Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Sri Lanka says war crimes probe delayed by elections

No Fire Zone Sinhala language version 2015 from NoFireZone on Vimeo.

© AFP | Sri Lanka's proposed war crimes investigation has been delayed by several months until September as the government focuses on impending parliamentary elections, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera (pictured) said Wednesday

24 June 2015

COLOMBO (AFP) -

Sri Lanka's proposed war crimes investigation has been delayed by several months until September as the government focuses on impending parliamentary elections, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said Wednesday.

Samaraweera said he hoped the composition of the investigating team along with its terms of reference would now be finalised just before the UN Human Rights Council's session in September in Geneva.

"We are working out the contours of a domestic mechanism to look into human rights abuses and war crimes," Samaraweera told reporters in Colombo. "This will be in place before the September sessions in Geneva."

President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in January promising reconciliation and accountability following alleged atrocities during the island's separatist war that ended in 2009.

But Samaraweera said the government's schedule of reforms including starting the probe by June has been pushed back because of a delay in holding general elections.

Sirisena was due to sack the parliament he inherited from his autocratic predecessor Mahinda Rajapakse by April. He is now expected to dissolve parliament and call elections very shortly, Samaraweera said.

Sirisena is hoping to strengthen his numbers in parliament, where Rajapakse's party and its allies still hold a majority, and bolster his mandate for democratic reforms.

"I hope the president will dissolve parliament in a matter of hours and we can have an early election," Samaraweera said amid intense speculation the 225-member assembly could be dissolved at midnight.

The US led international pressure on former president Rajapakse to probe allegations that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the military's final push to end the war against ethnic minority Tamil rebels.

The UN has been investigating possible war crimes for more than a year and was due to unveil its report in March, but delayed the release to give Sri Lanka's new government time to start its own probe.

Relevance of Wiki Leaks and UN’s 20-year confidentiality clause

War crimes allegation, directed at Sri Lanka, in the UK parliament, is evidence of the manipulative power of those working overtime against the country.

by Shamindra Ferdinando

( June 24, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) After having consulted, either the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), or UN headquarters, in New York, or both, the UN mission, in Colombo, in April, last year, said that the issue of confidentiality of sources/eyewitnesses needed to be considered at a later stage.

Relevance of Wiki Leaks and UN’s 20-Year Confidentiality Clause by Thavam Ratna

Sri Lanka’s Punguduthivu: An island devastated by war

By Subash Somachandran and M. Kalaimaaran
24 June 2015

Punguduthivu Island, 20 kilometres southwest of Jaffna, was the scene of a gang rape and murder of a teenage student, Vithya Sivalohanathan, on May 13 that triggered mass protests in the war-ravaged north of Sri Lanka. The demonstrations spread to the eastern province as well.

Sri Lanka’s Punguduthivu an Island Devastated by War by Thavam Ratna

President continues to toe his pro corruption and criminal prone policy : Trim and ready to open hotel of Gota’s money launderer

(Lanka-e-News- 23.June.2015, 11.30PM) In the midst of President Maithripala Sirisena’s latest propensity of aiding and abetting the corrupt and criminal individuals borne out by many such incidents in the recent past , it is being questioned whether the president is toeing the policy of deliberately helping these wrongdoers , despite a section of the government of good governance being absolutely opposed to it .

The latest incident in the series is: president Maithripala getting ready to be the chief guest at the inauguration of a hotel of Dilith Jayaweera by the name of ‘Steuart by Citrus’ on the 26 th . Dilith Jayaweera is a notorious crook who is facing heinous criminal charges of outrageous money laundering activities carried out for and on behalf of Gotabaya Rajapakse a high profile heavyweight of the Rajapakses .

Dilith Jayaweera who was running an ordinary advertising Co. suddenly and mysteriously during the past ten years purchased the Liberty Plaza , as well as the Hotel by the name “Citrus”. In addition he purchased most of the shares of Lanka Hospitals , and with Gotabaya’s patronage , he was involved in a number of fraudulent transactions in the stocks and shares market . When Indrani Sugathadasa , Malik Cader and Thilak Karunaratne went to investigate these rackets , they had to resign their posts . The main cause for their resignations was the involvement of Rajapakses who disallowed probes being conducted into these malpractices and frauds.

