What is the underlying purpose of reconciliation?

September 20, 2014 

The Government is reported to be appointing a Special Bureau for Reconciliation, according to a newspaper headline, although the body of the Report refers mostly to the implementation of the LLRC Report. But the LLRC Report, although it will help in the process of reconciliation, is not equivalent to reconciliation. One wonders whether the newspaper or for that matter even the Government understands the true meaning of reconciliation and its significance. 
Reconciliation means that despite all that they have suffered during the war (for which the LTTE is as much responsible as the Sinhalese), they are willing to be part of the same State under a scheme of devolution of power – a State which will continue to be dominated by the Sinhala Buddhist majority. They of course want the right to manage their own affairs in the north and east.
What is the Underlying Purpose of Reconciliation by Thavam

Loss of life in Sri Lanka conflict could have been averted: US 
Sri Lanka has been subject to 3 UNHRC resolutions in 2012, 2013 & 2014 over alleged rights abuses by govt troops during last phase of war with LTTE.

By PTI | 19 Sep, 2014
COLOMBO: The US has said that several lives could have been saved had the global community acted earlier and more appropriately to situations in some troubled nations like Sri Lanka, which is accused of human rights abuses during its military campaign against theLTTE. 

In a statement at a UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva yesterday, the US said a delayed response by the international community resulted in decaying human rights situations in those countries. 

Issued during a panel discussion on the role of prevention in promotion and protection of human rights, it said the most troubling aspect of recent atrocities is the concern that they could have been prevented. 

The US delegation noted the failure of the international community to act in Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur, Sri Lanka and Syria. 

Sri Lanka has been subject to three UNHRC resolutions in 2012, 2013 and 2014 over alleged rights abuses by government troops during the last phase of the war with theLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. 

The last one prescribed an international probe into the alleged rights violations. 

According to UN estimates, more than 40,000 civilians were killed in Lanka during the final phase of the conflict in 2009. The Sri Lankan government disputes the UN figure. 

During the session, the US commended the Rights Up Front initiative of UN chief Ban Ki-moon, which recognises the crucial need to respond early to developing situations in order to prevent rights violations and potential atrocities. 

Noting that the UN system on the ground in Sri Lanka had failed to respond adequately to a worsening human disaster, the UN in 2010 set up its own internal inquiry into the conduct of its operations in the island. 

Sri Lanka, however, dismissed the findings of the panel headed by Marzuki Darusman of Indonesia. 

The Darusman report revealed "a very different version of the final stages of the war than that maintained to this day by the Government of Sri Lanka". 

The panel found "credible allegations" which, if proven, indicated that warcrimes and crimes against humanity were committed by the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE.

'அதிகாரங்கள் பகிரப்பட்டால் பிரிவினையை தடுக்கலாம் என்ற பாடம்' - சம்பந்தர்

கடைசியாக பிரசுரிக்கப்பட்டது: 19 செப்டம்பர், 2014 - 13:57 ஜிஎம்டி

மீடியா பிளேயர்

'அதிகாரங்கள் பகிரப்பட்டால் பிரிவினையை தடுக்கலாம் என்ற பாடம்' - சம்பந்தர் - BBC Tamil - இலங்கை

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

அதிகாரங்கள் உரிய வகையில் பகிரப்பட்டால், ஒரு நாடு பிரிவதை தடுத்து, ஒன்றுபட்ட நாட்டுக்குள் அனைத்து இனங்களும் இணைந்து வாழலாம் என்பதற்கு ஸ்காட்லாந்து ஒரு பாடம் என்று இரா. சம்பந்தர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

தமது அரசியல் தலைவிதி என்ன என்பது குறித்த முடிவை ஸ்காட்லாந்து மக்களே எடுக்கும் வகையில் நடத்தப்பட்ட மக்கள் கருத்தறியும் வாக்கெடுப்பை ஒரு சிறந்த ஜனநாயக நடவடிக்கை என்று இலங்கை தமிழ் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பின் தலைவர் இரா. சம்பந்தர் வரவேற்றிருக்கிறார்.

