Will hand over KP to India for any probe: John

2015-09-03
Former minister John Amarathunga said the government will be compelled to hand over former chief international arms procurer for the LTTE leader Kumaran Pathmanathan if India wanted him in connection with the killing of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

In a statement made to our sister paper “Lankadeepa”, Mr. Amarathunga said it had now been revealed that all evidence against Kumaran Pathmanathan who provided the funds to the LTTE and nourished it had been completely destroyed during the Rajapaksa regime.

Under these circumstances it had become impossible for the Attorney General to file a case against him, he said.

Although evidence against Pathmanathan had been destroyed in Sri Lanka he was the only suspect living now in the case of Rajiv Gandhi murder, he said.

All other important suspects in the Rajiv Gandhi murder case namely LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, the outfit's Political Leader Thamilselvan and Intelligence Wing Leader Pottu Amman are all dead now. (Anjula Mahika Weerarathna) - See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/85937/will-hand-over-kp-to-india-for-any-prob#sthash.ZYz33sFG.dpuf

First genuine National Government – Mangala

September 3, 2015, 9:58 pm 

In the wake of TNA leader R. Sampanthan’s appointment as the Leader of the Opposition, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera declared that the Maithripala Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration was the first genuine National Government in post-independence Sri Lanka. The following is the full text of the statement issued by Minister Samaraweera: "Today, the 3rd of September 2015, will be remembered as a red letter day in Sri Lanka’s political history. For the first time since Independence a National Government has been formed with Parliamentary approval: Sri Lanka’s two main political parties can now work together to address the many unsolved challenges facing our country. The recognition of Mr. R. Sampanthan as Leader of the Opposition has also made this a red letter day; heralding a new era of unity, consensus and reconciliation.

This is the first genuine National Government in post-independence Sri Lanka. The so-called ‘National  Governments’ of the past were either, an exercise in ‘Power Politics’ based on political opportunism and self-interest, or a coalition of the unwilling put together through intimidation, bribery and blackmail. Opposition Members of Parliament were spirited away to the Government benches without the consent of the political parties they represented, leaving a trail of splintered political parties in the country weakening the very fabric of democracy.

During the last Presidential election, both Mr. Maithripala Sirisena and Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe promised to depart from this unsavoury and undemocratic practice.  In the first 100 days itself, the 19th amendment was passed which, along with many other important constitutional reforms, introduced the contours of a National Government.

That dream has turned into reality.  Today, on the 3rd of September, Parliament recognized and approved the National Government as proposed by the Prime Minister. Gone are the days when the numbers of Ministers were decided according to the whims and fancies of the executive. Today Parliament consented and approved to increase the size of cabinet from the constitutionally stipulated 30.

We have opened new chapter in Sri Lanka’s history: forming a genuine national government through consensus rather than subterfuge will help entrench good governance and create a new political culture in Sri Lanka.

The reset in political culture was also demonstrated in the unanimous appointment of the Opposition Leader. The upholding of Parliamentary convention and tradition marks a departure from the divisive and self-interested partisanship which was a hallmark of our politics since independence. The appointment of Mr. R. Sampanthan, one of the most senior and respected politicians in the country, as Opposition Leader also reflects Sri Lanka’s commitment, resolve and determination to the reconciliation process and the establishment of a Sri Lanka where every citizen feels that they are free and equal. In the new Sri Lanka no one would be denied their rightful place in society due to race, religion, caste or gender.

The National Government will ensure the formation and implementation of urgently needed national policies. In particular, we will pass a new Constitution that will include a Bill of Rights. This constitution will not only take into account civil and political rights but economic, social and cultural rights as well. It will be a Constitution that addresses the requirements of all citizens and communities; one which will allow greater public participation in decision-making processes. These measures will enable more accountable and more responsible government in the country. Such a Constitution, with electoral reform and the restoration of stronger Parliamentary government, will be essential to ensure reconciliation and durable peace with justice and rule of law. The bipartisan consensus intrinsic to a national government will also be able to secure the legislative reforms, policy stability and level playing field that are urgently needed for our economic development."

