Sunday, November 30, 2014

Time To Take Off The Gloves And Join The Dots

One of the damaged sections of our road

Emil van der Poorten

By Emil van der Poorten -November 30, 2014
Over the years during which I have written for publication about the predicament of people in our neighbourhood who are having road access denied to them by the behavior of a local Pradeshiya Sabhawa (PS), I have desisted from identifying the person who had the power, authority, “connections” and clout to do something about this state of affairs.

As I have documented more times than I care to remember, a road which is the only means of access to and egress from their homes for dozens of families has been callously destroyed by the Tumpane (PS), for ten years, operating a completely illegal garbage dump located outside its geographical boundaries!

As I believed it would be counter-productive to join the dots leading to the man who seemingly chose not to do anything about this state of affairs, seeing him as the last hope of any kind of justice in this matter, I desisted from doing so. Another reason for my failure to take what might have seemed like the obvious course was the fact that I believed, that he was a person incapable of knowingly participating in a campaign of willful destruction and malice.

However, if he is being kept in the dark about the real state of affairs prevailing in our corner of rural Sri Lanka, what follows should illuminate that darkness.

The basic history of this travesty goes like this: Read More

Chinese Numerology Supersede Sri Lankan Astrology?

| by Upasiri de Silva

( November 30, 2014, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) Mahinda Rajapakse who is having his personal astrologer and most of the time he is around temple Trees, to check for best times and days to engage in any activity, as Mahinda do everything according to Astrological dates and times. But the President who always use Astrological dates and times for everything he do, change his mind this time when he selected the dates for the Presidential elections, according to a very reliable source from the Presidential House.

The Astrological dates for Nomination and Election were different to the dates Election Commissioner announced this time. Why Mahinda now not following the Astrological dates and go for Numerical dates? Chinese has so much influence on Mahinda he is now forced to discard his Astrologer for Chinese auspicious dates as dictate by them.

The day Presidential elections was proclaimed, I never thought about the importance of the two dates in December and January. But after reading a Chinese article on Numerology, I suddenly realise Mahinda Rajapakse is well and truly is under the Chinese power. Number 8 (Eight) is the most important number for Chinese in their Calendar and their influence helped Mahinda Rajapakse to throw away the Astrological dates given to him and choose 8th in December and 8th in January as the nomination and election dates, as he was told by the Chinese that he will be able to defeat anyone contesting him if he used those dates.

Unfortunately late PM SWRD Bandaranayke was born on 8th January, and now this day he selected is creating problems for him and his advisers.

Why Rajapakse discarded the Astrological dates is a mystery to many, and the person who provided me this information told me he got very agitated when he heard January 8th is the Birth Day of SWRD Bandaranayke. Even he select any date this time he is going to lose very badly as he is hated by most in Sri Lanka. But now his trust on Chinese numerology has eroded and he is fuming about using the Chinese numerological dates for this crucial Presidential election.

Maithripala: From paddy field to Parliament to presidential candidate

Daughter Chaturi:-Sunday, November 30, 2014

Maithripala Sirisena, the man who is set to challenge incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the January poll, once spent more than 18 months in jail over suspected links with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)– a link that was later proved, he did not have.

He joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) while he was still in school but Mr. Sirisena’s long and chequered political history is not widely known to the public. Until he came forward as Mr. Rajapaksa’s main challenger, he did not project himself as a leader or seek the limelight.
Mr. Sirisena is a self-made politician and a family man, but one who has successfully kept his private and public persona apart. He has avoided grooming his children or family members to follow in his political footsteps.

“We lived in Polonnaruwa even after my father became an MP and later a Minister and we have not enjoyed any special privileges,” said Dharshini Chaturika, Mr Sirisena’s eldest daughter. “Even though my father was a busy person, he always took time off to attend parent-teacher meetings when we were in school and to attend to our family needs.”

“When my father walks into the house, he is no longer a politician,” she reflected. “He is a father and a husband and we do not discuss politics when we are together as a family.”

Mr. Sirisena’s rise up the political ladder was not an easy one. After the youth insurrection of 1971, he was arrested on suspicion and was jailed for more than one and a half years even though he had no links with the JVP. After his release, he returned to active politics, undeterred by the fact that he was wrongfully jailed while the SLFP-led government was in power.

