Ebola outbreak declared a public emergency as clinics ‘paralysed’ 

Friday 08 Aug 2014

Today the ongoing Ebola epidemic in west Africa was upgraded to a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.”

That’s World Health Organisation (WHO) jargon that essentially means much more effort is urgently needed.

The pronouncement from Geneva was almost immediately underlined by another sharp rise in the number of cases in the outbreak.

Since yesterday 68 new cases and 29 deaths have been confirmed from Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

It’s now well accepted that the WHO was caught on the back foot by this outbreak and that more should have been done sooner. However, in the nearly 40-year history of the Ebola no outbreak has lasted more than a month or two. It seems everyone was expecting this one to burn itself out.

Only it hasn’t. Overall there have now been 1,779 cases and 961 deaths.

Today the WHO called for more action by health departments in affected countries, and more doctors, nurses and protective equipment to make its way to areas where the virus is being transmitted.

But it also emphasised the need for better communication about the disease. Fear is fuelling this outbreak.

People who suspect they or their families have Ebola are still very reluctant to go to clinics.

Today the WHO called for countries to make reassurances about the availability of treatment, as well as better local efforts to trace the contacts of those with the virus that will eventually stop it from spreading.

Usually upgrading a health emergency to a “PHEIC” immediately triggers international travel bans. But today international health experts congratulated the WHO on not calling for movement restrictions.

Personnel and equipment need to move freely in and out of the country. Already flight suspensions by airlines like British Airways’ cancellation of services to Freetown have been criticised for delaying the ability of agencies to react.

But it’s still very likely the outbreak will continue until the end of the year.

Though the virus has killed relatively few people across three countries, it’s close to paralysing some treatment clinics. Many healthcare workers have become infected and died, and staffing levels are critically low.

Fear among local people is still rife. Cases of infected people trying to escape from clinics and attacks on workers trying to trace contacts are still common.

Yesterday we reported on a man who was found collapsed in the centre of Conakry in the capital of Guinea,  suspected of having Ebola. We’ve been unable to confirm what happened to him, but the Associated Press reported that his family are thought to have taken him away.

If the man does have Ebola, it’s a good example of the challenge west Africa faces – until people are reassured that medical help could improve their chances of survival, each case will continue to lead to more.

Follow @TomClarkeC4 on Twitter

The Ebola Virus And Aviation

| by Ruwantissa Abeyratne

( August 8, 2014, Montreal, Sri Lanka Guardian) At the time of writing, 932 deaths had been confirmed in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria due to Ebola, among 1711 reported cases in those countries. In addition, two American medical staff had also been infected. and Liberia had declared a state of emergency. 

The Ebola Virus and Aviation by Thavam

Foreign Service POLITICIZED 


By Zahrah Imtiaz-August 7, 2014 

Of the 49 posts, 35 heads of diplomatic missions are filled with political appointees, and this practice has turned the Foreign Service into a branch of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Democratic National Alliance (DNA) MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake charged in Parliament yesterday (06).

He added that politicization of the Foreign Service has led to the current dismal state in the foreign relations sphere in the country. Dissanayake blamed the Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris for the collapse of the Foreign Service and said the minister was fast losing control over the administration of his ministry.

The MP accused the ministry of having appointed relatives of ruling party politicians, friends and close associates of the government to high positions in the Foreign Service who were totally incompetent to handle such responsibilities.
"Our diplomatic mission in Canberra, has a staff of 20, of which 19 are political appointees," Dissanayake lamented. He then named the officers who were political appointees.
UPFA MP Azwer at this point raised a Point of Order and asked that all references to the President be expunged from the parliamentary proceedings.

Dissanayake revealed the following list to the House; "Ambassador to Netherlands, Buddhi Athauda (son of Minister Athauda Seneviratne), Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga (....cousin), Ambassador to Washington, Jaliya Wickramasooriya (....cousin), High Commissioner to the Maldives, Dixon Dela (father of Nilanga Delage,....friend), High Commissioner to Nigeria, A.S.P. Liyanage (....friend), Ambassador to Sweden, Oshadi Alahapperuma (brother of Minister Dulles Alahapperuma), Consulate Sydney, Yasara Abeynayake (granddaughter of late actor and Deputy Speaker, Gamini Fonseka), Ambassador to Turkey, Bharathi Wijeratne (wife of late Minister Mano Wijeratne), Ambassador to Vietnam, Prof.

