AirAsia Flight QZ8501 with 162 on board goes missing on way to Singapore

By Jethro Mullen and Susanna Capelouto, CNN-Sun December 28, 2014
(CNN) — An AirAsia passenger jet carrying 162 people lost contact with Indonesian air traffic control early Sunday, gripping Southeast Asia with a second missing plane crisis in less than a year.

AirAsia Flight QZ8501 With 162 on Board Goes Missing on Way to Singapore by Thavam Ratna

Airlift begins for hundreds trapped on burning Italian ferry

BY RENEE MALTEZOU-Sun Dec 28, 2014

(Reuters) - Air crews began lifting passengers off a burning ferry adrift in the Adriatic Sea on Sunday, racing to rescue as many of the hundreds trapped on board as possible before nightfall as storms hampered seaborne operations.
Airlift Begins for Hundreds Trapped on Burning Italian Ferry by Thavam Ratna

US-led coalition carries out 13 air strikes on Isis in Iraq and Syria

• Central Command says eight strikes on Syrian town of Kobani
• Strikes in Iraq hit Isis positions near Sinjar and Mosul

A photograph from October shows thick smoke and flames erupting from an airstrike by the US-led coalition in Kobani, Syria. Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

Sunday 28 December 2014

US-led forces on Sunday conducted eight air strikes against Islamic State (Isis) militants in Syria and five strikes on Isis targets in Iraq, the US military said in a statement.

In Syria, the strikes centered on the town of Kobani near the Turkish border, the Combined Joint Task Force said. Fighting for control of Kobani has raged for some months, with Kurdish forces recently gaining the upper hand, largely thanks to support from coalition air power.

The strikes in Iraq included strikes against Isis positions near Sinjar and near Mosul, the task force said.

On Wednesday, Isis fighters in Syria captured a Jordanian pilot after his F-16 came down near Raqqa. The plane was the first from coalition forces to be lost.

Air strikes in Iraq began on 8 August. In Syria, strikes began on 23 September. US Central command said it carried out 12 strikes in the two countries on Saturday, and 39 strikes on Thursday and Friday.

Terror compels ‘revisit’ of national security vs human rights debate

December 24, 2014, 12:00 pm 

Indian activists hold lighted candles and placards during a vigil in Mumbai on December 22, 2014, held for schoolchildren and teachers killed in an attack by Taliban militants on an army-run school in Peshawar. Pakistan plans to execute around 500 militants in coming weeks, officials said, after the government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty in terror cases following a Taliban school massacre. Six militants have been hanged since December 19 amid rising public anger over the December 16 slaughter in the northwestern city of Peshawar, which left 149 people dead including 133 children. AFP

A seemingly emotional statement by the Al-Qaeda to the effect that its ‘heart is bursting’ over the recent mass student killings in the revolting and heart-rending terror attack on a Peshawar school is proof that public outrage against the brutality in question is having an impact of sorts on extremist circles in South Asia. But the Al-Qaeda reaction could in no way mitigate the horror of the unconscionable and devastating attack which claimed well over 150 young lives.

However, there is no denying that unreserved condemnation of terror in any form should be persisted with by publics all over the world. The fact that people are occupying centre stage in these protests is something to be warmly welcomed but the hope of all progressive sections worldwide ought to be that governments would throw their weight behind the people on these issues. It cannot be taken for granted that governments would take to public causes of grave importance as a matter of course, as it were. For, in the case of authoritarian governments in particular, human rights questions are not treated by them with the gravity these matters deserve. And South and South-West Asia are abounding with repressive governments.

Nevertheless, current public protests in Pakistan over the school terror should be unreservedly approved and backed by civilian publics and democratic states all over the world. In fact the world should come out in support of the Pakistani people in this their hour of need. It is a matter of profound concern that this is not happening to the desired degree. Why the Sri Lankan public, which has suffered terribly at the hands of terrorists, is not adequately showing solidarity with the Pakistani people, is an issue worth probing. Have we, Sri Lankans, desentisized ourselves to political terror and its costly consequences over the years?

On the other hand, are governments focusing sharply on the dominant and essential issues growing out of terror? The usual reaction of most states is to adopt tough law-and-order measures to terrorism with the hope that these would prove adequate even in the long term to resolve the issues at hand. But are they?

