Air strikes hit Kobani as Kurdish peshmerga prepare to enter

A Turkish policeman stands guard outside the gate of a camp that hosts Peshmerga fighters in the border town of Suruc, Sanliurfa province, October 30, 2014.

BY HUMEYRA PAMUK AND RAHEEM SALMAN-Fri Oct 31, 2014

(Reuters) - U.S.-led air strikes hit Islamic State positions around the Syrian border town of Kobani on Friday in an apparent bid to pave the way for heavily-armed Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces to enter from neighbouring Turkey.

Air Strikes Hit Kobani as Kurdish Peshmerga Prepare to Enter by Thavam

Burma considers altering law that bars Aung San Suu Kyi from being president

Opposition leader in talks with Thein Sein before election widely expected to be won by her National League for Democracy

Agence France-Presse in Naypyidaw-Friday 31 October 2014

Burma's president, Thein Sein, with Aung San Suu Kyi, who chairs the National League for Democracy (NLD) before their two-hour meeting in Naypyidaw. Photograph: Mna/AFP/Getty

Burma’s parliament will consider amending the country’s constitution – which currently bars the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from becoming president – before crucial elections next year, an official said on Friday.

Suu Kyi is trying to change key sections of Burma’s charter ahead of 2015 polls that are widely expected to be won by her National League for Democracy (NLD), if they are free and fair, after decades of military rule.

The move to moot constitutional reform was discussed during unprecedented talks between President Thein Sein and his political rivals, including Suu Kyi, as well as top army brass and election officials. “They agreed to discuss the issue of amending the constitution in parliament, according to the law,” presidential spokesman Ye Htut told reporters after the meeting in the capital Naypyidaw.

The NLD has focused on altering a provision in the constitution that ensures the military in the former junta-ruled nation has a veto on any amendment to the charter. It believes that revising the clause will open the way for further changes to other constitutional provisions, including the ring-fenced proportion of soldiers in parliament and the effective bar on Suu Kyi leading the country. Ye Htut did not elaborate on which elements of the constitution were up for debate.

As it stands, Suu Kyi is ineligible to become president because of a clause in the 2008 charter blocking anyone whose spouse or children are overseas citizens from leading the country. The Nobel laureate’s late husband was British, as are her two sons. Altering the constitution requires support from a 75% majority in parliament, and as unelected soldiers make up a quarter of the legislature they have the last say on any changes.

On Friday, at the first talks of their kind as the nation emerges from decades of outright military rule, Thein Sein and Suu Kyi walked in to the meeting together. The discussions, which lasted for more than two hours, came a day after the White House said the US president, Barack Obama, spoke to Thein Sein and Suu Kyi about the elections, which are seen as a key test of democratic reforms under the quasi-civilian government.

A White House statement on Thursday said Obama “underscored the need for an inclusive and credible process for conducting the 2015 elections” during telephone talks with the Burmese president. The US leader also spoke to Suu Kyi about how Washington could “support efforts to promote tolerance, respect for diversity, and a more inclusive political environment”, it said.

Obama will visit Burma in a fortnight’s time for a major regional conference.

Burma authorities announced last week that the landmark polls would be held in the final week of October or the first week of November 2015.

Ukraine, Russia sign deal to end natural gas cut-off ahead of winter

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak shakes hands with Ukraine's Energy Minister Yuri Prodan, right, after gas talks between the European Union, Russia and Ukraine at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels October 30, 2014. (Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

By Michael Birnbaum October 30 at 8:29 PM

MOSCOW — Russia agreed Thursday to resume selling natural gas to Ukraine, ending a cutoff that had threatened to leave Ukrainian households shivering as winter approached.
Ukraine, Russia sign deal to end natural gas cut-off ahead of winter.odt by Thavam

Pains you shouldn’t ignore

Oct 27, 2014

Pains and aches in various parts of body has become the part of life. People are adopting variety of ways for eradicating this pain. Today, medical science have improved so much that it is procuring different ways of eradicating such pains. But some people are used to these pains and ignore it knowingly. You must have your local hospital or health care provider on speed dial. Some pains are very sudden with regards to its occurrence and are backed with fever. These are certain types of pain which your must never ignore. It might seem to be small at an initial stage but actually it turns out to be really big. If you can see a pain is disturbing you regularly in the same place, immediate attention would be required.
Pains You Shouldn’t Ignore by Thavam

