SRI LANKA: The AHRC condemns the attack on students by the Riot Police

October 30, 2015

The Asian Human Rights Commission is seriously concerned about the attack by the riot police on the students of Inter Student Collective for the Protection of the Higher National Diploma in Accountancy (HNDA), who have gathered to present a petition to the Minister of Higher Education at the University Grants Commission, in Colombo yesterday, 29^thOctober 2015.

Sri Lanka Real Challenges of Civilian Policing by Thavam Ratna

Police attack on students throws House into turmoil

By Saman Indrajith-November 3, 2015, 9:52 pm 

Opposition MPs shouting slogans and holding placards inside the chamber against last week’s attack on a group of protesting students in Colombo threw Parliament into turmoil yesterday.

All hell broke loose when MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena got up, demanding to know why the government had prevented university students from visiting Parliament yesterday. "Former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa allowed the people to visit Parliament because it is a right of the general public to come here and see what is happening here. But, today, the police and the military have been deployed to prevent students from coming to Parliament to meet us."

At that point Opposition MPs got up holding placards which read, "Let’s condemn Yahapalana police attack on students," and "Down with Ranil’s police thugs!" They chanted anti-government slogans. The MPs who protested against the preventing of students from visiting parliament yesterday were Dinesh Gunawardena, Bandula Gunawardena,Wimal Weerawansa, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Kumara Welgama, Dullas Alahapperuma, Weerakumara Dissanayake, Niroshan Premaratne, Udaya Gammanpila, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Gamini Lokuge, Jayantha Samaraweera, Rohitha Abegunawardena, Lohan Ratwatte, Roshan Ranasinghe, Namal Rajapaksa, Prasanna Ranaweera, Prasanna Ranatunga, S.M. Chandrasena, Sisira Jayakody, Keheliya Rambukwella and C.B. Ratnayake.

Speaker Karu Jayassuriya called for order in the House and asked the Opposition MPs to take their seats but the protesters kept standing and shouting.

Amidst the commotion, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that if MP Gunawardena wanted to see visiting university students, the visitors should follow the procedures. "You have to give the number and names of students who want to visit Parliament. Then we can permit them. I am also glad to meet them here and talk to them. There is no issue. But, who are shouting today? What is this joint opposition? There is an Opposition leader as well a Chief Opposition Whip. Then what is this joint Opposition? You have to clarify that to this House," the Premier said.

Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan raised the issue of police attack on students making a special statement. JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, too, condemned the incident.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said that HNDA issue was not of recent origin and blamed the previous governments for not taking meaningful action to sort out the problem once and for all. "I am happy that the Opposition Leader took up this issue and is raising the problems of the students of south as well. But there are some facts we should not forget. We can recall how students were shot at Rathupaswala. How the students were killed at Muttur. The previous regime engaged in suppression of students. I am aware of the problems faced by the HNDA students and have an understanding of their grievances."

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake: "It seems the Prime Minister is well aware of the grievances and problems of the HNDA students. If so why were the HNDA students beaten mercilessly?

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe did not respond.

Beyond policy silos – towards a unified qualification framework for Sri Lanka 

The HND accountancy drama a few days back is a manifestation indeed of education policy making at its silo worst 
                                                                               - Pic by Shehan Gunasekara-Wednesday, 4 November 2015

The Higher National Diploma or HND in Accountancy problem is a storm in a teacup made into a national drama by incompetency all around. Protesting HND students had their usual free education slogans, but all they wanted was a reinstating of Public Administration Ministry Circular 46/1990 which considered HNDs as equivalent to a B.Com. degree for recruitment and promotion purposes in the public sector.

Beyond Policy Silos – Towards a Unified Qualification Framework for Sri Lanka by Thavam Ratna

Earlier Hambantota natives tormented the masses ; now Polonnaruwa natives have taken over that task !

(Lanka-e-News -03.Nov.2015, 11.55PM) Previously , it were those born in Hambantota who inflicted the worst torment on the Lankans and courted disaster for Lanka.  Now, it is those born in Polonnaruwa who have taken over that devastation process from the  Hambantota natives, going by the reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division.

A bloke who was engaged in poster pasting campaign of Miathripala Sirisena during his election campaign and who posed off as a professor has been appointed by the incumbent president as the Sri Lankan (SL) Hiigh Commissioner  to Seychelles Island .