அதேவேளை, ஸ்காட்லாந்து மக்கள் எடுத்த முடிவு எதுவாக இருந்த போதிலும் ஐக்கிய ராச்சியத்தின் முக்கிய கட்சிகள் அனைத்தினதும் தலைவர்களும், ஸ்காட்லாந்துக்கு இன்னமும் மேலதிக அதிகாரங்கள் வழங்கப்பட வேண்டும் என்று கூறியிருப்பதையும் அவர் வரவேற்றிருக்கிறார்.

ஆகவே ஒரு தனியான வாழ்விடத்தில் உள்ள, தனியான இன மக்களுக்கு உரிய அதிகாரங்களை உரிய வகையில் வழங்குவதன் மூலம் பிரிவினையை தடுத்துக்கொள்ள முடியும் என்பது இலங்கைக்கு உட்பட பல நாடுகளின் தலைவர்களுக்கு ஒரு பாடம் என்றும் அவர் கூறினார்.

அவரது முழுமையான செவ்வியை இங்கு கேட்கலாம்.

SL military begins deceptive recruitment drive in East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2014, 21:50 GMT]
Inviting poverty-stricken Tamil families along the district border between the Ampaa’rai district and Batticaloa district to receive ‘humanitarian supplies’, the occupying Sri Lanka Army has been conducting propaganda meetings promising civil jobs for Tamil women in the SL military, news sources in Ampaa’rai told TamilNet on Thursday. A group of Sri Lanka Army soldiers, who brought drinking water supply to the villagers in 35th Colony, Malaiyar-kaddu and Ka’n’naki-puram were campaigning ‘good salary’ and ‘government pension’ for subservient jobs in SL military. In the meantime, the SL military has also gone to the extent of promising a house to each family that sends their daughters and sons for employment in SL military. 

SL military officers have ‘donated’ a house to a family in Thirukkoayil division of Ampaa’rai district. The soldiers, pointing at the house, have been trying to woo several others with false promises, sources in Ampaa'rai said. 

Recently, the SL military also hijacked the distribution of relief supplies donated by one of the largest private sector business groups in Colombo, the Capital Maharaja Organisation Limited, to the drought-hit victims in Batticaloa and Ampaa'rai. The SL military was using the opportunity to wage a deceptive campaign of job offers to Tamil women and men in the two districts. 

SL military intelligence operatives in civil cloths have also been harassing Tamil women with job offers in the private sector, news sources further said. The men vanish from the scene when confronted with scrutinising questions by the villagers. 

The SL military in North has been experimenting with various deceptive methods to recruit Tamil youth in Vanni and Jaffna for subservient jobs in the SL military. The victims who had signed up were later forced to undergo a ‘military’ training where serious allegations of sexual harassments have been reported. 

Like the colonial Portuguese and the Dutch creating Burghers to have a faithful community for them in the occupied colony, the Sinhala military is trying to create a community for it, social workers have accused in the North. 
* * * SL Military’s direct house construction and Sinhala colonisation programme in Vanni and in the adjacent areas. [Photo: army.lk] In the meantime, the SL military is directly engaged in genocidal construction of Sinhala villages and houses in Vanni and in the adjacent areas. Kokkachchaan-ku'lam in Vavuniyaa district changed into 'Nandimithrapura' and other Sinhala military-constructed villages sprouting in the area linking the North and East provinces of the country of Eezham Tamils are some of the examples.

The dangerous development is that the Sinhala military is left to directly deal with the Sinhala peasant population in wooing them and orientating them in the demographic genocide of Eezham Tamils. The name Nandimithrapura is a symbol, as this mythical giant was the helper of the ancient Sinhala king Dutagemunu in conquering the Tamil king Ellaa'lan.

At every stage, from the genocidal war and barbed-wire camps to now the demographic engineering to confirm the genocide, the SL military is thoroughly backed and guided by powers envisaging veiled military dictatorship set up in the island, which is in fact the latest paradigm designed for the region. Harping on SL military was described as 'ground-breaking research' by an Australian university earlier this month. However, the power that is currently in the forefront in backing this military is India that has 'military to military' relationship and that blocks any international investigation on the island, political observers in the island said.