Jerusalem mosque closure is 'declaration of war'

Sri Lanka and the C’wealth: Reading between the lines

 October 30, 2014

“This erosion of democracy and fundamental freedoms is no longer only Sri Lanka’s crisis. The fate and future credibility of the Commonwealth is inextricably bound to the actions of its Chair in office…It is your crisis too.”
Mangala Samaraweera, in a letter to C’wealth SG Kamalesh Sharma, April 2014

 President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma during their meeting this week
Sri Lanka and the C’Wealth Reading Between the Lines by Thavam

Report Within a Year On 4 [Important ] Recommendations – Human Rights Committee to Sri Lanka

30/10/2014

[Freedom of Expression among one of the four recommendations to be reported within a year]
In its concluding observations on Sri Lanka the United Nations Human Rights Committee has recommended that ‘ the State party should provide, within one year, relevant information on its implementation of the Committee’s recommendations made in paragraphs 5, 14, 15 and 21 above.’

Read as a PDF:HRC 2014 October Concluding Observations Sri Lanka

Report Within a Year on 4 [Important ] Recommendations – Human Rights Committee to Sri Lanka by Thavam

Whither Quality Of Life In Sri Lanka?

By Ayathuray Rajasingam -October 30, 2014

Ayathuray Rajasingam

People are eager to know whether the Political leaders in Sri Lanka are concerned with the Quality of Life or the high Standard of Living. Standard of living and quality of living are two different aspects of life. High standard of living revolves round the wealth of people which generates luxurious comforts and class disparity. There are many definitions for Quality of Life, but for analyzing purposes, let us determine in the context of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which provides a list of freedom and rights that can be considered as evaluating the quality of life. Quality of Life is ascertained by the impact on social, health, economic and environmental conditions which affect human and social development indicating satisfaction and happiness.

After the defeat of the LTTE, life among the communities have been a disproportionate one. The oppressed communities are at the mercy of the ruling politicians. It is unfortunate that politicians when once emerge victorious, are engaged in taking revenge on others. Moreover, the Military Forces and the para-military groups were also given a free hand to plunder the wealth of the oppressed minorities to the extent of destroying their properties, especially belonging to the Tamils and the Muslims, all of which demonstrate that there is an absence of rule of law and sends the message of a decline in the Quality of Life.

Problems between Standard of living and Quality of life in developing countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh in Asia and in some Northern, Eastern & Central African countries have been a great concern to the extent of committing murders sometimes amounting to genocide for which the unscrupulous politicians are responsible for failure to realize the consequences of maintaining the Quality of life. Had Sri Lanka been a liberal democracy, mass murders of its own citizens would be reduced.

Generally more prominence is given to Quality of Life in view of the operation of the Provincial governments among the developing Federal countries. Quality of Life has the force of discouraging disparity of class as more opportunity is afforded to the citizens of the Provinces by way of participation and share powers with the Central Government. Mention should be made that half the number of G20 countries are with Federal structures from which Sri Lanka receives aid.

The authoritarian rule by unscrupulous politicians of the majority in a Unitary State is bound to promote the Standard of Living of the ruling class resulting in discrimination among the society. The ruling politicians misled the public with their interpretations of self-determination for their survival, when in fact it is concerned with the Quality of Life. If unscrupulous politicians fail to learn from Singapore, then this is another disadvantage in the Unitary State which brings about discrimination within the society. Even the cause of the insurrections by the JVP was due to the unscrupulous politicians for neglecting the Quality of Life of the masses. The use of emergency regulations by unscrupulous politicians resulted in the emergence of poor governance and manifesting the inability to maintain law and order to control the sporadic eruptions of political instability and violence. As a result it had experienced regional insurrections which had caused a negative impact on the economic growth. The aspect of quality of life within the concept of democracy is bound to fade away in a Unitary State as there is lack of transparency and accountability for the accumulation of wealth by unscrupulous politicians.                                                                   Read More

30 Oct 1995: Jaffna exodus as Tamils flee for Vanni ahead of SL military advance

30 October 2014


On October 30, 1995, half a million Tamil men, women and children fled their homes in Jaffna, ahead of a major military offensive by the Sri Lankan government led by Chandrika Kumaratunga, in what became known as the Jaffna Exodus. 

