Oil hits April 2009 low, then pares loss on U.S. oil rig data

A man fills up his car at a petrol station in Rome January 6, 2015.

BY BARANI KRISHNAN-NEW YORK Sat Jan 10, 2015 

(Reuters) - Global oil prices resumed their slide on Friday after two days of relative calm, with Brent and U.S. crude hitting their lowest levels since April 2009, before paring losses on data showing a steep drop in U.S. oil drilling rigs.

Benchmark Brent crude broke below $49 a barrel but returned to above the $50 support level it had seen earlier in the week after oil services firm Baker Hughes reported the largest drop in 24 years in U.S. drilling rigs.

Oil prices had barely moved in the past two sessions after tumbling 10 percent the first two days of the week.

Early in New York trade, crude oil drifted about 50 cents lower as robust U.S. jobs data for December helped limit losses.

The sell-off gained force about an hour before noon, with both Brent and U.S. crude falling to April 2009 lows. But the market retraced its losses after the rig count data.

"In my opinion we have not stabilized out yet, but the rig data and some short-covering ahead of the weekend is helping the market pare losses," said Tariq Zahir, managing member at Tyche Capital Advisors in Laurel Hollow in New York.

U.S. crude settled down 43 cents at $48.36, after falling to $47.16 earlier.

Brent traded 89 cents lower at $50.07 a barrel, after an earlier low at $48.90.

The number of rigs drilling for oil in the United States fell by 61 this week, the most in a week since 1991, the Baker Hughes report showed. The rig count has declined in 10 of the last 13 weeks since hitting a record high of 1,609 in mid-October. The current count of 1,421 in the week to Jan. 9 is also the lowest since February.

Oil analysis firm Wood Mackenzie said in a report on Friday that even at $40 levels, only less than 2 percent of global crude production was at risk of making losses.

"Operators may prefer to continue producing oil at a loss rather than stop production - especially for large projects such as oil sands and mature fields in the North Sea," Wood Mackenzie analyst Robert Plummer said.

(Additional reporting by Ron Bousso in London and Florence Tan in Singapore; Editing by David Gregorio, Alan Crosby and Chris Reese)

10 Home Remedies for Cough

Jan 07, 2015

Most people think that common cough isn’t as alarming as it may seem, because it’s harmless and it’s not chronic. That’s not the case though. A lot of serious ailments start with persistent coughs as part of their symptoms.
10 Home Remedies for Cough by Thavam Ratna

மைத்திரிக்கு மஹிந்த தொலைபேசியில் வாழ்த்து- மைத்திரி இன்று ஜனாதிபதியாக பதவியேற்பார்

[ வெள்ளிக்கிழமை, 09 சனவரி 2015, 02:33.39 AM GMT ]

மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேனவின் வெற்றிக்கு ஜனாதிபதி மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஷ தனது வாழ்த்துக்களை தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

ஜனாதிபதி மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஷ, புதிய ஜனநாய முன்னணியின் ஜனாதிபதி வேட்பாளர் மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேனவுடன் சற்றுமுன்னர் தொலைபேசியில் உரையாடியே தனது வாழ்த்துக்களைத் தெரிவித்துக் கொண்டுள்ளார்.

மைத்திரி இன்று ஜனாதிபதியாக பதவியேற்பார்

பொது வேட்பாளராக போட்டியிட்ட முன்னாள் சுகாதார அமைச்சர் மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன இன்று இலங்கையின் புதிய ஜனாதிபதியாக பதவியேற்க உள்ளதாக அரசியல் வட்டார தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

நடந்து முடிந்த ஜனாதிபதித் தேர்தலில் மகிந்த ராஜபக்ஷவை எதிர்த்து பொது எதிரணியில் போட்டியிட்ட மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன வாக்குகள் எண்ணப்பட்டு முடிவுகள் அறிவிக்கப்பட்டு வரும் நிலையில், மகிந்தவை விட முன்னிலையில் இருந்து வருகிறார்.

அநேகமாக வாக்கு எண்ணும் நிலையங்களில் வாக்குகள் எண்ணப்பட்டு விட்டதாகவும் உத்தியோகபூர்வ முடிவுகள் இன்னமும் முழுமையாக வெளியாகவில்லை எனவும் தெரிவிக்கப்படுகிறது.

