Sunday, April 20, 2014

Expose: Billions Rupee Ethanol Smuggling Racket Is A Customs Inside Operation With Govt Politicians

April 20, 2014

The much talked ethanol smuggling racket, that denied the government billions of tax revenue is clearly an ‘inside’ operation carried out with the collusion of some Sri Lanka customs officials, holding very high profile office in the revenue fraud Preventive Directorate and government politicians, the Colombo telegraph can reveal today.

Director Preventive – Leslie Gamini

Overwhelming evidence presented to the corruption commission in this regard recently (07th April 2014) includes a phone call record, which includes 29 phone calls the Director Preventive, Leslie Gamini had with the accused who was charged for the smuggling of ethanol.

On arrival the two containers of ethanol were first detained by the Director of the Preventive Directorate, Leslie Gamini, providing a safe passage, free from any customs interference from any other enforcement units such as Central Intelligence Bureau, Central Investigation Bureau and Revenue Task Force.

Thereafter, he withdrew the detention of the containers and permitted the Ports Authority to release the two containers amongst hundreds of other containers to be taken out of the port under the normal channel (without carrying out the physical examination of the cargo).

When the containers were taken outside the port premises some excise officers seized the containers and escorted them to the excise deport for examination of the goods.

Then again the Deputy Superintendent of Customs namely Sanath Fernando (cousin of the ruling party MPArundika Fernando) once again intercepted and seized the two containers from the custody of the excise officers and escorted them to the Customs premises again. The MP Arundika Fernando had intervened in previous cases of ethanol detections as well that had been ‘detected’ and ‘inquired’ into by the Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Sanath Fernando himself.

At the inquiry it was alleged that the seizure of two ethanol containers by the officer Sanath Fernando from the excise officers was not genuine, alleging that it was an attempt to claim the cash reward of over 10 million offered in the case. At the end of the inquiry it was ruled that the Officer Sanath Fernando or his informant are not entitled to claim any cash reward.

The phone call record, which includes 29 phone calls the Director Preventive, Leslie Gamini had with the accused who was charged for the smuggling of ethanol ;

Government in last ditch attempt to bring back casino bill

Sunday, 20 April 2014

The government is making yet another attempt to gain parliamentary approval to grant tax concessions to two major projects that would allegedly provide casino and gaming facilities.

The amended regulations in which the words “entertainment and gaming facilities” have been replaced with the words “associated facilities”, according to media reports will be presented under the Strategic Development Projects Act.

The regulations will be taken up for debate in Parliament on Thursday and Friday.

One of the projects is to be run by the Australia-based Crown Group headed by casino tycoon James Packer and the other by John Keells Holdings.
Both will “set up and operate Integrated Super Luxury Tourist Resorts”, one along D. R. Wijewardena Mawatha in Colombo 10 and the other in two phases along Glennie Street and Justice Akbar Mawatha in Colombo 2.

The opposition parties have however said they will oppose these regulations.

Bodu Bala Sena theoretician to be arrested!

Sunday, 20 April 2014

According to reports reaching Lanka News Web, chief executive officer of Bodu Bala Sena headquarters Dilanthe Withanage is to be arrested after framing several charges against him.

Meanwhile, minister Basil Rajapaksa had threatened the BBS CEO to his face some days ago.

Recently, BBS general secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera strongly criticized five government ministers, with Basil Rajapaksa being the main target.

Following that criticism, both Gnanasara Thera and Dilanthe Withanage are under threat now from government quarters.

However, defence secretary Gotabhaya Rrajapaksa, who is said to be a patron of BBS, is keeping his silence in the face of this situation.

