WikiLeaks: Human Rights Minister Vows Not To Take Part In “White Wash”

June 8, 2015

“Ambassador met with Minister of Disaster Relief and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe January 30 to share with him a list of suggested actions the Government could take to address the human rights situation. The deeply frustrated Minister (strictly protect throughout) expressed concern that the President and his two brothers have rendered his human rights and humanitarian access efforts ineffective and that he would not sacrifice his political career to become ‘part of a white wash’ for the Government of Sri Lanka’s (GSL) recent human rights violations. Ambassador invited the Minister to participate in a press conference with several other heads of mission to express support for the good work that NGOs do for the citizens of Sri Lanka and counter the recent negative publicity international NGOs have been subject to. Minister Samarasinghe agreed, and asked that Ambassador also take his humanitarian message directly to President Rajapaksa.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Mahinda Samarasinghe

The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaksdatabase dated January 30, 2007. The cable is classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and written by the US Ambassador to Colombo Robert O. Blake.

Under the subheading “Sidelined By Rajapaksa Brothers”, the ambassador wrote; “Ambassador met with Minister of Disaster Relief and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe January 30 to share with him a list of requests from non-governmental organizations regarding access and the ability to work in Sri Lanka. Ambassador explained that the list grew out of a meeting the Ambassador chaired with all of Sri Lanka’s major human rights organizations. The Ambassador had asked for their advice of
what steps the Government should take to address the deteriorating human rights situation. The Ambassador presented Samarasinghe the following list, noting that they were not in any priority order:
Human rights organizations ask that the GSL:
— Implement or amend the 17th Amendment in order to activate the independent commissions. Due to their inactivity, there is little or no accountability by power holders.
— Allow the Constitutional Council to appoint suitable persons with good track records to the National Human Rights Commission. The persons who were appointed to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate into Serious Violations of Human Rights are good examples of suitable persons.
— Activate the MOU with the UNP to cooperate both on good governance and peace process.
— Reactivate the peace process by honoring the Ceasefire Agreement, and getting the Norwegian facilitators and the SLMM back into action.
— Give humanitarian access to NGOs to conflict areas in the east and in Jaffna.
— Stop anti-NGO propaganda by state media.
— Compensate civilian victims of violence equitably. The compensation packages extended to the victims of the bus bombings in the south should be extended to victims of air and mortar bombing and collateral damage in the north east.
— Permit freedom of expression to the media, and freedom of meeting to political and civic activists to peacefully canvass their causes without harassment.
— Implement a Media Freedom Act.
— Take seriously Ambassador Rock’s report of complicity between GOSL security forces and the Karuna Faction and address this concern within the military. Monitor the actions of the Karuna Faction and provide redress to families and communities who have had their children abducted.
— Investigate immediately human rights abuses, specifically abductions and extrajudicial killings and take appropriate measures to prosecute and punish those responsibly. Ensure transparency so the public is aware of actions taken to punish human rights violators.
— Implement a fair Freedom of Information Act to reduce corruption.
— Provide safe havens and protection to conflict-affected populations. Physically separate disputants to prevent further violence.

Read the cable below for further details;

CID summons Namal Rajapaksa

June 8, 2015  04:23 pm

Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa in a status update on his official Facebook page has said that he has received a notice to appear at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on June 12.  

“Just received notice to be present at the CID June 12 to record a statement, but no information has been given as to the reason,” the status update said.

Luxury Colombo 07 murky spot of Upali Dharmadasa raided ! illicit liquor bottles worth many millions seized – Media coolies suppress incident (vide photos)

(Lanka-e-News- 08.June.2015, 4.30PM) Following a raid conducted on an illegal liquor ‘spot’ (akin to kasippu spot) of former chairman of the Sri Lanka (SL) cricket board corrupt interim committee of the past , and popular  businessman , Upali Dharmadasa the son of late Nawaloka Mudalali , about 400 bottles of foreign liquor valued at many millions of rupees were  seized .