Sri Lanka Parliamentary Election 2015: How did Social Media make a difference?

• by Nalaka Gunawardene 
• - on 09/03/2015 

What role (if any) did social media play in the recently concludedParliamentary (General) Election on 17 August 2015?

Many are asking this question – and coming up with different answers. That is characteristic of our new reality: there is no single right answer when it comes to multi-faceted and fast-evolving phenomena like social media.

Shortly after the Presidential Election of 8 January 2015 ended, I called it Sri Lanka’s first cyber election. That was based on my insights from over 20 years of watching and chronicling the gradual spread of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in Sri Lanka and the resulting rise of an information society.

Sri Lanka Parliamentary Election 2015 How Did Social Media Make a Difference by Thavam Ratna

Leader Of The TNA Should Be The Leader Of The Opposition

By Lal Wijenayake –September 3, 2015

Lal Wijenayake

The appointment of the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament has emerged as a contentious issue. There is no provision in the constitution or in any other law setting out the procedure for the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. The appointment of the Leader of the Opposition in the British Parliament is done in accordance with the British Parliamentary conventions. We are guided by the conventions of the British Parliament in matters relating to Parliamentary procedure where specific provisions are not provided for in our law. In the British Parliament the Leader of the Opposition is appointed by the Speaker and it is the prerogative of the Speaker to appoint the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of Opposition is appointed by the Speaker following the Parliamentary convention that the Leader of the Opposition has to be the leader of the largest single party in the opposition. Therefore, in the present situation the Leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as the leader of the largest party in the opposition has to be appointed as the Leader of the Opposition.

A section of the SLFP cannot claim the office of the Leader of the Opposition as the SLFP has officially decided to be a part of the government.

The Leader of the Opposition is only next in importance in Parliament to the Speaker and the Prime Minister, because an opposition in Parliament is an integral part of the democratic parliamentary process. The attempt to have the opposition under the government by the appointment of a member of the SLFP as Leader of the Opposition is a threat to a proper functioning of Parliament under the democratic system.

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Corrupt Wijeratne dreams of becoming transport ministry secretary 

Sep 03, 2015

Former director general of the department of registration of motor vehicles B. Wijeratne has begun working as secretary to the transport ministry even before a subject minister is appointed, reports say. Presently secretary of the agriculture ministry, he is focusing on striking deals with brokering companies that import locomotives for the railways department and buses for the CTB.

He was the DG of RMV during the period Kumar Welgama was the transport minister. During that period, his foremost task was earning commission money. The RMV is one of the state institutions that solicit commissions from its customers. Wijeratne did that brilliantly, which led to his having to say goodbye to the institution. Welgama removed him due to his corrupt activities.

Then, he was appointed secretary to the agriculture ministry. Secretary of the ministry Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan resigned before the general election, and the position remains vacant. Wijeratne is trying to get appointed to that position. He pays visits to the offices of the president and the prime minister to get the transport ministry secretary position as he knows its perks and advantages.

He has already built connections with the brokering companies that import train locomotives and buses, but not for the good of the ministry or the country. It is to gain commission money through such deals that he tries to return to the place from where he was expelled.

Addressing parliament at its inauguration, the president said he would never hesitate to act against the corrupt. According to that statement, persons like Wijeratne are not fit to hold ministry position again. People wish for the maximum punishment to such persons for their wrongs through the enforcement of the law, and do not want to see them appointed to positions.

