Police Torture and the Real Militarization of Society

by STEVE MARTINOT-NOVEMBER 11, 2015

The Structure of Obedience

Consider the following scenario. A police officer tells a person to stay in one place, or to sit down, or to lie down on the ground face down. The person starts to walk away, and gets arrested. Though that may be a brief journalistic description, it has enormous political ramifications.

Police Torture and the Real Militarization of Society by Thavam Ratna

People power in China: Ordinary citizens can now successfully sue polluters

by Graham Land -13th November 2015

AS the world’s most populous country, as well as — by some measures — largest economy, it is logical that China should be the biggest polluter and emitter of greenhouse gases on Earth. This is especially true in light of its recent, breakneck industrialization and urbanization.
People Power in China Ordinary Citizens Can Now Successfully Sue Polluters by Thavam Ratna

Tsunami triggered by major earthquake off Japanese coast 

The Japan News.Net Saturday 14th November, 2015

TOKYO, Japan - A major earthquake has struck off Japan's south-western coast, triggering a small tsunami, according to officials.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said a 30cm (1ft) tsunami was registered on the southern Nakanoshima island, part of Kagoshima prefecture following the 7.0 magnitude quake.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries and a tsunami warning issued for Kagoshima and Satsunan islands was later lifted.

The quake happened at a depth of about 10km (six miles). The US Geological Survey said it was some 159km south-west of the town of Makurazaki.

A massive earthquake in 2011 caused a tsunami that left more than 18,000 people dead in north-eastern Japan.

More than 230,000 people have yet to return to their home towns since the disaster.

The tsunami caused nuclear accidents, the most high profile of which was the level 7 meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant complex, and the associated evacuation zones affecting hundreds of thousands of residents.

Many electrical generators were taken down, and at least three nuclear reactors suffered explosions due to hydrogen gas that had built up within their outer containment buildings after cooling system failure resulting from the loss of electrical power.

Several hundred thousand residents within a 20km (12mi) radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and a 10km (6.2mi) radius of the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant were evacuated.

Early estimates placed insured losses from the earthquake alone at US $14.5 to US $34.6billion.

US $183billion was injected into the banking system by the Bank of Japan on 14 March in an effort to normalise market conditions.

The World Bank's estimated economic cost was US $235billion, making it the costliest natural disaster in world history.

Five old remedies that are still healing us today

A medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis)-Science Photo Library---Milkweed

RIA NOVOSTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY--------------------Willow

27 October 2015

One of the recent winners of the Nobel Prize for medicine discovered a breakthrough drug after poring over 2,000 ancient herbal recipes.

Dr Tu Youyou's discovery, the anti-malarial artemisinin, derived from wormwood, is credited with saving millions of lives.

Five Old Remedies That Are Still Healing Us Today by Thavam Ratna

North-East of Sri Lanka hit by severe floods

14 November 2015

Thousands across the North-East of Sri Lanka have been affected by heavy rainfall over the last two days.

Photograph: Tamil Guardian

War affected displaced families living in temporary shelters have faced the brunt of the rain, whilst being forcibly displaced by the consequential flooding.


Hundreds of families are now being sheltered in public school buildings.

Several areas where war affected families have been living in temporary shelters have been hit by flash floods, including the villages of Santhapuram, Ponnagar, Paranthan, Sivapuram, Umayalpuram and Murasumoddai.

In Killinochchi hundreds of families have been severely affected by the heavy rainfall.

At least 50 houses were damaged due to torrential rain and strong winds said the Killinochchi District Assistant Director of Disaster Management Kukathas Sukunathas. 

Setting up of war crimes court:

Geneva resolution will have to be taken into consideration

- Paranagama

by Shamindra Ferdinando-November 14, 2015, 9:22 am 

Retired High Court judge Maxwell Paranagama yesterday said that the implementation of the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons was the prerogative of the government.