Our Efforts Are In The Name Of Sincere Citizens – Fr S. J. Emmanuel

The head of the Global Tamil Forum, Fr S.J, Emmanuel feels the diaspora are doing good for the country by raising the human rights issue with the international community.

Excerpts of the interview:

By Easwaran Rutnam

Q: The government is now bringing in a witness protection bill. In your view will this give Tamils in Sri Lanka confidence in the system?

 A: That the SLG has no good will to execute even the existing laws of protection and that it employs the state-forces in uniform as well as civil-clad informants and even monks to take the law into their own hands is clear as crystal not only to the Tamils and Muslims but also to the enlightened Sinhalese. SLG’s actions of late have been to satisfy some calls from outside, from the international bodies, but not for the protection of freedom and equality of its peoples. Hence Tamils thirst for sincere execution of freedom and justice and will not be carried away by mirages of a bill!

Q: Based on what the new UN Human Rights High Commissioner said on the opening day of the UNHRC, do you have confidence he will meet the expectations of the diaspora Tamils on the Sri Lankan issue?

A: We Tamils have still confidence on the 69 years old UN and its 66 years old Declaration on HR. UN – the supreme body of nations and states following colonialism has existed and has covered the post-colonial independence period of Ceylon/Sri Lanka, the increasing oppression and denial of basic rights of the Tamils under a Sinhala-majoritarian-democracy centralized in Colombo, under the very eyes of this body helpless to prevent or stop it.

We Tamils of the diaspora, expect at least a late but sincere attempt on the part of the international body in calling SLG for accountability. We only expect this present effort to come out with maximum amount of truth.

The opening statement of the new HC gives us further hope that he, unlike any states having self-interests, will sincerely make efforts and will not fall victim to any arm-twisting or under-hand diplomacy of the present government.  We are conscious of the limitations and weaknesses of the member states of the UN and its failures to protect the innocent Tamils in the past as acknowledged by the PoE and Petrine reports.

But still we support the inquiry wholeheartedly and wish only the triumph of truth. We are not doing this with any revenge against anybody or the people of SL. In fact, the success of this inquiry will only help SL come to its senses and renew its place in the international body and help liberation of all the peace-loving people of SL.

Q: Foreign leaders visiting Sri Lanka have mostly expressed support to the Sri Lankan government including very recently, the Japanese Prime Minister. Is this a setback to diaspora moves on the Sri Lankan government?

A: Refusing to cooperate with the mother-body, the UN, and failing in its diplomatic efforts to convince heads of govt. and representatives of the international community, SLG is trying to win the support of individual countries, who, naturally, have their own self-interest. Up to May 2009, SLG got the maximum support of the western leaders by way of finance and weapons, to crush the LTTE. Having won a victory, SLG wanted to continue unhindered its ‘war against Tamils’. Hence the promises given to the western world supporters were discarded and new friends were sought to escalate its war of ‘extraditing the roots of Tamil existence’. Lavishly entertaining PMs at Temple Trees and getting their support financially and against the UN moves will not be helpful for SL. The VIP visitors have their own interests and will soon demand ‘their pound of flesh. The diaspora will not stoop to win such friends.

Q: Should the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights undertake a visit to Sri Lanka soon to gather first hand information?

A: SLG with much effort got the HCs Louis Arbor and Navaneetham Pillai, who went to the North too, and delivered their candid opinions. And SL labelled the first as a ‘white-Tiger’ and the second as ‘a woman of Tamil-origin and biased against SL’ because their truth was unpleasant to the rulers. And now inviting the new HC, after refusing to cooperate with the UN investigation and refusing visas for their members, is a shame! What does SL want? VIPs must dance to their music and not speak unpleasant truths? Enough chances have been given for such visits in the past, and what is that ‘first-hand-information’ they still have in their cupboards?

Q: How can you convince someone who feels what you are doing is not good for the Tamils in Sri Lanka?

A: I am convinced as a Tamil and as a Catholic priest of Sri Lanka that what the diaspora is now doing is not only for the good of the Tamils but also for all the people of Sri Lanka. Why? The diaspora having unhindered news of what is happening on the ground, both in the North and in the South, especially during the last five years, is convinced that the present SLG is both oppressive, denying basic rights of freedom and misleading the masses by untruths and leading the country towards a national suicide.

