Reconciliation Versus Geneva 2015

By Izeth Hussain –October 19, 2015

Izeth Hussain

George Rupesinghe(GR) in his letter in the Island of October 13 makes two points of great importance on which clarifications are necessary. The first point is that the US has been pushing its geopolitical interests through the UNHRC. It seems to me, on the contrary, that India was the prime player behind the UNHRC Resolution, and that the US acted as India’s partner to push primarily India’s interests and not those of the US. The premise behind my thinking is that all the great powers would concede that Sri Lanka belongs to India’s sphere of influence. A further factor of importance is that after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan the US has been trying to build up a special relationship with India, the main purpose of which is to contain China. A further factor of importance for the future is that Russian intervention over Syria probably signals that Russia now wants to play a role in international relations that befits a great power. Here we must bear in mind that the very special relationship that India built up with the Soviet Union has continued with the successor state of Russia – at least such was my impression during my spell of service in Moscow from 1995 to 1998. The US and the Western powers could have anxieties that India could play a central role in a new power configuration in Eurasia. For such reasons it seems to me inconceivable that the US engineered the UNHRC Resolution without regard to India’s interests. My guess is that those interests were of primary importance.

The second point made by GR, on which I want to concentrate in this article, is that in focusing on the final stage of the war the UNHRC Resolution conveniently ignores all the horrors perpetrated by the LTTE in the past. This fact, he points out, is not lost on the majority of the people, and he concludes eloquently: “If ALL the crimes, by all the parties, including India, are not fully investigated, one thing is certain: this tumour of deliberate injustice will grow into a cancer that will wreck community relations in Sri Lanka beyond repair”. GR is here articulating a view that is probably held widely, and passionately, by the majority of the Sinhalese. Before commenting on it I want to make a clarification. The war crimes investigations proposed cover the period 2002 to 2009. They would cover therefore two of the greatest horrors perpetrated by the LTTE: the forcible recruitment of child soldiers, and what seems to me the historically unparalleled horror of using no less than 330,000 Tamils as human shields, arguably a feat worthy of Adolph Hitler. So it would appear that the principle of equity has not been forgotten. But the problem is that the LTTE leaders who perpetrated those horrors are safely dead and therefore it would be only those regarded as war heroes by the Sinhalese who would be arraigned for war crimes. That certainly would reek of injustice. It would not be quite the best way of promoting reconciliation.Read More

The Economics of Democracy

Picture courtesy Colombo Gazette

• by Tisaranee Gunasekara 
• - on 10/19/2015 

“Want to buy some illusions,
Slightly used, second hand?
They were lovely illusions,
Reaching high, built on sand….”
(Marlene Dietrich in A Foreign Affair)

“After emergency laws are lifted, constitutions are drafted, and elections are held, policymakers in the Middle East will be faced with a tough practical challenge: how to create economic opportunities for the region’s teeming millions.” This was what two analysts, Bassem Awadallah and Adeel Malik, wrote in October 2012 [i]. The importance they accorded to economics in bringing about and sustaining positive political change is valid beyond the Middle East.

The Economics of Democracy by Thavam Ratna

EU monitors call for regulating campaign finance

… express concern over abuse of State resources, low women’s 
participation, restrictions on campaigning, National List appointments

by Dasun Edirisinghe-October 18, 2015, 12:00 pm 

The European Union (EU) election observers have, in their final report on August 17 Parliamentary election, expressed their concern over lack of regulations governing party and campaign finances. They have pointed out the existing laws establish ‘no limits on contributions or spending, and there are no disclosure requirements.’

This situation has resulted in lack of transparency and accountability and stood in the way of creating a level playing field for candidates in electoral contests contrary to international standards for transparency of campaigning finances.

The EU observers have pointed out, quoting EU interlocutors that ‘election campaigning was very costly and some candidates allegedly spent Euro 500,000 each. Referring to a Transparency International, Sri Lanka report the observers say ‘some candidates spent even more than Rs. 300 million (2 million EUR) and, that average expenditure of a candidate from the main coalitions was around EUR 100,000.’

The reports says ‘th law provides for state financial assistance to registered political parties that have polled at least one per cent of the valid votes in an electoral district in the previous elections. However, this support is rather symbolic – SLR 0,5 per vote received. As candidates covered their own costs with little or no support from the party, only those with access to financial resources could afford to mount a high-profile campaign. Only the UNP- and SLFP-led coalitions were able to avail fully of the opportunity to set up offices in all villages, excluding areas with large Tamil populations. The JVP was the only party that also visibly campaigned in the majority Sinhala areas across the country. However, their candidates’ activities were much more low key."

While describing the August 17 polls as, ‘the most peaceful and most efficiently conducted election in the country’s recent history’ the observers have said the abuse of state resources for campaign purposes remained significant though there were fewer incidents compared to previous election. "Domestic observers reported that some 1,200 government officials ranging from executive-level officers to clerical staff were involved in campaigning. In addition there were reports of state vehicles and buildings being used to hold campaign activities, and numerous allegations of promotions and transfers of public officials."

