Migration crisis: Italians protest over Austria border fence plan

Clashes with police at Brenner Pass coincide with far-right march in Germany calling on Merkel to resign

Protests at the Brenner Pass against the Austrian government’s plan to bring in border controls. Photograph: Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Images

 Counter-demonstrators in Berlin carry a banner reading ‘#Berlin Nazi-free, for a solidarity Berlin, Berlin can’t be bothered with Nazis’. Photograph: Bernd von Jutrczenka/EPA

 

Saturday 7 May 2016

A demonstration against a plan to restrict access through the Brenner Pass between Italy and Austria has turned violent, with Italian police firing teargas at hundreds of protesters throwing stones and firecrackers. 

The clashes coincided with scuffles in Berlin between far-right marchers calling on the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, to resign over immigration and a much larger group of leftwing counter-demonstrators.

Austria has said it plans to erect a fence at the Alpine crossing it shares with Italy to “channel” people. Part of Europe’s borderless Schengen zone, Brenner is one of the routes that migrants use as they head towards wealthy northern Europe.

Two police officers were injured in the clashes, the head of a local Italian police union, Fulvio Coslovi, told Reuters. He said that about 10 demonstrators were being held by police. Local police in Tyrol, Austria said over 600 protesters showed up to the third violent demonstration at the Brenner Pass in just over a month, meeting at the Brenner station in Italy.

TV footage showed clouds of smoke filling the Brenner railway station as groups of protesters, their faces masked against the fumes, hurled stones and smoke bombs as they faced off against lines of police in riot gear. Estimates on the number of demonstrators varied between 250 and 600. 

The Italian newspaper Corriera della Sera reported this week that the protest had been organised by an anarchist group from Trentino, northern Italy, and was expected to attract demonstrators from abroad. 

In Berlin, far-right protesters joined a march demanding that Merkel step down for allowing more than a million migrants from the Middle East into Germany since last year. They gathered outside Berlin’s central railway station waving German flags and holding up posters reading “Islamists not welcome” and “Wir sind das Volk” (“We are the people”), a slogan coined by the protesters who ended communist rule in East Germany, adopted last year by the anti-Islam Pegida movement.

The rally drew about 1,800 participants, police said, and the protesters were outnumbered by about 7,500 left-wing counter-demonstrators. 

A police spokesman said there had been scuffles when several left-wing demonstrators tried to break through barriers separating the two groups, and threw bottles at police. Police used teargas and made several arrests, the spokesman said. 

The Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, said after talks with Merkel on Thursday that Italy and Germany were utterly opposed to Austria’s plan to build a fence on the Italian border.

10 Silent Killer Diseases You Must Know

Many diseases fall under the category of “silent killers”. These diseases disguise their warning signs.

They are characterized by subtle symptoms that often go undetected or unnoticed. If too much time passes without treating the disease, it may cause serious complications or sometimes death.

Chances are high that people may be living with such dangerous diseases without knowing it. Hence, it’s very important to spread awareness about these diseases.

Also, you should have regular medical checkups with your doctor, so that unexplained or vague symptoms can be diagnosed early and possibly save your life.

Here are 10 silent killer diseases you must know.

1. High Blood Pressure

10 Silent Killer Diseases You Must Know by Thavam Ratna

   MEMORANDUM TO THE CONSULTATION TASK FORCE: THE OFFICE OF MISSING PERSONS

( Public hearing by present missing persons commission in Jajfna )

06/05/2016

Introduction

1.    In September 2015, the Government stated that it will create “an Office on Missing Persons based on the principle of the families’ right to know, to be set up by Statute with expertise from the ICRC, and in line with internationally accepted standards.”  Although the Consultation Task Force has initiated public consultations on the proposed transitional justice mechanisms, the Government appears to be running a parallel process shrouded in secrecy. It has been brought to our notice that the Government has shared draft documents relating to the Office of Missing Persons (“OMP”) with selected international agencies, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (“ICRC”) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (“OHCHR”). However, the Government has not disclosed any information relating to the key elements and ideas that are contained in these drafts to the public. To date, other than the title “Office of Missing Persons”, there is no publicly available information about the Government’s intended proposals for the OMP.

2.    The Government has stated officially that the OMP will be a separate transitional justice mechanism. There are also indications that the OMP will be created prior to the other transitional justice mechanisms. In these circumstances, it is imperative to establish at the start of the process that the OMP does not operate in isolation from the other transitional justice mechanisms, in particular the special court, as well as the existing criminal justice system.

3.    We, the signatories to this memorandum, take this opportunity to make submissions on issues we believe are of importance in relation to the OMP.

Current context

4.    According to news reports, between 11 and 23 persons have been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (“PTA”),  from the North and East, during the period March to April 2016.  We have verified and documented the case of at least one person, Jeyanthan, who was abducted in a white van from his home in Jaffna on 10 April 2016 and was subsequently found to be detained by the Terrorism Investigation Department (“TID”) under the PTA.

