Activists call for harsher penalties as haze shuts schools in Singapore

Tourists are silhouetted against Singapore’s popular tourist destination, Sentosa, seen through a blanket of haze, Thursday. Pic: AP.

By Kyle Lawrence Mullin Sep 25, 2015

The choking haze over Singapore forced the government to shut schools Friday, as activists and parents called for action on the smog that continues to bring air pollution in the city-state to hazardous levels.

Activists Call for Harsher Penalties as Haze Shuts Schools in Singapore by Thavam Ratna

Industrial farming is one of the worst crimes in history

The fate of industrially farmed animals is one of the most pressing ethical questions of our time. Tens of billions of sentient beings, each with complex sensations and emotions, live and die on a production line
‘The march of human progress is strewn with dead animals.’ Photograph: John Eveson/Rex

Broiler chickens, which are reared specifically for their meat, often suffer lameness due to overcrowding. Photograph: PA

Yuval Noah Harari-Friday 25 September 2015

Animals are the main victims of history, and the treatment of domesticated animals in industrial farms is perhaps the worst crime in history. The march of human progress is strewn with dead animals. Even tens of thousands of years ago, our stone age ancestors were already responsible for a series of ecological disasters. When the first humans reached Australia about 45,000 years ago, they quickly drove to extinction 90% of its large animals. This was the first significant impact that Homo sapiens had on the planet’s ecosystem. It was not the last.

Industrial Farming is One of the Worst Crimes in History by Thavam Ratna

Novartis' new heart drug on track for approval in Europe

A Novartis logo is pictured on its headquarters building in Mumbai April 1, 2013.Novartis AG's new heart failure drug 

Health | Fri Sep 25, 2015

Entresto is on track to be approved for use in Europe by the end of the year after it received the backing of EU regulators, the company said on Friday.

Entresto, also known as LCZ696, is the first new drug in decades for helping patients whose lives are in danger because their hearts cannot pump blood efficiently. Analysts estimate it could have annual sales of some $4.4 billion by 2020.

Basel-based Novartis said it is waiting for final approval from the European Commission before setting a price for the drug.

"Prices in countries in Europe will be confirmed after EC approval and will be determined according to local pricing and reimbursement regulations, submissions and evaluation processes," Novartis spokesman Dermot Doherty said in an email.

Entresto won approval in Switzerland last week and got a green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July.

Pending final approval by the European Commission, Entresto will be available for the treatment of adult patients with

symptomatic chronic reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the company said.

In trials, Entresto showed that it reduced the risk of cardiovascular death and first-time hospitalizations due to heart failure by a fifth over a widely used generic medicine.

Novartis shares were up 3.85 percent by 1020 GMT (6:20 a.m. EDT), outpacing rival Roche's 2.45 percent gain in a broadly firmer Swiss stock market.

"This is good news," Bank Vontobel analyst Stefan Schneider said in a note to investors. He said it was widely expected by the market after trials that showed the drug cut the risk of death by 20 percent. Schneider anticipates European Commission approval by year-end.

Novartis is looking to Entresto to help revive its fortunes in heart medicine as the blood pressure pill Diovan - a major source of the company's profits in the past - faces competition from generics.

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi and John Miller; Editing by Anupama Dwivedi and Jane Merriman)

Consensus Reached; Joint Resolution On Sri Lanka Tabled at HRC 30 Last Minute

24/09/2015

Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to continue to assess progress on the implementation of OHCHR’s recommendations and other relevant processes related to reconciliation, accountability, and human rights; to present an oral update to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-second session, and a comprehensive report followed by discussion on the implementation of the present resolution at its thirty-fourth session;
Encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to continue to cooperate with special procedures mandate holders, including responding formally to outstanding requests;

Consensus Reached; Joint Resolution on Sri Lanka Tabled at HRC 30 Last Minute by Thavam Ratna

Mending fences with Sri Lanka

Better chances Of riding out past storms V Sudershan

In Ranil Wickremesinghe, New Delhi finds a willing dialogue partner, unlike the aggressive Mahinda Rajapaksa

G PARTHASARATHY

September 23, 2015:  

Sri Lanka’s recently elected prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, received a warm welcome in New Delhi. He has long been regarded as a friendly statesman, sensitive to India’s national security interests. He had also shown courage in seeking to build bridges with the estranged Tamil minority in the island’s northern and eastern provinces.

