Sajin Vass@ A Character with a Bizarre Past

[Sajin Vass, a family friend of Rajapksas]

06/03/2015

A number of Ministers of the previous regime are facing allegations of corruption today. Such allegations were often levelled at certain government politicians at the Opposition election propaganda rallies held ahead of the last Presidential poll. Sajin de Vass Gunawardena was one of the government politicians who became the butt of the sleaze accusations.
Sajin Vass@ a Character With a Bizarre Past by Thavam Ratna

'Requesting for an impartial investigation about Jaliya Wickramasuriya’s misconducts' -Sri Lankans residing in the USA writes to FM Mangala

(Lanka-e-News -05.March.2015, 11.55PM) Embassy represents a country. It gives the image, dignity of the country while maintaining friendship and other political and trade interests.  As the Sri Lankan community in USA, we have seen and heard of many misconducts and illegal actions done by the previous ambassador Mr Jaliya Wickramasuriya and his favorite staff members of the embassy. Here are few misconducts and activities that took place in his era.

We would appreciate, if you as the Minister of foreign affairs in new Sri Lankan Gov could investigate and do the needful for the well fare of Sri Lanka to save her image and to recover the stolen money.

As all know Jaliya Wickramasuriya a Former tea taster with O’Levels from Nalanda College Colombo, was appointed as the Sri Lankan ambassador to the USA in 2008. He has a poor knowledge in English, unable to converse fluently. His soul qualification for this post was being a cousin to former President Hon. M.Rajapaksa.

He began a career in tea tasting at MJF Exports, Colombo, where he worked for 17 years before moving to become General Manager, Standard Trading Company. In 1999, Jaliya Wickramasuriya migrated to the US. He ran Ceylon Royal Teas from there. According to reports Jaliya has/had no income tax file in Sri Lanka in spit of working there for over 21years.

According to information gathered and obtained he has committed enormous number of frauds;

1. Defrauded 350,000 US dollars when purchasing a building to house the Sri Lankan embassy at 3025, White Haven Street, Washington 20008. The 62-year-old, seven-bed room house was bought for 6,250,000 USD in January 2013, but the then ambassador had obtained cabinet approval for a sum of 6,600,000 USD. He took the 350,000US dollars.

2. Jaliya got funds sanctioned from the Sri Lankan Gov. to build official quarter for the embassy staff, which he used to build a toilet for his own garage and an Air condition plant. Remaining money went into his pocket.

3. There are records showing Sri Lankan embassy was paid US $ 35000 per month for nearly seven years to a law firm in the USA.  Mr. Vinod Basnayaka was the mediator for this transaction with, Patton Boggs. Did Sri Lanka need this consultancy to build up countries image in the USA or was it the incompetence of the ambassador or was it another Jaliya’s bogus expenses to take money out. There is no evidence of any sort of benefit or image built by this Patton Boggs firm other than few letters they have drafted.

4. With the help of a clerical staff lady named Yamuna Caldera (Who is currently at Ministry of Foreign affairs) Jaliya altered the inventory list of the ambassador house furniture and valuable items. These items were transported by embassy staff to his daughter's apartment in Washington DC.

5. Jaliya also subcontracted the embassy gardener to his friends on short term contracts with extra payments.

6. Mr. Wickramasuriya also smuggled people in to USA under visa category of A2. He took minimum of Rs 1,500,000.00 per person. One of these ladies, who were bought to the USA, has been working at his relative, Dudley Rajapaksa's resident in Texas.

7. Monthly payment for Jaliya's son's car was also paid by the embassy funds.

8. Discrepancies within Wickramasuriya's declaration of assets submitted to the High Posts Committee. He has claimed that he only has US$3,820 in cash assets between himself and his wife. The Ambassador admits to owning three vehicles in the United States (worth US$60,000, US$50,000 and US$18,000 respectively) and houses in Homagama and McDonough, Georgia. (Quoting “The Sunday Leader has learned that Wickramasuriya's Georgia home has a 2005 market value of US$291,300. Placing this atop his US $128,000 vehicle collection, it is difficult to believe that his cash assets are so limited.”