National security is of crucial concern to governments and there is no denying that this need must be met. But would it suffice to ensure national security by adopting only strong law-and-order measures to terror, which latter impinges strongly on a country’s security? Terror attacks of the kind which occurred in Pakistan should compel governments and publics to ‘revisit’ these questions. The quality of governance would suffer badly if we do not do so.

These matters need urgent addressing because countries facing ‘terror’ are adopting measures which have a negative impact on human rights and their sustenance in the face of national security concerns. There is the case of Kenya, for example, whose attempts to pass into law, strong anti-terror measures, are proving highly controversial and politically divisive. The Kenyan government is reportedly being taken to task by the country’s Opposition over the relevant legislation which is seen as negatively impacting civil and political rights, including the Right to Information.

It is not often realized by states of the developing world in particular that fundamental rights cannot be bartered for national security and ‘development’.If rights come to be compromised by states there would be no development worth talking about.In short, there could be no trade-offs between rights and development. These dimensions of national well being develop hand-in-hand. Some Scandinavian countries are proof of this truth.

However, repressive states in our part of the world have laboured under the illusion that ‘development’ and security could be had without the provisioning and sustenance of fundamental rights.The fact that these states have come to be torn apart, sooner rather than later, by political and social discord is the evidence of the inseparability of security, development and rights. If people are deprived of their rights, they would revolt eventually and this would bring to nought all ‘development’ efforts. Strong arm tactics by governments to these upheavals only compound the crises concerned.

The need for governments to provide the Right to Information, for instance, clinches our point. It is public awareness of social and economic reality that enables people to demand development of states.That is, public awareness of these issues, promoted by the Right to Information and a responsible press, enables the people to demand from their law-makers, the essentials for a stable material existence. This process keeps progressive, democratic governments on their toes and compels them to usher equitable growth. Therefore, the Right to Information is of crucial significance to responsible, good governance.

However, unfortunately, some states see the Right to Information in a negative light. Repressive governments, in particular, see this right as having destabilizing consequences for states.Hence, their efforts to stifle the mass media, which are instrumental in promoting public awareness on crucial national issues, in the name of ‘security’.

Such repressive governments should be seen as being in the same league as extremist outfits such as the Islamic State and its backers who are in an effort to systematically weaken the media by killing journalists.

The considerable number of journalists killed in the ‘Killing Fields’ of Asia this year, is the evidence that in the national security vs rights debate, it is the former that is gaining the upper hand.

This is a most unfortunate development which needs to be arrested immediately. A free and responsible press needs to be seen as a cornerstone of development.And it is only the latter which can help in ushering national security, for, a development-starved people would eventually rise in revolt against repressive governments.

Accordingly, it is important that the debate centering on security and rights is ‘revisited’ and thoroughly examined by governments and publics. A blinkered view of these issues could very well mean national decline and decay.

National security is of crucial concern to governments and there is no denying that this need must be met. But would it suffice to ensure national security by adopting only strong law-and-order measures to terror, which latter impinges strongly on a country’s security? Terror attacks of the kind which occurred in Pakistan should compel governments and publics to ‘revisit’ these questions. The quality of governance would suffer badly if we do not do so.

Crunch time: As sanctions bite, Putin ally gets into apples

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  By Elizabeth Piper-Filed Dec. 28, 2014

Part 8: When Russia recently banned imports of some foreign fruit and other foods, it was seen as retaliation against Western sanctions. The move will also benefit a venture by one of the president’s long-standing supporters

ABINSK, Russia – As U.S. and European sanctions piled pressure on Russia earlier this year, the Kremlin hit back with an unusual weapon: apples.

Crunch Time as Sanctions Bite, Putin Ally Gets Into Apples by Thavam Ratna

Peace talks to begin again in the Philippines

By Edwin Espejo Dec 27, 2014

Both the Philippine government and the communist rebel movement said the stalled peace process could resume as early as January next year following a series of backdoor talks that culminated in the  visit of special government envoy Hernani Braganza to the Mindanao rebel camp of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Surigao del Sur.

Braganza, a member of President Benigno Aquino’s Liberal Party, visited rebel spokesman Jorge Madlos in Surigao del Sur “to follow up” peace talks with the rebel group.

Also meeting him inside the rebel camp is Fidel Agcaoili, member of the National Democratic Front (NDF) peace negotiating panel.

Braganza’s visit also coincided with the 46th Founding Anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Reports said as many as 5,000 people, most of them rebel supporters and sympathizers, attended the rebel celebration.

