Pictures of the defender used to abduct rugby player Thajudeen

( August 13, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) While the police officials are probing stunning new evidence that the vehicle belongs to the “ Siriliya” charity belongs to the Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was used to kill leading rugby player Thajudeen, a deputy minister released stunning images of handing over the vehicle to her by the Red Cross in Colombo.

The following statement issued by Red Cross regarding the controversy,

Statement of Clarification – on the vehicle loaned to Siriliya Saviya Foundation

posted on: 10-08-2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

10th August 2015

The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society would like to clarify and provide information to the public about the vehicle that was loaned to the Siriliya Saviya Foundation.

Sri Lanka Red Cross (then Ceylon Red Cross) was founded in 1936 and was later ratified by the Geneva Convention of 12th August 1949 and the UN resolution 55 (1) recognizing it as a National Society which is Auxiliary to the Government of its established country, in its humanitarian activities. We have the right to act upon our Fundamental Principles of Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality.

On the 21st of June 2011 an official communique was raised to our Chairman (President) Mr. Jagath Abeysinghe by the Secretary of the Siriliya Saviya Foundation Ms. Kumari Dissanayake requesting support for transportation for its health related work for women and children.

Accordingly on the 22nd of June 2011, our Chairman (President) wrote officially to the Minister of Social Welfare at that time, Former Minister Felix Perera seeking his advice on the next course of action for Sri Lanka Red Cross to take on this matter.

On the 27th of June 2011, the Minister of Social Welfare Former Minister Felix Perera wrote back with his consent and concur, while requesting Sri Lanka Red Cross to proceed in providing the said support towards transportation to the Siriliya Saviya Foundation. The Minister also emphasized to Sri Lanka Red Cross that this opportunity to support the Siriliya Saviya Foundation should be considered as a privilege to serve the most vulnerable people of Sri Lanka.

Accordingly a defender bearing the number plate WP – KA 0642 was handed over to the Chairperson of the Siriliya Saviya Foundation Former First Lady Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapakse on the 11th of August 2011.

On the 20th January 2015, the Transport Manager of Sri Lanka Red Cross retrieved the said vehicle from the Siriliya Saviya Foundation.

We would like to inform the public that Sri Lanka Red Cross Society is unaware of the activities and maintenance of this vehicle from the period of August 2011 to until the time the vehicle was retrieved in this year as it was entrusted to the Siriliya Saviya Foundation.

On 30th June 2015, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) requested our President and our Director General to provide statements on the change of color of the said vehicle, to which both has provided all information known, to the authorities. The vehicle is now in the procession of the Criminal Investigation Department.

Sri Lanka Red Cross will continue to provide accurate information to the authorities over the matter in the coming days as well.

For more information please contact Mr. Naveendra Senaratne – Media Focal Point of Sri Lanka Red Cross on 0773 171 087 or Mr. Mahieash Johnney – Senior Manager for Communications & Humanitarian Diplomacy on 0773 502 156

Namal use Mattala airport workers for his election campaign

Aug 13, 2015

Confirmed sources report that Hambantota district UPFA contestant is using the workers attached to the Sri Lanka Aviation Company in the Maththala Airport for his election campaign works. It is reported that Sampath Kiridena alias Sampath Appuhamy who is working as a ground handling staff is using his institution vehicle SP PC 3645 for Namal Rajapaksa’s election works. The latter got appointment from Namal Rajapaksa to work the airline company and it is reported the latter is involved in Namal’s election work every day after 5PM.

Sampath Appuhamy is a school mate of Namal Rajapaksa and the latter is using the workers under him by force for Namal’s election campaigns. The workers complain they are being forced to campaign for Namal and due to fear of losing jobs they are compelled to go. The vehicle SP PC 3645 belongs to a friend of Namal which was rented for the airline company for a monthly rent of Rs. 120,000.

 

The Rajapaksa family used state resources and state workers whole sale for election works during power and thousands of millions of public money was spent like their own money and gave dansal to the public in the Temple Trees. From such incidents it proves that the Rajapaksa’s still behaves that they are owners of state properties and not ready to remove the old habits.

Court rejects Premalal's request to vote

2015-08-13
The request of former Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekara , who is now in remand custody, to cast his vote at Monday's general election was rejected by Pelmadulla Magistrate Dinesh Lakmal Perera today.

