Can This Soup Be Re-Cooked Anew?

By Kusal Perera -July 14, 2014

Kusal Perera

Me with Dr. Udan Fernando were on a long haul to a remote area beyond Kurunegala and on the outskirts of Anuradhapura district, spending time from Friday afternoon, till Saturday afternoon. Roughly about 20 hours in all. A 65 rupee bus ride takes one to this area from Kurunegala town. The ordinary villager there does not often travel to Kurunegala. The closest town and the turn off is Madagalla, beyond Ibbagamuwa, if travelling to the area. The 40 mns drive from Kurunegala, passes through patches of Muslim resident areas seemingly peaceful and co-existing with large and densely populated Sinhala areas for many generations gone by.

This Divisional Secretary’s office of Polpithigama with 82 “Grama Niladhari” divisions, has an exceptional promise for residents on service delivery. Its official website last updated on 30 June, 2011 says, for those who wish to apply for the national identity card, “countersigning of residency certificates” is done within 03 (not 05) minutes. If relevant application is tendered for “dry rations”, the card is issued in 10 minutes. A license to transport animals is issued in 30 minutes and if recommended by the Excise Department, a liquor license is issued in just 02 hours. There are plenty other services that are done, or at least said to be done in 02, 03, 04 hours and some in 01, 02 or 03 days.

That possibly is “virtual life” of Polpithigama. For it is accepted by many in Kurunegala as the worst complicated and degenerated division in whole of their district. That being one major reason for the two of us to roam the area. Just to see what really ails there, more than what we have seen and heard, elsewhere.

Saturday was “Esala poya” holiday and therefore a completely dry day, officially. Esala poya in the area had many “Dan Selas” (free alms giving centres organised by local communities). We passed a “Roti Dansela”, “Ice Cream Dansela”,  “Fruit Drink Dansela” and a “Fried Rice Dansela”. On our way we were stopped almost every few kilometres by youth waving “saffron flags” requesting us to patronise their danselas. Some seemed very popular, where people, mostly as whole families, queued long and waited a long time too for a free lunch. The whole Sinhala society was mobilised.Read More

NGOs Should Be Watchdogs And Not Lapdogs To Funders

| by Pearl Thevanayagam

(July 13, 2014, Bradford UK, Sri Lanka Guardian) Suckers are born every minute be they political stooges or paid NGOs. It is easy to tear a kitchen towel where there are perforations. Likewise the Western donors who want to spread their tentacles into countries where they have vested interests would target media, think-tanks and professionals who want to further their own interests both economically and intellectually.

NGOs Should Be Watchdogs and Not Lapdogs to Funders by Maria Anderson

Wigneswaran on his meeting with Ramaphosa 

by Sulochana  Ramiah Mohan-  July 13, 2014 


Chief Minister of the Northern Province, C.V. Wigneswaran, who recently met and was impressed by the quiet diplomatic approach of Deputy President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, said "There can be no reconciliation without acknowledgement of truth; there can be no reconciliation that is foisted by the force of military might and that is not reconciliation but bondage."
In an interview with Ceylon Today, Wigneswaran recounts the meeting with the South African Deputy Leader and the issues that were discussed.
 

Q: The South African delegation was here last week to see what assistance SA could make available to the Sri Lankan Government. Did Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa convey how they would like to assist Sri Lanka on the national issue?
A: They are carefully studying our problem. They are letting us know how they brought about a change in their country transforming people with different languages (many, many more than the two we have here), religions, communities, backgrounds, colour and even gender based differences to fit them into the idea of a Composite South African Nation – a pluralist rainbow nation. H
 
e did not specify his inputs to the solution to our national issue. But said he would be glad to be of help if needed.
Q: What is their concern about the whole issue between the minorities and the government?
A: First, let me state that the categorization as 'minorities' is sometimes misleading. Yes, the Tamil speaking people are numerically less than the Sinhalese, if you take the whole island, but in their areas of historical habitation, where they were living for centuries and are even now despite all the government sponsored colonization by the majority they are not the minority. As to your question, they have indicated simply they are studying the situation.
Q: Did they suggest a common ground to work on?
A: Nothing of the sort. We were impressed by their quiet diplomatic approach. They gave preference to listening rather than talking.
 