Tikiri Herath Gunatileke was  born in Polonnaruwa but lived in Kandy .Prior to being appointed as High Commissioner , he posed himself off to the world as a professor of Kelaniya University .

While parading as a professor , boguis though ,he took part in the Bak Maha Ulela in Kuwait on several occasions , as a president’s representative along with former Kuwait ambassador  Wijeratne. This professor alias rotter has promised to make Wijeratne , the Kuwait Ambassador again, it is learnt.
 
When Lanka e news probed into his darker side  , it was discovered that this so called professor is only a visiting lecturer on library science, and not a professor. He has no doctorate degree from any recognized University. 

It is by  informing  the Vice chancellor that he would assist the latter  through the president , Tikiri Herath  got himself made permanent in  service. While there are three inquiries under way  at examination level against him based on charges of question paper leakage , he has by misleading the Vice chancellor  ,and concealing all those criminal involvements somehow managed to secure a foreign diplomatic assignment. Tikiri Herath is such a deceitful trickster , that some time ago , he dressed a baas to look a Vice chancellor after making him wear a tie and coat ,  to get a room on rent for the University via cheating. In this connection , an investigation is under way.

He deserted his 20 years old daughter and wife to marry a student he got acquainted with  at the Kelaniya University .This professor alias rotter was associated with ex minister Mervyn Silva ,another vermin  of his ilk , and served as his advisor . He was also  involved in a number of  extortion crimes. In addition , using the power and influence of Mervyn Silva , he forcibly acquired two shops in Kelaniya.

By appointing such a crook and notorious scoundrel as SL High commissioner to Seychelles ,president Maithripala has made his  squint eyed  vision and mission  of good governance abundantly clear.

President Maithripala by appointing this notorious scoundrel as a High commissioner , has clearly demonstrated what good governance in his Thesaurus means. 

It is very unfortunate that the country which  was  suffering from the dark curse of those born in Hambantota, is now  afflicted again by  another  curse -of those born in  Polonnaruwa .

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by     (2015-11-04 01:48:01)

The Avant Garde Fog: More Questions than Answers

One could easily point finger at Sri Lanka for engaging in small arms smuggling to certain failed states in Africa or any other illegal actors. 

by The Sea Marshal

( November 4, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) During the past week we saw action on the maritime front with the arrest of MV Avant Garde by the Sri Lanka Navy, a tug which is operated by the famous Avant Garde Maritime Services (AGMS). The drama ended during the weekend with the handing over of the initial investigation report to the Ministry of Defence by the naval officials. Media reports stated that CID has already handed over their report for onward legal proceedings.

My endeavor here is not to investigate any of the above or for that matter any of the other issues related to AGMS. The whole country knows what type of connections the AGMS had before January 8 and the level of influence they had especially on the Navy. They were so smart to grab some of the very senior naval officers in to their management by paying a colossal amount of money (including few retired navy chiefs and a former DG of Coast Guard).

It is said that one former Navy Commander (when he was in office) was influential in breaking the hold the Navy had on this floating armory issue and incurred heavy financial losses to the Navy, and some say he earned nearly Rs. 30 lakhs as his monthly salary. In looking at the AGMS issues, it is very much evident that some of the senior retired naval officers (no one knows how many serving ones actually helped them or still continue to help) are at fault for not earning huge monthly salaries, but for betraying their second home, the Navy for a heavy price.

It is learnt that the AGMS owes the Navy a well over Rs. 580 million rupees for the services they have provided over the years. The AGMS has refrained from responding any of the letters the Navy has send to them over the years. Obviously this 580 million was not accumulated over the last month, this outstanding amount was well known by the very senior officers at Navy headquarters and especially by the former Navy Commander, who is now the maritime advisor to the President. Why did he keep quite? What actions has he proposed? What is he doing now? Many wonder what kind of advice he might have given to the President on this whole affair being the Maritime Advisor knowing his capacity, capability, and intellectual capabilities on these matters. He might have thought that it’s better to keep quite rather than exposing his real nature to the President, so that he could enjoy whatever the perks for few more months.

One should give the credit to the AGMS for having the capacity to drag some of the very senior naval officers to their company. It is said that some of them performed outstandingly well at AGMS when compared to their performance at the Navy (money can do wonders). This should not have been a major obstacle for AGMS as some say; they were capable of obtaining very close assistance from some of the higher officials at the Defence Ministry too. If there is a slightest doubt of such, I am confident that the Secretary Defence will take the most appropriate action to clean his ministry.