The former minister and five others have been remanded in connection with the alleged killing of UNP supporter Shantha Dodangoda during the last presidential election. When the six suspects were produced in court last morning the lawyers appearing for the former deputy minister told court that he was a candidate contesting the general election and requested permission for him to cast his vote at the respective polling station. They pointed out that the law would not restrict his right to vote.

However the lawyers who watched the interests of the aggrieved party objected. They told court that the suspect was no longer a parliamentarian and that he was an ordinary individual who was not entitled to relief under special circumstance as sought by him.

The magistrate who upheld the objection further remanded the six suspects.(Lasantha Niroshan Perera) - See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/83385/court-rejects-premalal-s-request-to-vote#sthash.VjoGeQDO.dpuf

At least 50 dead following massive warehouse explosions at Chinese port

Huge fireballs filled the night sky after a series of deadly explosions ripped through an industrial area in the Chinese port city of Tianjin. (Reuters)

By Sarah Kaplan, Gu Jinglu and J. Freedom du Lac-August 13

More than 200 military biochemical specialists were dispatched to the Chinese port city of Tianjin following a series of thunderous explosions that killed at least 50 people and forced officials to face uncomfortable questions about industrial safety standards and possible toxic fallout.

At Least 50 Dead Following Massive Warehouse Explosions at Chinese Port by Thavam Ratna

Missing Link in Palestinian Baby’s Murder

By Ramzy Baroud-Aug 11 2015 

The legacy of Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas is draped in contradictions and utter defeat. His reign can only be regarded as an astounding failure, during which not a single Palestinian national objective was attained, nor a liberation vision put forward. Alas, the 80-year-old leader remains at the helm of Palestinian leadership, day after day regurgitating archaic statements, and doing everything in his power to ensure the submissiveness of his people under the yoke of Israel’s military occupation.

Missing Link in Palestinian Baby’s Murder by Thavam Ratna

How global real estate giant RE/MAX profits from stolen Palestinian land

US-based multinational RE/MAX is marketing properties in illegal Jews-only settlements built on stolen Palestinian land such as Ariel, near Salfit in the West Bank.

 Keren ManorActiveStills

Ben Norton The Electronic Intifada 12 August 2015

Agents working for the US-headquartered real estate giant RE/MAX are promoting themselves as specialists in property built in Israel’s settlements on occupied Palestinian land.
How Global Real Estate Giant RE-MAX Profits From Stolen Palestinian Land by Thavam Ratna

Iraq's ruling factions play along with protests but are their hearts in it?

Ayatollah, prime minister and main opposition all ostensibly support reforms yet many question whether leaders are simply trying to mollify the people

 

A protest in Tahrir Square, central Baghdad. Haidar al-Abadi pledged to eliminate a layer of senior government positions, part of a push to reduce corruption and save money in the face of mounting unrest. Photograph: Reuters

Martin Chulov-Thursday 13 August 2015

When demonstrators last took to the streets of Iraq four years ago, they were met by bullets. Over the past six weeks, as a new mass protest movement gathered momentum, they were instead greeted by soldiers with plastic flowers in the barrels of their guns.

Then and now, the demands were the same; better government services, less corruption and more accountability among officials. As Iraq withered this summer under an extreme heatwave, with limited power and electricity, the people and their protectors this time were aligned. And, crucially, so too was an overlord.

The support for the demonstrations by Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the most powerful religious figure in the country, who usually remains taciturn on issues of state, was echoed by the prime minister, Haidar al-Abadi, who introduced a range of reforms to slice elite entitlements and shore up representative rule.

The convergence of voices has given Iraqis a rare opening to press home their demands on a political class that has largely shown itself to be unresponsive to their needs, while being especially attentive to their own. Iraq’s ruling class enjoy some of the most lucrative entitlements of leaders anywhere in the world, with large security details, fleets of cars, villas and salaries.

But in the wake of a parliamentary vote on Tuesday, which overwhelmingly ratified Abadi’s measures and won the notional support of most political blocs and religious parties, questions are being asked about how the PM – regarded as a weak leader beholden to his patrons – can do much to change that. The sweeping reforms he has introduced include eradicating the posts of vice-presidents and deputy prime minister and starting a corruption inquiry.

Beyond that though, they challenge the very vested interests that have put him in power and take on a national elite that has enriched itself over the 12 years since the US invasion and taken a heavy toll in Iraq’s financial coffers.