Ivan Amarasinghe (....friend), Ambassador to Germany, Sarath Kongahage (former chairman of Rupavahini), High Commissioner to Singapore, Ferriel Ashroff (former SLFP minister), Ambassador to Jordan, Gamini Rajapaksa (former minister in UNP Government), Second Secretary in London diplomatic office, Muthu Padmakumara (daughter of Lake House Chairman), First Secretary in diplomatic mission in Melbourne, Osada Yapa Abeywardene (son of Minister Lakshman Yapa), Second Secretary in diplomatic mission in New York and Chamithri Rambukwella (daughter of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella),".
He cited the recent diplomatic fiasco with Tamil Nadu over an article published on the official Ministry of Defence website as a prime example to claim the incompetency of the ministry in handling such issues.

"This is the official website of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) which comes under the purview of the President. How did they make such a huge blunder? Did the Ministry of External Affairs not advise the MoD on this?" asked Dissanayake. Dissanayake further stated that with the appointment of the political stooges, those who were qualified for those job had been sidelined. Hence, the government had to resort to hiring expensive foreign companies to get the job done.
"The government has hired so many foreign consultants, how much was paid to them? Where did the money come from? Why was Parliament not consulted on this?" queried Dissanayake.

The government, he said had paid the PR Firm Bell Pottinger, Rs 8.8 million to write the President's speech at the last United Nations sessions. In addition, The PR Firm Thompson Adversary was paid Rs 90 million to write two letters for the Governor of the Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the JVP Leader mentioned.
"Who paid for all this?" asked Dissanayake.

Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Neomal Perera who replied Dissanayake's question, said the appointment of close associates of the government to high positions of the Foreign Service was nothing new, "every government in power has done this, so as to be able to project the government's stance in foreign countries."
He added, if those appointed were found to be unsuitable or not performing, they would be immediately recalled.

Tears Of A War Victim And The Cruelty Of Sri Lankan Forces

By Kishok Jeyachandran -August 7, 2014

Kishok Jeyachandran

The following account is based on survivor interviews to Tamils against Genocide. Personal details of Ainkaran (not his real name), place names and dates have been changed to protect his identity.

Ainkaran volunteered in a hospital in the contested North East of Sri Lanka when the government began its final offensive on the Tamil separatists. It was 2009, and the outlook was grim for the LTTE. The cadres had set up fortified settlements far behind the frontline in order to escape the artillery of the Sri Lankan Army, but there were some shells, with a range of 3-5km, that could still reach even these safe havens.

As the fighting intensified and the shells began to fall, Ainkaran helped to spread the sign of the International Red Cross across the roof of a school building that they had converted into a hospital. From up on the roof, you could already see the smoke rising over the trees, and hear the distant thud of the artillery.

When artillery fired, you first heard a deep boom far away, and then after just one second, you knew the shell would be falling. On other days, you could see the sharp shadows of the Israeli-made Kfir jets flying in squadrons of three, swooping in low and dropping their bombs. There were helicopters, too, spraying bullets and rockets into the trees.

The army declared Puthukudiiruppu, Mullaiththeevu and Mulliavalai as no-fire zones, but people said shells were landing even there, so no one went towards them. When a shell fell through the roof of the Ainkaran’s hospital, about 50 people died on the spot. Ainkaran helped to carry the wounded, and drive them to other makeshift hospitals being run by volunteers. One woman had her intestines spilling out of a wound.

When people died, they were laid out in lines outside the hospital, and relatives could come and identify them. If no one came for them after two days, they were buried all together. Many people were too afraid of the shells to come and look for their relatives there, so many were buried without their names.

Read More

International experts on presidential commission will have no investigative power – Mahinda Rajapaksa

06 August 2014

President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated the government’s position that the threeinternational experts appointed to advise the presidential commission on disappearances do not have the mandate to hold investigations.