When the  special raid was conducted by the Excise department officers last Friday (05) night on ‘Upali’s restaurant’ selling illicit liquor of super quality situated at Colombo 07 belonging to Upali Dharmadasa , a large quantity of high priced foreign  liquor bottles were taken into custody. Those foreign liquor bottles in local money fetch a price between Rs. 35000.00 to Rs. 40,000.00 each.

This restaurant of infamously famous businessman Upali had no license to sell liquor. Besides , all the liquor that were seized from the restaurant had been smuggled into the country without paying a single cent duty , and through illicit channels. This is something rudely shocking.

When the Restaurant was raided and the Barkeeper and the manager of the restaurant  were taken into custody, there were over forty  prominent businessmen consuming liquor within.

The low bred unscrupulous media coolies who make  a splash in the front pages of just a simple raid on a small kasippu den, even after this government has  given freedom to report freely have  either in fear of the corrupt powerful rich or to serve their own  personal disgraceful venal agendas  or because of their innate low bred unprofessional propensities have failed to expose the truth duly. It is a matter for deep regret in Sri Lanka these media coolies not only in this instance , but even in many other instances of monumental frauds which are being exposed lately of corrupt traitorous business tycoons have taken this lukewarm attitude for obvious reasons shamelessly and sordidly. 

It is a pity that these  media coolies specially  who are a disgrace to their own profession ,and the public in general realize  that whether it is millionaire Upali Dharmadasa who inherited wealth from his father , but still because of his inordinate avarice resorted to illicit foreign liquor business at a secret spot at Colombo 07 , or a small time kasippu peddler who sells illicit liquor to earn just enough to feed his poor suffering infant are guilty of the same offence under the laws.  

May we recall that Lanka e news earlier on exposed that on 9 th January morning when the brutal corrupt Medamulana Mahinda Rajapakse fled  after his defeat , a whole container of his illicit goods was left hidden in Upali Dharmadasa’s container yard. 

In the photograph is the  secret illegal spot ‘Upali’s restaurant’ – the luxury ‘illicit liquor den’ when it was raided  

---------------------------
by     (2015-06-08 11:44:40)

Girl raped by father and his best friend

Girl raped by father and his best friend

2015-06-08

Wanathawilluwa Police has launched an investigation into a complaint lodged by a woman yesterday (7), concerning the daughter of her extramarital lover. The woman alleged that the 11-year-old girl has been raped several times at home.

Following the complaint, Police have arrested the father. He is a 41-year-old resident of Wanathawilluwa area.

In her statement given to the Police, girl said that a 65-year-old man –who is a best friend of her father – had raped her, about two years ago. The man has fled the area.

Wanathawilluwa Police are conducting further investigations.

CID arrests D.V. Upul

June 8, 2015  06:04 pm

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday arrested Southern Provincial Councillor D.V. Upul over several controversial comments made by the politician regarding the Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID).

The CID summoned the Provincial Councillor to record a statement in this regard, this morning. Upul has been remanded until June 10 by the Colombo Magistrate as well.  

The Chief Magistrate has also issued a directive prohibiting the Southern Provincial Councillor from travelling overseas, following a request by the CID.

The court instructed authorities to impound the passport of the Southern Province Fisheries Minister, on 4 June.

Upul, who backs the former president’s political comeback, is accused of allegedly asking people to “stone to death” officials of the special police unit.

Talks, not bombs, will defeat IS, UN high commissioner tells MEE

'The bombing algorithm is not one that can work,' the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights tells MEE.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein speaks at a press conference last month (AFP)

James Reinl-Monday 8 June 2015

NEW YORK – The self-styled Islamic State (IS) group will not be beaten by bombs alone and only negotiations can bring stability to Syria and Iraq, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, told Middle East Eye.

Zeid, a Jordanian royal, spoke on Monday as the Sunni militant group cemented military gains in the Iraqi city of Ramadi and Palmyra, in Syria, and leaders of the world’s top economies debated anti-IS tactics at the so-called Group of Seven, or G7, talks in Germany.

