CHILI OIL GEL: The Most Effective Treatment Against Joints Pain, Back Pain & Muscles Pain

Posted on Sep 7 2015 - 4:50pm by admin@healthtipsportal.com

Joint pain can be very unpleasant and painful, so that is why we recommend you to try one natural recipe against rheumatism which increases the blood circulation and relieves pain.The oil is prepared from hot chili peppers and it helps against radiculitis myelitis, neuralgia, rheumatism and joint pain.

The chili oil belongs to the group of irritating and heating oil. It acts irritable, dilates capillaries, increases blood circulation in the upper parts of the skin, increases the vitamin metabolism and acts on the activation of the regenerative processes in the epidermis of the skin.

Ingredients:

• 10 fresh red hot chili peppers
• Two cups of cold-drained olive oil
• 1 liter of glass jar

Preparation:

• Wash the peppers, cut the handles and grind them into a meat grinding machine. You will get one cup of grounded mixture. Place it in a clean glass jar and pour the olive oil inside. Leave the jar in a dark place. After 7 days, strain the blend through gauze or plastic strainer.
• You can leave the mixture of the red peppers in the fridge and utilize it as an additive when you cook and the reddish oil will be useful to relieve joint pain.

How to use it:

At the beginning apply the oil to the sore joints or other body parts that are in pain several times a day. Once you rub it, wear warm socks or tights, if you apply it on the legs. Heat up the other parts of the body, depending on the location of the pain – arms, neck, back. After applying the oil, you will feel a skin burning sensation, but it would be bearable, even enjoyable, because the oil will deeply warm the skin without causing burns.

Over time you can change the intensity of application of the oil. After a month or two, you can do this procedure once a week, if the pain appears again. Keep the oil in a dark place.

Wigneswaran saga is not a political issue – Sampanthan

I belong to Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka belongs to me – Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan

Courtesy: Sunday Observer

( September 6, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) After finding one’s way up four flights of the dusty and poorly lit outside staircase to Rajavarothiam Sampanthan’s flat in the MP’s housing scheme at Keppetipola Mawatha, Colombo, on Friday evening, one cannot but feel for the 82-year-old lawyer-cum-political leader. But, despite the usual health challenges of age, physically frail, the somewhat portly, cherubic patriarch of Tamil politics is not. And this veteran politician remains as mentally astute as he always has been over his decades-long leadership of his community as, relaxing in verti and bush-shirt in his tiny sitting room, he laughs away concerns about his housing inadequacies, and replies probing questions about his outlook as ‘Leader of the Opposition’ in Parliament.

Wigneswaran Saga is Not a Political Issue – Sampanthan by Thavam Ratna

National Government; A Golden Opportunity To Resolve The National Question

By Veluppillai Thangavelu –September 6, 2015

Veluppillai Thangavelu

The inaugural sessions of the 8th parliament took place on September 01, 2015. After the election of speaker, the deputy speaker and the deputy chairman of parliament committees, newly elected members of parliament took oaths before the speaker. There were 60 new faces, almost a third, compared to the last parliament.

For the first time in history the LSSP failed to secure even a single seat in parliament. Sri Lanka Communist Party did not fare better. It had a solitary member from Matara electorate. One reason for the obliteration of these parties is the failure to get appointments through the National List. The names of Tissa Vitarana and D.E.W. Gunasekara were removed from the original national list following the election results. Even the great survivor G.L. Peiris who batted for Mahinda Rajapaksa was left out to fend for himself.

The swearing in of the cabinet took place on the 3rd of September. Though, the 20th Amendment to the constitution restricts the number of cabinet ministers to 30, the number has been increased to 48 by the parliament. The motion was carried by 143 voting in favour, 63 abstentions and all 16 members of the TNA voting against it. The cabinet slots are shared between the UNFGG and the SLFP in the ratio of 31:11. The newly elected Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan has criticised the jumbo cabinet as too bloated compared to other countries, notably neighbouring India. India has only 65 cabinets Minister for a population of 1.25 billion, that is 60 times the size of Sri Lanka. To the number of cabinet posts must be added 48 Deputy Ministers! That means more than half the MPs are ministers.