Paranagama, who headed the investigation, acknowledged that the government would certainly have to take into consideration the Sept. 30 Geneva resolution that dealt with accountability issues when setting up an inquiry. The retired judge was responding to a query by The Island regarding the government’s response to the report on the Second Mandate of the Presidential Commission assisted by a team of international experts.

The Geneva resolution co-sponsored by the government proposed the participation of foreign judges in domestic judicial mechanism.

Asked whether he had been consulted on the implementation of the recommendations, Paranagama emphasized that the Commission wouldn’t under any circumstances get involved in that process. Ways and means of implementing the recommendations would be a matter for the political leadership, Paranagama said, while stressing the importance of having international backing for local judicial process by way of foreign observers as well as technical assistance.

Paranagama reiterated the commission’s call for prosecution by the Attorney General and investigations also by local authorities.

Responding to another query, Paranagama pointed out that his Commission had the blessings of the incumbent government though it had been appointed and its scope expanded during the previous administration. According to him, the public should be given an opportunity to know the Commission’s findings and recommendations. Paranagama said that the Commission was keen to know the reaction of the public.

Meanwhile, authoritative sources told The Island that the Report on the Second Mandate of the Presidential Commission was unlikely to be formally presented to either the Human Rights Commission (HRC) or the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

They said: "To formally present the report to the HRC when there is no debate scheduled on the issue doesn’t make sense".

Sources said that it wouldn’t be advisable at the moment to call for a special session to discuss the report. In case, Sri Lanka wanted to seek a special session, the government needed the backing of several member states to achieve that.

However, opposition sources said that the report on the Second Mandate as well as several other reports namely Military expert opinion by Maj. Gen. John Holmes, legal opinion by Prof. Michael Newton, review of PoE (Panel of Experts) report by Sir Geoffrey Nice, QC and Rodney Dixon, QC, legal opinion by Sir Desmond de Silva, opinion by Prof. D.M. Crane and Sir Desmond de Silva, QC and the Advisory Council of Experts and finally legal opinion concerning the law applicable to military operations between the government and the LTTE by Sir Geoffrey Nice, QC and Rodney Dixon, QC should be submitted to the international community.

Opposition sources stressed that the reports available with the government should be used to counter unsubstantiated allegations directed at the country.

Further 6 Tamil detainees hospitalised, 24 prisoners released on bail

13 November 2015

Several Tamil political prisoners were taken to hospital as they entered their 6th day on Hunger strike. A total of 6 Tamil political detainees were hospitalised from Anuradhapura and Welikada prisons. The last two days have seen at least 23 Tamil political prisoners hospitalised following hunger strikes to demand their release. Following a presentation fo their sureties, 24 Tamil detainees were released from Welikada prison on Friday. The Tamil detainees were released on two surety bails of 1 million rupees. A total of 271 Tamil political prisoners were officially registered as being detained under the arbitrary Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) at the start of this week. The predominantly Tamil North-East saw mass strike action in support of the demands of the Tamil political prisoners today. Towns across North-East shut down in support of Tamil political detainees (13 Nov 2015)

The Plight Of Tamil POWs

By Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran –November 14, 2015 

Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran – PM – TGTE

On the 12th of October, nearly 200 Tamil prisoners held in Sri Lanka began a hunger strike calling for their immediate release. It was reported that three of them had been hospitalized because of their deteriorating condition. Following that, the Sri Lankan government gave the hunger strikers an assurance that it would resolve the issue of their continued detention before the 7th of November. The Tamil prisoners suspended their hunger strike relying on this assurance but stated they would resume their fast if they remain detained after November 7th. It was reported that the Sri Lankan government was considering releasing 32 persons on bail before November 9th and another group of 30 persons before November 28th. The Tamil prisoners saying that the above was not satisfactory have now resumed their hunger strike. Most of the 200 Tamils detained for over six years have never been formally charged with any crime.