NPA guerrillas in Far South Mindanao in formation during the 46th Founding Anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Pic: Edwin Espejo

Both the CPP and its military wing the NPA are members of the NDF, political umbrella of at least 15 other rebel groups.

Madlos said yesterday’s celebration was also a “public consultation” on the possible resumption of peace talks with the government which was suspended in 2011 following the arrests of key rebel leaders and the refusal of the government to release detained communist cadres.

In March last year, CPP chair Benito Tiamzon and wife Wilma were arrested in Cebu City dampening further hopes to the peace process.

In Utrecht, founding CPP chair Jose Maria Sison said the peace talks could resume after the visit of Pope Francis to the country in January.

Pope Francis will visit the country from January 16 to 19.

Sison said on the agenda of the peace talks are political and socio-economic issues and the possibility of a ceasefire while talks are being held.

The latest statement from Sison, who describes himself as chief political consultant of the NDF, is a major deviation from the early hardline stance of the rebel group against a permanent ceasefire while negotiations are ongoing.

However some veteran reporters covering the communist insurgency said time may not be on the side of a negotiated political settlement between the Philippine government and the NDF which has been waging a Maoist-inspired guerrilla warfare for more than four decades already.

Reuters’ Manny Mogato is asking if a time-bound negotiation as demanded by the government will succeed while Dario Agnote of Kyodo News said the warring forces simply distrust each other.

The Philippine insurgency is Asia’s longest running and still active communist rebel movement.

Don’t insult Singapore

December 29, 2014 

Sentosa is a popular and much-loved island resort in Singapore. It’s kind of a playground for all. Sentosa Island is Singapore’s favourite leisure destination with exciting attractions, golden beaches, luxury retreats and the country’s first integrated resort. 
It’s visited by huge numbers every year. It’s estimated that some 20 million people visit the island each year. The attractions are plentiful and are simply breathtaking. They include long sheltered beach, golf courses, hotels and the Resorts World Sentosa, featuring the theme park Universal Studios Singapore. The island has gone through a metamorphosis and has become a unique landmark.
For some Sri Lankan politicians from both sides of the divide the Republic of Singapore, a sovereign city-state and island country in Southeast Asia, has become a favourite destination for different reasons; or should I say a clandestine rendezvous point for deal-making, electoral strategising or simply a much-needed retreat to contemplate the next political move.
I wonder if the Singapore Tourism Board is aware of this growing niche market. If they are not they should forthwith throw in their resources and collate all data possible to better address their guests. Providing them with memory and pleasure and also possibly etch a sustainable business plan to exploit the emerging potential.
When the palace radar is on a 24-hour active mode with well remunerated guards brandishing technologically superior contraptions procured courtesy of the taxpayer, it behooves opposition members and their erstwhile managers to exercise optimum caution.
Defecting or accepting a sweetener can sometimes prove a life or death situation. It has to be done with maximum care. It’s funny, if not a gross atrocity, when an elected representative pays obeisance to incentives and inducements disregarding the very oath on which the individual was primarily elected.
This is Sri Lanka and the possibilities are truly endless. In the last eight years or so a great deal of horse trading has taken place and millions – some say billions – of rupees have actually changed hands. This is depressing news.
As for the Opposition, it’s doubly important that they maintain extreme secrecy if not see their laboriously crafted strategies get pre-empted. Singapore it seems is able to give them all the privacy, confidentiality and much-cherished isolation to discuss and strategise without hindrance or restriction.
It’s kind of a travesty that a country like Sri Lanka which claims to be a democracy tries to subvert the democratic process by employing covert eavesdropping and extreme surveillance. The hush maintained by the Opposition in the recent developments quite unconnectedly reminded me of the very secret November 1910 gathering at Jekyll Island, Georgia during which the plan for the creation of the now notorious Federal Reserve was hatched.
Singapore has also become a destination for our rare breed of legislators to evade arrest after committing various kinds of felony at home. It is very convenient, hassle-free and visa-free. Should we use another’s hospitality to hatch our own conspiracies? There is no right or wrong answer. After all the Mossad killed a Palestinian arms supplier in a plush hotel in Dubai quite recently using forged documents. For sure many would disapprove of it. There are many good things that we can learn from Singapore. We’ve always aspired to be another Singapore all our life but never, ever had the right leadership to take us there. I don’t think we’ll ever have it. So the next best thing we’re able to do is to give the country a bad name.
It is ironic our politicians chose Singapore to do all this work. Singapore is a nation built on very strong principles. Singapore is no doubt one of Asia’s great success stories, transforming itself from a developing country to a sprawling modern industrial economy in one generation.
During the last decade, Singapore’s education system alone has remained consistently at or near the top of most major world education ranking systems. This is unprecedented. Even Barack Obama made reference to this.
A “tiny red dot” on the map has achieved and sustained so much, so quickly. Singapore has kept its ranking in a global corruption survey as the fifth least corrupt country; it is surpassed by only Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Sweden in the Corruption Perceptions Index.
Core principles of governance
On governance Singapore boasts of core set of principles and values that are enduring and relevant to its people. One example is trusting and maintaining the integrity of the public service and avoiding waste and excesses.
First Singapore believes ‘Leadership is Key’. They are a small country. If other countries are like big massive unmanageable tankers, Singapore is just a speed boat quite vulnerable at sea. So they need leaders with grit to steer the speed boat.
Whether its politics or public administration, at all levels leaders can articulate a compelling vision and pursue. Singapore trains their leaders to do what is right and not necessarily what is popular.
A second broad principle is to ‘Anticipate Change and Stay Relevant’. Given the pace and scale of change facing all countries, no public service can afford to be passive or reactive, following established rules and administering existing systems, adhering to ‘time-tested practices’. Facilitating and nurturing new ideas and constantly questioning old assumptions and never being trapped in the past.
The third principle is ‘Reward for Work, and Work for Reward’. This principle reflects Singapore’s political values. It has evolved over time and has become a basic part of the outlook. Singaporeans understand that no one owes them a living. Given their set of circumstances – small, without natural resources and highly dependent on the outside world – they can only earn a living and safeguard their future through their efforts and wits. The fourth principle is to create ‘A Stake for Everyone and Opportunities for all’. The end goal of any governance system is not institutional strength or even economic well-being, but nation- building. It is about creating an inclusive society where citizens not merely enjoy economic wealth, but feel a sense of ownership and belonging. The administration’s goal is to make Singapore a land of opportunity, a home loved by all its residents, a community all belong to and a country which all are proud to call their own. This is for all Singaporeans, the Chinese, Malays and Tamils, unlike in Sri Lanka. “But we either believe in democracy or we not. If we do, then, we must say categorically, without qualification, that no restraint from the any democratic processes, other than by the ordinary law of the land, should be allowed… If you believe in democracy, you must believe in it unconditionally. If you believe that men should be free, then, they should have the right of free association, of free speech, of free publication. Then, no law should permit those democratic processes to be set at nought.” – Lee Kuan Yew.