Hailing from a family of farmers, Mr. Sirisena was born on September 3, 1951 and was named Pallewatta Gamaralalage Maithripala Sirisena. He was raised in the agricultural heartland of the country, in the Polonnaruwa District. It was whilst he was still a schoolboy at Royal College, Polonnaruwa that he began to take an interest in politics and became the Secretary of the SLFP Youth Organisation.

His first job was as a Co-operative Supplies Officer in 1974. He also served as a Grama Seva Niladhari until 1978 but due to changes in the political climate and due to various forms of harassment he quit his work and took to full-time politics. From there on he made headway in the ranks of the SLFP, being elevated to the post of SLFP District Secretary for Polonnaruwa in 1979. This appointment also opened the door to many training programmes conducted overseas.

By the late 1970s, the United National Party (UNP) led by J.R.Jayewardene was in power with a two thirds majority in Parliament. The overwhelming support for the UNP meant that there were many who engaged in crippling whatever remaining opposition there was from other parties. With the SLFP having to bear the brunt of such attacks, the task fell on young party activists such as Maithripala to resurrect the SLFP.
His hard work paid off when he was appointed the SLFP’s All Ceylon Youth Wing secretary and in 1983 as its chairman.

Due to the commitment shown to the SLFP, he was made a member of the decision-making body– the Central Committee–of the SLFP. The then leader of the SLFP Sirimavo Bandaranaike, having realised the potential of the young man also appointed him an organiser for the Polonnaruwa electorate.

With the onset of the terrorist activities of the LTTE, the Sirisena family was among hundreds of families living in the Polonnaruwa District who were under constant threat of attacks. “We had to shift homes several times due to threats of LTTE attacks, but we lived in the area despite all the hardships,” Chaturika said.

Mr. Sirisena succeeded in entering Parliament by winning a seat in the 1989 general elections; but it was baptism by fire for him, coming at a time when a second JVP-led youth insurrection was in full swing and choosing to contest an election was then akin to signing one’s own death warrant. Even though the UNP was in power, Maithripala raised his voice on various issues affecting the people.

1994 was a watershed year for the SLFP. After enduring 17 years in the Opposition, the SLFP was swept into power with a landslide victory for Chandrika Kumaratunga. Maithripala was rewarded with the post of Deputy Minister of Irrigation in the new Government. In 1997 he was promoted to the rank of a Cabinet Minister with the portfolio of Minister of Mahaweli Development. In 1997 he was also made the Deputy General Secretary of the SLFP and in June 2001, he was appointed to the prestigious post of General Secretary of the SLFP, a post he held till he resigned two weeks ago.

After the SLFP-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) formed the government in 2004 under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala was appointed the Minister of Mahaweli and Rajarata Development and in 2006 in a Cabinet reshuffle as the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Mahaweli Development and Environment. In 2007 he was appointed Agriculture Development and Govi Jana Services Minister. That same year he was also appointed Leader of the House.

Mr. Sirisena was re-elected in the 2010 parliamentary elections and appointed Minister of Health.

Despite the numerous Cabinet portfolios he has held, Mr.Sirisena has avoided bringing in his family members to positions in Government. “He was firm that none of us should take up posts such as being his coordinating secretary or personal secretary like other politicians’ children do. We led our own lives away from the hustle and bustle of politics even though our father held a high position in the Government,” the daughter said.
His decision to quit the government had the solid backing of his family members. “We told him we are prepared to die with him. He feels that if the direction in which the country is heading is not changed, the country will become like a mass of land belonging to one person,” Chaturika said.

Mr. Sirisena is married to Jayanthi Pushpakumari and is the father to two daughters and a son. On November 21, Maithripala resigned from the Cabinet and announced that he would be the Opposition Common candidate at the January 8 presidential poll.

Facilitating Rajapaksa’s departure A bright light at the end of the tunnel

November 29, 2014, 4:36 pm

by Kumar David-November 29, 2014

This piece is drafted on the premise that Mahinda Rajapaksa can be defeated on January 8, 2015, which is not the same as saying it is a certainty - that is too early to judge since the gravity of the Maithripala Sirisena (MS) challenge may or may not endure. This assumption delimits the scope and defines the structure of my essay. Brevity being the soul of wit, I eschew repeating "Assuming that my supposition is correct" in the body of the text. The logically separate matter of predictions gets scant mention; Lanka sports a bevy of pollster-pundits who lead and mislead and herds of charlatans and conmen-astrologists to fill an asylum.