Our efforts are in the name of sincere citizens and true patriots of mother Lanka who are suffering injustices and slaveries, not in the name of selfish slaves who will only stoop but not stand up and struggle for a just and peaceful SL.

Sri Lanka, the new recruitment hub for ISI

September 18, 2014 14:41 IST

Pakistan’s external spy agency is trying to push its South Indian agenda

The birth of the Bodu Bala Sena, an extremist Singhalese Buddhist nationalist organisation in Colombo in 2012 was a significant event. The organisation was formed to enforce Buddhist supremacy in Sri Lanka, mainly targeting Christians and Muslims in the country.

The formation of this organisation was a turning point for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, which had for years been trying to get a foothold in that country, but to no avail. This was partly because of the strength of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which never allowed outsiders to set foot in Sri Lanka. The other reason could be that there was never any connect between Lankan Muslims and the spy agency.

The ISI’s plan was simple: Create a sense of insecurity among the Muslims so that they would look for cover and protection. The ISI would actively finance the BBS through indirect means, so that the atrocities against the Muslims grow. As a result, the Muslims would lean towards the ISI and their agents for protection.

According to a source, the ISI’s Colombo module began to strengthen only after the BBS came into prominence. The BBS unleashed its fury on the Muslims, in the form of violent attacks, calls for boycotts of Muslim-owned businesses and ban on halal food and headscarves. The ISI was just waiting for something like this to happen.

Around this time, the ISI was running its module from the Pakistan’s high commission headed by consular officer Amir Zubair Siddiqui. He gave a free rein to his men in the Muslim dominated areas in Sri Lanka, who spoke about the atrocities of the BBS and how the Muslims needed to be protected. Following that, from a meager group of five over the past 10 years, the ISI managed to rope in over 50 operatives in just one year.

For the ISI, the Colombo module is very important.

“They needed to set up a full-fledged network in the country only with an intention of targeting Southern India. The arrest of Arun Selvarajan is another reminder of how the ISI is trying to push its south India agenda,” says a source.

“The ISI had instructed them to gather as much information as possible and also provide as much logistics under the guise of an event management firm in Chennai. While major attacks in South India were part of the bigger plan, these operatives also were looking to set-up dedicated modules. They sought to set up a dedicated route between Colombo and the Kodikarrai fishing port in Tamil Nadu to use it as a dedicated smuggling route to pump in drugs, arms and ammunition, and also to send in cadres,” the source adds.

Operating out of the Koddikari fishing port has been the easiest for the ISI. The coastal security there is questionable and it has been an easy access route from the past 60 years.

The first signs of smuggling along this port began when Sri Lankan operatives would come in with opium in exchange for beedis. This port was later used by the Chinese who are alleged to be sending in arms into India to be parked in Kerala. The ISI is following the same route.

Rajani And The Tamil National Struggle

By Rajan Hoole -

Dr. Rajan Hoole

Dr. Rajani Thiranagama was killed 25 years ago on 21^st September 1989

Rajani

Every death, as Rajani said, is a monumental tragedy that needs to be accounted for and the moment we lose that human empathy and become apathetic or indifferent, we are, as a people, doomed. While death and loss was not confined to one community, we Tamils believed in the liberation struggle, lost a great deal, sheltered behind apathy while many of our best were killed as traitors and children of the vulnerable sections dragooned off to fight a doomed war. We are now the living dead, corrupt and subservient, unable to run the institutions we have for the public good, appeasing the new order by pretending that the liberation struggle was something we had no part in, and those who died for it as completely alien to us. With her keen understanding of society and the dangerous shallowness of narrow elite nationalism, Rajani foresaw this betrayal as her writings in the Broken Palmyra show. She saw it was the poor and downtrodden who were at the receiving end. Her ears and heart were open to all; she pleaded that to avert our common dismal fate, our politics should become more open, and we should reach out to the wider world as a people deserving sympathy.