New climate change plan agreed by over 190 nations

SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER 2014

The world's worst polluters agree to a new plan to tackle climate change, but some environmental campaigners are scathing about the deal.

A UN deal on climate change has been hailed as an "important breakthrough" for requiring developing countries, and not just rich ones, to control their greenhouse gas emissions.
New Climate Change Plan Agreed by Over 190 Nations by Thavam Ratna

Rajapakse family ready to flee having realized its election debacles : 350 tons gold sold for US $ 13,300 million!

(Lanka-e-News-27.Dec.2014, 11.30PM) The Rajapakse family had planned to flee the country in the event their conspiracies are unsuccessful . One of the conspiracy is to cause a bomb explosion in Colombo on the 6 th or 7 th of January 2015 , and blame it on the LTTE , with a view to earn the sympathy of the people and show that Mahinda Rajapkse had won by a majority of 300,000 votes , according to detailed reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division, and based on all the news garnered by our division.

It is the most infamous senior DIG Anura Senanayake who had undertaken this contract. Mahinda Balasuriya the secretary to the Ministry of law and order is also to render assistance to Senanayake , in addition to the Rajapakse regime ,to execute this plan, which information had unfortunately for the Rajapakses has leaked out already. It is significant to note that this plot of Anura Senanayake had not received any support from other DIGs as well as the IGP. Consequently , these vote rigging and election frauds planned by the regime have failed so far.