The EU polls monitors have expressed their concern about the extremely low women’s participation in the electoral process. "The participation of women during the entire process was extremely low. While the main parties adopted a gender chapter in their manifestos including the promotion of women’s development and social welfare, fewer than 10 per cent of the candidates were women. Of 556 female candidates, only 13 entered parliament. Of these, 11 hail from influential political families with strong connections in their constituencies. According to the world classification index on women in parliament 2015, Sri Lanka ranks 131st out of 141 countries, with the lowest percentage of women in parliament in South Asia at 5.8 per cent, well below the world’s 22 per cent average and that of Asia at 19 per cent."

The EU observers are of the view that Sri Lanka’s media is divided along ethnic and linguistic line with outlets publishing and / or broadcasting in one or more of three languages: Sinhala, Tamil and English.

The observers have pointed out the private media landscape is characterised by a concentration of big groups, which impedes pluralism, and is heavily politicised.

The EU observers have frowned on the electoral law provisions on campaigning, which they consider ‘overly restrictive and thus not fully in line with international standards as they unduly limit freedom of campaigning’.

President Seeks Party Leaders’ Views On Hybrid Mechanism

October 19, 2015

President Maithripala Sirsisena is slated to chair an all party meeting on Thursday to seek political party leaders’ views on the setting up of a Hybrid court to carry out prosecutions on human rights violations during the war as proposed in the recent UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka.

However, according to early indications a stormy session is on the cards with some political parties, especially the UPFA affiliated parties other than the SLFP which are backing former President Mahinda Rajapaksa opposing the move.

Invitations have been already sent to all the political parties which have representatives in parliament for the meeting, according to sources at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting will take place at 5.00 pm.

The President is to discuss with political leaders on the parameters of the legal mechanism to be set up and the extent of the involvement of foreign judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators.

Prior to the above meeting the President will meet the Parliamentarians of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to discuss the issue.

In addition the President will also seek the views of religious leaders and intellectuals on the matter.

The government in a joint resolution which was supported by the US at the recent 30th UNHRC sessions in Geneva undertook to investigate credible allegations of laws-of-war violations by both government forces and the LTTE.

These include unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, sexual and other gender-based violence, the forced recruitment of children, the unlawful targeting of civilian and other protected objects, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and the intentional denial of humanitarian assistance.

For this purpose the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights has proposed the creation of a “hybrid special court” “integrating international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators” with an independent Sri Lankan investigative and prosecuting body, defense office, and witness and victims’ protection program.

                                Read More

Returning BOI powers key for more FDIs: 

Chairman

By Charumini de Silva-Tuesday, 20 October 2015
With Sri Lanka looking to create a liberalised regime to attract investments, it is critical to give back the Board of Investment (BOI) its powers, the organisation’s Chairman said.
“The country lost a significant number of investments due to the violation of BOI law during the previous regime. We are now in the process of getting our house in order,” BOI Chairman Upul Jayasuriya said.
He went on to say that the functions of the BOI had been transferred to the Treasury so the powers that had been given to the BOI had not been exercised. “They have been exercised by the Treasury or some other ministers or officials linked to VVIP figures,” he said
Noting that the country’s investment climate should be driven by the rule of law and a level playing field for all investors, he added that the BOI should get out of this situation as fast as possible to make decisions that facilitate investment.
“I tell every investor now that their cost is the only investment they are making and nothing beyond that,” he revealed.
He made these remarks while speaking at a breakfast forum organised by the Ceylon Chamber-led Sri Lanka-Germany Business Council at the Hilton Colombo Residences yesterday.
Speaking about attracting new FDIs to the country, Jayasuriya explained that it was critical to keep current investors happy as they were the messengers to potential investors who are seeking investment opportunities here. He said that following the change of Government there was a lot of investor interest being shown by countries like the US, Japan, India and China as well as nations within the European Union. However, he noted that we need to give them some time to understand the current system and the changes that the BOI has implemented.
“Just because the Government has changed investors won’t take the next flight and come and invest here. It will take some time,” Jayasuriya opined
Highlighting the programs that are currently in the pipeline, Jayasuriya asserted that there were projects worth $ 5 billion, which include a monorail project worth $ 1.9 billion, a mixed development project worth $ 1 billion and an investment zone slated for the Eastern Province.
Elaborating further on the monorail project, he said that within the next week the BOI would make a request for proposals (RFPs) to build a monorail or mass rapid transit system (MRT) for Colombo.
“At the moment the Government is of an open mind. It could either be a monorail or an MRT; that is not firmly decided yet. It will depend on what their proposals are and the costs involved,” Jayasuriya said.
The proposed monorail or MRT will take four years to complete and will be constructed on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis with no financial drain on the Government, he added.

Top Indian biz team to visit SL A high level group of Indian investors selected by the Indian Government is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka early next year, a senior BOI official said. “A group of 20 top-notch Indian investors are scheduled to come to Sri Lanka in search of investment opportunities,” Board of Investment (BOI) Chairman Upul Jayasuriya said. Noting that this was a result of Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent visit to India, he said that a similar response had been received from Japan as well. Jayasuriya further asserted that the Indian Government would select these visiting top businessmen by early next year. “With the country now embarking on creating a liberalised regime where the investment climate is characterised by the rule of law and a level playing field for all investors, the country has received a significant response from investors all over the world,” he added. (CDS)

Lightning strikes President’s media unit while drooling over Kili’s honey pot..!

