How To Naturally Improve Varicose Veins

How To Naturally Improve Varicose Veins

Are you one of the many people who suffer from varicose veins? We have found a few ways to slow down appearance and prevent them from getting worse.

Varicose veins can be caused by being overweight, feet injuries, long distance running, pregnancies and treatments that contain estrogen (eg birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy) can intensify the problem. It has been thought for a long time that varicose veins in the legs was mainly a visual problem but it has come to light that it could actually be a serious problem which can develop into something much worse. If you have enlarged veins in the legs it could be because one of the valves has stopped working, but this also has a knock on effect. These special one-way valves help the return of blood to the heart and lungs. The valves work like locks in a canal. As blood flows through a valve, its “doors” slam shut so the blood can’t flow backwards and keeps the blood pumping around the body. If any one the valves stops working blood can seep back down and begin to pool, this generally happens in the lower legs. The extra pressure from the increased volume of pooling blood can, over time, cause other valves to stop working. Eventually, the pressure from the pooling blood can cause the vein’s walls to bulge and mis-shapen. This is when the veins may start to show through the skin surface and look knotty, bumpy and gnarled and taking on a dark blue or purple color. This can make the legs feel heavy, throb and have a burning pain, leg cramps and change the color of the skin around the legs and ankles. It can also cause joint pain and the skin can thicken and harden around the legs and ankles. In extreme cases the inflammation of a vein Thrombosis which has been known to cause blood clots on the lungs. Varicose veins are genetic but they can also be found in people who tend to work on their legs all day, such as hairdressers, waitresses, cleaners, shop assistants, surgeons and athletes. Surprisingly, very few people actually treat varicose veins and even though there is no way to completely prevent varicose veins from appearing it is possible to slow down the process and prevent it from getting worse.

Here are a 12 tips to slow down the appearance of Varicose Veins

1. Be aware if you are standing for long periods of time shake your legs every so often to prevent the accumulation of blood.

2. Flex your feet. By contracting the muscles in your feet it can help force blood upward and out of the veins. If you are sat down for any period of time try flexing your foot up and down as you would when you pump a gas pedal or piano pedal. Also rotate your feet clockwise and counterclockwise to get the ankles moving and the blood pumping.

3. Do not sit cross-legged, it increases pressure on the leg veins.

4. Gentle exercise such as swimming and walking can strengthen the walls of the blood vessels and prevent or delay the development of prominent veins.

5. Avoid strenuous physical activity that can put heavy pressure on the veins, e.g weight training.

6. By sitting or laying down with your legs slightly elevated will improve the blood flow from the legs to the heart. If your legs are very swollen try sleeping with your legs elevated, forcing the blood up out of your feet and legs.

7. By having cold or lukewarm showers you can shrink the veins.

8. To stop swollen veins from getting worse it is recommended to apply elastic stockings or elastic bandages that provide support.

9. Be aware of your weight, if you are overweight it will put unnecessary pressure on your veins.

10. Take Vitamin B, vitamin C and zinc to help maintain the elasticity of blood vessels and strengthen their walls, this can prevent or delay the appearance of varicose veins.

11. Wear elastic socks on long haul flights. Talk to your physician and if you have a prescription take blood thinners such as aspirin which help to prevent blood clots and venous thrombosis.

12. Get yourself some comfy shoes that have laces which can be loosened if needed and keep your high heels for special occasions. Walking in high heels can aggravate varicose veins.

Facebook has lowered everyones reach again, in order to help get this helpful information out to more people we ask that you give it a like or share if you think other people can benefit from this information. Thanks for your support if you’re a returning reader and hello new people! Make sure to join us on Facebook if you want more information like this in your newsfeed.

Ramaphosa and Government’s Policy shift on Reconciliation

by Harim Peiris 

- on 07/24/2014 

Several weeks after Cyril Ramaphosa, Vice President of South Africa and Special Envoy of President Zuma to Sri Lanka, arrived in Sri Lanka to assist us in our search for durable post war peace and reconciliation, it is possible to observe several tactical moves by the Rajapakse Administration with regard to its post war reconciliation policies or the “North and East issues” as the Mahinda Chinthanaya, the Way Forward, manifesto of 2010, calls Sri Lanka’s unresolved ethnic problem.

