Egypt court sentences Al Jazeera journalists

Network says jail terms for Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed defy "logic, sense, and semblance of justice".

Two Al Jazeera English journalists have been sentenced to seven years in jail and one to 10 years by an Egyptian court on charges including aiding the Muslim Brotherhood and reporting false news.

 23 Jun 2014 
The guilty verdicts were announced by a judge on Monday against Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy, and Baher Mohamed.

Greste and Fahmy were sentenced to seven years in prison, while Baher Mohamed was sentenced to an additional three years for possession of ammunition. Mohamed was in possession of a spent bullet casing he had found on the ground during a protest.

Other Al Jazeera journalists who were tried in absentia, including Sue Turton and Dominic Kane, were sentenced to 10 years.

Al Jazeera has strenuously rejected the charges against its journalists and maintains their innocence.

Greste, Fahmy, and Mohamed were arrested in December in Cairo as they covered the aftermath of the army's removal of Mohamed Morsi from the presidency in July.

The prosecution said Greste, Al Jazeera's East Africa correspondent, and his Egypt bureau colleagues aided the Brotherhood and produced false news reports of the situation in Egypt.

The Brotherhood, which supported Morsi, was listed as a "terrorist" organisation by the interim Egyptian government shortly before the accused were arrested.

The prosecution produced a number of items as evidence including a BBC podcast, a news report made while none of the accused were in Egypt, a pop video by the Australian singer Gotye, and several recordings on non-Egyptian issues.

The defence maintained that the journalists were wrongly arrested and that the prosecution had failed to prove any of the charges against them.

'Absurd allegations'

Al Anstey, Al Jazeera English managing director, said the verdicts defied "logic, sense, and any semblance of justice".

"Today three colleagues and friends were sentenced, and will continue to be kept behind bars for doing a brilliant job of being great journalists. 'Guilty' of covering stories with great skill and integrity. 'Guilty' of defending people’s right to know what is going on in their world," Anstey said in a statement.

"Peter, Mohamed, and Baher and six of our other colleagues were sentenced despite the fact that not a shred of evidence was found to support the extraordinary and false charges against them.  At no point during the long drawn out 'trial' did the absurd allegations stand up to scrutiny.

"There is only one sensible outcome now - for the verdict to be overturned, and justice to be recognised by Egypt."

Football's dark side: how to fix a football match

Undercover footage from Channel 4 Dispatches exposes a match agent from Ghana offering to fix an international football game.

The tail end of rush hour on a Central London street and we're trying to hide a TV crew. You'd think technology would make that slightly easier but not on this job.
There's a 6ft-something cameraman, a lens of seemingly similar proportions, a fidgety soundman with his boom and microphone and plenty of other people dotted around hoping things will go to plan.

Football's Dark Side How to Fix a Football Match by nelvely

A dangerously fraught chapter in post-war Sri Lanka

Sunday, June 22, 2014

The atrocity that is Aluthgama 2014 happened at the instigation of outsiders brought into the area. That much is clear. As said by stricken Sinhala and Muslim residents, ‘this had no involvement with our communities, we live next to each other; but when outsiders came and attacked, everyone was attacking each other.’

A Dangerously Fraught Chapter in Post-war Sri Lanka by nelvely

Media’s Role In Times Of Turbulence

| by Pearl Thevanayagam

(June 22, 2014, Bradford UK, Sri Lanka Guardian)Take a stand, the late veteran journalist Ajith Samaranayake said during a lecture for post graduate journalists at Colombo University and it still reverberates in my ears. And in this light I am reminded of Iqbal Athas whose popular Defence Column enabled international media to assess the ground situation during the 35 year old protracted between the government and the LTTE.

Media’s Role in Times of Turbulence by nelvely

Rajapaksa State Media Editor Calls For Al Jazeera Reporter To Be ‘Locked Up’

June 22, 2014

The editor of the Daily News, the state controlled publication that has become the voice of the Rajapaksa Government has called for the arrest of Al Jazeera journalist, Huffington Post and Colombo Telegraph columnist Dinouk Colombage.

Dinouk Colombage

On his personal twitter accountRajpal Abeynayake who edits the Daily News and has taken the state daily to the nadir has urged the Government authorities to ‘lock up’ Colambage and ‘Groundviews’ – for what he calls “murder on social media’.