According to Zeid, US-backed military efforts have failed to halt the growth of IS from its origins in Iraq over the past decade and overcoming the threat will require peace talks like those which were held with Afghanistan’s Taliban and Central American paramilitaries. 

“In 2004-5, the mentor of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Daesh [the Arabic acronym for IS], Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was battling away in Iraq. There were beheadings, victims in orange jump suits, and we had countless meetings at the UN Security Council about their actions and an almost unprecedented investment in money and in military force,” Zeid told MEE.

“The group is still there, more powerful than ever was the case eight years ago. So clearly the bombing algorithm is not one that can work. It requires a much more sophisticated response and one where certainly the state cannot cut corners on its own obligations to human rights.”

The US leads a coalition of mostly Western and Arab states against IS, which launched its blitzkrieg assault into northern Iraq one year ago this week. On Sunday, Britain announced plans to boost the number of UK troops in Iraq to about 900.

While the US says a combination of foreign air power and local ground troops will defeat the caliphate-building hardliners, some analysts question whether the multi-nation force is backed by enough manpower or political will.

The coalition features such Sunni-majority Arab nations as Jordan, where public opinion stiffened against IS after the group burned Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kassasbeh alive in a cage following his capture in Syria in December.

According to Zeid, formerly Jordan’s ambassador to Washington, lessons for tackling IS can be learned from the Taliban, where negotiations have yielded changes to the group's battlefield behaviour. 

“The Taliban developed an embrace of takfiri ideology ten years ago, and ten years ago nobody would talk to them,” Zeid told MEE at an event in New York, referring to the belief among religious hardliners that justifies the killing of apostates.

“That has changed. Interestingly, the Taliban now have prohibited the use of certain weapons, they recognise that there is a level of human suffering that cannot be supported. And so who knows where we will be in ten years’ time.”

Overcoming IS will mirror historical examples of paramilitary groups being brought to the negotiation table and eventual political accords in turbulent Central America, Zeid added.

“The only frame through which [mediators] could push the political discussions in Guatemala, Salvador and Nicaragua was the human rights framework. They all could agree that there were certain boundaries beyond which that you couldn’t go in terms of human cruelty,” he told MEE.

“And if they could agree that there was a normative human rights framework that all of us must uphold, then that was the starting point for the political discussion that ensued.”

‘It Is Time for America to Consider Accommodation With China’

Is a historic shift in U.S. policy toward the People's Republic necessary?

BY HUGH WHITE, MARY KAY MAGISTAD, ZHA DAOJIONG-JUNE 8, 2015

The past several months have seen a growing chorus of calls for the United States to take stock of its policy toward China. Some prominent voices have called for greater efforts by the two countries to forge a “substantive sense of common purpose,” while others reject the notion that they can ever coexist without conflict and believe that the United States needs to contain China. Still others argue that the basic assumptions of current U.S. diplomacy toward China should not change despite escalating friction. This renewed attention to what has long been deemed the world’s most important bilateral relationship takes place against the backdrop ofrising tension between the countries in the South China Sea, and newly hostile rhetoric from China about the dangers of “the West.” In this ChinaFileconversation, experts discuss the options U.S. officials now face.

‘It Is Time for America to Consider Accommodation With China’.odt by Thavam Ratna

China Formulates Assertive Military Strategy

by D. S. Rajan

( June 2, 2015, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) issued the government’s first white paper on “China’s Military Strategy” on 26 May 2015.

The 25-page document of about 9,000 Chinese characters, is the ninth one to be issued by China since 1998; unlike the last edition brought out in 2013 which among others revealed for the first time the military strength of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as 1.483 million personnel divided into 18 different corps,   the current one does not give any such fact or figure, and instead focuses exclusively on what should be China’s military strategy; this has happened for the first time.

