70-Year-Old-Woman Looks 30 And Shares Her Diet Secrets

Do you want to drink from a fountain of youth? If you feel aged, you probably do. With the present dynamics of living we often forget about growing old or aging or our health in general.

Can this be helped?Can you get back to your ‘youthful beautiful you’ without spending fortunes on expensive cosmetic products and treatments as you get on in years?

The simple answer is: YES! You only need to do something more meaningful to make yourself look much younger, to prevent wrinkles from (re)appearing or your hair from turning grey.

We often read about this eternal search for the fountain of youth and wonder if it is really possible or it is just an old man and woman’s fond hope.  Well, here’s a living example of undying youth.

A woman called Annette Larkins from Miami-Dade Country, Florida, is in the picture you see. How old do you think she is? Take a closer look at her now! You say, about thirty or forty, right?

Well, you aren’t even close! The woman has reached her 70-ties! And she is certainly healthy!

What’s your secret?-we asked. Revealing her secret she started with this statement:“Don’t ever use any kind of modern medications or pills, not even an aspirin pill! “ Hmm…You will probably find this very unusual, as she actually comes from a family with bad genetic disposition.

Both her mother and grandmother succumbed breast cancer at their middle age. Her mother was 47 and her grandmother only 36 at the time. She also mentioned her grandmother’s sisters who had died from cancer untimely, at a young age.To make things even worse, diabetes too runs in her family.

Then she continued her story. “My nutrition, my diet of life,is the key to my good looks,” she claimed.  After already enjoying a vegetarian diet, 27 years ago, she decided to take things a notch up – she became a raw vegan!From that point onward her daily meals come exclusively from her inside and backyard garden- The Fountain of Youth, as she calls it.

She is passionate about growing organic fruits and vegetables which she waters with the rainwater she collects. You can find leafy greens, herbs, a banana tree, berries, hydroponics for cucumbers, lettuces and wheat grass in her well-trimmed garden.

All the fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds she picks up from her garden she eats raw or prepares tasty natural juices each and every day. The benefits are extraordinary. Her life is proactive even at this ripe old age:she is up at 5.30 in the morning!

She is full of assets: she speaks 3 languages; she has an extensive library and spends much of her time reading or making her own clothes. Her daily errands don’t tire her much. She says she still has an abundance of energy especially since she started her raw vegan diet.

Annette doesn’t look her age, so when people see Annette and her husband in the street or in the supermarket they think she is actually his daughter or even granddaughter. Her husband Amos isn’t as much healthy and upright as she is.He suffers from diabetes and is on pills for his high blood pressure. Now he is regretful for not adopting her raw food diet himself years ago.

Annette’s gain from her raw vegan diet is fabulous.  She isn’t only young at heart, but she looks young too.

Basically, a raw diet means eating healthy raw products. Nothing manufactured or processed in a factory.Just use your juicer or a blender and drink to your health.

Annette is not a sole person that reaped so many benefits from raw diet. Raw vegan diet has helped many people overcome and avoid diseases such as allergies, asthma, constipation high cholesterol, cancer, etc.

Moreover, Annette’s exceptional looks and lifestyle have made her a real star in the raw vegan diet community. So far she appeared in many television talk shows where she described her daily nutritional routine.

So, this amazing story is certainly inspirational in many ways and listening to it will make you rethink your diet plan.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food – Hippocrates“

Human Rights and 50 days of Sri Lanka’s new Presidency

by Ruki 

- on 03/02/2015 

It’s now 50 days since Sri Lanka’s new President took oaths on 9th January 2015. This is an attempt to reflect on the first 50 days of the new Presidency. It’s not meant to be comprehensive assessment of the 50 days, but a reflection based on my personal experiences, what I’ve seen and heard in my travels around the country interacting with various people and also what I’ve read.

Human Rights and 50 Days of Sri Lanka’s New Presidency by Thavam Ratna

CHAMPIONS NEEDED, NOT ONLY TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS --JEHAN PERERA

02 March 2015

The new government is coming in for a lot of criticism on the grounds of inaction with regard to issues of high level corruption and abuse of power under the old government. At the presidential election one of the main issues raised by those who sought the defeat of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the acts of corruption alleged to have been committed by members of the former government. There were photographs of allegedly ill gotten properties, some of it being wheeled into aircraft. There were figures given of infrastructure costs that had been allegedly inflated several times over. There were cases of political and even criminal killings that were laid on the door of the former government.