During his second tenure as prime minister, Wickremesinghe concluded a ceasefire agreement and commenced negotiations with the LTTE, which were called off by Velupillai Prabhakaran, who appeared determined to undertake a fight to the finish. This decision by Prabhakaran was suicidal. It ultimately led to the defeat of the LTTE and his own elimination in a bloody conflict, which pitted him against the no less determined and single-minded president, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Ruthless Rajapaksa

Ecstatic over his victory in the bloody ethnic conflict, which was marked by excesses on both sides, Rajapaksa was swept back to power. He then chose to act like a triumphant victor, bent on denying justice and the promised devolution of powers to the hapless Tamils.

This was accompanied by a streak of ruthlessness, by which the Rajapaksa family suppressed and even allegedly eliminated the opposition while amassing wealth, in the belief that “victory” in the ethnic conflict guaranteed them a virtually endless term in office. Rajapaksa seemed to have forgotten that the political fruits of victory in battle are often short-lived. Winston Churchill was unceremoniously unseated in elections immediately after World War 2. The Democratic Party led by presidents Roosevelt and Truman likewise lost the elections to a Republican, Dwight Eisenhower. Josef Stalin became a hated non entity after he died, less than a decade after the end of World War 2!

Rajapaksa’s authoritarianism led to the covert forging of an alliance between his own party, the SLFP, led by erstwhile colleagues Maithripala Sirisena and former president, Chandrika Kumaratunga, on the one hand, and his arch rival, Ranil Wickremesinghe, on the other. Not only was the seemingly invincible Rajapaksa defeated in his bid for another term as president, he was also checkmated by the alliance between his own SLFP and the opposition UNP, in his bid to become prime minister following the recent elections.

There are indications he may face judicial proceedings on charges of corruption and abuse of power. But the ruling dispensation will do well to remember that the wheels of fortune change rapidly in politics. Churchill soon returned to power in the UK and Indira Gandhi, victorious in the Bangladesh conflict, was defeated in 1977, only to return to power in 1980!

The election of Sirisena as president and the formation of a national government of both major parties, led by Wickremesinghe, have predictably been welcomed in New Delhi.

While India backed Rajapaksa in his war against the LTTE, it soon found that he had no intention of keeping his word on devolution of powers to the Tamil-dominated areas of Sri Lanka. Moreover, his erosion of democratic freedoms and his growing closeness to China set alarm bells ringing. The die was cast when two Chinese submarines berthed in Colombo, despite expressions of concern from South Block. Rajapaksa’s actions not only raised hackles in New Delhi, they also evoked concerns in Washington and Tokyo. There is confidence in New Delhi that Colombo, under the new dispensation, will tread more carefully on issues of security concern to India.

The UN report

The recent report of the UN commissioner on human rights, calling for an international judicial tribunal and for an intrusive international say in the investigation and prosecution for alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, is going to pose diplomatic and domestic challenges for New Delhi. This report has come alongside demands in Tamil Nadu for an international trial of all those accused of human rights violations during the last years of the ethnic conflict.

The Sinhala majority in Sri Lanka will reject any such resolution. New Delhi will have to deal dexterously with this issue, noting that the aim should be to promote reconciliation and not widen the ethnic divide. Steps will have to be devised to ensure that the UN Human Rights Commission comes up with proposals that are not internationally intrusive, but ensure a credible investigation and fair trial of those charged with excesses. Unlike in the recent past, the US and its EU partners are well disposed to the government in Colombo and would not want it to be destabilised.