China Formulates Assertive Military Strategy by Thavam Ratna

EU referendum: David Cameron clarifies his clarification on EU referendum

Prime minister says comments on collective responsibility of ministers to support government were misinterpreted

David Cameron says his comments on sacking Eurosceptic ministers who want to campaign for an EU exit were misinterpreted

 Patrick Wintour Political editor in Schloss Elmau - Monday 8 June 2015
David Cameron’s approach to the EU referendum campaign was in danger of slipping from confusion to farce when he clarified his position by saying he could not yet decide if ministers will be free to campaign as they wish during the planned European referendum campaign.

But he insisted the British government will have a view on the outcome of the negotiations on the terms of British membership and will not be a by-stander.

The prime minister had been widely reported as proposing to impose collective ministerial responsibility during the referendum following a briefing he gave on Sunday, but Cameron said he had been misinterpreted, and blamed reporters accompanying him at the G7 summit in Bavaria for misunderstanding him.

He said collective ministerial responsibility only applies to the current stage of the renegotiations, but no decision had been made on whether ministers will be free to campaign to stay in or leave during the referendum campaign. He said ministers are currently required, as part of being in government, to expect a successful outcome to EU negotiations.

Cameron’s closing press conference at the end of the summit was dominated by questions on his approach to ministerial responsibility during the referendum campaign, and he will be frustrated that his first appearance on the world stage since his re-election largely saw him answering questions on how he is to prevent his party fracturing on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union.

He said he only realised his remarks had been misinterpreted when he read the newspapers this morning, and his officials denied he had been forced into a hasty u-turn by an angry reaction to the newspaper reports in London from senior Conservative figures such as former chief whip, Andrew Mitchell, and the prominent rightwing backbencher, David Davis.

However Downing Street by its normal standards had been slow to jump on the reports overnight, and also seemed to have allowed the junior communities minister, James Wharton, to appear on the BBC to assert that Cameron was right to say ministerial collective responsibility would apply in a referendum.

Wharton, believing he was following the government line, asserted anyone serving in the government would have to resign if they wanted to oppose the official position on a referendum vote.

“That is, fundamentally, what that means,” Wharton said. “If the government is taking a government position, if collective responsibility is applied, if you don’t want to support that position you have to leave.

“You are then free to campaign for whatever you want, to vote for whoever you want. If we get to a position where the government’s position is that this renegotiation has been successful – and the details will be there for everyone to see when we get to that point – then it is reasonable to expect that collective responsibility will apply.”

It is rare for a minister to be put up for a flagship programme such as BBC Today unless he or she has been given and understands the government line on an issue.

But Cameron said: “I was clearly referring to a process of renegotiation. I have always said what I want is an outcome for Britain that keeps us in a reformed EU, but I have also said that we do not yet know the outcome of these negotiations which is why I have always said ‘I rule nothing out, and therefore it is wrong to answer hypothetical questions’. We are going to have to take this stage by stage and step by step.”

Tying himself further in knots he continued: “What I said yesterday is that if you want to be part of the government, you have to take the view that we are engaged in a renegotiation to have a referendum that will lead to a successful outcome.”

Until Cameron gave this new interpretation of his remarks, the issue of collective responsibility applying to the renegotiation had not been thought to arise since no minister was likely to object in principle to such a renegotiation.

He added: “I don’t know the outcome of the negotiations. I hope and I believe the outcome will be Britain with a better place in the EU, dealing with our problems, and therefore I will be able to recommend Britain will be able to stay in a reformed EU.

“That is the aim, the goal, that is what I want to achieve and I am confident of achieving it. I have said many times I do not know the outcome of the negotiations and if I don’t achieve what I want, I rule nothing out. And given I have said that, and I don’t achieve what I want, I cannot answer the question what would happen during the referendum.”

He then seemed to assert the government will have a collective view, even if the decision on ministerial freedom during the campaign is unresolved.