“Save Lives” the Daily News Editor says in vitriolic posts on his Twitter page tagging Namal Rajapaksa MP, Media Ministry secretary Charith Herath and UNP MP Harsha de Silva. In a subsequent status Abeynayake also tags Sydney Consul General “Ambassador” Bandula Jayasekera in his “arrest them” post.

“Lock up the scum” he says in another post.

In a recent editorial Abeynayake called social media users vultures for their updates about the Aluthgama riots and hailed the Sri Lankan mainstream press for what he called their “responsible reporting”.

“You can tell what depths the press in Sri Lanka has sunk to with regard to the rioting in Aluthgama when Rajpal is praising them for a job well done” noted one local scribe.

The Government that maintained stony silence for five days after the riots broke out in Aluthgama and Beruwala last Sunday except for a few presidential tweets has been vocal in its criticism and guidelines for how the press and social media users are to report on the violence.

Abeynayake has been leading the charge. He is being assisted by another user called Hannah Steyn who has urged the authorities to track down the IPs of journalists like Dinouk.

Colombo Telegraph learns that the state Social Media Team has already met with the security establishment to share information.

Social media users are strongly advised to use caution as these websites may be under heavy Rajapaksa Government surveillance in the next few weeks.

1. Hannah Steyn @WineCheeseSurf

   People like you who tweet unverified 'emerging reports' are much worse and more divisive than any extremist @Dinoukc @groundviews #lka

Rajpal Abeynayake @Abeynayake

Follow

@WineCheeseSurf @Dinoukc @groundviews Absolutely. Should be locked up to save lives, lock up the scum

1:38 AM - 22 Jun 2014

Rumours spread due to absence of ‘proper reporting’

 Sunday, 22 June 2014 

Editor of groundviews website Sanjana Hattotuwa says the Sri Lankan mainstream media’s having censored the reporting of the clashes in Aluthgama and Beruwela areas last week has given rise to the spreading of rumours very fast.

According to him, almost all mainstream media in the country had subjected all their reportage of the incidents on June 15 to self-censorship due to reasons best known to themselves.

However, the ‘biased’ reporting came under strong criticism by social media as well as the BBC and international media.

Sanjana Hattotuwa, a veteran in social media, was responding to a question by BBC Sandeshaya as to whether self-censorship could help towards resolving a conflict situation in some cases.

“It could not be said for certain whether the mainstream Lankan media did not report on these clashes due to a self-censorship or due to an order from the higher up, but in such a scenario, there is more room for wrong ideas, rumours being spreading in society,” he said.

Reporters frightened

“It is natural for the target people to rely on less trustworthy reports when reliable reporting is subjected to self-censorship. When unconfirmed reports are posted by social media too, the issue becomes more serious and dangerous,” said Sanjana Hattotuwa in reply to a question by Saroj Pathirana.

“Reporters turn to self-censorship in view of the prevailing situation in the country. By their reporting, they could face certain situations, may be not instantly, but in a matter of days, weeks or even months. In the past, Tissanayagam, Ruki Fernando were arrested on the charge of provoking people. In such a situation, reporters think twice before reporting,” said Sanjana Hattotuwa further.

Commenting further on biased reporting, he said “Biased reporting cannot be blamed in a situation in which unbiased reporting is blocked.”

The groundviews website editor said that what is seen mostly is ‘biased reporting’ in a social situation in which the mainstream media is totally silenced and investigative reporting is obstructed, adding that the solution would be to pave the way for reliable, balanced reporting.

“Anti-Muslim Attacks Well-Planned Government Effort” Says Mangala

June 22, 2014

The Rajapaksa brothers should bear the responsibility of every drop of blood shed during the Aluthgamaviolence and at anti-Muslim clashes that occurred subsequently, UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera says.

Mangala Samaraweera MP

MP Samaraweera in a statement that was issued last night has held the Rajapaksa brothers responsible for the anti-Muslim violence that erupted in the country since last week, adding they owe an answer to the public – particularly to the victims of communal violence who lost their loved ones and suffered extensive property damages due to the clashes.