Q: In your opinion can the South African Model of reconciliation work for Sri Lanka?
A: In as much as there are always lessons to be learnt from the experiences of others, one must yet realize that different factual scenarios require differentiated approaches. However, I note that in your question you only refer to reconciliation and not 'truth', which was an essential part of the 'South African Model'. There can be no reconciliation without acknowledgement of truth. There can be no reconciliation that is foisted by the force of military might. That is not reconciliation but bondage. In my view, the prerequisites for reconciliation are truth, respect and common ground. I do not see these prerequisites existing at present.
Q: Also, while the UN probe is on, will the South African intervention be of any use?
A: The delegation has assured us that their involvement is complementary to the UN efforts and not an alternative. A complementary approach would no doubt have its uses.
 

Q: Is South Africa ready to be a facilitator or a mediator in the reconciliation process?
A: Their role is yet to be defined. These are very early stages. We will have to wait and see.
Q: You had told Ramaphosa about the 18th Amendment. President Rajapaksa has powers over the judicial system. So do you mean it would be a useless attempt to even go to the Courts to challenge the government and you never will?
A: There are certain stark facts that one has to face. The 18th Amendment made the already subservient Judiciary a mere handmaiden to the Executive. The impeachment of Justice Bandaranayake made a mockery of the law and due process.As you know the impeachment was termed illegal by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. The decision stood for nearly a year and was overturned by a Bench, which was constituted by the person who succeeded the Chief Justice in her post. The fact that the Supreme Court waited for nearly a year, despite judgments declaring that the impeachment was illegal, demonstrates that the Court did not consider it improper to recognize a person who had been appointed Chief Justice through an illegal process. The Supreme Court could always have retained a semblance of propriety if it had first heard and disposed of the case or overturned the judgment before recognizing the new entrant. We appear to have gone beyond even worrying about maintaining a semblance of propriety and fairplay.
 

You may also recall the Supreme Court's inaction in relation to the 300,000 people who were kept in open prisons at the conclusion of the war for months on end. You may recall that nothing has happened in relation to the cases filed relating to the land grabs by the military. In these circumstances, do you think that it is worthwhile challenging decisions of the Executive before the Supreme Court? However, we will continue to file cases so that history will record the institutional failures in this country. Respected lawyers Dr. Almeida Guneratne and Kishali Pinto Jayawardena have recorded the failings of the Judiciary since independence in relation to minorities in their new book. I shudder to think the verdict that will be passed by history on those who hold hallowed posts in the Judiciary today.
 

Q: Do you think the South African delegation left the island without any outcome of their visit or is there hope that they would assist Sri Lanka in some manner?
A: They have come and studied. They have heard both sides. It depends on what the three parties desire to do – they, the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamils.
Q: What did Ramaphosa tell you before he left?
A: It was a fruitful meeting. And they were all quite happy being with us!

Court Annuls Vigneswaran’s Circular

( July 14, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Supreme Court today (14) ordered north chief minister C.V. Vigneswaran to annul a circular, which it has found to be violating the fundamental rights of the provincial chief secretary and her staff.

A three member bench headed by chief justice Mohan Peiris considered a FR petition filed by the chief secretary, which alleges the chief minister was interfering in her duties and trying to remove her from the position.

The CJ ordered CM Vigneswaran to propose to the court a solution, appropriate in consideration of national reconciliation, on July 28 with regard to her accusation that he was trying to remove her from the position.

TNA Willing To Cooperate With South Africa – Suresh Premachandran

Monday, July 14, 2014

The TNA claimed that foreign delegates including the South African special envoy Cyril Ramaphosa who visited Sri Lanka recently have met the TNA to discuss the Tamil national issue which shows that internationally the TNA is recognised as the representative of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
TNA MP Suresh Premachandran told The Sunday Leader that as the elected representatives of the Tamil people, they are willing to cooperate with the South African government if they mediate between the government and the TNA to resolve the Tamil national issue.