The Cyril Ramaphosa Visit

That Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa, visited Sri Lanka at all was a small step forward for Sri Lanka’s snail paced post war reconciliation process. For the half decade after the end of the war, the government has been steadily stating that it will not entertain any foreign involvement in the post war reconciliation process. However, events overtook them and the international jurisdiction of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) resulted in repeated resolutions on Sri Lanka in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). President Rajapakse also acknowledged Sri Lanka’s obligations under international law by signing in 2009, a joint statement with UN Secretary General, committing the country and his administration to three things, namely, post war rehabilitation, a political solution and accountability. However, there has been slow or no progress in implementing the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), notwithstanding claims to the contrary by the Administration, mostly because the national action plan on implementing the LLRC, does not really seek to implement the recommendation, only to make claims that no problem exists.

Accordingly the Government now finds itself in the position, that the South African initiative is its only credible international alternative to the UNHRC process in Geneva and is accordingly compelled to engage with it. The engagement however has been less than competent. Firstly there is no formal interlocutor or counterpart appointed to deal with Special Envoy Ramaphosa, an uncoordinated two man act between Ministers Nimal Siripala De Silva and GL Peiris is not a formula for a cohesive government policy. The farce with the Cabinet Spokesman claiming that the special envoy was a tourist on holiday, would have resulted in any other country, in the resignation of the Media Minister, at least as Cabinet Spokesman, but then Sri Lanka is, as the Tourist Board says, truly a land like no other. So despite the saber rattling by the Government’s resident in house pit bulls, namely the NFF’s Wimal Weerawansa and the JHU’s Champika Ranawaka, the South African initiative is on. It is now up to one of Africa’s most exciting and promising politicians to try and nudge the process forward and seek to restart a stalled reconciliation process. Regrettably the constraints of time prevented Vice President Ramaphosa from visiting Delhi after his visit to Sri Lanka, because the full support of the Indian government would be needed to provide the South Africans with international support, in facilitating reconciliation in Sri Lanka. There is suspicion in the West, that the South African process may be just to bail out the Sri Lankan government from the mess it finds itself in Geneva.

The Reappointment of Maj.Gen (Rtd) Chandrasiri as the Northern Governor

Demonstrating a schizophrenic approach to dealing with the Tamil people of the North, where the UPFA polled only 17% of the popular vote and that too mostly from Rishard Bathurdeen’s Muslim constituency of displaced northerners, the Rajapakse Administration just has no sense of even how to win friends among the Tamil polity or to have a minimum degree of consent of the governed. Major General Chandrasiri was the former Security Forces Commander in Jaffna and a good military officer. Upon retirement he was appointed Governor of the Northern Province, a majority Tamil province. During the Northern Provincial Council elections, Governor Chandrasiri, in an unprecedented act of political partisanship and in actions completely unbecoming a Governor, actively campaigned for the governing UPFA. He rushed around to their meetings, sat on their political stages and actively participated, if not led the Government’s state patronage led NPC polls effort. The result was a resounding repudiation of the Rajapakse Administration in the North, it secured only 17% of the popular vote. If the Governor had any self respect, he would have resigned. Now, perhaps in gratitude for his partisan politics he has been reappointed for five years more, demonstrating that the Administration is not serious in permitting the Northern Provincial Council to function, even with the extremely limited powers that provincial councils enjoy. The Governor’s real remit seems to be, to try and run the provincial administration by passing the Chief Minister and the elected representatives of the Tamil people, through the Chief Secretary and the military.

The Appointment of Experts to assist the Commission on Missing Persons

In an action that again ran counter to the strident rhetoric of Sinhala nationalist elements in the Government and its stated repudiation of both a war crimes probe and international experts, the Rajapakse Administration reversed itself on both these counts, though it did so after effectively ensuring total silence on the same in the Sinhala media. The government by gazette extraordinary, not only extended the term of the “Disappearances Commission” headed by retired Judge Maxwell Paranagama, which has to date received over nineteen thousand complaints of missing persons, but also expanded the scope of its activities to include an examination of whether war crimes were committed in Sri Lanka’s civil war. To add icing to the cake it appointed three distinguished international legal experts, with relevant expertise on war crimes and related issues, to assist the commission. One can only hope that the under resourced Commission and its mandate undefined experts would be successful in addressing these contentious issues that are obstacles to post war reconciliation and a durable peace in Sri Lanka.

Black July And Birth-Crime

| by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“There is…..no worse crime than hatred.”