Speaking to Sri Lankan media on Tuesday, the president added that the government was considering expanding the international advisory committee to six.

External Affairs Minister GL Peiris said at the press briefing that Sri Lanka rejected outright paragraph 10 of the UNHRC resolution passed in March this year, which called for an international investigation into war crimes.

“However, we have agreed to the Clause 2 which called for an internal investigation”, he pointed out.

The government's decision to appoint international advisors to the commission has encountered widespread condemnation amongst Sri Lankan parties, with the main opposition UNP calling it a "betrayal" of Sri Lankan soldiers.

The Tamil National Alliance dismissed the commission from its inception, pointing out the failures of previous commissions and rejecting the recent appointment of the international experts.

Cross-party concern over 'betrayal' of Sri Lankan soldiers in Presidential Inquiry (28 July 2014)

TNA remains sceptical over government commission (27 July 2014)

CPA criticises expansion of presidential commission mandate (25 July 2014)

UNP expresses ‘serious concern’ over government u-turn on presidential commission (22 July 2014)

TNA says it has no faith in Presidential commission (19 July 2014)

‘Puppies for Sale’ Poster campaign to intimidate Nimalka and Sunil

SLB -07/08/2014

Posters for selling puppies are pasted  near the Fort Railway Station area which include contact numbers of  two prominent Human  Rights Defenders  Nimalka Fenando and  Sunil Jayasekara as part of larger  plan to intimidate and insult them.

Dr. Nimalka Fernando is the President of Japan based International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) and a leading human rights defender in Sri Lanka. Sunila Jayasekara is the convener of the media freedom watch dog the Free Media Movement ant and outspoken human rights defender in Sri Lanka.

Both of them have come under numerous attacks and threats in recent times for their activism.

Dr. Fernando discribes the poster campaign as fellows:

”At about 7.30 am today I received a call purportedly from the Fort Police inquiring from me whether there are some puppies to be sold. I thought it was a nuisance caller and informed him that I am not in dog business. He then informed me that there are some posters in Fort with the mobile number he called(this is my number).  I called the mobile back and asked him the reason for calling me whether he wants to buy the puppies.”

”He then introduced himself as one Indrajith from the Environment Police Division and said since he took over night duty he saw many small posters put up near the Fort Railway Station area and decided to call me since such act is polluting the area etc. I was also informed that both my mobile numbers were there. I asked him to give me the other number.”

”I then started dialing the second number and realised that it belongs to Sunil Jayasekera of Free Media Movement !!!! I then also warned him about this matter.”

” The posters were displayed in an around the area in front of the Fort Railway Station where we normally hold our demonstrations.”

”I will now send a letter to Fort Police and IGP requesting them to apprehend any person putting up such posters since this would relate to an offense etc.”

Mr. Sunil Jayasekara told SLB that he too has received more then 10 telephone calls asking for puppies and apparently some of the callers just want to harass him.

According to Mr. Jayasekara there could be number of  aims for the posters: To use people to harass them; to call them on using the poster as a pretext by organised groups harass them; and to insult them as dog merchants.

Mr. Jayasekara further said that Colombo city especially Fort area is completely covered by the police security camera system and it is not possible to any group to put up posters without the knowledge of the Police. ” Under the Rajapaksa rule pasting posters is closely monitored and it is difficult to believe that any one a paste such posters without the knowledge of the police” Mr. Jayasekara said.

Tamil mood simmers yet again thanks to Lanka

August 06, 2014 11:58 IST

The Sri Lankan cartoon faux pas has revived the slackening pan-Tamil mood in Tamil Nadu, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

In what could be seen as inexplicable and disproportionate over-reaction to a Sri Lankan faux pas, a section of the Tamil film industry over the weekend called for shutting down the nation’s deputy high commission for southern India at Chennai.

Like the rest of the state, including the otherwise critical political Opposition, the film industry was protesting an inappropriate depiction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in a cartoon on the Sri Lankan defence ministry’s official website.