University reform essential for development

• Lack of professional skills and application of knowledge an issue, value proposition needed

Dr. Chandra Embuldeniya 
  - Pic by Lasantha Kumara

By Charumini de Silva-Thursday, 3 September 2015
Sri Lanka needs to transform its tertiary education system into a multi-disciplined, entrepreneurial education system to produce competitive professionals, a higher education expert said yesterday.
Sri Lanka has failed to produce even one world ranking university to be among the top 1,000 universities in the world, which showcases the poor performances of the tertiary education system, he said, delivering the keynote address at the launch of ‘Opportunities’ – career and skills summit at the Westminster House.

“The Government sector university education has replicated Oxford and Cambridge universities 100 years ago, but unfortunately Sri Lanka still practices the same. Thus, it is high time the country transform it to a multi-disciplined and entrepreneurial education system,” higher education consultant Dr. Chandra Embuldeniya said. 
Pointing out Sri Lanka’s ranking in the Global Competitiveness Index 2014/15, he noted the macroeconomic environment and labour market efficiency were the weakest indicators. 
“It is a terrible situation. We got to look for reforms to overcome this situation,” he added.
Dr. Embuldeniya pointed that if the country wanted to compete better at least within South Asian countries, Sri Lanka needed to produce innovative, skilled graduates who could be employed in the private sector.
Most students in Sri Lanka are more focused on their academic skills, but not on their soft and entrepreneurship skills, he noted. The lack of professional skills and application of knowledge in the corporate world has created an issue in the education system as private sector finds it difficult to recruit fresh human capital to their companies. 
Explaining his point further, Dr. Embuldeniya asserted that the country’s national universities were yet to understand their value proposition. “The universities don’t understand that it does not come automatically, but it has to be really built into the strategy. The British universities have really got the value proposition into their strategy and that is a reason why there are plenty of world rank universities from the UK.”
“You expect students to come with certain skills, but remember students also come to you with expectations and if those expectations are not met you’re not going to be successful because they are going to get back into some other job, particularly in the government sector. That’s what happens to most students passing out from our national universities. Very soon they discover their expectations are not met and they go back to a very secure government job.”
He went on to say these expectations were genuine and reasonable expectations. “If you pay attention to the expectations of your graduates, you will probably be able to find some very valuable assets that will really help your company to change your position in the market.”
Therefore, Dr. Embuldeniya said the British Council’s initiative ‘Opportunities’ was an excellent chance for private sector companies to select excellent graduates to their respective companies. 

More than 100,000 letters in toilet pit

2015-09-03
A large number of letters including airmail, ordinary letters, post cards and propaganda material of politicians who contested the recent general election were recovered from an abandoned toilet pit in the Moratuwa post office this morning.

Post Master General Rohana Abeyratne and several senior officials of the Postal Department and the police visited the scene on information from the public and recovered the stock of letters from the toilet pit. Moratuwa Chief UNP Organiser Deepal Rodrigo had also made a complaint to the Moratuwa police in this regard.

They said more than 100,000 letters had been dumped in the toilet pit and that a formal departmental inquiry into the incident would be held and action taken against those responsible. Moratuwa police are conducting a separate investigation. (Indika Manoj Cooray and Kusal Chamath)


Pix by Indika Manoj Cooray

When Coca Cola destroying the Kelani Ganga, Jiffy dump poison to Deduru Oya

Sep 03, 2015

A grave environmental disaster is occurring due to the dumping of Calcium Nitrate (Ca No3)2 into the Deduru Oya by a Norwegian company named Jiffy Products Sri Lanka (Pvt) Ltd which is exporting coir products.

Following the dumping of this waste chemical to the Deduru Oya the underground water has been contaminated in the Deduru Oya valley and due to this harmful effect there are many blue baby births, kidney diseases and crippled babies are on the rise. The serious danger in this would be this Calcium Nitrate has been mixed to the water in the Deduru Oya and spread to its valley.

During the former regime this factory was operated violating all environmental factors and it was continued under the intervention of the former minister Basil Rajapaksa and he was given a part of its company for allowing the factory to function.