Earlier the Sessions of the eighth parliament of Sri Lanka was officially declared open by the Head of State President Maithripala Sirisena. Addressing the parliament President Maithripala Sirisena said that the two main political parties will bring about a consensual alliance based on the National Government concept. He added that the main aim of the National Government is to promote reconciliation and economic growth. The president also said his government will continue to crackdown on corruption, fraud and waste and strengthen the institutional structure and will punish those who exploit national resources no matter who they are, and will not hesitate to take them before court.                 Read More

No place for racism anymore: Mano

September 6, 2015

There will be no place for racism in our country anymore, Minister of National Dialog Mano Ganesan asserts.

“The people of this country now experience the true meaning of good governance. Under the present political situation, there will be no place for racism anymore,” said Ganesan.

The Minister made the observation during an event held in Colombo, last evening.

CID pressurized to cast aside Eknaligoda investigation

SUNDAY, 06 SEPTEMBER 2015

According to police headquarter sources officers of the CID who are carrying out investigations regarding the incident of now suspected murder of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda have been severely inconvenienced due to intense pressure applied on them by powerful individuals who are connected with security services.

The interference by these powerful men have intensified after seven members of the Army including two lieutenant colonels attached to Army intelligence were arrested on suspicion of the murder of Mr. Eknaligoda. It is reported those who interfere in the investigations are powerful individuals who were loyal to the previous regime and are holding offices in the present administration as well.

Despite the CID asking permission in writing to detain the Army officers for 3 months for questioning, the Ministry of Defense had given permission only for a period of 14 days which is not a sufficient time to complete interrogation say police sources.

Unity Of Minority Politicians In The National Government

By Aboobacker Rameez –September 6, 2015

Dr. Aboobacker Rameez

The country marks another historical milestone with the selection of Mr R. Sampanthan, a Tamil MP by ethnicity, as the opposition leader of the Parliament. It was Mr Amirthaligam MP who occupied the post of opposition leader of the Parliament in 1977. Scholars posit that this new turn of event symbolizes a healthy dimension of democracy and is a sign of peace and reconciliation restoring in the country, following the silent revolution that took place in January 8, 2015.

Debates on the opposition leader

This selection stirred a stiff resistance among the hardcore Sinhalese in and out of the Parliament saying that this could lead to a division of the country and the Tamils would take an upper hand in all the affairs. However, this superficial argument can be debunked under several dimensions:

1) Mr Sampanthan, by being the opposition leader, cannot do anything silly to compromise the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country, given that the national government(some people dub it as a coalition government) has been formed,

2) it is naïve to argue that Sampanthan should not have been selected as the opposition leader, thanks to his ascribed ethnicity; it is indeed notable that this is not the first time that a Tamil MP has been selected as the opposition leader,

3) all those who excoriate and vent their anger and frustration on the selection of Sampanthan turned a blind eye when the powerful Eastern LTTE Leader, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, popularly known as Karuna, was made as the Vice President of SLFP, a MP and subsequently as the powerful minister in the Mahindagovernment, and

4) while Karuna engaged in a fierce battle, for the sole purpose of attaining the Tamil Ealam, with the government forces before being drawn in with Mahinda government, Sampanthan entered into the democratic realm of the Parliament and fought for the legitimate concerns of Tamil speaking people over the years.