India’s total assistance to Sri Lanka now totals $2.6 billion. It is predominantly Indian assistance, which includes the construction of 50,000 houses, that has helped get displaced Tamils resettled. Indian private investment in Sri Lanka now exceeds $1 billion, with projects identified for doubling this amount.

In overall terms, the projected investment of $4.6 billion by India compares favourably with the total Chinese investment of around $5 billion. Moreover, Chinese projects, with exorbitant interest rates, are now being largely seen as white elephants.

The much-touted warehouse built by the Chinese in Rajapaksa’s constituency at Hambantota is now being used to store paddy. The Sri Lankan government will also look very carefully at the much-advertised Colombo port city project before it is cleared. The project involves long lease of 108 hectares of land adjacent to the strategically located capital, to the Chinese.

Sympathetic dispensation

The new dispensation in Colombo will be more sensitive to India’s security concerns than the Rajapaksa government. We will also see greater economic involvement by Japan, the US and its European allies in Sri Lanka.

It would be appropriate if President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe fulfil past Sri Lankan assurances on devolution of powers to the Tamils. Both sides recognise that with marine resources fast depleting in the Palk Strait, Tamil fishermen on both sides will have to be facilitated, with the help of multilateral financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, to undertake deep-sea fishing.

The India-Sri Lanka partnership can play a crucial role in fostering mutual confidence, friendship and cooperation, both bilaterally and across the entire Indian Ocean region.

It would be natural for this to happen, given the shared cultural and spiritual ties that have historically linked the two countries.

The writer is a former High Commissioner to Pakistan

(This article was published on September 23, 2015)

Is the Government afraid of “Sinhala” racists or is it racist too?

• by Kusal Perera 
• - on 09/24/2015 

President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe together, flanked by Foreign, Media and Justice Ministers told media bosses and editors on18 Sept., the OISL (OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka) Report is a hard earned achievement by their government since January 08 and would not have been possible, if the previous regime continued.

“If there was no change on 8 January followed by good governance, political reforms and reconciliation measures enabling the international community to have a positive outlook, Sri Lanka would have been marginalised internationally by now.” President Sirisena has said.

PM Wickremesinghe followed by saying, “We haven’t sold our sovereignty or integrity. We have saved not only Sri Lanka’s future but also political VVIPs of the previous regime.”

This time round, there is no heat against the OISL Report from within Sinhala politics. By now, there were only the expected statements made by Mahinda Rajapaksa former President reduced to an ordinary MP and his backers in parliament, Dinesh Gunawardne, Weerawansa and Gammanpila. Thereafter the JVP did same. All denounced a “Hybrid” probe into war related crimes recommended in the OISL Report. Not very different to how PM Wickremesinghe rejected the “hybrid” mechanism telling AFP (22 September) “Media says hybrid, but it is not hybrid” adding “there’s nothing to be got from abroad”. No call has yet gone out openly from Opposition Sinhala ranks for the “patriots” to oppose it and there is no attempt to lead protests on the streets to use the Report against the MS_RW government.

In 2002 when patriotism was drummed up on Colombo streets against the CFA (Cease Fire Agreement) with the LTTE and against Norwegian facilitation, formation of the government “technically” was the same. The first time UNF was elected to office in December 2001 with Wickremesinghe as PM heading the government, Chandrika Kumaratunge was President with executive powers from the SLFP. Other smaller parties and groups allied with the SLFP as the UPFA. It is the “political alignment” that’s different this time. The government now in office is a political “hybrid”. Though Wickremesinghe is the PM this time too, his government is not just a plain UNF government as in 2002. It is in coalition with the SLFP sharing collective cabinet responsibility with President Sirisena also being part of the government unlike Chandrika Kumaratunge in 2002. Those in the present UPFA who are opposed to this hybrid UNF-SLFP arrangement have no leadership that can challenge their own President who is also their UPFA leader. Rajapaksa who led the UPFA parliamentary elections over a month ago and did quite well collecting 95 seats despite President Sirisena throwing in spanners no end, is seen retreating to a silent corner post 17 August for reasons that can only be sniffed but not barked at. The vociferous Sinhala extremist group the JHU has no credibility having lived with the Rajapaksa regime they now run down as wholly corrupt and nepotistic. Splintered now, their two loud leaders Champika and Rathana Thero are entrenched within the UNF under Wickremesinghe’s premiership. The JVP that in 2002 was walking with the SLFP against the CFA and was seen frequenting the “India House” despite being genetically “anti-Indian” is now a reduced force, weak on their own.