“The entire system is built on patronage and corruption,” said Ali Khedery, an adviser from 2003-11 to US ambassadors and military chiefs in Iraq. “And literally everyone is guilty. So how do you change that, I just don’t know.”

A corruption index compiled by Transparency International has consistently rated Iraq as one of the 10 most corrupt countries in the world. It’s most recent ranking was number five. The actual aim of Abadi’s package is itself being questioned, with some observers suggesting it instead intends to sideline at least one senior political figure, or create momentum for constitutional changes that could pave the way for an executive presidency.

Abadi was named as PM late last year after Nouri al-Maliki was ousted as leader in the wake of the Islamic State seizing control of the country’s second-biggest city, Mosul, and most of western Iraq. Maliki’s downfall came after he lost the support of Sistani, as well as Iran and the US, which had backed his administration from 2006.

Before his ascension, Abadi was a mid-ranking official in the Shia Dawa party, which Maliki led. He was regarded as a compromise candidate for leader after months of failed political horsetrading failed to produce a replacement. Ever since, though, Maliki has set himself up as a rival power base, and has retained influence over Shia militia groups who have directed the fightback against Isis, often taking primacy over the Iraqi military.

“Maliki is somehow at the centre of this,” said Sir John Jenkins, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and a former British ambassador to Iraq. “Does Abadi think he can sideline him as a political force with the support of Sistani? If so, it’s a very big risk.

“He’s effectively taking on a whole system and he isn’t starting from a strong position. It’s hard to see how this could work.”

This week Maliki reacted warily to the changes, which are thought likely to require changes to the constitution that would need to be ratified by the supreme court.

Ihsan Shimari, a Baghdad-based political scientist, said: “There are politicians … who are using the card of the constitution and saying there are changes they can’t accept. But at the same time, they can’t say they are opposing the marjaiya (Sistani), which they can’t be seen to do.

“So they are going to have to give up something there. Cosmetic changes at least. The religious parties are in the same boat. I suspect that they will agree to the changes, then scuttle them later. Then it will be back to business as usual.”

A former adviser to the Iraqi government, Dr Hisham al-Hashimi, said: “Most politicians are showing that they are accepting the changes but would Maliki let go of the 70 government cars he has and the 500 security and the government positions that all of his allies hold?”

Another senior Iraqi official said: “No party is really supportive of these demonstrations but they pretend to be. If the leader can make everyone equal and put everyone under one law without any favours, then there is a chance to change but I can’t yet see that with these demonstrations.

“I can’t see Maliki or any others let go of their positions or even possessions. They want to stay without any changes to financial status. We will have to wait for two weeks and see what Abadi is able to push through.

“If nothing happens, then I expect to see fighting in the streets, some of it whipped by militias who will be part of the demonstrations and turn it to violence. I don’t want that to happen but I expect it.”

Qaddafi Supporters Reemerge in a Disillusioned Libya

 

BY MOHAMED ELJARH-AUGUST 11, 2015 

On July 28, a Tripoli court sentenced the son of Libya’s ex-President Muammar al-Qaddafi and eight other prominent former regime officials to death. The verdict prompted widespread denunciation. Criticscited flaws in the legal proceedings, which clearly fell short of accepted standards of due process. Human rights activists assailed the court’s treatment of the prisoners, noting allegations of abuse of Saadi Qaddafi, the former dictator’s son.In sum, the botched trial marks yet another missed opportunity for justice in Libya.

All this would be bad enough in itself. Yet the most ominous consequence of the trial may well turn out to be its effect on supporters of the old order. One week after the announcement of the verdict, adherents of thetoppled Qaddafi regime staged street protests throughout the country to demand the release of prominent regime figures still being held by the militias who toppled the dictator in 2011. By and large, supporters of Qaddafi’s government have played little role in public life over the past four years. Now, however, they are clearly feeling emboldened by the turmoil that has engulfed the country since Qaddafi’s fall. And the dubious trial in Tripoli has supplied them with a perfect pretext to undermine the 2011 revolution.

