‘Dhanapala’s Position Ethically Untenable’ Says Dr. Pradeep Jeganathan

March 20, 2014 

“I am dismayed and disappointed that Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala, remains a key member of two institutions that are clearly in ethical and moral conflict” said Colombo based senior social anthropologist, writer and op-ed columnist Dr. Pradeep Jeganathan, to Colombo Telegraph today. “Its also quite surprising that he would use the term, ‘alleged’ to describe the blocking, when neither he, Friday Forum nor Dialog has contested the US State Department’s HR report for 2013, which reports the blocking of CT from Sri Lanka.

Dr. Jeganathan – “It is certainly fair to say, that Ambassador Dhanapala can not speak for Dialog Axiata PLC. But certainly, he can consult his conscience and speak for himself. And more importantly, act ethically.”

Dr. Jeganathan made above remarks when asked his opinion on Dhanapala’s roles as a director of Dialog Axiata PLC and as a member of the Civil Society group Friday Forum. Dialog continues to block access in Sri Lanka to news websites critical of the government including the Colombo Telegraph.

“I’m also somewhat mystified that this conflict of interest, and resultant ethically untenable position is being clouded over by a wooly headed notion of “good corporate governance.” he said. “It is certainly fair to say, that Ambassador Dhanapala can not speak for Dialog Axiata PLC. But certainly, he can consult his conscience and speak for himself. And more importantly, act ethically.” Dr. Jeganathan further said.

Related posts;

SRI LANKA: Authorities fail to investigate death threats and intimidation of a journalist

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION-URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME -March 18, 2014

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Wiki Wikramarathna, a freelance journalist, videographer and blogger is under threat of death. Mr. Wikramarathna learned about a Singhala New Year Festival being organised by the Civil Security Committee of the Udyana Ward, Dehivala. This committee comes under the Ministry of Defense and the festival was organised with the permission of the chief incumbent of the temple, under the auspices of the Dehivala Police and on the patronage of the Dehivala mayor & municipal councilors. During the festival Mr. Wikramarathna, along with another person, covertly videotaped several married women dancing erotically to fast music wearing slippers inside the sermon hall of the Galvihara temple, in front of a statue of the Buddha.

When Mr. Wikramarathna made a video out of this clip and uploaded it to various social media platforms he was physically abused and threatened with death by the secretary of the committee, Sunil Shantha, of ‘Vendesivaththa’, Dehivala and others who stated that they were ‘Gota’s men’ (‘Api Gotage (We are here for the Secretary of Defense, Gotabhaya Rajapaksha).

Mr. Wikramarathna lodged a complaint with the Superintendant of Police, Mount Lavinia, and during the inquiry the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr. Ginige, forced him to remove that video from the Internet even without examining it, just on the ‘hearsay’ of the 9 members who barged in to the ASP’s office showing the screenshots of the video.

This is a blatant example of the intimidation of a journalist by private persons acting with the protection of state officers. Despite having made a complaint with regard to the physical abuse and death threats no action has been taken against the perpetrators.

This case is yet another illustration of the exceptional collapse of the rule of law in the country.

CASE NARRATIVE:                                                    Read More...

Kurunduwatta Police Holds A Man For Ransom

March 20, 2014

Kurunduwatta Police is keeping a person as a hostage the Asian Human Rights Commission told Caolombo Telegraph.

Inspector General of Police

A person called Thannegedara Lal is now being held at the Kurunduwatta Police station as a hostage in place of a company named Ranasinghe Home Private Ltd. When asked about the arrest and detention of Thannegedara Lal by a lawyer representing the company, Inspector Kapila Premadasa informed him that as Thannegedara Lal carried a cheque on behalf of the company, the police are keeping him as a hostage since they are unable to contact any of the company directors. The police have not made any attempt to contact any of the company directors. According to Inspector Premadasa, either Lal should get one of the company directors to come to the police station or the police will produce him tomorrow before the Magistrate’s Court of Colombo. When asked under what provisions of the law Lal is being kept in police custody and charged under, Inspector Premadasa replied that we can find provisions from the law for that purpose.