The cartoon had accompanied controversial Sri Lankan commentator Shenali Waduge’s analysis, 'How meaningful are Jayalalithaa’s love letters to Narendra Modi?' shared with some private websites. But their use in the defence ministry website made the difference to Sri Lanka’s critics in Tamil Nadu.

What was sought to be made out into a diplomatic episode ended without much bruise after the Sri Lankan ministry withdrew the objectionable article and cartoon -- and also extended “an unqualified apology” to the prime minister and Tamil Nadu chief minister.

Independent of the immediate issues, the current faux pas has sort of revived the slackening pan-Tamil mood in Tamil Nadu. Earlier, it had got immersed in the parliamentary poll campaign, which was fought on domestic issues, as ever.

Now, the affront on Jayalalithaa in particular has been followed by pre-poll kind of protests against Sri Lanka and President Rajapaksa, including effigy-burning.

In western Tamil Nadu, in Salem city, a ruling AIADMK functionary, Vijayalakshmi, took an over-dose of sleeping-pills to try and end her life, unable to bear the humiliation to ‘Amma’.

Jayalalithaa has since advised party cadres against wanting to lose their lives, which were precious.

Not to take chances, or left behind, the state police reportedly persuaded the visiting Under-15 Sri Lankan cricket team.

To the credit of the police, they, at the same time, ensured secured passage for 150 Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka, when they landed in Chennai to take a train to north Indian destinations.

Even without the current faux pas, award-winning film-maker A R Murugadoss (of bilingual Ghajini fame) is in trouble with his next film, Vijay-starrer Kaththi (‘Knife’), after one of the two Sri Lankan Tamil producers was alleged to have had business links with President Rajapaksa’s family members.

Given the purported SLT financial clout over Kollywood, starting with the likes of Ayngaran’s Karunamurthy – who was the original producer of Rajnikanth-grosser Enthiran or ‘Robot’ -- and over the Tamil film-market overseas, Murugadoss and Vijay were prominent among the protestors when the Tamil Film Directors Association called for one on August 4.

At the height of ‘Eelam War IV’, SLT overseas distributors reportedly pulled out Vijay and Ajith-starrers from overseas cinemas, citing poor patronage, until the actors had made good their earlier indifference by participating in film industry protests against the Sri Lankan government at the time.

It is unclear what linkage exists between protests against the Sri Lankan government and the revived demand for the closure of Sri Lankan mission, after similar demands used to be made by other groups too in the pre-poll era.

Reportedly the second largest Sri Lankan mission in the world after the one in London, the one in Chennai serves not only Indian tourists and traders from Tamil Nadu in particular, but also the 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, both residing in TN/GoI-sponsored camps and outside.

The refugees, many of whom have been staying, studying and working in India, for nearly three decades, have had their marriages, births and deaths certified and recorded, and Sri Lankan travel documents issued at and by the Chennai mission.

According to periodic media reports, the mission also conducts ‘registration camps’ of the kind in district-towns, to help those who are unable to travel to Chennai for the purpose -- at times cancelled at the last-minute, either after pan-Tamil protests at the venue or the reported reluctance of the State authorities, possibly owing the security considerations.

Incidentally, the Chennai DHC of Sri Lanka may also possibly be the single largest registration centre for weddings for Diaspora groups from any country anywhere in the world -- and certainly of Sri Lankan Tamils.

Whatever the reason and/or sentiments, brides and grooms of SLT Diaspora families travel to Chennai from different parts of the world to have wedding solemnised before travelling to Sri Lanka, to offer prayers at places of worship of their choice and seek the blessings of family elders residing in the country, before returning to their homes and jobs in the West, hand-in-hand.

For now, however, it remains to be seen how the pan-Tamil sections of the politicos in particular would reverse or reinforce their positions viz the Sri Lankan government on this and larger aspects of the ‘ethnic issue’, after President Rajapaksa had told his nation’s editors that he ‘regretted’ the episode!

The author is a veteran journalist and director of Observer Research Foundation (Chennai Chapter).