The continued indeterminate detention of these prisoners constitutes continuing serious breaches of international law. As the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Honorable Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, stated in the Report of the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) submitted to the Human Rights Council during its 30th Session in September, the legal framework of the conflict in Sri Lanka and its aftermath is governed by international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. Sri Lanka’s assertion that the continued detention of these prisoners is lawful as part of a “rehabilitation program,” and/or “amnesty discourse” is an affront to international law, the international community and the inherent dignity of the detainees and their families.

All of the Tamil prisoners have been held because of their alleged involvement in the country’s armed conflict; a conflict that ended on May 18, 2009. The TGTE demands that the government of Sri Lanka fulfill its obligations under international law and immediately release all Tamil prisoners currently being held.

The TGTE calls upon the government of Sri Lanka and the international community to:

Read More

Muslims – an invisible minority? – 2

By Izeth Hussain-November 13, 2015

My shift of terminology from "submerged minority" to "invisible minority" represented a shift of focus from noting the objective fact of submergence to the process behind that submergence, the subjective process of failing to notice the plight of the submerged, a process of reducing them to invisibility. Orwell noted that all colonial empires are built on that strategy. It seems to m that that strategy applies also in the case of ethnic majorities and some ethnic minorities. It has certainly applied in the case of relations between the Sinhalese and the Muslims.

In a recent article I dealt with the anti-Muslim riots from 1976 to around 2002 The riots took place practically every year, and in every case the Muslims were the victims, but none of our Governments during that period of over a quarter century even acknowledge the ethnic dimension of the riots. The media consistently held that the riots were no more than fracas between thugs which had somehow ignited wider incidents, and were emphatic that there was no ethnic dimension to the riots, none whatever. The political Opposition was silent. So was the civil society, except that an isolated Muslim wrote articles about what was going on. Around 2001MIRJE (Movement for inter-Racial Justice and Equality) produced an excellent report on the anti-Muslim riots, but I won’t be surprised if the inspiration for that came from abroad. The riots subsided, but there followed the Grease Yaka harassment of Muslim females and the abduction of Muslim businessmen for ransom. None of those developments troubled any of our Governments in the least bit. They were cocooned in the slumber of the just. The Muslims had been reduced to an invisible minority.

The change came after the anti-Muslim campaign of the BBS when the Muslims started acquiring visibility. Before dealing with that I will make some observations on what the Government had failed to do up to that time and the significance of that failure. After each of those riots Muslim political notables would visit the area and together with community leaders would try to patch things up, and the Government would undertake to provide compensation to the victims. But no action, none whatever, of a sort that would deter further riots was taken, or for that matter even envisaged. After the Hulftsdorp riots of December 1993 I wrote an article in which I pointed to what Lee Kuan Yew would have done if there had been comparable riots in Singapore. After the very first riot he would have got the people of the area to identify the thugs responsible for it, he would have brought them to brisk trial which would have been conducted without much scruple for the niceties of the law, and he would have hanged the whole lot of them. In consequence, there would have been no further ethnic riots in Singapore. In Sri Lanka, by contrast, action to deter further rioting was not even envisaged. One reason is that there had never been any attempt in Sri Lanka to build a multi-ethnic nation. Another is that Muslim politicians could be trusted not to be fussy over what was being done to their co-religionists. Therefore the Muslims could be safely treated as an invisible minority.

The change came with the BBS’ anti-Muslim campaign which catalyzed the Muslims into visibility. I believe that the reason, the only reason, behind that change was the threat of anti-Muslim violence on a mass scale. It was apparent that the racist Sinhalese state of the time was complicit with the BBS even to the horrifying extent of placing the BBS leaders above the law. There was every reason to suspect that another 1983 was in the offing – "Your turn next time" as the Tamils kept saying after 1983. It was evident that the strategy of boot-licking the Sinhalese power elite would not save the Muslims from mass massacre. In that situation something totally unexpected happened: Rauf Hakeem and some other Muslim politicians spoke up, and they spoke up courageously, for the Muslims against an anti-Muslim segment of the Sinhalese who evidently had state backing. They, in fact, went further in alerting the wider Islamic world to the danger facing the SL Muslims, showing a splendid contempt for possible contemptible charges of divided allegiances. We must also take into account the fact that the then political Opposition made no more than a few perfunctory noises against the BBS. However, the civil society showed a new dynamism in deploring the racism of the BBS, a sign of changing perceptions among the Sinhalese about Sinhalese racism.