When the lawyer pointed out that holding Lal amounts to keeping him hostage, the inspectors reply was that they can do that.

When informed of his matter, the Asian Human Rights Commission contacted the Kurunduwatta police and spoke to Inspector Premadasa. He confirmed the arrest and detention of Thannegedara Lal, and said that unless he is able to bring a director from the company, he will be charged in place of the company. When told that Thannegedara Lal has no link to the company and was merely acting as a messenger, the Inspector’s point of view was that the police consider him as a representative of the company. When the Inspector was told that the police are in fact keeping Lal as a hostage, and that this is a crime under the law, the Inspector replied that he does not agree.

The Asian Human Rights Commission informed the Inspector that the police are acting in violation of the law and also they are violating the human rights of Thannegedara Lal.

SRI LANKA: A man is tortured and laid with false charges by the Balangoda police at the behest of a Pradesheeya Sabha chairman

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION-URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME-19 March, 2014 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Yahaluge Wimalasiri (50) of Veliharanawa, Oluganthota, Balangoda in the District of Ratnapura complained to the chairman of the Pradesheeya Sabha for making indecent proposals to his wife. Subsequently he was severely beaten by the chairman’s supporters and then by officers of the Balangoda police who falsely charged him with stabbing the chairman. There is no evidence available to support the police charge and the chairman has never shown or complained of any such injury.

SRI LANKA a Man is Tortured and Laid With False Charges by the Balangoda Police at the Behest of a Pradeshe... by nelvely

Wilgamuwa PS chairman and former chairman arrested 
 March 20, 2014 
The chairman and the former chairman of the Wilgamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha(PS) have been arrested by the Walana Anti Vice Squad yesterday on the charge of transporting cannabis.
 
The driver of the PS chairman has also been arrested.
 
They were arrested around 9.30 p.m. yesterday while transporting the cannabis in a cab and they were handed over to the Mahiyanganaya police.

The suspects are to be produced before the Mahiyanganaya Magistrate Court today.
 
Mahiyanganaya Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.(Ceylon Today Online)

Police officers assaulted during drunken brawl

March 20, 2014 

Two police officers who had attempted to intervene and resolve a clash which took place in the Medirigiriya Town have been assaulted and hospitalized. 

The police emergency hotline service had received a complaint last night regarding a group of individuals causing a disturbance in the Medirigiriya Town under the influence of alcohol. 

Accordingly several officers from the Medirigiriya Police Station were dispatched to the location while it has been reported that the group had assaulted the policemen.

A Police Sergeant and a Constable who were in wounded in the attack have been admitted to Medirigiriya and Polonnaruwa hospitals. 

So far one suspect has been arrested over the incident while Medirigiriya Police are conducting an investigation. 

Exclusive: South Sudanese Military Targets United Nations

BY 

• COLUM LYNCH
• MARCH 18, 2014
• 
  

South Sudan's relationship with the United Nations has plummeted to an unprecedented low as authorities have beaten U.N. personnel and relief workers, forcibly searched their vehicles, and organized public demonstrations demonizing the world body as an enemy of the fledgling African nation, according to a confidential internal report obtained byForeign Policy.

Exclusive South Sudanese Military Targets United Nations by nelvely

MH370: no sightings of possible plane debris - live updates

Paul Farrell, Matthew Weaver and Haroon Siddique-Thursday 20 March 2014 

LIVE

• Australia releases satellite images of objects in Indian Ocean
• Analysts say the images could relate to missing plane
• One of objects shows a 24m (79ft) long piece
• First search missions end with no sighting of debris
• Crew of Norwegian car carrier scour area with binoculars
• Malaysia says northern search continues
• Read the latest summary

Here’s a summary of the latest developments:

• Australia’s maritime search agency is focusing all of its resources on finding two objects picked up on satellite images that they believe could be related to the missing Malaysia Airlines plane. One of the objects is said to around 24 metres (79ft) long. 

• Four search aircraft and a Norwegian commercial ship in the area, have yet to locate the debris in a remote area about 1,500 miles south-west of Perth, Australia. The full search operation, which has so far been hampered by poor visibility, will resume at day break on Friday. The British survey ship HMS Echo is one of a number vessels on its way to the area.