(Lanka-e-News- 19.Oct.2015, 4.35PM) The presidential media division which is comprised of many court jesters of Maharaja alias Mahajarah has finally been most shockingly  shaken to its foundation. 

It is an incontrovertible fact  that non entities and no-bodies of Kili Maharaja who know next to nothing about good governance ; never with the good governance in its struggles; and were in the opposition camp from the outset  have now got  close to  president Maithripala , and from the co ordinating secretary to the division of the presidential secretary are abusing their powers and positions to achieve their selfish personal agendas 

This sad state of affairs has compelled , a presidential  media deputy  director who was most close to the president to pay the price – he tendered his resignation. He is Oshala Herath who was not much in the limelight though he was the one who was the key figure  responsible for  the social media   network division from the time of the presidential elections.

Based on reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division , this dispute  was brewing for some time. A cold war had been raging between presidential media director general Dharma siri Bandara Ekanayake and coordinating secretary Shiral Lakthileke ( two unscrupulous bootlickers of Kili Maharaja ) teamed together  on the one side and  the group that is with  presidential media director Chaminda Sirimalwatte. 

Meanwhile , another pro Rajapakse team  led by Sudath Silva has also grouped themselves together separately.

These groups are afflicted with a  worst weakness .This is the outcome of   vision , mission and  policies of good governance of Maithripala Sirisena being pursued without any zest or zeal , and not  carried forward effectually among  the people .Instead , the policies are being followed like nobody’s business with everybody  putting the finger in the pie with ulterior motives , while the president who should be the key player is kept  locked in and  insulated from the true and sincere pro good governance officials and supporters .

There are many incidents  that  bear testimony to this laxity and lethargy among these non entities despite holding responsible posts:

The  president appointing ex president Mahinda Rajapakse’s groups as ministers has incurred the bitter displeasure of the pro good governance masses , yet  the  president’s  media unit made no  effort to explain to the people why the president did so, nor did the unit take any interest in this  direction to justify president’s actions. They simply allowed the president to be maligned.

Another among the many other lapses is : 

A journalist or media Institution is never able to get any information from those holding posts in the media division of the president in an emergency. Not one responsible individual can be tapped . This is seriously affecting the foreign media detrimentally, and many of them had commented on this to us. On the contrary  it is learnt Kili Maharaja alias Mahajara is able to  get any information at any time. These non entities and no-bodies licking the wrong people and at the wrong places, stench notwithstanding  have conveniently forgotten who steered this government to power.

It may seem incredible but it is true, that even now the media communique of the president are sent according to the list that was  prepared by ex president Mahinda Rajapakse .The media that were forbidden by despotic Mahinda Rajapakse are forbidden media to good governance president’s media division too. The presidential media division know-alls and omni-potentates  never send any media communique to Lanka e news , unless the president speaks and informs. To them Lanka e news is still  a banned media ,which clearly betrays their abysmal ignorance of the latest developments.  Even an inmate of a loony bin would think better and act saner.

It is to Kili’s Sirasa media , all the news video are sent first and foremost by Dharma Siri . It is natural for  the other televison channels to  turn hostile towards  president . The  monumental  wrongs committed by the Director Generals of Mahinda Rajapakse nothwitstanding, Dharma Siri when compared with them is a mere Lilliputian. 

Shiral Lakthileke who is of his group and ilk is no better. This buffoon who is well noted for his tomfoolery is a puppet on a string of Kili Maharaja for obvious reasons. Shiral  is unable to move one step unless  Kili pulls the string that is holding   him in place. Shiral  is such a stupid ignoramus  that he earlier on  shot himself on the main road . He was also one among the hooligans who attacked Sri Kotha with stones some time ago. Let us remind him lest he has forgotten  that his existence today at least as a puppet of Mahajara is because of the existence of the united government . Despite it , his determination is to destroy his own P.M.,Ranil Wickremesinghe. If truly he has any grey matter  , he would not  be going to Kili’s ‘television booth’to take part in its daily programs while being a president’s co ordinating secretary. It is very unfortunate he does not know the respectability of his post, let alone the responsibilities.

Needless to recall all those who inflated and steered forward by Kili Maharaja courted disaster at the last election , because the whole country knows  what a Mahajara he is. If this is duly understood the president will not pay homage to the media culture of Maharaja alias Mahajara. 

After arriving in SL from New York , he would not have entrusted the live telecast to Sirasa which did not cover or reach the villages. By all this whether the president’s image received a boost or was it tarnished can be known if an opinion poll of the people is conducted.The president himself can then know where he is headed.

President who appointed the Kili Maharaja’s non entities and no-bodies is now facing the evil fallouts of his own actions.Though president instructed his secretary P.B. Abeykoon to hold discussions weekly with the chiefs of media divisions on political lines, nothing of that sort had materialized any day.  

