Will Sri Lanka Lose Japan And South Korea Because Of Chinese Submarines?

| by Upul Joseph Fernando

( November 5, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Mahinda Rajapaksa built up a close friendship with South Korea when he was the Prime Minister in 2004. Former South Korean Foreign Minister and incumbent Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, who arrived to provide aid to Sri Lanka in 2004 during the tsunami tragedy went to inspect the damages caused by the tidal waves accompanied by Mahinda, who was the then Prime Minister. During that visit, Mahinda assured Ban Ki-moon that he would convince President Chandrika Kumaratunga to withdraw Sri Lanka’s nominee for the United Nations Secretary General contest, to which, Ban Ki-moon was an aspirant. Later, on the instructions of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, President Kumaratunga withdrew Sri Lanka’s nominee to contest that post.
Will Sri Lanka Lose Japan and South Korea Because of Chinese Submarines by Thavam

A Presidency Under Threat – 24 Destroying International Relations

By Rajiva Wijesinha-November 4, 2014
 
Iwas quite flattered recently by a mention of one of my books in the review by Michael Burleigh of Talking to Terrorists by Jonathan Powell. Powell, incidentally, had been a few years junior to me at University College, as was the current British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, who is of a very different political persuasion. The mention is only in passing but, given that my book has been totally ignored by our own establishment, it was heartening – 'One book that does not figure in Powell's bibliography is Rajiva Wijesinha's The Best of British Bluff, in which this smart Sinhalese intellectual mocks British interference in his nation's affairs.'
 
Unfortunately, the mention came in the week when any hope of claiming the moral high ground with the British, which we had managed to do successfully half a decade ago, was swept away. What had happened to Chris Nonis had, I was informed, prompted a perhaps kindly, perhaps patronizing, comment from Hugo Swire, to suggest to the High Commissioner that he might now understand why the British had such a critical view of our government. And certainly many of us, who had hoped that our President, given his once shrewd political instincts, would recognize the need for reforms if the dangers the country faces are to be averted, have had to accept that the seal has been set on the self-destruction into which we are catapulting ourselves.
 
Radical rethinking
I cannot see how this can be avoided, but since we have to keep trying, I did point out to the President the need for radical rethinking. To do this successfully, he also needs to reflect on the past, and to understand why we are now in such a weak position, in contrast to the respect in which we were held for a year and more after the conclusion of the victory over terrorism. I should stress that, whatever his current weaknesses, the country must be eternally grateful to him, and to the teams he had in place to deal with the range of problems the country faced, for the relief we have had since 2009.
 
The decline began in November 2010 when the President had to leave England in what seemed disgrace, after the cancellation by the Oxford Union of the speech he was scheduled to deliver. The tragedy is that he had been advised not to come by the then High Commissioner, as also by our Deputy High Commissioner in London at the time, Amza, a brilliant diplomat who has also now become a victim of the anger of those who run foreign policy on the President's behalf. I suspect the anger is because of the advice he gave. Certainly, the then High Commissioner, Nihal Jayasinghe, was nervous about expressing his views in writing, given the forces in favour of the visit. He did however bring himself to write in the end, but his advice and Amza's was overridden. It was after that disastrous episode, compounded by General Gallage having been advised to leave the country hastily in what could be presented as fear of prosecution that the decline in our international reputation began.
 
Douglas Devananda
I do not think that fact was a coincidence. Less than two years later, the same trick was tried on Douglas Devananda. Our then Ambassador in Geneva came home to find that his bags had been packed, and he was about to be taken to the airport. When she asked why, she was told that the President had advised him to leave, since he might otherwise have been arrested. The message had come through Sajin Vass Gunewardena.
Tamara, who knew given diplomatic conventions that Douglas was in no danger at all, called up the President, who said that he had been told Douglas was worried. He had merely acquiesced in what he thought was Douglas's wish, to get away. The message again had come through Sajin Vass Gunewardena.
 
In this case prompt action by Tamara saved the day. Otherwise one can imagine the reports of a Sri Lankan Minister fleeing Switzerland for fear of arrest, and the gloating of LTTE supporters, as had occurred when Gallage left hastily.
Such foreign policy debacles have never been investigated. How can they be, when the minister who is supposed to be in charge of foreign relations is so nervous about losing his position that he simply acquiesces in every debacle? And in all fairness to the man, he contributed to what Lalith Weeratunge has described as shaping the situation, when an attempt was made to sow bad blood between the President and the lady who is now the Indian Minister of External Affairs.
 
