members to the Geneva team minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and nominal external affairs minister Prof. G.L. Peiris are notable absentees.

Commenting on this, a senior official of the external affairs ministry told us, “Knowing that there is nothing left to be done in Geneva diplomaticaly, the president is sending ‘deal captain’ Sajin Vaas Gunawardena to strike a deal. It is this MP who has introduced the ‘art of dealing’ to diplomacy,” added the official.

காற்சட்டை அணிந்து ஜெனிவா செல்ல முடியாது: அரசின் கோரிக்கையை நிராகரித்த அதிகாரி

[ வியாழக்கிழமை, 30 சனவரி 2014, 10:23.33 AM GMT ]

ஜெனிவா மனித உரிமை ஆணைக்குழு கூட்டத்தொடரில் கலந்து கொள்ளும் இலங்கை பிரதிநிதிகள் குழுவில், இணைந்து கொள்ளுமாறு ஜனாதிபதி செயலகம் விடுத்த கோரிகையை மேலதிக சொலிசிட்டர் ஜெனரல் சுஹத கம்லத் நேரடியாகவே நிராகரித்துள்ளதாக சட்டமா அதிபர் திணைக்கள தகவல்கள் தெரிவித்தன.

எதற்கு நாம் ஜெனிவா செல்கிறோம்?. அங்கு போய் நாம் என்ன சொல்ல போகிறோம்?. நல்லிணக்க ஆணைக்குழுவின் எத்தனை பரிந்துரைகளை நாம் அமுல்படுத்தியுள்ளோம்?.

“ஜெனிவாவில் இருப்பவர்கள், இங்குள்ள வாக்காளர்களை போல் பாடும் பைலாவுக்கு ஏமாறும் நபர்கள் அல்ல.

வெட்கத்தை மறைக்கவே நான் காற்சட்டை அணிகிறேன். மற்றவர்கள் அணிந்துள்ளனர் என்பதற்காக நான் அதனை அணியவில்லை.

இதனால் காற்சட்டை அணிந்து கொண்டு என்னால் ஜெனிவாவுக்கு செல்ல முடியாது“ என தெரிவித்துள்ள சுஹத கம்லத், ஜனாதிபதி செயலகத்தின் கோரிக்கை முற்றாக நிராகரித்துள்ளார்.

இலங்கையில் அனுபவமிக்க ராஜதந்திரிகள் இருக்கும் போது அவர்கள் அனைவரையும் புறந்தள்ளி விட்டு, ஜெனிவா தூதுக் குழுவிற்கு தலைமை தாங்கும் பொறுப்பு உத்தியோகபூர்மற்ற வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சர் எனக் கூறப்படும் சஜின் வாஸ் குணவர்தனவுக்கு வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இவரு்ககு உதவியாக ஜனாதிபதியின் செயலாளர் லலித் வீரதுங்கவும் ஜனாதிபதியின் புதல்வரான நாமல் ராஜபக்ஷவுக்கு ஜெனிவா மாநாட்டில் கலந்து கொள்ள உள்ளனர்.

வழமையாக ஜெனிவா மாநாட்டில் கலந்து கொள்ளும் அமைச்சர் மகிந்த சமரசிங்க மற்றும் பெயரளவிலான வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சர் எனக் கூறப்படும் ஜீ.எல்.பீரிஸ் ஆகியோர் இந்த முறை மாநாட்டில் கலந்து கொள்ள மாட்டார்கள் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்க அம்சமாகும்.

இது தொடர்பாக கருத்து வெளியிட்ட வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சின் அதிகாரி ஒருவர், ஜெனிவா மாநாட்டில் ராஜதந்திர ரீதியாக செய்வதற்கு எதுவுமில்லை என்பதால் பேரம் பேசியாவது சாதித்து கொள்ளலாம் என்ற நோக்கத்தில் ஜனாதிபதி, சஜின் வாஸ் குணவர்தனவை ஜெனிவாவுக்கு அனுப்புவதாக தெரிவித்தார்.