While being an internationalist from her university days, Rajani joined theLTTE as a reaction to the hypocrisy of Tamil nationalist politics, upon seeing, first as a doctor, the sacrificial earnestness of some LTTE cadres. She left in disgust upon being exposed to the trauma of young persons, whose sacrifice was being cynically betrayed. As with Tamil nationalist parliamentary politics, she saw that the LTTE was a prisoner of its rhetoric of Tamil valour and its heroic destiny and could only impose greater sacrifices on an unwilling people and severe repression against those who questioned it, while being drawn into new and malign forms of dependence. Nationalism when admired for its military feats has been a source of dangerous delusions.

The Energy Trap

By Ranil Senanayake -September 19, 2014 

Ranil Senanayake

In Sri Lanka, Around December 20th 1979, an official communiqué was issued by the Government and displayed in the nation’s newspapers stating,  “No oil means no development, and less oil, less development. It is oil that keeps the wheels of development moving”. This defines with clarity what is to be considered development by the policy makers of that Nation. Here was a fundamental and fateful decision that cast a deadly policy framework for the nation. The energy source that was to drive the national economy would be fossil.  Even today, that same policy framework and its adherents continue. The word development has been replaced with ’ alleviate poverty”, The argument being that economies need to industrialize in order to reduce poverty, industrialization leads to emissions’   or to  ‘put another way ‘a reduction in poverty leads to an increase in emissions’. This is still very much a debated issue, but often it is trotted out dogma. These views, presuppose a vision of development based on fossil fuel consumptive, expensive road transport, even though innumerable scholarly studies have demonstrated the need to rationalize the transport system. The production of electricity is not done through national research and investment in renewable sources, but through the purchasing of heavy fossil fuel consuming systems or through purchase at prevailing world prices.  Electricity provides the power not only for our homes but also for all of industry.  Indeed one indicator of ‘development’ is the per capita consumption of power. However what should be addressed is the source of this power.                                      Read More

Black cabs advertise for white vans

19/09/2014

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has launched a major advertising campaign across the UK’s major cities. The ongoing 12-week long campaign, launched at the request of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Economic Development and paid for by the Sri Lankan taxpayer, has seen a fleet of 450 cabs, adorned with colourful advertising materials, rolled out across London, Manchester and Birmingham.
Black Cabs Advertise for White Vans by Thavam

Sydney University Controversy

| by Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

( September 19, 2014, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) I read with interest the report ‘Shame on Sydney U : Stupidity & Ignorance’ by the Asian Human Rights Commission published in Sri Lanka Guardian

The controversy as I understand it seems to be that Sydney University looked at preventing torture by studying also the Sri Lankan armed personnel concerned (Ending torture means engaging with traditional foes by Professor Danielle Celermajer) whereas the Asian Human Rights Commission is looking at the higher level – to studying the politicians who give the orders.

Sydney University Controversy by Thavam

Will Lankan lion retire after handing over sword to Chinese panda?

Friday, 19 September 2014 

International political analysts are paying special attention to the 20 various agreements worth three billion US dollars signed by Chinese president Xi Jinping during his visit to Sri Lanka. None of these 20 agreements relate to assistance or grants for the development of Sri Lanka. All of them are being granted at very high interest rates.

The projects built with Chinse government loans on very high interest – Norochcholai coal power plant, Ruhunupura Magampura port, Mattala Rajapaksa international airport – all are complete failures. Despite that, the Chinese government continues to give loans at very high interest and Sri Lanka accepts under any condition. Both parties are unaware of the fate of 30 per cent of such borrowings so far.  The Chinese government fakes ignorance of the massive swindling taking place, as it has other objectives when granting loans to Sri Lanka.

All Sri Lankan media are agog with praises for the port city project in Colombo being built on a Chinese government loan. They are happy that 0.89 square kms are being added to the 25,332 sqkms land area in Sri Lanka. But, what they do not know is that this port city will not belong to Sri Lanka. Not even the Sri Lankan national flag can be displayed there, which is also the case at the Sri Lanka port’s southern terminal.