However, nearly two months after the change of government there has been no high profile arrest of former government leaders who were alleged to be responsible for these crimes. This is causing misgivings amongst those who voted for a change of government. There is concern that the new government is proceeding too slowly on matters of past abuse of power and corruption. This is seen as a sign of weakness on the part of the government or even worse as an indication that members of the new government have been bought over by corruption themselves. This can have the consequence of demoralising those who voted for a change of president in the hope that this would lead to a country in which corruption would no longer be mainstreamed or even tolerated.

The media conference called by Minister of Public Order John Amaratunga to explain the current situation was undoubtedly in response to the public criticism being made of government inaction.
The Minister used this occasion to publicly rebuke the police for failing to act on high profile cases. The government's position since it took over the reins of office has been that its promise of good governance has meant that it can only proceed slowly paying due regard to issues of proper process. The collection of evidence that meets the legal standard of proof can be time consuming, especially in cases where the tracks have been covered and evidence has been destroyed.
Good governance also means permitting those institutions vested with powers of investigation to do their job without political interference.

NOT TECHNICAL
The problem with the government's approach to corruption and abuse of
power is that it a technical one. The public service, including the
police, have been politicised over the past four decades. Therefore they find it difficult to act without political leadership. Public servants fear that if they appear to act on their own, even in following the proper procedures they will find that the political leadership will either override their decisions or else not stand by them in case there is a problem. Therefore, even if the public service is to act within the proper procedures they would need to be shown political leadership. The more passion and commitment there is in the political leadership the easier it will be for the public service, including the police, to take action.

In tackling controversial issues, there is also the need to enlist the support of the media and civil society groups who have access to the general population and have the capacity to create awareness amongst them as to the need for certain actions. All problems have two or more sides to them, which is why they are problems. When people are unsure about what they should support, the question of political
leadership can be decisive. This is an area in which the former
government excelled. They used the media to maximum advantage to get their messages across. The members of the former government spoke with passion and showed the people that they were convinced that they were right and would pursue the actions they had promised to do.

It is not only on the issues of corruption and abuse of power that the government is losing ground. It is also leaving a vacuum open with regard to the UN investigation on war crimes and the longer term status of its report. There is considerable disquiet amongst the large number of people who voted for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is likely to be one of the targets in an international war crimes probe. While the former government chose to ignore international sentiment on this issue, it failed to propose an alternative. The present government is promising to have a national response as an alternative to an international one. The government needs to have a champion who will take up the issue of reconciliation and an inquiry into the past and the alleged human rights violations and war crimes that occurred during the last phase of the war.

INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE
The visit of a top level South African delegation to Sri Lanka to conduct talks with their Sri Lankan counterparts on a number of issues is one of the positive outcomes of the former government's foreign policy which gave a new emphasis to the African continent. The former government had a Look Africa policy in which it sought new friends to stand by it in international forums. However, the policy of the former government of not engaging with the Western led international community on the issue of war crimes only led to a worsening of the situation. Now the election of the new government has given the country a breathing space to prepare for the UN inquiry report which is due in September. The invitation to the South Africans to conduct a workshop on reconciliation with Sri Lankan counterparts is an indication that the new government is thinking of finding a way forward on the issue with their assistance.

It is important that the government should use the time and space it has received from the international community to win the confidence of the Sri Lankan people. The government needs to give confidence to the people as to how it proposes to meet the challenges of coping with the past and the war crimes and human rights violations that are alleged to have taken place. The government has to avoid the two extremes of punishment as advocated by Tamil groups and burying the past as has been the practice of the governments of the past. Any democratically elected government has to take the majority of the population along with it. At the same time it has to ensure international standards are met if it is to maintain its credibility with the international community.