9. In the US, Wickramasuriya had neglected his ambassadorial duties and focused mainly on promoting his personal tea business, said the sources. He had made no who get paid by the Sri Lankan government to carry out his tea business, added the sources. He had misused embassy property as well as its officers.

e.g.: He made ambassador’s personal assistant to print label for his expired tea stock, which he sold back to the USA market. 

11. 2013 D.M Jayarathna, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka  was admitted to a John Hopkings hospital, Baltimore Jaliya made papers to show that Mr. Jayarathna is an embassy staff and made claims to the embassy health insurance company. Embassy paid his bill of US $50,000.00. When the insurance company reimbursed the money Jaliya made them to deposit it into Jenifer’s (nick name is Jenna, American citizen) account and took it for him from her. She was the selected person to do his tea business from the embassy.

Staff who benefited by supporting Mr.Wickramasingha are:

Kamalin Ashborn. She arrived in USA on home base ground then she changed it to local she has bought herself a house on mortgage for which she is illegally claiming for rent from the Sri Lankan Gov. showing faults documents.

Rukshani Perera and Sajivika Perera working on home base and local staff basis, both are relatives of Prasanna Wickramasuriya

Damith de Silva, One of the key person who was running dirty work for Jaliya.

According to the embassy staffs there are ample amount of evidence in the US embassy files and books on Mr. Jaliya Wickramasuriya’s misconducts. We hope the new political era would do justice to this kind of internationally Sri Lankan rogues.

By Sri Lankans residing in the USA

---------------------------
by     (2015-03-06 00:01:09)

Statement to the Media on Treasury Bond Issue in March 2015

 

Friday, 06 March 2015 At a meeting held on 26 February 2015 to ascertain the Government expenditure projections attended by the Minister of Finance, Minister of Highways, Investment Promotion and Higher Education, Secretary to the Treasury and the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, it was decided that the Government needs additional funding of approx. Rs. 15 Billion on an urgent basis to fund the recommencement of Highways and road construction projects.

The previous regime had not settled money owing to contractors and had not paid for lands acquired for road projects. The outstanding amount to be paid for land acquisition alone is Rs. 44 Billion.

To complete the balance road construction work the Government needed Rs. 12 Billion as counterpart funds. Most of the loan agreements for these projects have already been signed. Although the Government will be renegotiating prices, it will continue with these projects. The Government's immediate needs for cash to make payments for the bills in hand and to complete incomplete projects were to be met through the Treasury Bond issues in March 2015.

The latest bond issue was opened on 27th Feb. 2015. The amount offered was Rs. 1 Billion. Thirty six offers were received amounting to Rs. 20 billion in bids. This enabled the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to accept Rs. 10 Billion in accordance with the above decision.

Around September 2014, when it became clear that the previous Government would hold Presidential Elections in early 2015, the then management of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka decided to reduce interest rates and yields on Sri Lanka Government bonds. As a consequence, the yield on the 10 year Sri Lanka Government bond declined from 9.23% in July 2014 to 7.88% in January 2015. Similarly, the yield on the Sri Lanka Government 30 year bond fell from 11.75% in May 2014 to 11.73% in February, 2015.

The foreign exchange reserves of Sri Lanka have been falling sequentially since interest rates were lowered in September 2014. From a level of USD 9.2 billion from June 2014 they have come down to USD 7 billion in February, 2015. As a result, the exchange rate of the Sri Lanka rupee which has been under pressure depreciated by 1.2% in January 2015.

The acceptance of Rs. 10 billion worth of bonds has also resulted in raising the interest rate on the 30 year bond to 11.5% which is where it stood in June 2014 before interest rates were reduced. Furthermore, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has also scrapped the 3 day rule restriction that allowed Banks to park their funds in the Central Bank at the 6.5% base rate on 3 days a month and get 5% in all other days, a practice implemented in September 2014.

The Government also decided that as far as possible all bonds should be through public auction. Private placement at pre agreed rates only helped favoured investors.

