UK welcomes UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on Sri Lanka

GOV.UK16 September 2015

Hugo Swire welcomed the publication of the report from the investigation on Sri Lanka by the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR).

The United Kingdom co-sponsored the resolution in March 2014 that called for the OHCHR’s investigation.

Minister for Asia, Hugo Swire said:

I welcome the publication of this important report into allegations of serious violations and abuses of human rights in Sri Lanka. I am grateful to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, his staff and all who contributed, for the work that went into producing it. The UK has been a strong advocate for the UN’s investigation and was instrumental in securing the resolution that mandated it. We believe it is vital that the legacy of the conflict in Sri Lanka is properly addressed, to allow the country to fulfil its huge potential.

We will study the report’s recommendations closely, and we look forward to working with Sri Lanka and other partners at the UN Human Rights Council in response to it. We hope that we can agree a consensual resolution that will help to address the issues of the past and deliver lasting peace and prosperity for all Sri Lankans.

Further information

You can find the OHCHR report on Sri Lanka online.

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War crimes in Sri Lanka: Tamil Nadu assembly passes resolution

Tamil Nadu assembly passes resolution on war crimes in Sri Lanka

B Sivakumar & Julie Mariappan,TNN | Sep 16, 2015,

CHENNAI: On the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) presenting its report on the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka during the final phase of the Eelam war in 2009, the Tamil Nadu assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking India to use its diplomatic efforts and prevent the US from taking a possible pro-Lanka stand.

"The Tamil Nadu assembly requests the Government of India that if the US takes a stand supportive of Sri Lanka (at the UNHRC), then India must take diplomatic efforts to change that," said the resolution.

The resolution comes a day after India and Sri Lanka decided to renew efforts to address the ethnic issue. The resolution was moved by chief minister J Jayalalithaa with all parties seconding it.

The Tamil Nadu stepped up pressure on the Modi government for an international probe against alleged human rights violations and war crimes committed in 2009 in Northern Sri Lanka.

The government referred to reports that the US, which had earlier favoured an international probe into the alleged human rights violations and war crimes, has now altered its stand and is likely to settle for an internal truth and reconciliation commission.

"The US has now reportedly proposed internal probe by Colombo at the UNHRC and that it was against natural justice. India by itself should move a strong resolution at the UNHRC along with the US seeking an international probe against those who had committed human rights violations and war crimes in contravention to the international rules and conventions," Jayalalithaa said before moving the resolution.

Jayalalithaa recalled the earlier resolutions passed in the assembly seeking to stop treating Sri Lanka as a 'friendly nation' in the context of the alleged atrocities on ethnic Tamils in the final stages of war.

She also said the state government had demanded that India boycott a meeting of Heads of Commonwealth nations held in Sri Lanka in 2013. She said the government had insisted that it would not allow Sri Lankan players and officials to participate in IPL matches scheduled in Chennai, which was duly followed by the BCCI.

Opposition parties, including the DMK, welcomed the resolution. "This is a timely resolution," DMK senior leader Durai Murugan said.

Later in the evening, Jayalalithaa shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to take immediate action on the basis of the resolution adopted unanimously in the assembly. 

Jayalalithaa said, "You are aware of the ethnic pogrom and genocide of Sri Lankan Tamils in the closing stage of the civil war in Sri Lanka. The report of the inquiry of the UN high commissioner for human rights will be tabled in the current session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The resolution on the subject will be discussed on October 1 and 2." 

In the face of the overwhelming public opinion, the Tamil Nadu assembly had debated the matter at length and passed a resolution strongly urging the Centre to take necessary action to pass a resolution in the UNHRC in Geneva to have an international inquiry into the instances of war crimes and violations of the Geneva conventions at the closing stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka, the chief minister said. 