There is much to learn from the South African experience in this regard. Prior to dealing with the issues of the past, the South African government actively promoted the widespread discussion by the general public on the issue of dealing with the past and preparing for the future. It was only after a lengthy period of public discussion and submissions were received from the people that the draft law pertaining to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was published.
Civil society and media groups were given the task of conducting dialogues and educational activities in order to help people understand the issues at stake. Leading members of the South African government took part in this educational process. As in the case of corruption and abuse of power, the Sri Lankan government needs its own champions to take forward the cause of reconciliation.

பிரான்ஸ் செல்லவிருந்த தாயும் மகளும் கட்டுநாயக்காவில் விமானத்தில் வைத்து கைது!

[ திங்கட்கிழமை, 02 மார்ச் 2015, 04:14.57 PM GMT ]

பிரான்ஸ் குடியுரிமை பெற்ற சிறுமியும், மற்றும் தாயும் இன்று பிற்பகல் கட்டுநாயக்க விமான நிலையத்தில் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர் என விமானநிலையத் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன. 

அத்துடன் கைது செய்யப்பட்ட மகளும் தாயும் 14 நாட்களுக்கு விளக்கமறியலில் வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாகவும் தெரியவந்துள்ளது.

மேலும் இது குறித்து தெரியவருவதாவது,

பிரான்ஸ் நாட்டிலிருந்து அண்மையில் விடுமுறையில் இலங்கை சென்றிருந்த சிறுமியும் தாயும் இன்று திங்கட்கிழமை காலை பிரான்ஸ் நாட்டுக்கு திரும்பிச் செல்வதற்காக கட்டுநாயக்க சர்வதேச விமானநிலையம் சென்றிருந்தனர்.

அவர்கள் இருவரும் விமானநிலையத்தில் வழமையான சோதனை நடவடிக்கைகள் யாவற்றையும் முடித்துக்கொண்டு குறித்த நேரத்திற்கு பிரான்ஸ் நாட்டிற்கு புறப்படத் தயாராகவிருந்த விமானத்தில் ஏறியிருந்த வேளையிலேயே விமானநிலைய அதிகாரிகளால் குறித்த தாயும் மகளும் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

கைதான பகீரதியின் மகள்  பகல்வி(8 வயது) பிரான்ஸ் நாட்டு குடியுரிமை பெற்றவராவார். 

இதேவேளை, இன்று ஜெனிவாவில் ஆரம்பமாகியுள்ள மனித உரிமைகள் கூட்டத்தொடரில் இலங்கையின் சார்பில் கலந்து கொண்டு  உரையாற்றிய வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சர்  மங்கள சமரவீர், இலங்கையில் மனித உரிமைகள் முன்னேற்றம் அடைந்திருப்பதாக தெரிவித்திருந்த வேளையில் இலங்கை கட்டுநாயக்க விமானநிலையத்தில் இவ்வாறு தாயும் மகளும் கைதாகியுள்ளனர் என்பது சுட்டிக்காட்டத்தக்கது.

மஹிந்த ஆட்சியின் போது விமான நிலையத்தில் வைத்து தமிழ்ப் பயணிகள் கைது செய்யப்படுவதைப் போன்றே தற்போதைய மைத்திரி சிறிபால சேனவின் ஆட்சியிலும் இக்கைது நடைபெற்றுள்ளதை நோக்குகையில் தற்போதைய ஆட்சியில் பாதுகாப்பு அமைச்சில்  எந்தவிதமான மாற்றங்களும் ஏற்படவில்லையே என எண்ணத்தோன்றுகிறது? இவ்வாறான நடவடிக்கையில் தற்போதும் கோத்தாவின் அதிகாரங்கள் இலங்கையில் தலைதூக்கியுள்ளனவா என சந்தேகிக்க தோன்றுகிறது?

Central Bank governor’s son-in-law comes to rescue of Rajapaksas’ bank accounts!

 

Monday, 02 March 2015 

Monday, 02 March 2015 

The son-in-law of Central Bank governor Arjuna Mahendran is fully supporting attempts to prevent the disclosure of the bank accounts where the Rajapaksas have deposited their black money, say very reliable sources. Named Alocius, he is also the business partner of Namal Rajapaksa and Sajin Vaas Gunawardena.

