Aggressive social media campaign urges Muslims 

not to vote for SLMC and its splinter groups.

by Latheef Farook-21 July 2015

Will the burning issues of the island’s Muslim community be addressed under a United National Front for Good Governance, UNFGG, government led by United National Party?

This has become the main and common concern especially of the civil society of the Muslim community island wide. This is especially so in the context of the presence of Sri Lankan Muslim Congress, SLMC, and its splinter groups in the UNFGG.

They express the fear that the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, SLMC, and its splinter groups which have entered into agreements with the UNP, will accept ministerial portfolios in the event of a UNFGG victory in the forthcoming August 17 parliamentary elections and abandon the community as they had repeatedly done in the past.

This has been SLMC’s and their splinter groups track record .Therefore Muslims are keen to prevent the SLMC and its splinter groups hijacking the community in the forthcoming August 17 parliamentary election for positions and personal benefits.

As rightly pointed out by the leader of Tamil National Alliance, TNA, leader Mr. Sampanthan in his Sunday 19 July 2015 interview with Virakesari”, The SLMC failed to forge Tamil – Muslim unity and let down the Muslim community on several occasions although the Muslims, living scattered all over the island, need to live in harmony with Tamils in the north and east and the Sinhalese in the rest of the country.

However the SLMC and its splinter groups are not bothered about that. Instead they wanted power and positions by hook or crook.

For example, to cite few incidents of their callous irresponsibility towards the community, the SLMC contested the last Eastern Provincial Council elections criticizing the United People Freedom Alliance, UPFA, and won many seats. However to the shock of Muslims who voted for the SLMC within 48 hours after the elections the SLMC joined the very same UPFA government which they criticized. This brought shame to the disappointed and disgusted community which trusted the SLMC.

Added to this the SLMC  voted for the 18th amendment to the constitution which provided unlimited terms for president to remain in office and led to subsequent political chaos in the country which demanded the need for 19th Amendment to the constitution to undo the damage.

Though the SLMC leadership later admitted the mistake of voting for 18th Amendment to the constitution they voted, for reasons better known to them, knowing very well the serious consequences on the community and the country as a whole.

On top of all the SLMC continued to be constituent member of UPFA government despite its patronage to Sinhala extremist elements who unleashed wave of violence against the island’s Muslims targeting their mosques, religious schools, economy, business establishments and cultural life threatening, in fact, the very existence of the community.

They remain with   the UPFA government even after the Sinhala racists’ well planned and executed pogrom  on Aluthgama, Beruwala and Dhargha Town Muslims costing Muslim   lives and billions of rupees of loss to Muslim owned property .As a result  the community as a whole lost its  respect and confidence on SLMC .

It was under such atmosphere that the island’s Muslim community voted en bloc for President Maitrhripala Sirisena in the 8 January 2015 presidential elections and rejected former President Mahinda Rajapaka. They did so on their own and not on the advice of SLMC or anyone.

In fact realizing the mood of the community and the country the SLMC and its splinter groups abandoned the UPFA and crossed over to President Maithripala Sirisena camp in the eleventh hour only to have been rewarded with ministerial portfolios.

The community was deeply disappointed that the SLMC was rewarded ministerial portfolios while the community’s issues were ignored. Even after joining President Maithripala Sirisena’s government they failed to raise any issue of the community.

However it is worthy to note that the Tamils supported President Maithripala Sirisena but the TNA did not accept any ministerial portfolio. Yet they raised several   issues of Tamils and got them at least partially addressed.

 The situation is such that parliamentarian Pro Rajiv Wijesinghe often claimed that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe had told him that SLMC asked money to join the Maithripala Sirisena camp. Up to date this was not denied.

 Thus the SLMC has become shameful liability on the community which cannot afford to continue this sad state of affairs.

This is the reason why Muslims in general fear that now that the SLMC and its splinter groups have entered into an agreement with the UNP and, in the event of a UNP led UNFGG victory, they would accept ministerial positions and abandon the community as they had done in the past.