SL reaffirms in Geneva its commitment to abolishing capital punishment

President under pressure to have killers of children hanged

By Shamindra Ferdinando-September 15, 2015, 9:39 pm 

Amidst calls for the re-implementation of the death penalty in the wake of a five-year-old girl being sexually abused and strangled to death at Kotadeniyawa, the government of Sri Lanka has assured the international community of its intention to abolish death penalty.

Last judicial execution took place in 1976.

On behalf of the Maithripala Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera told Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that Sri Lanka would maintain the moratorium on the death penalty leading to its eventual abolition. Minister Samaraweera was participating in the general debate of the 30th Geneva session on Monday (Sept.14).

The assurance was in accordance with an understanding between Sri Lanka, beginning with Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s presidency and the European Union.

Villagers launched protests demanding death penalty for the perpetrators of Kotadeniyawa child killing. Some protestors demanded the guilty being hanged outside Negombo hospital where the post-mortem conducted by the Negombo Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) on Seya Sadewmi Bakmeedeniya of Akkarangaha, Kotadeniyawa revealed that she had been sexually abused and throttled.

Well informed sources told The Island that the EU had told successive governments that judicial executions shouldn’t be resumed under any circumstance. Since the change of government in January, President Maithripala Sirisena and Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe publicly declared their readiness to resume judicial executions.

Senior university lecturer Ven. Dambara Amila urged President Maithripala Sirisena to execute at least child murderers at a state function held under the President’s patronage. The appeal was made at the 151 Anagarika Dharmapala commemorations at Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya, on Monday. Ven. Amila affiliated to the JVP said that the government couldn’t turn a blind eye to Kotadeniyawa killing.

The five-year-old victim’s father is also a prime suspect in the killing.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, too, refrained from resuming judicial executions though some clamoured for immediate implementation of death penalty.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on three separate occasions before the Parliamentary Elections in April 2004 announced that she would resume judicial executions though her threat was never carried out.

The pledge to implement the death penalty in the aftermath of High Court Judge Ambepitiya’s assassination was the fourth instance since Parliament, in1995, adopted a private member’s motion by the then PA MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra calling for the immediate implementation of capital punishment.

Pakistan lifted moratorium on death penalty in the wake of a terrorist suicide attack on a school in spite of strong objections from the EU last year. Pakistan ignored EU’s demand to halt judicial executions. Pakistan suspended judicial executions in 2008.

Brigadier who shot people on orders from Rajapaksas return

WEDNESDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 2015

Brig. Deshapriya Gunawardene accused of giving orders, on directions from Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, to shoot people at Rathupaswala, who agitated demanding clean drinking water, returned to Sri Lanka via Katunayaka International Airport yesterday (15th). A protest was held opposite the main entrance of Katunayaka Airport yesterday against his arrival.

After the shooting that killed three unarmed persons, the Brigadier, who was accused of giving the orders to shoot, was presented with a diplomatic position in Turkey by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He returned to Sri Lanka after three years.

Residents of Rathupaswala, including those who were disabled due to the shooting, carried out the agitation at KIA yesterday. Ven. Theripaha Siridhdamma Thero. Who gave leadership to the agitation at Rathupaswala, joined the agitation and demanded that the Brigadier who ordered the shooting should be arrested and demanded that the President should take measures to hold a comprehensive investigation regarding the brutal attack on unarmed people at Rathupaswsala.Two school children and a youth were killed and a large number of persons were disabled due to the shooting at Rathupaswala.

Roshen Chanaka was killed when police opened fire at a peaceful agitation held by employees of Katunayaka Industrial Zone. IGP Mahinda Balasooriya who accepted responsibility for the shooting resigned from his post but President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed him as an ambassador. Later, when the Ministry of Law and Order was established Mahinda Balasooriya was made to resign from the diplomatic position and was appointed as the secretary of the new ministry. During the presidential election he was deployed for Mahinda Rajapaka’s election campaign.