Facilitating Rajapaksa’s Departure a Bright Light at the End of the Tunnel by Thavam Ratna

Gota The Soft And Gota The Hard

By Rajiva Wijesinha -

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

Enemies of the President’s Promise: Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs - Grumpy 1

What was termed the militarization of the North was attributed mainly toGotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary of Defence, and in many minds he was considered the greatest barrier to Reconciliation. He was thought the architect of the policy that held security to be the most important consideration, and that to ensure this the footprint of the military had to be heavy and pervasive.

Gotabaya Picture courtesy businesstoday.lk

This was ironic, for during the course of the war he had seemed of the view that, while the forces could handle the military requirements, a settlement required the politicians, and setting this in place was not his role. Indeed, in this regard he seemed the opposite of his Army Commander, Sarath Fonseka, who was thought to be of the view that a policy of settlements in the North was the best way of guaranteeing peace. Gotabaya, on the contrary went along with his brothers, the President and Basil, when they sidelined Fonseka, having refused his request that the army be enlarged; and, as noted, Basil went ahead with a policy of swift resettlement, which was in accordance with the pledge of the President.

Indeed, even during the war, Gotabaya had seemed soft in comparison with Sarath Fonseka. His chosen instruments were officers such as Daya Ratnayake, appointed Army Commander in 2013, who had developed the strategy that ensured that there were hardly any civilian casualties in the East. Sarath did not like Daya Ratnayake, and sidelined him and would have had him retired early, but Gotabaya saved his career by sending him off to China for his Staff College Course. When he came back, he was not used at all in what remained of the Northern offensive.

30/11/2014

A collective of artistes, academics and civil society activist has come together to provide a joint platform for all opposition political parties that campaign for the abolition of executive presidential system. The first mass rally of the collective ‘Paravsi Balaya’ ( පුරවැසි බලය Citizen’s Power) will be held at 3 pm on Tuesday, December 2, at Hyde Park, Colombo. The theme of the rally is ‘Escaping the Trap’ (උගුලෙන් ගැලවෙමු).

The Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, Common Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, TNA National List Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran, Democratic Party Leader and former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, Mano Ganeshan of the Democratic Peoples’ Front, Sunil Jayasekara of the Free Media Movement, Ravaya editor k.W. Janaranjana, Gamini Viyangoda, Dr. Chandraguptha Tenuwara and number of other academics and activists a will address the rally.

An activist of the Puravasi Balaya told SLB that they will hold few more such meetings around the country. A poster campaign has been already launched.

Sri Lanka opposition parties launch bid to

topple President Rajapakse

Sri Lankan opposition party workers erect a cutout of their presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena in the north central town of Polonnaruwa on Nov 30, 2014. Sri Lanka's opposition parties formally launched their bid Sunday to topple long-serving President Mahinda Rajapakse at January elections, with prayers and public meetings in the island's old capital of Polonnaruwa. -- PHOTO: AFP

Nov 30, 2014

POLONNARUWA, Sri Lanka (AFP) - Sri Lanka's opposition parties formally launched their bid Sunday to topple long-serving President Mahinda Rajapakse at January elections, with prayers and public meetings in the island's old capital of Polonnaruwa.

Main opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena, 63, who quit as health minister last week from Rajapakse's government, was expected to address a rally later Sunday in Polonnaruwa, in the heart of the country's "rice bowl".

"Maithripala Sirisena represents the boiling resentment within the government of the Rajapakse family rule," said former fisheries minister Rajitha Senaratne, one of 11 members of Rajapakse's government to quit and support Sirisena in recent weeks.

Sirisena and other opposition figures were receiving Buddhist blessings at a temple and holding public meetings ahead of the rally in Polonnaruwa, which has been decked out in flags bearing their parties' colours.

I Spent Rs.30 Million On Rathana Thera’s Temple: Gotabaya

November 30, 2014

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa has stated that he spent Rs. 30 million to construct the JHU Parliamentarian venerable Athuraliye Rathana thera’s temple. However, the money he refers to as ‘his’ are the funds of the Urban Development Authority.

Delivering a speech at the opening of a 187 year-old building of the Sri Jayawardenapura Vidyalaya in Kotte which was renovated under the sponsorship of the Defense and Urban Development Ministry, Gotabaya had said that it cost him Rs. 30 million to transform the land located in Gothami Road, Borella into a beautiful temple.

“The land was given by the President and I carried out the land reclamation. It took us two years to complete the process. . . We however did it for the Buddha Shasana” he said while laughing. He furthermore states the constructions were carried out by personnel of the Civil Defense Force.