Now , while the stock exchange commission and the police financial crimes special investigation division (FCID) are conducting grave and serious probes into the monumental frauds and traitorous activities of Dilth Jayaweera , how can president Maithripala the highest in the hierarchy of the country who should be a model of excellence ( or at least that is what people who elected him expect) be a chief guest at this hotel opening function of a most corrupt fraudulent Dilith Jayaweera ?

Can one think of any other example the president is trying to set for others to follow? Is this the bad example he is setting to the investigators too to follow ? Is he trying to tell them ,search and arrest the culprits without exception , or trying to indicate to them , beware this culprit is my friend , and therefore take good care of him ?

It is the secretary to the mass media Karunaratne Paranavitharne , who has acted as the ‘broker’ and had organized everything to take president to that function of Dilith Jayaweera the most notorious fraudster .

Upon inquiries made by Lanka e news , the secretary while admitting that he organized it , said ‘ it is just a trivial matter.’ When we asked him , do you consider , president of the country attending a function of a notorious criminal who is facing grave charges of money laundering activities with the involvement of a heavyweight of the Rajapakse regime as a trivial matter? Paranavitharne’s irresponsible and uncaring reply was ‘that must be decided by the president and not by me’

Sadly , lately president Mathripala has been indulging in several such actions which can be construed as directly and indirectly aiding and abetting corrupt and perfidious individuals. One such most grave abominable incident was the appointment of Gagan Bulathsinghala , a notorious crook and corrupt officer of the Air force under the president .While there were copious and cogent evidence with palpable proof that Gagan ‘s antecedence is as putrid as is corrupt and crooked , and he deserves to be investigated and punished by a military court , he was instead appointed as the air force commander .

Another ugly incident was the president’s participation as the chief guest to lay the foundation brick at Galle face after making loud criticisms against the same Port city project as a massive fraud before the presidential elections , and thereafter leading the ‘Ranbhoomi brick tricks’ game in an effort to whitewash that same project , which culminated in the foundation brick laying ceremony at the Galle face with Maithripala as the chief guest.

This is a much publicized Chinese project with Chinese lavishly spending in many millions .Unbelievably , in the end it was the president who became the chief propagandist for it. Later on , the president had told his close associates that he attended that event unknowingly , that is, he had betrayed his ignorance of vital information.

It will not be a matter for surprise , if president similarly after attending the inauguration of the hotel of Dilith Jayaweera the confirmed, corrupt and crooked criminal exclaims ’aney , had I known this Dilith Jayaweera is such a scoundrel , I would not have attended the function.’ It is to ward off this possibility of president again making foolish exclamations and profusely regretting after leaping before thinking that Lanka e news has taken this amount of trouble to enlighten him.

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by (2015-06-24 01:28:31)

Yahapālanaya Set To Go Ahead With Thrice Cancelled US $ 88 Million Nuwara Eliya Chinese Sport Project

June 24, 2015

The thrice cancelled US $ 88 million Chinese funded turn key project which was set to be built in Nuwara Eliya under the former Rajapaksa regime, is likely to be approved by the present Yahapālanaya led government soon, fear environmentalist activists.

Minister Navin Dissanayake

A High Altitude Training Centre for athletics and other sports which was scheduled to be constructed initially in 2009, within the confines of the Race Course, is making headway a fourth time around despite reported environmental threats, as seen when it was first first scrapped in 2009.

When Colombo Telegraph contacted well known environmentalist and lawyer Jagath Gunawardena for his thoughts on this project he said ‘”there is a portion of the said property in Nuwara Eliya, where we have already sent in our recommendations to the Mayor Mahinda Dodampegamage in early February 2015, for it to be made a ‘Conservative Zone’ and have it gazetted in parliament.

This is the fourth time that this Chinese project has been sent to the Ministry of Sports as an ‘unsolicited proposal’, which means that open bids are not called for such ventures. On the three previous occasions, the Cabinet Review Sub Committee (CRSC) of the Treasury rejected both proposals.