The pro-Qaddafi protesters took to the streets in the east, west, and south — evidence that the old regime enjoys support over a wide swath of the country. According to live TV footage shown on Libyan TV channels, the protests took place in communities under the control of both rival governments (one based in Tripoli, the other in Tobruk). The protests were largely peaceful, and the participants included men and women as well as a cross-section of ages. In eastern Libya, the protests were met with small (and equally peaceful) counter-demonstrations in cities such as Tobruk, Benghazi, and Ajdabiya.

In the south and west, however, the protests took a different course. The authorities in areas governed by Islamists loyal to the Tripoli government responded to the initially peaceful protests with gunfire and rockets. In Qaddafi’s hometown of Sirte, Islamic State militants tried to end the demonstrations by opening fire on them. In several cases, the pro-Qaddafi protesters then appeared to have turned to violence themselves. In Sebha, the capital of the southern region of Fezzan, a hotbed of support for the old regime, the protests soon turned into armed clashes when armed groups aligned with the Tripoli government tried to stop them from taking place. (Inthis video, Qaddafi supporters carrying green flags and posters of the dictator cheer in defiance as a fighter jet sent to intimidate them flies overhead.) The city of Tarhuna, 40 miles to the southeast of Tripoli and home to one of Libya’s largest tribes, also experienced demonstrations that soon turned intoclashes between the protesters and militias aligned with the Tripoli government.

These pro-Qaddafi protests have the potential to turn into a national movement against the 2011 revolution, not least because a growing number of Libyans are deeply disillusioned by its outcome. After four years of deteriorating security and the near collapse of pubic services, many are questioning the logic behind the overthrow of the Qaddafi regime — which, after all, was supposed to make life better. While many still express anger at the Qaddafi regime, arguing that the developments in post-Qaddafi Libya are the direct result of 42 years of dictatorship, there is now a building consensus that the atrocities and abuses committed by post-Qaddafi groups since the revolution exceed by far those committed by the Qaddafi regime during its rule.

Many feel betrayed by the governments that have been elected since 2011. Residents of Derna and Sirte were left on their own to face the brutality of the Islamic State. Derna managed to expel the Islamic State jihadis from the city two months ago, but around the same time the Misratan militias stationed in Sirte withdrew after being attacked by Islamic State fighters, leaving the entire city under Islamic State control.

A few weeks ago, I spoke with a prominent tribal leader from the Qaddadfa tribe (Qaddafi’s tribe) based in Sirte. He expressed his disappointment and frustration at the failure of Libyan authorities to help them counter the rise of Islamic State in his home city: “We don’t have the weapons to fight the Islamic State, and when we ask for arms, they completely ignore us.” This has left many in Sirte with no option but to accept Islamic State rule. The general sense is that the existing authorities couldn’t care less about the situation of ordinary people. Now the verdict from the court in Tripoli could serve as a uniting factor for Qaddafi regime supporters.

The reemergence of Qaddafi regime loyalists poses yet another obstacle to the peace process and any future Government of National Accord. Neither the peace process nor a unity government will stand a chance unless an effort is made to address the sense of injustice and neglect currently suffered by supporters of the old regime. Failure to do this merely provides an opening for groups such as the Islamic State, as the development in Sirte has so vividly demonstrated. Libya can stop the downward spiral only by moving beyond its divisive revolutionary narrative and moving toward a more inclusive approach.

In the photo, former Qaddafi regime officials sit behind bars during their trial on July 28, 2015, at the court of appeals in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.Photo credit: MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP/Getty Images

Shwe Mann ousted as head of Burma’s ruling party in ‘internal coup’

Parliament speaker Shwe Mann leaves after a press conference at the Union Solidarity and Development Party headquarters in Naypyitaw, Wednesday. Pic: AP.

By Kyle Lawrence Mullin Aug 13, 2015

Security forces seized control  of the headquarters of Burma’s ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) Wednesday night, confining ministers to the compound during a party meeting and escalating long simmering tensions between government factions.

The standoff stems from a contentious rivalry between President Thein Sein and party leader and parliament Speaker Shwe Mann, according to anonymous sources cited in a Voice of America article. Mann’s assistant told the news outlet that the speaker’s security guards had been questioned by a “special branch” of the police, before adding that the party leader’s current location is not known

ABC.net quoted Shwe Mann’s son, Toe Naing Mann, who said that, “Police entered the party compound last night (Wednesday),” and that the “so-called guards” permitted “no one… in or out.” He went on to say that other officers were at the elder Mann’s residence in the capital Naypyidaw.