The Buddha (Dhammapada)

( July 24, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Thirty one years ago, Sinhala mobs attacked all Tamils everywhere in Sri Lanka because some Tamil militants killed 13 Sinhala soldiers in Jaffna.

One month ago Sinhala-Buddhist mobs targeted all Muslims in Aluthgama, Beruwala and surrounding areas because three Muslim youths reportedly assaulted a Buddhist monk and his driver.

Black July and Birth-Crime by Maria Anderson

Int. organization tracks down money laundering of Rajapakses via two very wealthy Pakistani nationals: Gota’s over 100 illicit Companies detected

(Lanka-e-News-24.July.2014, 1.30PM) An international team investigating the ‘black money’ of Rajapakses had discovered that the monies amassed out of funds and assets of the LTTE , treasures dug ,illicit commissions , robbery of public funds and through various other illegal methods have been invested via two very wealthy Pakistani individuals, and used for money laundering activities.

(The name of the organization cannot be revealed right now). One such wealthy individual is Saleem Mandviwalla , a former finance Minister of Pakistan for a short term , and was chairman of Pakistan’s investment board for a long period. The other wealthy Pakistani is Imaad Zuberi , an American citizen and a close friend of Obama , the investigation team had uncovered. 

The team had unearthed information that some of the black monies of Rajapakses have been invested in America via Imad Suberi. 

Saleem Mandviwalla prior to his appointment in Pakistan , was the chairman of the board of commerce of Balukhistan. At present he is no longer holding any official positions in Pakistan , and he is retired. Among his business ramifications internationally , are a communication business and among the Industries ,he owns a vehicle production Industry. But, lately , he is a frequenter of the Temple Trees. 

Imaad Zuberi is an owner of a number of Venture Capital companies in America. Avenue Ventures , Cirqa mobile Incorporated, Credit Circle Incorporated and Debt Dog are some of his companies. He played a key role in the collection of funds for Barack Obama’s two election campaigns. He collected over US dollars 685,000 through his solitary efforts and donated for Obama’s last election campaign. Rajapakses have invested part of their black monies through him and his links.

The international investigating team had also been able to dig out information that Rajapakses have invested their black monies through four wealthiest men in Sri Lanka too via trust agreements.

Though we have all the unsavory details in our possession this is not the opportune moment to disclose them. The investigation team has also elicited information that the colossal amounts of black money collected by Gotabaya Rajapakse from weapon deals, heroin business , extortions, robbery of public funds etc. have been invested in over a hundred companies in diverse names.

It is very unfortunate for the Rajapakses of Sri Lanka (SL) despite their usage of inordinate evil powers and all the shields to cover their robberies of public funds and rackets , international teams of the world are keeping a watch over them , and having them under their surveillance.

What happened to the wealth amassed by Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Gadafi of Libya are classic examples in this context. It took only a few hours to track down their wealth and assets , as well as to seize those of their relatives after they were toppled. Later steps were taken to return those ill gotten monies and assets of those leaders to the true owners of those countries. Moreover the despotic leaders who died in stinking culverts finally did not get time to enjoy the ill gotten wealth and plundered assets as freely as they desired.

Tamils mark Black July in London, call for justice for ongoing genocide
24 July 2014

Photograph Amrita Chandradas

Remembering the anti-Tamil pogrom of Black July in 1983, Tamils came together on Wednesday in London, opposite the British prime minister's residence at Downing Street, and called for justice for the victims of the past and ongoing genocide against the Tamil people. 
Tamils Mark Black July in London, Call for Justice for Ongoing Genocide by Maria Anderson

They Buried His Soul & Destroyed His Paintings In July 1983

| by Pearl Thevanayagam

(July 24, 2014, Bradford UK, Sri Lanka Guardian ) He drove the motorbike onto the lawn, removed the hubcap, set it on fire and jumped out. He wore a school uniform. My father’s 300 paintings which were his treasured lifetime work were burning. Some of them took nearly ten years to complete and my forefinger and thumb were his model for St Cecilia who is the patron saint of music.

To this day I thank the Lord he died before he saw his treasures go up in flames during the July riots of 1983. He never sold one single painting since he thought it was vulgar to sell art and he lived for art and art alone.

I still remember his canvas he prepared on the wall in Jaffna stretching to well over 20 feet where he reproduced Michaelangelo’s Agony and Ecstasy, the depiction of Lord’s creation. It took him almost five years to complete the mural. I stood beside him mixing turpentine with oil paints and handing out different size brushes. He had this huge ceramic paint box with oil and acryllic paints and a host of carbon pencils for black and white sketches. God forbid if you placed the brushes in the wrong order.