All this has taken the sting out of the urban Sinhala rabble-rousers who in 2002 decided politics. They were able to pull down Wickremesinghe and his government in 27 months on a purely Sinhala patriotic campaign. Yet, that was with the SLFP leadership openly supporting protests. Sinhala extremism has never been on their own. They had always depended on the SLFP to provide them with a mass appeal. Today that SLFP prop is no more. Their next option could have been to have Rajapaksa lead them as the “saviour of the Sinhala nation”. But he too has not come out strong appealing to the Sinhala constituency. Instead MR is appealing to the MS-RW government to reject the “hybrid” proposal.

SL has thus hit a good patch without thorny birds in its recent politics. Though democratically a freaky deformity, present MS-RW “hybrid” has left the Sinhala rabble-rousers at bay for now. If the government is as serious as Samaraweera sounded in Geneva, it can exploit this collapse of urban Sinhala extremism. Will it, is the question.

As I’ve argued in my previous articles, beliefs are there to stay for generations. So is it with the UNP leadership too. Most in the UNP could only play the Sinhala flute no different to other Sinhala tunes. This government therefore is in no mind to leave its Sinhala phobia aside. President Sirisena despite his public statements does not want to override the headless urban Sinhala extremists. He is obviously a mediocre product of the SLFP’s introvert Sinhala ideology. It is for all these reasons this hybrid rule carries with it, “old buoys” from Rajapaksa time. They cannot think differently from what they were made to think and act under Rajapaksa’s weight. In fact they don’t have to. There is no fundamental difference between this government and Rajapaksa, except the fancy wrapper the “Yahapalanaya” is parcelled in.

Proving it firm is the fact, this government’s stand on a “domestic” inquiry is no different to what Rajapaksa consistently maintained. Thus Sri Lankan envoys who were strong allies of the Rajapaksa diplomacy sit tight on the draft US Resolution, representing Colombo’s position. That is to have 14 out of 26 operational paragraphs omitted from the US initiated draft resolution now being canvassed for consensus. Five other clauses calling for action on accountability and reconciliation by the SL Government they say have to be changed to suit the language the Colombo government speaks. Deletions, amendments and dilutions include all serious issues that have to be probed seriously and include witness protection, land return, demilitarisation, investigations on attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, attacks on places of worship, extra-judicial killings, sexual violence and torture. The necessity in working out devolution of power and engagement with UN special rapporteurs will have to be out of the resolution too. This in plain language means the MS-RW government would not go beyond Rajapaksa’s Sinhala project in solving issues of its own people.

The markedly changed “tenor of the Government’s engagement with OHCHR” the High Commissioner Zeid was happy with in his report, in fact is no change from Rajapaksa’s tenor. We thus come back to where Rajapaksa left, no matter what the concerned urban middle class expected in January from change of regime.