 The chief of the president’s social media network  most essential in the modern age has now resigned all of a sudden which augurs ill for the president. Those in the president’s media division think social media network means just introducing a photograph of the president into the face book. A successor may be  appointed tomorrow replacing the chief  ,but  it is well to realize that  social media connections are not  something that can be built within a day ,or in a month or two.  

It is an absolute certainty if the president does not pay immediate attention and take swift measures to remedy these lapses , faults and shortcomings said and unsaid , he will come to grief sooner than later . This resignation is only the beginning and signals a  disastrous trend , for many others too , it is learnt are to follow Oshala Herath . The most tragic and portendous aspect of this  trend is , it is only those who are pro good governance  who are  resigning .

---------------------------
by     (2015-10-19 11:14:52)

Education: Going beyond six percent

2015-10-19

he government has announced a four-fold increase for education under the budget in 2016. The allocations for education would go up to Rs. 185.9 billion from the Rs. 47.6 billion allocated in the 2015 Budget.  That is obviously a lot of money. In the first place, it is a salutary decision, a long awaited one, indeed, on the part of the Government. However, this money could well be squandered, if it failed to identify the real problems that beset our education system.

Education Going Beyond Six Percent by Thavam Ratna

Where From Here After Pillayan’s Arrest?

Pillayan arriving at the CID office in Colombo with his lawyer and TNA Parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham who was assassinated in 2005

by N Sathiya Moorthy-Monday, October 19, 2015

Independent of prevailing perceptions, arrest of former Eastern Province Tamil Chief Minister, Sivanesanthurai Chandrakanthan alias ‘Pillayan’ in connection with the Christmas Day church killing of TNA parliamentarian Jospeh Pararajasingham in 2005, has the potential to cut both ways. While it is reassuring that the new Government has begun to act on the promise to the international community on ‘accountability’ and ‘war crimes’, this particular arrest as a starting-point has the potential to open a can of worms for all stake-holders.

Where From Here After Pillayan’s Arrest by Thavam Ratna

Sri Lanka Attempts to Repair Relations 

With China Amid an Escalating Financial 

Crisis

Rising foreign debt due to Chinese investment has nearly crippled the island nation's economy

Rishi Iyengar @Iyengarish-
Oct. 19, 2015

Sri Lanka appealed to China this week to partially relax the immense foreign debt owed by the South Asian island nation that has contributed to one of its worst-ever financial crises.

“I urge China to put the acrimony of the past behind us and come and help us by adjusting the terms of the loans to make them more viable,” Sri Lankan Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said in an exclusive interview with theSouth China Morning Post on Sunday.

Sri Lanka is chock-full of Chinese investment, with nearly 70% of the country’s infrastructure projects funded and built by China — thereby leading to a near tripling of its foreign debt over the past five years. However, many of those projects, initiated under Sri Lanka’s former strongman President Mahinda Rajapaksa, have been halted — much to China’s displeasure — by the government of his successor Maithripala Sirisena over allegations of widespread corruption.

Even as it dispatched a special envoy to liaise with Sirisena’s government earlier this month, Beijing remains firm that none of the much-needed foreign direct investment (FDI) to salvage Sri Lanka’s economy will be forthcoming until the impasse over ongoing projects — worth billions of dollars — is resolved.

“We did not create the problem, we inherited it,” Karunanayake said about the Chinese projects. “But it has to be fixed all the same.”

Whether they created the problem or not, Sirisena’s election earlier this year marked a monumental shift in his country’s rapidly progressing alliance with China under Rajapaksa, which was being watched with some consternation by Sri Lanka’s northern neighbor and South Asian power India.

Sirisena and his new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe insisted in a previous interview with TIME that their pledge to enhance cooperation with India and Western powers didn’t necessarily represent a shift away from China but a more general nonaligned foreign policy.

However, the stark picture painted by its rapidly escalating foreign debt has thrust the Sri Lanka–China relationship back into the spotlight and made its mending a priority.

“Chinese loans are a big part of our problem,” said Karunanayake. “A bulk of the government expenditure goes into servicing them.”

His words are thrown into sharp relief through figures cited by Palitha Ekanayake, a former director general of the country’s Ministry of Rural Economy.

“In 2010, foreign debt was 36% of the GDP (gross domestic product),” Ekanayake told the Post. “By the end of 2013, it was about 65%, and is estimated to rise to 94% this year.”

Karunanayake has even gone to the extent of promising “no questions asked” while calling for his compatriots with Swiss bank accounts to move their money back into the country, as he tries to shore up foreign reserves before presenting a crucial budget.

Sri Lanka’s eagerness to re-engage with China is also illustrated by the fact that Karunanayake’s comments coincided with a statement by one of its top defense officials, saying an unofficial suspension of Chinese naval ships docking on Sri Lankan shores — another reported allowance by the previous government that caused India greater alarm than any economic activity — could potentially be reconsidered.

The country’s recently appointed Defense Secretary, Karunasena Hettiarachchi, told Reuters on a visit to the Chinese capital that he would give “due consideration” to requests for Chinese ships to stop over.