The entire town of Jaffna, the largest Tamil population centre in Sri Lanka, streamed out in a mass exodus for the safety of Vanni, which was then controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

30 Oct 1995 Jaffna Exodus as Tamils Flee for Vanni Ahead of SL Military Advance by Thavam

நிபந்தனை அடிப்படையில் ஜனாதிபதியுடன் பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்தத் தயார்– TNA: குளோபல் தமிழ்ச் செய்தியாளர்:-

Global Tamil News

30 அக்டோபர் 

நிபந்தனை அடிப்படையில் ஜனாதிபதி மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஸவுடன் பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்த தயார் என தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பு தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

தமிழர் பிரச்சினைகளுக்கு அரசியல் தீர்வுத் திட்டம் காண்பது குறித்து ஜனாதிபதியுடன் பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்தத் தயார் என தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பின் பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் இரா.சம்பந்தன் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

பாராளுமன்றில் இன்றைய தினம் அவர் இதனைக் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

யுத்தத்தின் பின்னர் ஜனாதிபதி மூன்று தடவைகள் வெளியிடப்பட்ட அறிக்கைகளின் அடிப்படையில் இதனைத் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் பொதுச் செயலாளர் பான் கீ மூன் யுத்தத்தின் பின்னர் இலங்கைக்கு விஜயம் செய்திருந்த போது ஜனாதிபி, 13ம் திருத்த்ச சட்டத்தை அமுல்படுத்துவதாகவும், விரிவான பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்த முடியும் எனவும் உறுதிமொழி அளித்திருந்தார் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

தமிழ் மக்கள் தனி இராச்சிய கோரிக்கை முன்வைக்கவில்லை  எனவும், அர்த்தமுள்ள அதிகாரப் பகிர்வு தீர்வுத் திட்டமொன்றை முன்வைக்க வேண்டுமென்றே கோருவதாகவும் சம்பந்தன் சுட்டிக்காட்டியுள்ளார்.

தமிழ் மக்கள் சமத்துவமான இலங்கையர்களாகவே வாழ விரும்புகின்றனர் என அவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

பேச்சுவார்த்தைகளின் மூலம் தீர்வு காண விரும்புவதாகவும் எனினும் இந்த தீர்வுத் திட்டம் கௌரவமானதாக இருக்க வேண்டுமெனவும் அவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

இரு தரப்பு பேச்சுவார்த்தைகளில் இணக்கப்பாடு எட்டப்பட்டால் மட்டுமே பாராளுமன்றத் தெரிவுக்குழுவில் அங்கம் வகிக்க முடியும் என அவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

The Landslide Tragedy: Blaming Is Uncivilized – JVP

30/10/2014

A press release issued by the political bureau of the JVP states the government attempting to put the blame on the buried without coming up with a programme to resettle people in safe areas is not a civilized act.

It says that  government should take immediate measures to provide relief to the affected families and provide safe places to those who live in places that have been identified as risk areas.

The press release in full:

Stop blaming the buried; take measures to protect the unprotected!

On the brink [photo:indiatvnews.com]

More than 10 persons have died and about 150 have disappeared due to the land slide that occurred at Meeriyabadda village at Koslanda in Haldummulla yesterday (29th) morning. We express our sympathies to the relatives of those who died in the disaster and wish speedy recovery for the injured.

Also, we demand the government to take immediate measures to provide relief to the affected families and provide safe places to those who live in places that have been identified as risk areas.
Despite landslide are considered as natural disasters, the common belief is that by being vigilant loss of life could be minimized. The National Building Research Organization of the government states it had warned local authorities in 2004 and 2011 to remove people residing in Meeriyabadda area at Haldummulla as there was a possibility of landslides occurring in the area. The diastrouss incident indicates none of this had been implemented and hundreds of people had to pay with their lives.