On Nazis, Jews & Ukraine ‘de-escalation’

Pepe Escobar is the roving correspondent for Asia Times/Hong Kong, an analyst for RT and TomDispatch, and a frequent contributor to websites and radio shows ranging from the US to East Asia.

pril 18, 2014 14:41

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (in red) smiles at the start of a quadrilateral meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (3rd L) and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia (3rd R) in Geneva, as representatives of the U.S., Ukraine, Russia and the European Union about the ongoing situation in Ukraine, April 17, 2014. (Reuters/Jim Bourg)

April 18, 2014

On Nazis, Jews & Ukraine ‘de-escalation’ by nelvely

Families' frustration at South Korean ferry recovery process

SUNDAY 20 APRIL 2014

Divers have managed to get inside the hull of the sunken South Korean ferry for the first time to recover the bodies of those who died, it is reported.

Families' Frustration at South Korean Ferry Recovery Process by nelvely

Cumbrian nuclear dump 'virtually certain' to be eroded by rising sea level

One million cubic metres of waste near Sellafield are housed at a site that was a mistake, admits Environment Agency

Radioactive waste is sited near the west Cumbrian coast and Sellafield nuclear facility. Photograph: Christopher Thomond

Rob Edwards

Sunday 20 April 2014

Britain's nuclear dump is virtually certain to be eroded by rising sea levels and to contaminate the Cumbrian coast with large amounts of radioactive waste, according to an internal document released by theEnvironment Agency (EA).

The document suggests that in retrospect it was a mistake to site theDrigg Low-Level Waste Repository (LLWR) on the Cumbrian coast because of its vulnerability to flooding. "It is doubtful whether the location of the LLWR site would be chosen for a new facility for near-surface radioactive waste disposal if the choice were being made now," it says.

The EA document estimates that the one million cubic metres of radioactive waste disposed of over the last 55 years by the civil and military nuclear industry at the site, near the Sellafield nuclear complex in west Cumbria, is going to start leaking on to the shoreline in "a few hundred to a few thousand years from now".

The agency voices concerns about "the potential appearance on the beach and in its accessible surroundings, during the process of erosion, of discrete items carrying a significant burden of radioactivity individually". They could range from tiny particles to larger objects such as hand tools that have become contaminated during use at Britain's nuclear sites then subsequently disposed of at Drigg, the document says.

Officials at the EA are considering a plan by the companies that run Drigg to dispose of a further 800,000 cubic metres of waste there over the next 100 years. This will include radioactive debris from Britain'snuclear power stations, nuclear submarines, nuclear weapons, hospitals and universities.

Environmentalists argue that continuing to use the site is "unethical, unsustainable and highly dangerous". But this is rejected by Drigg's operators, who describe the risks as "insignificant".

The EA document, dated 9 January 2014, sets out the agency's latest assessment of the risks of coastal erosion at Drigg. It was released by the EA this month in response to a request from The Guardian.

Erosion from storms and rising sea levels caused by climate change has "emerged as the expected evolution scenario" for Drigg, it says. Experts have concluded that this is almost bound to happen.

Although Drigg was meant to be for low-level radioactive waste, there are fears that some of the disposals in the past may have included higher-level wastes. The rest of the nuclear industry's medium and high-level wastes are still awaiting an agreed disposal route, with successive UK governments failing for decades to find a deep burial site.

The site, which covers about 110 hectares, is between five and 20 metres above sea level. It is run by a consortium led by the US engineering company URS, the French state-owned nuclear company Areva, and the Swedish nuclear firm Studsvik. The consortium has already been asked by the EA to look at options for improved flood defences.

According to Ian Parker, the EA's nuclear regulation group manager in Cumbria, the agency had reached its latest conclusions after detailed technical assessments. "It's highly probable the coast will erode and the waste will be disrupted," he said.

The EA was taking "a very conservative approach" to reduce risks to future generations, he argued. Further public consultations on the proposal to keep using the site were due in the autumn, and no final decision would be taken until next year.

Drigg's operator, LLW Repository Ltd, said it had introduced new restrictions on the amounts of radioactivity that can be disposed of at the site in order to make sure that radiation doses to people will be "very small" if the wastes are exposed by coastal erosion.