Mind sets moulded through decades of Sinhala supremacist ideology are so strong, the political leadership in the Sinhala Southern constituency cannot now think rationally and argue for the benefit of a future Sri Lanka. There is mediocrity and stubbornness in convictions that does not allow facts their due recognition. Thus no political leadership in the South wants to accept every racist outburst, from street protests in January 1968 against the Dudley-Chelva Agreement through 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord to JVP insurgency against the presence of IPKF/PC during 88-90 to the 2002-2003 CFA, Sinhala extremism lived on the tacit support of the SLFP. That project has been brought to an end for want of market expansion for the corporate sector investment. The SLFP living through 30 years and more in a free market economy is now very much influenced by the new rich who cannot live outside global capital anymore. That in a way explains the logic behind this MS-RW hybrid rule. That also explains why the traditional urban Sinhala extremism that lived on local trader community has died down. The small urban Sinhala business community cannot anymore sustain the ideological thrust for Sinhala supremacy in a global investor context. The era of Nalin de Silva’s and Amarasekera’s who provided ideological succor to this urban trader based Sinhala extremism is now nearing its logical end.

Yet, social convictions don’t die that fast as said before. Thus the reason this government cannot and does not read through this political change. Nor does the Sinhala State groomed since 1956 change that fast in its thinking. This hybrid rule of MS_RW will therefore continue to adopt Rajapaksa politics and stand firm on what was left by the Rajapaksa regime. We would thus fail to exploit the space there is in pushing through a radical programme to bring an end to what has to be politically concluded post war. That would therefore leave the hardliners in Tamil politics to question the wisdom of the TNA leadership in backing this government and the more concerned citizens in the Sinhala South to say, they were abandoned after the much fought for “change”.  In short, it leaves us in the South to demand serious constitutional reforms, despite what happens there in Geneva by the end of the month.

Special presidential commission seeks to justify its demeaning and self degrading action

(Lanka-e-News -24.Sep.2015, 11.00PM) In an attempt to justify the action taken by the special presidential commission to send its officers to the residence to record the statement of ex president Mahinda Rajapakse , the accused in an investigation into grave frauds , the  secretary to the presidential commission Leslie De Silva told the media  , this action was taken to expedite the investigations and by that the commission showed it follows a policy of non bias.

The sceretary gave this reply as answer to questions posed to him about the officers of the commission going to the feet of ex president  to record his statement when the  ex president who is an accused refused to appear before the commission.

The secretary also said , it was Mahinda Rajapakse  for the first time as ex president faced a situation where he had to make a statement , and the officers of the special presidential commission investigating grave frauds getting an opportunity to meet the ex president and record his statement is a great triumph for the commission , the secretary added. 

Ex president Mahinda Rajapakse was interrogated on the colossal fraud amounting to Rs. 200 million allegedly committed by him by not settling an advertisement bill  of his pertaining to his presidential  election campaign payable to the ITN television network ,a State Institution .

The ex president evaded this issue by stating that it is the secretary of the UPFA who should be held responsible in this regard, while also  adding that it was the latter who was answerable for all the advertisement activities.

No matter what , it is the view of legal experts that the commission’s officers going to the feet of an accused who refuses to appear before the commission  is tantamount to  disdaining  and degrading  the commission.

---------------------------
by     (2015-09-24 19:16:53)

UPFA Should Pay My Rs.100 Million Advertising Bill: Mahinda Rajapaksa

September 24, 2015 

Former president and current parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that it was the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) that should bear the responsibility for the non-settlement of payments to the Independent Television Network (ITN) for telecasting his advertisements during the January presidential election campaign.

Speaking to the media after giving a statement to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) on the matter Rajapaksa said he was the party’s candidate and not an independent candidate.

“ The party should take complete responsibility over the matter because I was the candidate of the party” he said.

The UPFA has not made any comment on the matter as yet and the new UPFA Secretary Wiswa Warnapala has said the party will make its stance clear when party leader President Maithripala Sirisena who is currently in New York to attend UN General Assembly sessions returns to the country.

Rajapaksa was questioned Wednesday by four members of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe corruption and abuse of power during the previous regime.

The team had visited Rajapaksa’s Mirihana residence to record a statement from him deviating from the normal practice of summoning individuals for questioning at the commissions office at the BMICH premises.