FCID and Corruption Cases - The latest

Sep 16, 2015

The FCID has done its duty and now it is a Judicial matter. Corruption at its peak during MRs Regime as summarized hereunder, not dealt by the main media outfits then are 

1. Case No. 474/2015 at Fort M.C. dealing with Hedging Fund and involving A.N.Cabraal, PB Jayasuendra, A de Mel, L.Karunaratne (Rs.200-700 Million )

 2. Case No. 24327/2015 at Chief M.C.(3) In the matter of Lanka Hospital shares and connected to G. Rajapakse, Roshini ,Cabraal, N.Godahewa, D.Jayaweera, M. Medihewa, W.Amunugamuwa, D.P.Y. Wijesinghe. (Rs. 600 million)

 3. B26907/3/15 at Colombo M.C re Housing deals connected with W.Weerawansa,B.K.J.K.Perera.
 4. B/40/2015 at Kaduwella M.C. re Land purchases, involving Mrs. W.Weerawansa, C.S.Ranasinhe.

5. B323/15 in Tangalle M.C. about Carlton Pre-school construction involving State Eng. Corporation Staff (Rs. 35 million)

6. 8674/15 in Pugoda M.C. re Development works, involving B.Rajapakse, N. Thirukumar

7. B22467/1/15 at Colombo Chief M.C. re Money Laundering by M. Aluthgamage (Rs. 3 – 27 million)

8. B22468/1/15 in Colombo Chief M.C. on Wealth acquired of Dr.P.B. Wickrema.

9. B25389/1/15 at Colombo C.M.Court re Money Laundering by G.Senarath.

10. B25166/3/15 at Colombo Ch M.C. Teleshan TV Network with A.Pilapita S.Wickremasinghe, and Sil Reddi with L.Weeratunga and Ven.V.Somananda Thero.

11. B9825/15 at Kaduwela M.C. re CSN Channel involving ITN Directorate & Staff.

12. B35/15 at Kaduwela M.C. re ownership of Marriot Hotel in Dubai with N.Lokuwitharne and M.Rajapakse ( Rs. 48 to 190 million)

13. B27453/1/15 at Hultsdorf M.C. about Lanka Logistics Arms importing connected to G.Rajapakse, P.B.Jayasundera, Mohan Peiris, J.Wickremasinghe.

14. B/663/15 at Fort M.C. on Bank of Ceylon, Seychelles by M. Rajapakse & family

15. Greek Bonds purchase with names of Cabraal & Rajapakse in Petition Colombo M.C of 15.8.15 involving Rs. 1257 million

16. Sajin Vass Gunewardena in abuse of Public property, at Fort Magistrate Court, remanded since May, 2015. Also at Bribery Com. for questionable Assets.

17. Petition accepted in Supreme Court on 6.8.15 re Vehicle Permits abuse

18. Case No. 50/10 at High Courts, Kandy: Captain Wickremasinghe`s activity in Giritale Army Camp re Torture Chambers – under G. Rajapakse`s directions?

President’s International Media Point Man Speechless On Nepotism Charge

September 16, 2015 

Harindra B. Dassanayake, President Maithripala Sirisena’s spokesperson with respect to international media refused to respond to questions put to him regarding the President’s daughter Chathurika Srisena arrogating her father’s powers as well as the charge that this was a case of nepotism and abuse of authority.

Colombo Telegraph wrote to Dassanayake on the 8th of September seeking clarification on the President’s daughter getting state officials to accompany her on a supposedly fact-finding mission. She clearly statedthat she had deliberately brought officials so that the problems of the people could be attended to.

Since there was no response from Dassanayake, a reminder was sent on the 10th of September to which he replied as follows: “was away from office. Will get back to you tomorrow. delay regretted.”

As there was no communication, Colombo Telegraph once again wrote to Dassanayake yesterday. The following was his response;

“Of course you need an answer. However, in my official capacity, I represent the President and therefore, I am not in a position to give you the answer you need.