N Sathiya Moorthy

Government blames NGOs for meeting disruption  06 August 2014  Sri Lanka's Ministry of External Affairs blamed a row between two NGOs for the disruption of a meeting for families of the disappeared from the North on Monday, claiming that police had brought the alleged altercation under control. "According to reports, a meeting had been organized by the NGO 'Right to Life Human Rights Centre' involving families of disappeared persons from the North. However, another NGO, the 'Dead and Missing Person's Parents Front', had sought access to the meeting, demanding that their grievances be heard too. An ensuing argument had led to a tense situation which had subsequently been brought under control by law enforcement authorities," the Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.  Accusing the diplomats from western missions, who had been present at the meeting, of "being involved in a manner lacking objectivity", the Ministry said their behaviour had "led to the emergence of a pattern of such potentially volatile situations giving rise to the perpetuation of mistrust amongst communities at a sensitive juncture in the country’s history."  The Ministry's account runs contrary to reports by journalists present at the meeting, who described an angry mob led by Buddhist monks entering the building and shouting at Tamils gathered to discuss the disappearances of their loved ones. See here.  Condemning the disruption the US embassy on Monday expressed concern at the Sri Lankan police's failure to act as the mob brought the meeting to a halt, stating that the police had appeared to support the mob. The disruption was also condemned by the embassies of the UK, Germany, France and Switzerland, whose officials had also been present at the meeting.  "All those present felt that their security was under threat," the missions said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

Statement issued by the provincial superior of the oblates of Mary Immaculate (colombo province) on the illegal intrusion and disruption of a meeting at CSR
(Lanka-e-News- 07.Aug.2014, 3.00PM) As the Provincial Superior of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Colombo Province), I wish to express my feelings of deep disappointment and frustration over the deplorable and despicable incident that transpired at the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), at 281, Deans Road, Colombo 10, on Monday, August 4, 2014. CSR is the social justice arm of the Oblate religious order and has always championed the cause of the poor and the marginalized, whatever be their race or creed. It has fearlessly raised its voice on behalf of the voiceless victims of injustice during more than 40 years of its existence. CSR’s unwavering concern has always been the liberation of the poor and marginalized people and it always remained open to whatever was good and true irrespective of its source. Its discussion forums on vital issues have always been open to diverse views. Freedom of expression has been one of CSR’s hallmarks. Since its inception, the Centre has been an open forum for all ethnic communities and religions, a haven for opinion makers and academicians, and politicians of all hues to express their views and be heard on the most crucial issues affecting the Nation and her people. It was and continues to be a centre for research and a meeting place for both the powerful and the powerless on equal grounds without fear or favour.

The said incident occurred at a workshop organized by the Families of the Disappeared with the intention of listening to and learning the agonies of those whose loved ones had been the victims of involuntary disappearance irrespective of whether they were from the North or the South. It is also worthy of note that this gathering was reserved for invitees only and a number of foreign diplomats were in attendance at this meeting.

The fact that this meeting had been organized at the CSR is of special significance in this instance. The CSR, founded by the late Fr. Tissa Balasuriya, OMI, has earned the respect and recognition of all political parties and all religious denominations as an institution that promoted the values of democracy and for years had stood for the defence of social justice, peace, equality for all citizens in every sphere of life. Even during some of the darkest moments of the Nation’s history, the CSR remained an oasis where a modicum of sanity prevailed. 

It is indeed most unfortunate that these time tested values of the CSR were transgressed and its hallowed precincts violated by a group that forced itself into the premises uninvited and instilling fear and intimidation among those participating in a meeting on purely humanitarian grounds. The CSR is an organization that has created democratic space for dialogue among Sri Lankans and non-Sri Lankans as well and such space has often proved beneficial to generate discussion on social, political and economic issues and clear the air of bias and false rumours that may prove detrimental to society in general and to governments in particular. That democratic space has now being sullied by elements that contribute little to demonstrate to the world that Sri Lanka is a land where kindness and compassion are hallmarks of our national identity. We live in a world where humanitarian concerns transcend national boundaries, hence the presence of non-Sri Lankans should not be construed as external interference. 