5.    News reports and confidential interviews indicate that Tamils in the North, particularly former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (“LTTE”) cadres and detainees who underwent rehabilitation and were released, have been subjected to fresh investigations.  It has also been reported that an unspecified number of rehabilitated and released former LTTE cadres have been summoned to Colombo on 30 April 2016, by the Ministry of Rehabilitation.  On 27 April 2016, a journalist and youth political activist who had spoken out against the recent incidents of arrests and abductions was himself arrested and detained by the TID.

6.    Three other persons who were reported as missing to the Paranagama Commission  and who were subsequently found in a prison in The Maldives, were returned to Sri Lanka this month. The Sri Lankan authorities had not informed the detainees’ family members of their return. Having searched for them, the family members eventually found them to be detained at the Welikada Prison. However, more than two weeks following their return to Sri Lanka, their family members were not informed as to the reasons for their detention.

7.    Based on our own interviews and news reports, April 2016 appears to have recorded the highest number of arrests and ‘abduction turned arrests’ under the PTA, in the North and East since March 2014. At the time of writing, new reports of arrests and ‘abductions turned arrests’ continue to emerge. The official state response on the arrests has been to justify them on the grounds that the security forces have the right to arrest anyone that they believe to be involved in criminal activity and that former LTTE cadres have been arrested in connection with a hidden cache of weapons.

8.    The use of white van abductions and increased number of arrests under the PTA, and not the general Penal Code, which should apply to criminal acts, is a matter of grave concern. The PTA is a regressive piece of legislation which this Government has committed to amend and/or repeal and is currently under review. Particularly provisions of the PTA, including those enabling extended administrative detention, ousting judicial supervision over detention, and rendering admissible confessions obtained before a police officer, arguably do not conform to the requirements of ‘law’ or legality under international law.

9.    The manner of arrest, in the case of persons who have been abducted and later found to be detained by the TID under the PTA, constitutes a clear violation of their fundamental rights to equality, freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, and freedom from torture. As mentioned above, we have verified at least one instance of an ‘abduction turned arrest’ in the case of Jeyanathan on 10 April 2016.

10.    The incidents above have caused a fear psychosis amongst Tamils in the North and East.
Individuals who will be integral to the functioning of the OMP, including families of missing and disappeared persons, witnesses, and informants, will not feel free to engage with the process if this insecure environment prevails.

Read the full memorandum as a PDF Submission on OMP to Consultation Task Force-01May2016

Submission on OMP to Consultation Task Force 01May2016 by Thavam Ratna

Sri Lankan military constructed vihara remains on released Jaffna land

06 May 2016

Sri Lanka’s armed forces continue to pray at a Buddhist vihara which was constructed on occupied land in Jaffna, lamented Tamil villagers amidst fears that the structure would become permanent. The Sri Lankan military had built a Buddhist vihara on the land in Valikamam North, which until recently was occupied by the army. After the release of 5.2 acres of the land back to Tamil civilians though, the Sri Lankan military regularly encroaches the area, in order to access a military constructed Buddhist vihara. The military’s continued checkpoints along the main road at Keerimalai – Naguleswaram also mean that access to a public crematorium has been compromised. A navy base, which was initially promised to be dismantled, has also simply been pushed back a further 500 metres, said residents.

Conundrum: Sinhala Nationalists Against Federalism But Unintentionally Promoting Separatism

By S. Narapalasingam –May 7, 2016

Dr. S. Narapalasingam

Recent comments on federalism in the light of the forthcoming new constitution for the discordant Sri Lanka, highlight the preconceived mindset that denied peace and development to the nation after independence. The living conditions of the people, particularly those in the low and middle income groups were constrained by this neglect. Mothers had to seek employment in the Middle East as domestic helpers to supplement their family incomes. Some had young children who were left with close relatives. Even educated men sought employment in foreign countries. The economy did not grow fast enough to meet the needs of the citizens because of the muddled situation linked to internal disturbances.

The abnormal situation also contributed to mismanagement of public funds and excessive borrowings. Public debt is a burden on the people unless the benefits are more than the settlement obligations. There was a time when public sector projects were implemented only if positive results obtained from fair feasibility studies.

The failure of some projects to function as intended casts some doubt about the approach used, as to whether it was just emotive as in the case of some political decisions or based on proper feasibility studies. Hopefully, these introductory remarks give the implications of hasty decisions taken from narrow perspectives, ignoring the long-term effects on the living conditions of the people and the balanced development of the entire nation, which is vital for the well-being of present and future generations. The environment to progress steadfastly will not emerge, if the country is in a turbulent state as has been the case in Sri Lanka since the emergence of divisive politics, ignoring the need to maintain unity and confidence of all citizens in the governing system.

The process of pushing for separation        Read More

Sri Lankan navy constructs permanent fences at Mullivaikkal camp

06 May 2016 The Sri Lankan navy is erecting permanent fences around its camp in Mullivaikkal, despite calls for the Sri Lankan military to release land it is occupying to its owners.  The camp, named the Gotabhaya Camp, was constructed on 671 acres of private land belonging to Tamils in Mullivaikkal East, that was illegally acquired by the navy shortly after the end of the armed conflict in 2009.  Local Tamils have continuously demanded for the land to be returned back to them.