The SLMC has lost its credibility even in its birth place Kalmunai where the people   accuse SLMC of tricking them and pitting them against the other communities. One resident of Kalmunai told me that “people are fed up here. They do not want confrontational politics. They want to live in harmony with Tamils and Sinhalese. This can happen only if they abandoned communal and racist politics.

Some even went to the extent of stating that there was no development in Kalmunai ever since former Minister A.R.M.Mansoor was defeated by SLMC almost quarter century ago by means of lies and deception.

He said Mansoor gave jobs to thousands  in the government sector, solved  fishermen’s   and farmers’  problems, built hospitals,   schools, roads,  promoted agriculture  and developed irrigation with the support government of the day.Kalmunai is one of the most densely populated areas in the country. Yet after 25 years of SLMC’s politics there is no drainage system posing great health hazard in the event of heavy   flood.

The seriousness of the situation is such that an aggressive social media campaign has been undertaken by many urging Muslims not to vote for the SLMC in the forthcoming August 17 general elections.

One such social media statement by Dr Dr Ruvaiz Haniffa had this so state under the headline” DO NOT VOTE FOR SLMC CANDIDATES COMING ON UNP NOMINATION LISTS”

Dear Madam /Sir

The UNP as indicated in the news item below is once again about to commit the same political mistake of outsourcing the UNP Muslim Vote to the SLMC.

It will only be a matter of time before these UNP/SLMC MPs elected on the UNP VOTE, cross over to whichever party which wins the majority at the August elections.  By this, the UNP will lose in terms of numbers in Parliament.

More importantly, by giving nominations to SLMC persons, the UNP is not grooming the next generation of Muslim leaders for itself. This concept has been lost on the UNP leadership for the last 2 decades.

Hence, if the UNP nominates SLMC candidates on the UNP List this August, what choices do we have as UNP Muslims voters?

If the UNP does not believe in its own Muslim candidates should we as voters believe in the UNP as a National Party to deal with our political aspirations? 

We should be voting only for the party and casting our preferences only to UNP CANDIDATES MUSLIMS OR NON MUSLIM. 

WE MUST NOT CAST PREFERENCE VOTES TO SLMC CANDIDATES CONTESTING ON UNP LISTS

Rajapaksa 2.0

Sri Lanka’s blind soothsayer, Indika Thotawatte, has struck again  

 Unaccustomed to running election campaigns without State power, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa finds himself in an awkward position

Thursday, 23 July 2015

The boy-like astrologer rose to fame country-wide after he accurately predicted former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s electoral defeat in January. Astrologers being a threatened species during the Rajapaksa years, every other soothsayer on a show aired on a private television channel before the January presidential poll predicted a narrow win for Rajapaksa. Thotawatte disagreed. The victory of Maithripala Sirisena on 8 January, the blind fortune-teller said, was a foregone conclusion.

Rajapaksa 2.0 by Thavam Ratna

Sri Lanka’s JVP: Political Prospects & Challenges

By Chaminda Weerawardhana –July 22, 2015

Dr. Chaminda Weerawardhana

The 2015 parliamentary election in Sri Lanka is marked by the rejuvenated presence of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (‘People’s Liberation Front’, known nationally and internationally as the JVP, its Sinhala abbreviation). At this election, the JVP is striving to increase its headcount in parliament, and consequently, emerge as the principle parliamentary opposition. Over the last two decades, the JVP has played a non-negligible role in electoral politics, entering a coalition government with former President Chandrika Bandaranaike in 2004-2006. In the 2014-2015 quarter, the JVP has witnessed special awakening, especially with the appointment of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a forty-six year-old Physics graduate, as party leader in 2014. As a highly vocal MP, Dissanayake played a frontline role in parliament and beyond lobbying against the excesses of ex-President Rajapaksa’s government, thereby laying the foundation of the political changes of January 2015. As the August 2015 general election campaign intensifies, what follows is an effort to outline several salient factors that characterise the JVP’s present-day developments, policy orientation and persistent challenges. This article is not intended to be a comprehensive appraisal of the present-day JVP. Instead, it is an effort to provide a brief überblick of several salient elements that characterise the JVP’s present and future political evolution.