Fancy Palace run by my classmate’s father in Jaffna, Mr Mohideen, made his frames according to his stringent requirements.

My father’s friends were an eclectic mix. Sivagnasundaram of Darling Damoderan cartoon fame in Sirithiran and Veerakesari, Duke Mama, the excise inspector, who smoked cigarette from a slender fashionable holder, Ramani Mama who did sculptures on the portico with my father in cement, Edwin Uncle the Communist who did nothing but talk politics until lunch is served and Rajaratnam Mama who took our photographs with his old box camera were frequent visitors to our house mostly because my mother gave them sumptuous meals consisting of fowls, crabs and prawns during the weekends.

Mr Ranasinghe, art inspector for the South, W.J.G Beiling, chief inspector of art, Bongso Jayah, L.S.S. Perera who was one of my godfathers at baptism, Mr Udugama from the department of education were visitors during school holidays with their families at our home in Manipay.

I did not mind other possessions being set on fire but watching my father’s lifetime work go up in flames would make me what I am today. This is to not let another Black July or allow Sinhala racists deprive us of our dignity. I chose journalism over LTTE militancy although I was very much tempted by the latter.

I have already written about how we were rendered homeless once our house was looted in Nugegoda on July 24, but never again will we allow racists to bully minorities be they Tamils, Muslims or Burghers.

Tamil diaspora across the world are coming home to their traditional homeland and take possession of their properties pilfered by the marauding armed forces set up by the government and this time round their tenacity and resilience cannot match the boorish and brutal behaviour of the ruling government which is increasingly becoming side-lined by its own supporters. The resistance will come from within the government and the international community which could easily upseat the government. Its allies are human rights violators such as Belarus, China and Russia among others. When UNHRC probe concludes backdating to July 1983 the government would have been cornered good and proper.

Tamils are eagerly awaiting redress.

(The writer has been a journalist for 25 years and worked in national newspapers as sub-editor, news reporter and news editor. She was Colombo Correspondent for Times of India and has contributed to Wall Street Journal where she was on work experience from The Graduate School of Journalism, UC Berkeley, California. Currently residing in UK she is also co-founder of EJN (Exiled Journalists Network) UK in 2005 the membership of which is 200 from 40 countries. She can be reached at thevanayagampearl@yahoo.co.uk)

‘Equal Rights’ awareness campaign disrupted by Police

Thursday, 24 July 2014

Police interrupted a banner-signing campaign held in Borella, which was one of a series of awareness programs held island-wide today (23rd) by the Movement for Equal Rights (MER).

The MER had begun the program entitled “no to another black July”, around 9am in the town of Borella, when police officers attached to the Borella police station arrived at the location and informed them to stop the campaign and remove the banner.

Later, police officers who had arrived at the location forcibly took away the banner, and at this moment are preparing to arrest the members of the MER who were involved in the program. 

SC Orders Govt. Institutes To Permit ‘Hijab’

July 24, 2014 

De facto Chief Justice Mohan Pieris in the Supreme Court today recalling a visit he made to an international school in Colombo in which Muslim students were dressed in traditional Punjabi attire and said that “I see no reason why this should not be permitted”.

File photo

He made these remarks when a Fundamental Rights petition filed by a parent of Janadipathi Balika Vidyalayadetailing how she was prevented from entering the school dressed in her traditional attire was taken up before the Supreme Court.

Earlier a student of the school also filed a separate case detailing how she was harassed by the Principal for wearing the punjabi attire which includes a shawl and a trouser apart from the uniform.

The reference to students was made when Counsel Manohara De Silva appearing for the Principal said that the order made by the Supreme Court in the current case should not be streched to another case filed by a student.

While agreeing to the submission made by the Counsel, De facto Chief Justice said- ” I recently when for a ceremony at the Colombo International School and there was a nicely dressed Muslim girl with her head scarf and trousers on, if its good for them I see no reason why it is not good for the rest”.

When the case that was taken up today the Supreme Court  ordered the Attorney General of Sri Lanka to give directions to officials of all public institutions to not obstruct Muslim ladies who are attired in their traditional cultural dress.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Mohan Pieris, S. Sripavan and Priyantha Jayawardena so directed the Attorney General.