எனினும், பொது வேட்பாளர் மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன வாக்கெடுப்பில் முன்னணி வகிக்கின்றார்.

இதன் அடிப்படையில் மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன இன்று மாலை பெரும்பாலும் பதவிப் பிரமாணம் செய்து கொள்ளக் கூடிய சாத்தியங்கள் காணப்படுகின்றன.

Maithri takes the lead

2015-01-09 

Common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena who contested from New Democratic Front (NDF) is well ahead by a majority of 92411 votes than his main opponent UPFA candidate and incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa according to elections results officially released so far.

Sirisena has polled a total of 339117 votes (57.15%) while President Mahinda Rajapaksa has polled a total of 246706 votes (41.53%) so far. 

அலரி மாளிகையை விட்டு வெளியேறினார் மகிந்த- ரணிலுடன் கடைசி நேரம்

[ வெள்ளிக்கிழமை, 09 சனவரி 2015, 01:18.56 AM GMT ]

மக்களின் தீர்ப்பிற்கு ஏற்ப ஜனாதிபதி மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஸ அலரி மாளிகையை விட்டு சற்று முன்னர் வெளியேறியுள்ளார்.

எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவர் ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்கவை சந்தித்து, உரையாடியதன் பின்னர் ஜனாதிபதி வெளியேறியுள்ளார்.

மக்களின் தீர்ப்பிற்கு மதிப்பளிப்பதாக ஜனாதிபதி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.  புதிய ஜனாதிபதியின் கடமைகளுக்கு தடை ஏற்படுத்த விரும்பவில்லை என அவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

அலரி மாளிகையில் ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்கவை சந்தித்த ஜனாதிபதி, புதிய ஜனாதிபதி கடமைகளை மேற்கொள்ள சந்தர்ப்பம் ஏற்படுத்திக் கொடுப்பதாக தெரிவித்து மாளிகையை விட்டு வெளியேறியுள்ளார்.

ரணிலுடன் கடைசி நேரம்

ஜனாதிபதி மஹிந்த ராஜபக்‌ஷ, இன்று அதிகாலை அலரி மாளிகையை விட்டுச் செல்வதற்கு முன்னதாக, எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவர் ரணில் விக்கிரமசிங்கவை தனது வாசஸ்தலத்துக்கு அழைத்து, அந்த கடைசித் தருணங்களில் சகல அதிகாரங்களையும் அவரிடம் முறையாக ஒப்படைத்து விட்டே அங்கிருந்து வெளியேறியிருப்பதாக தெரிவிக்கப்படுகிறது.

Are We Too Late?

By Uvindu Kurukulasuriya -

Uvindu Kurukulasuriya

Sleepless nights.Today Sri Lankan voters are going to decide our political future. Are we too late? I have nothing much to say. I have said it all. Even long before the elimination of the LTTE. Even long before Rajapaksas became so-called war heroes.

I wrote two articles in July 2006 in Ravaya, a Sinhala language weekly where I worked at that time. One was about why people called Ranil a loser. (You can read the Sinhala version July 23, 2006 here). In that article I explainedRanil’s major mistake. He should have supported Chandrika’s 2000 proposals. I said that people should be aware this Mahinda Rajapaksa is not a Nagare Premadasa but a Game Premadasa. (He is not an Urban Premadasa but a Village Premadasa) Anyone who knows his character should have understood that. He is a born dictator. The other article titled “What Remains for Mahinda to do”. One of my friends has translated that article. (You can read the Sinhala version July 30, 2006 here).

I know the opposition led by Sirisena is not made up of angels. To  I know the opposition led by Sirisena is not made up of angels. To me Chandrika, Fonseka and Maithripalaare war criminals. But this election is not about war crimes or human rights violations. We can deal with those issues later. This election is about the political future of Sri Lanka. It’s about how to stop Mahinda from becoming a real King and Sri Lanka from becoming an authoritarian country. Are we too late? That is my question! Will the opposition and civil society succeed in preventing Mahinda from turning into a real Hitler? I hope we are not too late!!