Read More

JVP founder Rohana Wijeweera’s widow breaks 26-year silence 

---

• Says JVP has neglected family, children have no place to go and family has no faith in JVP
• Reveals children discriminated against as father is Wijeweera, therefore well-educated but jobless
• Accuses JVP of using family to build party image and JVP Leader Dissanayake of avoiding calls for help

By Shanika Sriyananda-Thursday, 24 September 2015

Q: For how long you have you and your children been living in the Navy camp?
A: From 1989 to 1992 we lived in the Ganemulla Army camp. Later, the then Government transferred us to the Tissa Navy camp in Trincomalee. We stayed there for nearly seven years. Since 1999, we have been living in the Gemunu Navy camp in Welisara.

JVP Founder Rohana Wijeweera’s Widow Breaks 26-Year Silence by Thavam Ratna

When Mahinda is questioned on his Rs. 200 million colossal fraud , his political minions just 30 stage protests

(Lanka-e-News -24.Sep.2015, 11.00PM) Ex president  Mahinda Rajapakse was summoned before the special presidential commission in connection with a colossal fraud of Rs. 200 million allegedly committed by him ! 

Under the investigations into grave corruptions , Mahinda has not settled  the advertisement bills amounting to Rs. 200 million pertaining to his presidential election campaign thereby cheating  the ITN, a State Institution , meaning that  Mahinda has defrauded people’s funds.

Mahinda who has always been  a byword for lawlessness even when he was the president ,  instead of bowing before the law , in his bitter fury provoked some of his blind bootlicking parliamentarians to boycott parliament and stage protests on the road .

When Mahinda  refused to appear before the commission and in his characteristic style disobeyed the law , the officers of the commission visited his house to interrogate him , during which time , Mahinda had   instigated his lackeys and lickspittles to boycott parliament . Namal Rajapakse  his son had played the key role in all these diabolic  and despicable  actions directed against the legal processes  setting a bad  example which could well encourage every criminal  in the country brought before the law to follow this precedent to  provoke his/her  criminal stooges  too to protest against the judicial  actions , and incite public unrest when investigations are duly under way  against his /her crimes. 

While casting insolent remarks at Ranil Wickremesinghe , and claiming that  the monetary bill that was tabled contradicts the standing order , some time wasting violent pro MaRa parliamentary clowns  walked out of parliament staging a boycott.They then staged a silent protest on the road in front of the parliament. Only a handful ,about 30  such political hoodlums took part in the protest. This small group was comprised partly of  the allies of Geetha Kumarasinghe  the wizened old  actress and film Industry’s sleaze ball turned politician whose every word and deed  is a demonstration of her abysmal ignorance on the subject of politics. Others comprising the group were shameless stooges of country’s most infamous crooked villians – Gammanpila and Prasanna Ranatunge who are mostly  in the news for the worst  nefarious reasons.

The role of the biggest joker among these despicable clowns in this mad circus was played by Vasudeva Nanayakkara who is best known for his worst unhinged conduct based on his mental senile decay. He said ,he came out in protest  because the prime minister was insulted, having forgotten that he is the same loony who speaking on behalf of Mahinda castigated the P.M. just a few months ago during the 100 days government program, using  most filthy language in parliament to the rude shock of all , as though this loony was in parliament after getting   himself discharged from the loony bin - his right permanent a bode.

---------------------------
by     (2015-09-24 19:07:27)

Central Banking: Can We Do Better?

By Hema Senanayake –September 24, 2015

Hema Senanayake

I would say “Yes” to the above question. But it needs a paradigm shift. The word paradigm is simply defined as the “existing world view.” Since, if we want to do better in central banking, in fact we need to make a paradigm shift. This new paradigm must originate from a new understanding of macroeconomic fundamentals and monetary economics. But for a moment I invite you to forget all macroeconomics and monetary economics, but try to visualize what you want from the Central Bank doing.