Toe Naing Mann, who is staying abreast of the situation from Yangon via contacts, also said that the specific cause of the standoff remained unclear, adding: “It is strange that armed forces have restricted a political party in this way.”

But ABC.net notes that ties between Shwe Mann and President Sein have been strained since the speaker spoke out in favour of working with opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party leader Aung San Suu Kyi ahead of Burma’s November elections. Suu Kyi praised the “cooperative spirit” of the speaker in early May after news outlets reported that Mann was considering an alliance with the NLD.

 

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May Wong @maywongcna

#Myanmar ruling party USDP released statement: new CEC formed, new chairman appointed as this'll enable party to function more effectively

4:10 AM - 13 Aug 2015

At the time, the speaker was quoted as saying that he is “ready to cooperate with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi today, tomorrow and in the future as well.”

An NLD government, comprised of longtime progressive activists, would mark a stark contrast from the USDP, which has been a stepping stone for the former military junta’s top brass to transition from soldiers to ministers, including former generals, and current rivals, Shwe Mann and Thein Sein.

An earlier Wall Street Journal article called the upcoming November poll Burma’s “fairest general election in decades.” But such improvements are only relative, considering the notorious opaqueness of the beleaguered nation’s former dictatorship, making it one of the poorest and most isolated countries in the world for decades.

Thein Sein, who has led the country since the military junta transitioned into a parliamentary system in 2011, is expected to pursue a second term. WSJ says the potential incumbent purports to be a steadier, conservative alternative to Mann. But the current speaker has boosted his image as of late, making diplomatic treks to Beijing and Washington.

View image on Twitter

 

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The Irrawaddy @IrrawaddyNews

UPDATE: Shwe Mann sacked as party chief after Thein Sein power struggle#Burma/#Myanmar http://wp.me/p2JJuA-nKx 

2:41 AM - 13 Aug 2015

 

This morning’s VOA report, meanwhile, notes that 149 retired military officers recently attempted to run as USDP candidates, but only 59 of them were accepted. This past spring, an article in Foreign Policy declared Burma is the midst of a “leadership crisis,” thanks to “deepening divisions” in its government. It added that, despite Thein Sein’s ambitions, the potential incumbent has a slim change of being reelected because the “strong-willed” Mann seems to have the party under his “complete control.”

However, it appears his prospects are now crumbling. Reuters reported this morning that the party chief has been ousted, quoting a USDP parliamentary leader who said “Shwe Mann isn’t the chairman of the party anymore. He’s in good health and at home now.”

An anonymous source, meanwhile, told The Straits Times that, “This is an internal party coup. Thura Shwe Mann remains Speaker of Parliament but no longer leader of the party.” It also cited a BBC report from early Thursday morning that quoted Minister of Information and President spokesman Mr Yeh Htut, who referred to Mann as a mere temporary chairman of the USDP, before adding that the title of “permanent” chairman belongs to Thein Sein.

Political blocking leaves Modi's reform schedule in tatters

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj (C), along with lawmakers (not pictured) from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, takes part in what they say is a 'Save Democracy' march outside parliament in New Delhi, India, August 13, 2015.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar (C, in blue) along with lawmakers from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, take part in what they say is a 'Save Democracy' march outside parliament in New Delhi, August 13, 2015.

 BY RAJESH KUMAR SINGH- Thu Aug 13, 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reform agenda suffered another major setback on Thursday when lawmakers ended the monsoon session of parliament acrimoniously and without approving a tax reform bill aimed at faster economic growth.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill is seen as low-hanging fruit among free-market reforms as it has rare bipartisan support. But it fell victim to an impasse over allegations of impropriety against Modi’s cabinet and party colleagues.

Modi's failure to secure parliament's backing for the measure could push back more contentious bills such as labour and land legislation, which businesses and economists say are critical to create millions of jobs.

No laws were passed in the Rajya Sabha in the three-week session. Debate descended into insults that spilled to the streets, where opposition lawmakers marched and Modi's cabinet staged a counter protest under a statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley angrily said delaying the bill until the parliament opens in December will make it "extremely difficult" to meet a deadline to launch by April the new sales tax, which he says will add two points to economic growth.

He held out hope of meeting the deadline, saying the government might reconvene parliament earlier to pass GST.