Sushma Swaraj
This was in 2012, after India had voted against us at the UN Human Rights Council, something I felt had been a mistake. I believe Sushma Swaraj felt the same, for she had always been positive about Sri Lanka, and was even more so than usual when she headed a parliamentary delegation that visited us soon after the defeat in Geneva.
However, the President had told Lalith, shortly before he was due to meet the delegation, that he wanted the meeting cancelled. The reason was that he had been told Sushma Swaraj had been critical of him at a dinner hosted by the Indian High Commissioner – and that Nimal Siripala de Silva had seemed to acquiesce in her comments.
 
Lalith realized something was amiss, and persuaded the President that he should check on the facts. Both Basil Rajapaksa and G. L. Pieris said that nothing of the sort had happened, and indeed Sushma Swaraj had been her usual positive self. Lalith felt therefore, that he had set things to right. Sadly, it had not occurred to him to find out what had prompted the President's ire.
I was able to tell him because a few days earlier Harsha Navaratne of Sewalanka had described how Kshenuka had come up to the President, at the funeral of the mother, if I recollect aright, of the Air Force Chief, and spun him her tale of woe. The President had believed this, perhaps in line with the Goebbels' view that, the bigger the lie the more it would command credibility, and had left the place in high dudgeon.
 
Unfortunately, though the President increasingly now loses his temper when things are not going well, his anger never lasts long for him to want to analyze what has happened. So, now he readily dismisses problems as arising from that he claims is an international conspiracy.
The altercation between Sajin Vas Gunewardena and Chris Nonis he thinks is connected with the fact that 'a section of the international community is plotting against his regime to set up a puppet government in the country', which is the picture he is reported to have tried to present to the Sri Lankan community in Italy, when he recently went to the Vatican, accompanied as usual by the pretty pair.

Whilst it is not an excuse for reneging on commitments, I can accept that the President is not entirely wrong. The attacks on us whilst we were fighting against terror, the subsequent canonization of Sarath Fonseka, the effort to use Sri Lanka as a case study for the extreme version of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, all suggest that we need to be careful. But what the President should also consider is why we seem as a nation to fall into all the traps that are set.
 
Michael Burleigh's reference indicates that Sri Lanka can deal with threats if the country is able to use intelligent elements, who are familiar with all aspects of the international community, and know how to work with those who can help us, whilst firmly opposing unwarranted interference. But with the President the prey of those who attack the intelligent, whilst also aggressively undermining the image of the country, I see little hope of escape. And that means that the victories of 2009 will be wiped out, a tragedy for which the President will have only himself to blame if he is unwilling to embark on the reforms the country, as well as the leading lights of the SLFP, so anxiously desire. To continue to rely on those who came in through the back door, and who fuel his suspicions of those who were his partners in politics when the going was difficult, is a blunder that will cost the country, and the party, dear.

CBK will support govt. breakaway group for Karu instead of Ranil; Mangala for common alliance threatens

(Lanka-e-News- 05.Nov.2014, 5.30PM) Following the immediate return to the Island of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike , the SLFP rescue organization group of government MPs and Ministers who are victims of the Rajapakse injustices and atrocities , have met her and had a discussion . The group that met with the objective of supporting a common candidate of the opposition decided that if at least Karu Jayasuriya contests as the common candidate and not Ranil Wickremesinghe of the UNP, they will extend support. This decision was intimated to Ranil Wickremesinghe.

They have justified their decision on the ground that there is an opinion among the people that Ranil is a losing candidate , and that trait is unchangeable. They also questioned why Ranil is seeking to become a President for six months if the executive Presidency is to be abolished.

However , the former President and the SLFP rescue group who strongly opposed individuals like Sajith Premadasa who called the government members who crossed over to the UNP as rats and frogs ; and Tissa Attanayake who called them as ghosts, warned that if they continue to obstruct the efforts towards unity , and if the group that is causing the obstruction is not controlled , they would not extend the support.

Recently , during the discussions with Ven. Sobitha Thera , when the JHU questioned Ranil on why he is trying to be the President for six months if the executive Presidency is to be abolished , Ranil did not give an answer. The JHU stated , if Karu is contesting as President instead of Ranil , they would give due consideration to it.