Let’s look at the maritime security implications of the famous MV Avant Garde incident. I am sure the Navy need to be credited for the outstanding job they did by detecting this vessel when it was said to no communications with their operations room. This event showed that the Navy is on alert and have the technology and expertise to conduct effective surveillance over the maritime space. With my limited knowledge on Law of Sea and other maritime laws and regulations, I am quite confident that the Navy acted legally in accordance with the powers vested on them. I commend the Navy Commander for taking very clear and precise actions pertaining to the whole affair. If not for him, this would have been another incident which would have very easily gone in hiding.

The Navy challenged the vessel, gave very specific instructions, got onboard, carried out checks etc., despite some officials at certain ministries were fast trying to send letters with many errors on them. I think some still thinking their ministry is looking at Urban Development too. One in particular has jumped the gun nakedly and got himself disclosed, and I think someone really needs to conduct a separate investigation into him on his behavior and for acting over his mandate.

Especially our neighbor has clearly indicated concerns over ill-regulated Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (commonly known as PCASP) and Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs) on number of occasions. And I am sure their concerns are genuine in many ways. They learnt a bitter lesson during the Mumbai attacks and I am sure that no one wants to risk their national security by allowing some companies to carry especially large quantities of small arms even near to their waters.

Imagine a situation where this ship in question was arrested by the Indian Navy/Coast Guard or by any other foreign naval ship patrolling in the Red Sea or in the high seas? Such an event would have caused a huge roar in the international maritime security affairs. One could easily point finger at Sri Lanka for engaging in small arms smuggling to certain failed states in Africa or any other illegal actors.

I personally believe that what we have seen is only the tip of the iceberg, many stories are yet to be unfolded, and as taxpaying citizens of this country we are all keeping a close eye on this issue. If those who are at the AGMS still thinks they can do all what they want by even bending and manipulating certain things, they have sure forgotten that this country embarked on a new journey on January 8. So the best approach for the AGMS management would be to change their mentality and attitude related to the whole issue. Because sending letters all-round the country signed by the AGMS Chairman while attending a so called surgery (those who are at AGMS exactly knows what I am referring here) will not take them an inch forward but will see the fate of those who step into quick sand.

( The writer can be reached at seamarshal2015@gmail.com )

More key resignations at ‘Mawbima’ newspaper! 

Nov 04, 2015

The fast-sinking ‘Mawbima’ newspaper belonging to Tiran Alles has suffered yet another blow with the resignation of its two assistant managers at the marketing and sales division, Suraj Pathirana and Kapila Bandara, who have now joined ‘Sathhanda’ newspaper, reports say. All the advertisements in ‘Mawbima’ were the ones secured by the two of them, and their resignations have resulted in a further fall in its financial crisis.

That financial crisis is such that the salary due on the 30th of last month had been paid only yesterday (03), say ‘Mawbima’ sources. Even that was paid with a loan obtained by Tiran from his brother Harsha Alles’ Gateway educational institute.

Tiran is fuming over marketing and sales manager Manel Dharmakeerthi’s having made no attempt to prevent the resignations of the two assistant managers, reports say. Manel has told the two of them that he too, would be leaving shortly for Australia where he would take up permanent residence.

Meanwhile, several editorial members of ‘Mawbima’ are at talks with ‘Sathhanda’ and ‘Leader Publications’ to join them, it is said.

The most recent incident that had worsened ‘Mawbima’s situation is the absence of any action being taken by the management over the finding of a camera fixed in the ladies toilet at the newspaper. This is the second such camera found from the ladies toilet. Since they cannot work at ‘Mawbima’ with due dignity, employees are leaving the newspaper, which has suffered a severe setback in its sales, say sources at the newspaper.

Tiran is spending from his own pocket to continue with ‘Mawbima’ because he fears he will lose his recognition among politicians if the newspaper is closed. If that happens, he will not be able to strike ‘deals’ with politicians and his entire business will collapse. Therefore, he is determined to continue with ‘Mawbima’ for some more time even amidst the difficulties, say the sources further.

Police visits Lalith’s residence after 4 years.

WEDNESDAY, 04 NOVEMBER 2015

A team of police officers from Hanwella Police visited the residence of Lalith Kumar Weeraraj, a political activist, on Monday (2nd) regarding a complaint made in 2001 regarding his disappearance.