The company's head of science and engineering, Dr Richard Cummings, accepted that erosion could start "in a few hundred years". But he added: "The radioactivity in the wastes will largely have decayed away by this time."

Carrying on disposing of waste at Drigg was sustainable and ethical because future generations would be given the same protection as now, Cummings said. "The stringent regulatory requirements we have to meet ensure that even if people in the future forget about the repository and the wastes disposed there, the effects will be insignificant."

But Martin Forward, from Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment, pointed out that more than 1,200 radioactive particles from Sellafield had been found on nearby beaches in recent years. "The potent threat of rising sea levels makes the future use of the site unsustainable, unethical and highly dangerous for future generations," he said.

Singapore ‘close down STOMP’ campaign about more than freedom of speech

A screengrab from the petition page on Change.org

By Kirsten Han Apr 20, 2014

People have had enough. After years of “citizen journalism” platform STOMP indulging in public shaming, a petition has popped up on Change.org asking Singapore Press Holdings – the owner and publisher of the website – to shut it down. Started by Robin Li, the petition now has over 22,000 signatures.

The response from both SPH and the Media Development Authority (MDA) has been lukewarm. The MDA took the opportunity to ask people to propose stronger regulatory measures of licensed websites. An editor of the digital media group at SPH’s Digital Division portrayed the issue as one of “freedom of the Internet”, accusing the anti-STOMP camp of hypocrisy. SPH questioned the support the petition is receiving, alleging that the petition could have been astroturfed and that its support base could actually be much smaller. “Under the circumstances, the number of petitioners being cited is likely to be grossly inflated,” said their spokesperson Ginny Lim.

@kixes absolutely atrocious. I take it hugely as an insult. The same can be said for those “Stomp” likes on FB which is unreliable

— Robin Li (@thoughtsovrobin) April 18, 2014

It is of course possible that not all of the over 22,000 signatures are valid. There is always the potential of surveys and petitions being astroturfed, online or offline.

But for SPH to suggest that a huge number of the signatories are false is a weak defense of STOMP. We may quibble about the exact number of signatures on the petition, but SPH is delusional if they do not realize that the opposition to STOMP is significant. Their persistent refusal to admit that there is anything wrong with STOMP casts doubt on their integrity as a media organization; something that ultimately hurts not just its brand, but also the professional reputation of the journalists and other employees who work within the company.

The website has already been called out for both false and bullying posts. These are both things that fall within the remit of the MDA, whose Internet Code of Practice prohibits content that “glorifies, incites or endorses ethnic, racial or religious hatred, strife or intolerance.” The MDA also already has the power to regulate against fake content on websites. If it already has such power, why then is it acting as if it has no knowledge of STOMP’s problems, or that it does not have the ability to do anything beyond issuing statements about not condoning bad behaviour?

Which is why the whole “freedom of the Internet” argument invoked by the SPH editor is simply a red herring. It is not about free speech if the information is false. It is not about free speech if a website is just going to be a repository of bullying, sexism and xenophobia. The petition is directed at SPH rather than the state, which suggests that people are not asking the state to forcibly shut the website down. SPH can continue to publish online, or on any of its numerous print publications. They can even continue publishing on STOMP, but they should know that a significant number of their customers/potential customers want to see some changes.

The petition against STOMP has launched interesting conversations on the media landscape in Singapore and the type of media content that Singaporeans would like to see. Discussions – including those taking place on international news outlets – have taken place on the role of public shaming in the media, and whether it benefits society.

It is unfortunate that SPH and MDA’s responses have indicated an unwillingness to join in on the conversation.

Ukraine: two dead after shooting shatters Easter truce

SUNDAY 20 APRIL 2014

Ukraine two dead after shooting breaks Easter truce

At least two people were killed in a gun battle in eastern Ukraine. The outbreak of fighting in Slaviansk broke the uneasy silence that had fallen on the area after Kiev promised a truce over Easter.