Documented evidence from 2009 reveal that the then Minister of Sports Gamini Lokuge spent approximately Rs 200 million to develop the infrastructure of the project. This project was eventually made redundant by the Urban Development Authority, due to it being proven that the project if continued would be an environmental threat due to flooding issues.

In the second instance in August of 2013, the former Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage was quoted in the Sunday Times on the 4th August 2013 to have said that “China Volant Industry Company Limited has offered to bear costs up to US$ 85 million (more than Rs. 11 billion) and financing would have to be found for the remaining US$ 27.65 million (more than Rs. 3.5 billion). He did say then that the Department of External Resources should be called upon to look for the extra funds needed”.

However this project resurfaced a third time in 2014, when Anura Jayawickrema was the then Secretary to the Ministry. However the CSRC yet again was firm in not approving of it.

UNP throws down the gauntlet on 20A

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

Party insists no faith motions against PM, Ravi K. withdrawn before 20A debate
Insists on 225 MPs and no more
Agrees to hybrid between FPP and PR systems as long as it ensures minor party, ethnic group representation
Kabir slams Nimal Siripala for double standards on electoral reform
Claims SLFP had no interest in reforming system during 20 year reign
UNP announces it will transform Parliament into constituent assembly after parliamentary poll
Vows to make electoral reform a national priority post-poll

The United National P 600218574kabir-hashim

arty, main stakeholder in the present minority Government, made its position on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution on electoral reform official, with a blistering statement from its General Secretary Kabir Hashim in Parliament.
Hashim, also the Minister of Highways in President Sirisena’s cabinet, launched a scathing attack on Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala De Silva and the rest of the SLFP, which he said was suddenly very enthusiastic about electoral reform.
“Yet it stuns me that despite this avid interest, it stuns me that the present opposition leader and his party men who were in the Governing party for 20 years never brought up the 20th Amendment. An electoral reform act was not introduced to this House even when his party had a two thirds majority,” Hashim charged during his statement before the House during an Adjournment Debate on 20A which began yesterday.
The UNP General Secretary made it clear that it had been the party’s position since 2001, as articulated in the Dinesh Gunewardane Committee on electoral reform established during the UNF tenure from 2001-2004, that the number of MPs should remain at 225.
Hashim said that following consultations with civil society and religi sgh

ous groups interested in reform, the UNP was agreeable to a mixed electoral system comprising both the FPP and PR systems, with a maximum of 225 MPs.
“But with 45 provincial ministers already in place and 450 provincial legislators elected, it is difficult for the UNP to agree to even more representation in Parliament. We cannot burden the people even more with having to maintain their representatives.,” the top UNP lawmaker charged.
Hashim said the UNP had no faith in the opposition’s clamour for 20A. “Is the Opposition acting in good faith on electoral reform? The UNP thinks not,” he charged. “We believe that the opposition, especially the opposition MPs loyal to the former President speak of 20A while in fact planning a major conspiracy against the Government,” he added.

The UNP General Secretary claimed that the opposition was insisting that the no confidence motion against the Prime Minister betaken up for debate before the 20A.
“They publicly claim that they will sack the Prime Minister through the no confidence motion and appoint a Prime Minister of their preference and then get the passage of this amendment. Furthermore since today this is a minority Government, they want to show their strength in this House,” he said.
Hashim charged that it was the UNP position that before the 20th Amendment be taken up by this Parliament, the no confidence motions against the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister must be withdrawn.
The UNP General Secretary said that no matter what the circumstances, a UNP Government elected in the next parliamentary elections would make electoral reform a national priority. “We will ensure an amendment on electoral reform is passed. That is our desire. That is our belief. That is our determined position. We commit ourselves to this,” he said.
The senior UNP Legislator explained that an electoral system was not merely the foundation of representative democracy, but that it formed the core of democratic values and principles.
Hashim also announced that the UNP hoped to transform Parliament into a constituent assembly to bring about constitutional reform after they won what he said would be a huge majority in the upcoming parliamentary elections. (DB)

Hakeem in double jeopardy

2015-06-24

Minister of Urban Development Rauff Hakeem today hit out at his Cabinet colleagues for preventing him from speaking on electoral reforms inside the Cabinet.