Meanwhile, it is heard from various sections of the government that the people had been pre-warned to leave the area as the area was dangerous. This gives the impression that the people who were buried should take the responsibility of the disaster. However, the government cannot avoid the responsibility of the calamity. Despite the people were warned, they did not have any place to go. It is strange that the authorities do not realize that settling the unprotected people in safe place is also one of their responsibilities.

The central hills are still receiving heavy rains and the risk of landslides occurring in other areas that have become unsafe due to various unwise human activities is mounting. As such, people who live in unsafe and risky areas should be immediately settled in safe areas. However, economic and social lives of these residents are linked to the places they have lived for long periods. Taking this into consideration a definite programme should be implemented to resettle them. We emphasize to the government that attempting to put the blame on the buried without coming up with such a programme is not a civilized act.

350Buried alive 

By Mirudhula Thambiah and Menaka Indrakumar- October 30, 2014

More than 350 persons went missing and six bodies were found, following a massive landslide, at the Koslanda Estate in the Meeriyabadda area of Haldummulla in the Badulla District, yesterday morning.
The landslide occurred at around 7:30 in the morning burying more than 150 line room housing units, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Spokesman, Pradeep Kodippili.
"Line houses from No.7 -12 collapsed, including three houses of estate supervisors.
 
Two Hindu temples, two garages, four grocery shops, a house of an estate midwife, the estate ward and two government office buildings were completely damaged and buried underneath the mud," he said.
He added that two teams from Colombo were sent to the crisis hit area, and a team from Moneragala District was already there performing rescue operations.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had in the meantime ordered that measures be taken to assist those in distress.
Minister Arumugam Thondaman had visited the scene in the morning and ordered relief be given to the victims, according to his secretary.

However, according to estate sources, school children from the area had left for school when the incident occurred, therefore some had escaped the earth slip.
He added that even though this was a sudden landslide, National Building Research Organization (NBRO) had continuously been issuing warnings during the past three to four days. They also informed the people to evacuate to safer ground due to landslide threats.
 
However, NBRO Badulla District Geologist, Kelum Senevirate told Ceylon Today that in 2011 Haldummulla was identified as a landslide prone area and the estate people were warned to evacuate the place, yet they refused to go.
He further said that more than 300 people were living in the Meeriyabedda- Haldummulla area. "We issued an early warning to the area yesterday and informed the Divisional Secretariat to immediately evacuate the people," he said.
The Police Media Unit said the rescue operation was conducted by a team of policemen. The police suspect that there may be more civilians buried underneath and search operations are underway.
The tri-forces were involved in rescue operations at the scene. Also, a team of doctors, nurses and several ambulances were organized at the Badulla and Bandarawela hospitals to treat the affected persons.
 
Army Media Director Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera said, initially 200 Army personnel were rushed to the scene within 45 minutes of the disaster striking the area. "There were 500 Army personnel; including 50 Air Force personnel assisting the government officials, who are inspecting the scene to build temporary shelter for the affected persons as their houses were completely destroyed.
He added that the Army will extend its support to the people and other officials assisting
the injured and displaced persons.
 
"Due to the inclement weather conditions, the search operations were hampered; rains in between were a hindrance as well. The area is a pool of mud, and is unapproachable. The troops together with officials are working tirelessly to rescue those that have been buried underneath, from yesterday morning"
When speaking to Ceylon Today, the UNP-led Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union General Secretary K. Velayutham said that many have gone missing and many are feared to be dead due to the earth slip.
"According to my sources some 440 people have been buried underneath the earth slip. Children who went to school and some families who left the place and evacuated to other areas escaped," he said.
 
He said a warning was issued ten years ago by the NBRO that the Koslanda Estate is prone to earthslips and the estate plantation management was held responsible to evacuate the people from the area.
"Even the Haldummulla Divisional Secretary also has the responsibility to make necessary arrangements to remove the estate villagers from the dangerous area, but they have not done their job. Their failure has caused many to suffer," he said.
Meanwhile, some 288 had been displaced and sheltered at the Haldummulla Tamil Maha Vidyalaya. The area has experienced more than 100 mm of rain fall.
 