Ukraine Two Dead After Shooting Shatters Easter Truce by nelvely

Saturday, April 19, 2014

புலிகளின் மீள்இணைவு நாடகமும் திருமலையின் முன்னாள் 2ஆம்நிலை புலனாய்வுப் பொறுப்பாளர் கலையனின் பங்கும்:

செய்தி ஆய்வு - குளோபல் தமிழ்ச் செய்திகள்:-18 ஏப்ரல் 2014

உலக தமிழ்ச் செய்திகள்

இலங்கை அரசாங்கத்தினதும் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் புலனாய்வுப் பிரிவுகளதும் திட்டமிட்ட கூட்டுப் படு கொலைகளே புலிகளின் முன்னாள் போராளிகளது மரணங்கள் என குளோபல் தமிழ்ச் செய்திகளிற்கு மிகவும் நம்பகரமான தகவல்கள் கிடைத்துள்ளன.

கோபி, தெய்வீகன், அப்பன் ஆகியோரை இலங்கைப் பாதுகாப்பு தரப்பினர் தேடப்படும் பட்டியலில் இணைத்து சுவரொட்டிகளை ஒட்டியதில் இருந்து அவர்கள் பதவியாவில் சுட்டுக் கொல்லப்பட்டதாக கூறப்படும்வரை நிகழ்ந்தவை ஒரு திட்டமிட்ட நாடகம் என ஆரம்பத்தில் இருந்தே குளோபல் தமிழ்ச் செய்திகள் தெரிவித்து வந்தது. உள்நாட்டிலும் புலம்பெயர் நாடுகளிலும் பல ஊடகங்களும், சில தரப்புகளும் தத்தமது நலன்கள் இருப்புகளின் அடிப்படையில் இந்த விடயத்தை வியாக்கியானப்படுத்திய நிலையில், குளோபல் தமிழ்ச் செய்திகள் புலிகளின் மீள் இணைவு என்ற இந்த விடயத்தை இலங்கை அரசாங்க – பாதுகாப்பு – புலனாய்வுப் பிரிவுகளின் நாடகம் என வலியுறுத்தி வந்தது. குளோபல் தமிழ்ச் செய்திகளின் இயலுமைக்கு எட்டியவகையில் கிடைக்கப்பெற்ற தகவல்களை இயன்றவரை உறுதிப்படுத்தி இங்கு ஒரு செய்தி ஆய்வாக இந்த விடையம் தரப்படுகிறது. இதன் மீது ஆரோக்கியமான கேள்விகள் விமர்சனங்கள் இருப்பின் அதனை விமர்சனப் பகுதியிலோ அல்லது மின் அஞசலுக்கோ அனுப்பி வைத்தால் முழுமையாக பிரசுரிக்கப்படும். வாசிக்

TAMIL JOURNALIST ATTACKED

FRIDAY 18 APRIL 2014.

Reporters Without Borders joins its partner organization, Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS), in condemning an attack on Sivagnanam Selvatheepan, a journalist who freelances for Tamil media, near the northern city of Jaffna on the night of 14 April.

Another Tamil journalist attacked in tightly-guarded Jaffna

A 29-year old freelance Tamil journalist has been attacked by unknown men wearing helmets in the tightly guarded Northern Jaffna peninsula last evening (April 14).

According to media sources, freelance journalist Sivagnanam Selvatheepan who has been contributing to a couple of Tamil national media outlets in Colombo was on his way home when he was attacked with iron rods by two unknown men on a motorbike near Puraporukki in Vadamaradchchi on the Sinhala Tamil New Year day night.

"The attackers have followed him for a couple of miles before stopping him. They questioned him and ensured his identity before launching this cowardly attack," a fellow journalist in Jaffna told the JDS via phone.

Badly injured Selvatheepan has been admitted to the Jaffna base hospital and a complaint has also been lodged with the Kopay police.

It is notable here that Selvatheepan along with his mother has appeared before the government’s Lesson Leant Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to give on the disappearance of his brother, who had gone missing in Batticaloa. According to reports, he has informed his friends about unknown people following his movements and issuing threats.