I publish below the translation of that article;                                        Read More

Military, govt. interference in Presidential Election negated by EC, IGP – NDF

* EC’s ‘shoot to the head not left’ directive to IGP worked

by Zacki Jabbar-January 9, 2015, 

The National Democratic Front (NDF) yesterday said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s attempt to hijack the electoral process by abusing military and government power at yesterday’s Presidential Election had failed badly due to the indefatigable efforts of the Polls Chief and the Inspector General of Police.

Speaking on behalf of the NDF Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena, his Election Agent Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe MP told The Island shortly after the counting process had begun that the Rajapaksa regime was trying to take the credit for a largely peaceful and major incident free polling day, but its blatant violation of election laws had been prevented due to the indefatigable efforts of the Elections Commissioner (EC) Mahinda Deshapriya and the Inspector General of Police N. K. Illagakoon.

The EC’s directive to the IGP ‘shoot to the head’ had worked wonders and that was the reason why there had been no violent incidents, Wijeyadasa noted.

The military had, he said, been used liberally especially in the North to intimidate Tamil voters even on polling day which had resulted in some of them keeping away, but the presence of the Police with specific instructions to shoot had thwarted that attempt to a large extent.

Wijeyadasa regretted that President Rajapaksa had acted in the most disgraceful manner by claiming that UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa would join him at Kesbewa during his final campaign meeting and going to the extent of using the Rupavahini Corporation to announce yesterday morning that Premadasa had joined the government . "This sort of thing never happened before. The false allegation was corrected only around 12 noon after some damage had been done and that too after the EC had gone to the television station and insisted that a correction be made. Throughout the campaign our supporters were attacked, killed and election stages burnt," he said, adding that the President had even taken R. A. Sirisena another candidate, who had paraded as Maithripala Sirrisena to the Medamulana Polling station and made a public spectacle of him, which would go down as biggest joke of the entire election.

Ranil warns military chiefs :Only security operations in public interest no untoward illicit operations – ‘if you will be fair , we will be fair’

(Lanka-e-News- 08.Jan.2015, 9.00PM) Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe upon receipt of information yesterday that after the conclusion of voting today -the day of the Presidential elections that an army  operation is being planned , immediately phoned the army commander and the  chief of the army intelligence unit yesterday and  warned them to halt such operations  and not to hamper a fair and free election, while emphasizing that ‘if you will be fair we will be fair’

The conversation between the opposition leader and the chiefs of the forces took place  via a third party. The army commander answering had stated, this planned operation  it is not to hamper election activities , but rather  after the defeat ,  since the forces  fear that a riotous situation could be triggered by the people against the President , the defense secretary and the Rajapakses , they are  getting ready to combat it.

Wickremesinghe has replied that the opposition can take that responsibility of safeguarding the President , defense secretary and their family members , and pointed out , if the forces are  being enlisted to protect the Rajapakses , why are the forces being  deployed  at  Beruwala and Negombo?

If the army is engaging in providing security  , it is not objectionable , but if they are to engage in disruptive and untoward activities , action will be taken against it jointly with the people , Wickremesinghe asserted.

In any case , the chiefs of the forces  who gave an assurance that no military operation will be put in place  without  a request from the police, went on to say , there is a fear psychosis among the army chiefs that Sarath Fonseka after becoming the defense minister may take revenge on them. The opposition leader had dispelled their fears by making it clear to them that it will be the new President Maithripala Sirisena who will be the defense minister.

When the opposition leader exchanged views with the IGP subsequently , the latter gave an assurance to Wickremesinghe that he will have no necessity to enlist the assistance of the army for security purposes, and he would act fully to safeguard the people. Accordingly , the navy that were deployed for road barriers in the north yesterday were withdrawn on the orders of the police ,and police security replaced them.

Meanwhile , the army that went to take the communication network of a DIG of south was sent back with their mission turned unsuccessful. The Rajapakse team that tried  to  use about 100 army pensioned officers  to conduct an illicit  election operation had also gone missing.

Following the exposure of the names and details of this group by Lanka e news and the media, and after the diplomatic officers were apprised of this by the  opposition leader , 80 members of the group have abandoned the operations , and bolted. The opposition leader also summoned the diplomatic officers and enlightened them on the obnoxious military plans that came to light yesterday.