He alleged that there are those with presidential dreams who are doing this.

“In our haste to get rid of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa we may have got into a bigger muddle,” Minister Hakeem said while speaking during the adjournment debate on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

20th Amendment - Muslims Oppose it in its present form

Why minorities, especially Muslims oppose?

by Latheef Farook - June 24

Muslims living scattered all over the island, with special concentration in the east but often in small pockets in the predominantly Sinhalese areas, fear that their representations in the parliament will be reduced considerably under the proposed 20th amendment to the constitution on electoral reforms

Thus they oppose the draft amendment in its present form gazetted on June 18.

20th Amendment - Muslims Oppose It in Its Present Form by Thavam Ratna

Regime-change plan of the West in crisis

The messengers who carry messages between Maithri and Gotabaya are also the JHU. The Maithripala faction has made a proposal that if Gotabaya can halt Mahinda from engaging in politics, the corruption charges against Gota can be suppressed, and he can be saved from the war crime charges levelled against him by the UNHRC.

by Upul Joseph Fernando

( June 24, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Like how the activities of the diplomatic missions of the West during the Sri Lanka presidential election on 8 January burgeoned, at the presidential elections in the Maldives in 2008, the activities of the diplomatic missions here in charge of the Maldives and Sri Lanka too intensified. It is the western countries that united the split opposition when the presidential election was held in the Maldives in 2008 which restored democracy in that country. At that time the Diplomatic Mission of the West here in charge of the Maldives nursed great hopes of a political change in the Maldives. Nasheed, the common presidential candidate of the Maldives also visited Sri Lanka frequently at that time with a view to securing assistance of the diplomatic missions of the West.

It is following the 30 years rule of Abdul Gayoom, Nasheed became the President of Maldives in 2008.That marked the victory of democracy for the Maldives. The main contributors to that victory were the western countries led by America. However, within a short period, the Government of Nasheed was plunged in crises, with one or two of his ministers tendering their resignations eventually leading to the resignation of Nasheed. Consequently Nasheed’s Vice President succeeded him, while Nasheed was arrested, precipitating a political crisis within the country. The downfall of Nasheed was brought about by the western countries led by America and India, since Nasheed ignored India and got closer to China. India that toiled a lot to install Nasheed as President hit back at Nasheed insidiously.

The evil fallout of Nasheed aligning himself with China was his dismissal from the presidency, and the subsequent arrest. Though during that period the assistance of the western countries led by America and India was sought, those countries were not in a position to help him out.

After the Maldives, the western countries led by America, and India had the need to put in place a programme to restore Democracy in Sri Lanka after toppling the pro-China Rajapaksa administration tainted with war crime charges and human rights violations, and replace it with a Maithripala administration. As in the Maldives so in SrI Lanka they succeeded.

Maithri administration

Currently, the Maithri administration is facing similar issues that were confronted by Nasheed’s Government. On the one hand, Maithripala after taking over the leadership of the SLFP that protected the pro-China Rajapaksa reign, and justified the human rights violations and war crimes, is trying to form an SLFP Government, while on the other hand, the opposition alliance that steered Maithri to victory and installed him in power is also in a shambles.

By now, it is the JHU that has got very close to Maithri which took a strong stance that the war criminals shall not be punished during the Rajapaksa rule. While the western countries led by America are pressurizing that the Parliament should be dissolved, the JHU team is intensifying its pressure on Maithri against the dissolution. The JHU is also resisting devolution of power, and are enemies of the western countries led by America. Moreover, they oppose Indian interference in the Tamils’ issues.

When the committee of MPs to unite Maithri and Mahinda met with Maithripala, the latter revealed, as soon as the UNHRC report is released, Mahinda will have to face serious problems, and in case the UNP turns against Mahinda, he will rescue Mahinda. Maithri wanted this information to be passed to Mahinda.