ராஜதந்திர துறையில் பேரம் பேசும் முறையை அறிமுகப்படுத்திய பெருமை உத்தியோகபூர்வமற்ற வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சர் சஜின் வாஸ் குணவர்தனவை சாரும் எனவும் அந்த அதிகாரி குறிப்பிட்டார்.

Gota Now Threatens Probe Into TNA-LTTE Election Links

January 30, 2014 

Days after the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence threatened to “rehabilitate” Northern Provincial Council (NPC) Member Ananthi Sasitharan to prevent her from propagating “separatist sentiments”, it has now announced that it was contemplating a probe of the nexus between the LTTE and the five-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the Island newspaper reported in its lead story today.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence

The newspaper that frequently publishes proclamations by Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa or “a senior official in the Defence Establishment” on its front page, said that the focus of the investigation would be on the close relationship between the LTTE and the TNA since late 2001, “when the political grouping recognised the LTTE as the sole representatives of the Tamil speaking people.”

The Island’s Shamindra Ferdinando reported a “MoD official” as saying “we intend to investigate senior TNA members including those in Parliament and the Northern PC. The investigation is aimed at ascertaining how the TNA influenced the LTTE strategy leading to war in mid 2006.”

“The MoD acknowledged that there hadn’t been a comprehensive investigation into the TNA-LTTE nexus though some military officers felt an inquiry was a necessity. Responding to a query, the MoD said that except for last presidential polls in January 2010 when the TNA backed former army commander GeneralSarath Fonseka, the alliance had worked closely with the LTTE at the general elections in 2001 and 2004,” the newspaper reported.

Earlier the same reporter quoted Defence Ministry official last week threatening to “rehabilitate” Sasitharan, a TNA Councillor who obtained the second highest number of preferential votes in the September provincial poll. In that story, Ferdinando said the following: “Asked whether the government was planning to hunt for those who had managed to avoid rehabilitation, the official said perhaps Ananthi wouldn’t have adopted such a hostile stance towards the government and the military if she had undergone rehabilitation.”

Sasitharan got in the crosshairs of the Ministry of Defence after she briefed Ambassador Stephen J. Rapp in charge of the Office of Global Criminal Justice during his recently concluded visit to Sri Lanka.

The TNA accepted the LTTE as the sole representatives of the Tamil people during a time that the failure to do so would have meant brutal assassinations of the entire Tamil moderate leadership. The only Tamil leaders to refuse to do so were the EPDP’s Douglas Devananda who had thrown in his lot in with the Rajapaksa administration and was permitted to carry arms and Anandasangaree who lived in a bunker in Colombo. Both Devananda and Sangaree were virtual prisoners in their own homes. Devananda escaped assassination at the hands of the LTTE at least seven times, the EPDP claims.

Conversely LTTE leaders and senior rebel leaders who served as commanders and weapons procurer are now part and parcel of the -Rajapaksa Administration. Vignayamurthi Muralidharan was the Tigers Eastern Province Commander and functioned as the rebels’ main military operations commander during the 2000 siege of Elephant Pass and other major combat missions, is now a Rajapaksa cabinet minister and Vice President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

Kumaran Pathmanathan who was extracted from Kuala Lumpur by a special operations team was the LTTE’s Chief Weapons Procurer and effectively LTTE leader following Prabhakaran’s death in 2009. Pathmanathan runs a Government operated orphanage in Kilinochchi and lives free under the patronage of the Defence Secretary.

JVP 'had arms deals' with LTTE

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has vowed to defeat LTTE terrorism, is also accused of offering at least Rs. 1500 million to the Tamil Tigers before and after the presidential elections.

Sri Lanka parliament agreed to appoint a Select Committee to probe the alleged deal.