Meanwhile the renovations of the archaic school building that was handed over to the students by him at the event on Friday, had been carried out by Navy personnel.

It appeared like a petty attempt made to subtly get back at the JHU monk who was instrumental in influencing the other party members to take the decision to quit the UPFA coalition.

The JHU today announced they have decided to support common candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the upcoming elections and added they would be signing an MoU with him within the next couple of days.

Thugs gather to attack Maithri’s rally!

Sunday, 30 November 2014

A meeting of thugs took place at Deer Park Hotel in Medirigiriya yesterday (29) to discuss how they should disrupt and attack the function in Polonnaruwa today to welcome common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Gangsters and trade unionists attended the meeting led by a lawyer, Sumith Wijesinghe, a staffer of the Presidential Secretariat.

Following this meeting, the canopy erected to shelter the Buddhist clergy at the main reception at Gal Vihara was removed by force by the thugs later in the day.

They also had committed several acts of violence in Polonnaruwa town in the night.

Sarath N Silva will not file case

Sunday, 30 November 2014

Former Chief Justice Sarath N Silva says he will not file a case against President Mahinda Rajapaksa contesting for a third term in office, even though it was decided so earlier.

He said that he cannot agree with the opinion of the Supreme Court that it is not illegal for the President to contest for a third term in office. Sarath N Silva however felt it will serve no purpose in going to court over the decision as it is the same court which will need to give the ruling.

He further said that the front led by the ven. Madulwawe Sobitha and the Pivithuru Hetak National Movement of ven. Athureliya Rathana have now become political entities and the people can expect them to deliver fair and just governance.

He also vehemently rejected media reports that the visit to Jaffna recently with his relative and his overnight stay at a naval camp in Kankesanthurai was facilitated by the government.

Meanwhile, it is alleged that some members of the parliament have met the President and requested not to hold the general election before April, 2015 since they may lose their pensions if they are defeated.

Accordingly, it is also said that they had made a proposal to the common candidate, if the general election is postponed till 2016, the common candidacy president has to gain these MPs’ support.

The former Justice further stressed that relevant parties would discuss further on this matter and the amendment of the Constitution.

Mahapola cut if not present at the Govt rally

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SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

The government has decided to summon 13,000 university students for an election meeting that is scheduled to be held in Colombo.

According to reports the students have been warned that they would lose the Mahapola Scholarship if they fail to turn up at this election meeting which is held under the guise of a Mahapola Scholarships awarding ceremony.

The authorities have informed the students to participate in this meeting which is scheduled to be held on December 02 clad in white and have also advised them not to bring mobile phones.

Meanwhile a petition has also been signed with the help of students who are loyal to the university authorities urging to announce the 2nd December a holiday, since the university examinations are being held these days.

Expressing his views regarding the matter, the convener of the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) Najith Indika said,

"At a moment their power has been subjected to challenges, the government has taken the Mahapola Scholarship as a hostage to fulfill its desires in the oncoming presidential election. Now they are trying to hold this election meeting in the guise of awarding Mahapola. 8 months have passed since the enrollment of the new batch but there was no intention of giving them these scholarships. It is clear as to what low level the government has fallen even to secure votes by taking public assets hostage. "

SLMC and MR hold crucial talks

Is BBS the new face of Buddhist revivalism?

The aftermath: Aluthgama two weeks on

November 30, 2014

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has had crucial talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the party looks to decide who it will support at the Presidential elections next year.

An SLMC delegation led by SLMC leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem met the President and a government delegation which included Minister Basil Rajapaksa, and detailed to them the core issues faced by the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, an SLMC source said.

The SLMC had also noted some concerns with regards to the Eastern Provincial Council and also discussed other political issues at the talks with the President.

SLMC sources said that it was agreed further talks will take place between a Government delegation and the SLMC following which the SLMC High Command will decide the next step.

The SLMC had yesterday said it will take its time to decide who to support at the Presidential elections scheduled for January next year, SLMC sources said.

Earlier, an SLMC meeting was held on Friday night with the participation of SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem and party members where the election was discussed.

Sources said that at that meeting there was a split on who the SLMC should support with some backing President Mahinda Rajapaksa and others common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Hakeem had later said at the meeting that there is no rush to decide who to back at the polls and the opinion of the Muslims in Sri Lanka will first be sought before a final decision is reached. (Colombo Gazette)

BBS Support, A Blessing In Disguise

| by Helasingha Bandara

( November 30, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) All along, people of Sri Lanka knew whose creation Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) was. No one was surprised when Gnanasara announced his support for Mahinda Rajapaksha (MR). Instead of worrying about BBS’ support for MR, those who wish a change were jubilant for the fact that BBS support for MR was a blessing in disguise for the opposing forces.