Read More

Sampanthan as Leader of the Opposition: Politics runs full circle, but on a different centre

by Rajan Philips-September 5, 2015

The new parliament and the new government are sending mixed signals. Some are good, others are disconcerting. But overall Sri Lankans should feel reasonably satisfied for things could have been far worse. For sober perspective, reflect for a moment on the colossal human tragedy of refugees fleeing from the Middle East and Africa looking for safe haven in an officially uninviting Europe. For comparative context, consider the good fortune of Sri Lanka’s location in the world that is far enough from the burning Middle East and the growingly tense Far East where China staged a massive show of force this week primarily to deflect attention from domestic difficulties but raising concerns among its anxious neighbours. But Lanka’s fortuitous location and good fortune should not be a reason to excuse our political leaders for not doing what they are supposed to be doing. They put the country through two elections this year and the people mandated a new President and a new Parliament to deliver on good governance, or yahapalanaya, the new rubric for everything that is politically desirable. But not everything that is being done by the new government and the new parliament is desirable.

Sampanthan as Leader of the Opposition Politics Runs Full Circle, But on a Different Centre by Thavam Ratna

Don’t underestimate your enemies, be most vigilant ; Our lives are at stake : President at 69 th convention of UNP

(Lanka-e-News -06.Sep.2015, 11.30PM) SLFP president Maithripala Sirisena  was invited to the 69 th UNP convention as the chief guest marking the opening of   a new chapter in Sri Lanka’s  political history. 

It cannot be forgotten, because Maithripala Sirisena was elevated by the UNP to the post of president of the country, that he became the president of the SLFP party.

No matter what, this latest  historic dramatic turn of events   is being reckoned as the  beginning of  a new chapter in civilized conciliatory politics in SL replacing politics of bitterness and hatred.

All UNP leaders participated in this convention . In addition the leaders of parties who worked conjointly with the UNP at the last elections for UNP victory were also present. Among them were, Champika Ranawake, Mano Ganeshan, Rauf Hakeem, Badurdeen, Digambaran, Arjuna Ranatunge  and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka who occupied the front rows.

President Maithripala Sirisena speaking on the occasion said, this journey to change  the pattern of the previous reign, is no bed of roses, and therefore all measures must be taken to move ahead undeterred and undaunted crushing the efforts that are being made  to reverse the journey. The president also warned not to underestimate the enemy, and to be vigilant throughout the 24 hours of the day.

It is well for us not to  forget and be mindful that there are dangers ahead always  for the government and those holding posts under it. Sometimes those dangers can cause even harm to your lives  and ours. Hence our future journey is not easy. It is  an arduous one, president pinpointed.

We must change the pattern of the previous reign while crushing any  efforts made to reverse our  progress. With transparency and honesty we must meet the challenges. Free from corruption and malpractices,  we must serve  the people and look  after their welfare. With the experience gained from the war, we must move forward on our onward journey together with all races, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher with camaraderie sans  religious differences .Under no circumstances should you underestimate your enemies. They should not be allowed to accomplish  their aims. During the whole 24 hours of the day , be watchful and vigilant as regards your enemies, the president exhorted.

The president also went on to emphasize  how happy he is to form a government with Ranil Wickremesinghe and steer forward, while adding , he is extremely grateful to the P.M. and the UNP for the sacrifices they made to make  him  the president of the country, and that he will never forget that  any day. He made these enunciations letting bygones  be bygones.

On the 5 th of August the final day of presidential election campaign, he attended a number of rallies including those at  Embilipitiya, Kalutara and Moratuwa, and returned home. The final rally was organized at Maradana. That day he was at home after addressing all the other rallies, when the security personnel and his driver said, based on security grounds, they are not going to take him to the Maradana rally, and went away leaving him alone, president Maithripala related. 

At that moment, Ranil Wickremesinghe phoned me and said, ‘we are waiting until you arrive.’ The president revealed how he explained to Ranil that he is not in a position to come  for the Maradana rally because the driver and the security personnel are  gone.

The P.M. had then told him, nobody is necessary , and he will come and fetch him. Within some minutes he arrived at his residence when Ravi Karunanayake M.P. also came there to his house, the president disclosed.

Thereafter all of them went for the Maradana rally . Ranil Wickremesinghe after taking him on stage , went into the  midst of the massive crowds and yelled out with raised hands mingling with  the crowd ‘there are no threats to you at our meeting,’ Maithripala recalled.