Namal Rajapaksa had 650 million USD in his account at Mashreque Bank in Dubai. The alarmed Rajapaksas are trying to cover up this account after investigations were launched by the new government in collaboration with world organizations into their black money.

It is some work related to this account that Yoshitha Rajapaksa paid a sudden visit to Dubai and Ukraine as a Navy investigation was underway against him. Taking a power of attorney license from Namal, he had met Mashreque Bank representatives and asked that the money in his brother’s account be transferred immediately to a bank in Ukraine. However, the bank officials have told Yoshitha that they cannot transfer such a huge amount of money that quickly and that had it done so, it would risk losing its banking license under the regulations pertaining to cleaning black money.

Rajapaksas have then obtained advice from Alocius and signed a non-disclosure agreement with the Dubai bank. According to that agreement, the Rajapaksas can take Mashreque Bank to court if it reveals details of the said account to a third party. But, it can furnish the details to organizations and countries investigating the cleaning of black money.

Rajapaksas are going behind various persons these days, pleading that they be allowed to live in freedom even by forfeiting every cent they had acquired illegally, say the sources.

Sri Lanka Needs A Ministry Of Inclusion & Diversity

By Jude Fernando -March 2, 2015 

Jude Fernando

Against Sexism, Racism, Homophobia, Ageism, and Ableism: Sri Lanka Needs a Ministry of Inclusion and Diversity – Part I

The myth of integration as propounded under the banner of the liberal ideology must be cracked because it makes people believe that something is being achieved when in reality the artificially integrated circles are a soporific to the blacks while saving the consciences of the few guilt-stricken whites. – Steve Biko

It’s just like when you’ve got some coffee that’s too black, which means it’s too strong. What do you do? You integrate it with cream, you make it weak. But if you pour too much cream in it, you won’t even know you ever had coffee. It used to be hot, it becomes cool. It used to be strong, it becomes weak. It used to wake you up, now it puts you to sleep –  Malcolm X

“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”- Jimmy Carter

What does it mean to be a human in a multicultural society such as Sri Lanka, a country comprised of groups with culturally, historically, and territorially distinct identities, and with a history of contentious relations among them? This should be the central question for all efforts to create good governance (Yahapalanya) and domestic mechanisms of accountability and reconciliation. Here, I applaud President Maithripala Sirisenaplan to eradicate corruption and formulate a code of conduct for Parliamentarians; his recognition in his Independence Day speech (unprecedented in the history of such speeches since Independence) of the failures of the reconciliation process, and his promise to rectify them.

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Return lands; Release Political Prisoners; – ITAK

Central Working Committee of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi passed two resolution on 1st march 2015.

02/03/2015 -Resolution 1.

On this 1st of March 2015, the Central Working Committee of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi considering the changed political environment prevailing after regime change in Sri Lanka, resolves to request the government to expedite action in respect of the following matters immediately, in accordance with the promises made at the Presidential elections:

The return of lands;
The release of political prisoners; and
Take steps in respect of the disappeared.

Further, we urge the government to resettle, in their own lands, those displaced by the war. Moreover, the Central Committee reiterates that the government must, without delay, commence appropriate measures in respect of an acceptable political solution to the
ethnic conflict.

The Central Working Committee today endorses and accepts the steps taken by the leadership of the Tamil National Alliance in the changed political environment prevailing after the change of regime in Sri Lanka.

Resolution 2.

The Central Working Committee of the ITAK continues to observe the unwarranted and unacceptable steps being taken against its Senior Leader R. Sampanthan and Deputy General Secretary for International Affairs and ITAK Spokesman M. A. Sumanthiran in recent times within the Tamil homeland and in the diaspora.