In the confusion , Major general Ubaya Medawala who was in charge of Colombo was removed , and replaced by Major general Sumedha Perera  a fraud and  shameless stooge of Gotabaya .May we recall  Sumedha Perera was one who was meted out punishment by court over  a fraudulent deal pertaining to a land at Obeysekerapura , Rajagiriya.

Sumedha was an army officer interdicted from the armed service for a long period , and about to be given the boot ,  when he was called back by Gotabaya to service .Sumedha who was a major when he committed the fraud , was given an automatic  promotion to major general in which position he is now.

The military plan that was discovered by the opposition leader is hereunder…

---------------------------
by     (2015-01-08 16:20:51)

Voting for Lasantha Again, 26 Years Later

by Nalaka Gunawardene 

- on 01/08/2015 

A quarter century ago, as an eager first time voter, I cast my maiden vote for a young journalist friend who had recently taken to electoral politics.Lasantha Wickrematunge was contesting in the Colombo District from the main opposition party, SLFP, at the General Election of 15 Feb 1989.

It was the first general election in Sri Lanka in a dozen years. And it was being held in conditions far from ideal. A fully-fledged youth insurrection was raging in Sri Lanka’s south, with its instigator JVP threatening to kill anyone who dared to vote. The Indian Peace-keeping Force (IPKF) was taking on the Tamil Tigers in the north (not too successfully).

“Machan, mata support ekak ona (buddy, I need your support),” Lasantha had grinningly told me when we met socially during the campaign. I had already decided to vote in favour of his party, and was trying to decide which of its candidates should receive my three preferential votes. Lasantha urged me to give it only to him (for some strategic calculation I have long forgotten). I happily obliged.

Voter turnout was low by Lankan standards (63% of registered voters). The ruling UNP won it with 50.7% of votes and 125 seats in Parliament. SLFP came second with 67 Members of Parliament, 6 of who were from Colombo. Lasantha was not among them.

That initial setback didn’t deter Lasantha. After a few more years in active party politics, he moved into full time journalism again in mid 1994 by founding The Sunday Leader. With his brother as publisher and himself as Chief Editor, Lasantha soon turned the newspaper into a force to reckon with.

Not everyone liked his aggressive style of journalism, and some completely hated his guts. Despite regular vilification, government sealing of his office and being shot at more than once, he kept making ripples for 15 years. In that entire time, no one could successfully sue the newspaper for defamation or damages.

Lasantha’s career ended abruptly on 8 January 2009 when he was brutallymurdered in broad daylight, on a busy street in a high security area. The four killers got away. The dastardly act shocked the Lankan nation and was condemned worldwide.

Lankan authorities initiated a criminal investigation which, unsurprisingly, didn’t go very far. Six years on, no one has been convicted.

Tragically, Lasantha was not the first or last journalist to be killed for a holding a dissenting viewpoint or for doing courageous acts of journalism. In the past few years, in particular, Sri Lanka has ranked among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.

I don’t believe that the government realized it until too late that the Presidential Election 2015 was scheduled for the exact 6th death anniversary of Lasantha – a day of infamy and a reminder of monumental failure of rule of law and media freedom in Sri Lanka.

With the incumbent president obsessed with superstition, the election date was fixed on astrological advice. January 8th was said to be rather ‘auspicious’ for him. We shall soon know…

Evidently, the palace astrologers didn’t do their job well enough: they simply missed the political-quake on 21 November 2014, when Maithripala Sirisenaemerged as the newly united opposition’s common candidate.

As I type this, the ending of this saga – organised around the social media hashtag #PresPollSL — is being collectively written by millions little men and women who walk into thousands little polling booths spanning across the island to mark a little cross on a little piece of paper using a little pencil (actually, a pen this time).

I was one of them. I went to vote early and was done by 7.30 in the morning. At least in my neighbourhood, in suburban Colombo, voting was peaceful and orderly. As I tweeted shortly afterwards, it was a perfect way to start the day. I can only hope that 15 million other Lankans eligible to vote today have equally pleasant experiences exercising their democratic right.