On that day enthusiastic Ranil Wickremesinghe when mingling with the crowd with raised hands  looked like  a 20 to 25 years old youth, the president recounted.

Until 22 nd November 2014, the present P.M. and himself did not even for a moment have any discussions  regarding his contesting the presidential elections as a common candidate, the president pointed out.

The president then went on to give details of another curious incident :

When he was in his minister’s seat in parliament before becoming the president, Ranil Wickremesinghe made a signal to him with his eye and said ‘let us go.’ That invitation was to go to the residence of Ms. Chandrika Bandaranaike , and was to hold discusions regarding the presidential elections that was in the offing then.

Accordingly, both he and Ranil got on to their vehicles, and after just passing the pokuna in front of the parliament, a chopper appeared  .If there was a few minutes delay, the individual who came in the chopper would have stopped their journey.

In any case even if there was a delay of several hours, based on the decision taken, ‘we would have gone somehow , and none could  have obstructed us,’ the president stated.

The president who went on to explain at length as aforenoted  about Ranil Wickremesinghe ‘s moves  when the presidential elections was getting near , said , the support specially the UNP party supporters extended to him to make him the president will remain indelible in his memory .

Prime minister too spoke on the occasion. His speech is reported elsewhere here.

Photos - courtesy Lankadeepa.

---------------------------
by     (2015-09-06 18:42:16)

EAM Spent Billions On Foreign Jaunts

Sep 06, 2015

The Ministry of External Affairs (EAM) had incurred expenses to the tune of over Rs. 9 billion in 2014, documents seen by The Sunday Leader revealed.

Some ministries of the former regime had been accused of being involved in widespread fraud and corruption. The Ministry of External Affairs, which was in 2014 known as EAM, is alleged to have been among the most corrupt, when taken into account the extravagant travelling patterns and lavish spending of its previous administration.

Startling revelations have surfaced as to how the former administrators of the Ministry, engaged in lavish spending of public funds, not only during overseas tours, but in every aspect as well.

Cumulative costs incurred by the Ministry last year stood at a staggering Rs. 9,740,048,370 (nine billion seven hundred forty million forty-eight thousand three hundred seventy).

In 2013, the expenditure of the Ministry has been Rs. 9,238,081,679 (nine billion two hundred thirty-eight million eighty-one thousand six hundred seventy-nine) while in 2012, the expenditure had been Rs. 7,854,745,039 (seven billion eight hundred fifty-four million seven hundred forty-five thousand thirty-nine); in 2011, the total expenditure had been Rs. 6,842,509, 786 (six billion eight hundred forty-two million five hundred nine thousand seven hundred eighty-six); and in 2010, it was Rs. 6,165,555,654 (six billion one hundred sixty-five million five hundred fifty-five thousand six hundred fifty-four).

In comparison, from January to May 31 this year, expenses at the Ministry have been recorded at Rs. 3,292,975, 590 (three billion two hundred ninety-two million nine hundred seventy-five thousand five hundred ninety 3.96 billion).

From 2010 to 2014, the Ministry is said to have spent over Rs. 2,057,760,000 (more than Rs. two billion fifty-seven million seven hundred sixty thousand) on overseas travel.

In 2010 alone, the Ministry had spent a colossal sum of Rs. 309,126,070 (three hundred nine million one hundred twenty-six thousand seventy) on foreign travel while Rs. 14,820,307 (fourteen million eight hundred twenty thousand three hundred seven) had been spent on domestic travelling.

However, according to the documents obtained by The Sunday Leader expenses incurred for foreign travel by the Ministry this year (2015) was only Rs. 199,141,952 (one hundred ninety-nine million one hundred forty-one thousand nine hundred fifty-two) in the first six months, down by Rs. 365,573,661 (three hundred sixty-five million five hundred seventy-three thousand six hundred sixty-one) when compared to the same period of last year.