The Rajapaksa Clan - Continued Hypocrisy

 by Nilantha Ilangamuwa

“Look and see which way the wind blows before you commit yourself.”

― Aesop, Aesop’s Fables

( January 30, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Another diplomatic battle has erupted against the glorification of the lawless and authoritarian regime in Sri Lanka. We understand that this panoptic regime’s political existence depends on plundering, not only the wealth of the nation, but also the personnel liberties of the people from top to bottom. As Frederic Bastiat said, “When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.”

The Rajapaksa Clan - Continued Hypocrisy by nelvely

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TRO Abductions Of January 2006 – A Second Follow-Up

By UTHR -January 30, 2014

The Colombo Telegraph carried a piece on the TRO abductions that alleges that UTHR(J) was less than honest about it. The excerpt below appeared in http://www.uthr.org/bulletins/bul44.htm of March 2007, where we followed it up by contacting people who were privy to the events. Probing deeper into such events inevitably takes time, and first soundings given out in public interest may prove inaccurate.

TRO Abductions Of January 2006 – A Second Follow-Up

We take this opportunity to present additional testimony on what has been for us an elusive episode. A TRO vehicle, which left Batticaloa on the evening of 29th January, was taken over by the Karuna group. The three female employees were questioned and released. Kasinathar Ganeshalingam and Kathirkamar Thavarasa, the driver, are missing. Unaware of this, a second TRO vehicle left about 24 hours later on 30th January. Five in this vehicle were abducted and the rest were released.

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

We could now say that our first information, which appeared in Special Report No.20 that the abductions were staged by the LTTE for advantage before the Geneva talks, is wrong. We are still puzzled as to how this story arose within sources close to the LTTE and why little was done to refute it. We followed up in the Supplement to Special Report No.23 with further information, which is mostly correct except for some discrepancies regarding the first vehicle.

We talked to persons who worked very closely with the TRO in Paduvankarai, and know those abducted in the second vehicle on 30th January. The inference from the testimonies of the three girls from the first vehicle (29th) given to the Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International was that Thavarasa being new to the job lost his way into danger. Our new inside sources tell us that Thavarasa was an old hand who had done this trip for three years, several times a month. They don’t know Ganeshalingam and are convinced that the first vehicle didn’t get lost, but the Karuna group planned the abductions.                                            Read More    

Pakistan Army planning to genocide Baloch activists as Sri-Lanka did of Tamil People. Dr. Bhatti

Thursday , 30 January 2014

Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, Chief of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC have expressed grave concern on adding Sri-Lanka plan of Tamil People genocide in security policy of Pakistan for approval in Cabinet meeting because it is feared that it will be practiced to genocide Baloch activists who are fighting for their due rights in Balochistan province of Pakistan.

According to sources close to Pakistan Christian Post in government of Pakistan, in draft of Security Policy of Pakistan, ready to be presented for approval in coming Cabinet meeting have two ideal plans; The Ireland Plan on Peace among religious sects and The Sri-Lanka Plan to end Tamil Tigers; The Pakistan government is presenting this Security Policy against terrorism in Pakistan.

Dr. Nazir Bhatti said that it seems that government of Pakistan is planning to use Irish Peace Plan to compromise with Tehreek Talban Pakistan TTP and affording TTP as autonomous force in Tribal belt of Pakistan while Sri-Lankan military operation plan against Tamil People to genocide Baloch activists in Balochistan.

It is on record that Pakistan Army used technology provided by China to locate Nawab Akbar Bugti in mountains of Balochistan and to martyr him instead of dialogue on his demands.According to Pakistan Christian Post, the Chinese arms and technology was transported to Pakistan and then shipped to Sri-Lanka which was used in genocide of Tamil Tigers to end freedom struggle. Millions of Tamil Freedom fighters were killed in Sri-Lanka and gross human rights violations were committed by Sri-Lankan army in Tamil majority area.