Lalith Kumar’s father had lodged a complaint at Police in Kosgama, where Lalith Kumar was living, the day after Lalith Kumar and Kugan Muruganandan were reported missing while they were in Jaffna on 9th December, 2011.

The police visited Lalith Kumar’s house on the 2nd, 3 years and 11 months after the complaint had been lodged, to inquire from Arumugam Weeraraj, Lalith Kumar’s father, regarding his complaint.

Mr. Arumugam Weeraraj says the questioning was conducted amicably and he, after four years, felt that police has taken an interest in the case.

Can you beat that ? Hultsdorf Tamil lawyer is a mafia boss- plunders properties of innocent Tamils using his underworld gang

(Lanka-e-News -03.Nov.2015, 11.55) Believe it or not ! an attorney at law at Hultsdorf is plundering lands and properties of innocent Tamils with gay abandon while acting as a Mafia boss for an underworld gang in Hultsdorf. This lawyer is himself a Tamil  , and practices at the chief magistrate court , Hultsdorf.

It is learnt that this lawyer, P. Raveendran is a godfather to an underworld group , and his main occupation is using his legal knowledge for illegal and most criminal purposes ! – making forged deeds and illegally appropriating properties belonging to Tamils (generally considered docile) , specially businessmen, with ample support from his underworld criminals.
 
The latest victim in the series of this criminal pillaging of properties is , Pushparathne Gerard Augustine Chelvarajah , the legal owner of the valuable building at No. 04 , Wilson street Hultsdorf , Colombo 12. It is reported that he is employing his underworld hoodlums to evict the legal owner forcibly using threats and intimidation. He is planning a massive criminal operation despite being a lawyer to oust the true owner , it is reported.

Being a lawyer of the supreme court , those innocents who fall victims to his fraudulent deed transfers and criminal operations are in mortal fear of  reprisals using his underworld gangsters in case the victims take action against him or resist his unlawful activities.

Nevertheless , complaints have been made to the Chief justice , the president of the Bar association  as a last resort .  As his conduct is most unbecoming of a lawyer , and he is an absolute disgrace not only to the lawyers but to the entire legal profession  including the chief justice , the attorney general’s department and those judges gracing the bench , it is hoped not only by the victims but by the entire general public that the entire judiciary will move in this matter to save their own reputation which is at stake as never before in the judicial history of Sri Lanka.

If this trend is not nipped in the bud, it is feared by one and all that  this can set a bad example to other lawyers too , for  a  lawyer to turn into a criminal and fraudster is easier unlike  an ordinary citizen , for  a lawyer has all the legal knowledge to exploit  the legal loopholes  and the evil resources to rescue himself  when he indulges in such criminal unlawful activities. 

It is the consensus , to a lawyer who  is so outrageously, openly  and unlawfully conducting himself , striking his name off from the roll is the least punishment that can be meted out, given the disgrace and humiliation he has brought upon the entire legal profession leave  alone the evil  contagion he is spreading among the others of the legal fraternity

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by     (2015-11-04 02:00:46)

Three arrested for selling infant

2015-11-04 13

Valaichchenai Police has arrested two women and a man for selling a 29-day-old infant yesterday (3), Police Media Unit said. The arrests were made based on a tip off Police had received from National Child Protection Authority; about the sale of infant on 2 November.

The infant, born out of wedlock to a 20-year-old woman, has been sold for Rs 20,000, Police Media Unit further said.

The suspects were released on surety bail upon being produced in Valaichchenai Magistrate Courts. The case will be considered on 9 November, Police Media Unit added.

Valaichchenai Police is carrying out further investigations into the incident.

‘Yaha Paalana’ minister Fowzie’s secretary in land grabbing 

Nov 04, 2015

When appointing secretaries to ministries of the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government, the president had issued a directive to appoint those free of corruption and fraud.

Notwithstanding that advice, Fowzie too, got a ministry allocated for the SLFP. Appointed as secretary to that ministry was a person by the name Suhail. During the Chandrika Bandaranaike period too, he held a position at an institution, and for a short period of the 100 day government, he was appointed a director of Rupavahini Corporation.

His house is located at Rosmead Place, and his next door neighbour was an NGO member by the name Jeevantha Raja. Suhail started extending the boundary of his property and built a fence by taking over more than four perches of Jeevantha Raja’s land. Jeevantha Raja lodged a complaint with Cinnamon Garden police.