The CSR premises lie contiguous to a place of worship. Trespassing such sacred space by the use of force and unbecoming and destructive behaviour is simply a violation of the Church’s guaranteed fundamental rights and of those who use those premises for humanitarian and peaceful purposes.The CSR has always held in high esteem all religions and those espousing their values and welcomed all organizations working for humanitarian concerns. In this context, those responsible for the CSR strongly condemn the illegal intrusion into its premises and urge, in no uncertain terms, the law enforcement authorities to bring the law of the land to bear on those who have acted contrary to its tenets, irrespective of their social status. 

We also appeal to the leaders of the Church and other peace loving organizations to send out a firm call to the powers that be to bring to a halt the blatant violations of the fundamental and civic rights of the citizens of this country. 


Very Rev. Fr. Rohan Silva OMI
Provincial Superior, 
Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Colombo Province)

Don’t Mislead the Public: Lawyers Collective urge MEA

[ Co Convener of the Lawyers Collective J.C. Weliamuna talking to the mob; Photo by Melani Manel]

LAWYERS COLLECTIVE PRESS RELEASE-07/08/2014 

Responding to a statement made by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on 5th August 2014 on the   incident at CSR, the Lawyers’ Collective cautions the public not to be misled by the inaccurate contents of the statement of the MEA. (see the MEA statement at the end of this Statement)

Those who were present at the meeting held at the Center for Society and Religion including the Lawyers, Religious Dignitaries and invited members of the diplomatic community witnessed with utmost horror the manner in which the unruly mob (which included Buddhist monks) invaded and intimidated a peaceful gathering and terrorized participants including children, using abusive language.  If there was any doubt about the mob had direct links with the Government, such doubts were now cleared by the MEA, by justifying the violent intruders as a peaceful NGO termed “The dead and missing persons’ parents’ front”. Such NGO or group was hitherto not known and we could not find how such a powerful organization had suddenly come into operation, to be recognized by the MEA in a day! MEA also falsely state that these unruly mob sought access to the meeting to air their grievances  but in fact the mob  threatened the organizers to stop the meeting.  The MEA implies that it was arguments between this group and the organizers and participants of the meeting which led to tensions, when it was abundantly clear to all concerned that tensions arose due to the illegal invasion of a private property and a private meeting by the unruly mob.

The MEA has however chosen not to explain why law enforcement authorities failed to enforce the law against the violators of criminal law of the country in a private premises (belonging to the Roman Catholic Church). It also doesn’t explain why the Police refused protection to victims, demanded cancellation of the meeting and asked that the Tamil participants from the North be sent back home.  The statement of the MEA is a continuation of whitewashing of the disruption of peaceful meetings in the country in violation of freedom of association.

The large contingency of security personal including sleuths from the intelligence divisions undoubtedly knew that this mob had the protection and shield from the Government and therefore they were unable to arrest the unruly criminal intruders.

It is amusing that the Ministry of External Affairs is now trying to pin the blame on the presence of the diplomatic community in their search of a scape goat, alleging that it was their presence which perpetuated mistrust among communities in Sri Lanka. As lawyers who have been actively and constantly monitoring the situation in the country, we state that it is the intolerance of dissent and cultivation of extremism on the part of the Government that has created the mistrust among communities in Sri Lanka. We also recognize the positive contributions made by leading personalities,  local and abroad,  including the diplomatic community whose  intervention has been extremely important  to protect democracy in the Country today.

Lal Wijenayaka
Chandrapala Kumarage
JC Weliamuna

Conveners of Lawyers Collective

7TH AUGUSTE 2014, COLOMBO

—————————————————————————–
MEA statement issued on 5th August 2014
External Affairs Ministry Statement on the Meeting at CSR on 4th August
The attention of the External Affairs Ministry has been drawn to an incident that occurred at the Centre for Society and Religion in Colombo on 4th August. According to reports, a meeting had been organized by the NGO “Right to Life Human Rights Centre” involving families of disappeared persons from the North. However, another NGO, the “Dead and Missing Person’s Parents Front”, had sought access to the meeting, demanding that their grievances be heard too. An ensuing argument had led to a tense situation which had subsequently been brought under control by law enforcement authorities. Several diplomatic representatives from western Missions based in Colombo had also been present at the event.
While recognizing the fundamental right to freedom of assembly and expression, the Ministry wishes to point out that that, once again, a certain section of the diplomatic corps appears to be involved in a manner lacking in objectivity, in events organized for a particular region and community. This has led to the emergence of a pattern of such potentially volatile situations giving rise to the perpetuation of mistrust amongst communities at a sensitive juncture in the country’s history.
The Ministry wishes to urge the diplomatic community to be more conscious of local sensitivities when attending events of an emotive nature.