A protest was conducted on the 21 st day of February in front of the bus depot in Jaffna. The purpose of the protest was to demand truth in respect of the disappeared, the release of political prisoners and the release of the UN Report without delay. Hon. Suresh Premachandran MP of the Suresh Wing of the EPRLF which functions as a member of the TNA, and the Assistant Leader of the Women’s Wing of the ITAK Hon. Ananthi Sasitharan, participated at this event. On this occasion, an effigy burning of Hon. Sumanthiran MP took place, which was not envisaged and had no connection with the protest whatsoever. This effigy burning:

a) Rendered false the purpose for which people were mobilized and themselves mobilized to participate in the protest;

b) This incident which took place unexpectedly has falsely created the impression that those who eagerly participated in the protest were to blame for acting against Mr. Sumanthiran;

c) The collusion of TNA leaders in the above activities has brought into question the unity of the Tamil National Alliance.

It is of regret that Ms Ananthi Sasitharan transported the particular effigy to the location of the protest in her vehicle. It raises the question of her accountability to party discipline. The fact that the two individuals in question – Mr. Premachandran and Ms Ananthi Sasitharan – did not express regret over the incident suggests their willing involvement in it.

Further,Mr. Suresh Premachandran MP, has continued to criticize Mr. Sampanthan and Mr.Sumanthiran on many occasions. The Central Working Committee condemns these actions by Mr. Premachandran. This Committee must take disciplinary action against Ms. Ananthi Sasitharan who is herself a member. Mr. Premachandran has also acted irresponsibly in exercising the duties entrusted to him as Spokesman by the Parliamentary Group of the TNA. In this regard, the Central Committee calls on ITAK Members of Parliament to take action in respect of the abuse of his responsibilities.

Lanka's Main Tamil Party Cracks Whip on Hardliners

COLOMBO | MAR 02, 2015

Sri Lanka's main Tamil party has censured two hardline members for their anti-party activities, including "unwarranted and unacceptable" criticism of its leaders.


ational Alliance central committee condemned the conduct of lawmakers Suresh Premachandran and Ananthy Saseetharan for criticising party leader R Sampanthan and senior member MA Sumanthiran.

The party resolution yesterday said Premachandran and Saseetharan were involved with a protest held in Jaffna on February 21, where an effigy of Sumanthiran was burnt.

Sampanthan and Sumanthiran, regarded as moderates in the TNA, have been criticised by hardliners for taking part in the anniversary of Sri Lankan independence in February.

It was the first time Tamil leadership participited in such celebrations after the promulgation of Constitution in 1972.

The Tamil parties have been protesting against the 1972 Constitution as it maintains the unitary character of the state, which deny any justifiable solution to the ethnic Tamils within a united Sri Lanka.

The TNA in its resolution has urged the new Sri Lankan government to expedite the release of the lands in the North taken for military purposes, the release of political prisoners and take steps to investigate the disappearances of people.

The Tamil hardline lobby has been exerting pressure on the moderates for vigorous pursuit of Tamil rights issues.

Tamils voted in large numbers for President Maithripala Sirisena to defeat the pro-Sinhala Mahinda Rajapaksa in the January 8 polls.

The new government persuaded the UN rights body to delay the presentation of Sri Lanka investigation report by six months.

The new government's call for a domestic mechanism rather than an international probe to biting the alleged human rights perpetrators to book has not found favour with the Tamils.

Implementing constitutional, electoral reforms:President must act decisively – Ven. Sobhitha

by Shamindra Ferdinando-March 1, 2015, 12:00 pm 

Having lambasted the government yesterday for what he called its lethargic attitude towards implementing key promises in President Maithripala Sirisena’s election manifesto, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha thera stressed that the onus was on the President to ensure the implementation of his own pledges.

Leader of the Movement for a Just Society Ven. Sobitha was addressing a gathering at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI).

President Maithripala Sirisena had received an overwhelming mandate to go ahead with constitutional as well as electoral reforms to restore democracy, the prelate said.

Ven. Sobitha said: "People voted for Maithripala Sirisena. The majority of Sri Lankans reposed their faith in him. Forty nine political parties and organisations threw their weight behind him. The common candidate promised to repeal dictatorial powers in the executive presidency. He also promised to reactivate the 17th Amendment to the Constitution and introduce electoral reforms."

Recollecting his role in fielding the then SLFP General Secretary as the common candidate, Ven. Sobitha Thera stressed that those who had tirelessly worked for him at the risk of their lives, were eagerly waiting for the implementation of those pledges. The monk underscored his right to remind the President of his election promises, while warning the President’s failure to deliver would cause a debilitating setback.