According to the World Health Organization and the European Union consumer water standards one liter of water could contain less than 50 mg of nitrate. According to the US and Chinese consumer water standards per liter of water could contain only 10mg of nitrate.
However according to the sample test conducted by Central Environment Authority from the water collected from the Deduru Oya one liter of this water is said to contain 2109.52 mg of nitrate.

The environmentalist and scientists has proved with facts that this is a grave danger. Therefore if this environment disaster continues the Deduru Oya valley would be destroyed as the Lake Erie ecosystem as in the United States.

The Storm Before the Calm

Just months ago, Netanyahu was screaming from the mountaintops about the Iran deal. Now it’s on the verge of passing, and Israel seems to have moved on.

• BY GREGG CARLSTROM-
• SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

TEL AVIV — Six weeks after world powers signed a nuclear pact with Iran, a billboard finally compelled Israelis to debate the subject.

The advertisement, plastered over Rabin Square in the heart of this seaside city, announced the imminent opening of the “Iranian embassy in Israel.” The phone number listed at the bottom led to a cryptic recording, asking callers to leave a message for the nascent diplomatic mission. Curious onlookers debated in the cafes below: Was it a political statement? By the left, or the right? Could it ever come true?

The Storm Before the Calm by Thavam Ratna

Palestinians worse off than ever as settler numbers soar, says UN

Palestinians wave a flag during a protest against Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah, on 28 August.

 Shadi HatemAPA images

Ali Abunimah Rights and Accountability 2 September 2015

Palestinians are economically worse off than ever before as the number of Israeli settlers on their land sets records, a new report by the United Nations trade and development agency UNCTAD reveals.

Palestinians Worse Off Than Ever as Settler Numbers Soar, Says UN by Thavam Ratna

Once again, UK lets Netanyahu get away with it

British authorities continue supporting unjust narratives that misinterpret historical realities and cause suffering.

Netanyahu has not yet been indicted by an international court, writes Cadman [Reuters]

Palestinians evacuate a survivor of an Israeli air strike that hit a building in southern Gaza Strip in August 2014 [AP]

Toby Cadman-26 Aug 2015

Toby Cadman is an international criminal law specialist. He is a barrister member at Nine Bedford Row International Chambers in London and a member of the International Criminal Bureau in The Hague.

@tobycadman

The British government used the "civilising" narrative to deny sovereignty, justify the colonisation process and build an empire. It argued that there was a "majority of German-speaking" population to allow the surrender of the Sudetenland to Nazi Germany in 1938, and it defended the fallacy of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to support an illegal war.

These civilising or "national security" justifications were wrongful foreign policy narratives that have brought extensive suffering and had disastrous and long-term implications.

Once Again, UK Lets Netanyahu Get Away With It by Thavam Ratna

China military parade shows might as Xi Jinping pledges 300,000 cut in army

Victory parade in Beijing to mark end of second world war showcases armed forces in front of a number of world leaders

The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, leads a huge military parade through the centre of Beijing on Thursday

Tom Phillips in Beijing-Thursday 3 September 2015

Chinese president Xi Jinping made an unexpected pledge on Thursday to cut his army by 300,000 troops, even as his armed forces put on a massive show of force during a 70th anniversary military parade commemorating the end of the second world war.

In the surprise announcement in front of a gathering of some of the world’s leaders in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, Xi said China was committed to peaceful development.

And he pledged his country would “never seek hegemony or expansion. It will never inflict its past suffering on any other nation”.

However his words will not reassure some of China’s neighbours who will have looked on the display of military with some concern.

“The aim of our commemoration … is to bear history in mind, honour all those who laid down their lives, cherish peace and open up the future,” he said.

“That war inflicted over 100 million military and civilian casualties. China suffered over 35 million casualties and the Soviet Union lost over 27 million lives.

“War is like a mirror. Looking at it helps us better understand the value of peace. China will remain committed to peaceful development. We Chinese love peace.”