The Petitioner was a parent of a student of Janadipathi Balika Vidyalaya, Rajagiriya who was prevented from entering the school attired in a head scarf and gown.

” This is a traditional dress and no one can be offended by it” Mohan Pieris said.

Counsel Manohara De Silva PC who appeared for the Principal however,insisted that the identity of the parent must be ascertained, referring to the face veil.

At that point Counsel M.M. Zuhair who appeared with Hafeel Farisz pointed out that in the current case there is no instance of adorning a face veil, but despite such, the Petitioner was violently prevented from entering the school.

At one point the Mohan Pieris asked the Petitioner- parent to identify her self and when she did he commended the dress.

” This is a beautiful dress  and no one can take offence of it. Its decent enough and she is well within her rights to be attired in it” he told open court.

The case of the parent was thereafter terminated with all parties agreeing to the order of the court.

The case filed by the student is to be taken up on August 4th 2014.

Related posts;

Scotland police stop Sri Lanka Commonwealth Games cyclists cycling on motorway

July 24, 2014

Four members of Sri Lanka’s Commonwealth Games team sparked a police response after going for a bicycle ride down one of Scotland’s busiest stretches of motorway.

The Glasgow 2014 athletes were spotted cycling down the M74 before police intervened near the exit for Motherwell and Hamilton and informed them they were breaking the law. The junction is close to Strathclyde Park, which hosts the triathlon events on Thursday and Sunday.

Police confirmed they had been called to a report of four cyclists on the M74 at junction six at around 11.55am on Wednesday. A police spokeswoman said: “Police attended. Advice and assistance was given and the cyclists were advised to get off the road.” - The Guardian UK -

Disintegration of SLFP begins

Thursday, 24 July 2014 

Around 30 young activists of the SLFP held a secret meeting at the Homagama home of an individual involved in the legal field. The topic of the discussion attended by provincial councillors, lawyers, journalists and longstanding activists of the party was the upcoming presidential election.

The present path of the government came under criticism at the meeting, and an agreement has been reached to support the common opposition candidate who would promise to abolish the executive presidency. They have decided to function secretly and to come out publicly with their stance soon after the nominations were handed in for the presidential election.

Learn about the scoundrel who enticed the children towards the wolf after dressing the latter in human attire
(Lanka-e-News-24.July.2014, 1.30PM) The very foundation and fundamental aim of justice is its dispensation equitably and fairly to all with equality .

It will not be fair play or sacrosanct justice if it is to be dispensed differently to Nanayakkara in one way , Gnanassara in another way , and Nona ( lady) in yet another way. In that case it will not be justice but ‘just vice’ that will be promoted and propagated in the name of justice (via mockery) by those dispensing it.

Of course the legal luminaries ought to know this better than the common people, and if that legal practitioner is a Cabinet Minister, it is all the more important he should know this much better. Further , if that lawyer is involved in politics like ‘Nana’ (conducting himself whimsically and comically ), then he must know this still better .

Therefore , lawyer Vasudeva Nanayakkara , the Minister of national integration who is supposed to ensure fair play and justice among all must have above all , this equality blood coursing through his veins no matter how grave his senile decay is; and he cannot offer any excuse if it does not ,because rigor mortis had not seized him yet .

Nanayakkara should be aware , his brother in law , Vigneswaran, a former judge was elected as the chief Minister of the northern province by polling as much as 80 % votes of the people. Later , Vigneswaran as chief Minister and his people made a just and important request to his brother in law to appoint any civilian but not a military leader as the governor for the north . 

Nanayakkara, surely in the circumstances cannot deny knowledge of the fact that his lokka ,President Medamulana Percy Mahendra Rajapakse ignored that request and appointed a retired Major general of the forces as a governor of the north, thereby giving a fatal blow to the expectations of the people and justice , and worst of all his brother in law Vigneswaran. Nanayakkara certainly cannot say he did not come to know about this through his brother in law , unless of course Nanayakkara is suffering from mental decay in addition to senile decay.

Nanayakkar a specially must be aware of this because retired major generals have not been appointed to other provinces in the country. Moreover , Vasudeva Nanayakkara upholds views which are diametrically opposed to religious extremism and fanaticism of Gnanassaras, and speaks vociferously against them at least on the face of it.