Meanwhile, on the 1 st , the group for good governance led by Ven. Sobitha Thera met with Ranil Wickremesinghe and Karu Jayasuriya. At that discussion it was revealed that if Karu is contesting instead of Ranil , they would extend support.

A group of UNP MPs had also met Ranil on the 1st and explained to him he is incapable of winning .Among those in the group of intellectuals that met Ranil comprised Dr. Wijedasa Rajapakse, Dr. Harsha De Silva and Eran Wickremeratne . Ranil on the other hand had told them that it is the decision of the working committee that if he does not contest , it is Sajith Premadasa who should . Subsequently however , Ranil had threatened the MPs indirectly that if he is not contesting he will field Sajith as the candidate . Incidentally , the majority of members of the executive committee is pro Ranil and not pro Sajith.

Meanwhile ,Gen. Fonseka the leader of the Democratic party who heard of this said, if Sajith is fielded as the Presidential candidate , his party would contest independently, adding that he would under no circumstance support a bandicoot like Sajith.

At the same time , Mangala Samaraweera who moved heaven and earth for two long years to induce a group of the government to break away and join the opposition is also disgruntled after the insolent remarks cast at the groups crossing over to the UNP ,and Ranil’s indifference without attempting to rectify them .

Mangala has given warning signals to Ranil that he would have to take a decision politically if the forming of the common alliance is going to be delayed further stemming from the conspiratorial manipulations of Sajith- Kili- Tiran Trico like how it was postponed hitherto.

Mangala had clearly explained to Ranil that defeat at elections is writ on the wall without forming an alliance , and Sajith is earnestly waiting to take over the leadership after the defeat , while pointing out to Ranil that he (Mangala) cannot therefore carry on with Sajith . Mangala had hence warned Ranil against postponing the formation of the alliance , and if the common alliance on a common program is not put in place , he would be compelled to take a decision politically.

Those close to Mangala have revealed that the latter is thoroughly disappointed and disillusioned with the crippling of the leadership council and the withdrawal of the communication division that was under Mangala when elections are around the corner , after falling prey to the manipulations of the evil Trico .

The Trico who got wind of this , hatched anther conspiracy against Mangala. They began publicizing that Mangala is going to join with the government , and went as far as to make an announcement to this effect in the ‘breaking news’ 3rd night.

On the other hand , if Ranil casts aside the common program and common alliance , which alone can steer the UNP to victory , and makes moves driven by personal greed for power , not only the party but even the country is headed for inevitable doom and irretrievable despair.

The Koslanda landslide: Photos around the aftermath

• by Groundviews 
• - on 11/05/2014 

The deadly mudslide hit the Meeriyabedda tea plantation near the town of Haldummulla, about 200km (120 miles) east of the capital Colombo, on Wednesday (29th October) morning. Part of a mountainside crashed into the tea estate, burying some of the workers’ homes in 9m (30ft) of mud and debris.

An estimated 100 people are still listed as missing, the national Disaster Management Centre (DMC) says – locals say the figure is about 200. Hundreds of troops have been using heavy equipment to dig through tonnes of mud that buried the tin-roofed homes of workers at a tea plantation.

It is still not clear how many people are trapped in the disaster which was caused by heavy rain.

Editor of Maatram, Selvaraj Rajasegar, captured these compelling photos of the landslide’s aftermath. Access all the photos here.

Can There Be A Third Term – Mahinda Asks The Supreme Court Opinion

 

( November 5, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has requested the Supreme Court to give its opinion whether he could or not come forward for a third term of the presidency and whether a presidential election could be held or not before his second term ends.

The request has been made to the Supreme Court in writing today (5th) and it has been revealed that the request for the opinion of the Supreme Court had been carried out secretly. This was revealed in a letter sent by the Registrar of the Supreme Court to the President of Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL) asking him to submit written submissions and denying an opportunity for oral submissions.

The letter states the written submission by the Bar Association relevant to the matter referred from the Supreme Court by the President should be submitted before 3.00 p.m. on the 7th.

According to reports measures have been taken to inquire into the matter on Friday (7th) and the President to be informed regarding the opinion of the SC on Monday (10th).

It is stated that the letter to the BASL has been directed by the Registrar of the Supreme Court on instructions from the Chief Justice.

Sinhala Colonization Continues: Namalgama In The North

November 5, 2014 

The blatant abuse of power by the Rajapaksas to score votes in the South has prompted further escalation in the Sinhala colonization in the North – JVP MP Vijitha Herath has informed in parliament yesterday that a large number of families from Hambanthota have been given away lands and resettled in the North.