Karunanayake, meanwhile, reiterated the rapidly growing Asian superpower’s status as a key stakeholder in Sri Lanka’s faltering economy.

“We are serious about putting our relationship [with China] on the right path and mending the pathetic finances we have inherited from a corrupt regime,” he said.

Appointment of UK High Commissioner: work of Yahapalana Monitoring Governor!

Oct 19, 2015

It was Lanka News Web that broke the news of the appointment to London High Commission of Manoj Warnapala, son-in-law of Austin Fernando, Eastern Province Governor. Lanka News Web exposed how Austin was using pressure to make way for the son-in-laws appointment. We also reported that Foreign Secretary who has retired was hoping to go on a posting and did as Austin asked her to do so she will not get in the bad books of the President as Austin has threatened.

Sunday print media news says that Foreign Secretary Chitrangani Wagiswara has been appointed Sri Lanka High Commissioner to UK. Lanka News Web learns that this is a part of the deal Austin stuck with the Foreign Secretary to make sure his son-in-law was appointed. Lanka News Web has got most of the details of Austin’s plans to make sure the appointment goes through with the help of some sections of the media. 

 

The main reason why Austin is fighting hard to get his son-in-law appointed as a Counselor to the High Commissioner is because he is without a good job in the UK. He has been insisting that Warnapala should be appointed as the head of the Consular section. He has been giving the appointments made under the infamous Rajapaksa regime, Indika Karunajeewa, Chaminda Kularatna and Sepala Ratnayaka to justify Warnapalas appointment. He has been saying that they were lawyers and so is his son-in-law. What he did not say is that Warnapalas family has a struggling law firm. By getting Warnapala appointed as head of consular section Austin and Warnapala are hoping that the family law firm will flourish.

 

For over half a century service officers ran the consular section without major issues. They need not be lawyers. Just because you are a lawyer it does not mean that you know consular work. Karunajeewa. Kularatna and Ratnayaka were working at the Presidents office during Rajapaksa regime. Karunajeewa was appointed to do Namal Rajapaksas university assignments and to help his studies. Karunajeewa also ran the high commission and the consular section as a SLFP party office. After his term Karunajeewa was appointed as a Secretary to President Rajapaksa and was doing Namala Rajapaksas work. Both Kularatna and Ratnayaka was appointed to help Rohitha Rajapaksa and the family of Gamini Senerath, Chief of Staff of President Rajapaksa. They also ran the High Commission like a SLFP party office. Kularatna on his return became the coordinating Secretary to President Rajapaksa. Ratnayaka never returned to Sri Lanka. He disappeared in UK and is now wanted by INTERPOL and Sri Lankan authorities. It is a disgrace to Sri Lanka. People voted for the January 8 Yahapalana government to change things. What Austin Fernando is doing is to continue with the Rajapaksa regime style of doing things for his benefit. He is defending Rajapaksa regime decisions.

 

Austin’s first move was to get Foreign Secretary to appoint a person who will look after his son-in-law until Wagiswara is appointed the High Commissioner. Wagiswara gave the ‘nanny’ job to S. Gunaratna who is known to change his colours to suit the occasion and is desperate to go on a posting. He has been having political dealings with extremist parties as well. After getting favours from the Rajapaksa regime and going to Canada on leave so that he and his family can apply for PR he wanted to work in the Toronto Consul Generals office as a local recruit. Only those who are citizens, has PR or valid work visas can work as local recruits and not students. For a Foreign Service officer to work as a local recruit is a disgrace. A source who was in Canada during this time told Lanka News Web that lot of political pressure was brought to employ him but the Consul General himself had good political connections and did not give in.

 

For a service officer with over thirty years Wagiswara should know the problems that will come up when a citizen from that country and a person from the community is appointed as a diplomat to the UK high Commission. But thinking of her own future after retirement she has been doing as Austin says. According to her own batch mates and colleagues she is mediocre at the most. But she is good at smiling and doing as the political masters say making sure she is rewarded. One of the now Governor colleagues of Austin who was a senior colleague of Wagiswara recently told a gathering of current officers that ‘a motor will need to be fixed to her if you’ll want to get your Secretary moving.’ But in Warnapala’s matter she did not need any motor. She did exactly as Austin wanted for her own benefit.  

 

The Sri Lankan community in UK is watching whether the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister will give in to Austin Fernando. There is a joke in the UK that Austin Fernando has become the Yahapalana Monitoring Governor of the Foreign Ministry.   

Disgrace ! Arjuna Ranathunga who screamed against nepotism appoints his brother not even A/L qualified as Ports chairman !

(Lanka-e-News -19.Oct.2015, 11.00PM) Minister of Ports, Arjuna Ranatunge is one of those who castigated and condemned the Mahinda Rajapakse regime over their raging nepotism, cronyism and family rule.

Sadly, it is this same minister Arjuna even before some months have elapsed, who is being charged by one and all as committing the same crimes, by appointing individuals without qualifications or suitability to posts based on deplorable cronyism, nepotism  and favoritism . Arjuna himself has descended to the level of those he was bitterly and loudly critical.. 