PCC chief said that Pakistan Government wishes Dialogues with Threek Talban Pakistan TTP who have killed more than 45 thousand innocent citizens of Pakistan and plans to award their right of Sharia Law in Tribal belt of Pakistan as an independent entity but plans to kill Baloch in Balochistan.

Dr. Nazir Bhatti urged all human right activists in Pakistan to voice against such Security Policy which intends to compromise with TTP terrorists but to kill Baloch freedom fighters.

Britain says domestic process should be credible, independent and transparent to be accepted by the international community

j

   Wednesday, January 29, 2014

 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Hugo Swire in reply to a question by MP Stephen Timms  in the  House of commons on 27 Jan stated that “… any domestic process should be credible, independent and transparent to be accepted by the international community. We do not believe that any of the processes established to date by the Sri Lankan Government—such as the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission—meet these standards.” 

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, columns 607-08W, on Sri Lanka, what recent assessment he has made of the likelihood of a credible domestic process beginning by March 2014.

Mr Swire: In her September 2013 oral statement to the UN Human Rights Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said she had ‘detected no new or comprehensive efforts to investigate’ alleged war crimes during her visit to Sri Lanka. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo in November, the Prime Minister, subsequently made clear to President Rajapaksa that unless a credible national accountability process has begun properly by March 2014, we will use our position on the UN Human Rights Council to call for an international investigation. We have also highlighted that any domestic process should be credible, independent and transparent to be accepted by the international community. We do not believe that any of the processes established to date by the Sri Lankan Government—such as the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission—meet these standards. If a genuine and credible process has begun properly by March 2014, we would give it our full support.

UK govt should push for an international inquiry now - Labour leader Ed Miliband

 30 January 2014

The leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, stressed his support for an international inquiry and pledged to push the coalition government on this, come the UN Human Rights Council session in March, in a meeting with the British Tamil community yesterday.

"We would support a motion for UN international inquiry, but believe March is too late to start the process and British Government should push for this now," said Mr. Miliband's press officer to the Tamil Guardian.

Highlighting the on-going plight of Tamils in the North-East, and the need for a strong resolution to be passed at the UNHRC, the British Tamils pointed out that the Sri Lankan government has not showed any willingness to undertake an independent investigation, and had indeed proved itself incapable of doing so, given past internal commissions and inquiries.

"The Tamil people want justice and accountability, and the Labour Party has backed an international investigation since 2011," said Sen Kandiah of Tamils for Labour, speaking to the Tamil Guardian about the meeting afterwards.

"Now is the time that the party ensures the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, is held to the promises he made to the Tamil people during his visit to Jaffna at the time of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet in November last year," Mr. Kandiah said, adding, "the Sri Lankan government should not be allowed to subvert, deliberately prolong or undermine the accountability process from now till March."


In a statement, the British Tamils Forum said, 

'Ahead of the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session that is to take place in March, the Labour leader has been calling for an international independent investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity since 2011. Today, the Tamil Community asked Ed Miliband to reassert pressure on the British Government to deliver what Prime Minister David Cameron promised during his visit to Sri Lanka last year – an independent and international investigation. The delegation also briefed Mr Miliband on the current situation for Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Mr Miliband promised he would do everything he could to get the UK government to use its position in the UNHRC to establish an international independent investigation.'

Writing in the Tamil Guardian in the run up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet, Mr. Miliband said, 

'An estimated 40,000 civilians died in that brutal conflict and yet there has still been no investigation into allegations of war crimes because the Sri Lankan government has so far refused to carry one out. 

Instead of making progress, the situation in Sri Lanka seems to be getting worse.'

Illegal eviction of families residing at Wanathamulla

 Thursday, 30 January 2014 

The Standing Committee on Rule of Law of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, condemns the action that is being taken by the Urban Development Authority to illegally evict families residing at Wanathamulla, Borella without resort to the law on acquisition of private property. 