Namal Rajapaksa, eldest son of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament, and heir apparent

According to MP Herath a land area of one acre has been given to every family that was resettled in the North from Hamabanthota and this village has been named as ‘Namalgama’.

MP Herath who disclosed these facts during his statement at the debate on 2015 budgetary allocations for the Ministries of Defence and Law and Peace, had pointed out that these actions are being carried out to gain political mileage against the backdrop of the upcoming Presidential elections.

Speaking further he had stressed on the importance of establishing and reinforcing land rights in the Northern Province, emphasizing on the ‘Namalgama’ incident as a case in point.

The Rajapaksas have been using the land in the Northern Province according to their whims and fancies particularly in their voter bribery projects. This fact was further highlighted by Northern Province Chief MinisterCV Wigneswaran when he wrote to President Rajapaksa earlier last month explaining the decision made by the Board of Ministers of the NPC to boycott a development meeting organized as part of the President’s visit to Jaffna. He had criticized the giveaway of land permits to some 20,000 persons by the President, pointing out he was not consulted nor informed of this decision at any point despite him being the Minister in charge of lands in the province.

Ensure and protect the rights of people who survived the landslide

Memorandum to the Ministry of Disaster Management 

by Groundviews 

- on 11/05/2014

Ensure and protect the rights of people, especially women and children, who survived the landslide which occurred in the Haldumulla DS area on 29th October 2014

As the Women’s Coalition for Disaster Management, Batticaloa, we wish to express our sincere condolences to the people who perished in the landslide disaster in the villages of Kotabathma Grama Niladhari division of Haldumulla Divisional Secretariat Division in the Badulla District. We also express our support to the people who survived. We deeply appreciate the commitment and work of all the government officials, civil society organizations and individuals who have responded to this tragedy.

There have been delays in recovering the bodies due to the unstable climate, as well as other challenges in responding to needs.In this context, it is the responsibility of all who are working for social development to protect the welfare and rights of the people who survived.

Disasters are not neutral. It always brutally affects the marginalized and impoverished people. This tragedy too has hit some of the most marginalized areas and people of Sri Lanka -the plantation workers of the Haldumulla DS division. In Sri Lanka and around the world, it has been seen that disasters also have very gendered impacts – affecting women and men, girls and boys differently. As organizations who collectively worked and supported women and children during the tsunami disaster in Batticaloa, based on our experience we would like to share our suggestions for ways to reduce the impacts on the most vulnerable survivors. 

Information

• Have information available as soon as possible about names and other relevant details of those alive and where they are so that there is proper communication to relatives. This information should be easily accessible through information centers set up in places easily accessible by the relatives, such as on the side of the road near the affected sites.

Search and rescue work

• Only few bodies had been recovered to date – the families with missing members need support/solidarity to help them through this difficult time. The search should continue till the last body is found, as this is culturally very important for grieving and can have long-lasting effects.
• We have already seen in other countries where such disasters have happened there is a slim chance that a few people may have survived.   In the recovery attempt,it is very important,in additional to the work using heavy machinery,to use sophisticated technology and alternative methods to find anyone who may still be alive.
• It is very important for the community, particularly women, to be involved in the recovery process as well as decision-making processes at the camp and community level. This will benefit the recovery process as well as ensure sustainability of these efforts. Community members have very valuable local knowledge and are familiar with the environment. Special efforts must be taken by recovery coordinators to enable women (and other often marginalized groups) to participate.

Relief 

• Though there is food and shelter and other facilities provided, women need designated protected places to change clothes, to sleep and to feed babies.
• Timely and clear information must be made available to women and children to avoid confusion, fear and dependency on rumours and dominant figures in the affected areas. This is particularly important in relation to registering people, health clinics, theprovision of rations, legal status, compensation prospects and future administrative plans for the affected people.
• Special measures to meet women and girls reproductive health needs must be put in place, and we recommend health clinics must be held in all locations preferably with an all-female medical team.Special attention must be given to the needs of pregnant and feeding mothers.

Special measures for protection of women and girls

• Special measures should be put in place to protect children and young women as they are more prone to abuse during the times of disaster. This is a particular concern due to the vulnerability of plantation workers. This includes for example, forming women’s groups, providing electricity and having well lit areas, transparent procedures to access relief, and regular presence of mobile police units including the women and children desk police officers.  During situations of stress and uncertainty for the community, it is important to be vigilant about risks of domestic violence as well as exploitation by outsiders (including those providing assistance).  Separating children and young women from their trusted caregivers or siblings may increase their vulnerability and should be avoided.