The Ministry has also managed to reduce transport costs this year to Rs. 66,912,237 (sixty-six million nine hundred twelve thousand two hundred thirty-seven) from Rs. 147,850,075 (one hundred forty-seven million eight hundred fifty thousand seventy-five) in 2014.

Vehicle maintenance costs have also seen a drastic reduction this year in comparison to the previous years.

Courtesy - http://www.thesundayleader.lk

There IS A Difference Between “Due Process Of Law” & “Dereliction Of Duty”

By Emil van der Poorten –September 6, 2015 

Emil van der Poorten

How long the people of this country are going to keep “tightening their belts,” “grinning and bearing” etc. Etc. before there is another explosion like the first Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) uprising of 1971 is anyone’s guess. The fact that such as Rohana Wijeweera’s Che Guevarists could emerge from the ranks of the Rajapaksa Horde shouldn’t be cause for surprise if one were to examine the history of Sri Lanka in the latter part of the 20th century. Any student of that time or even those who were simple onlookers will recall that those who took up arms against the Sirimavo Bandaranaike regime were those, in fact, she had readied to rise against Dudley Senanayake if he had won the 1970 election or had chosen not to hand over power in the event of his defeat. These were to be her storm-troopers in the event of either of those eventualities and I distinctly remember the events after the I970 election,

 particularly since it was my first experience of being politically “targeted.” Given that history, there is every likelihood of the young and disenchanted of this country turning against a United National Party (UNP)-led government that is very obviously playing “footsie” with the Rajapaksa Remnants and from which it is getting more and more difficult to differentiate it. The not-insignificant minority that is still clinging to the MARA satakaya, is, with relatively few exceptions, doing so in the sincere belief that MR is representative of some form of social justice. Every person at the well-attended rallies for MR wasn’t paid for with a “bath packet” and an “arakku bagey.” When that element of the current Rajapaksa supporters realise that MR is part of the problem and certainly not part of the solution, the fun is going to begin! Once the government of the day – United Front for Good Governance – or whatever other multi-initialled conglomeration claims to be in “opposition” to it – is exposed for what it is, they will try to “do something about it!” In fact, the chances are that history will force them into some form of rebellion. The fact that uprisings of that kind were met with ruthless cruelty in the past is not going to be any real deterrent. If one compares the two JVP-led rebellions – that of 1971 and the subsequent one in the mid- to late-eighties – it will be patently obvious that the cruelty, inclusive of the bodies of youth being incinerated on tyre pyres in 1971 did not deter those who took up arms in the subsequent rebellion. In fact, the second time around the JVP gave better than it got in 1971 in the matter of torture and wanton killing of the cruellest kind, by all accounts.                    Read More

Part II – Governance and institutions are needed to check the big government 

One malady which a society should avoid is having a big government which uses scarce resources of a society without giving it back a matching amount of benefits

 Monday, 7 September 2015

In a society of robbers, good governance is robbing
In the previous part published last Monday, it was shown how a society would start decaying when robbers and cheaters are worshipped by everyone as heroes. The good governance in such a society is to rob and cheat others. If someone refrains from cheating and robbing, he is considered as freak or odd. He is condemned and ridiculed as a person who is practising bad governance.

Part II – Governance and Institutions Are Needed to Check the Big Government by Thavam Ratna

How Registration for Motor Vehicles Department has set example for Good Governance?

Sep 06, 2015

The Department of Motor vehicles has become the most corrupt and misappropriated institution within the hundred days of the Good Governance program under an extremely tainted current commissioner of the Department A.H.K Jagath Chandasiri who calls himself as a premier grade bureaucrat in the Sri Lanka civil service. Following are the record braking activities of this latter committed during the last 100 days Good Governance tenure who consider bribe, womanizing and boozing is a privilege given for professional bureaucrats who bluff among the junior workers.

Before falling from the sky and following the Good Governance coming to power the latter was serving as a Director of Customs and an additional secretary to the Public Services Ministry and reported to have taken inducements from businessmen’s and infamous for his lasciviousness in the public administration when offering positions in the public service ministry.