I believe that it is the process of change set off by the threat of mass violence that has led to a new awakening about the plight of Muslim refugees from the North. Nothing is more convincing than their plight to show that the Muslims have been an invisible minority. For as long as a quarter century the plight of around a hundred thousand refugees scarcely figured in public discourse. What is horrifying is that during part of that time the plight of Tamil refugees got an immense amount of exposure both domestically and internationally. What is the explanation? Part of the explanation is that the dominant ethnic majorities don’t want their serene joy in power to be disturbed by the plight of ethnic minorities, who are therefore reduced to invisibility. They use the same strategy as the imperialists of yore towards the natives, as noted by Orwell. But, as I have noted earlier, invisibility has to have behind it the complicity of the representatives of the ethnic minorities. In Sri Lanka the Muslim politicians failed to speak up for the Muslim refugees for twenty five long years. That was consistent with their traditional role of representing the Sinhalese masters to the Muslims, not the Muslims to the Sinhalese masters.

The rise to visibility of the Muslims should be seen as part of a global revolutionary process. In the past we never heard of the indigenous Indios as a factor in the politics of Latin America. Today they produce revolutionary leaders such as Chavez and Evo Morales. All over the world the invisible will be rising to visibility. The basic factor behind the revolutionary process is that the aspirations to upward mobility will keep on growing while the possibility of upward mobility also keep on growing. Muslim relations with both the Sinhalese and the Tamils could worsen while economic rivalry keeps on increasing. What should be done? We need to do much rethinking about how to bring about some sense of unity in this deeply fragmented so-called Sri Lankan nation.

izethhussain@gmail.com

Wijeweera ‘s wife files action against JVP for trespassing on her intellectual property rights

(Lanka-e-News- 14.Nov.2015, 7.45PM) Shrimathie Chithrangani Fernando, the wife of late Rohana Wijeweera the founder of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has filed legal action against the JVP.

She had claimed that 7 books written by her husband had been published and sold by the JVP in violation of the Intellectual property laws, and has therefore demanded Rs. 5 million as compensation from the respondents- the JVP. In addition she had requested an enjoining order from court  to halt the printing ,distribution and marketing of those books  . She had filed this action in the Colombo Commercial High court.

The Colombo commercial hugh court judge , Shiran Gunaratne  who decided to hear the case ordered that summons be served on the JVP representatives to appear in court on the 27 th.

Wife of late Wijeweera is claiming ownership to intellectual property  in respect of the 7 books written by her husband whose titles are :

We may be killed but our voice of struggle will not die
The  opportunities, the  poor class, the dictatorship  
Solution to Tamil Eelam struggle
Some  experiences
Our policies to build the country
Lessons of Red October
Vietnam revolution shall be safeguarded 

In the plaint filed by the petitioner , it is stated these 7 books are to be distributed yesterday (13) at the Great Heroes’ day commemoration . The JVP on this day commemorates the deaths of the group that was killed  in 1988-89 including the killing of Wijeweera.

During the recent past, disputes erupted between the present leadership of the JVP and the wife of late  Wijeweera  over many issues including  the JVP leadership neglecting her and children of Wijeweera  , after  the house that was given by the Navy to Shrimathie and her children was taken back  .This case is a sequel to the dispute.

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by     (2015-11-14 14:23:54)

JVP commemorates ‘November Heroes’

SATURDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 2015

The 26th Commemoration of ‘November Heroes’ to pay tribute to fallen heroes of the JVP including its founder Rohana Wijeweera was held at the Open Air Theater in Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo yesterday (13th).

The large crowd that had gathered despite heavy rain listened to commemorative speeches and was treated to revolutionary songs at the end of the ceremony.