Language 

• The DMC officers and Army are mostly Sinhala speaking, the community is Tamil but mostly bilingual. Needs assessment, involvement in decision-making and provision of support needs to happen in the language that the affected families are most familiar with, particularly when dealing with children.

Psychosocial wellbeing

• We wish to reiterate that all the above measures will have profound benefits for the psychosocial wellbeing of women and others who have suffered terrible losses due to the landslide. Placing women’s concerns at the center of decision-making processes will enhance their ability to cope and recover, and will prevent secondary psychosocial impacts. If persons are identified who are too distressed to care for themselves or others, then support should be provided through trained psychosocial workers or mental health staff who are based in the area.  Single-session counselling by short-term visitors or volunteers who will not be able to follow-up must be avoided.

Responsibility of Plantation managements 

• The Plantation Managements are also responsible to provide the details of householders in their records and also for the rehabilitation and resettlement of these families in safe locations.

Land and housing rights

• The most important issue is that these communities are given land and housing in safe areas where their livelihoods are secured. The livelihoods of these communities are intertwined with the estate sector so they must be given dwelling places in or near the relevant estate, but in locations earmarked as safe for construction. Since they are citizens of Sri Lanka the Government must allocate land for them and provide assistance for housing and compensation for their losses.

Another exploit of the proud father

WEDNESDAY, 05 NOVEMBER 2014

Money allocated for school uniforms from the budget 2015 for 4 million school children in the country is Rs.2500 million. This means each student is allotted only Rs.625. 
However, the President has allocated funds for himself for next year so that his daily expenses would be Rs. 28,700,000. 
According to ‘Mahinda Chinthanaya Idiri Dekma’ put forward in 2010 to get votes it was stated that Sri Lanka would be made the ‘hub of knowledge’ in Asia. It stated that state expenses for education would be limited to Rs.85,000 million by 2020. It was also mentioned that the expenses by the private sector for education would be increased to Rs.100,000 million.

Another pillage of funds for Mahinda’s campaign

WEDNESDAY, 05 NOVEMBER 2014

It is reported that private secretary to the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera has informed all Foreign Employment agents to contribute Rs.50,000 each to meet propaganda expenses of the election campaign of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa to the presidential election to be held unconstitutionally. 
A private secretary to Minister Dilan Perera as well as Consultant Information Technology to Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Mr. Roshan Hassim had also requested the contribution at a meeting held for the agents at  Bright Bravo Hotel at Kurunegala on the 25th October. 
The number of registered foreign employment agencies in the country is about 830 and the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare would collect about Rs. 41,500,000 by this ‘project’. 
At the meeting held on 25th October the private secretary to the Minister had given a number of a bank account for the agents to credit money and had told them that the money should be paid before a meal to be given to them at Temple Trees yesterday (4th). The bank account is that of a private factory say sources.
The General Manager of the Bureau Batagoda too had participated at the meeting held on the 25th say sources.

MR & Corruption

| by A Special Correspondent

( November 5, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Students of politics should do some field research on the scale of the corruption that permeates Sri Lankan government today. No doubt that Sri Lankan historian and political scientists would record that MR regime is one of the most corrupted regimes in the world today. More importantly one of most corrupted governments in Sri Lankan history. It is a duty of patriotic Sri Lankans to expose the degree of corruption that prevails in the country today. Thanks to Anura Kumara Desanayake who has exposed some aspects of these corruptions in recent time. In some his debates in the parliament in recent time he has indeed exposed some elements of corruption that prevail in Sri Lanka today.

JVP leader has exposed the corruptions of MPs in parliament. Some MPs have been stealing public funds in Sri Lanka for years. Yet, our police, judges and law enforcement agents are scared of MPs. They cannot take any step to stop this broad day light robberies of public money. This political dishonesty started with MR and co. No one dared to do such a day light robberies during the previous governments. Of course it was said Gamini Desanayake had one percentage commission of Mahavali projects. Yet, he did not dare to do that in public as we see today. Today MPs openly steal public money. Yet, MR and co do not care about it. Because, they have a big share of all these robberies. Consider for instance what the financial status of MR and co was before they came to politics.