The latter who was a bosom pal of the former secretary to the public service was reported to have fired the former honest Commissioner General Harischandra from his official position with the assistance of his bosom pal.

It has been a common secret within the department the latter in order to sustain his position is giving a large portion of his inducements to the current secretary to the President P.B. Abeykoon, from the total inducements he receives from the vehicle importers from all sections within the department, implying that he has to pay to the minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara.
Until today the department is totally inflicted with illicit vehicle importers and brokers who illegally change vehicle register information’s and due to this the workers are highly displeasured and in spite of fear of losing jobs they remain silence. The Commissioner General is influencing the department in prostitution in order to fulfill the necessities of few illicit businessmen’s such as Vasana Sampath, Dikiri Weva Indika and Prasad of the vehicle importers union.

Currently the RMV is an institution inflicted with large irregularities. The sectional heads of new registrations, car transfer, lorry transfer and technical sections have been subjected to severe hindrance. Notorious corrupt workers have been placed in very central places causing severe hindrance to the genuine company representatives coming to register vehicles. Reports reaching us confirm that extortions have been exercised in all possible means and we are ready to prove this with factual evidence in the coming future.

The Commissioner General has given the car registration section to a shabby person named Bandula Jayasinghe under the Research and Development and below him many irregularities such as creating original registrations from forged papers, registering of cars for motor bike numbers, removing conditions, changing of registration years and changing information’s of registered vehicles are being illegally done for fixed amounts with the help of Rohitha and Iriyagama of the computer and data processing section. Progress of researches would be given by the CID and financial crime investigation unit to the public in the future.

The following are the new services created by this infamous Jagath Chandasiri within the
Registration of Motor Vehicles Department.
1.Registering of vehicles imported without import documents

2.Registering of motor vehicles integrated by parts

3.Originating duplicate registrations.

4.Registration of vehicles which was imported without paying proper import taxes to the customs.

5.Transferring of motor bikes to cars and jeeps.

6.Refurbishing old vehicles (creating forge registration year)

7.Dropping or removing previous owners. (lesser owners)
Except above

1.Lawfully accepting abnormal relationships within the department and personally convincing the Research and Development.

2.Displaying election campaigns of candidates who contest the election in the television meant to give information’s to the public.

3.Giving financial sponsorship to candidates contesting for election.

The news published here has no intention of contemptible to any individual and all information’s has been retrieved by impartial officers within the department and from genuine vehicle importers who fairly import vehicles paying due taxes.

Published by well disposed workers of the RMV and genuine vehicle importers who respect Good Governance

On The Concept Of The ‘Criminal State’

By Surendra Ajit Rupasinghe –September 6, 2015

Ajit Rupasinghe

Recently, there has been some discussion, and even agitation, over the introduction of this concept of ‘the Criminal State’, by Dr. Kumar Rupesinghe. The author’s intention, by expressed design, is to bring out the particular features that distinguished the Lankan State under the previous Rajapaksa regime as being ‘criminal’. That is, a State where the primary means of sustenance of its dominant ruling regime is through the criminalization of politics and the illegal and extra-legal appropriation of public wealth, along with the concentration, centralization and monopolization of state power, greased by astronomical graft, bribery and corruption, as the means of its regeneration and perpetuation.