A large number of members of the party and the Leaders of the JVP including its leader Anura Dissanayaka, its General Secretary Tilvin Silva were present..

JVP Commemorates ‘November Heroes’ by Thavam Ratna

Lets support to Shavini Fernando

Hear My Story - Shavini Fernando

Nov 14, 2015
I just started a walk. A walk of a lifetime…the length of which, only you can decide. A walk against the odds…to defy the short countdown that doctors have placed on my life. A walk I wish none of you would ever have to make.

Watch her story :

Six weeks ago, doctors in Sri Lanka found that I have been living with a large ‘hole-in-the-heart’ my entire life—33 years. Though I’ve had it since birth, for some reason doctors were not able to catch it. This oversight has now proven costly not only because of the incredible stress it had placed on my heart for all these years but also the irreparable damage it caused my lungs. After their initial ‘Oops, my bad!’ moment, the doctors went on to inform me that, with luck, I might just be able to make my 35th birthday.And went on to add—with the finality of Pontius Pilate—that there was absolutely nothing that could be done anywhere in the world to fix me.

To me—a girl with an MBA getting ready to take the world by storm—this came as a real bummer! There goes my plan to finally get married to my fiancé next year; my plans to have a large brood of kids named in alphabetical order; my plans to eventually work myself out of the current dead-end job; my plans to see my ‘Smart-alecki’ 3-year old nephew grow up to be a famous race car driver; my plans to take care of my parent in their retirement and see them age gracefully; my plans to…well the list goes on and on.

Shavini at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

But, even as all my dreams kept crumbling, I decided to stand up and fight. Keeping to my reputation of the girl who wouldn’t back down, I’ve already travelled to the US to seek a second opinion. While the doctors here confirmed the ominous diagnosis, they reassure me that my situation could indeed be addressed through a heart and lung transplant. It was gratifying to have a life-line thrown at you finally!

However, the only caveat to this is the cost. In total, the doctors estimate a heart and lung transplant to cost something in the order of 800K USD. And with no insurance company willing to touch my pre-existing conditions with a barge pole, this will have to be solely on me and my family. Going over the numbers, my family has estimated that they could scrape together around 200K for the procedure. But that would be less than half of what we need.

This is where I’ve started this walk. A walk to raise funds hoping you would join me at some point. Because I sincerely believe that though wealth and finances can be finite, charity and empathy do not have to be. Though the journey looks long, I’m willing to take it ten times over if I had a few friendly folk to accompany me. That’s the kind of fighter you have in me! This girl is not just yet ready to roll over and die…I very much hope to speak to you on my 36th birthday.

Watch her video & Share it on Social Media : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVfLpy2nEqA
Donate online : https://www.crowdrise.com/comewalkwithme/fundraiser/charunibalasuriya
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/walkwithshavini

for those who are in Sri Lanka you can directly deposit to

ACC No : 025212042632
Bank : Nations Trust Bank
ACC Name : S E Fernando
Branch : Havelock Road

or you can do a Pay Pal Transfer to
charunif@gmail.com / shavini@gmail.com

Please remember to write your name so that i can thank each of you personally.

Shavini Fernando

JVP has control in country’s political sphere: Anura 

2015-11-14
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday said it was in control in the country’s political sphere and the resignation of Minister Tilak Marapana and the President Maithripala Sirisena's decision to handover the responsibility of defending the seas outside Sri Lanka were ample proof of it.

These sentiments came from Party leader and Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake and General Secretary Tilvin Silva at the ‘Il Maha Samuruwa’ - a ceremony held to commemorate the party’s slain leader Rohana Wijeweera and others who were killed 26 years ago.

He said the party would engage in lobbying in the strongest way in the near future against some government moves as it had become a dire need of the hour. He said the situation would be the same with regard to the midterm economic programme of the government.