Best Regards

Harindra”

This is an issue that directly concerns President Maithripala Sirisena and therefore Colombo Telegraph is at a loss to understand how Dassanayake, even as he admits that he represents the President, believes that for this very reason he is ‘not in a position to answer’.         Read More

For The Love Of Humanity

By Thisuri Wanniarachchi –September 15, 2015 

Thisuri Wanniarachchi

The purpose of this article is not to lay out my political beliefs, to brag about my liberal values or to simply appear above the fray. In an age in which we constantly contradict our democratic beliefs and our personal sentiments, this was written purely for the love of humanity, which we sometimes disregard, in our search for justice.

Whenever a hate crime (murder, rape etc) that gets considerable media attention surfaces, it has been a trend in our society to lash out with demands to restore the death penalty. Although I have trouble understanding the logic in anyone who supports the death penalty, since it produces no positive outcome, I do understand the causes behind such an extreme demand. It is a demand heavily induced by anger; a justified anger. The anger, however is a temporary emotion. Similarly the death penalty, is a temporary solution to the larger problem that A Grade crimes represent. It is only impractical that we let our temporary emotions be reflected in the law of the state. Instead we must look for sustainable solutions to the causes of the crimes.

Law, to me, is a scale of liberty. Yes, punishment must match the crime, but the variables used to equalize the weights on both sides of the scale have to be variables that we can define. How can we define death if we have not yet experienced it ourselves? What gives us the liberty to assign a punishment of which the boundaries, or depth we cannot define?                                                               Read More

British jihadis in Bangladesh fanning flames of extremism, says Dhaka

Bangladeshi prime minister urges action to tackle recruiters from UK Bengali diaspora communities, as extremist groups, including Isis, gain support

 Protest by supporters of Bangladesh’s leading Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, turned violent after the execution of its leader Abdul Quader Mollah in 2013. Photograph: Andrew Biraj/Reuters

Simon Tisdall and Anna Ridout in Dhaka-Wednesday 16 September 2015

The prime minister of Bangladesh has warned David Cameron that he needs to do more to combat radicalism amid concerns that British jihadis are fuelling a rise in extremism in the world’s third most populous Muslim nation.

British Jihadis in Bangladesh Fanning Flames of Extremism, Says Dhaka by Thavam Ratna

Why have the killers of Sabra and Shatila escaped justice?

A Palestinian woman carries a portrait of a loved one who was killed during the Sabra and Shatila massacre during a 2010 commemoration.

 Sharif KarimReuters

Ellen Siegel during a 2012 commemoration of the Sabra and Shatila massacre.

Zeina Azzam The Electronic Intifada 15 September 2015

One of Israel’s most infamous crimes occurred 33 years ago this week.

In September 1982, the Israeli army surrounded the Sabra neighborhood and adjacent Shatila refugee camp in southern Beirut.

Israel gave its allies in a right-wing Christian militia known as the Phalange free rein to massacre a large number of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians living in the area. Israeli troops even shot flares into the night sky to help the Phalangists find their targets.

Why Have the Killers of Sabra and Shatila Escaped Justice by Thavam Ratna

US confirms special forces on ground in Syria aiding Kurds 

A fighter from the Kurdish People Protection Unit (YPG) uses binoculars on the front line in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh last week (AFP) 

Wednesday 16 September 2015
Defence officials have confirmed that US forces are aiding Kurds fighting IS

US special operations forces are on the ground in Syria assisting Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State, the head of the US military's Central Command reportedly told a Senate committee on Wednesday.

General Lloyd Austin revealed to the Senate Armed Services Committee that US Special Operations Forces are "engaged with YPG" Kurdish forces in the war-torn country, NBC reported.

Austin said that the special operations team was there to "advise and assist" and that they were "not engaged in any combat operations".

Kurdish fighters in the People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria have been at the forefront of the fight against IS and now autonomously control a vast swathe of territory captured from the group and Syrian government.

The news is likely to complicate relations with US ally Turkey, who is currently engaged in a conflict with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), who are ideologically and strategically aligned with the YPG in Syria.