Xi did not indicate when the troop cut – a 13% cut in the nation’s 2.3 million-strong armed forces – would happen, but stressed the country would always “walk down the path of peaceful development”.

Tanks, missile launchers and more than 12,000 troops paraded through the square as China marked the occasion with a spectacular show of military strength designed to strengthen Xi’s grip on power.

Xi kicked off proceedings at around 10am, addressing thousands of hand-picked guests who had assembled in front of the Forbidden City under a blazing sun.

“This great triumph … put an end to China’s national humiliation [and] re-established China as a major country in the world,” Xi said, flanked by Russian president Vladimir Putin and Communist party veterans including Jiang Zemin, the former president.

Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, who has been indicted by the international criminal court for mass atrocities, and former UK prime minister Tony Blair were also at the parade, although many nations – including Japan and the US – declined to attend, and some, including the UK and Australia, sent only low-level representatives.

By 11am a massive display of Chinese military might was rattling through the notorious Beijing square where troops launched their 1989 crackdown on student demonstrators.

Spectators waved red flags in the air as tanks, drones and ballistic missiles rolled past beneath a perfect blue sky – the result of Beijing’s decision to close more than 12,000 factories and power plants ahead of the event.

James Hardy, the Asia-Pacific editor of IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly, said the parade was about using military power to send a message about “China’s strength and invulnerability” both at home and abroad.

On the eve of the parade Liu Xiaoming, China’s ambassador to London, claimed the event was designed to “cherish the memory of heroes and mourn the lives lost in the flames of war”.

However, Roderick MacFarquhar, a Harvard University scholar, said it was primarily about using China’s rivalry with Japan to bolster Xi’s position as China’s commander-in-chief.

“Chinese have a visceral dislike of Japan because of the war and so on. You can arouse feelings about Japan very easily and this is a way Xi Jinping is attempting to consolidate his hold [on power] so that it will be difficult for people to get rid of him because he is seen as the great nationalist leader,” he said.

“Short of having a presidential election vote it is a way of consolidating his position with the people.”

MacFarquhar said the parade was also a means of piling pressure on Japan without risking drawing the United States further into regional affairs by continuing to ratchet up military tensions in the East China Sea.

Tensions flared there after China’s decision to declare an air defence zone in the region in late 2013.

“If you are going to cool it in the East China Sea, but you still want to use the Japanese as a whipping boy, then you emphasise the past,” he said.

The Communist party’s reading of the past is on full show at a war exhibition recently opened by Xi at Beijing’s Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Japan’s wartime crimes are exposed in exhibits with names such as: “Cruel slaughters”, “Indiscriminate bombings”, “Creating bloody massacres” and “Plundering and Devastation”.

Addressing the crowds in Tiananmen, Xi insisted the parade was aimed at no country in particular.

Inside Story: Inhuman Cruelty Against Baloch continues

A brief report on enforced disappearances, extra judicial killings and grave human rights violations in Balochistan composed by Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP)

( September 1, 2015, Balochistan, Sri Lanka Guardian) 1: This year ( 2015) in many parts of Baluchistan operations were conducted, and in some areas it is still going on. Many deputations came from the operation hit areas to report the complaints that how many people were abducted forcefully by paramilitary troops. Security forces have already thrown the mutilated bodies of numerous missing Balochs. In District Noshki during an operation four mutilated bodies were found. According to the claim of security forces they were the insurgents killed in the combat among these bodies one was recognized, the one who was arrested with his brother six months earlier and remained under cover. In district Kalat adjacent areas Johan, Sheshar and Kabo during military operations eight mutilated bodies were thrown by military, two out of these eight corpses were recognized as whose family told that they were taken away from their homes reaming six mutilated corpses were unable to be recognized because their faces were burnt by the acid probably these may be the dead bodies of the enforced disappeared missing Baloch. Later on they were buried by the residence of Johan.