A fully Chinese government owned company called Lanka Coal Company has been established to operate the Norochcholai power plant. The Sri Lankan government is merely a partner. The repayment of the loan obtained for the project will have to be done by the Sri Lankan government by some other method, as it is no longer a financial obligation of Sri Lanka. At a future budget, finance ministry secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara will find this very helpful to bridge the budget deficit. If this trial becomes a success, similarly, the Magampura port and Mattala airport can be handed over to China and Sri Lanka’s budget deficit can be reduced further. But, the owner of these properties will be the Chinese government. India is paying much attention to this situation.

By now, Kollupitiya and Bambalapitiya in Sri Lanka’s capital city have between 500 and 1,000 Chinese prostitutes providing their sexual services. In addition, 100 Chinese women sex workers are giving their services in Hambantota town, according to survey reports.

Only UNP’s Dr. Harsha de Silva is, at least once in a while, raises objections of some sort to these developments. The JVP seems unaware of the Chinese presence. They attack India only. Rajapaksas think of remaining in power forever with Chinese support. But, in the very near future, when the destruction caused by the Chinese panda becomes evident, we the Sri Lankans will be left with only to say that when compared to the Chinese panda, our tiger was like a cat.

Gota Ousts Residents From Their Homes To Build Them A Sports Ground

September 19, 2014

The Urban Development Authority (UDA) yesterday threatened residents of the ‘34 Watte’ located inWanathamulla, Borella, ousted them from their homes and demolished their properties violating an undertaking made before the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in March in order to build a sports ground for the ousted families.

Gotabaya

In a fine example of the rampant militarization and impunity reigning in Sri Lanka, some UDA officials along with two military personnel in uniforms had visited the area last afternoon in order to administer the demolishing of the houses. Several homes in the 34 Watte were bulldozed yesterday as a result – homes that the victimized families have been residing in for the past 50 years.

Some of the residents objected to the demolishing but to no avail. They were threatened by the military men and the demolishing proceeded after the protesting residents were compelled to move due to rains. The victimized residents point out it is unfair since the alternative housing offered by the UDA requires an initial payment of Rs. 50,000 to be made. Upon moving in, each family is supposed to pay another Rs. 50,000.

“The alternative housing offered to us is much smaller than the ones we have been residing in. Besides, we have no economic capacity to pay Rs. 100,000 to move into a new house,” the aggrieved residents pointed out.

In a  ridiculous justification of their actions, a UDA official stated that it is only a few families who are objecting to the move and added the area is being acquired in order to build a sports ground for the families who are being ousted from the area.

The Human Right Commission gave an order in March preventing the demolition. The military official who allegedly threatened petitioners is a respondent in the case that had been filed. The demolition is carried out following a writ application that was filed by four persons residing in the 34 Watte in August that prevented the UDA from demolishing their homes. The case is presently before the Court of Appeal.

Video: Aluthgama under Army rule

FRIDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2014 

Three months have passed since communal riots  erupted in Aluthgama – Beruwala area. 115 houses were torched and the damage cost people about Rs.315million. 36 commercial establishments were destroyed and its damage is estimated at Rs.307 million. Two religious places were also destroyed which would cost Rs.5.1 million to reconstruct. Despite a damage of more than Rs.600 million has been inflicted, the Minister said the government would allocate Rs.200 million to compensate the damage. He said the houses that were destroyed would be restored and handed back to the owners.

Recently, the security services commander for Western Province Maj. Gen. Ubhaya Mediwela held a press conference. He said “112 houses and 33 business establishments were restored and were handed over to the people.”  A visit to the area by ‘Lanka’ newspaper revealed what he said was a lie. A resident had said, “Only four houses were repaired. We are helpless.” “The area is under Army rule. We cannot allow you to report. Move away from here,” an Army officer obstructed the journalists.
Source: ‘Lanka Irida’

Urban Warfare and the Sounds of Silence

I 

by Anonymous 

- on 09/19/2014 

was sitting at my desk in Colombo 08 yesterday and all of a sudden, a somewhat loud but also muffled ‘boom’ broke the usual afternoon sounds of traffic on the road to Parliament.