• The owners of a Norwegian car carrier were asked to conduct a search and rescue operation in the area as early as Tuesday.Höegh Autolines said the Filipino crew of the Höegh St Petersburg were scouring the area with binoculars, and had done so even at night. 

• Australia’s defence minister, David Johnston, cautioned against talk of a breakthrough admitting “this may well be nothing”.Speaking to ABC he said: “We’re several days away, I think, from really having an idea of the credibility and veracity of this report.”

• The Malaysian authorities leading the hunt for the plane have described Australian satellite images as a “credible lead”. But they cautioned that they had yet to be verified citing an earlier false lead from Chinese satellite images.

• Despite the credible lead in the southern Indian ocean the search in the northern corridor continues. Malaysia’s acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said: “Until we are certain that we have located MH370, search and rescue operations will continue in both corridors.” He confirmed that two search aircraft have been sent as far north west as Kazakhstan.

• Experts warned that the possible debris could have drifted dozens of miles since the satellite images were taken on Sunday.The area is one remotest spots in the world and known for strong and unpredictable currents.

• The families of missing Chinese passengers have insisted that their loved ones could still be alive. The Chinese authorities have sent police and ambulances to the Beijing hotel where many of the relatives are waiting for news.               Full Story>>>

Afghan president picks new VP, bomb kills 15

Tue, Mar 18 2014

By Mirwais Harooni and Hamid Shalizi

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai nominated a new vice president on Tuesday, a moderate politician from the same ethnic group as an opposition candidate contesting next month’s presidential election.

Mohammad Younus Qanuni replaces Marshal Mohammad Fahim Qasim, who died following an illness last week. Both men are Tajiks, Afghanistan’s second largest ethnic group.

Many Tajiks fought fiercely against the Taliban in the run-up to the U.S. invasion in 2001. They are an important constituency in presidential polls scheduled for April 5, which should mark the first time in Afghanistan’s history that one elected government has handed power to another.

Karzai has not officially backed any of the nine candidates currently campaigning, but his two brothers have endorsed former Foreign Minister Zalmay Rassoul, cementing the official’s reputation as a palace favorite.

The other two front-runners are Abdullah Abdullah, an eye surgeon and senior aide to a slain anti-Taliban Tajik militia leader, and Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank official who has teamed up with another militia leader blamed for human rights abuses.

Some will see Qanuni’s appointment as an attempt to keep Tajik votes on Rassoul’s side. But others argue the president is simply maintaining an ethnic balance in the government and say Qanuni has publicly supported Abdullah in the past.

All the presidential candidates are Pashtun, Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group, except for Abdullah, whose mother is Tajik and whose father is Pashtun.

Qanuni’s appointment still has to be confirmed by legislators but it is unlikely to face serious opposition.

BOMBING KILLS 15

In a separate incident, a suicide bomber killed 15 people in an attack on a busy marketplace in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday, officials said.

The Taliban have threatened to kill anyone who takes part in the elections, and eight people involved in political campaigning have been killed since electioneering started last month. A group of election officials has also been kidnapped. It was not clear if the bombing was related to the election.

At least 47 people were wounded when the suicide bomber driving a three-wheel rickshaw blew himself up in Maimana, the provincial capital of Faryab province, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

"It was a bazaar day and everybody was busy buying or selling when the bomber detonated his explosives," Faryab governor Mohammadullah Batash told Reuters.

Two children were among the dead, the United Nations said.

Nicholas Haysom, the top United Nations official in Afghanistan, said such bombings could be a war crime.

"Their use in a distinctly civilian location such as a market is atrocious and cannot be justified," he said in a statement.

The United Nations said such bombs - called improvised explosive devices - have killed 190 civilians in Afghanistan so far this year, a 14 percent increase from the same period last year.