"All of us will suffer, including the president. We’ll not be able to live here. So use your powers, without hesitation to achieve desired objectives.

Ven. Sobitha thera urged the President who is also the head of the SLFP to use executive powers for the benefit of the masses. "Use your executive powers to create conditions for the implementation of election pledges."

Urging the President not to cow down to anyone, Ven. Sobitha Thera said that he could earn love and respect of the country by keeping his promises. The monk said that it would be a grave mistake on the President’s part to delegate his responsibilities to others.

The monk said that at the launch of his campaign to restore democracy, his movement proposed a ten-point plan. Subsequently, the number of proposals had been reduced to three and then there was just one slogan, he said. "People rallied around us to repeal executive presidential system. Having failed to convince the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa to meet our demand, we launched a project to identify a common candidate. The then government ridiculed our efforts until Maithripala Sirisena joined our movement."

Ven. Sobitha Thera said that his movement sought an assurance from common presidential candidate and those backing his candidature that constitutional and electoral reforms would be introduced within six months after the conclusion of the presidential poll. However, the presidential candidate and the UNP repeatedly declared that the promises would be met within in 100 days, the prelate said. A smiling Ven. Sobitha thera recalled some campaigners declaring that promises could be met in less than 100 days.

The prelate emphasised that if those in power today were genuine, implementing those proposals wouldn’t be a too difficult task. If the executive presidential system couldn’t be abolished those dictatorial powers must be done away with immediately he said, stressing that he expected Maithripala Sirisena-Ranil Wickremesinghe government to honour their pledges during 100-day project. Delays couldn’t be justified under any circumstances, he said.

The monk said that compared to the previous president, the incumbent leader was innocent and, therefore, he would experience difficulties in achieving objectives.

Responding to a query from the audience, the Ven. Thera revealed that contrary to speculative media reports, the Office of the President and the government hadn’t formally invited him to join the decision making National Executive Council (NEC). A disappointed thera said that he couldn’t comment on issues handled by the NEC as he wasn’t aware of anything. The prelate expressed dissatisfaction over the developing situation.

WikiLeaks: JVP, Sirisena And Sampanthan On Trinco Buddha Statue

March 2, 2015

“Religious and ethnic tensions continue to percolate in Trincomalee over the May 16 erection of a large Buddha statue on public land in the city center. A May 18 decision by a local judge ordering the removal of the statue has not yet been implemented, and the statue remains, behind barbed wire and guarded by local police, in its controversial location. A Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) front organization, which launched a four-day strike that crippled businesses and transportation in the city from May 17-2005, has decided to give authorities until June 2 to remove the statue before contemplating resumed strikes. The ethnically polarizing machinations by government coalition partner Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which instigated the placement of the statue, and the LTTE, which instigated the strike and the demand for  the statue’s removal, seem calculated to ensure even greater violence and instability in this troubled district.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from theWikiLeaks database. The “Confidential” cable is signed by the US Ambassador to Colombo Jeffrey J. Lunstead on May 26, 2005.

The ambassador wrote; “The Tamil People’s Forum, a heretofore-unknown group widely assumed to be a front for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), decided late May 25 to give Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) authorities until June 2 to implement the  Trincomalee magistrate’s May 18 order to remove a large Buddha statue from municipal council land in Trincomalee (Ref A) before resuming protests. The Forum had called a four-day strike, or ‘hartal,’ that shut down businesses and vehicular traffic in Trincomalee town May 17-20 to protest the statue’s placement on public property in the ethnically diverse area.  The Forum’s decision followed a four-hour meeting May 25 between Forum representatives and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs and Government-appointed mediators. The meeting, chaired by Governor of the North-East Tyronne Fernando, included two Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) heavyweights, River Basin Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena and Deputy Minister of Ports and Aviation Dilan Perera, considered especially ‘tough’ on the Sinhalese nationalist coalition partner, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which instigated the placement of the statue on public land leased to one of its unions. Participants in the meeting also decided to seek the assistance of the Attorney General in implementing the magistrate’s order to remove the statue. Prior to that meeting, President Chandrika Kumaratunga reportedly met R. Sampanthan, TNA MP for Trincomalee, and urged him to find an amicable solution to the confrontation.