In like manner the conspiracy to rig votes has also been unsuccessful. Full information and details of rigging of election results and the methodologies to be adopted by the Rajapakse regime are in the possession of Lanka e news. According to these machinations , the final fraudulent election result is to be conveyed as though Mahinda has won the elections by 303,966 votes . (We have in our custody the concocted results on district basis that are to be conveyed to the people by the Rajapakse regime which we shall not reveal now, as that is too long and space consuming) . Sorry to state however, these riggings and frauds aimed at by the Rajapakse regime have not received any support from the elections commission secretariat, and these Rajapakse treacherous plans and manipulations have even been leaked out by them.

At any rate , at this forthcoming election , the opposition has taken a decision to operate an alternative (parallel) vote counting center to combat the regime’s fraudulent election practices and vote rigging , and prevent them. At the same time as the elections department is conducting the vote count , the opposition is to run the alternative (parallel) center for counting the votes with the aid of international sophisticated system and technology .

In the circumstances , since the Mahinda Rajapakse plans and plots to rig votes and commit election frauds in order to show to the people that he has won with a majority of 300,000 votes had turned into a damp squib so far , they have made arrangements to flee the country which is the only option left for them.

Based on informed sources of the Diplomatic circles , if Rajapakse regime team is unable to use the Sri Lankan planes ( which impediment it is naturally expecting) , the regime has already made arrangements with two Indian Charter plane companies to get down planes , for which the regime has paid in full to these companies.

One of these companies is 'Air Charters India' while the name of the other company is still not definitely known. The payments to these companies have been made by Sajin Vaas Gunawardena . (Sajin Vaas had flown to Singapore yesterday). 'Air Charters India' had informed that it must be notified at least 12 hours ahead if it is to send a plane to Katunayake or Mattala airport . In any case , payments have been made in full to two Indian charter companies in order that if one company fails to comply with the request urgently , the other company can be relied on as a stand by.

The Rajapakse family that is planning to make a bolt overseas has already sold 350 tons of gold in the country it has robbed , to a Japanese millionaire whose name is Keiji Matsumura . The latter representing a Japanese Company , Japuga Holdings Private Ltd. had bought the 350 tons gold. It is a Tamil national by the name of Rajgopal Kartheepan (identity card No. 8334333342 V) who has acted as a broker as his elder brother who lives in Switzerland had appointed Kartheepan to act on his behalf.

This quantity of gold had been illegally shipped via 16 containers loaded at the Colombo Port . Priyath Bandu Wickrema , the Ports chairman had seen to it this commodity is shipped without it being recorded in any of the registers. The cash amount realized by the Rajapakse family out of this shipment is US dollars 38000.00 per kilo . One ton is made up of 1000 kilos . Accordingly the total amount collected by the sale is US dollars 13,300 million..! and this transaction had taken place with the knowledge of HSBC bank.

Rajapakse who has planned his fleeing the country , made a visit to the Thirupathy Temple(Kovil) immediately after handing over nominations not for paying homage , but to ensure the secret dispatch of the gold and monies , reports say. The Thirupathy Temple (Kovil) is well known world over for large collections of unofficial monies and gold. This Kovil lends monies even to the Indian government . At the same time it is involved in transfer of monies of multi -millionaires through the Undiyal system (illicit fund transfers). It is very evident that Rajapakse made a beeline to that Kovil for such an illicit transaction , that is ,out of love for money and not due to love for the deities , or to perform a genuine pilgrimage .

It is specially worthy of note that though Tissa Attanyake accompanied Mahinda , it was only the latter and Yoshitha, the son of Mahinda who went into the Kovil and met the Kovil bigwigs . Lanka e news is in possession of a wealth of information in this regard which will be released after 8 th January 2015.

(Pictures in here as one is Matsumuara's Passport and the other one is auothorised letter given to kartheepan by Japuga Holdings)

---------------------------
by     (2014-12-27 18:41:36)

WikiLeaks: 80% Says MR Is Corrupt And 85% Says His Family Is Corrupt: MR’s Chief Pollster

December 27, 2014

“President Rajapaksa’s chief opinion pollster – who is a good contact of the embassy on other issues – shared with us the first findings from their initial survey. These initial responses indicated that potential voters had little interest in the symbolic issues” US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

I’m not a yes–man, 80 percent says you are corrupt

The Colombo Telegraph found the leaked cable from the Wikileak database. The cable classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and signed by the US Ambassador to Colombo Patricia A. Butenis on December 26, 2009.