Yes, I voted advisedly, but my secret ballot must remain so. Within a day or two, I shall know whether I have voted for a winning presidential candidate for only the second time in my life. More often than not, I have used my vote as a protest.

For the past few days, I have had a recurrent thought: what would Lasantha have made of all this political intrigue? He would have been in the thick of everything and got a huge kick out of it all.

In the unprecedented cacophony on mainstream and social media around #PresPollSL 2015, we miss him — for all the right reasons.

So I did the only thing that a little man could do. A quarter century on, I just voted for Lasantha Wickrematunge once again.

Nalaka Gunawardene is an indefatigable day-dreamer who tweets at @NalakaG and sometimes blogs at http://nalakagunawardene.com/

Gota Is The ‘Mentally Disturbed, Most Awful And Unpleasant Man’ I’ve Ever Met: SLMM Chief

January 8, 2015 

A new book describes Gotabaya Rajapaksa as “mentally disturbed and the most awful and unpleasant person” A book about Sri Lanka, with a focus on the situation for journalists covering the conflict, will be released in Sweden in February. Lasantha Wickrematunge, one of the many journalists murdered in Sri Lanka, is on the cover of the creative non-fiction book called “When They Kill Journalists”.

The book, first to be released in Swedish language, is based onJohan Mikaelsson’s experiences, visiting Sri Lanka from 1997 on. As a journalist Mikaelsson has been writing for daily newspapers, news agencies and magazines, mainly in Sweden, and also made a Sri Lanka documentary in 2002.

Many of the people interviewed in the book have spoken about the roles of the two main press freedom murder suspects Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary, and his older brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

One of them is the outspoken Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Head Ulf Henricsson, a former Swedish Colonel. In 2006 he experienced how monitors were stopped by the military and the Defence ministry to investigate crime whenever the armed forces were behind them and how the police was forced to fail with its investigations. The most gruesome example is the killing of the 17 aid workers in Muttur.

Henricsson in a quote in the book describes Gotabaya Rajapaksa as “mentally disturbed and the most awful and unpleasant person I have ever met”. Henricsson added he had met quite a few awful people in various war-zones, Mikaelsson explained.

The last few years Johan Mikaelsson made fresh visits to the island and covered events in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, when Sri Lanka was on the agenda.

Mikaelsson said he had hoped the book could be released January 8^th, as a commemoration of Sunday Leader’s slain editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.

– I was surprised to see that this day was chosen for the presidential election, as the present administration is suspected to be behind the murder and have done nothing to solve it, Mikaelsson said.

The reason for writing the book, Mikaelsson said, is that impunity is unacceptable.

– Many journalists got in harm’s way in Sri Lanka. This is a country with impunity on targeted crimes against media institutions and journalists. That is completely disastrous, if you don’t want to kill democracy that is, Mikaelsson said.

From his first visit he saw the quite obvious cover-up of the real situation in the north and east of the island. The state wanted full control and did its best to stop both local and foreign journalists from visiting those areas.

– I can’t compete with the local journalists. My perspective is the outsider’s. I have tried to see and hear all, but it is clear that the Tamil side has suffered immensely in Sri Lanka and continues to take a beating as long as the northern areas are heavily militarized and there is no real political solution to the conflict, Mikaelsson said, adding that most journalists killed were Tamils.

The central characters in the conflict are either interviewed or were heard at press conferences. Several journalists, among others Dharmeratnam Sivaram and Iqbal Athas, were interviewed when the conflict was on-going. After the end of the conflict Mikaelsson has interviewed peace monitors, peace brokers, human rights lawyers, government representatives, activists, journalists and a LTTE peace secretariat official, who came out alive from the war zone.

Events where Mikaelsson attended, for example Prabhakaran’s press conference, peace talks in Europe, CHOGM and the crucial sessions in Geneva are also covered.

– I have finished the manuscript in Swedish. Now it is time to start translating it to English and to find a publisher in England, the U.S or Canada, he said.

Many of the people interviewed in the book have spoken about the roles of the two main press freedom murder suspects Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary, and his older brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

– One of them is the outspoken Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Head Ulf Henricsson, a former Swedish Colonel. In 2006 he experienced how monitors were stopped by the military and the Defence ministry to investigate crime whenever the armed forces were behind them and how the police was forced to fail with its investigations. The most gruesome example is the killing of the 17 aid workers in Muttur.