The messengers who carry messages between Maithri and Gotabaya are also the JHU. The Maithripala faction has made a proposal that if Gotabaya can halt Mahinda from engaging in politics, the corruption charges against Gota can be suppressed, and he can be saved from the war crime charges levelled against him by the UNHRC.

Meanwhile, the JHU had mounted its opposition against the programme of Mangala to win over the Tamil Diaspora. It is the JHU who are also the originators of the 20th Amendment that is unfavourable to the minority parties.

The western countries led by America and India prepared the road map to restore democracy in Sri Lanka by making Chandrika its founder, and it is Chandrika who was made use by the UNP to make Maithripala the candidate. Yet now, Chandrika’s status is weak in her relationship with Maithri. It is evident from this, the road map of the western countries led by America to restore democracy in Sri Lanka like in the Maldives, is enmeshed in a grave predicament.

Gota could lose civil rights in ‘MiG deal’ probe - Mangala

June 24, 2015
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera today welcomed the the US State Department report which had revealed the existence of the LTTE’s financial network and said that it reflected the “failure” of the former government.

“It’s a welcome report. This report I would say is a reflection of the total failure of the strategy of the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration,” he said responding to a question from media.

The US State Department’s 2014 Country Reports on Terrorism has said that despite its military defeat at the hands of the Sri Lankan government in 2009, the LTTE’s international network of sympathizers and financial support persists.

“LTTE’s financial network of support continued to operate throughout 2014,” the report said.

Samaraweera stated that the report basically reflects what was happening in 2014 and that the reports of 2012 and 2013 had revealed the same issue.

“So it’s a reflection of the utter failure of the strategy followed by Rajapaksa,” he reiterated.

The Foreign Minister also claimed that former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa started his war against the Tamil Tigers by accepting commissions.

As an example, he said, that if a proper investigations is carried out regarding the controversial MiG deal and appropriate action is taken, Gotabaya Rajapaksa could even lose his civil rights.

Addressing a Media Conference at the Government Information Department today (24), Samaraweera also issued a challenge to the former Defence Secretary to sue him, if what he says is untrue.

Meanwhile the Minister of Foreign Affairs strongly rejected allegations that a diaspora festival suggested by him has received funds from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to reintroduce the separatist Eelam agenda.

The Minister rejected the media reports and explained that the diaspora festival is solely his suggestion and not by any other organization or UNHRC.

Minister Samaraweera said that there are many talented and skillful Sri Lankans living in other countries and a diaspora festival was being organized with the intention of securing their services for the benefit of the country.

The Minister said when the word diaspora is heard some people think they are terrorists but the diaspora is the Sri Lankans who are living and working in foreign countries whether they are Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim or Burgher.

The Minister said he believes that the diaspora can immensely help the future developments in the country and the government would like to invite them to share their skills and experiences with the youth in the country.

He asked whether it is wrong to invite the diaspora Sri Lankans to contribute to the development of the country.

Samaraweera emphasized that since the Independence a few Sinhala and Tamil extremists obstructed the country’s development but with the election of President Maithripala Sirisena on January 8 the moderates prevailed.

The Sixth Mass Extinction

By Ranil Senanayake –June 24, 2015

Ranil Senanayake

The world is embarking on its sixth mass extinction with animals disappearing about 100 times faster than they used to, said a study led by experts at Stanford University, Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley. But Sri Lanka is different, here we are finding new species at a rate about 100 times faster than they used to and all this in a background of rapidly disappearing habitat throughout the island. Apart from the ability to attract the tourist market with claims of high biodiversity or the narcissist need to become a ‘discoverer’. What does this mean ? Is Sri Lanka different to the rest of the planet ? Are we indeed a ‘Land like no other ?’.

The resolution of the corundum above, has to invoke, evolutionary theory, biogeography theory, taxonomic rigor, etc. No doubt that we will soon receive some explanation as to this unique trend in Sri Lanka, from our biodiversity experts. Till then however, it is very important to consider how sustainable all these named species are, especially as many are restricted to small forest patches, remnants of the once vast stretches of forests that covered the Island not so long ago.