MR robbed Tsunami money for his election campaign in 2005. This was well known. Former CJ acknowledged this and expressed his remorse that he did not put MR into jail for this theft. Had he jailed MR on that day he wouldn’t have been president today. Consider the financial status of all siblings of MR today and those days before they came to politics. Basil used to work as a shop assistant in USA. Goata used to work as computer technician in USA with little qualifications. All other siblings, sons and relatives did not have lots of financial assets before MR became president. Today see their assets. They are today millionaires in Sri Lanka. Where did they get this amount of money? Did they grow money trees in Sri Lanka or did they print money or did they rob public money. Of course they did rob public money. Otherwise how do they get millions within these few years? Any sound person would understand this with little bit of common sense.

They accumulated this wealth within last 10 years. No doubt public money has been robbed in broad day light. They control most of government departments and ministries. They have used or misused the executive power vested on MR to rob the nation. This is indeed, similar to what Saddam or Qadafi did in their countries. One could argue that our situation is worse than those countries. The leaders of those nations were well known dictators. Yet, Ours is an elected leader who misuses his executive power to rob the nation. MR is a crafty man. He takes our constitution as a cover for all his robberies and corruption.

Today the entire family of MR and co steal the wealth of nation. They a have habit of buying people with their power and politics. Today many people are sacred of them to speak out about all these frauds and corruptions. If people reveal these they would be killed or burnished out of the country.

All talks of economic growth and development are just eye wash. These mega projects are done to rob money and a large amount of commission is taken by MPs from these projects. The Politics is a big business in Sri Lanka today. In that lucrative business MR and co made their fortunes and poor people of Sri Lanka are made to suffer. All talks of giving salary increase for public employers are nothing but eye wash. MR and co would do anything to win this election. They know well if they fail they will have a difficult time ahead in Sri Lanka. For that reason they would do all sort of tricks and stratagem to win this election.

No one dare to expose these corruptions except JVP leader. The main opposition party should have done better. You cannot expect journalists; academics and religious leaders would expose these facts, it is up to the politicians to expose these with facts and figure. We do have so called bribery commission yet, it is under control of this government.

Well done Anura Kumara Desanayake. You have won hearts and minds of millions of Lankans. You have courage and bravery to do this. You have charisma and skills to expose the dirty works of MR and co. You have sincerity and good intention to do this. We all pray for your long life and for the best of your health. If we have some more people like this great man we would have created a political history in Sri Lanka today.

Flights disrupted, passengers stranded at Sri Lanka airport after strike 

Press Trust of India | Colombo | Posted: November 5, 2014 3:25 pm

Over 2,000 passengers were stranded at Sri Lanka’s main airport here for hours after several flights were disrupted due to a strike launched by employees seeking a salary hike.

Four passenger flights that have landed at the airport were kept waiting for several hours as the jet bridges cannot be connected for the passengers to disembark as a result of the strike, sources at the airport said.

The strike that was launched last evening has brought the operations at the Bandaranaike International Airport to a complete halt. According to airport officials, the baggage belts have stopped running and the arriving passengers have faced severe difficulties.

It was reported that about 2,000 passengers were waiting inside the airport for clearance.

Several flight departures were delayed leaving passengers stranded.

The strike was launched by Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya employees, affiliated to the dominant party of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

The strike was later called off. Deepal Perera, a trade union leader said they were demanding a rupees 10,000 pay hike.

“We hope to have discussions on our demand for 10,000 rupee salary increase”, Perera said.

The authorities accused the strikers of disconnecting electricity power supply at the airport.

This has forced the immigration officials to halt electronic operations and work manually, officials said.

The control tower of the airport was operating and could facilitate the landing of inbound flights although the departures are delayed, officials said.

The national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines said two outbound flights to Shanghai and London have been delayed.

Meanwhile, the British High Commission in Colombo advised travellers to check with the airlines before heading to the airport.

Rabid cusses running amok

Editorial-November 4, 2014, 7:56 pm 

We do not subscribe to the derogatory epithets used to describe the masses such as ‘asses’ and ‘the swinish multitude’. Nonetheless, we keep wondering what really makes them elect asses as their representatives.

Minister Mervyn Silva and his son, Malaka, are in the news, more often than not—always for the wrong reason. The latter has got involved in a nightclub brawl once again. Had his victims been Sri Lankans they would have been left with no alternative but to run away sans a few gnashers, nursing their crushed jaw bones and bloodied noses. But, unfortunately for him, he assaulted a British couple. He was further remanded yesterday. He was, in effect, sent from one hospital to another. (It is only the sons of ordinary parents who are sent to remand prison for being on the wrong side of the law!)