The cable recounts details of a meeting US Ambassador to Colombo has had with President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s chief pollster and his close advisor Sunimal Fernando. Under the subheading “PRESIDENTIAL POLLSTER SURPRISED BY GOOD FIGURS” the ambassador wrote “Only about 10% cared about the president’s creation of a ‘patriotic society’ after the war or his willingness to stand tall against the west. Also, many voters saw the Rajapksa family as corrupt (85%) and the president himself as corrupt (80%). Despite all his faults, the pollster claimed, many voters still saw Rajapkasa as a man of action and a man of his word and would vote for him over Fonseka.”

Placing a comment she wrote “the pollster prides himself on being one of the few figures in the president’s circle who gives him objective information and is not a yes – man… we find interesting the very high negatives for the president on corruption and apparent lack of voter interest in Rajapaksa’s standard patriotic issues, which could eat away at the president’s positive figures as the campaign progresses”

Related news – Wikileaks: “Race Is Neck And Neck” Rajapaksa’s Chief Pollster Sunimal Fernando 

Read the full cable

Rajapaksa government should immediately arrange for safety and welfare of flood affected thousands

 

Saturday, 27 December 2014 

State agency mandated to monitor and issue warnings and advice on natural disasters, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has reported over 660,000 as affected during the present floods in the North Central and Eastern Provinces. It is also reported over 80,000 have been displaced already and over 90% of the affected people are not in safe locations, with rising water levels.

The worst affected area is said to be Batticoloa district and it is a Tamil and Muslim district. All affected people are starved of food, have no safe drinking water and fuel. Children and infants are the most vulnerable in this situation. They need immediate attention.

Meanwhile the National Building and Research Organisation (NBRO) warns people in the Central Province, especially in Matale, Nuwara Eliya and Badualla districts should evacuate from areas already identified as prone for landslides. The Met department forecasts more rain in coming hours.  

What’s this Rajapaksa regime doing all this while?
It is ridiculous to ask people to move out without any assistance from State agencies. It is the responsibility of the government to have logistics in place and in time for people to move out to safe places.

It is five days now as the incessant rains have lashed the island. The Rajapaksa regime, which boasts about 'development" is dragging its feet in moving relief for the affected people. Met department predicts further rains and the situation may get worse turning into a colossal human tragedy.

Though a natural disaster, a humanitarian tragedy has to be avoided. Ten years after Tsunami, this country would not want another unnecessary tragedy. I therefore call upon the government to get its act together in shifting all affected people to safe locations immediately and provide them with all welfare facilities, food, drinking water and fuel.

I also demand the government to allow Citizens to join in relief work instead of blocking civilian efforts as in Koslanda landslide disaster on 28 October. It was the people who did immediate emergency and relief work when the Tsunami devastated lives ten years ago.

-USP Presidential Candidate United Socialist Party-

‘We don’t recognize sovereignty of Sri Lanka’ – Basil, Gota & Dullas declare in USA

Rajapaksas opposition to imperialism is a fraud as they, as ‘Green Card’ holders, have given an oath before God to ‘defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America’ and to ‘bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law’, says the Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP Somawansa Amarasinghe. He has revealed this in an interview he had with ‘Lanka Irida’ weekend newspaper.

He makes this argument based on the ‘Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America’ that has to be made when

granting full citizenship to anyone of foreign birth. The oath foreign subjects have to make when becoming a citizen of the USA is “I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform non-combatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

Any citizen from anywhere in the world including from Sri Lanka should make this oath to get citizenship in the USA. The Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Dullas Alahapperuma have taken this oath before god to get citizenship in the USA and act according to it. This is evident when investigating their past behaviour.

An important instance of this link between Rajapaksas and the USA is the defence agreement signed by Sri Lanka and USA in 2008. Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa signed on behalf of Sri Lanka and Robert O Blake signed on behalf of the USA. By this agreement Sri Lanka is obliged to provide facilities for the USA during any war situation in the region. The trio, instead of being loyal to Sri Lanka, goes to the USA occasionally to confirm their allegiance to the USA with the ‘help of God‘. As such, Sri Lanka is only a resting place for them.

The anti-Muslim movements throughout the world are launched with the leadership of the USA. Recently, anti-Muslim tendencies surfaced in Sri Lanka as well and authorities were directly accused of manipulating such tendencies.  Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaska getting involved in opening offices of BBS and this ‘Sena’ declaring they would support Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa at the presidential election have direct links to the ‘SL – US’ link.

Related news: Rajapaksas' US assets revealed