In like manner Nanayakkara cannot disclaim knowledge of the fact that it was the country’s security chief Medamulana Percy Rajapakse who did not allow the laws to be duly enforced, and prevented Gnanassara the main villain from arrest in the Alutgama and Beruwala mayhem and murders. It was one hour after this Gnanassara demon’s sermon ,152 business establishments of Muslims from Beruwala to Alutgama were ruthlessly destroyed following a rampage of brutal violence . (This figures not ours, its told to media by govt. minister Rajitha Senarathna) 

Lawyer cum Minister Nanayakkara also cannot plead ignorance of the fact that it was a secretary of Medamulana Percy Mahendra Rajapakse who gave orders to release the Naval soldiers who committed gang rape on a 11 years old Tamil girl on 11 consecutive day, owing to which directive , the victim of the gang rape was denied justice. Nanayakkkara should know it is because of his Lokka that the victim was not meted out justice.

After knowing all these injustices and atrocities of Medamulana Percy Mahinda Rajapakse , if Vasudeva Nanayakkara is thinking all those actions are just and fair , and flies kites at Galle face green alongside Rajapakse, each fondly holding the other’s spindle, it is our conviction nothing could be considered as more sordid and shameful in this world .

The photographs herein depict , Nanayakkara flying kites with Medamulana Rajapakse after bringing destitute Tamil and Sinhalese children of Batticaloa , Mannar , Hambantota , Mulaitivu and Jaffna on the 20 th to Galle face green, to demonstrate unity in diversity , and equality treat to all.

It is most deplorable and despicable that Nanayakkara after dressing the wolf in a grandmother’s attire brought those children into the wolf’s midst like how ‘red riding hood’ in the old fairy tale was enticed by the wolf in grandmother’s dress.

CREDIBILITY REQUIRES BEING CONSISTENT 

INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY 

 24 July 2014

The government has decided to invite three eminent international legal experts on human rights and war crimes to advise its Commission of Inquiry into Missing Persons. The team of experts is headed by Sir Desmond de Silva, Queen’s Counsel, a prominent British lawyer and a former Chief War Crimes Prosecutor at the UN Tribunal for Sierra Leone, who is also of Sri Lankan origin. It will also include Professor Sir Geoffrey Nice, a British lawyer who headed the trial of Slobodan Milosevic at the international tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague; and Professor David Crane of the United State who was the Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

They will serve on an Advisory Council to the Commission of Inquiry to advise it on matters pertaining to the work of the Commission. In addition, the government has expanded the mandate of the Commission on Missing Persons to include the loss of civilian life during the war and violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law. They will also inquire into whether there was adherence to or neglect of the principles of distinction, military necessity and proportionality under the laws of armed conflict and international humanitarian law, by the Sri Lankan armed forces and LTTE.

The National Peace Council has consistently stood for a national process that upholds international standards as the way forward. At the same time there is a need to be mindful of its experience with another commission of inquiry in the past. This was the International Independent Eminent Group of Persons (IIEGP) which was appointed in 2007 to advise the Commission of Inquiry into Serious Human Rights Violations. The IIGEP was headed by P N Bhagwati, former Indian Chief Justice, but a year later decided to terminate its operations in Sri Lanka. According to a statement issued by the IIGEP, "The IIGEP is of the opinion that there has not been the minimum level of trust necessary for the success of the work of the commission and the IIGEP."

The National Peace Council welcomes any governmental effort to achieve international standards in looking at the past. There is also an equivalent need to reach those standards in dealing with issues of governance within the country at the present time. The government has also been restricting the freedom of civil society groups in a manner that goes counter to international standards. Most significant of all is its failure to stand by its commitments with regard to the devolution of power. This is a serious problem as a reconciliation process cannot run on separate tracks, where internationally the government shows itself to be a in a reconciliatory mode, while within the country there is confrontation and antagonism and a shrinking of space for civil society and print and electronic media. The situation on the ground will be seen by all who are interested in Sri Lanka and will undermine their belief in the sincerity of the reconciliation process.

Governing Council
The National Peace Council is an independent and non partisan organization that works towards a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has a vision of a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka in which the freedom, human rights and democratic rights of all the communities are respected. The policy of the National Peace Council is determined by its Governing Council of 20 members who are drawn from diverse walks of life and belong to all the main ethnic and religious communities in the country.