According to estate sources, the children who went to school in the morning are unable to return home and they are remaining at the Haldummulla Tamil Maha Vidyalaya.
A source said the weather conditions are terrible but despite that operations are continuing and the process is slow. Doctors and nurses are at standby on mountain tops. Injured persons were rushed to nearby temporary medical clinics.
Velayutham said that some 75 school children are being sheltered in the Koslanda Tamil Maha Vidyalaya as they are unable to go home.
Cabinet Ministers W.D.J. Seneviratne and Mahinda Samarasinghe said, they would particularly look into the plantation company that had over the years not heeded several warnings given by the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) with regard to landslides in the area.
 
The Ministers also said that a programme should be established to prevent such a tragedy from recurring. They added that the government was presently drawing up a map of the nation pinpointing areas prone to landslides.
They further said that a warning was issued to the people in the neighbouring estates to evacuate and some of the affected are being sheltered in the Poonagala Tamil Maha Vidayalaya.
"I feel that the death toll will rise to 150-200. Out of the 500 people in the estates, 300 people have gone missing," he said.
He added that Poonagala Estate roads have also been blocked due to the inclement weather pattern. Therefore, to avoid future calamities, people from nearby estates have also been advised to leave the estates through the Ambeligala Estate routes as they cannot use the Koslanda Estate roads.
 
The NBRO yesterday (29) issued landslide warnings for Bandarawela, Ella, Passara, Uvaparanagama, Haldummulla, Haputale and Haliela in the Badulla District.
Security Forces Commander of the Central Province Major General Mano Perera said five bodies were recovered yesterday and search operations will continue tomorrow (30). The operations were hampered due to heavy rain.
"In one line there were 100-120 houses housing about 50-65 families. It's believed that 100 -160 corpses will be recovered in the coming days," he said.
 
He added that two schools are housing displaced persons: Shri Ganesha Tamil Vidyalaya in Meeriyabedda is sheltering 382 persons while the First Tamil School has 62 persons, including children.
People in the surrounding areas are being evacuated as there is risk of landslides occuring in the days to come.
Uva Province Chief Minister Sashindra Rajapaksa and the Hadumulla Divisional Secretary were not available for comment.

Sri Lanka Mudslide: Tragic Stories Emerge

Homes are wiped out by a disaster at a tea plantation where scores of people including children lost their lives.

A hugely destructive mudslide at Sri Lanka’s Koslanda tea plantation is thought to have left no survivors.

There were widely conflicting reports about how many people had been buried alive under the rubble and mud, with initial estimates saying more than 250 people have died.

Government minister Mahinda Amaraweera said the number was about 100, adding: “I have visited the scene and from what I saw I don’t think there will be any survivors.”

However, villagers say the figure is likely to be higher.

A woman sit nexts to her baby in a displacement centre

The landslide was caused by heavy monsoon rains, which destroyed 120 workers’ homes at the tea plantation, located about 140 miles east of Colombo.

The plantation was one of many in the higher altitudes of the former Ceylon, one of the world’s leading producers of tea.

Scores of children who had left for school early in the morning returned to see their homes had vanished without a trace, along with their parents.

One woman, who gave her name as Saroja, said she had lost her only daughter in the mudslide when a boy asked her to leave the house after they all heard a loud noise.

"There was a loud noise, like a helicopter, and a boy asked my daughter to come and out and see (what was happening)," she said.

"Then soil came and buried them almost immediately. A woman saw the two children buried. We managed to remove them but I lost my only daughter."

A 48-year-old truck driver said he lost all five members of his household - his wife, two sons, daughter-in-law and his six-month-old grandchild.

"I left for work early morning and got a call asking me to rush back because there is an earth slip near my home," the man said.

"I came back and there is no trace of my home, everyone was buried."

The monsoon season in Sri Lanka runs from October through December.

Most of Sri Lanka has experienced heavy rain over the past few weeks, and the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) had issued warnings of mudslides and falling rocks.