My first thought was a memory from December 2006, a much louder BOOM from two blocks away that marked the assassination attempt in Kollupitiya on the defence secretary by the LTTE. That boom was the loudest single noise I’d ever heard and was followed by a stunning sort of utter silence – the birds went quiet, there were no voices and even the cars seemed to have cut their engines. All life seemed to hang as if in the air, waiting to fall to earth. Then all hell broke lose, gunshots, sirens, and people started to walk towards the carnage to see what had happened. For years the wall in front of a house at the junction bore the pockmarked imprint of flying debris, a wall that should have been preserved as a sort of historical monument, a reminder of that day and age.

For this reason, my immediate feeling was of slight unease. What was the Borella boom? a bomb(er)? a breaking of the sound barrier (perhaps by a new friend or an old enemy)? But then there was another about five minutes later, then a pause, and within an hour or so a series of, yes it was, blasts. I wondered if other people were similarly reacting by having old memories pop into the brain.

By this time I was reminded of the pile driving for a high-rise I’d experienced not long ago from a block away in Thunmulla Junction, which shook the house and made the small glass pieces of a kitschy overhead light fixture clang against each other. Something related to construction, no doubt; in this day and age the sounds of construction had replaced bombs, but certainly not in a guaranteed sort of way.

It was only hours later that news of the destruction at 34 watte in Wanathamulla, Borella, reached me, and then some photos. There stood the standard replacement high-rise, a model that can be seen all over the world, a perfect example of the ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution to the problem of the urban poor, no matter the climate or culture. Not to their problems but to the problem of their presence. In front was a level ground strewn with various demolition debris, no doubt carrying decades of historical pieces among it. Who had painted that wall green, that one orange? yellow? When had that happened? Where were those families now? Where would the current owners of the debris go to live?

As the development of Colombo steams ahead, the expert answer to such questions is really no different to the answer provided during, say, the development of New York City northwards from lower Manhattan from the 17th century onwards, and until today when a house is not even worth the original mortgaged amount: Who cares? Money talks, money decides, money knows the one best answer, and money does not care about anything else. That is the mindset behind the quick and crude processes at work, and the actual doers are merely automated implementers.

One day it is one particular watte, another it is an old historic building made by a demonised coloniser, one day it is the wrong kind of tree, and another the right sort of sports ground. One day it is the too right sort of house owned by the wrong sort of person, another the wrong sort of house owned by the wrong sort of person. One day it is a tree that shades the wrong sort of people, and another the planting of a tree to shade the right sort. One day the grass is torn up for a car park, and another it is planted again for a nice lawn.

One day another war wall comes down, and another the wall of silent fear gains another brick. Bang, bang, boom, boom … but it is never really silent, you can see it on people’s faces, hear it in a bold remark dropped in a kade, see the eyes roll, see the brains working, see the commonality … the sounds of silence are everywhere.

Attempts To Bribe Voters Continue In Uva

September 19, 2014

Owing to the Police inaction against the ‘mysterious’ vehicles that are driven in the vicinities of the Uva province, election monitoring body – Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) has noted vehicles bearing fake number plates that have been deployed to engage in voter bribery.

Although the deadline for election campaigning expired on Wednesday, CaFFE states that the vehicle seen in the image below was observed driving around in the Keppetipola area at about 2. 10 pm today – particularly making stops near mosques in the area and distributing cheques while begging for votes.

CaFFE states that this vehicle was also seen with a fleet of 32 other vehicles that has been driving around the Welimada electoral zone, making stops door to door and promising to provide sewing machines upon securing a win at the Uva provincial polls that is scheduled to be held tomorrow.

Meanwhile, CaFFE also notes that by the final day of the election campaigning that fell on Wednesday, a total of 424 incidents of election violence have been recorded to which includes 305 from Moneragala and 100 from Badulla as well as 19 from both districts.

The ruling party candidates have been committing a majority of the election law violations and election related violence, to which includes misuse of public property such as using government buildings to hold meetings. On Thursday, just a day after the campaigning deadline expired election monitors noted that buses owned by the Sri Lanka Transport Board were deployed for propaganda activities and to distribute goods among people in Uva.

The widespread use of unregistered vehicles was also an issue that was heavily highlighted by election monitoring bodies. Candidates were using these vehicles to deploy thugs to spread fear in the area and to attack opposition offices and supporters.