It’s a well-known fact that during the last decade the intersection of finance and business was controlled by a few people with nexus to the Rajapaksa regime. They had access to vital information on transactions, which they used to earn undue profits. There were pre-arranged transactions with state owned institutions instead of public auctions open to stock brokers and large investors. Many stakeholders were adversely affected due to manipulations in the stock market. Two Chairpersons of the SEC lost their jobs trying to enforce the existing regulations. The Government is inquiring into these prior malpractices and will also investigate the alleged malpractices which are taking place at the Public Debt Department during bond auctions and private placements.

Finally, the above change in policy and procedures relating to setting of interest rates was done in good faith and will result in several benefits to the Government and economy of Sri Lanka such as;

(a) the maintenance of a stable currency

(b) the maintenance of a clear and stable monetary policy conforming to international standards

(c) creating a liquid yield curve to enable the market to price risk.

(d) the transparent conduct in the sale of Government securities to the markets without pandering to vested interests

(e) the adoption of an appropriate monetary policy stance keeping with the current state of the finances of the Government of Sri Lanka; and

(f)ensuring sufficient funding for the Government in the next 6 months which will ensure no interruption to the implementation of policies announced in the budget and the 100 day programme.

JVP opposes shocking proposal for 100 Cabinet, state and deputy ministers 

by Shamindra Ferdinando-March 5, 2015

 The JVP has opposed special provision for a 45-member cabinet and 55 deputy ministers/state ministers following the next general election to facilitate the formation of a national government.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, MP, yesterday said that his party was agreeable to formation of a national government though it wouldn’t be party to such an arrangement under any circumstances. The JVP, however wouldn’t endorse what he called an unjustifiable push for special arrangements as regards the Cabinet and deputy ministers/state ministers, MP Dissanayake told The Island.

Responding to a query, MP Dissanayake warned that such selfish proposals would jeopardise their primary objective of bringing in far reaching constitutional reforms.

The JVPer said that those who had proposed a 45-member Cabinet and 55 deputy ministers/state ministers in case the UNP and the SLFP could agree to a national government following the next parliamentary

election, were also seeking constitutional means to restrict the number of Cabinet ministers to 30 and 45 deputy ministers/state ministers as a second option which was to come into operation if the UNP and the SLFP couldn’t agree on a national government, MP Dissanayake said.

When The Island pointed out that the even the second option was contrary to the pledges made by those who had backed Maithripala Sirisena’s candidature at the presidential poll, MP Dissanayake said that the JVP had opposed increasing the number of ministers and deputies.

MP Dissanayake said: "We are calling for a 30-member Cabinet and an equal number of deputy ministers. There shouldn’t be State Ministers. It’s a ruse to accommodate more members and provide them with various perks and privileges. The formation of a national government to serve the best interests of the country should not be an excuse for granting privileges to more politicians."

MP Dissanayake said that President Maithripala Sirisena and the minority UNP government should not work towards a national government at the expense of their solemn pledge. The JVPer said that those who had voted for Maithripala Sirisena expected him to dissolve parliament by April 23 as promised to pave the way for the parliamentary election.

The JVP leader emphasized that the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s defeat at the Jan. 8 poll meant the rejection of the SLFP-led UPFA. Therefore, the UNP after having helped Maithripala Sirisena to secure presidency couldn’t contemplate forming a national government with the SLFP. Neither President Sirisena nor Premier Wickremesinghe had received a mandate to go for a national government, MP Dissanayake said. The electorate had endorsed their 100-day project to bring in specific constitutional and electoral reforms as well as some relief to those struggling to make ends meet, the MP said. Therefore, the next step should be dissolution of parliament next month as envisaged, he added.

On the other hand, the UNP hadn’t received a mandate at the last general election to rule the country, MP Dissanayake said, adding that the present arrangement didn’t reflect the outcome of the April 2010 general election.

President Sirisena and Premier Wickremesinghe couldn’t deviate from the original agenda that brought an end to the authoritarian rule of the Rajapaksas.

Commenting on the on-going bring-back-Mahinda campaign, MP Dissanayake said that none of those spearheading the campaign had the strength to contest on their own at a general election. The JVP chief alleged that the MEP (Dinesh Gunawatdena), National Freedom Front (Wimal Weerawansa), Democratic Left Front (Vasudeva Nanayakkara) and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (Udaya Gammanpila) had been exploiting the situation to their advantage.