Sri Lanka: 1,300 received dual citizenship, not one of them was a Tamil – Sumanthiran

[Not a single Tamil was given a dual citizenship!]-30/10/2014

Although a suspension of the dual citizenship draft was in place  in Sri Lanka, 1,300 persons had received dual citizen status and not one of them was a Tamil, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran told parliament. He was speaking at Tuesday’s (28 Oct.) budget debate.  blaming the government for travel restriction to North he said that zthe Lankans who migrated to other countries during the war have become citizens of those countries. When they come back to Sri Lanka and want to travel to their homes in the North, they are forced to obtain special permits. Also, as they are refused dual citizenship and they cannot travel as Sri Lankans either. ‘ reports Ceylon Today.

MP M. A. Sumanthiran compared the newly implemented travel restrictions in the North to the era when the LTTE held sway in the province.

The recently imposed travel restriction to the North can be compared to those that were in place during the war, when the LTTE held military control over the north of the county, Sumanthiran said. “During the time of the LTTE, people had to obtain a ‘visa’ to travel to the North. Now, years after the end of the war, the same situation is being repeated. Why is the government treating the North as a separate country?” he asked.

Sumanthiran explained that the government was enforcing restrictions in the North to create an atmosphere of unrest in that region and fool the masses in the South into believing that a terrorist threat prevails, and that only President Mahinda Rajapaksa could defeat terrorism.

“They (government) are trying to show that only they can defeat terrorism. Therefore by implementing travel restrictions to the North, similar to the time when the LTTE rule was prevalent in the region, they are portraying an image of unrest in the North to the masses in the South, to convince them that only Rajapaksa can defeat terrorism. This is an election gimmick to garner votes,” he said.

Like LTTE wartime clearance – Sumanthiran 

By Skandha Gunasekara and Gagani Weerakoon-October 30, 2014 

TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran compared the newly implemented travel restrictions in the North to the era when the LTTE held sway in the province.
The recently imposed travel restriction to the North can be compared to those that were in place during the war, when the LTTE held military control over the north of the county, Sumanthiran said.
Speaking at Tuesday's (28 Oct.) budget debate, Sumanthiran said that during the war, the now fallen LTTE Leader Prabhakaran controlled the North, a person needed to apply for a 'visa' to travel to that region. Today's situation too necessitates a separate permit to travel to the North.
 
"During the time of the LTTE, people had to obtain a 'visa' to travel to the North. Now, years after the end of the war, the same situation is being repeated. Why is the government treating the North as a separate country?" he asked.
Sumanthiran explained that the government was enforcing restrictions in the North to create an atmosphere of unrest in that region and fool the masses in the South into believing that a terrorist threat prevails, and that only President Mahinda Rajapaksa could defeat terrorism.
 
"They (government) are trying to show that only they can defeat terrorism. Therefore by implementing travel restrictions to the North, similar to the time when the LTTE rule was prevalent in the region, they are portraying an image of unrest in the North to the masses in the South, to convince them that only Rajapaksa can defeat terrorism. This is an election gimmick to garner votes," he said.
 
"Lankans who migrated to other countries during the war have become citizens of those countries. When they come back to Sri Lanka and want to travel to their homes in the North, they are forced to obtain special permits. Also, as they are refused dual citizenship and they cannot travel as Sri Lankans either," Sumanthiran said.
Sumanthiran also said that although a suspension of the dual citizenship draft was in place, 1,300 persons had received dual citizen status.
 
"Of the 1,300 people who received dual citizenship, not one of them was a Tamil," he alleged.
Sumanthiran said that those who fled the war by migrating to foreign countries, and who are now citizens of those countries, are not allowed to gain dual citizenship nor travel to the North.
He remarked that the government was treating the people of the North as if they were not Sri Lankan citizens.
Sumanthiran was reacting to a recent statement made by government, which said that foreigners travelling to the Northern Province must acquire a permit.
 
Election manifesto
In Conclusion Sumanthiran said that the media had the responsibility of exposing what the budget attempted to conceal. The budget is an election manifesto.
"The people are not fooled. They are asking the same question; how is the government going to cover all the budget expenditure? The media must show the people what the budget really is; an election manifesto. Then, the people will realize the truth about the budget, "Sumanthiran said.