Arjuna who has close ties with Chandrika Kumaratunge taking advantage of that relationship, day before yesterday brought in his brother Dhammika Ranatunge and installed  him as the Ports Authority chairman. In addition he gave posts  in the Ports Authority to three Gunasekeras – Ajith Gunasekera , Mangala Gunasekera and Natha Gunasekera who are his maternal  relatives . It is this same Arjuna who gave appointments during the 100 days program  to Wimale who supplies food to his family ,and Suresh who provides transport and other facilities . 

The President and Prime Minister who consented to the appointment of Dhammika Ranatunge who has not even the GCE adv. Level qualification to the post of Chairman, Ports Authority must explain to the country how this came by. It is however reported that the president and P.M. were opposed to this appointment, but because  of the intense pressure exerted by Arjuna this appointment was granted. The worst part ? Though Arjuna had said , all the trade unions of the Ports Authority wanted Dhammika as chairman , the letters forwarded by Arjuna in this connection were  bogus, for no trade union had made such a  request to Arjuna to appoint his elder brother as chairman.

Arjuna who maneuvered to install his elder brother as chairman, Ports, is next seeking to bring in his younger brother Nishantha Ranatunge who played just two one day matches and scored naught  to head the cricket board, while Dhammmika his other brother has played only two test matches. It is no secret that if Arjuna who was captaining the team then had not exerted his influence ,   both his brothers would not have secured  places in the Sri Lanka team. How Arjuna moved heaven and earth to axe skilled players like Waruna Waragoda during that period is still indelibly  etched in the memories of many.

Though Arjuna claims there isn’t a more ‘clean’ player than he , during that period , there were grave accusations against him of match fixing. It was Bookmaker Thilanga Sumathipala his bosom pal then (now enemy) who went out of the way to rescue him. It is also common knowledge that Arjuna who  is unable to bear to see cricketers like Mahela Jayawardena and Kumara Sangakkara who are more popular and respected , is  always very  critical and speaks humiliatingly of them.

It is worthy of note Arjuna who maligned all the officers in the board of control for cricket  as rogues never uttered a word against  his own most culprit brother who is facing  most charges. Arjuna even took his brother to Ranil Wickremesinghe in order to cleanse his brother and paint a picture he was ‘clean’ and not a rogue. To their consternation Ranil had  said ‘I know him very well’ implying his rackets are well known to him, whereupon both the brothers had to come back crestfallen. 

Arjuna openly announced last month that he is contesting at the cricket board elections , but when he realized his main opponent is Thilanga Sumathipala , and two other popular  candidates , former popular cricket board chairman Jayantha Dharmadasa  and K.Manivanan are contesting , he withdrew from the fray silently , and is getting ready to promote Nishantha Ranatunge as a contender. It is learnt Upali Dharmadasa who did all the sordid biddings of ex president Mahinda Rajapakse is in the process of propping and propelling Nishantha.

Last Saturday , the officials   of the cricket clubs were invited to the residence of Upali Dharmadasa. The latter after treating them to a sumptuous meal , had in an inebriated condition blabbered  , Nishantha is seeking election to the post of cricket board chairman ,  and requested all present to support him , while adding he and Arjuna too are extending their fullest support to Nishantha.

Previously . when Arjuna and Sumathipala were contenders for the post of Cricket board chairman , Arjuna could only secure 8 votes when Sumathipala polled over 100 votes, thereby trouncing Arjuna. The latter could not even secure the votes of players of SSC cricket club with whom Arjuna had been playing cricket from his school days.

We may have to hear all the lies and bluffs from Arjuna in his defense again  after Mahinda Rajapakse meets him as part of   Chandrika Kumaratunge’s efforts , who is toiling hard to make Arjuna Ranatunge the leader of SLFP. 

Chandrika Kumaratunge like how she steered  Mahinda Rajapakse forward and courted disaster , is trying to make Arjuna the SLFP leader . Thereafter , we will be compelled to listen to her  bluffs ,lies and excuses  to cover up again her indiscretions and bungling.

At least brothers of Mahinda behaved well  until Mahinda became president, whereas the brothers of Arjuna , namely Prasanna and Nishantha  have already proved beyond any trace of doubt to the nation that they are contemptible notorious crooks long before Arjuna became minister.

May we emphasize , the nation did not throw out Rajapakse family lock , stock and barrel in order to elect a government of good governance , and remain as  idle spectators when  Ranatunge family is wreaking havoc.

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by     (2015-10-19 19:06:41)

Plight Of Muslim IDPs In Puttalam

By Mohamed Shareef Asees –October 19, 2015

Dr. Mohamed Shareef Asees

It has been 25 years since the Muslims were forcibly evicted from their homes in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is reported that around 15,000 Muslim families were forcibly expelled by the LTTE from their homes in five districts: Jaffna 3,475, Mannar 8,200, Vavuniya 1,800, Mulaitheevu 1,000 and Kilinochi 525. The displaced Muslims moved to North-Western Province (Puttalam district) where they have been living as IDPs for the past two and half decades. It is stated that in 2006 there were around 65,000 Muslim IDPs lived in 141 IDP camps in four administration divisions: Kalpitiya (34, 809), Puttalam (20,992), Mundal (5,336), and Vannathavillu (2,008). Most of these IDPs were poor and faced many problems over the housings, infrastructure, education and health care services, etc. In 2007, the World Bank launched a housing project and provided 6000 houses for the Muslim IDPs. However, the rest of Muslim IDPs (over 40,000) continue to suffer in the IDP camps without any durable solutions.