SRI LANKA: Department of External Resources Misleading Public on NGO Activities

July 24, 2014

Adding to a series of unconstitutional restrictions placed on the legitimate activities of the Non-Governmental Organizations, the Director General of the Department of External Resources (DGDER) has now published a Notice, "advising" the public on the legitimate activities of the NGOs. Having examined carefully the contents of the Notice, we state that the Notice is misleading and needs to be clarified. Lawyers Collective wishes to place the following facts and legal positions before the general public to dispel any possible misunderstanding or confusion caused by the said Notice.

a.     The Notice suggests that the NGOs do not follow exchange control regulations, tax laws and various other statutes. However the government has so far failed to point out any instances of such violations by NGOs. We fully endorse that if any NGO has violated the normal law of the country, the law enforcement authorities should deal with such situations, following due process. In our view, this Notice has been made for a collateral purpose, as the Government could and will taken necessary actions, in the event any NGO or individual obtains or receives foreign aid in contravention of laws of Sri Lanka. However as of today, no such prosecutions have been initiated.

b.     The DGDER has indicated that in terms of the Constitution, all foreign exchange receipts should come directly into the Consolidated Fund. This is a false statement intended to mislead the public.  If this position is correct, there is no difference between the Government Finance and individual/non-governmental finance. In our view, any  individual/organization is entitled to receive foreign funds directly through lawful channels for any lawful purpose and such receipts cannot not become part of the Consolidated Fund. The fact that all foreign funding or earnings are regulated under the Exchange Control Act does not convert such receipts into the Public Finance through the Consolidated Fund;

c.     The Notice suggests that all development programmes should be in line with the national development framework of the Government, thereby not recognizing the right of individuals and organizations to engage in individual contributions  to suit the society, community or for  legitimate objectives, independent of the Government;

d.     The Notice also refers to Financial Intelligence Unit of Sri Lanka (which is part of the Central Bank), Financial Transaction Reporting Act and Countering the Financial of Terrorism Act (DTF) etc unjustly suggesting that the receipt of foreign aid by NGOs is not fully disclosed.   Each of those laws refers to its own scheme of operation, and there is absolutely no justification for the DGDER to make such vague and confusing statement. All NGOs are required, under respective accountability systems, to comply with the lawful regulatory mechanisms in the country and they receive foreign donations only through licensed commercial banks.

This Notice is yet another intimidatory tactic of the Government, manipulated outside the legal framework, to create suspicion in the minds of the general public on the pro-democratic positions taken by the NGOs as well as their contribution to uplift socio-economic status of the masses.  There is overwhelming evidence to infer that the Government is planning, through its agencies such as military, to take control of civil society organizations and to make the advocacy programmes of NGOs ineffective.   The Government is also taking extra judicial measures to thwart the regular contributions of the civil society to protect and promote human rights, democratic values and ideals in Sri Lanka. The Lawyers Collective requests the public not to be misled by misinformation campaigns by the Government,  which is fast moving towards authoritarianism.

Lal Wijenayaka

Chandrapala Kumarage

JC Weliamuna

Conveners of Lawyers Collective

23rd July 2014

Flogging a brain-dead cob

Editorial-July 23, 2014

The government and the UNP locked horns in Parliament on Tuesday over a Chinese aircraft maintenance base to be set up in Trincomalee. Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe demanded that External Affair Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris explain the government position. The UNP’s contention has been that Sri Lanka should not undertake anything that India may consider detrimental to its interests. Discounting the UNP’s claim, Prof. Peiris stressed that the project would in no way pose a threat to India.

Sri Lanka should be able to do what is good for it to attain its development goals. If the government is convinced that the project at issue is feasible and beneficial to the country and poses no threat to any other nation it should have the facility set up wherever it wants. India and China will always look askance at each other’s involvement in this country, but that is no reason why their development assistance and investment should not be sought.

Interestingly, the UNP, on Tuesday, in a bid to drive its point home, invited Parliament’s attention to the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987, which, it rightly pointed out, prohibited the use of the territories of the two countries for purposes detrimental to each other’s interests. Accord or no accord, Sri Lanka must not allow its soil to be used against India. In fact, having a formidable enemy like India is the last thing Sri Lanka wants. The late President J. R. Jayewardene, in his wisdom, antagonised India by wooing the US and the price he had to pay for his foreign policy blunder was enormous. India harassed him in every possible way with its diplomats even dictating terms to him, and finally made him sign the aforesaid accord against his will.