The statement released by the MP further accuses Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa of sponsoring the operations of theBBS. “The extremist Buddhist group is even managed by the intelligence units of the security forces. The events that expired during the past couple of weeks have made this fact abundantly clear,” he states.

He has gone on state that the anti-Muslim violence in Aluthgama and several other areas are results of a well-planned government effort to promote racism in the country.

He points out the failure of the military and the police to curb the violence that erupted in Southern Sri Lanka have raised grave doubts. “It is puzzling to think of how the military that defeated the world’s most ruthless terrorists have failed to contain these clashes.”

MP Samaraweera has asserted to the Rajapaksa government on the importance of remembering that their duty to protect is not restricted to a particularly community or religious group but is applicable to every citizen in Sri Lanka.

Furthermore he has called on the government to take immediate measures to arrest BBS General SecretaryGalagoda Atte Gnanasara for the role he has played in the systematic escalation of anti-Muslim sentiments in the country.

Read the full statement in Sinhala here

 
Hakeem to take troubles to Navi Pillay 

June 22, 2014

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan-June 22, 2014 

Minister of Justice, Rauff Hakeem, warned the government he would approach Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, again over the Aluthgama incident and would continue to supplement those complaints by further cataloguing all what is happening in Sri Lanka.
 
In an exclusive interview with Ceylon Today, the minister said at last Thursday's Cabinet meetinghe was blamed and accused of having said that if he cannot find a solution through a domestic process from which the Muslims expect relief and redress, he will not hesitate to go before the international forum/community and place the case before them.
 
"I am determined now. We are answerable to the international community. We are at the threshold of an international inquiry. We will say intrusive, informal inquiries must be held."
 
"The BBS has the patronage of some quarters of the government in taking forward their religious campaign against the Muslims, which is commonly believed to have originated from the halal certification issue. That was clearly meant to be the pretext to create a popular platform for the falsified arguments from the outset."
 
He added: "We submitted a detailed dossier last August to the United Nations (UN), and we have complained to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, which was considered as controversial."
"Yes. We will continue to supplement those complaints by further cataloguing all what is happening in Sri Lanka" the minister said.
 
Hakeem said, some of the government ministers were suffering from xenophobia, and the President should divorce himself from such xenophobic forces.
 
"What we fear is if the government doesn't act with some urgency, or at least take proactive action, we will become a 'Banana Republic' soon, and this will seriously damage our reputation.
He added, the President's dilemma is whether to deal with the situation with a firm hand or to pacify everybody involved. If he takes the pacifists' course, he will be a 'loser.'
"This xenophobia existence among persons in the government is certainly not helpful in protecting the President's image," he said.
 
He urged the President to see that justice prevails at all cost. "Don't cover-up what has happened. We know of much bigger secrets behind these perpetrators and we will not hesitate to expose them, but I am not an irresponsible person to do that. I want reconciliation between all communities," the minister added.
When asked if Al Qaeda is infiltrating Sri Lanka, the minister said "I heard so, and if it is a fact, the question I would like to ask, what is the intelligence service doing? Are they fast asleep? If there are radical elements and Al Qaeda members in Sri Lanka, bring them before the Courts and punish them."

Did the groups of the secretive defender and white Van who arrived set fire to Panadura ‘No Limit’ ? - 16 witnesses testify 

(Lanka-e-News, 22.June.2014, 12.30PM) 

The Panadura police are in receipt of copious and cogent evidence that the conflagration which consumed and destroyed a valuable building and its contents worth many millions of rupees is a result of arson , and not an accidental fire. Yet , tremendous efforts are being made to suppress this truth , according to information reaching Lanka e news inside information division.

This had been confirmed following the recording of statements of about 16 witnesses by the Panadura police yesterday. The people have seen a defender vehicle and a white van loitering around the site a while prior to committing of arson . The people have reported this to the Panadura Keselwatte police at about 11.30 in the night on 20th. When the low rung police officers have reported this to Katupitiya, the SP in charge of Panadura division , he had retorted ‘ without talking bullshit , allow me to sleep you codgers.’