During the hearing, Austin also said that "appropriate action" would be taken if an investigation revealed to be true allegations that intelligence reports had been exaggerated to make it look as though progress against IS had been more successful than it had been.

An investigation was launched after an intelligence officer in Central Command lodged a complaint in July.

"Published media reports suggest that the CIA's estimate of ISIL's manpower has remained constant, despite U.S. airstrikes-which suggests that either they were wrong to begin with, or that ISIL is replacing its losses in real time. Neither is good," said committee chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

"Indeed, this committee is disturbed by recent whistleblower allegations that officials at Central Command skewed intelligence assessments to paint an overly-positive picture of conditions on the ground," he added.

'Boots on the ground'

Though US President Barack Obama has previously pledged there would be no "boots on the ground" in Syria, US forces have carried out a number of targetted operations in the country.

In May, a US special forces team carried out its first publicly admitted ground operation against IS in Syria, reportedly killing Abu Sayyaf, a senior IS commander who helped direct direct oil, gas and financial operations.

During the operation, the US claimed it had captured "reams of data on how ISIS operates, communicates and earns its money".

An earlier operation had also been carried out in summer 2014, in which US special forces reportedly attempted to free captured American journalist James Foley who was being held by IS.

They confirmed that they had engaged IS militants during the operation - which ultimately failed - but an official assessed that they "did not know who they were fighting that night".

A document from the security company Stratfor released by WikiLeaks in 2011 suggested that there had potentially been US special forces on the ground in Syria since 2011.

A security analyst from Stratfor says, in an email, that after talking with Pentagon officials they "said without saying that SOF teams (presumably from US, UK, France, Jordan, Turkey) are already on the ground focused on recce missions and training opposition forces."

Refugees find paths around Hungary amid clashes on blocked border

Hungarian police said a group of "aggressive" asylum-seekers had broken through a border gate from Serbia on Sept. 16 and were confronted by lines of riot police. The police responded by firing tear gas and water cannon at them. (Reuters)

By William Booth-September 16

TOVARNIK, Croatia —Refugees carved a new pathway through Europe on Wednesday, with hundreds walking through cornfields to reach welcoming Croatia even as others faced tear gas and water cannons from Hungarian police determined to turn them away.

Refugees Find Paths Around Hungary Amid Clashes on Blocked Border by Thavam Ratna

New Nigerian President, Same Old Problems

Muhammadu Buhari talks a good game, but he’s already resurrecting the transactional, ethnic politics of his predecessors.

BY AMETO AKPE-SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

The dust has finally begun to settle. For Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, it was pixie dust, which enveloped and elevated him, along with the entire country, into an epic global spotlight that is only now starting to recede. The March 2015 presidential election marked the first time in Nigeria’s history that the ruling party stepped aside for the opposition, a story that graced the front pages and airwaves of major media outlets the world over. Buhari’s victory was framed as a new dawn for Africa’s wealthiest and most populous nation — a nation whose failure to curb widespread corruption and insecurity has been consistently blamed on the absence of strong leadership.

A little more than three months into Buhari’s presidency, it is still too early to say for sure what direction his administration is driving Nigeria. What everyone seems to agree on, however, is that he’s driving too slowly. Initial efforts to sanitize the oil industry and deal with pervasive insecurity suggest that the president is at least still focused on pursing his main campaign promises. But the economy is in trouble, the ruling party is split into warring factions, and tribal tensions are brewing. If the first problem was inherited, the second two are at least partly of Buhari’s own making; his early personnel decisions have revealed that he is not entirely above the kind of transactional politics and ethnic favoritism that have been the hallmarks of previous Nigerian governments.

One of the president’s first orders of business was tackling the terrorist threat that contributed in no small part to his predecessor’s undoing. The Nigerian army’s headquarters was moved to Maiduguri, a Boko Haram stronghold in the northeast of the country, and the military’s top commanders were replaced — changes that some argue have helped turn the tide against the brutal insurgency. And there have been other encouraging developments: Better intelligence has helped the military foil potential terrorist attacks, rescue some of the civilians kidnapped by the terrorist group, and destroy a major bomb-making facility. Meanwhile, a five-nation regional coalition headed by Nigeria has succeeded in retaking territory previously controlled by Boko Haram.