He said: “I don’t believe the government is a bystander in this. The government will have a clear view – the view I want to get us to is a successful renegotiation reform of the EU and being able to recommend Britain should stay in the EU. And in that case, the government is not going to be a bystander and the government will have a very clear view.”

Cameron is to hold further bilateral meetings in the sidelines of an EU summit on Wednesday, and he is also scheduled to meet the Italian prime minister Mario Renzi in the coming weeks.

Texas police officer pulls gun at teenage pool party

MONDAY 08 JUNE 2015
The officer, in the Dallas suburb of McKinney, was among those who responded to reports of a disturbance. Amateur footage shows police officers trying to gain control, having been called to the upper-middle-class community pool at Craig Ranch North.

During the incident the officer, named as Eric Casebolt, is seen throwing the teenager girl to the ground, and when two unknown men rush forwards he pulls out his gun.

He then returns to the girl, who is calling for her "Mama", and throws her to the ground again, shouting: "On your face."

The officer, who has since been placed on administrative leave, then presses his knees on the girl's back. She can be heard crying.

The girl, Dajerria Becton, told Fox4: "He grabbed me and he, like, twisted my arm on the back of my back and he shoved me in the grass, he started pulling the back of my braids and I as telling him can he get off me because my back was hurting really bad."

Above: the McKinney police officer is seen drawing his firearm. He reholsters it when he returns to the teenage girl

The video was shot by an unknown party, and in the course of seven minutes shows various teenagers being handcuffed and the officer shouting at others to leave the scene.

The teenage girl was arrested but later released to her parents. Another adult male was arrested in the incident on Friday for interference with the duties of a peace officer and evading arrest.

Under the spotlight

The relationship between US police forces and the African American community has been under the spotlight over the past year after several incidents in which unarmed black men have been shot by white officers. While there is no evidence to suggest race was a factor in this incident, some Texans linked the actions of the officer to race on the McKinney police Facebook page.

McKinney police chief Greg Conley said the "juveniles who were creating the disturbance" were "fighting and refusing to leave".

"Several concerns about the conduct of one of the officers on the scene have been raised," he said. "A formal investigation into the incident has been started and the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

"The McKinney police department is committed to treating all persons fairly under the law."

He said he was committed to a "complete and thorough investigation" into the incident. Two officers with the McKinney police department are conducting the investigation.

Delhi government clarifies ban on two-finger test after outcry

Protesters carry placards as they shout slogans during a protest to mark the first anniversary of the Delhi gang rape, in New Delhi December 16, 2013.-REUTERS/ADNAN ABIDI/FILES

BY NITA BHALLA-Mon Jun 8, 2015

NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Authorities in New Delhi said on Monday they would ban doctors from conducting an archaic and degrading test during the forensic examinations of rape victims, after campaigners criticised a memo which suggested it would be allowed.

The controversial "two-finger test" - which involves a doctor inserting fingers into a rape victim's vagina to determine if she is sexually active - is seen as outdated medical jurisprudence in many countries, including India.

But a May 31 circular sent to Delhi hospitals had said the test could be conducted on a rape victim provided she gave her consent. It said a complete ban on the test may prove detrimental to the victim's health and result in injustices.

Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the circular had been "misinterpreted" and the government wanted to clarify that victims of sexual violence would not undergo the test.

"It is advised that medical professionals should not perform the finger test, unless it is medically indicated that it is for only treatment purposes," Jain told a news conference.

A panel set up to look at ways to tackle violence against women, following the infamous gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus, called for the banning of the two-finger test in January 2013.

Four months later, the country's top court said the test violated a woman's right to privacy, and ordered the government to provide better medical procedures to confirm sexual assault.

The test was then banned by the Department of Health Research and the Indian Council of Medical Research which issued in a new set of guidelines in 2014.

Yet in parts of India the test continues. It is not only traumatising for victims, say activists, but the results have been used by defence lawyers to reinforce stereotypes of rape victims being promiscuous which can adversely impact their case.