Sri Lanka’s Tamil Journalists’ Association has vehemently condemned the attack on Selvatheepan and urged the state authorities to launch an impartial investigation into the attack and end the prevailing culture of impunity on the attacks on journalists and media workers.

"The attack on Selvatheepan has taken place amid mounting intimidations and harassment on journalists in the country as a whole and Jaffna in particular. Concrete actions should be taken to end the culture of impunity and to ensure a fear-free atmosphere for journalists to work independently," Sri Lanka’s Tamil Journalists’ Association has said.

Enter South Africa?
Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa's Special Envoy On Its Dialogue initiative in Sri Lanka addresses speaking at a Hindu Festival this Easter Weekend. Photograph Courtesy of Subry Govender.

19April 2014

An effort by South Africa to facilitate negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) received renewed public interest this month following the visit there by the TNA leadership to meet with Special Envoy, Cyril Ramaphosa, who was appointed earlier this year by President Zuma to facilitate, what is described As the pillar of the First Five Program - 'talks about talks'. TNA delegation was led by the TNA leader R. sampanthan and including parliamentarians MA Sumanthiran, Constructions Adaikalanathan and Suresh Premachandran. Arriving in Johannesburg On April 9, they were welcomed by a Familiar face, the South African High Commissioner for Colombo, Geoff Doidge, Mr. Meeting over the Next Three days before. With ... From Ramaphosa the South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation and several officials (DIRCO) including the Minister of DIRCO, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim at his residence. Silent On The Sri Lankan Government are are are are are are noticeably has been the South African role, and On talks with the TNA, but Profile of MPs visit the high MsUpload has the intense interest, especially since TNA has remained tight-lipped over the details of As Their discussions. A Press conference in Jaffna to elaborate On the visit, was canceled at the Last minute.

Enter South Africa by nelvely

Executive Presidency should be abolished - Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero

Details: Created On Saturday, 19 April 2014 05:47; Category: General

Convener of the National Movement for Social Justice - Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero has said that Executive Presidency should be abolished and that a Parliamentary System of Accountability should be enacted.

Thero emphasises that all parties should urge President Mahinda Rajapaksa to do so.

Should the President not take these measures, another should be fielded during elections the Thero says, adding that however, a common candidate has not been selected.

'If the President keeps his word and abolishes the Executive Presidency, that would be it.

However, no such preparation CAN be seen. Therefore, the President must be strongly urged to do so. Mahanayaka theros, Bishops should take the initiative. A Common candidate would be fielded Last As a retort, if nothing works Else, "the Thero Adds .

Courtesy - Sri Lanka Mirror

UK Human Rights Report: Sri Lanka Named As A Country Of ConcernUK Human Rights Report: Sri Lanka Named As A Country Of Concern

April 17, 2014

Sri Lanka is One of 28 countries by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office of Concern pinili of the United Kingdom and has a separate chapter in the 2013 Human Rights and Democracy Report.

William Hague

The report released today says; " The Human rights Situation in Sri Lanka in 2012 remained of Serious Concern, with a number of negative Developments, including with regard to Freedom of expression and media and judicial independence. Further reintegration of ex-combatants and resettlement On Progress was made of internally displaced persons (IDPs). There continued to be reports of further abductions and disappearances, although the number reduced from spring 2012 onwards compared to 2011 levels. There were a number of reported instances of intimidation of human rights defenders, including those attending the March Human Rights Council (HRC), members of the legal profession and the media. "

Read the Full report here

Eezham Tamils in Canada evolve common position on Tamil activism

[Tamilnet, Friday, 18 April 2014, 21:31 GMT]
In a sharp response to a Move As interpreted War On Sri Lanka's Tamil diaspora, From More than 80 Tamil organizations across Canada have Community Come together in an initiative to create a consensus outlining Their Collective Position and guiding principles On Tamil struggle-centric Engagement. The Tamil Assembly rejected the proscription of 16 Tamil diaspora organizations along with 424 individuals by the Government of Sri Lanka and said: The ongoing genocide of the Tamil nation is aided and abetted by institutions, governments, and bodies outside the purview of the Sri Lankan state structure , making them complicit in the ongoing genocide. These external Actors have a responsibility to halt the ongoing genocide of the Tamil Nation and Collective Guarantee the rights of the Tamils, the document said.