The Indo-Lanka Accord required India to disarm the armed Tamil groups it had created and pave the way for a peaceful resolution to the armed conflict. But, nothing of the sort happened and the LTTE remained armed until 2009, when the Sri Lankan security forces succeeded in neutralising it. The Indian territory was used by the LTTE for its war against this country. Even today the outfit is operating freely in Tamil Nadu with many South Indian politicians backing it to the hilt. India having thus failed to fulfil its obligations, how can the Indo-Lanka Accord be considered still valid?

TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, MP has told this newspaper that the government is in the present predicament with a UNHRC war crimes probe underway because it has reneged on its promises to India to devolve power among other things. True, it has not honoured its pledges and, therefore, fallen foul of India. But, the question of a war crimes probe against Sri Lanka and resistance to devolution would not have arisen if India had, in keeping with the Indo-Lanka Accord, disarmed the Tamil militant groups including the LTTE within 72 hours and pressured them to accept devolution. Had India honoured its obligations Sri Lanka’s war would have been over about 26 years ago and thousands of lives and property worth billions of dollars could have been saved.

The Indo-Lanka Accord ceased to be worth the paper it was written on when the surrender of arms in the hands of militant groups failed to materialise. Curiously, the provisions of that much-touted pact continue to be invoked selectively from time to time with no mention made of the fact that it failed to be a solution to the armed conflict and, therefore, lost its raison d’etre.

So, using the Indo-Lanka Accord as a peg to hang one’s argument against the proposed Chinese aircraft maintenance facility can be self-defeating.

Be Alert! External Resources dept. misleads Public on NGO Activities - Lawyers Collective

Thursday, 24 July 2014

Adding to a series of unconstitutional restrictions placed on the legitimate activities of the Non Governmental Organizations, the Director General of the Department of External Resources (DGDER) has now published a Notice, “advising” the public on the legitimate activities of the NGOs. Having examined carefully the contents of the Notice, we state that the Notice is misleading and needs to be clarified. Lawyers Collective wishes to place the following facts and legal positions before the general public to dispel any possible misunderstanding or confusion caused by the said Notice.

a. The Notice suggests that the NGOs do not follow exchange control regulations, tax laws and various other statutes. However the government has so far failed to point out any instances of such violations by NGOs. We fully endorse that if any NGO has violated the normal law of the country, the law enforcement authorities should deal with such situations, following due process. In our view, this Notice has been made for a collateral purpose, as the Government could and will taken necessary actions, in the event any NGO or individual obtains or receives foreign aid in contravention of laws of Sri Lanka. However as of today, no such prosecutions have been initiated.

b.The DGDER has indicated that in terms of the Constitution, all foreign exchange receipts should come directly into the Consolidated Fund. This is a false statement intended to mislead the public.  If this position is correct, there is no difference between the Government Finance and individual/non-governmental finance. In our view, any  individual/organization is entitled to receive foreign funds directly through lawful channels for any lawful purpose and such receipts cannot not become part of the Consolidated Fund. The fact that all foreign funding or earnings are regulated under the Exchange Control Act does not convert such receipts into the Public Finance through the Consolidated Fund;

c. The Notice suggests that all development programmes should be in line with the national development framework of the Government, thereby not recognizing the right of individuals and organizations to engage in individual contributions  to suit the society, community or for  legitimate objectives, independent of the Government;

d.The Notice also refers to Financial Intelligence Unit of Sri Lanka (which is part of the Central Bank), Financial Transaction Reporting Act and Countering the Financial of Terrorism Act (DTF) etc unjustly suggesting that the receipt of foreign aid by NGOs is not fully disclosed.   Each of those laws refers to its own scheme of operation, and there is absolutely no justification for the DGDER to make such vague and confusing statement. All NGOs are required, under respective accountability systems, to comply with the lawful regulatory mechanisms in the country and they receive foreign donations only through licensed commercial banks.

This Notice is yet another intimidatory tactic of the Government, manipulated outside the legal framework, to create suspicion in the minds of the general public on the pro-democratic positions taken by the NGOs as well as their contribution to uplift socio-economic status of the masses.  There is overwhelming evidence to infer that the Government is planning, through its agencies such as military, to take control of civil society organizations and to make the advocacy programmes of NGOs ineffective.   The Government is also taking extra judicial measures to thwart the regular contributions of the civil society to protect and promote human rights, democratic values and ideals in Sri Lanka. The Lawyers Collective requests the public not to be misled by misinformation campaigns by the Government,  which is fast moving towards authoritarianism.