What is of deep concern is the use of army personal to threaten and intimidate residents to vacate their premises.  This is in blatant violation of the law and in violation of the fundamental rights of the residents.  The UDA is bound to follow the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act in acquiring land for specific public purposes.

This is not an isolated incident and is seen as another incident of the use of the armed forces to violate the law and act arbitrarily.  This is seen as a continuation of the militarization of civil society that we see around us.

We call upon the government to immediately stop this illegal and unconstitutional process and to act according to the law of the country in acquiring private property.

We call upon civil society to be vigilant of the violation of rule of law and the militarization of society.

LAL WIJENAYAKE                                               PRIYANTHA GAMAGE

CHAIRMAN                                                          CONVENER

Salem-News.com-Jan-30-2014 Two churches and a Christian prayer center were attacked on January 12 by Buddhist mobs claiming they were illegal and aiming to take Buddhists away from their religion, WWM reported. americamagazine.org (COLOMBO) - Recent attacks on Christian places of worship by Buddhist extremists have sparked protests in the Sri Lanka capital against a perceived lack of religious freedom, World Watch Monitor reports. The organization reports the story of Christians around the world under pressure for their faith and it said that more than 2,000 Christians gathered in Colombo on Sunday to protest.

Sri Lanka Christians Protest After Attacks by Buddhist Extremists

Salem-News.com-Jan-30-2014

Two churches and a Christian prayer center were attacked on January 12 by Buddhist mobs claiming they were illegal and aiming to take Buddhists away from their religion, WWM reported.

americamagazine.org

(COLOMBO) - Recent attacks on Christian places of worship by Buddhist extremists have sparked protests in the Sri Lanka capital against a perceived lack of religious freedom, World Watch Monitor reports.

The organization reports the story of Christians around the world under pressure for their faith and it said that more than 2,000 Christians gathered in Colombo on Sunday to protest.

Sri Lanka Christians Protest After Attacks by Buddhist Extremists by nelvely

No Response From Daily News Editor

January 30, 2014 |

Four days after Colombo Telegraph challenged Rajapaksa state media Daily News Editor Rajpal Abeynayaketo name the online publication he attacked in disparaging language in an editorial entitled CESSPIT DESPERADOES DISTORT DN COMMENT, there has been no response.

Rajpal

Colombo Telegraph promised to take the necessary steps to address his concerns if the Editor of the Daily News names the website he makes reference to and sends the clarification he wishes. “We ask only that he refrains from making defamatory remarks that he is unable to substantiate and engages in a constructive and civilised manner. This is after all, not the Ceylon Daily News,” Colombo Telegraph said in its challenge.

For reasons best known to himself, the Daily News Editor has chosen to refuse to name those he criticised in foul language of having distorted his editorial comment.

Related story;

CT Challenges State Run Daily News Editor To Reveal Name Of Website In Smear Editorial

Rajapaksa State Media Defends Attack On Churches; Alleges Genocide Against Sinhalese

Sajith A No-Show At Anti-Government Rally

January 30, 2014

The UNP Rebel in Chief Sajith Premadasa failed to make an appearance at a major anti-Government rally attended by the combined opposition and several trade unions and civil society organisations on Tuesday, making himself increasingly irrelevant in his effort to snub measures to change the leadership structure in the party.

Sajith Premadasa

Tuesday’s rally was the first in several years to have garnered such enthusiasm and was joined by several different groups protesting about different types of oppression in the country. The rallies were organised to raise a voice against the executive presidential system, the suppression of the free press and the degradation of society as a result of Government corruption and its patronage of drug lords. Different opposition parties and groups marched in Colombo and converged at Hyde Park for the rally. The main opposition UNP was instrumental in organising the demonstration, that took a cross party approach.

Premadasa who recently declined an appointment to the UNP Nomination Board for the Western and Southern Provincial Council polls, months after he refused to sit as a member of the party’s new leadership council, has successfully sidelined himself just as the UNP begins to show signs of life.