In our economic system we exchange goods and services. We cannot have an efficient exchange economy if we cannot have a common unit of measure of value to express the value of each and every produce. This should be an extremely flexible measure of value that freely penetrates into each and every productive resource so as to have a value for the output. Sri Lanka too, has such a common unit of the measure of value known as the rupee. But this rupee has no true value in its own form like gold or silver as it can be produced without any significant effort. But, read the next point carefully: Any unit of the measure of value that has no value in its own form and which can be produced without any significant effort will lose its character as a good unit of measure of value, if the production of such unit is not restricted or regulated.

Therefore, preserving rupee as a good unit of measure of value should be the primary role of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). Has the CBSL done its job properly? Can the rupee be depreciated to unplanned or unexpected levels, if the CBSL has done its job? Just think of these questions and if the answer is “NO” then it intimates that the job of central bank can be and must be done better.

So far, we have discussed only the basics but can we discuss more about specifics? Perhaps we can. Our broader goal is to preserve the rupee as a good unit of the measure of value. If we achieve this goal then we will achieve at least five important objectives. Those are (1) having low and steady rates of interest, (2) having stable exchange rate, (3) having optimum private sector credit growth without being too cautious, (4) having managed excessive liquidity effectively, and (5) preventing the need of buildup of excessive “cushion” of foreign reserves from borrowed funds.                                Read More

FUTA closely follows governments’ direction towards 6% education

Sep 24, 2015

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) is very closely following the governments’ direction towards 6% GDP allocation for the Sri Lankan education.

FUTA writes to the President to emphasize again that the obligation of the government to safeguard the state education system of Sri Lanka.

The full text of the letter as follows 

Mr. Maithripala Sirisena
His Excellency the President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat
Galle Face,
Colombo 1.

His Excellency the President,

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) positively noted the recognition of our major demand, allocation of 6% GDP to education by the present government. We also noted the statements appeared on your election manifesto that unquestionably gave a significant recognition to enhance the education sector of the country.

However the genuineness of the present government towards the state education sector is becoming doubtful. As we observe, the appointment of ministers of education and their portfolios look ambiguous. We do not find any rationale of combining University Education with Highways to form a ministerial position. Furthermore, we observe a severe conflict of interest regarding the appointment of the State Minister of University Education, who owns privately managed schools and higher education institutions where the needs of a small fraction of the society are been served. We are at an alarmed situation that how such minister could contribute to safeguard the state education system of Sri Lanka where the vast majority of the society is being benefitted while actively running his own “education enterprises”.
We would like to emphasize again that the obligation of the government to safeguard the state education system of Sri Lanka should not be marginalized at any cost. FUTA is very closely following the governments’ direction towards 6% GDP allocation for the Sri Lankan education. Hence we request the government to increase the allocation for education by a significant percentage with the forthcoming budget.

Finally we, as a concerned group of academics, would like to start a national dialogue to rectify the issues of the entire education system of Sri Lanka for a sustainable development.

Thank you,
Dr. Primal Fernando Dr. A. W. Wijeratne
President Secretary
Copy to
1. Hon. Prime Minister
2. Hon. Minister of University Education and Highways
3. Hon. State Minister of University Education
4. Hon. Minster of Finance
5. Electronic and Printed Media

UPFA rebels throw House into turmoil and stage walkout

By Saman Indrajith-September 23, 2015, 9:50 pm 

Opposition MPs of the UPFA walked out of Parliament yesterday, protesting against the government’s move to take up financial orders for debate disregarding parliamentary traditions and suspending Standing Orders.

When a motion was moved for the debate by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, UPFA MP Chandrasiri Gajadeera raising a point of order said that the resolutions listed in the motion were very important and sought parliament’s approval for government to meet past expenditure running to billions of rupees and MPs needed time to study them before the debate commenced.

Gajadeera said that it was against the provisions of the Standing Orders to present such resolutions and taking them up for debate on the same day. He demanded that his protest be recorded in the Hansard.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe: We have discussed taking these resolutions for debate with the party leaders. We cannot continue the procedures of parliament if every single MP gets up and presents his or her individual opinion. The MPs cannot get up and take parliament time and speak at will like woodpeckers pecking on trees."