"We have not taken any decision as yet," he told reporters. "We are determined and will make all efforts to implement it (GST) from April."

But the government first needs to reach a rapprochement with the opposition Congress party that is adamant in its demand for the resignation of three of Modi's colleagues.

Political opposition had already forced Modi to backtrack on a pro-business land bill.

"The bigger picture is that PM Modi has missed another major opportunity to push ahead with contentious reforms," Shilan Shah, an economist with Capital Economics, wrote in a research note.

Indian businesses have long coveted GST to subsume a thicket of union and state levies that inflate costs. The tax has been watered down to win the backing of states, but HSBC said in a note this week it would still add 60 basis points to growth.

The Congress party, which lost power to Modi last year, championed the measure while in office. By scuttling the tax, for now, the party has denied Modi a victory ahead of his annual Independence Day speech on Saturday.

The Congress party's repeated disruptions made the parliamentary session the least productive since Modi took office in May 2014.

Modi has asked his lawmakers as well as ministers to launch a nationwide campaign against the tactics of the Congress party.

"It's been frustrating for the whole country," Jaitley said. "This was a disruption without a cause."

(Additional reporting by Manoj Kumar and Nigam Prusty; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Nick Macfie)

River pollution 'an emergency' for Colorado's Navajo Nation

WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST 2015
Leaders of the Native American Navajo community are planning to sue America's Environmental Protection Agency after a toxic discharge from a disused mine pollutes the Animas and San Juan rivers.

Over three million gallons of waste water, containing heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury and lead, gushed out of a disused mine and downstream into the Animas River after the accident last Wednesday, turning it bright yellow.

The spill was triggered by a crew working for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the Gold King Mine near Silverton in Colorado. The mine closed in 1923.

EPA boss Gina McCarthy said it was "a tragic and unfortunate accident and EPA is taking reponsibility to ensure that it's cleaned up."

The discharge continued to flow out at a rate of 1,900 litres a minute, forcing both the Animas and San Juan to be closed to drinking water and irrigation intakes. High levels of cadmium in the polluted water could be particularly problematic if it was used to irrigate crops.

Russell Begaye, the President of the Navajo Nation (above), declared a state of emergency and called for funds from the US federal government to help with the clean- up.

Mr Begaye said he intended to take legal action, telling a packed public meeting: "The EPA was right in the middle of the disaster and we intend to make sure the Navajo Nation recovers every dollar it spends clearing up this mess and every dollar it loses as a result of injuries to our precious Navajo natural resources."

Mr Begaye demanded full disclosure of which chemicals had been released into the rivers: "We understand clean up will take decades. We demand clean up of this water and the sediments of our affected rivers immediately."

6 Unexpected Things That Happen To Your Body When You Stop Eating Meat

DAILY HEALTH POST, AUGUST 7, 2015

Going vegetarian or not is ultimately a personal choice – there are advantages and disadvantages to a vegetarian diet, but there are many factors that might influence someone into giving up meat.

Whether it’s factory farming practices, spiritual beliefs, or just a desire to eat healthier that’s motivating you to go vegetarian, here’s some things you can expect when you change your diet to exclude meat:

1. You Might Lose Weight

Some people lose weight when they first start eating a vegetarian diet, due to getting their protein from lower-calorie sources like tofu, tempeh, and other veggie products.

A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, showed that going vegetarian lead to an average weight loss of 7.5 pounds. And the longer the study, the greater the loss.

2. You’ll Gain New Bacteria In Your Gut

Our guts are constantly affected by what we eat. When you change your diet significantly, it changes the makeup of the bacteria in your gut – which can effect everything from your weight to your mental health. Researchers believe that eating more veggies can boost the population of healthy bacteria in the gut.

You may feel bloated at first or experience indigestion – these are common side effects of sudden drastic diet changes, so try transitioning to a vegetarian diet slowly rather than all at once.

Eradication of Torture: One of the Challenges of the New Sri Lankan Leadership

Report by the Freedom from Torture.

12/08/2015

As Sri Lankans prepare to head for the polls on Monday 17 August, a new report by Freedom from Torture shows that one of the most urgent tasks faced by their new leadership will be to eradicate torture by the military and police, which is deeply entrenched and has tainted the country’s peace since May 2009. The new leadership will need to tackle vested interests in the military, police and intelligence services who until now have resisted any proper reckoning for torture and other grave abuses committed during the civil war and the six years since the conflict ended.