(Reporting by Mirwais Harooni and Katharine Houreld in Kabul Bashir Ansari in Mazar-e-Sharif; Writing by Jessica Donati, Editing by Maria Golovnina)

NSA surveillance program reaches ‘into the past’ to retrieve, replay phone calls

By Barton Gellman and Ashkan Soltani, Published: March 18 E-mail the writers

The National Security Agency has built a surveillance system capable of recording “100 percent” of a foreign country’s telephone calls, enabling the agency to rewind and review conversations as long as a month after they take place, according to people with direct knowledge of the effort and documents supplied by former contractor Edward Snowden.

NSA surveillance program reaches ‘into the past’ to retrieve, replay phone calls by nelvely

Ukraine: Russia planning 'full blown' military intervention

THURSDAY 20 MARCH 2014

There are "indications" that Russia may be planning a military intervention in the south and east of Ukraine, Kiev's ambassador to the United Nations warns.

"There are indications that Russia is on its way to unleash a full blown military intervention in Ukraine's east and south," Yurii Klymenko said.

Ukraine Russia Planning 'Full Blown' Military Intervention by nelvely

Clean Slate?

Russia's annexation of Crimea could wipe away billions of dollars of Ukrainian debt.

• BY JAMILA TRINDLE , KEITH JOHNSON-
  • MARCH 18, 2014

Russia’s appropriation of Ukrainian assets as part of its de facto takeover of Crimea could, perversely, provide some relief to the beleaguered Ukrainian economy.

Clean Slate by nelvely

கட்டாய ஆட்சேர்ப்பு பெண்களுக்கு பயிற்சி (வீடியோ)

19 March 2014

இராணுவத்திற்கு கட்டாயத்தின்பேரில் சேர்க்கப்படும் பெண்களின் எதிர்காலம் தொடர்பாக மிகவும் அச்சுறுத்தலான நிலைமை தோன்றியுள்ளது. இராணுவத்தில் சேர்க்கப்படும் பெண்கள் முன்னரும் பாலியல் ரீதியில் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு அது வைத்தியசாலைவரை சென்று பின்னா் அது அவர்களுக்கு பேய்பிடித்தாக சித்தரிக்கப்பட்டு செய்திகள் மூடி மறைக்கப்பட்டன.

அப்போது அந்த செய்தியை வெளிப்படுத்திய குற்றச்சாட்டின் பேரில் சம்மந்தப்பட்ட வைத்தியர் பலகாலம் தடுத்து வைக்கப்பட்ட பின்னர் அவர் வேலையை இழக்க வேண்டியேற்பட்டது. அதுபோலவே கடந்த வாரத்தில் கிளிநொச்சி வைத்தியசாலைக்கு உடல்நலக்குறைவு காரணமாக இரண்டு பெண்கள் வைத்தியசாலையில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டனர்.

இவர்கள் இருவரையும் பரிசோதனைசெய்த வைத்தியர்கள் அவர்கள் கருவுற்றிருந்தமை அறிந்தனர், திருமணமாகாத இப்பெண்களின் நிலையினை வைத்திய பொறுப்பதிகாரிகள் கவனத்திற்கு கொண்டுவரப்பட்டவேளை குறித்த இராணுவத்தைச் சேர்ந்த தமிழ் யுவதிகள் இருவரும் தாம் முகாமில் பாலியல் சித்திரவதைக்கு உள்ளானதாகவும் தமது கருக்களை கலைத்துவிடும்படியும் கோரியுள்ளனர். இதற்கு வைத்தியர்கள் மறுப்புத்தெரிவித்ததோடு பெற்றோருக்கும் அறிவிக்க முற்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

ஆயினும் வன்னி படைத் தலமையகத்திலிருந்து கிடைத்த தொலைபேசி அழைப்பின் அறிவுறுத்தலுக்கு அமைய அவா்கள் கரு கலைக்கப்பட்டதுடன் நீண்டகால கருத்தடை சாதனங்களும் அவர்களுக்கு பொருத்தப்பட்டதாக அறியவருகின்றது. இராணுவத்திற்கு சேர்க்கப்பட்ட தமிழ் யுவதிகள் தொடர்பாக குரல்கொடுத்த வைத்தியர் ஒருவா் கைதாகி வேலையையும் இழந்து வீட்டில் இருப்பதால் அந்தநிலை தமக்கு நேரக்கூடாது என்பதற்காக வைத்திசாலை வட்டாரங்கள் செய்தியை அடக்கி வாசிக்கின்றார்கள்.