Excerpts of the interview:

By Waruni Karunarathne

Q: So many foreign representatives have been visiting Sri Lanka including the Deputy President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. Have these visits made any difference to the issues faced by the Tamils in Sri Lanka?
A: This is the first time a special envoy has come from South Africa. He was invited by the Sri Lankan government. Our understanding is that he has been appointed to study the Sri Lankan problem and help us to resolve them.

It is not like other delegates who just come to visit this country. The South African envoy came with the idea to study the present context and discuss it with political parties and other interested organisations. They have had discussions with the government, the TNA and the Northern Province Chief Minister.

Now it is up to the South Africa to decide how they are going to take this forward and resolve the issues. It also depends on the Sri Lankan government. A difference can be made to the issue based on how far the SL government is going to cooperate with the South African government to address this issue. TNA is prepared to cooperate with them fully because we are the affected people and we need solutions. Therefore we welcome this initiative.

Q: Has the recent visit by the Deputy President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa opened the doors for talks between the government and the TNA to resume?
A: We told our point of view. We clearly articulated our stand. The government also had talks with them. They must have stated their point of view. These delegates are very well experienced and we will have to see how they would mediate to resolve this issue.

Q: The government has reiterated its position that the TNA is not the sole representative of the Tamils. Would that position hamper future negotiation between the government and the TNA?
A: The TNA is the elected representative of the Tamil people. Even in the Northern Provincial Council out of 38 members 30 are from the TNA. Likewise most of the local governments in the North are controlled by the TNA. Tamil people have elected the TNA as their representative. That is understood by everybody.

Even Cyril Ramaphosa held discussions with the TNA and went to Jaffna to meet the Chief Minister of the Northern Province. The TNA is being recognised as the representative of the Tamil people by the international community and even by the Sri Lankan government. Sri Lankan government itself wants the TNA to come to the Parliament Select Committee to discuss the national issue. On the other hand they are trying to reject the TNA as the representative of Tamils.

We may not be the sole representative of Tamils but we are the elected representatives of the Tamil people in the country. The government can say anything about that. If they truly want to solve this issue they will have to talk to the representatives elected by the people.

Q: Is the TNA willing to work with other Tamil political parties in parliament to resolve the Tamil issue?
A: The TNA is a combination of Tamil political parties. In Parliament there may be one or two Tamil parties working with the government. We are the strongest Tamil representative in the parliament. We have marked our representation and all issues have to be discussed with the TNA.

Q:If all these attempts to find a political solution fail, what would be the next step?
A: I simply cannot say anything immediately. There are various elements working right now. On one hand the SL government has called for the South African government to mediate to resolve the issue. On the other hand the United Nations investigations are going on.
But if the government is willing to cooperate to solve the issue a political solution can be found. If all attempts fail, then at that point we will decide what to do next.

Burka/Abaya take a colourful twist 



BY RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY- July 14, 2014

 

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL) announced that with the blessings of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama they were changing the colour of the Burka /Abaya from black to simple pleasing pastel shades.
 

Vice President of the MCSL, Hilmy Ahmed, said the move to distribute the multi-hued Abaya among the urban poor had no political motive behind it, nor was it meant to introduce the Abaya to non-wearers and should also not been seen as a knee-jerk reaction to the recent events in Aluthgama or affronts to it by the Bodu Bala Sena.
 
 
Although Islam does not prescribe the colour black, the black Abaya traditionally worn by Arabian women particularly in Saudi Arabia was introduced to Sri Lanka after people visited Mecca during Haj or having picked it up after being employed in the Middle East, Ahmed opined.
 

"The dark garb has been heavily criticized by various quarters the world over and is even related to Wahhabism, but we too feel it is unnecessary, as the visibility of those who don it is very high on the streets and when interacting with people and when using public transport persons could be intimidated or targeted," he said, noting "This is a pilot project where we are providing the Abaya made from fairly good quality fabric at a minimal cost of Rs 750 to Rs 1000 or free of charge and we are targeting those who already wear it in urban centres with mixed populations. The model we have used as the ideal is the Bohra community who have been wearing such coloured attires virtually since the beginning."
An Abaya depending on the fabric, designer style, label and where it is coming from is priced from Rs 2,500 upwards to even Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000.
 