Summoned to police, Suhail claimed his political affiliations and influenced the investigation, and warned an immediate stop, as he was having close connections with the president.

Anyhow, Jeevantha Raja managed to inform president about the injustice done to him, and Suhail came under fire from the president.

But, not stopping there, Suhail used underworld thugs and has got Jeevantha Raja’s son assaulted. After that, Jeevantha Raja’s wife and son left for England, and he had to live alone at his Rosmead Place home.

So far, the relevant authorities have not taken any legal action with regard to this land dispute owing to intimidation by Suhail.

There is a question as to why the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government is retaining such a corrupt person in a key position. There are many corruption accusations against him. Among them is the swindling of Rs. 70 million through the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to telecast tele dramas. He has also demanded a big sum from Ruwan Wijewardena to grant a private television channel license, and when he refused to agree, Suhail had sent messages to him through Wijaya Newspapers editors that he could give the license, but at a big payment.

The question here is how come a person who is accused of massive financial fraud and fights over others’ properties has got hold of a position in the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government.

Refugee camp bids farewell to another young martyr

Mutaz Zawahreh is laid to rest in Deheisheh refugee camp on 14 October.

 Anne PaqActiveStills

Mutaz Zawahreh’s sister Iman (left) and mother Najiyeh (center) during the youth’s funeral procession on 14 October.Muhesen AmrenAPA images

Budour Youssef Hassan-3 November 2015

The Electronic Intifada

Najiyeh Zawahreh in the occupied West Bank’s Dheisheh refugee camp has spent much of the four decades since her marriage visiting her family in prison.

Her husband Ibrahim was repeatedly jailed in the 1970s and ’80s for his affiliation with the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and his involvement in resistance to the Israeli occupation.

Refugee Camp Bids Farewell to Another Young Martyr by Thavam Ratna

Syria: Significant Gains of Pro-government Forces, Al Nusra and ISIS Have United Their Military Efforts

By South Front-3 November 2015

The Russian Air Force’s support allowed the Syrian forces to liberate more than 50 settlements. Following the reports, SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence can conclude that only Russian airstrikes killed 400-600 militants since the start of the military operation.

Pro-government forces are advancing in the Aleppo, Latakia, Idlib, Hama and Damascus provinces. Despite the efforts on the ground and in the air, terrorists are holding their positions in a number of areas which have been turned in heavily protected points since the start of the Syrian war. Furthermore, and al-Nusra and ISIS have already united their military efforts in the Hama province.

Transcript

Separately, some al-Nusra units joined to the Ahrar ash-Sham group which Western media and officials call “moderate rebels”. Some other terrorist groups are also seeking to rebrand themselves in order to argue that the Russian anti-ISIS coalition fights against “moderate opposition” instead of terrorists.

On October 26, the Jund al-Aqsa militant group leaved the Army of Conquest (Jaish al-Fatah) military operations coalition. The official reason was that another member of the Army of Conquest, Ajnad al-Sham suggested to fight ISIS. According to reports, ISIS executed about 200 militants tried to join al-Nusra. Militants wanted to change the terrrorist group because ISIS is a primary target of the Russian Air Force in Syria.

There is unconfirmed information that Turkey and Saudi Arabia have a plan to supply SAM-8 and SAM-9 antiaircraft  systems to the Syrian terrorists through Ukraine.

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) supported by Hezbollah and the National Defense Forces (NDF) imposed full control over the Ahad Mountains after a series of intense firefights with ISIS on November 2. According to the field reports the SAA and Hezbolalh also advanced north of the Ahad Mountains in order to control the remaining ISIS combatants that are entrenched along the Khanasser-Ithriya Highway that leads to the provincial capital of the Aleppo Governorate.

Over the weekend, the Syrian Arab Army’s Central Command issued a statement inferring that the Khanasser-Ithriya Highway could be reopened as soon as Tuesday. However, this will not be an easy task due to the ISIS forces pushing north from their stronghold of ‘Aqaybat, which is located east of Al-Salamiyah and south of Sheikh Hilal.

Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) advanced against the militants in the vicinity of al-Houl town towards the village of al-Bahra in al-Hasaka countryside on Monday, reports said.

ISIS has killed 12 children, aged 12 to 16, recruited in Iraq’s northern city of Mosul apparently because they had tried to desert. The children were receiving training at Ashti military camp in Mosul.