இதுகுறித்து வடமாகாணசபை சுகாதார அமைச்சு அதிக கவனம் செலுத்தி இவ்வாறான மனித உரிமை மீறல் மற்றும் தமிழினம் சார்ந்த உரிமை மீறல்களை சர்வதேசத்தின் கவனத்திற்கு கொண்டுவரவேண்டும் என்பதே அனைவரினதும் வேண்டுகையாகும்.

இதே வேளை இராணுவத்தில் இணைக்கப்படும் பெண்களுக்கு வழங்கப்படும் சித்திரவதைகளை கொண்ட உறுதிப்படுத்தப்படாத காணொளி ஒன்று வெளிவந்துள்ளது. அதில் சில பெண்களுக்கு பயிற்சி என்ற போர்வையில் வழங்கப்படும் சித்திரவதைகளும், அதன்போது இராணுவத்தினரின் சிங்களத்திலான கேலியும்,கிண்டலும் எல்லோரையும் அதிர வைக்கிறது. 

NGO event at UNHRC calls for investigation into sexual violence
19 March 2014

An event hosted by NGOs on the sidelines of the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council examined issues of gender based violence in an ethnocracy, in the context of Sri Lanka.

The Event, Hosted by the Society of Threatened Peoples (STP), Tamils ​​against Genocide (TAG),   trial, The Sentinel Project, CNRJ Advocacy and Sri Lanka, started with a statement by Kelebone Skelemani, Read out by the moderator of the Panel, Theodor Rathgeber.  Others On Jan Jananayagam of the Panel were TAG, Angela Mattli of STP, Anna Catering of the European Centre for Constitutional Rights, and Ananthy Sasitharan, a TNA Councillor in the northern province of Sri Lanka.

Skelemani, the former Deputy Permanent Secretary in the ministries of health, trade and home affairs in Botswana, said the debate "Sri Lanka: Torture, Sexual Violence in a context of Ethnicity and Failed Domestic Processes", came at an "opportune time", as it complemented the ongoing efforts by the UN to find a permanent solution to problems facing Sri Lanka.

"The report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [...] concludes, among others, that human rights violations in Sri Lanka continue unabated," she said.

"The same report also concludes that even where the Government has launched initiatives and established mechanisms such as military courts of enquiry, the initiatives lack independence to be effective and to inspire confidence."

Ananthy Sasitharan, speaking through an Interpreter, described Spencomp Technologies How she witnessed the Surrender Wives of LTTE, including pregnant Women, Children and Young, to the Sri Lankan armed forces.  Women She said these were still missing, staying with the Government Silent On the Issue .

Even those women who were released, are under constant surveillance and are still requested to report to army camps for interrogations, she said, adding that she has heard of several instances of Tamil women being forced to join the Sri Lankan Army.

Why IT Catering Anna spoke about gender Based Violence and Accountability Requires a specific mechanism.  Gender Based Violence was underlined not only IT but structural discrimination Physical Violence against Women, she said.

Gall said that discrimination still continues, and reprisals and stigmatisation continues.  Women From The Prevention of Terrorism Act stops speaking up about issues, they risk being accused of having LTTE As Links and arrested.  She said that her organization had reports of forced contraception and Survival sex, where women without social and economic rights are desperate.

She called on the UNHRC to look into witness protection mechanisms as there is a lack of witnesses who are willing to come forward to report abuses.

Next to speak was against Jan Jananayagam Genocide of Tamils. Jananayagam looked at TREATED How asylum seekers who were subjected to British Law and described Agaricus On How the UK's country guidance was changed Sri Lanka As a result of overwhelming evidence of sexual abuse and Agaricus . 

Angela Mattli of The Society of Threatened Peoples explained how bringing attention to two asylum seekers who were tortured on their return to Sri Lanka, caused Switzerland to call a temporary halt on deportations.