The test includes providing details about the hymen, including whether it is intact or torn, the size of the vagina, and the number of fingers that can be admitted to determine if the victim is "habituated to sex".

According to government figures, the number of rapes in the country rose by 35.2 percent to 33,707 in 2013 from the previous year - with Delhi reporting 1,441 rapes in 2013, making it the Indian city with the highest number of rapes.

(Reporting by Nita Bhalla, Editing by Ros Russell)

Mexico’s ‘El Bronco’ set to become nation’s first independent governor

Jaime Rodríguez, center, will become Mexico’s first independent candidate to be elected governor. (Julio Cesar Aguilar/AFP/Getty Images)

By Joshua Partlow-June 8

OAXACA, Mexico — The candidate known as “El Bronco,” who harnessed voters’ frustration with established political parties, will become Mexico’s first independent governor, according to official results from the country’smidterm elections.

Jaime Rodríguez, a tough-talking former mayor and farmer from the northern state of Nuevo Leon, had spent decades of his career working inside the machinery of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. But he broke from the party last year and recast himself as an outsider, gaining favor among voters tired of corruption scandals and drug violence. He was surging to a victory by more than 25 points in the state that is home to the business hub of Monterrey.

But across the country, the picture did not appear so grim for the party of President Enrique Peña Nieto. With more than 80 percent of the returns counted, the PRI and its allied parties appear to have retained their slim majority in Congress. The PRI was bolstered by the allied Green Party, which stood to gain up to 20 seats in the 500-member lower house.

[An interview with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto]

The election will also decide governorships in nine states, as well as hundreds of mayoral posts and local seats.

 

There was sporadic violence during Sunday’s vote, with protesters burning ballot boxes and voting materials in several volatile states, particularly in the south. Federal police and soldiers deployed to secure voting sites in several states, including Oaxaca, where the teachers union had called for a boycott of the elections. The union has been protesting constitutional changes to the public education system.

Over the past year, the image of the PRI has been tarnished by violence in states such as Michoacan, Guerrero and Tamaulipas. The disappearance of 43 teachers’ college students in Guerrero, allegedly at the hands of local police and drug gangs, sparked nationwide protests for months and sapped Peña Nieto’s approval ratings.

The PRI gained ground in some states, including Sonora, where its candidate pushed out the National Action Party (PAN). The leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) was winning the governor’s race in Michoacan.

Immediately Kills The Black Dots On The Face!

Health Online Central

June 3, 2015

If you really want to have soft and smooth skin without spending a lot of funds from the family budget fortune on beauty products? We suggest you try this simple and very effective homemade mask.

Honey will help to remove bacteria and shrinking pores, thereby gives greater vitality, elasticity and freshness.

Baking soda serves as a natural exfoliating agent which reduces the irritation of the skin and stimulates blood circulation. The best thing about home mask is that is suitable for all skin types.

Ingredients:

One teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of honey

a teaspoon of olive oil

Preparation:

All the ingredients mix in a separate vessel and stirred until obtaining a homogeneous mixture. Apply the mask on preliminary cleaned face and leave on for 10 minutes, then wash it with lukewarm water.
Repeat this procedure once a week to keep your skin smooth, shiny and beautiful.

Human Rights Challenges in

• by Ruki 
• - on 06/07/2015

Speech delivered on behalf of me by Marisa de Silva, on the occasion of the Islamic Centre Felicitation event, held in Maligawatte today.

Thank you for making me part of this celebration. Practically, felicitations are possible for a few, but many deserve felicitation. Felicitation for me means felicitation for many others I have worked with. Victims, their families, priests, sisters, lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders in general. They include those who have protected me and those who I have worked with and who have supported my work, including, by way of providing moral support. Many of them are also dear friends. Although I regret my inability to be here, it is perhaps appropriate that one of my dearest colleagues and friend will read this, as this belongs to her and others like her, as much as it does to me.

Human Rights Challenges in Sri Lanka by Thavam Ratna