Despite winning the new president plaudits, however, these achievements have done little to root out Boko Haram fighters and end the group’s reign of terror in the northeast. So far under Buhari’s watch, the body count has continued to rise, despite continued assurances that the military is wining. At least 1,000 people have reportedly lost their lives in terrorist attacks since the president took office in May, according to the Council on Foreign Relations’ Nigeria Security Tracker. Meanwhile, many of the individuals captured by the army on suspicion of being Boko Haram militants have ended up having no affiliation with the terrorist group. The military has alsocome under fire for massive human rights abuses, straining relations with Nigeria’s international partners.

Buhari’s efforts to rout out corruption have also been a mixed bag so far. In August, the president appointed a new management team for the oil industry, which reportedly loses billions of dollars annually to fraud, theft, and mismanagement. Recouping these losses would give the government a much needed revenue boost and stimulate the Nigerian economy. Yet the new administration has yet to articulate a clear economic and financial policy, a shortcoming that some analysts have attributed to Buhari’s delay in appointing a cabinet. For his part, the president claims he is still searching for men and women worthy of ministerial posts, a task he has described as difficult because so many qualified Nigerians have been “compromised.” “We have people, educated and experienced people, but everybody seems to be working for himself on how much they could get away with as soon as possible,” Buhari said in July.

This excuse has met with mixed reactions from a populace that is already impatient with Buhari’s delays, and could very well cause the president some serious political headaches if he fails to identify some “uncompromised” individuals soon. Not only have his comments had the unfortunate effect of reinforcing the global misconception that Nigerians are mostly crooked, but the president has also set his potential cabinet picks up for an unprecedented degree of scrutiny from the opposition, which will be all too happy to point out when these officials fall short of the gold standard set by Buhari. As a result, the president’s appointees may end up spending more time defending their integrity than pursuing the crucial task of moving Nigeria forward.

Where Buhari has made appointments, he seems to be courting another source of trouble: charges of regional and ethnic favoritism. Key government positions — including the administrative head of the Treasury, the chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the head of the Department of Petroleum Resources — have gone mostly to individuals who, like the president, are northern and Muslim. So far, of the 25 federal appointments he has announced since taking office, only 6 have gone to people who are Southern and/or Christian. In a country where ethnic tensions are always close to the surface, reactions have been predictably explosive. In southeastern Nigeria, the region that sparked the Biafran war in the late 1960s, calls for secession have again intensified as a result of Buhari’s perceived regional bias.

The president’s own rationalization for appointing more northerners has done little to assuage such fears. In a recent interview with the BBC’s Hausa-language service, Buhari admitted that his appointment choices had been doled out as rewards to those who stuck with him through the tough times, noting that this was the nature of Nigerian politics. “I have been with them throughout our trying times. What then is the reward of such dedication and suffering?” he said. The president was not wrong about the transactional nature of the system, but many were surprised to hear him explicitly endorse it after vowing to change the culture of nepotism that plagues every sector of Nigeria’s government. Buhari swept into power with lofty promises to clean up the country’s corrupt political system. How could it be that he was already contributing to the mess?

Buhari’s no-nonsense demeanor and claims to the contrary notwithstanding, it seems that his presidency will likely feature a lot of business-as-usual. And while he has promised to unveil a cabinet before the end of September — laid out like some sort of early birthday present ahead of the country’s 55th Independence Day celebration on Oct. 1 — his delays and willingness to dabble in cronyism may have already squandered the wave of goodwill and optimism that accompanied his election.

Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images

India awards 10 permits to create small banks to help businesses

A money lender counts Indian rupee currency notes at his shop in Ahmedabad, India, May 6, 2015.