Malaka got away with attacks on police and army officers on previous occasions, but this time around the government has apparently tried to make the law look less asinine by allowing him to be arrested and remanded—sorry, hospitalized. However, it knows more than one way to shoe a horse. We will see, before long, how he will be let off the hook.

It looks as if there were a state within the state of Sri Lanka. Prabhakaran blundered by taking up arms and unleashing mindless terror to carve out a separate state. Had he become a government minister instead of waging a guerrilla war he would have been able to run the North and the East according to his whims and fancies with his sons assaulting military officers and grabbing their guns; the government would have called the lethal weapons in the hands of his cadres ‘toys’! He would also have been able to tie all public officials in those parts of the country to trees and run his empire the way Kelaniya is being ruled by Viceroy Silva, who thinks he is the reincarnation of a warrior king.

Malaka claims to have been slapped across the face in Saturday’s brawl. If his father had done that to him when he had a brush with the law for the first time he would not have made a public nuisance of himself. The intrepid Britisher who acted in self defence and landed a thundering slap on the face of the aggressor, we are sure, is the most popular person in Sri Lanka at present! For, he has done something which both our police and army have pathetically failed to.

An army major set upon by Malaka and his goons in 2012 took it lying down and even withdrew his complaint under duress. Due to the shameful manner in which he acted after being assaulted by a bunch of ruffians who should have been made to rue the day they were born soldiers are said to consider it an insult to be promoted to the rank of major!

The British High Commissioner in Colombo does not have to huff and puff to go all the way up the hills to meet the Buddhist prelates in Kandy or grace ceremonies in faraway places or make donations to strengthen the UK-Sri Lanka relations. There is a very easy way of achieving that goal at no cost. He can encourage more British males like the one who proved his mettle on Saturday to come here and visit night clubs scourged by local political dregs and their sons!

No wonder the government’s popularity is plummeting and frantic efforts have had to be made to shore up its crumbling image, both locally and internationally. With a bunch of violent politicians and their equally incorrigible progeny within its ranks does the government need enemies?

It is not only the economic woes of the public that bring down governments; rabid cusses in the garb of ruling politicians also do.

Guti Kaemata Niyamithayi: A Battering Is On The Menu

By Udan Fernando -November 5, 2014 

Food continues to inspire my column. But it’s a different type of food that inspired this week’s column – a contemporary Sinhala play called, Guti Kaemata Niyamithay by Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi. An insightful review written by my friend Upali Amarasinghe (loosely) translates the title of the play as ‘Destined to be Beaten’ (read Upali’s review here) . The three characters of the play are indeed odd, but refreshingly novel: a beedi kote (a cheap local cigarette), a drop of sweat and a ‘gullaa‘, a weevil. They all exist in a loaf of bread, but face the threat of being baked. As Upali says, “the characters in their inimitable style bring forth to the audience the tragedy of their lives; the tragedy of being imprisoned in a loaf of bread. They want to break free but do not know how”. I leave it to a linguist to tell us why kanawaa or kaema (eating, food) is used in Sinhala to denote getting beaten-up. Anyway in Sinhala parlance, getting beaten up is as just good as having a meal.

A lot had been said, denied and written about a String Hopper Meal in New York where a then High Commissioner was allegedly served a sumptuous portion of string hoppers withseeni-sambal by a Monitoring Minister of the External Affairs Ministry. The latest we heard, which was not surprising news, was that the then High Commissioner was excessively intoxicated to the extent that he collapsed at the party in New York in front of the Monitoring Minister, the Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry, and other guests. Such a matter which involves a top diplomat in a topmost diplomatic posting could have been a humongous scandal to be investigated and drastic action to be taken. A government MP, Hon. Rajiva Wijesinghe, writing an opinion piece to Colombo Telegraph, a few weeks back, lamented that ‘government simply had no one left who could argue a case intelligently and in good English. But now it seems, and according to the above statement from the government, the then High Commissioner who collapsed had no strings (hoppers) attached. So the matter is closed. The Monitor will continue his monitoring work while the former High Commissioner will probably revert to his family business to blend tea. What a fall from a Diplomat to a Chai-wallah!                                                      Read More