In their latest advance against ISIS militants, Iraqi army troops backed by volunteer forces have entered the city of Ramadi, which is currently under the control of the terrorist group. The Iraqi military advanced into the city center after crossing the strategic bridge of Albu Faraj, north of Ramadi. Reports said earlier in the day that Iraqi forces had killed a senior ISIS member, known as Abu Masab, in the northern part of the city.

The original source of this article is South Front

Jeremy Corbyn says Sisi visit 'threatens Britain's national security' 

The Labour Party leader has called for UK arms export suspensions until 'democratic and civil rights are restored' in Egypt 

Jeremy Corbyn speaks during prime minister's question time in the House of Commons chamber (AFP) 

Alex MacDonald-Wednesday 4 November 2015

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK Labour Party, has condemned a visit by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to the UK, saying that it showed “contempt for human and democratic rights”.

“David Cameron’s invitation to Britain today of the Egyptian president and coup leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi shows contempt for human and democratic rights and threatens, rather than protects, Britain’s national security,” said Corbyn, in a press statement.

“Support for dialogue and negotiated conflict resolution in the Middle East is vital to us all. But to welcome and bolster with military support the coup leader who overthrew a democratically elected president in 2013 and has presided over the killing and jailing of many thousands since makes a mockery of government claims to be promoting peace and justice in the region.”

He added that rather than aiding the UK to tackle terrorism, Sisi’s government has provoked and encouraged conflict with militant groups and been a “key factor” in the spread of militant violence in the region.

“Rather than rolling out the red carpet to President Sisi, the prime minister should suspend arms exports to Egypt until democratic and civil rights are restored,” he said.

The visit to the UK by President Sisi has proved controversial, with a number of organisations producing public condemnations.

The European Working Group on Egypt, a "collective initiative" for "pan-European discussion of EU policy towards Egypt", formed by Anthony Dworkin of the European Council on Foreign Relations and Issandr El Amrani of the International Crisis Group, released a statement calling for Prime Minister David Cameron to press Sisi on human rights issues.

"At a time when President Sisi is seeking to use his interaction with foreign leaders to project an image of political legitimacy, you have an opportunity to show that Britain’s endorsement is not unconditional," read the letter. "You should make clear that Britain believes that an end to the policy of political repression is essential to restore the rule of law in Egypt and reverse the drift toward greater instability.

"In particular you should press President Sisi to take steps to release or grant amnesties to those people who remain in prison for political offences or for breach of the anti-protest law. In September, Mr Sisi released 100 prisoners ahead of his trip to the UN General Assembly in New York. He should be pressed to do more to correct the authoritarian drift of the last two years."

Last week, Labour’s shadow chancellor John McDonnell led calls for Sisi’s invitation to be rescinded.

In a letter published in the Guardian, McDonnell and 54 other signatories warned that Sisi was responsible for a “regime of terror.”

“We believe it violates the British values which the government claims to champion to welcome a ruler who has overthrown an elected government and instituted a regime of terror which has thrown back the cause of democracy in Egypt and the wider Middle East many years,” read the statement.

“While not necessarily supporting deposed president Morsi or the policies of his Freedom and Justice party, we note that he was democratically elected, and that his removal from office was effected by means of a military coup led by Sisi. Since then Sisi’s military-directed regime has massacred thousands of civilians.”

Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, Sisi denied allegations of rights abuses telling the BBC that his country had “fair and transparent elections”.

“Today, we have also fair and transparent elections. This is our experience with democracy. The thing is, people imagine we can reach all the goals quickly – but this is not true,” he said, speaking to the BBC’s Lyse Doucet in Cairo, shortly before travelling to the UK

“Democracy is all about will and practice. We want the Egyptians to have the right to choose their leaders. Is this happening? Yes.”

In response to a question about a controversial anti-terrorism law adopted in Egypt – which punishes media outlets who spread “false” reports – he said that the conditions in Egypt, which is facing a militant insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula, required tough measures.

“If you meet ordinary Egyptians they tell you they are afraid of facing the same fate as other countries in the region,” he said. “They see the footage of people drowning in the seas on the way to Europe and they are scared this could happen to them.”

“Give me the environment you have in Europe and we wouldn’t need anything like this in Egypt.”