 

Wed Sep 16, 2015
The Reserve Bank of India said on Wednesday it has selected 10 financial institutions to set up separate small banks to lend to small businesses and farmers, who typically struggle to get funding from traditional lenders.

Private-equity backed Ujjivan Financial Services Pvt Ltd and Janalakshmi Financial Services Pvt Ltd were among the 10 granted approval to seek one of the niche small finance bank licences. Most of the others were microfinance companies that already make small loans to businesses and farmers.

Nearly half the population of India, Asia's third-largest economy, did not have a bank account before a government programme led to millions of new accounts this year.

More than 100 million people in the country work at small businesses but only about 4 percent of small businesses have access to institutional finance.

Setting up small banks will enable microfinance firms to increase their loan ticket size although they must ensure that half of their loan book constitutes loans of not more than 2.5 million rupees ($37,700).

Existing non-bank finance companies, local area banks and micro-finance institutions were eligible to apply for the permits and 72 submitted applications.

The winners will in future be able to become fully fledged banks depending on their performance and if they comply with rules for banks, the RBI has said, although the transition will not be automatic.

Janalakshmi's investors include Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia and TPG, while Sequoia Capital and the World Bank arm IFC are investors in Ujjivan.

The other institutions selected for small bank permits included Au Financiers (India) Ltd, Capital Local Area Bank Ltd and Disha Microfin Pvt Ltd.

In a separate process, last month, the RBI had named 11 companies to set up payments banks that can take deposits and remittances but cannot lend. Big telecom carriers andReliance Industries, controlled by India's richest man, were among those selected for the payments bank permits.

($1 = 66.3234 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Susan Fenton)

Indian hospitals warned not to turn away dengue patients

A woman covers her face as a municipal worker fumigates a residential area to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015. New Delhi has been hit by an outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease, dengue fever. Nearly 1,900 cases have been recorded in the city's hospitals.(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

NIRMALA GEORGE, The Associated Press-September 16, 2015, 
NEW DELHI (AP) — As India’s capital struggles with its worst outbreak of dengue fever in five years, officials threatened Wednesday to cancel private hospitals’ licenses if they turn away patients.

More than 11 people have died from the mosquito-borne disease in New Delhi this year and about 1,900 cases have been recorded at city hospitals.

The families of two young boys said they succumbed after being repeatedly denied treatment. The parents of one of the boys — an only child — reportedly killed themselves when he passed away after being rejected at five hospitals.

“No patient arriving at a hospital with dengue should be turned away,” Health Minister Satyendra Jain told reporters.

He said he has ordered private hospitals in the capital to hire more doctors and increase the number of beds available for dengue patients. Hospitals have reported a shortage of beds and staff as they try to cope with the throngs of patients.

Dengue’s symptoms include severe muscle and joint pain, high fever and rash. Its most acute forms can cause internal bleeding and death.

In many state-run hospitals, two patients were sharing each bed.

“There are 20,000 beds available. And we will increase the number of hospital beds by another 1,000 by this weekend,” Jain said.

The health minister tried to calm people’s fears that the outbreak was spreading rapidly, with more than 600 cases reported last week alone.

“It is not an epidemic. But people are panicking,” Jain said.

Jain and New Delhi’s top elected official, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, have made “surprise”

visits of government and private hospitals to check on their preparedness to deal with the outbreak.

State-run hospitals have canceled vacations for doctors and ordered them back to work.

The city government has also ordered laboratories to cap the cost of dengue fever tests at 600 rupees ($10) to prevent them from charging exorbitant fees.

Jain also advised people with milder forms of dengue to consult doctors, but to stay at home instead of adding to the burden of overstretched hospitals.

Teams of workers have fanned out across the city to spray insecticides on stagnant water collecting in puddles after recent monsoon rains.

Dengue is often seen as an urban disease with mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water. Outbreaks are reported every year after the monsoon season that runs from June to September. However, this year’s outbreak has been described as the worst in five years.