       Besides it Voice for Baloch Missing Persons has been receiving the news of dumping of the bodies in many areas by the security personal. A similar incident was witnessed by the local people in District Noshki. Where, during night time security forces were dumping a body in a local graveyard. In the morning, the families of missing Baloch dug up the grave, but the bodys was in a condition not to be identified so they dumped it back.

2: Voice for Blaoch Missing Persons has been visiting in many areas of Balochistan and talked to the families of the missing Baloch. They were told that where our dear ones forcefully taken away and they went to register First Information Report (FIR). Station House Officer (SHO) did not enlist the FIR. In return the families were threatened not to plea in court or protest otherwise they would torture their dear ones and their families also may meet the same fate. Moreover they told that some influential people came to them and asked them to be quiet so that their dear ones will be released in addition to it government institutions have been intimidating the authorities of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons too. They are also being scrutinized by the security authorities, there for working openly have become challenging for the VBMP. Beside it in many areas the missing person’s families have complained that eye witnesses who had recorded their statements at various police stations under the CRPC section 161, now refusing to accept their previous given statements, for example they are denying even their statements given in judicial commission. It happens because states institutions are harassing them in different manners and giving them threats; due to fear the eye witnesses deny their statements.

3: A deputation of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons also met the Chief Minister Balochistan on ongoing year, during this meeting the representatives of the VBMP reminded the CM that he had said that if his party came in power, he would solve the issue of missing persons and the dumping of mutilated bodies on the priority biases. Yet, in his government, why stat’s intuitions have been consistently committing the violation of human rights and the breach of law and constitution. In reply CM also confessed that his government has failed in stopping the illegal acts of state institutions. Additionally federal government has also failed to take the issue of enforced disappearances seriously.

4: Voice for Baloch Missing Persons submitted an application regarding the mutilated bodies that each of the mutilated bodies which are being dumped are of those who were forcibly abducted Balochs. Many dumped bodies are found to be in such a miserable condition that can’t be identified, and from the government side there have been no proper arrangements for the identification of the decomposed dumped bodies. Neither DNA tests are conducted of these dead bodies, nor any obituaries regarding the discovery of mutilated bodies are published in newspapers, nor the morgues in government hospitals are proactive for the preservation of the decomposed bodies. In civil hospital Quetta there are only fourteen freezers, which are insufficient. In other parts of Balochistan, there is no any viable morgue. VBMP pleaded in its application to the Supreme Court that it is a humanitarian issue, because they could be someone’s father, brother or husband. So state at least has to provide proper mechanism to identify the mutilated bodies. So, that their families can identify their dear ones and give them proper burial. And get rid of life long torture.

On the plea of VBMP the Supreme Court passed a verdict and instructed all the provincial governments of Pakistan to collect the bio data of the mutilated bodies for their identification. DNA tests, finger prints, publication of obituary in print media and electronic media should be carried out, furthermore the court ordered to make all the morgues active to keep the dead bodies preserved till the identification and their families should be informed by the respective police stations regularly.

But there is no implementation on the order of the Supreme Court. Some families of missing persons approached the VBMP and said that mutilated bodies found in Noshki, were suspected to be the bodies of their dear loved ones, so a delegation of VBMP met CM Balochistan and home secretary and gave them application regarding the mutilated bodies found from Noshki, and requested that DNA tests must be conducted. For the past last three months no DNA test regarding the mutilated bodies has been conducted by concerned authorities.

5: In Supreme Court and in High Court as well the case of missing persons is not progressing.

In 2012, the Voice for Blaoch Missing Persons had submitted a case of missing persons in Supreme Court. At initial stage court took same practical steps, but after that there was no hearing of the case. There for voice for Baloch Missing Persons made a plea for urgent proceedings of the cases. In Supreme Court after seven months six hearings were held on the plea of voice for Baloch Missing Persons. On 15th March 2015, during the hearing double bench of Supreme Court comprising two judges assured the chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons. That chief justice of Supreme Court has confirmed that in last days of March Supreme Court’s larger bench will hear the cases of the missing persons. But until now there have been no hearings of any of the cases.