Sri Lanka Needs A Ministry Of Diversity & Inclusion – Part III

By Jude Fernando -March 6, 2015

Jude Fernando

Sri Lanka Needs a Ministry of Diversity and Inclusion (Part III/VI)

Language and Multiculturalism: (MID Objective #1)

“Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge.”― Toni Morrison

“But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”― George Orwell, 1984

First, the Ministry of Inclusion and Diversity (MID) should focus on creating an environment fostering inclusive and non-prejudicial language and communicative practices. It should develop mandatory training programs in language use for all public and private sector institutions. These programs should focus on two areas. One is the practice of language parity, which the Ministry of Languages and Social Integration (MLSI) failed miserably at implementing. The other is prejudice, discrimination and violence (e.g. racism, sexism, and homophobia) in the use of language itself that we don’t realize because how normalized and acceptable they have become for us. This completely escaped the mission of the MLSI.

*Kaffirs of Sri Lanka| Photo by Kannan Arunasalam

In Sri Lankan culture many get away with the use of sexist, racist, and homophobic language in public that in many other countries would require a public apology, the payment of fines, and/or one’s resignation. Such prejudicial utterances are sources of entertainment for the public, and those indulging in them become ‘celebrities,’ as the media finds them enthralling.  Government circulars written in Sinhala are frequently sent to non-Sinhala speakers. People are reluctant to take these complaints to law enforcement authorities, who often are not bilingual. The actual meaning of complaints is often distorted in the translation from one language to another. For example, in the plantation areas, women’s complaints about rape are recorded simply as harassment. Thereafter justice is deliberated on the basis of harassment not rape. Women, particularly in socially and politically marginalized communities, are the main victims of such prejudicial use of language. Currently, there is there exist no institutional mechanisms to create an awareness of such abuses of language and hold the perpetrators accountable.

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Dodgy dealers who mudsling Maithri trying to creep inside Good Governance

Friday, 06 March 2015 

A famous dodgy business dealer and a close associate and a loyal stooge of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil and Namal Rajapaksa is trying to creep inside the current president’s media unit. Suchee Wijerathna is a coordinator and an unlawful business dealer of Mahinda Rajapaksa who was involved in the Rajapaksas Port City, Hambanthota Investment & Logistic Zone and in Sri Lanka tourist business. In order to continue his illegal business deals he has created a fictitious business organization and few fake websites. www.blizagency.com is one such web site.

During the former regime Basil and Namal Rajapaksa has given him a task to persuade foreign businessmen’s to invest in Sri Lanka by showing a fake image and coordinate them with the Rajapaksa’s. He has introduced many racketeers to Basil, Namal and Mahinda and received large commissions and rewards.

How Sujee creep inside the Maithri Governance
Wearing a clean suit and behaving as a respectable personality he is efficient to deceive people in a short time with his crafty wittiness. He smartly crept inside the election campaign of Maithripala Sirisena and generously threw money to his election office and able to trap many people for his advantage.
Besides his fake titled business attributes he claims himself as a web designer and voluntarily came forward to create a website for Maithripala during the past elections to create a way forward to target his illegal business and vendors.  

Getting contracts from Rajapaksa and stealing from Maithri
Loitering at president’s office as short as 50 days he provides information to Namal Rajapaksa about what is happening and who is visiting the president’s house justifying his loyalty to the Rajapaksa’s and strike for “Illegal Deals” and to be biased for the Rajapaksa’s wherever possible.

Going beyond an informant agent of Rajapaksa there are allegations that he has played out Rs. 1.5 million received for the election campaign of Maithripala.