*Above: Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Source: JVP social media campaign at #gesl2015)

The Syriza analogy: limits and lessons                            Read More

The expected outcomes after the General Election?

If we accept the general feeling that the needs and wants of the Sinhalese and Tamils, particularly in rural areas have not seen much improvement in their lifestyle over the past years, it is hoped that a new influx of people representing the poor and the needy will not only be a refreshing and long awaited change in the new parliament, rather than the rich and the mighty who have enriched themselves.

by Victor Cherubim

( July 22, 2015, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) More than 60 political parties and over 100 independents, a total of 6151 candidates will be contesting 196 seats in the 225 member parliament of Sri Lanka. The remaining 25 seats will be filled on a proportional representation (PR) basis from the total number national votes won by each party.

The Expected Outcomes After the General Election by Thavam Ratna

Chinese Company Transfered Rs. 149 M. For Rajapaksa Election Campaign

22/07/2015

CID bust massive money transaction during Presidential election; Rs. 149 million transferred from Chinese company’s accounts; Money used for T-shirts and caps sporting MR badges.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is investigating a case where the China Harbour Engineering Company has allegedly handed over a staggering Rs. 149 million to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election campaign, last year.

China Harbour Engineering Company was a company involved in a number of key construction projects in Sri Lanka – including the Hambanthota International Harbour- when former President Rajapaksa was in power.

The company is an international contractor that is a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC).

The CID had found out that money had been obtained from HTPD Phase 02 013359190/19 account of the company, maintained at Standard Chartered Bank, Colombo. A person by the name of V.H.R.H. Francisco had obtained Rs. 89 million on December 12, 2014 and January 07, 2015 in three cheques, CID sources said.

The Police had found evidence that the money had been handed over to a person named Hema Madiwela, who was involved in election operations at Temple Trees, to produce 245,000 T-shirts and 125,000 caps containing the picture of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

T-shirts, caps and wrist watches sporting the badge of Rajapaksa were distributed among voters across the country during the last Presidential election.

Meanwhile, in a separate transaction, Rs. 58 million had been obtained from a person by the name of Priyantha Samarasinghe from the same account in two cheques. The CID investigators told the Daily News that the money had allegedly been obtained under instructions of a company named Nation Lanka.

“This too had been handed over to Hema Madiwela attached to the Elections Operations Unit at Temple Trees,” he added.

The officer said several individuals had already been questioned in connection with the transactions.
CDN

Won't arrest politicians till elections over- FCID

 Wednesday, 22 July 2015

The Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division will not arrest any person who is suspected to have committed grave financial crimes, if he is contesting the forthcoming general elections,until the elections of August 17 are over, as such arrests may prejudice the voters against them or their parties, a senior officer said.

The special police unit which attracted much attention in the recent past by summoning a series of high profile politicians of the previous regime had decided to postpone the arrest of any such person against whom probes had been conducted and concluded, until the end of the elections, the source disclosed.

Instead of arresting politicians regardless of their background or themagnitude of their crimes, the FCID will seek Attorney General’s advice on each case, and act after the polls are concluded.

However, a source told Daily Mirror that none of the ongoing probes had been stalled or slowed down as alleged by some. He said the investigations were proceeding at a steady pace.

Recent moves to summon Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, and his attempts to seek an interim order against his arrest, plus a letter from the Elections Commissioner to allow all politicians to conduct their campaigns without prejudice were he main reasons for the decision, the source said.

Prasanna Ranatunga was first summoned to the FICD on July 13, the day nominations closed.

The unit has received over 1000 complaints regarding major and minor financial crimes, said to have been committed mostly under the previous regime.