“The midterm economic programme of the government cannot be allowed to go ahead as it is out to sell off state entities to the private sector and suppress the working class by merging the EPF and ETF and its administration into a private body while bringing in unfriendly reforms to the present pension scheme. “ We will lobby strongly against these moves using our present political strength,” he said.

Mr. Silva said the decision by President Sirisena to handover the responsibility of safeguarding the seas of Sri Lanka came as a result of JVP’s say in the political arena today.

Referring to the drama regarding Front Line Socialist Party Leader Kumar Gunaratnam, his abduction and his return to the country during the previous regime was part of a political gimmick. Mr. Silva denied the allegation made by former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa that the JVP leader had requested the then government to abduct Mr. Gunaratnam.

“The JVP had no reason to get Mr. Gunaratnam abducted as neither he nor his party was ever a threat to us,” he said. Also he played down the alliance between JVP former Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe and former Minister Wimal Weeraansa stating that it was just a game of survival in the backdrop of political bankruptcy. (Yohan Perera )
- See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/95303/jvp-has-control-in-country-s-political-sphere-anura#sthash.OGa1Dlsp.dpuf

President Maithri ominously reveals his despotic teeth : Bypasses cabinet and sans gazette notification gives over business to Forces

(Lanka-e-News -14.Nov.2015, 11.55PM) The measures taken by president Miathripala Sirisena against Avant Garde Co.has baffled the entire business community. The Navy that went  on board  the ship yesterday (13) of that company with a letter from the defense sceretary is now in the process of collecting the weapons and equipments that were on board the ship. The acquisition of a private business Co. by the forces is a most rigorous exercise. In any case, no written document in this connection has been issued to this Company , nor has there been a gazette notification.

President Maithri Ominously Reveals His Despotic Teeth Bypasses Cabinet and Sans Gazette Notification Gives... by Thavam Ratna

Avant Garde issue: 150 foreign vessels turn down security from Sri Lanka?

November 14, 2015

Around 150 foreign ships which had previously employed the services of Avant Garde Security Services have now informed the company that they would no longer seek protection from Sri Lanka as a result of the controversy surrounding establishment, an official said.

Manager of Commercial Vessel Protection, Lt Col (retd) Nilantha Jayaweera, stated that the firearms which were in the possession of Avant Garde have been obtained by the Southern Naval Command and that security can no longer be provided to the foreign vessels which were protected using those firearms. 

He added that the voyages of 6 commercial vessels were delayed this morning due to the abrupt suspension of security services and that they were also unable to provide security to 2 fishing vessels in international waters. 

The offices of the company which were operational in 5 countries have currently been closed down and that staff instructed to return to Sri Lanka, Jayaweera said.

However, responding to a query by Ada Derana, the Ministry of Defence refuted the claims that with the task of providing maritime security being handed over to the Sri Lanka Navy, the commercial vessels are stranded in international waters due to being unable to travel without protection. 

Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said that around 37 vessels were provided security within yesterday alone and that the navy is handling the affairs of providing maritime security without any problems. 

The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) yesterday took possession of the firearms which were in the possession of Avant Garde Security Services (Pvt) Ltd.

Rajitha retaliating: Wijeyadasa

2015-11-14
Buddhasasana and Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe claimed Minister Rajitha Senaratne was accusing him falsely that he was protecting Avant Garde, as an act of revenge as the latter lost his parliamentary seat in 1994 as a result of a case filed by him in the Appeal Court. 

Minister Rajapakshe said he never appeared on behalf of Avant Garde but he only spoke of the appropriateness of the Attorney General’s decisions. 

"Rajitha Senaratne is always blaming other ministers when speaking as the cabinet spokesman and the President had advised him on such matters. He was appointed as a national list member in 1994 by the present Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Then he was a consultant to the Health Advisory Committee. During this period he continued to supply dental medicine and equipment to the army," he said. 

The Minister also said he filed a case against corruptions committed during this period. He was found guilty and expelled from the parliament membership. He said a cabinet spokesman should be intelligent and speak decently. (Diana Udayangani)