சீ.வி.விக்கினேஸ்வரனை விஜயலக்சுமி உயர் நீதி மன்றுக்கு இழுத்துள்ளார்:- குளோபல் தமிழ்ச் செய்தியாளர்:-

விஜயலக்சுமியின் வழக்கு பல உண்மைகளை வெளிக்கொண்டுவரும் விக்கி:-

19 மார்ச் 2014

வடமாகாண முதலமைச்சருக்கு எதிராக  பிரதம செயலாளர் விஜயலக்சுமி ரமேஸ் உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் நேற்று வழக்கு பதிவுசெய்துள்ளதாக அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இந்த தகவலை வட மாகாண முதலமைச்சர் சீ.வி.விக்கினேஸ்வரனே வெளிப்படுத்தியுமுள்ளார். வடக்கிலுள்ள மாவட்ட பொது வைத்தியசாலைகளுக்கான அம்புலன்ஸ் வண்டிகள் வழங்கும் நிகழ்வில் உரையாற்றும் போது முதலமைச்சர்  இத்தகவலை தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

தன்னுடைய அதிகாரங்களை வட மாகாண முதலமைச்சர் குறைத்து விட்டதாகவும் தனது அதிகாரங்கள் குறைக்கப்பட்டதால் மாகாண சபையில் உண்மையான தனது உரிமைகளை  இழந்துள்ளதாகவும்  பிரதம செயலாளர் வழக்கு பதிவுசெய்துள்ளார். இது தொடர்பாக கருத்து தெரிவித்த முதலமைச்சர் அவ்வாறு அவர் வழக்கு பதிவு செய்துள்ளதும் தனக்கு ஒரு வகையில் நன்மைதான் என  தெரிவித்தார்.

இவ்வாறு பிரதம செயலாளரைப் போன்று மாகாணசபைக்கு எதிராக செயற்படுபவர்களால் 13 ஆவது திருத்தச் சட்டத்தை நடைமுறைப்படுத்தக் கூடிய அசாத்தியங்கள் அதிகரித்துள்ளது. மேலும் இந்த வழக்கானது 13 ஆவது திருத்தச் சட்டத்தில் ஆளுநர், பிரதம செயலாளர் மற்றும் மாகாண சபைக்குரிய அதிகாரங்கள் எவை என்பதை நீதிமன்றத்தினூடாக அனைவரும் அறிவதற்கு சிறந்த சந்தர்ப்பமாக அமைந்துள்ளது எனவும் முதலமைச்சர் தெரிவித்தார்.

சிவி.விக்னேஸ்வரன் உள்ளிட்ட 7 பேருக்கு மேன்முறையீட்டு நீதிமன்றம் அழைப்பாணை:-

19 மார்ச் 2014

வட மாகாண முதலமைச்சர் சிவி.விக்னேஸ்வரன் உள்ளிட்ட 7 பேருக்கு மேன்முறையீட்டு நீதிமன்றம் அழைப்பாணை விடுத்துள்ளது.

எதிர்வரும் ஏப்ரல் மாதம் 7ம் திகதி நீதிமன்றில் ஆஜராகுமாறு தெரிவித்தே அவர்களுக்கு அழைப்பாணை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக தெரிவிக்கப்படுகிறது.

வலிகாமம் கிழக்கு பிரதேச சபை தலைவர் தாக்கல் செய்த மனுவொன்றை இன்று (19.03.14) விசாரித்த நீதிமன்றம் அழைப்பாணை உத்தரவை பிறப்பித்துள்ளது.

பிரதேச சபையின் 2014 வரவு செலவுத் திட்டம் தோற்கடிக்கப்பட்டதால் தான் பதவி விலக்கப்படுவதை எதிர்த்து வலிகாமம் கிழக்கு  பிரதேச சபை தலைவர் மனு தாக்கல் செய்துள்ளார்.

மனுவின் பிரதிவாதிகளாக வட மாகாண முதலமைச்சர் சிவி.விக்னேஸ்வரன், உள்ளூராட்சி சபை ஆணையாளர், பிரதேச சபை செயலாளர் உள்ளிட்ட 7 பேர் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.