“In a May 20 conversation with poloff, TNA MP Sampanthan acknowledged that there appeared no immediate, practicable resolution to the confrontation that would be mutually satisfactory to all parties. Complicating matters, he alleged, is the ‘mono-ethnic’ (i.e., Sinhalese) composition of GSL security forces in the ethnically diverse district. Moreover, the ‘unauthorized’ Hindu structures cited by the JVP in response to the magistrate’s ruling are largely located in predominantly Hindu neighborhoods, he averred; in contrast, the Buddha statue was deliberately placed in a prominent public location frequented by all three ethnic groups. (Note: A total of 33 ‘unauthorized’ religious structures of various kinds–but most of them small Hindu shrines–reportedly have been identified on public land in Trincomalee.) Nonetheless, he emphasized, he was working hard to try to defuse the situation, including pressing hard for a suspension of the hartal during Buddhist holidays May 21-24.” the ambassador further said.

Placing a comment the ambassador said; “Now that the Buddha statue is up, it will be very difficult to get it down, court order or not, without further violence and confrontation. The stakes are high for both the LTTE and JVP, which are each manipulating the face-off to prove their claims to influence and popularity in this ethnically diverse district. The decision to give the GSL a week of breathing space to implement the court order is a welcome sign of flexibility–and probably no small tribute to Sampanthan’s hard work and personal commitment to trying to defuse the crisis. That said, the GSL’s typically risk-averse approach to other contentious issues, including its apparent reluctance to prosecute perpetrators of attacks on Christian churches (Ref B), gives us little hope of a resolution soon.”

We publish below the cable in full;

Minister offered Rs 300M Bribe to halt floating armoury probe

By Sanjaya Dassanayake-2015-03-02

A private maritime security firm has offered Rs. 300 million, to a prominent minister, to halt the investigation into the floating armoury, Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said.
He said the minster has refused the bribe and if the investigations into the floating armoury fail to make satisfactory progress, he would reveal all the details to the public in two weeks.

The minister, to whom the bribe was offered, holds a prominent role in the government and was in the first batch of MPs who left the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to support Maithripala Sirisena.
Senaratne said that he is disappointed that the government has not punished the corrupt, as promised, but he added that he will reveal all the culprits before the coming general election.

Gota’s companion who paved way for Avant Garde fraudulence flees

MONDAY, 02 MARCH 2015

Defence Ministry Additional Secretary Mrs. D.M.S.D. Jayaratna, who is charged of issuing circulars MODUD/CS/ASM/SM on 18th June, 2013 and MODUD/CS/ASM/SM on 24th July, 2013 and the letter MODUD/CS/AGSM of 24th July, 2013 to revoke independent agreements that allowed Avant Garde Security Services to supply sea marshals and carry out a fraudulent apparatus, has gone abroad with the approval of the present Defense Secretary say reports.

It has also been charged that Avant Garde Security Services plunder about Rs.100,000 monthly from each officer with the sanction of the former Defense Secretary.

Former Defense Secretary has carried out a massive fraud by getting agreements of Sea Marshals cancelled and handing over the services to Avant Garde Security Services says the President of Inter Company Employees’ Union Wasantha Samarasinghe in a letter to the President.

However, no inquiry has been carried out regarding the charges against the Asst. Secretary who deceptively issued circulars on instructions from the former Defense Secretary. Giving her permission by the Defense Secretary to leave the country is a serious matter says Mr. Wasantha Samarasinghe adding that the action would also jeopardize national security.

Mr. Wasantha Samarasinghe questions whether Defense Ministers have fallen into a gentle slumber so that they do not notice individuals who are engaged in destructive agenda’s flee the country after fulfilling their vile missions.