Many mudslinging profiles disseminated via the social websites against Maithripala Sirisena during the last election were created with the information provided by Suchee Wijerathna and it was compiled by one Zacky Ahmad Reyal who is a famous henchmen of Rajapaksa and an expert in entering data in the digital media unit.
A fake mudsling profile named “Ukussa” in the facebook was created by this Suchee and Zacky partners and it is learnt that these two crooks are now in conversation with one of the secretary of the president and trying to creep inside the president’s media unit. Most of the mudslinging committed by the Rajapaksa against Maithripala during the last election campaign was carried out by this Zacky Ahmad Reyal. This Zacky while remaining in the former president’s digital media unit with state protection carried out the most insulting smear campaign against Maithripala Sirisena. We wish to remind with responsibility that we have all the contents to prove that it is Zasky who created the mudslinging campaign against Maithripala Sirisena.

The next objective of Zacky and Suchee
Suchee and Zacky who made unlawful money for so many years are now working day and night trying to fulfill the contracts of the Rajapaksa. They are trying to creep specially inside the the current president’s media unit to get government information’s and pass those to the Rajapaksa’s. In order to achieve this Zacky and Suchee from the time Maithripala SIrisena became the president is working without a salary. There is a reasonable doubt for everybody as to why these two opportunist are working free of charge even if they are chased. It is logically understood that these two are carrying out a sensitive contract of the Rajapaksa’s of destabilizing the progress of President Maithripala Sirisena and the government’s future plans to achieve Good Governance.

President Maithripala should be careful working with such Rajapaksa agents around. These opportunists help both sides and strike when time comes. Therefore the state intelligence and the president’s security should be vigilant of taking such black sheep’s into close contacts. At a time when Mahinda Rajapaksa is still hunting behind power it is not at all advisable for Maithri governance to work with such stooges who still dealing with the Rajapaksas.

Sri Lanka’s pharmaceutical companies likely to respond to President Maithri’s medicinal drugs comment

Sri Lanka’s pharmaceutical companies likely to respond to President Maithri’s medicinal drugs comment

March 6th, 2015

The Sri Lanka Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry has reportedly convened a special meeting this evening (06 March) to discuss explaining matters to President Maithipala Sirisena on his statement in Parliament last Wednesday (04 March) that he has received information that Rs. 01 billion has been obtained from 400 companies in a bid to hide the National Medicinal Drugs Policy Bill during the former government, reliable sources told www.adaderanabiz.lk

A representative of the Sri Lanka Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry, who did not wish to be named told www.adaderanabiz.lk, that his meeting was held at 4.00 pm today (06 March) in Colombo with the participation of high rung officials of the Chamber.

He said that 400 pharmaceutical are not active in Sri Lanka and that there are the number is far below the number stated.

Since the relevant officials have provided the wrong data to President Maithripala Sirisena he believes that the Sri Lanka Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry would take steps soon to make the President aware of this matter, he added further.

While President Maithipala Sirisena said in Parliament last Wednesday (04 March) that he has received information that Rs. 01 billion has been obtained from 400 companies in a bid to hide the National Medicinal Drugs Policy Bill, it was the first time in the history of the Sri Lankan Parliament where a President had delivered the opening address during the presentation of a budget debate.

During his speech, the President said that Rs. 2.5 million each had been obtained from 400 companies in a bid to hide the National Medicinal Drugs Policy Bill and that he is not aware to whom the funds had gone to.

The National Medicinal Drugs Policy Bill or the Bill to establish the Medicinal Drugs Regulatory Authority with amendments was passed in Parliament today (06 March) with a majority of 67 votes.

Needed: Action not words 

Editorial-March 5, 2015

Various allegations are being hurled against the leaders of the previous government. President Maithripala Sirisena has told Parliament that one of them got a huge bribe to shelve the national drug policy. Yes, that vital Bill went missing under mysterious circumstances from the Legal Draftsman’s Department. Obviously, someone got his or her palm greased.

President Sirisena is now in a position to tell the public who the culprit is. Now that he has access to all necessary information to prefer charges against the bribe taker concerned he should get cracking. Mere allegations won’t do. Those who believed in his pre-election pledge that he would bring the corrupt to justice as a national priority and voted for him expect him to act. They must not be let down.

Big Pharma works in mysterious ways like the tobacco industry. If drug companies fail to prevent legislation inimical to their interests from being passed they have such laws rendered weak. It will be interesting to see whether the national drug policy before Parliament has been watered down.