Ministry of External Affairs
Colombo
5th August 2014

Monk Led Mob Attack Condemns

| The following statement issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission , a regional right body headquartered in Hong Kong SAR.

( August 7, 2014, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) On the 4th of August, a meeting for the families of disappeared persons, held at the Centre for Society and Religion in Colombo, was disrupted by a mob of people led by several Buddhist monks. The families, who had travelled from Mannar, Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Vavuniya, and Jaffna, had also visited the International Committee of the Red Cross Office prior to this meeting.

According to reports, over 30 family members of disappeared persons, members of civil society and NGOs, several Catholic priests and nuns, as well as members of the diplomatic community, were present when the disruption took place. The incident was described in a complaint made to the Maradana Police by Brito Fernando, one of the organisers of the meeting:

“At about 2:15 p.m., a person who claimed to be from Derana TV channel came carrying media equipment, claiming that he has received an invitation to the meeting through a fax. We explained that we have never sent any such fax and that this meeting is only for the invitees. Then, this person left. Then a lady came in the same manner, and we were able to send her away too. The fake fax invitation to the meeting had been sent under my name as the chairperson of the Families of the Disappeared Persons.

“The fake fax was sent from the following fax number: 011 2799 110. It bore the name ‘BS Net Café’. When we later made enquiries, we found that this fax number is registered at Sri Lanka Telecom under the name of Darshake Udayapila, No. 157/B, Thalawathugoda Road, Madiwela. In this fake fax invitation, it was mentioned that a special discussion would be held in order to create awareness among North and East activists and other persons about how to give evidence at the international inquiry on war crimes to be held in the future.

“Within an hour of the meeting starting, eight Buddhist monks, along with 30 other people, forcibly entered the meeting and started shouting and making death threats, demanding that the meeting be brought to an end. They did this for about an hour, making the parents of the disappeared afraid, as well as embarrassing the representatives from the embassies. Rev. Father Asok called the Maradana police, informing them about the situation and asking them for protection.

“A large group of policemen arrived immediately but they were unable to provide us with protection. We requested them to arrest the people who had entered the meeting’s premises by force for trespass and making threats, or at least to remove these people and allow us to carry on with the meeting. The police officers took the side of the disrupters, stating that they could not provide protection and ordering us to stop the meeting. Thus, they acted in an unlawful manner. The police asked five of the disrupters and five of the organisers of the meeting to come to the Maradana police station and have a discussion, which we refused.

“We told the police that they should remove the disrupters and, as there was no complaint against us, there was no need for us to visit the police station. Shortly afterwards, on the information that a complaint had been made against me and Dr. Nimalka, and that I should therefore come to the police station, I went to the police station and gave a statement replying to the complaint. A group of disrupters from the meeting were already inside the office of the Officer in Charge of the police station. We can produce the photos of these disrupters. Eight monks and two laypeople, claiming to the Secretary and Convener of an organization, led the disruption. One of the monks that led the disruption made the complaint against us.”

Mobilizing mobs led by Buddhist monks to disrupt meetings organized by civil society groups has become a common occurrence. Buddhist monks are being used as provocateurs in such disruptions.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development divulged use of this method; he told some journalists, such as the former editor of The Sunday Leader, Frederica Jansz, that the people will soon attack them.

By the use of mob attacks, the government can create the impression that these are spontaneous attacks by people and that the government does not have any responsibility regarding such attacks.

Another feature of such mob attacks is the support extended to them by the police. As a consequence, no genuine inquiry is held into the attacks by these ‘mobs’.