Courtesy: http://www.dailymirror.lk/

Govt. to pay Golden Key depositors from tomorrow

Ravi Karunanayake-Thursday, 23 July 2015

As per the proposal made by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake through his interim budget, the Government is to begin the disbursement of payments to deposit holders of the defunct Golden Key Credit Card Company Ltd. from 24 July.
The Cabinet of Ministers gave approval last week for the payment schedule proposed by the Finance Minister in order to solve the longstanding issues faced by the GK depositors. Accordingly, the depositors who have had their account balance up to Rs. 2 million will be paid within one month from 24 July.
The General Treasury will provide Rs. 544.3 million needed for this first tranche and the recovery of this fund will be made through the liquidation of the assets of GK with the permission of the Supreme Court where a petition in this regard is being heard.
The Supreme Court had earlier given a ruling to pay 41% of the account balance to the depositors. Earlier in January this year, all depositors of GK were given an interim payment up to Rs. 300,000 irrespective of their account balance
The Government has also decided to settle the dues of those who have deposits below Rs. 10 million within the next two months and those of above Rs. 10 million within one year. 

Accordingly, a further sum of over Rs. 7,000 million is needed and Minister Karunanayake has proposed that funds for these payments could be recovered from liquidation of the assets of Golden Key and the profits transferred from the Central Bank.
The new Government, in order to solve the longstanding problems that existed in the non-banking financial institutions, has stated that it would provide relief to depositors through the intervention of the Central Bank and the Finance Ministry. The Finance Minister along with the Central Bank Governor held several discussions with the depositors’ association to arrive at a possible option to resolve the issue.
“When the issue of Golden Key Credit Card depositors came up during the previous regime, the then Government did not take any meaningful measures for proper intervention to settle the issue. Instead during the height of the impeachment against the then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Government manipulated the situation by making depositors stage agitations implicating the CJ in the Golden Key issues,” the Finance Ministry said, in a statement.

Bring Back Mahinda, Bring Back Lawlessness

By Helasingha Bandara –July 22, 2015

Bring back Mahinda

The bring back Mahinda campaign cries out loud that they will bring back Mahinda as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka but fails to explain why and how. The speakers who flank MR are Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Tissa Vitharane, and Udaya Gammanpila, the leaders of the insignificant constituent parties of the UPFA, the same coterie that stood by Mahinda at the previous election. The previous election results do not seem to have made them learn that the voters have advanced in their understanding of politics, far beyond the comprehension of those politicians. The voters today attend rallies not wishing to listen to insults aimed at opponents, speeches that lack substance, promises that have been repeatedly kept unfulfilled, praises that are untrue or partially true. Gammanpila related a folk tale at the Anuradhapura rally that involved a lion and a fox. He insinuated Mahinda to be the Lion and Maithri to be the Fox. Gentlemen do present their views to enable people to make an informed choice without resorting to insults aimed at their opponents. Only a fox would try to fox people with such banalities.

Bring back lawlessness

The Elections Commissioner has requested all TV channels not to telecast the President’s speech in view that it may prejudice the voters’ decision. He has cautioned the Prime Minister not to use his office for political propaganda. The police is emboldened to state that the police officers who favour politicians would be subjected to disciplinary action. Such actions were possible and all parties are enabled to enjoy full freedom to engage in politics without being subjected to state terrorism because of the President’s determination to ensure the prevalence of democracy, law and order, and human rights. During the MR regime such an action or a proclamation could have been unthinkable and an officer who took such a bold decision could have been stripped of his titles and subjected to punishment. Shirani Bandaranayake is a good example. The people of the country have a justifiable fear that with the possible return of Mahinda and the corrupt lot, lawlessness, corruption, intimidation, impunity, plundering, drugs, and nepotism would return and democracy and human rights would disappear.

Read More

Doc made to do cop’s job

Editorial-July 21, 2015

Chairman of the National Dangerous Drug Control Board (NDDCB) Dr. Nilanga Samarasinghe has complained to the police that his life is in danger. That was something to be anticipated. He told this newspaper the other day that he had a list of 25 former MPs involved in drug related offices. He also offered to share information in his possession with all political party leaders so as to prevent those politicians being nominated to contest elections. He has made enough and more enemies!

One expected the police to swing into action when Dr. Samarasinghe brought threats to his life to their notice. But, they, true to form, did precious little to ensure his protection and the doctor said he would have to flee the country unless his safety was guaranteed. Then, the government decided to issue him with a pistol!