Ahmed observed that it has now become very fashionable to import the Abaya from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and even the United Kingdom.
He emphasized that although there will be people within Muslim communities in Sri Lanka who oppose even the changing of colour, Muslims in the country were by and large now looking inward within themselves to see how they as a people belonging to Sri Lanka belonged to country and nation.

Support UN Probe on Lanka, PMK Boss Tells Centre

By Express News Service

Published: 14th July 2014 

CHENNAI: PMK founder S Ramadoss has expressed shock and disappointment over the announcement of the Ministry of External Affairs that India will not support the UN inquiry into the war crimes committed during the final stages of the Lankan civil war.

He urged the NDA government not to continue in the same vein as the previous UPA government as far as the stance on the Sri Lankan issue is concerned.

Ramadoss’s statement to this effect came two days after a meeting between Sushma Swaraj and GL Peiris,the Foreign Affairs Ministers of India and Sri Lanka, respectively.

Following the meeting, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs had said India would not support the inquiry as it was not being carried out with the cooperation of the Sri Lankan government, and added that India would not back any probe of a punitive nature.

“The fact that the NDA government is adopting the same stance on the war crimes inquiry as the previous UPA government causes great shock and disappointment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should give up following the policy of the UPA government on Sri Lanka, and adopt a stand that protects human rights,” said Ramadoss, an NDA ally, in his statement on Sunday.

Ramadoss recalled a number of incidents relating to the island nation  to underscore his claim that the cause of human rights was not being served. To this end, he cited the continuing arrests of Indian fishermen who stray into Lankan waters and said that those guilty of war crimes had not been punished in Sri Lanka, even five years after the end of the civil conflict.

Linking humanitarian, development and climate finance is critical for fragile and conflict-affected States

10 Jul 2014

New York City – Three sources of finance - humanitarian, development and climate finance - play a critical role in supporting recovery efforts in fragile and conflict-affected countries, says a report launched today by Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Chair of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG).

The Report, by the UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office), Financing Recovery for Resilience: Enhancing the coverage, capitalization and coherence of pooled financing mechanisms for recovery to strengthen synergies between humanitarian, development and climate finance, indicates that these three sources of finance now operate independently of each other in funding recovery efforts. This reduces the effectiveness of recovery efforts and increases risks of financing gaps.

The Report comes at a time when protracted crises are straining the capacity of the international community to meet humanitarian needs. In 2014, the UN made its largest humanitarian appeal ever for $12.9 billion, including $6.5 billion for the crisis caused by the Syrian conflict. So far only 30 percent of the funds needed have been raised for Syria and neighboring countries.

“While there has been a tragic spike in violence and conflict in recent times, the longer term trends have been more encouraging. The number and magnitude of armed conflicts was estimated last year to have dropped by nearly half since the early 1990s,” said Helen Clark. “Climate change, however, is one of the threats which could generate more conflict. Projections suggest that it will greatly increase the competition for scarce resources between groups and countries which has been a traditional driver of violence and conflict.”

Miss Clark added that a more integrated resilience-based approach is needed - one that recognizes that poverty, crisis, conflict, and environmental degradation are, in fact, intertwined challenges and need to be addressed holistically.

The report underscores that pooled financing mechanisms can play a valuable role in aligning efforts across a wide range of actors and foster synergies across humanitarian, development and climate assistance. But it stresses that the capacity of recovery funds financed by development assistance to achieve this is constrained in terms of:

•    Coverage—the development funds for recovery do not exist in the majority of countries or are established too late to promote links with humanitarian and climate assistance;

•    Capitalization—the funds are too small and fragmented to support aid coordination and alignment;

•    Coherence—they cover too many issues, leaving some key areas unaddressed.
The Report highlights opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of development funds in support of recovery efforts. They include:

•    Better leveraging the potential of pooled funds to manage risk to enable an earlier release of development finance;

•    Consolidating the large number of small recovery pooled funds into fewer, larger pooled funds to create a critical mass of resources that can coordinate recovery interventions across all three sources of finance;

•    Promoting a common strategy across recovery efforts to help access, sequence and combine different sources of finance.