6: The VBMP appealed to the government, judicial commission and Supreme Court regarding the discovery of mass graves found in Tutak area of Khuzdar. VBMP also emphasized on the issuance of NOC to the human rights activist. HRCP made an application to the home secretary for the issuance of NOC so that they should be allowed to examine the mass graves. On the submission of application in context with issuance in the Supreme Court the VBMP favored HRCP’s application. Supreme Court ordered Balochistan Home Secretary to issue NOC for HRCP and also provide security. Despite it NOC was not issued to HRCP on the direction of the supreme court of Pakistan.

     Moreover the representatives of human rights from many countries and international journalists also met the representatives of the VBMP and complained that whenever they requested the federal government to issue the NOC for visiting Blaochistan to analyze the human rights violations in Blaochistan. Officially they were not permitted to visit the mass graves discovered in Balochistan, and they were stopped to examine the process of missing person’s cases and dumping of the mutilated bodies.

   These all concerns were also expressed by the VBMP to national and international representatives of human rights organizations and also pleaded these organizations that they should stress the government of Pakistan to issue NOC for the observation of mass graves and take notice of human rights violations in Balochistan.

We appeal to the United Nations, international community and human rights organizations that they should visit the affected areas in Balochistan where security forces have violated the human rights; they should themselves witness the ground realities and play their effective role.

In unprecedented move, Guatemalan president resigns amid corruption scandal

By Joshua Partlow-September 3 

GUATEMALA CITY — After an extraordinary outpouring of public indignation, President Otto Perez Molina stepped down and appeared before a judge on Thursday to hear accusations that he presided over a massive criminal scheme to defraud his impoverished Central American country.

His resignation, submitted at midnight Wednesday, marked the dramatic culmination of weeks of public outcry over a bribery and kickback scheme that has implicated about 100 people, including many high-ranking members of his government.

Crowds gathered overnight in the capital's central plaza to wave flags and banners celebrating Perez Molina's departure. For a country with a history of vicious government repression and weak judicial institutions, the outcome was remarkable. Guatemala could offer a model for other Latin American countries afflicted with entrenched corruption.

Recently-named Vice President Alejandro Maldonado was chosen to serve out Perez Molina’s term, which was to end in January. Maldonado, a former foreign minister, became vice president after the resignation in May of Vice President Roxana Baldetti, now in prison for allegedly receiving $3.7 million in bribes. Guatemalans are to vote Sunday in previously scheduled elections to choose a president ot take office in early 2016.

[Past coverage: Guatemalan Congress clears way for arrest of president in corruption case]

During a radio interview Thursday morning, Perez Molina, 64, described himself as calm and confident that his case could be heard by objective judges. He said he considered the accusations “unjust” but he preferred to resign and deal with them rather than cause “polarization or confrontation or violence in the country.”

He called the situation “very difficult” and “very painful.”

In his courthouse appearance, Perez Molina occasionally bit his fingernails and twirled his pen as he listened while prosecutors outlined the case against him. An investigation by the attorney general’s office and a team of U.N.-backed anti-corruption investigators alleged that he and several senior officials participated in a conspiracy to receive millions in bribes in exchange for letting companies evade customs taxes. Pérez Molina, who is under order not to leave the country, has consistently denied wrongdoing.

As the scandal has grown, so have the protests demanding his ouster. They have spread from university students to business executives and Catholic church leaders, and when the congressional vote came this week to decide whether he would retain his immunity from prosecution, even his own party abandoned him.

The congress convened Thursday morning to accept his resignation and name his successor.

Pérez Molina is a retired army general and chief of military intelligence. Hewas elected in 2011.

Joshua Partlow is The Post’s bureau chief in Mexico. He has served previously as the bureau chief in Kabul and as a correspondent in Brazil and Iraq.