Henricsson in a quote in the book describes Gotabaya Rajapaksa as “mentally disturbed and the most awful and unpleasant person I have ever met”. Henricsson added he had met quite a few awful people in various war-zones, Mikaelsson explained.

Together with photographer Olle Melkerhed he made a documentary in 2002 about the peace process and the situation in the war-torn areas, called “The Year of Peace in Sri Lanka”. Mikaelsson in 1999 wrote a master thesis in journalism on internal war reporting, called “Building Bridges or Adding Fuel to the Fire”.

When They Kill Journalists - Lasantha Wickrematunge; Six Years On

i

| by Sunalie Shanika Kumari Ratnayake

( January 8, 2015, California , Sri Lanka Guardian) Six years ago in 2009, on a day like today (January 8th) was when I received the most dreadful phone call of my entire life, thus far. At the time, I was residing off-Attidiya Road in Dehiwela, when a close friend living in Kalubowila rang me, and stated that Lasantha had been attacked a few minutes ago. That was all I recall hearing from the other end; it indeed was a brief phone call, yet, at the same time, I went completely blank with the malicious news that my ears did not want to perceive, and my heart did not want to accept. Perhaps I may have not even realized disengaging from the phone at that moment. Over the next few minutes, I don’t recall much. 

When They Kill Journalists - Lasantha Wickrematunge; Six Years On by Thavam Ratna

Sri Lanka's election: dog heads, threats and Charlie Hebdo

THURSDAY 08 JANUARY 2015

As voting closes in Sri Lanka's elections, the biggest challenge to Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency in 15 years, there are accusations of violent intimidation and misuse of public property.

President Rajapaksa, a man accused of presiding over multiple war crimes carried out by Sri Lankan troops at the end of the final days of the country's civil war, looks vulnerable in the battle against his former ally Maithripala Sirisena.

Sri Lanka's Election Dog Heads, Threats and Charlie Hebdo by Thavam Ratna

Journalist Assaulted by Presidential Security Division

[Media protest, Sri Lanka]

07/01/2015 

A journalist attached to the Wijeya Newspaper Group had been assaulted and his Media Accreditation Card taken last night, after one of his colleagues had got into an argument regarding the impending Presidential Election.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror Naushad Amith said that he was assaulted at around 11.30 p.m. outside a food boutique in Maligawatta, Colombo.

He said that four Police officers in uniform stood by watching the assault and did not intervene to prevent them being assaulted.

“The two of us went to eat at this shop near the Alba showroom in Maligawatte. I was inside the boutique sipping tea, when my friend had got into a conversation with around three people outside. My friend backs Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena,” he said.

Explaining the incident, Amith said that he went outside the shop, having heard a ruckus.

“I heard noises and saw my friend being assaulted by two men who were there.

“I ran outside and they began assaulting me as well. My friend shouted out that I am a journalist and then the men said “Umbala wage un thamai hoya hoyahitiye, athepaye hiriara ganna (We were looking for people like you to let go of some steam”) he said.

Amith said that four Police officers were present during the incident.

“Four Police officers of the Maligawatta Police Station watched the entire incident but did nothing to prevent us being assaulted. They were in uniform and stood still.

“After the assault the three men got into a van and fled. Thereafter, the Policemen came towards us and I asked them as to why they did not take any action. They told us that these were men from the Presidential Security Division and could do nothing,” he said.

Thereafter, the journalist and his friend had been taken by the Police to the Maligawatta Police Station, where they had lodged a complaint, before he was admitted to the National Eye Hospital for injuries in the eye.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror SSP Ajith Rohana said that the Maligawatta Police had received a complaint last night regarding an assault but no suspects had been arrested.

(Hafeel Farisz and Darshana Sanjeewa /Original Caption: Journalist Assaulted )

Exclusive: Gota Picks Jagath Jayasuriya For ‘Dirty Work’ At Election

January 8, 2015 

An attempt has been made by Chief of Defence Staff, General Jagath Jayasuriya to mobilize the military in the guise of providing security for the election. General Jayasuriya on 24th December has sent out a directorate to all three service commanders and the IGP informing that the military needs to be on standby for any “eventuality” during the election.