Clinicians at the UK-based charity for torture survivors, one of the world’s largest dedicated torture treatment centres, assess and treat more torture survivors from Sri Lanka than any other country. Tainted Peace: Torture in Sri Lanka since May 2009, is based on doctors’ forensic reports (medico-legal reports) of 148 survivors, which document their physical and psychological injuries from torture carried out from 2009 to 2013. The charity continues to receive referrals for Sri Lankans tortured more recently, including in 2014 and 2015.

Taken together, these medico-legal reports (MLRs) indicate that the army, police and intelligence services, including the Criminal Investigation Department and Terrorism Investigation Department, have continued to perpetrate torture since the end of the civil war. Torture methods they used in the 148 cases included brutal beatings (100 per cent of the 148 cases), burning (78 per cent) and sexual torture (71 per cent), as well as asphyxiation techniques (38 per cent), forms of suspension (45 per cent) and solitary confinement (70 per cent).

Ninety-three per cent of the survivors reported being targeted for torture because of real or perceived links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) including through a family member or acquaintance. The overwhelming majority of cases in the study were Tamil (139 out of 148 cases or 94%).

More than a third of the MLRs show Tamils being tortured after returning to Sri Lanka from the UK, usually following a period of study or work; often when visiting their family back home.

Sonya Sceats, Freedom from Torture’s Policy and Advocacy Director, said:

“For decades our clinicians have worked with those who have suffered torture at the hands of the Sri Lankan state and our latest forensic evidence indicates that torture by the military and police is still a major problem, despite the end of the fighting in 2009.

“That torture is deeply entrenched in the Sri Lankan military and policing apparatus is undeniable. The new political leadership elected to work with the President next week must be fearless in pursuing accountability for those responsible, no matter how powerful they are, and must put in place a credible plan to prevent torture in the future.

“Full accountability for torture and other grave abuses is essential and any process requires strong international participation at every stage and level to win the confidence of survivors, including those from the Tamil minority.

“And until Sri Lanka’s leaders show that they have succeeded in eradicating torture, countries hosting Sri Lankan asylum seekers must be highly cautious when assessing their protection claims. A few green shoots of human rights reform should not be taken as a green light for removals.

“The UK needs to take extreme care given our alarming evidence that more than 50 Tamils returning from here with a real or perceived past connection to the LTTE, even at very low levels, were tortured. Many were specifically interrogated about the Tamil diaspora here. Given his personal commitment to promoting human rights in Sri Lanka, David Cameron should ensure that UK asylum policy is updated to bring it into line with the risk we have demonstrated.”

Dr Juliet Cohen, Freedom from Torture’s Head of Doctors, said:

“Sri Lankan torture survivors seen at Freedom from Torture display devastating psychological symptoms, in some cases for years after the torture.

“Survivors’ burns and the injuries from beatings can take years of pain to heal. At the same time they exhibit extremely high rates of symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression , such as nightmares, flashbacks, feelings of worthlessness and thoughts of self-harm. Their intrusive memories of torture and confinement are such that they sometimes find it difficult to imagine different lives or different futures.

“Overall the toll on the mental health of Sri Lankan torture survivors we see is such that most will need to access therapeutic services for many years to come as a result of these experiences. Based on the cases I have seen, I have to conclude that the Sri Lankan army and police have formulated methods of torture that are extremely effective at breaking people down.”

The full report Tainted Peace: Torture in Sri Lanka since 2009 and technical summary will be available online from Thursday 13 August 2015 at www.freedomfromtorture.org, advance copies from Kaye Stearman

He spent 4 days in a Sri Lankan jail

In our Special Independence Day series, Rediff.com looks at India through the lives of her people.

Today: Muthayya Fernandes, a fisherman from Rameswaram, who was imprisoned in Sri Lanka for crossing the International Boundary in search of fish.

August 12, 2015

I have been going to sea since I was 12. I would go in my father's boat. I went to school till the 2nd standard. After that I did not feel like studying. Now I have my own boat. It is a 360HP mechanised boat.

This year, on 21st February, I was caught by the Sri Lankan authorities for crossing into their waters. We had left for fishing at 7 am in the morning after taking a token from the fisheries department.

He Spent 4 Days in a Sri Lankan Jail by Thavam Ratna