Tuesday’s rally was heavily monitored by the state intelligence and police services because it alluded to the impending forging of an alliance among different opposition groups to battle the Rajapaksa administration.

Premadasa’s rebel UNP faction has long since been accused by critics as playing into the hands of the Government and working according to the regime’s agenda.

Govt. to apply to ‘Dayasiri theory’ to WPC too!

 Thursday, 30 January 2014 

A crafty plan is underway to repeat at the western provincial council elections what the government seniors had experimented with at the north western provincial council polls, which has come to be known as the ‘Dayasiri theory’, by leaving high and dry the candidates supported by the public who are disillusioned by the Rajapaksa and choosing a chief ministerial candidate within the government and ensure a historic win for that candidate, reports say.

The choice of the government seniors for the WPC polls is Hirunika Premachandra. Her immaturity in politics and inability to shoulder responsibilities are her minus points, but there is much public attraction for her, which supercedes everything else and forces the government seniors to choose her.

The coordinator of the plan is Colombo district MP Thilanga Sumathipala, who has met with Hirunika recently and held lengthy discussions. Government seniors have chosen MP Sumathipala for the job as he is not in the good books of president Mahinda Rajapaksa and defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa any more. Also, his traditional rivalry with Colombo district MP Duminda Silva is another reason for his selection.

At a recent meeting between Thilanga and Hirunika, the MP has said that there was massive public detestation against the president and the defence secretary, and that it was her responsibility to account of all those votes. The president has allowed her to contest because, MP Sumathipala has pointed out, the president was practically kissing the hand that cannot be cut, adding that if she acted wisely, she can overtake the victory achieved by Dayasiri Jayasekara in the NWP polls. By now, a large number of SLFP organizers in Colombo district has become inactive, he has noted, and pointed to the present plight of Chandana Katriarachchi, Hector Bethmage and others who who had worked shoulder to shoulder with Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

He has further advised Hirunika to obtain the support of the true SLFPers who are fatigued with the Rajapaksa regime. MP Sumathipala had the approval for the meeting of economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa, who is fuming over the rejection of chief ministerial candidature for the WPC to his wife, attorney Pushpa Rajapaksa, said the sources.

People-smuggling gang jailed after Channel port arrests

Three of the five jailed men: Chubramanian Vignarajah, Amarjit Mudhar and Kamalanesan Kandiah. Photograph: PA/Home Office

Press Association- Wednesday 29 January 2014

Four Sri Lankans and one British national charged illegal immigrants for help in their attempts to enter UK as stowaways

Five members of a criminal gang who smuggled Sri Lankans into the UK through Channel ports have been jailed.

The men, four Sri Lankans and one British national, helped illegal immigrants attempting to reach the UK by smuggling them in vehicles and charging them £4,500 each for the service, according to the Home Office.

Many of the smuggling attempts were foiled by Border Force officers who discovered stowaways hiding in vehicles stopped at ports including Calais, Dunkirk, Coquelles and Dover.

Of those who reached the UK, some would travel to North America using falsified documents, the Home Office spokesman said.

He added that investigations were ongoing to find those who had entered the UK illegally.

The gang's ringleader, 37-year-old Sudharsan Jeyakodi from Luton, pleaded guilty in August last year to conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and was jailed for five years and four months at Maidstone Crown Court.

Chubramanian Vignarajah, 42,from Croydon, also pleaded guilty last year to the same offence and was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment. years

Kamalanesan Kandiah, 39, from Hayes, London, John Anes Soundaranayagam Uvais, 41, of East Ham, London, and British national Amarjit Mudhar, 46, of Northolt, London, were found guilty of the same charge on 17 January following an eight-week trial.

Kandiah and Uvais were jailed for five years each while Mudhar was sentenced to four years and eight months, the spokesman said.

The gang was caught following a Home Office-led investigation, supported by Kent police, the National Crime Agency (NCA), Europol and French, German and Swiss law enforcement agencies.