MPs Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Udaya Gammanpila, Dinesh Gunawardena, Sriyani Wijewickrama, Prasanna Ranathunga, Dilum Amunugama, Chandrasiri Gajadheera, Prasanna Ranaweera, Indika Anuruddha got up, alleging that the Prime Minister was resorting to unparliamentary language by likening MPs to birds and animals. They shouted that the government had suspended Standing Orders to rush financial bills through parliament undemocratically.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya suspended the sittings for 15 minutes and called for a party leaders’ meeting in his chamber, informing the House that he would give a ruling on the matter whether the motion could be debated or not.

When the House resumed sittings the Speaker announced that he was of the opinion that the motion could be moved for debate.

UPFA MPs Kumara Welgama, Namal Rajapaksa, Kanaka Herath, Rohitha Abeygunawardena and Niroshan Premaratne got up, saying that they would walk out if the motion was moved for debate. As the motion was moved, UPFA MPs left the chamber in protest. Only Badulla District MP Lakshman Seneviratne and National List MP Dr. Sarath Amunugama remained in the House.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe: We have nothing to hide. When you demand a debate we give time. When the debate is given you run away from it. Parliament is to hold debates not to stage walkouts. This sort of protest may be called beggars’ revolutions. You came to Parliament thanks to SLFP votes. Now you try to disrupt parliamentary proceedings."

TNA and the JVP members remained in their seats and participated in the debate.

Re-appointment of former ministers with corruption charges is a result of a mega deal

Investigations carried out by the present ‘Yahapalana’ government have become inoperative which means the existence of  a ‘mega deal’ culture and as a result former ministers who were accused of fraud and corruption have been given ministerial positions again states the convener of ‘Voice Against Corruption’ (VAC) Wasantha Samarasinghe.

THURSDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2015
Speaking at a media meeting held yesterday (23rd) Mr. Samarasinghe said giving ministerial posts to former ministers is against the mandate given on 8th January.

He said investigations into issues such as ‘Divi Neguma’, distribution of ‘Sil’ clothes should be intensified and pointed out that officials are waiting until they get orders from authorities.

The convener of VAC said his organization made 4 complaints to the CID, over 50 complaints to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and handed over 73 complaints to Anti-Corruption Secretariat.  He said if the complaints are not investigated properly his organization, together with other organizations that are against corruption, would take the complaints with evidence they posses to the people. He said he would ask the IGP in writing regarding the action taken so far regarding the complaints.

Mr. Wasantha Samarasinghe added that the government that came to power putting forward the theme of anti-corruption has not taken legal action against a single minister despite 90 days have gone by since it has been in power.

Treasure hunting DIG netted -Behind bars !

(Lanka-e-News- 24.Sep.2015, 5.30PM) These individuals in this photograph with covered faces trying to hide themselves from the public  are suspects (hora police ) , including a DIG  of the police who were apprehended for aiding and abetting  in illicit treasure digging .

The ex DIG is indicted on two charges : calling back the police team that  went to arrest some businessmen who had dug for illicit treasure in Kudakachchikudy , Vavuniya ,and for providing security to the suspects involved in treasure digging .The  ex DIG Vavuniya U.K. Dissanayake was  produced before Vavuniya additional magistrate V. Ramakamalan yesterday (23) , when he  was remanded until the 30th.

The lawyer who appeared for the ex DIG told court that since the DIG is sick , to grant him bail to enable him to  take medical treatment.

The additional magistrate said , he cannot yield to the request made by the lawyers for the ex DIG, and if he is truly sick he can take treatment in the prison hospital where too there are doctors. The magistrate therefore ordered that medical facilities be provided to the ex DIG within the prison.

Photos and report filed by Dinasena Rathugamage
Translated by Jeff.

---------------------------
by     (2015-09-24 13:20:25)