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the disruption of this meeting, organized for the benefit of one of the most victimized groups in Sri Lanka, the family members of the disappeared. AHRC also states that the family members of the disappeared in the North and East have the same grievances as others who have faced similar violations. To deny these persons the right to have their problems discussed is a fundamental violation of the democratic rights of these persons. Such attacks also disrupt the reconciliation between racial and ethnic groups. Further, the use of mob attacks to disrupt civil society meetings and gatherings amounts to an attack on the democratic way of life, which is the entitlement of everyone in Sri Lanka.

We particularly condemn the death threats made against the organizers of the civil society gathering. We call upon everyone to demand from the government a genuine inquiry into this mob attack and, in particular, an enquiry into the death threats made against the organizers.

Rajapaksa Govt Whitewashes Mob Crashing Meeting Of Families Of Missing People

August 7, 2014

The Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has once again thrown in its lot with unruly mobs disrupting legal private events taking place in the country recognising the group that stormed into the Centre for Society and Religion on Monday as a NGO demanding that their grievances be heard too.

The Ministry of External Affairs reacted strongly against the presence of the diplomatic community at the meeting in Maradana, saying certain diplomatic corps were ‘involved in a manner lacking objectivity’. The diplomats were present at the meeting to listen to the experiences of the families of disappeared from the Northern Province, many of them families who had surrendered their children to the military when the war ended in May 2009.

Disregarding the widely available video and photographic evidence the Government in its statement regarding the incident blatantly distorts the facts claiming that an argument between the organisers and the invading ‘NGO’ had led to a tense situation on the premises.

The CSR is private property belonging to the Catholic Church and the invading mobs led by Buddhist monks trespassed the building and stormed the meeting, shouting obscenities and terrorising organisers and victim families in the premises.

“While recognizing the fundamental right to freedom of assembly and expression, the Ministry wishes to point out that that, once again, a certain section of the diplomatic corps appears to be involved in a manner lacking in objectivity, in events organized for a particular region and community. This has led to the emergence of a pattern of such potentially volatile situations giving rise to the perpetuation of mistrust amongst communities at a sensitive juncture in the country’s history,” the MEA said in its statement released on Tuesday.

Going further to play apologist to the violent mobs, the Government urged the diplomatic community to “be more conscious of local sensitivities” when attending what it called “events of an emotive nature”.

The Government’s attitude and defence of the unruly mob removes all doubt about the link between the regime and these mobs that act with impunity, activist lawyers said.

The CSR event was the latest civil society meeting to be disrupted by protesting mobs who are inevitably successful during each of their raids in getting the events and workshops cancelled. It remains unclear how these invading mobs are able to get information about these events even when the meetings are kept closely guarded secrets in order to prevent this manner of disruption.

Monday’s mob which called itself the Association of Families of Missing People from the South at the police station soon after the incident have now titled themselves the Dead and Missing Persons Parents Front, an unheard of organisation that has gained publicity and recognition from the Government of Sri Lanka in the days since their mob assault on the meeting in Maradana.

Mob disrupts meeting of families of disappeared: Police & Government hound participants

by WATCHDOG 

- on 08/07/2014

Families of the disappeared from the Northern Province, gathered in Colombo on 4th August 2014, at 2.30pm, at the Centre for Society&Religion (CSR), which is a Church (Oblates of Mary Immaculate – OMI) run institution situated in the premises of a Catholic Church. The gathering was to share their experiences and struggles with those who have been sympathetic and supportive to them, such as representatives of civil society organizations, Christian clergy, lawyers and diplomats.

Mob Disrupts Meeting of Families of Disappeared Police & Government Hound Participants by Thavam Ratna

The Rajapaksa Mobocrazy

| by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“This place is dangerous,

The time right deadly.”

Shakespeare (Troilus and Cressida)

( August 7, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) For political activists of many generations, the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) was an unfailing haven. It was the place for meetings disallowed everywhere else or discussions which required secrecy.

Related video;

The Rajapaksa Mobocrazy by Thavam Ratna