These remnant forest patches often represent the only habitat for rare, indigenous or endangered species. Most remnant forest patches go unrecognized because they are not a part of any scheduled or protected area and are cut over or ploughed up at the whim of the local politician. The ability of the area presently scheduled or under protection, to provide habitat to all the endemic species represented in Sri Lanka is poor, as many remnant ecosystems exist only as small patches of refugial forest, scattered over the landscape and are not scheduled, recognized nor included in areas under protection. The irony of our conservation policy is that over 90% of our endemic species have less than 10% of their habitat area protected.

Between 1990 and 2010, Sri Lanka lost an average of 24,500 ha or 1.04% per year of its forest cover. Thus 20.9% forest cover or around 490,000 ha was lost during this time.

Although the previous Government boasted that “33 per cent of land area of Sri Lanka to be covered by forest by 2016, this will be accomplished with an investment of Rs. 10,500 Million for the period from 2007/16”. Nothing much seems to have happened. It is now 2015, thus some evidence of the results of the Rs.10,500 million should be visible now. Read More

Influenza on the rise Claims 30 lives including 10 pregnant mothers

Wikipedia-2009 A(H1N1) pandemic

By Umesh Moramudali-2015-06-24

Throughout last month, one of the most dangerous communicable diseases, influenza A (H1N1) was reported round the country. According to data from the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry, from January till the second week of June 2015, there were 461 laboratory confirmed cases and 25 deaths due to influenza. The reports indicated that the majority of these cases were influenza A (H1N1). Accordingly, cases have been reported from all age groups from the very young to the older age groups, but the majority of deaths were among those between 20-60 years. However, the most affected from the disease are those who fall in to the category of high risk groups. Such high risk groups include very young children, pregnant mothers and elderly with other illnesses.

Influenza on the Rise Claims 30 Lives Including 10 Pregnant Mothers by Thavam Ratna

Out of Aden: Yemeni refugees in Djibouti recall horrors of war
Thousands of Yemenis are fleeing in boats across the Gulf of Aden to Djibouti, an East Africa port city where war feels close to home

Yemeni refugees play football on a beach near the port of Djibouti, June 14, 2015 (Tom Finn/MEE)

Tom Finn-Wednesday 24 June 2015

DJIBOUTI - From the balcony of his apartment in Djibouti city, 58-year-old Ali Anwar, who fled the war in Yemen last month, has a clear view of a vast American military base - Camp Lemonnier - which serves as a hub for US counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.

Out of Aden Yemeni Refugees in Djibouti Recall Horrors of War by Thavam Ratna

France summons U.S. envoy over "unacceptable" spying

French President Francois Hollande (R) and Prime Minister Manuel Valls (L) leave after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 24, 2015.

BY JOHN IRISH AND ELIZABETH PINEAU- Wed Jun 24, 2015

France on Wednesday summoned the U.S. ambassador to explain allegations of what French President Francois Hollande branded "unacceptable" spying by the United States on French officials.

Hollande held an emergency meeting of ministers and army commanders after WikiLeaks revelations that the United States National Security Agency (NSA) had spied on the last three French presidents.

"France will not tolerate actions that threaten its security and the protection of its interests," a statement from the president's office said, adding it was not the first time that allegations of U.S. spying on French interests had surfaced.

"Commitments were made by the U.S. authorities. They need to be recalled and strictly respected."

The French Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. ambassador to discuss the matter, a French diplomatic source said.

The U.S. Embassy declined to comment. A statement from the U.S. National Security Council said it was not targeting and will not target Hollande's communications. The statement did not say whether spying had taken place in the past.

While Paris and Washington have good ties in general, U.N. Security Council veto-holder France fiercely maintains its independence on foreign policy and over the last two years there have been moments of friction and irritation on both sides.

Hollande was disappointed by President Barack Obama's last-minute decision not to strike Syrian government positions in 2013. U.S. officials have frequently, in private, lambasted France's tough stance in talks over Iran's nuclear programme.