It is my feeling that this concept would have scientific merit to the extent that it would describe the particular structures, features and functions of the Lankan State, in its most degenerative form yet, under the rule of the Rajapaksa regime. However, the challenge is to demonstrate how this criminal state came into being. What are the historical origins and organic political trajectory that made such a State necessary and possible? What is the political economy that would sustain and regenerate such a State? The criminal State is not some macabre aberration of some terminally demented political forces, whether by Putin in Russia or in Mexico or under Marcos in the Philippines. This ‘criminal’ form of the Capitalist State is NOT some pathological deviation from the path that must now be corrected. Some organic cancer that has to be surgically extracted, so the natural order of things shall survive and thrive. That, now that Mahinda Rajapaksa has been unseated from the emperor’s throne, the Sirisena–Ranil–Chandrika combo would somehow make all things right; It would restore the State into a ‘five-star’ pluralist democracy! That the spirit and essence of good governance – Yahapalanaya– would surely triumph. That would be a most fatal delusion. Already, the promise of Yahapalanaya is ripped apart by the nomination and conferring of ministries to known criminals and street thugs rejected by the people and by swearing in a train of ministers and deputy ministers and district committee chairmen just to keep the new hybrid Comprador Capitalist State and Regime in power. The offering of the post of Opposition Leader to Hon.Sambanthan is merely a sop to appease Geneva and to keep the TNA/ITAK dispensation in line, as a loyal servant of the hegemonic, supremacist, unitary State. The JVP has already been roped in quite willingly as the Chief Opposition Whip to legitimize the game, grease neo-liberal penetration and delude the masses! Loyal servants of Imperialism and neo-colonial subjugation and trusted red-shirted junior partners of the Capitalist State.                     Read More

Sri Lanka would have experienced massive killings if Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to power: Chandrika Kumaratunga 
Mahinda Rajapaksa during his tenure as the President of Sri Lanka ran a police state and if he was successful in returning to power as PM.


By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury- 5 Sep, 2015

NEW DELHI: Mahinda Rajapaksa during his tenure as the President of Sri Lanka ran a police state and if he was successful in returning to power as Prime Minister in recent parliamentary polls the country would have experienced massive killings of innocents, according to Chandrika Kumaratunga, former President of the island nation.

Kumarantunga, who played a key role in unseating Rajapaksa in last January's Presidential polls, announced on Saturday that her visit to India would be followed by that of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremansinghe on Sep 15 as his maiden visit abroad since reelection.

Talking to a select group of journalists here Kumaratunga, however, warned that Rajapaksa who muzzled voices of Sinhalas and Tamils during his decade-long-rule has not given dream of returning to power. "His primary aim of returning to power is to ensure that corruption charges are not pressed against him," noted the former President who was in Delhi to participate in the just concluded Hindu-Buddhist conference organized by the Vivekananda International Foundation.

Asserting that role and preeminence of India in the region cannot be wished away, fiery Lankan politician pointed out that Rajapaksa had supposedly tried to balance India in her country by promoting other powers. "But India is special to Sri Lanka and we need Indian support in form of investments among other things. India's role in South Asia has been acknowledged globally. Its strategic position cannot be undermined," noted the former President who was instrumental in bringing anti-Rajapaksa faction in Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and opposition United National Party to jointly oppose the common enemy - Mahinda Rajapaksa.

She admitted that the Chinese funded projects in Sri Lanka had incurred huge debts on Colombo as the cost of such projects were high due to commissions paid to the Rajapaksa regime.

Dismissing Rajapaksa's claim of India's hand in his defeat in Presidential polls last January, she said that the former head of state was looking for scapegoats after he was voted out of power. "The people of Sri Lanka can manage their democracy on their own."

Recalling the process that ousted Rajapaksa from power Kumaratunga informed that protests were launched by the civil society two years ago and there was demand that she take the lead in ousting the tyrant regime. "Rajapaksa created enormous hurdles in this journey and even did not allow any SLFP leaders or Ministers to meet me. But as demands grew for an alternate leader I zeroed on Maithiripala Sirisena who has a clean image among the SLFP leadership. I also got in touch with Opposition leader Ranil Wickremansinghe and the common enemy brought us together," recounted the former two-time President as she did not rule out possibility of returning to active politics at a later stage.

On the issue of reconciliation with the Tamil minorities Kumaratunga, who is also the chairman of the national reconciliation commission noted that the period provides golden opportunity to address the issue permanently. "We are working towards handing over land back to Tamils, addressing the disappearance issue and devolution package. India understandably has a dynamic role to play in this process," she said, adding that both sides are responsible for the fishermen impasse and need to address the issue earnestly.