Some of those who relentlessly campaigned for liberating the sick from the clutches of the pharmaceutical giants are disappointed. They are of the view that the government’s drug policy is not a patch on the original one proposed by Prof. Senaka Bibile. Today, we quote All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association General Secretary Dr. Jayantha Bandara as having said that the proposed National Drug Regulatory Authority Act is not consistent with the original Senaka Bibile National Drug Policy. Let’s see what other experts have to say about the new Bill.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has threatened to sue the National Organiser of Wimal Weerawansa’s NFF for having lodged a complaint against him with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). He has dismissed as baseless the complaint that he has misappropriated two billion rupees when he was the Fisheries Minister of the Rajapaksa government. Yes, he should institute legal action if that complaint is proved to be baseless. Similarly, the government members who rush to the CIABOC with allegations against their rivals also run the risk of being sued for damages.

The previous government used the CID as a bludgeon against its rivals and the practice continues. Instead of conducting criminal investigations it is doing full-time political work for its new masters. However, let no one say that the CID has gone to the dogs; canines should not be insulted.

It hurts people to be accused of corruption as evident from Minister Senaratne’s outburst of anger. Hence, the need for everyone to refrain from hurling wild allegations against others for political reasons! Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Why bash Mathew?

The UPFA is planning to move courts for a second time against the change of the Uva Provincial Council administration. Its first attempt came a cropper owing to a flaw in its petition.

UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha has taken a swipe at the then Governor of Uva Province Nanda Mathew, who appointed UNP Councillor Harin Fernando Chief Minister on the basis of some affidavits submitted by a group of councillors. Premajayantha is not being fair by the former Governor. For, the latter took his cue from President Maithripala Sirisena, who caused an SLFP-led government to be dislodged to pave the way for a UNP-led administration on Jan. 09. Mathew at least had some proof that Harin commanded a majority in the council!

Before bashing Mathew for the manner in which the new Uva CM was appointed, Premajayantha and others ought to tell us whether they approve of the way President Sirisena had the UPFA government dislodged.

Bribery commissioner, ask these too, when questioning ex-CB governor

Friday, 06 March 2015

Former governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal is being accused of many irregularities he had committed during the former Rajapaksa regime. He has bought houses and other properties in Colombo city at very high prices, but as to how he had acquired such a huge amount of money to buy them remains a question. He has purchased these properties to the names of his closest relatives who live abroad.

Towards the end of last year, he bought a more than Rs. 100 million worth penthouse suite at Havelock City luxury housing apartments. Cabraal has purchased it to the name of his brother who lives in Australia.

A few days before the last general election, he bought a house at no: 80/2, Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha, Colombo 10 to the name of the daughter of his sister Shiromi Wickremasinghe. It is at this house that the ex-CB governor lives at present.

Before becoming the CB governor, he had unsuccessfully contested the 2001 general election on the UNP ticket. He had to pay a Rs. 7 million bank overdraft for the expenses he had incurred for his campaign. The Bribery Commission should investigate as to how Ajith Nivard Cabraal, who had been on the verge of bankruptcy around 10 years ago, has found money to buy properties worth millions of rupees.

Reply to,Mr Mahendran CB Governor

  

Friday, 06 March 2015

The Writer who made the article regarding misbehavior of Central Bank Governor’s son in law at the share market for 30 years bond, has  responded to Mr. Mahendran CB Governor

The full text of response as follows

 Mr Mahendran says this story was disseminated by the mafia who control-the-market. His son in law was part of the mafia that operated under the previous Rajapaksa administration and now trying to get cover using his Governor father in law.

Mr Mahendran says his son in law has resigned from Perpetual ltd. Everyone in the market knows his son in law owns the company. He has only resigned as a director. Whom are you trying to fool Mr Mahendran? Most primary dealers also know that his son in law used Bank of Ceylon as a front to collect the bonds. The market also knows he sold his low interest bonds before the auction, because he knew the rates were going up in advance. He is totally silent about his son in law's infamous EPF dealings during the previous government causing big losses of over one billion to the EPF. There is no hope that the current government under Ranil Wickramasinghe will take action against Mr Mahendran or his son in law. Let us hope that President Sirisena will at least now take some action against the CB governor an initiate an inquiry against his son in law for his pump and dump deals using the EPF in 2011 and 2012. Sorry to say this, the primary dealers have lost confidence in the Governor and the Prime Minister.
Good governance activist.