“As inter-governmental negotiations proceed on the post-2015 sustainable development agenda the financing instruments used to advance it need revamping. Through concerted action to align the financing instruments behind global agendas, we can co-ordinate our efforts better, and thereby boost the efficiency and effectiveness of support for fragile and conflict-affected states,” said Helen Clark.

Speakers at the launch also included H.E. Tina MØrch Smith, Ambassador of Norway to the United Nations and Yannick Glemarec, MPTFO Executive Coordinator.

FUTA threaten strikes and resignations 

Govt requests more time to meet demands
BY Ruwan Laknath Jayakody
 


 July 14, 2014
The Federation of University Teachers' Associations (FUTA) yesterday warned strikes and resignations from key posts in the academia would be imminent if the government does not meet their six primary demands within the next three months.

Vice-President of FUTA, Ven. Dambara Amila Thera said while the meeting of certain demands required only two weeks, the government had requested more time to appointment a Special Presidential Commission to monitor higher education reforms, to assure the independence of the universities and also to establish a special committee on university lecturers.
 
The other demands include, the complete retraction of all conditions placed on research allowances, basic salaries being increased by an amount similar to the research allowance and bringing a total halt to the privatization of education.
 
Former President of FUTA, Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, said a public awareness campaign, organized through the university chapters of the FUTA, would discuss broader issues in the education sector based on their six main demands.

"We have instructed our sister unions, attached to the Universities of Ruhuna, Sabaragamuwa, Peradeniya and Rajarata to organize meetings in Matara, Ratnapura, Kandy and Anuradhapura respectively, at which the FUTA will speak," Amila Thera said.

Leaders of all religions join Ranil to build country ; 2 Ministers and all party leaders too join in

(Lanka-e-News-13.July.2014, 11.30PM) Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe held a discussion day before yesterday (11) evening with the participation of parliamentary representatives of all parties and all religious leaders with the objective of resolving the national issue.

This discussion was held at Abhayarama Vihara , Narhahenpita . Rev. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith , Ven. Dr. Iththepane Dhammalankara Thero, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero , the chief incumbent of Kotte Nagavihara , Hindu Prelates , Muslim Moulavis,TNA leader R.Sambandan , Sumenthiran M.P. ,Government senior Ministers Tissa Viharane, DEW Gunasekera , Hela Urumaya democratic party and UNP leadership council chief Karu Jayasuriya took part in the discussion .Some government Ministers , all religious dignitaries and a wide array of political leaders taking part in the discussion was something significantly noteworthy . Besides it was a clear index that it marked a clear victory for all parties, prelates and persons who are sincerely desirous of finding a decisive answer to the national issue with a view to establishing a united Sri Lanka.
It was Ven. Dr. Iththepana Dhammalankara Thero who chaired the discussions. 

Following the discussions , Sampanthan the TNA leader made the following comments to the media :
Religious and political party leaders expressed their views pertaining to this national issue . Every one of them emphasized that a political answer is important and imperative for this issue. It is only then we can target our aims .

Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero following the discussions stated thus :

There should be no differences among races , religions and regions when it pertains to issues that affect all people . We must devise a method to resolve this issue via discussions. The theme and aim of today’s discussion was : the government , the opposition , religious leaders and all others must come together , and build this country as citizens and residents of one country.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke thus :

All participants agreed that this national issue should be resolved via discussions. Similarly , it was the consensus that action must be taken regarding the 17 th amendment which strengthens Democracy .

A final conclusion was arrived at that the Executive Presidency vested with unlimited powers shall be fully amended. Some of our people have the ability to go even farther.

It is regrettable and deplorable that the JVP did not participate in such an important discussion aimed at resolving a national issue in the best interests of the entire nation.

The American Contribution To The Current Crisis

By Rajiva Wijesinha -July 14, 2014 

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

The request to write an article on US Policy towards Sri Lanka in 2008/2009 came at a timely moment, for I had been reflecting in some anguish on the crisis that the Sri Lankan government is now facing. I believe that this crisis is of the government’s own creation, but at the same time I believe that its root causes lie in US policy towards us during the period noted.