Vulnerability Of Muslim IDPs 

Internal displacement was a horrific event for many Muslim IDPs in Sri Lanka. The life in IDP camps have de-moralized men, women, children and elderly people and affected them physically, psychologically, socially, economically and educationally. As for the present challenges, the Muslim IDPs face many economic, political and cultural difficulties. In Puttalam there are 40,000 Muslim IDPs live in the North-west coastal region. The total population of this region doubled with the arrival of Muslim IDPs. When they first arrived, this region was among the least developed areas in the country and was in no position to offer economic opportunities to the IDPs. More than 90% of IDPs depended on dry food-rations provided by the Sri Lankan government and the World Food Program. It was not possible for the IDPs to stand on their own feet in such a resource-poor area. Moreover, the arrival of Muslim IDPs also created some contradictions and tense situation between the Muslim IDPs and the local residents in Puttalam.

IDPs are generally vulnerable when compared to refugees. In Sri Lanka the Muslim IDPs who chased from their homes also vulnerable when compared to Tamil and Sinhala IDPs in many ways. Firstly, regarding the forcible eviction, none of the ethnic groups either Tamil or Sinhalese were forcibly evicted by the LTTE within 24 hours. Further their entire assets both moveable and non-moveable were forcibly taken or looted by the LTTE at gun point. This never happened to any ethnic groups. It is estimated that due to the forcible eviction, the Muslims in the North lost around Rs. 100,000 Million at the time in 1990. Until now, there is no compensation or return of these losses. It shows that how vulnerable these IDPs in Sri Lanka. Read More

Don’t be afraid’, Sajin’s message to Mahinda!

Oct 19, 2015

Sajin Vaas Gunawardena, former MP and confidential financial adviser to Mahinda Rajapaksa, has sent a message to the former president through a friend, which says, “Don’t be afraid. I will save you, sir. I only revealed one per cent. I haven’t revealed 99 pc yet. Don’t believe what the websites fabricate. But, if you get worried and try to be smart, and use your sons to harass my wife, I will have to take a decision. Therefore, keep silent.”

Sajin’s message also said, “I haven’t revealed any of the secrets in your personal life. I do not break families. Tell Gota to leave me alone. He cannot stand me ever. If he tries to give information about me unnecessarily, I know what to do to him. Not only Dubai, I will reveal the rest too. I will tell them to get the rest from Gamini Senarath. Therefore, leave me alone. If so, all of us can escape.”

Rising Terrorism Can Derail Bangladesh

The IS, with an ideology far retrograde to Wahabism does not accept Wahabism because the latter embraces a king.They are unlikely to accommodate the ideology of Bangladeshi terrorists or of the Jamaat. The Jamaat accepts a woman prime minister as a political strategy, but once it wins,if ever,it will impose its ideology which has no place for women.

by Bhaskar Roy

( October 18, 2015, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) While the World Bank raised the status of Bangladesh to a lower middle – income country and World Bank President,Jim Yong Kim lauded Bangladesh’s role in empowering women,terming the country a model in women’s progress,rising terrorism has cast a shadow on the nation

.In the last six years,since the Awami League– led progressive and secular coalition government under Prime Minister Sk.Hasina came to power,the GDP grew over six per cent despite global economic slowdown, exports increased and foreign exchange reserves went up seven times.This is no mean achievement for a country which was described as a “basket–case” by Henry Kissinger.No efforts were spared after liberation, by a section of the people, (with foreign assistance), to convert the liberal country into a right wing Islamic nation run by Sharia law.It may be kept in view that through Saudi funding to spread the extreme Islamic ideology of Wahabism, madrassas sprouted all over the country and over 250,000 mosques were built.

The ethos of Bangladesh was split between the citizens and political parties,between those who rejected Pakistani culture and Islamism and won freedom for the nation in 1971,and those who clung on to the character ofPakistan.

President Zia- ur- Rehman, a highly decorated freedom fighter revealed another side of his character.From a major in the Pakistani army he rose to become chief of army staff of Bangladesh through dubious means including assassinations and betrayals, becoming president of the country through a coup. Shunned by all political parties, he floated his own party, the BNP, in 1978 ;rehabilitated the banned Jamaat-e-Islami,but was eventually assassinated in1981.

The Jamaat which was anti-liberation and staunchly pro-Pakistan was involved in the rape and killing of pro-liberation citizens.Many of Jamaat’s top leaders are being tried for genocide and crimes against humanity,being sentenced to life-imprisonment or death in open trials by a special court.