Secretary to the Defence, Chief of Defence Staff

The Document is marked ‘top secret’ has been leaked from within the military establishment.

The memo gives details of military deployment before and after the January 8th election.

In his directorate Gen. Jayasuriya says that the “Police and STF are responsible to provide security to conduct a free and fair election throughout the country. However, in view of excessive police commitments within the country the Security Forces have been asked to assist the Police by undertaking certain responsibilities in their respective areas during the Presidential Election – 2015”.

The entire document has been leaked and the Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya told a press conference last night that he was investigating the matter. Army Commander Lt. Gen. Daya Ratnayake has told the Commissioner he had no idea about the standby order even though he has been copied on the document. The military memo signed by Jayasuriya is now in possession of the Colombo Telegraph.

Opposition campaigners told Colombo Telegraph that the deployment and orders are all part of a Government strategy to psyche its opponents and prevent people from going out to cast their votes.
“If there is a lot of talk about the military being out on the streets people will fear going to the polling stations. This is exactly what the Rajapaksa regime wants. So this is a psychological operation. We are getting all the information virtually in real time” Siriena campaign managers told Colombo Telegraph.

Opposition politicians say the constant leaks from the Government camp are helping them to stay on top of the dirty tricks being planned by UPFA strategists. Diplomatic missions in Colombo, the Elections Commissioner and Election Monitors are all being given regular updates of information received and everyone is on high alert to watch for mischief by the ruling party the Opposition activists said.

It is unclear who has informed General Jayasuriya that the Police are incapable of carrying out its duties or what the excessive duties that the police are performing. The IGP has stated that 65,000 police personnel have been tasked with election duty. As per the election law which currently prevails in the country since the declaration of elections, only the Election’s Commissioner or the IGP could determine the necessity for the military to maintain law and order.

This detailed directorate has instructed troop deployment to “vulnerable points” from 1400 hrs on January 5th and a fully functional operations room to be functional from that same date. There are reports that the military has been placed for “security” outside private and public media stations, without any request from those media institutions.

Colombo Telegraph has reliably learnt that troops have been assembled at Rock House, in Muttwal the headquarters of the Armour Regiment, the parent Regiment of General Jayasuriya. Tank movements are also expected within Colombo tonight.

The directive gives further details about troop deployment and chain of command. Even though the documents suggest that this directive has been sent to all service commanders it is reliably known that at least Army Commander Daya Ratnayaka has been kept in the dark regarding these troop movements. The Office of the CDS was created during the time of the war for better coordination between the three forces and has mainly been a ceremonial post since the end of the war with the real power to deploy troops lying with the Service Commanders.

This revelation comes in the wake of the Opposition releasing another leaked document last week which had names of several ex-servicemen tasked with carrying out “coordinating “ roles in the Colombo district and several other key areas on behalf of Defence Secretary.

In that leaked document it has been stated that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had requested Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to coordinate his political matters through “trusted” ex servicemen. These included several retired Majors General and a onetime Commander of the Navy who went on to serve as Chief of Defence Staff. These ex-servicemen were to handle ground operations with serving military personnel. What these ground co-ordination that required ex military personnel are yet not clear.

However the details of the individuals have now been given by the opposition to the key diplomatic missions and they are closely monitoring the actions of these persons on the day of the election. The rigged election in Kenya in 2007 ended in the International Criminal Court with several involved including its current President being indicted.

Informed military sources with knowledge of the operation under Gotabaya Rajapaksa admit the senior retired officers are now jittery since any sign of involvement in areas that they have been assigned in the leaked plan could be linked to them directly. This could adversely impact their ability to obtain visas or travel overseas since the Colombo-based diplomatic community has been fully briefed on the operation.

It is reliably learnt that military personnel are refusing to carry out these illegal orders contrary to the law of the country. As a result the plans of the regime are leaking to the opposition and the media at an unprecedented level.

On the eve of polling day the military has planned to call a special press briefing informing the public about troop deployment in Colombo city. The military will say it has received a tip off that the Opposition was planning to bring buses into the capital to create chaos and instability after polling closes.