Nishan de Mel of Verite Research, one of the organizations now favoured by the Americans to promote change, accused me recently of being too indulgent to the Sri Lankan government. I can understand his criticism, though there is a difference between understanding some phenomenon and seeking to justify it. My point is that, without understanding what is going on, the reasons for what a perceptive Indian journalist has described as the ‘collective feeling that the Sri Lankan State and Government are either unable or unwilling’ to protect Muslims from the current spate of attacks, we will not be able to find solutions.

Nishan might have felt however that I was working on the principle that to understand everything is to forgive everything. But that only makes sense if corrective action has been taken, ie if the perpetrator of wrongs has made it clear that these will be stopped and atoned for. Sadly, after the recent incidents at Aluthgama, I fear the time and space for changing course are running out. But even if we can do nothing but watch the current government moving on a course of self-destruction, it is worth looking at the causes and hoping that history will not repeat itself at some future stage

My contention is that the appalling behavior of the government at present springs from insecurity. That insecurity has led it to believe that it can rely only on extremist votes and extremist politicians. Thus the unhappiness of the vast majority of the senior SLFP leadership, and their willingness to engage in political reform that promotes pluralism, are ignored in the belief that victory at elections can only be secured if what is perceived as a fundamentalist and fundamental Sinhala Buddhist base is appeased.Read More

TID probing disappearances a coincidence 

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan- July 14, 2014 
 
Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said several people from the North and the Tamil media have claimed that the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) had been holding inquiries into missing persons at the same time as the Presidential Commission to Investigate Disappearances was sitting in Mullaitivu last week. This was a co-incidence as the TID did not know the Presidential Commission was sitting there at that time, he said.
 
Several Tamil newspapers highlighted the alleged inquiry on missing persons being held by the TID when the Presidential Commission was holding inquiries in close proximity to the TID office and people were asked to visit them too. Tamils alleged that the TID did not issue letters inviting them to come over to their office but telephoned them and the Presidential Commission holding inquiries in Mullaitivu was informed about this.
 
Residents alleged they had been getting several phone calls the previous night asking them to come to the TID for inquiries and also telling them to ask for the Death Certificate from the Commission officials rather than complaining of missing persons.
 
SSP Rohana who denied all allegations said the TID was not aware of the presence of the Presidential Commission in Mullaitivu and that when they heard of it, they had pulled out.
 
When Ceylon Today contacted the Presidential Commission on Missing Persons, the officials admitted the TID had been holding inquiries and the Attorney General's Department had asked them what business they had with the inquiries to which there had been no answer, as it was a junior officer who had answered the phone.
According to Chairman of the Commission, Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama, the TID had informed the Presidential Commission they were holding inquiries unfortunately on the same day, and they too have about 1,900 complaints and those had been received long before the Presidential Commission was formed last year. According to the TID, several Northerners had lodged complaints about loved ones gone missing and they are also inquiring into those, the Chairman said.
 
When the Chairman had heard that the TID is also doing a legal process of holding inquiry into missing persons, he had told the complainants to assist the TID as well.
When Ceylon Today asked what the TID would do with the complaints, he said "I don't know. We have no right to ask what they are doing. My Commission is following the mandate and they are doing their duty," he said.

STF-Police Watched The Savages Run Riot: Claymore Bomb Was Used On Mosque

UNP MP Palitha Thewarapperuma who came under attack by Sinhalese mobs while rescuing victims, in a startling revelation to the Daily Mirror website, said that a mosque was attacked using “Claymore bombs”

“It was not a normal explosive device like a hand grenade, or some other one- it was a Claymore bomb” he says during an interview braodcast in the Sinhala language, on the Daily Mirror online webpage.

The interviewer, interjects and asks Thewarapperuma if he is making the statement with responsibility, and the Parliamentarian replies in the affirmative.

” Of course I am, the evidence is still there anyone could go and see. I have been in the army and I know the difference of a normal explosive device and a claymore bomb” he said.

Thewarapperuma a UNP MP representing the Kaluthara District was injured during the anti – Muslim riots which began on June 15th.

In the interview he further asserts that the entire attack was planned and done at the behest of a “higher power”.