- See more at: http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jeremy-corbyn-calls-invitation-be-rescinded-egypts-sisi-313291606#sthash.rGX92AHm.dpuf

China initiates Taiwan meeting as South China Sea tensions rise

Sudden decision will be seen as part of Beijing’s pushback following US naval challenge to its island-building activities

A US Navy destroyer in waters near the Spratly archipelago, where Beijing has allegedly been building artificial islands. Photograph: MC1 Martin Wright/US Navy/EPA

Simon Tisdall-Wednesday 4 November 2015
An unprecedented meeting between the leaders of China and Taiwan, arranged at short notice for Saturday in Singapore, is under fire from opposition politicians in Taipei who say it is a blatant attempt by Beijing to influence the island’s forthcoming presidential and legislative elections.

But the talks between Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou, who is soon to retire, will also be seen as part of China’s anticipated pushback following last week’s high-profileAmerican naval challenge to its island-building activities in the South China Sea. China initiated the meeting, ending more than half a century of ostracism at the highest level.

China regards Taiwan as a renegade province and seeks its reunification with the mainland. But the island has enjoyed de facto independence since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949, underpinned by American military might. Like other countries in the region, Taiwan is in dispute with Beijing over claims in the South China Sea.

China-Taiwan tensions have eased somewhat during Ma’s time in office as his nationalist party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has expanded cross-strait trade and tourism. But the number of Taiwanese favouring reunification has been steadily falling, while suspicion of Beijing’s expansionist ambitions has grown.

Opinion polls suggest the opposition Democratic Progressive party (DPP), led for the first time by a woman, Tsai Ing-wen, is on course to win the presidency in January when Ma stands down. The party is traditionally seen as favouring independence, or at the very least maintaining the status quo. A DPP success would undoubtedly anger Xi, who has said the Taiwan issue cannot remain unresolved indefinitely.

Tsai complained that the announcement of the meeting came out of the blue. “To let the people know in such a hasty and chaotic manner is damaging to Taiwan’s democracy,” she said. The DPP spokesman Cheng Yun-peng said: “How can people not think of this as a political operation intended to affect the election?”

Yet if Ma is thought to be kowtowing to Xi, the Singapore meeting could backfire by stiffening opposition to China’s advances. Large-scale KMT defeats in local elections last year were attributed to a backlash, especially among younger voters, against the party’s perceived cosying up to Beijing. China says it has no intention of interfering in the 16 January polls, unlike in 1996 when it launched war games to try to intimidate voters.

Rejecting claims that Ma was selling out Taiwan, officials said he would make no deals, private or public, and would concentrate on promoting “the peaceful development of cross-strait relations”. Since neither leader recognises the other as a head of state, the two men will address each other “Mr”.

Xi’s sudden decision to meet Ma may be linked to escalating tension with the US. China claims sovereign rights in almost all the South China Sea, a vital international trade route. A meeting of Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) defence ministers ended in disarray this week when it failed to agree a joint communique because of the disputes.

After no headway was made in talks between US and Chinese naval commanders on last week’s Spratly islands incident involving a US warship, Ash Carter, the US defence secretary, pointedly took a South China Sea “freedom of navigation” cruise on Thursday aboard a US aircraft carrier.

On Friday in another apparent attempt to remind weaker neighbours of the importance of a good relationship with China, Xi will visit Vietnam, which is also involved in the South China Sea disputes and has clashed with Beijing over offshore oil drilling rights.

Washington has been assiduously courting Hanoi as part its regional power struggle with Beijing. Observers say Xi may hope to mend fences and strengthen pro-China leadership contenders prior to Vietnam’s Communist party national congress next year.

Racism? By whom? This video of Texas cops stopping a black professor is a racial ‘Rorschach test’

Undated family handout picture of Freddie Gray.-But Bland’s account is also largely accurate.

Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, holds up a card with a photo of her son as she speaks at the National Urban League’s annual conference on Friday, July 26, 2013, in Philadelphia. (Matt Rourke/AP)

Dashcam video shows two Corinth, Texas, police officers stop and question University of North Texas journalism dean Dorothy Bland on Oct. 24 while she was exercising in her neighborhood. (Corinth Police Department)

By Michael E. Miller-November 4 

On Oct. 24, University of North Texas professor Dorothy Bland was walking around her affluent Dallas suburb when she was stopped by police. Bland, who is African American, had been exercising in the street. The cops, who are both white, asked her to walk in the opposite direction so she could see traffic or, even better, to use the sidewalk. Roughly three minutes later, she was on her way.

Racism by Whom This Video of Texas Cops Stopping a Black Professor is a Racial ‘Rorschach Test’ by Thavam Ratna