Some Questions For The President & The Prime Minister

By Emil van der Poorten -March 2, 2015 

Emil van der Poorten

As one who has been admonished for my criticisms of the regime that has followed the Reprehensible Rajapaksas, I would like to revert to some of what has been published under my name and expand on it even if such criticism of the Sirisena/Wickremesinghe government is considered an attack on Sri Lanka’s last hope as far as a return to democracy and governance of a democratically-acceptable quality is concerned.

At the outset let me state, very categorically, my conviction that anything short of a government committed to human rights, the rule of law and all the other benchmarks of democracy is absolutely and completelyunacceptable. This is not a matter of degree. It is simply a question of absolutes in the matter of the essential principles associated with democracy and democratic government. (And I hope that I don’t have a suggestion from Ranil Wickremesinghe that I should read some tome on the “art of the possible in governance” or some such claptrap.)

I have previously drawn attention to the absolute unacceptability of several appointments to Cabinet and quasi-Cabinet positions. Let me reiterate what I said then and add a few more specifics to those criticisms in passing.

That John Amaratunga and Rajiva Wijesinha had no business in anything claiming to be a change from a time of corruption and sycophancy has been proved – ‘in spades” as that old expression has it – by recent events. That Rishard Bathiudeen, whose conduct as a sterling member of the Rajapaksa cabal with absolutely no respect for the law, should never have been even a token representative of the Muslim community goes without saying. That his fellow token Muslim, Rauff Hakeem, belongs in the same category hardly bears repetition.

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Dr. Wickramaratne frowns on SLFP  condition for backing reforms

...warns of dire consequences unless SLFP, UNP reach understanding

By Shamindra Ferdinando-March 1, 2015

The government efforts to bring in constitutional reforms during President Maithripala Sirisena’s 100-day project could suffer a severe setback due to SLFP’s stand on proposed constitutional and electoral reforms, top constitutional expert Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, PC, warned yesterday.

 Dr. Wickramaratne said that he was concerned about the SLFP’s move.

 Addressing a group of civil society activists at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Dr. Wickramaratne said that the SLFP’s call for the simultaneous implementation of both constitutional as well as electoral reforms was very good but it was not practical.

 Dr. Wickramaratne, in his capacity as a member of the panel formulating far reaching reforms, strongly opposed to delaying proposed constitutional reforms until agreement was reached on electoral reforms. The expert suggested that the government and the SLFP go ahead with constitutional reforms to reduce presidential powers pending.

Dr. Wickramaratne faulted the SLFP for offering conditional support for on-going national effort to restore democracy.

Having revealed that he had discussed electoral reforms with Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya recently, Dr. Wickramaratne admitted that electoral reforms project hadn’t received the same priority as constitutional reforms. Dr. Wickramaratne said that securing the support of smaller political parties to electoral reforms meant to do away with proportional representation with a mixed system still remained a challenging task.

The constitutional expert said that he wasn’t worried about meeting the 100-day deadline. The objective should be achieving targets within reasonable period, Dr. Wickramaratne said, warning undue delays could disrupt the project.

Commenting on ground realities, Dr. Wickramaratne pointed out that their plans could be derailed due to disputes among various political parties and alliances. New political formations could emerge, while existing ones disappear at the expense of President Maithripala Sirisena’s 100-day programme, he said.

A concerned Wickramaratne said that disputes had already emerged among those who had backed Maithripala Sirisena at the presidential election. Turning towards Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha thera, at the head table, the PC said that the prelate would have to launch a fresh campaign to compel political parties to address contentious issues.

Addressing the gathering, Ven. Sobhitha said that there was absolutely no point in having a parliamentary election under the current system. Demanding that electoral reforms be enacted ahead of next parliamentary poll, Ven. thera warned the failure would result in crooks and heroin dealers being elected to Parliament again.

The prelate accused some politicians of switching their allegiance after having accepted bribes. He urged the government to pressure the SLFP by placing its proposals in parliament. The prelate said that the SLFP couldn’t refuse to cooperate with the government.

The senior monk pointed out that political parties couldn’t shirk their responsibility as a parliamentary committee headed by former Minister and leader of the MEP Dinesh Gunawardena had made recommendations as regards electoral reforms. The bottom line was that it wasn’t something new. So, political parties should act swift and decisively to meet the aspirations of those who had voted for a genuine change.