Sadly, the NDDCB chief is trying to flee the country in view of death threats while the government is inviting the Sri Lankans who fled during the last regime under similar circumstances to return. It is also organising a Diaspora Carnival! Worse, the outspoken NDDCB head is in this predicament during the month dedicated to eradicating the drug menace!

President Maithripala Sirisena has taken upon himself the task of ridding the country of narcotics. But, given Dr. Samarasinghe’s plight, can the government expect others to come forward to assist in its anti-narcotic drive? Who will want to incur the wrath of dangerous drug lords and be left with only pistols from the government by way of security?

If a pistol is all that a senior doctor who has put his head on the block for the sake of the country and is faced with a grave security threat gets from the police, then, logically, when a police bigwig is troubled by a medical problem he should be given a stethoscope! A doc shouldn’t be made to do a cop’s job. One may recall how the late President J. R. Jayewardene washed his hands of the task of ensuring public safety by declaring: ‘Thamunge arakshawa thamunma balaganna ona—one is responsible for one’s own security.’ (The Old Fox must be guffawing wherever he may be!)

What can the good doctor whose life is in danger do with a pistol? Doctors are trained to save lives and not to kill, much less engage in shoot-outs with professional killers. (The NDDCB chief may not have even used a catapult in his childhood.) It may be recalled that in 2004 High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya, who took on the netherworld of drugs and crime, was shot dead near his official residence in spite of being protected by an armed police officer who was also killed by his assassins. The contract for that assassination was given by a drug lord the upright judge had sentenced to prison. There have been several instances where even armed Police Narcotic Bureau sleuths came under goon attacks.

Moreover, Police Inspector Douglas Nimal, who took on the narcotic Mafia, was gunned down in a Colombo suburb. His wife also perished in the attack and their two children were orphaned. The country is full of battle-hardened military deserters ready to pull the trigger for a few thousand rupees and before those dangerous parasites a good doctor with a pistol will be only a sitting duck.

It is incumbent upon the government and the IGP to provide Dr. Samarasinghe with adequate security without trying to teach him how to handle firearms and ensure his and his family’s safety. After all, this is a country where even some clowns in politics are given armed security. Let no excuses be trotted out!

SL loses membership of Badminton World Federation

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has temporarily suspended the membership of the Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA), reports say.

The BWF has handed over a letter to the SLBA chairman today (22) on this regard.

Confirming the report, Director General of the Department of Sports Development, K.D.S. Ruwanchandra said to media that 

the membership had been suspended due to two reasons, including the constitution of the local body not complying with that of the BWF.

The membership will not be restored until the issues are settled, he added.

- SLM-

Sri Lanka: EU fish ban causes $75 million loss

Jul. 22, 2015

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka has suffered a revenue loss of $75 million (68 million euros) because of a European Union ban on fish caught by Sri Lanka-flagged vessels since January, a government spokesman said Wednesday.

Sri Lanka was a significant exporter of swordfish and tuna to countries in the EU, which blacklisted Sri Lanka in January for failing to combat illegal fishing.

Brussels accuses Sri Lanka of allowing vessels to fish the Indian Ocean without marine satellite positioning equipment, making it virtually impossible to monitor their movements.

On Wednesday, Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mahishini Colonne said the government has been taking steps to address the issues raised by the EU.

Among them are fitting vessel monitoring systems on high sea fishing vessels, maintaining and updating a register of high sea fishing licenses, banning vessels using harmful fishing methods and prosecuting those found to be fishing illegally.

Colonne said a technical evaluation mission from the Office of the Director General of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in Brussels is expected to visit Sri Lanka in October and discuss further steps toward lifting the ban.

The EU warned Sri Lanka about breaking international rules on illegal fishing in November 2012. The bloc said it only accepts stocks caught at sustainable levels and certified as legal by the exporting country.

Environmental groups have welcomed the trade restrictions, noting that the move would also prohibit EU fishing vessels from working in Sri Lankan waters.