Subsequently , the officers of the establishment have informed the Panadura police that the establishment is on fire at 2.05 a.m. On 21st . The OIC of Panadura police headquarters Mahesh Perera CI on hearing this news had notified Ministers and Bodhu Bala sena (BBS) leaders via phone about the fire , and had had a hearty laugh , without taking any action to counter the disaster . He had not even informed the Fire Brigade . After resorting to dilatory tactics , he had inquired ‘ did you not send a fire brigade to the venue ?’ from those around ,and only then taken action to summon the fire rescue brigade .By that time the fire had spread out of control. 

Yesterday for the first time when the police SOCO officers were summoned to the scene for the investigation , there had been fierce protests from the people when they were conducting investigations . They had urged that the government analyst be invited immediately . 

The analyst after inspecting the scene of the fire had initially confirmed this conflagration is not the result of an electricity leak. He had officially stated this to the DIG who was on the scene. He had also inspected the roof top places that have been destroyed by the fire that were not visible to the road ; The intense heat around the place was somewhat of a hindrance to him. 

By now , the GCIB, the grave crimes record book which recorded the statements of the 16 witnesses where they have exposed the aforementioned defender and white van vehicles, the groups that came in them, and how they hurled petrol bombs to ignite the fire had been made to disappear by the Panadura chief inspector (CI) Mahesh Perera .

This all important police record book is now not available to record the attacks launched on the houses at Thotawatte yesterday night (21) . When the police officers have inquired about this from the HQI , he has plainly said , replace it with a new book , and make the records.

As a result of the volatile and violent situation that is prevailing in Panadura , the Muslim youths are grouping themselves for their own security . Hidden bottles filled with sand , petrol filled bottles and missiles have been discovered along the roads.

Arrest Him! »

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Government ministers have called for the arrest of the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) the Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero in connection with the violence in Aluthgama last weekend.

Veteran left-wing politician and Member of Parliament, Vasudeva Nanayakkara says Gnanasara Thero, together with the other members of the organization, should be taken into custody by the law enforcement authorities for instigating racial tension between the Buddhists and Muslims of this country, which led to the devastating incidents in Aluthgama last week.

“The first action should be taken against the BBS and its captain, Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero. He is the face of all the evil that was unleashed. Therefore action must first be taken against the person who planned and got this whole operation going, the BBS, the Venerable Gnanasara and whoever closely supported them and they should be arrested,” said Nanayakkara. Meanwhile, the President of the BBS, the Venerable Kirama Wimalajothi Thero condemned the behavior of the BBS and Gnanasara Thero accusing him of bringing disrepute to Buddhism.

He said that the mobs that went on a rampage later on were not residents of those areas but they were persons who had come from outside the area. Hence it is very clear that it was a planned and well orchestrated attack to discredit the government.

“I cannot condone or approve the actions of the BBS in this incident and it only served to provoke a much graver situation.

It was wrong for the BBS to go there after that incident and hold a rally in that area as it was clear that it would only add fuel to the situation. We must also understand that it is not the peace loving general Muslim community, but there are other extremist Muslim elements in this country as well. Not only them but there are extremist Christian elements as well. These extremist elements have been trying for a long time to destabilize the peace in this country. By the actions of the BBS they simply played into the hands of these extremist elements,” added Wimalajothi Thero.

The whole incident began when a monk on his way to a sermon on Poya Day was apparently assaulted by several Muslim youth in Dharga Town. The monks and Buddhist organizations in the area had then called for a meeting and had also asked the BBS to attend this meeting. However during the meeting Gnanasara Thero had called on the Sinhala Buddhists to wake up and stand up against the Muslims and also boycott their products. He also claimed that the President was brainless to appoint a Muslim to the post of Justice Minister.

After the meeting, the BBS claims that while they were traveling peacefully in order to drop off the monk who was attacked at the temple on their way back to the Highway in order to get back to Colombo, they were attacked by some Muslim youth from the Mosque premises.

This sparked a series of mob attacks that resulted in the loss of four lives and injuries to over 80. Many shops and houses of both the Muslims and Sinhalese were damaged and burnt in several areas following the attacks. However, the residents in the area claim that these mobs were not from the area but were groups that were brought in from other areas. The President has called for a full investigation into the incident and promised action against the perpetrators.