Their adoption of the Assembly was in unanimous consensus All for 34 points. The points are discussing Divided into sections; historical context, international community responsibility, Canadian Government responsibility, the role of the Tamil diaspora, and the effects of proscribing Tamil community activism. Recent and historical Resolutions compiling they were drafted, motions and OTHER documents the Tamil Community in Canada has participated in before.
Eezham Tamils in Canada evolve Common Position On Tamil activism by nelvely

A South East Asian Solution for the Muslims - IIA South East Asian Solution for the Muslims - II

Kalpitiya Fisheries Harbour

Izeth by Hussain- April 18, 2014,

I now approach the question of why the SL Muslims should emulate the example set by the Chinese in South East Asia, particularly in the Philippines. First of all I must draw attention to the significance of the fact that the protracted anti-Muslim hate campaign and demonstrations failed to ignite mass Sinhalese action against the Muslims, as I noted earlier in this article. It is worth recounting my first-hand experience at Kalpitiya fishing harbor last year. I went there with the Muslim owner-driver of a van, whose family were native inhabitants of the place and were thoroughly familiar with it. It was sunset and the fishing boats were coming in, and in the absence of ethnic markers in the clothing all the fishermen looked alike to me. I was told that they consisted of all three ethnic groups, Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims. How were they getting on with each other? Quite well, no problems. But just a few days earlier there had been an impressive BBS anti-Muslim demonstration in Kalpitiya, with the usual bellowing, bawling, yelling, screeching, screaming fury against the Muslims. The next day the Sinhalese and the Muslims continued to live together in peace, amity, and co-operation.

A Solution for the South East Asian Muslims - II by nelvely

CSD operative in Vanni detained for murder of woman from MataleCSD operative in Vanni detained for murder of woman from Matale

[Tamilnet, Saturday, 19 April 2014, 09:45 GMT]
A Tamil Woman From Matale in the Central Province was allegedly knifed to death by a 'Civil Security Division' paramilitary operative of the Sri Lankan Military near Punnai-neeraavi in Kilinochchi a few days ago. The SL police detained the paramilitary operative after securing the murder weapon from the CSD operative on Wednesday. The identity of the CSD operative has not been revealed. The slain woman, a pregnant, had gone seeking the paramilitary operative who had an affair with the woman, legal sources in Ki'linochchi said.

At the end of the genocidal war in 2009, the international system and the international community of establishments allowed the genocidal military of Sri Lanka to capture an undisclosed number of LTTE members and associates. Conservative estimations put the number to around 20,000.

Among them, apart From the killed, disabled and released cum harassed, around 3000 Members were able-bodied Isolated by the Sinhala Military Work As to the farms in farm labourers Run by the Military.

Around 2,200 FEMALE former Members of the LTTE and 800 former male labourers As Members were employed in the farms.

There have been widespread reports of sexual Exploitation of Tamil Women in these farms.

Around 300 of the Males have been brainwashed to become paramilitary operatives and serve the Sri Its program of structural Lankan Military in carrying out genocide against Eezham Tamils in Colombo were describing the CSD program while Sinhala Journalists As a positive gesture by the Sri Lankan establishment.

The SL Military Designed As the CSD program a 'counter-insurgency' measure victimising and isolating the former LTTE Members From Their society.

Western funded NGOs, which claim that former Their aim is to Promote Human rights in War zones, have also failed to highlight the Victims Plight of the CSD, giving Time and space to Colombo to complete Its genocidal project.