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This story was disseminated by mafias who control the market - CB Governor replies

Outcry over Isis destruction of ancient Assyrian site of Nimrud

Militants’ latest assault in Iraq described as war crime by Unesco and condemned as part of systematic campaign to erase millennia of culture
nia of culture

Activists, officials and historians have condemned Islamic State (Isis) for the destruction of the ancient Assyrian archaeological site of Nimrud in Iraq, with Unesco describing the act as a war crime.

Kareem Shaheen in Beirut-Friday 6 March 2015
“They are not destroying our present life, or only taking the villages, churches, and homes, or erasing our future – they want to erase our culture, past and civilisation,” said Habib Afram, the president of the Syriac League of Lebanon, adding that Isis’s actions were reminiscent of the Mongol invasion of Arabia.

Outcry Over Isis Destruction of Ancient Assyrian Site of Nimrud by Thavam Ratna

​Boko Haram Turns Robin Hood’s Strategy on Its Head

Forget oil or gold. West Africa’s most dangerous terrorist group is funding its rampages by ignoring the rich and targeting the poor.

BY SIOBHÁN O'GRADY-MARCH 5, 2015

As a convoy of trucks carrying smoked fish cruised along the border of Niger and Nigeria last week, a Nigerien Air Force plane swooped low and opened fire, destroying the trucks and forcing the drivers to flee into Nigeria on foot.

Boko Haram Turns Robin Hood’s Strategy on Its Head by Thavam Ratna

Russia can't afford to pay state employees

REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

• TOMAS HIRST
• • -MAR. 6, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed three new decrees into law that will slash government salaries — including his own and that of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev — by 10% from 1 May.

The government has also announced plans to cut the number of government officials by 5% to 20%.

The measures are part of the government's emergency plan to address collapsing revenues due to the fall in global oil prices and economic sanctions imposed on the country. Crude oil is currently trading around $60 a barrel but the federal budget was based on oil prices of $100 a barrel, leaving a big black hole in the state's finances that needs to be plugged.

Putin is unlikely to be phased by the erosion of his take-home pay. As he told members of the press during his annual Q&A session in December:

"Frankly, I don’t even know my own salary – they just give it to me, and I put it away in my account."

Others in his administration, however, may be less sanguine about the cuts. Especially as they could represent the beginning of a wider programme to scale back the country's public sector workforce in response to the Russia's economic woes.

The news comes a week after Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov asked parliament to approve spending 3.2 trillion rubles (£34 billion) from the Reserve Fund, one of Russia's sovereign wealth funds, as part of his so-called anti-crisis plan. That figure is more than half of the value of the fund and well in excess of the 500 billion rubles that the government had initially planned to draw down.

The moves suggest that the state is still struggling under the weight of sanctions and low oil prices. Inflation in the country rose to 16.7% in February, a rate of price increases not seen for over a decade, as the weaker ruble and self-imposed sanctions on Western imports continues to drive up consumer prices. Indeed Russians are expected to have to spend half of their salaries just on food in 2015.

The IMF forecasts that Russia's economy is set to contract by 3% this year and 1% in 2016. Many of these forecasts, however, relied on the assumption that sanctions pressures over Russia's involvement in the ongoing Ukraine crisis would be eased off over the next few months — a prospect that is still far from guaranteed at this stage.

Yet while the Russian government waits to see if the latest ceasefire agreement between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists in the east of Ukraine holds its domestic economy continues to suffer. Today Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of the state-owned gas behemoth, has asked the government for 198 billion rubles in financial aid following similar requests from Rosneft, the country's largest oil company.

Siluanov warned that the pain these companies are suffering may get worse before it gets better. He told the government that the oil price could still drop from current levels, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"It is worth noting the remaining risks on the oil market," he said, "where supply keeps on exceeding demand and oil inventories are growing fast."