” This was clearly done at the behest of some higher power, the Police and the STF acted deaf and blind. I saw how the Police and STF watched on while my vehicle and the people I transported were attacked by these mobs”.

” These were not Sinhalese Buddhists, these were about 1000- to 2000 followers of a faith that Gnanasara professes” he said.

In a revealing interview, Therapperuma details how he got involved in the incident and denies allegations of him using the riots to market himself.

In the interview which lasts for over half an hour, the UNP MP keeps insinuating that there is an ” unforeseen hand that made the Police blind- The government is to blame” among others.

However, during the latter stages of the Interview, he squarely blames the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa for the riots.

” He has challenged us to show proof of his alliance, I am in search of it. We missed a chance because the Vehicles Gnanasara used are said to be of the defence ministry” he said.

Watch full video

Curse of Anura Senanayake strikes the police force like lightning more viciously than curse of the shawl

(Lanka-e-News-13.July.2014, 11.30PM) The Rajapakse regime by extending the service of senior DIG Anura Senanayake its lackey , crony and unscrupulous stooge for the third time has set a new ignominious record. Owing to this extension in flagrant breach of all traditions of the police department three DIGs have been deprived of their promotions before their retirement , according to reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division. It is significant to note that this sordid action of the government is despite the supreme court verdict that the service of government servants shall not be extended after age of 60 years is reached, and the public service commission laws.

The three DIGs who are affected are :

DIG S.U.K.Fernando who ought to be promoted to senior DIG position 11 months ago . He is now due for retirement sans promotion.

DIG Gamini Dissanayake – he ought to have been promoted over a year ago . He too is due for retirement sans promotion.

DIG Ravi Vidyalankara who ought to have been promoted nearly a year ago, is also due for retirement sans promotion.

The most reprehensible part of this government’s obnoxious action is : these DIGs who are deprived of their promotions will not therefore be getting their actual pension payments after retirement . They will get only the lesser pension until their deaths. In other words because of the nefarious and infernal objectives of the government to keep installed a DIG who is its lickspittle and bootlicker , these three DIGs are made to pay throughout their life time for the sins of a sinister government.

Moreover , owing to these three promotions being blocked , three SSPs who ought to get their promotions to DIG posts; three SPs who should get their promotions to SSP positions ; three ASPs to be promoted as SPs are obstructed . In other words the entire police force is apparently struck by the lightning emitted by the curse of evil Anura Senanayake . 

An SSP who is not given promotions nor official duties for nine years!

When probing why Anura Senanayake ‘s service was extended , we met a most senior officer of the police department who for nine years did not receive a promotion and is not vested with any responsibilities. He has been an SSP and been in that rank for 9 long years . He is N.C. Kudahetti , a senior SP. Though he is attached to the police headquarters , he is not entrusted with any responsibilities. He has only a chair , table and an official vehicle. He is not given any duties ; neither has he any duties to perform nor does he undertake any duties. He receives no promotions too.

While currently , Anura Senanayake is enjoying the patronage and being pampered by the Rajapakses and given an extension in service wrongfully in flagrant violation of laws , may it be recalled in 1987-88 , Mahinda Rajapakse who was in the opposition at that time took all the pictures and data regarding human rights violations in Sri Lanka (SL) , and tried to leave for Geneva. The government getting wind of this took all those documents and files into custody at the Katunayake airport. At that time N.C. Kudahetti was the OIC of Seeduwa police station.

After taking the documents and files were taken into custody , a B report thereof was prepared and submitted to the Negombo court. It was Kudahetti who had to carry out those tasks as the OIC of the Seeduwa police.

Later in 2005 , when Mahinda Rajapakse took oaths as the President of the country , Kudahetti was the SSP at Moneragala .One of the first and foremost tasks of the new President in keeping with his petty mindedness was transferring Kudahetti to the police headquarters with immediate effect. From that point of time , Kudahetti was not entrusted with any responsibilities nor were any promotions given to him . If he had received his promotions duly ,he would now be a senior DIG. The vindictive Medamulana land crocodiles during the last 9 years subjected Kudahetti to their most vicious venoms and vengeances, not allowing Kudahetti to rise keeping him trampled under the boots of their lawless reign.