The EU slapped similar restrictions on Belize in March 2014 and removed them in December after the Latin American country adopted new legislation to combat illegal fishing and showed signs that it was respecting its international obligations.

Ravi to send letter of demand to MR

July 22, 2015

“A letter of demand will be sent to the former President seeking Rs 5000 million in damage over several defamatory remarks made against me to a newspaper,” Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.

The observation was made at a press conference held at the Finance Ministry today (22).

“In the article, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has expressed that there are corruption charges against the present Finance Minister. He attempts make us accountable for corruptions to cover-up allegations leveled against him. I will send a letter of demand seeking Rs 5000 million in damage over these remarks,” said Karunanayake.

He went into say that a letter of demand will also be sent to the newspaper which published the said article.

“Those who need Rajapaksa’s come back in power want nothing, but to cover-up the wrongdoings that they had committed during their decade in power,” he added.

It is an idiocy to have given nominations to Mahinda

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Party reports reaching us confirms that the UPFA election campaign has already collapsed. The expectation of the UPFA leaders who thought that UPFA could win this election with the confidence of the former Mahinda Rajapaksa has been shattered. The main reason for that is the popularity and the attraction of Mahinda Rajapaksa has been significantly broken down.

Unless the outside crowd brought for the meetings of Mahinda Rajapaksa the native crowd living in the area attending the meeting has been significantly reduced. Since Rajapaksa is giving support only to few selected candidates, the UPFA contestants have been provoked and they
are trying to bring down Mahinda to their election campaign.

Pro Mahinda factions thought they can form a government with the 5.8 million votes Mahinda obtained during the last election and make Mahinda Rajapaksa the Prime Minister. Pro Mahinda UPFA groups calculated out of the 12 million vote bank following the distribution
of 6-7 lakhs votes of the TNA, 4 – 5 lakhs votes to the JVP, 5 lakhs votes for other parties , another 6 – 8 lakhs of SLFP votes to Maithri and another 35 – 40 lakhs votes of UNP they can form a government with the balance.

According to the last election there is a 2.5 million fixed vote bank for the UNP but however now the situation is changing.

Generally there is a low zeal with the public in a General election than a presidential election. Therefore the polled votes would be reduced than a presidential election. This was very evident when you look at the last presidential and General Elections.

Although the district wise candidate’s attraction would affect the district wise results and despite Mahinda Rajapaksa would contest from Kurunegala it will not be decisive for the other district results. Since President Maithri has categorically said he will not make Mahinda the prime minister after the election and the fact that Mahinda is not a MP or a party leader currently he is not considered a strong factor among the public. Meantime within the UPFA election campaign Mahinda Rajapaksa has still not become an attractive leader. Except the Sinhala racist speech Mahinda don’t have any other valid slogan to campaign to the public this time. Meantime since Mahinda is keeping close ally with people with corruption charges intelligent SLFP supporters are disappointed over his fake attitude.

Meanwhile Maithripala Sirisena is now giving leadership and getting attracted towards the SLFP’s Sanga, Weda, Guru, Govi, Kamkaru five pillars (Pancha Maha Balavegaya) as an impartial and just a leader. Therefore the SLFP supporters more than using their votes in favour of
Mahinda Rajapaksa are deciding not to use their votes or look for any other alternative.

Under this context the earlier floating majority of the SLFP would be pulled by the UNP and the JVP. When taking all these facts into consideration there is a risk of summoning Mahinda Rajapaksa to the UPFA would lose the expected results.

Neoliberal American Capitalism Rocks On!

But Does Anyone Hear Pope Francis?

by John Stanton

( July 22, 2015, Virginia, Sri Lanka Guardian) Though not explicitly stated, America’s most powerful instrument of national power is Capitalism. The pistons that power Neoliberal American Capitalism are: Diplomacy, Information, Military, Economic, Financial, Law Enforcement, Intelligence and Human Capital/People. The clearest exposition of the instruments of national power on record can be found in the US Army’s 2008 Special Operations Forces Unconventional Warfare Manual.

Neoliberal American Capitalism Rocks on! by Thavam Ratna