With due respect, this writer would like to call the leading figure of BBS, Gnanasara Unnehe, instead of Gnanasara Unnanse although the subtle difference in the meaning of the two terms can only be attributed to the practice rather than to linguistics . I must admit that I am a Buddhist by default. I do not worship monks or do not go to temples to worship. Yet I like the serene atmosphere of a temple and grandeur of the buildings. I believe I am a good Buddhist nonetheless, because I have enormous respect for the Buddha and his preaching about how to lead a good life and I lead a reasonably generous, magnanimous and peaceful life without causing any harm to anyone.

As far as Gnanasara Unnehe is concerned, people have qualms about as to whether he is a monk or a layman in a yellow robe. His physical gestures, abusive language and mannerisms are neither of a sage nor of an ascetic but of an ordinary thug. He was alleged to have been penalized in a court of law for drunk driving. He has tried to justify this ‘unmonklike’ behaviour in patriotic terms claiming that he accepted the blame of drunk driving to prevent an important security forces person from falling into trouble. However, he himself had admitted at a TV interview that there are many females interested in him and one even stalked him in the recent past. Judging by his personal behavior and evil traits, it is hard to believe that Unnehe would reject an offer from a good-looking female. Lastly the type of Buddhism that he wants to nurture in Sri Lanka is so violent that it defeats the purpose of the core of Buddhist Principles that are nonviolence and the tolerance of other religions. The Buddha has said those who do not respect religions of others do not respect their own either.

In a recent press conference Unnehe has said that for him the country, the nation and the religion are the most important things in his life in that order. By the country he means an undivided Sri Lanka. I guess this is his sincere desire, and no disagreement with this. However the desire to have an undivided country under the Rajapakshas, at any cost, is questionable. In his opinion if MR is defeated at this election the enemy forces would take him to an international court to try for his misdeeds. He quoted a certain person of Tamil ethnic origin who has said something to that effect at a TV interview. This one person who does not possess any international power has been drawn on as the main conspirator who allegedly has gathered all opposition parties to help his conspiracy.

If there is any international conspiracy to overthrow MR at this Juncture, MR must be the lead role in that conspiracy because he himself alone wanted to hold elections in January 2015. No foreign government, agency, person or a pressure group has pressurised him to do so. Opposing parties within the country have not only opposed the premature election but have even threatened with legal action. Yet MR has decided to go-ahead with the election having received the green light from a Judiciary that he himself has appointed. Instead of ruling happily for two more years he has announced an election. Now he has got all his henchmen to call the emergence of a strong opposition a conspiracy. If he feared that he would be tried at an international court, he would not have declared an election. The claim that he would be tried at an international court is only an election gimmick. Rajapaksha opportunism seems to have backfired and he does not know what to do now other than trying his usual tactics to deceive the public. According to Gnanasara Unnehe the people of Sri Lanka should go on electing MR or one of his family forever for the fear of them being charged with war crimes, despite the bad governance, criminal activities of his close associates, increasing lawlessness in the country and escalating poverty among the poor.

As far as I am concerned, Gnanasara Unnehe’s nation is not Sri Lankan but Singhalese, his religion is not Buddhism but some philosophy that is full of hatred and divisiveness. So I hope that the people will know the difference between the truth and a lie and a good monk and a bad one.

Navin Dissanayake resigns from Ministerial post

November 30, 2014

Minister of Public Management Reforms Navin Dissanayake has tended his resignation letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, last night.

The Minister said that he has decided to resign from his Ministerial portfolio and from all positions he held under the Government. Dissanayake was the chief organizer of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) for Nuwara-Eliya district as well.

In his resignation letter, the minister has cited three reasons for his resignation, including the authorities’ failure to allocate enough funds for his Ministry in order to serve the area residents of his represented area and abolish the executive presidency. The Minister had also pointed out that his father and late Minister Gamini Dissanayake and late Minister Lalith Athulathmudali too struggled to abolish the executive presidency in 1990s.

“As a father of two, hereby, I show my gratitude and admire your most onerous service to wipe off the LTTE from our country,” Dissanayake said that he has no conflict of opinions with the President and ‘policy decision’ led for his resignation.