In the interim, between 1978 and 2006, the BNP and Jamaat’s Islamic conservatism and politically supported terrorism took roots.Especially during the BNP-Jamaat government,many terrorist organizations such as the Jamatul Mujahidin Bangladesh(JMB), HUJI and others were used for crimes.The political patrons of terrorism remain strong,well-funded and active.

When she returned to power as prime minister in 2009, Sk. Hasina asserted that her prime aim was to eradicate terrorism from Bangladesh and counter terrorism elsewhere.Her party won with a sweeping majority,signifying the deep disillusionment and disgust that voters felt about the previous government. First time voters resoundingly rejected terrorism, political assassinations,high handedness and corruption.They wanted jobs, development and progress – something that Sk. Hasina’s government has striven to give and the global community and institutions have recognized the same.

Sk. Hasina,a victim of terrorism herself and survivor of an assassination attempt in 2004,initially succeeded in her counter terrorism agenda.But it is apparent that she is being challenged severely.The JMB has not only reared its head in Bangladesh but has infiltrated into India across the porous border.

In the meanwhile, several other terrorist organizations have taken birth.The Ansarullah Bangladesh Team(ABT),which claims affiliation to the Al Qaeda,killed four secular bloggers in separate incidents earlier this year. Al Qaeda chief, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, gave a call last year for the establishment of his organization in Bangladesh.

The recent killing of two foreigners,Italian NGO worker Cesare Tavella (Dhaka,Sept.28) and Japanese citizen Kunio Hoshi (Rangpur,Oct.3) has created a new concern. An American for-profit enterprise,SITE reported that the Islamic State (IS) had claimed responsibility for the killings.The killings led to the UK, US and Australia issuing advisories to their citizens in Bangladesh to be alert.

The above two incidents had immediate effect on Bangladesh’s economy.Fewer foreign businessmen are seen in Dhaka. Some foreign purchasers of garments have either cancelled or delayed their visits.The garment industry, which is the biggest foreign exchange earner is beginning to feel threatened.

It is still being questioned whether the IS has really entered Bangladesh. According to a report, Indian intelligence agencies are not convinced that the IS was involved in the Tavella and Hoshi killings.The argument is based on the premise that these were not signature IS killings.Tavella and Hoshi were shot by three men on a motorcycle, whereas the IS uses terrifying methods like beheading, burning and drowning.

This differentiation or identification appears a little too simplistic. The IS has entered Afghanistan and is fighting the Taliban. There has not yet been any dramatic IS signature execution of prisoners. Their method of killing depends upon the geography, social conditions and psyche of the killers.

As the IS expands beyond its Iraq and Syrian stronghold, where it claims to have established a caliphate ,it will have to depend on its recruits.

Enticed by IS propaganda over the internet, several Bangladeshis have joined the IS, travelling to Syria via Turkey. An extended expatriate family from UK crossed over to IS earlier this year. Similarly, around 15 Indians joined the IS but some of them returned after experiencing horrifying conditions.

The IS, with an ideology far retrograde to Wahabism does not accept Wahabism because the latter embraces a king.They are unlikely to accommodate the ideology of Bangladeshi terrorists or of the Jamaat. The Jamaat accepts a woman prime minister as a political strategy, but once it wins,if ever,it will impose its ideology which has no place for women.

Police in Dhaka arrested two IS recruiters in May this year. One of them,Aminul Islam, was a computer science graduate and the other, Sakib bin Kamal, was a teacher in an English medium school in Dhaka. Both were in their thirties and were involved with the JMB.Over a period from September 2014, police have arrested around 20 suspected IS members. Most importantly, JMB cadres are shifting towards the IS. Saturated with the ideology of terrorism, it is not surprising that cadres from JMB and other such organizations are ideal for recruitment by the IS.

Interestingly,the Jamaat elders have never condemned the IS and its entry or potential entry into Bangladesh.While the Jamaat has sharply criticized the government for the rise in terrorist incidents, they have to explain how two of their leaders, former lawmakers Mia Golam Parawar and Mojibur Rahman were arrested from a house in Dhaka with 20 home-made bombs.

Parawar is an assistant general secretary of Jamaat, while Rahman is an acting Naeb-e-Amir of the party(bdnews24.com dated 7 Sept. 2015).Crying conspiracy will not help.

At the same time, the government must take much stronger steps to arrest culprits and bring them to justice.Several international observers are of the view that the government does not want to alienate the conservative Muslim voter. This policy will not help.It could encourage deviationists who may think they have found a door open to them.

Obviously, the opposition feels that if the government’s development plan collapses and progress stalls,voters will turn to them.Hence they aid and abet these activities, not realizing that if the terrorists succeed, they will also be swept away.

The IS is a huge international concern.The world, including Bangladesh’s friend China,will not allow an IS supremacy in Bangladesh. Strong action by the government and international assistance to Bangladesh in this regard is an urgent necessity. The IS may not come to Bangladesh, but lone wolf attacks are very likely to proliferate.Apart from strong law and order initiatives, the government and the clergy need to think out of the box using the progressive media and the internet to explain to the people that the IS has no connection to Islam and is a noxious organization.

The writer is a New Delhi based strategic analyst.He can be reached at email grouchohart@yahoo.com.