Independence Of Police Under 17A Is Possible Under Up-Dated 13A

By Elmore Perera -June 22, 2014

Elmore Perera

Neville Ladduwahetty is quite right in stating in his article published in the Island of 20th June 2014 that “recent incidents in Aluthgama and Beruwala have highlighted the crying need to address issues relating to Law and Order in Sri Lanka”. Perhaps the only way to improve the Law and Order situation is by restoring the provisions for a National Police Commission as set out in the 17th Amendment.

For the Rule of Law to prevail it is imperative that the Police who are responsible for maintaining Law and Order should be independent of political or other patronages.

Article 155G(1)(b) of Chapter XV111A – NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSION (under the 17th Amendment introduced in 2001) stated that “The Commission shall not in the exercise of its powers under this Article, derogate from the powers and functions assigned to the Provincial Police Service Commission as and when such commissions are established under Chapter XVIIA – Provincial Councils.

The Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment, introduced in 1987, presently provides that the Provincial Police Commission (if and when it is constituted) shall be composed of the DIG of the Province appointed by the National Police Commission; a person nominated by the National Public Service Commission in consultation with the President and a nominee of the Chief Minister.

Clause 11:1 in Appendix 1 to List 1 of the Ninth Schedule to the Constitution presently provides that “The DIG of the Province shall be responsible to and under the control of the Chief Minister thereof in respect of the maintenance of public order in the Province and the exercise of police powers in the Province”.  As stated by Neville, this means that 2 of the 3 members of the Provincial Police Commission are under the control of the Chief Minister. Admittedly, in those
circumstances the Provincial Police will NOT be independent of political patronage.

The solution is clear and simple. The aforementioned provision in Article 155G(1)(b) was introduced at a time when a Provincial Division of the Sri Lanka Police Force was still only a concept. It merely provided that the National Police Commission shall not act in derogation of the powers and functions that may, thereafter, be assigned to the Provincial Police Service Commission.

The reintroduction of the 17th Amendment can only be done by an amendment to repeal the 18th Amendment.  This amendment could also amend the aforementioned clause 11:1 in Appendix 1 to List 1 of the Ninth Schedule of the 13th Amendment to provide that the Provincial DIG shall be responsible to and under the control of the Governor of the Province, or perhaps the Provincial Police Commission. This will hopefully result in the creation of Independent Provincial Police Forces together with an independent National Police Force.

There appears to be widespread belief that the acts of omission and commission on the part of members of the National Police Service were largely responsible for the incidents at Alutgama and Beruwela.

Could these have happened if a Provincial Police Service was in place?

I think NOT. Perhaps Neville, (who, like me, was born and bred beyond the Bentara Ganga) will also agree.

* Elmore Perera , Attorney-at-Law - Founder, Citizen’s Movement for Good Governance -Past President, Organisation of Professional Associations

SRI LANKA: Does the President have the will and capacity to enforce the law?

June 22, 2014

The President has addressed the nation and stated that the law will be strictly enforced. He has also called upon the police and other agencies to enforce the law. That is certainly a good thing to do. However, the critical question is as to whether the President has the will and the capacity to enforce the law. As the saying goes, diarrhea cannot be stopped by wearing tight underwear.

SRI LANKA Does the President Have the Will and Capacity to Enforce the Law by nelvely

Minorities in Sri Lanka face growing terror

Buddhist Sinhalese terrorists have been instigating attacks against the island’s minorities, particularly the Muslims

A Sri Lankan resident surveys the damage to a charred Muslim-owned home following clashes between Muslims and an extremist Buddhist group in the town of Alutgama on June 17, 2014. More deadly violence flared in a Sri Lankan coastal resort where Buddhist hardliners set shops and homes alight for a second night running in defiance of a curfew, police and residents. Amid mounting international concern over the unrest, residents of a town which has borne the brunt said a security guard was killed in an attack outside a Muslim-owned farm, raising the overall toll to four. "More than a dozen houses and shops have been burnt overnight," a police source told AFP from the mainly Muslim town of Alutgama after another night of mob violence by followers of the extremist Buddhist Force. AFP PHOTO/LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI

• By Tariq A. Al Maeena | Special to Gulf News-June 21, 2014

Minorities in Sri Lanka Face Growing Terror by nelvely