How one makes good governance concept a reality?


2016-05-07

More than six decades after Independence, we, as a nation, are now  experiencing a new political culture. We, as a nation, have set a precedent for others to follow and experience in their respective lands. It is the concept of Good Governance – Yahapalanaya operating in our country. Two major political parties, with different political ideologies, which have been fighting to gain power for the past six to seven decades have come together for the first time to experience the true meaning of independence to govern the destiny of the country and her people, throwing to the winds their petty political differences for the good and well-being of the country and the nation.

 It is undoubtedly a good start, a thought provoking step taken to lead the country and pull it out of the muddle it had been thrown into by political rivalries having put the country before everything else. 
  The world was shocked and surprised seeing what was happening in Sri Lanka when the leaders of the two major and rival political parties who have tasted the power at intervals during the past six to seven decades, have joined hands to run the affairs of the country together  with the support of other secondary political parties who have read the signs of the times in their true perspectives. 

 It is a new experience; a crystal clear writing on the wall showing which way to follow, not only to the politicos in the rival camps in the country, who finds it difficult to believe, yet the stark naked truth unfolding before their very own eyes, but also to the world specially to countries and peoples who are more or less in the situation that we experienced, to rise up and grab, take hold of the opportunity, taking Sri Lanka as their model to move in realizing the goals of each respective country. 

 At the commencement of the New Year 2016, President Maithripala Sirisena in his address to the nation invited people to put aside all differences on nationality, ethnicity, religion and caste, pointing to the fact that it was the bounden duty of one and all to make the country a safe haven for all to live in peace and harmony, as one nation, enjoying freedom and independence, in the companionship of one’s neighbours, by all those who call with modest pride ‘this is our (their) Motherland.’ 
 The question is, are we genuinely interested to see the country on progress and are we ready to work with all seriousness for the better tomorrow?’ The success or failure of the yahapalanaya, solely depends on the degree of our commitment. 

 It is heartening to note that the President addressing the nation, went one step further saying that he was fully committed to ensure that Sri Lanka which had won the World Recognition as a leading country where independence, democracy and human rights are upheld and respected, to retain that honour and position in upholding the aforesaid concerns to the hilt where no room is left, to breed terrorism of any sort, in whatever form, or social disturbances based on ethnicity, caste or creed. We have to ask ourselves are we ready to fall-in-line, follow suit taking a clue from the President’s address to the nation? Success or failure of the yahapalanaya depends entirely on our willingness to assimilate the meaning behind the new political experience. 

 We, ‘The Help International Foundation’ in our own way, have taken the first step, in a very  small way, from the time of its inception, adhere ourselves to those noble principles, inculcate in the minds of the people, especially the youngsters, our pride and the future of this country, who are in constant association with our Foundation, register in their minds, that we are one people although we are segmented by man-made differences of caste, creed and ethnicity.  

 The concept of Good Governance becomes meaningful to the extent we commit ourselves in all sincerity in the steps we take. The classic example is the motivation of the Government to provide houses to the families of the war-ravaged Northern part of our country, registering in their minds that “WE care for you… for you are our people, part and parcel of the Nation living in Sri Lanka, we are proud to call Our Motherland”. 

 We talk about territorial integrity. We say the government is for all citizens. We talk of providing facilities, infra-structure facilities to reach the peripheries, talk of equal treatment, equal opportunity, equal distribution of whatever benefit to all peoples living in every part of the country. These, should never be, mere words or political slogans come up during the election times and let go with the winds at the closure of elections. But if we mean what we say, reading between the lines of the letter sent recently by the Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan addressed to President  Maithripala Sirisena, in respect of the move of the  Government to provide houses to the Northerners, emphasizes saying that the. 

  “Together with the present Government, your Excellency has been public in your  commitment to bring about reconciliation. Initiatives to help conflict affected- communities rebuild their homes and live, are important opportunities in this regard. “On behalf of the TNA and the Tamil People, I urge Your Excellency, together with this Government, not to waste this opportunity. If the Government is committed to reconciliation, then its actions must reflect that. For its part, the TNA remains committed to constructively engaging with both Your Excellency and the Government in order to bring about true reconciliation in this country.” 

 What the letter says in other words, is, the steps taken by the government are the best ways to win the trust and confidence of the Tamils, in making them feel that they are treated well, recognize them as citizens of this country with every right and freedom of movement, education  and job opportunity. Such steps would erase from their minds that they are treated as second class citizens. The Yahapalayana will have meaning to the extent we are ready to implement ‘in-deeds, what we say in-words’.

 We invite all, putting aside all differences of race, caste and creed to come forward with brotherly care, to rebuild the country. “If we fail to realize that aim so sacred, a time will come, to all of us, to shed tears, irrespective of being in the parts of North, East, South and West. Those who love to live in pessimism say ‘this government has no future’. I wish to tell them, that they will never realize their dreams. I cordially, invite them to join hands and work with the government, instead of trying to change the government in power.” 

 It is time ‘kaalo ayanthe’ to reflect and resolve to act if we want to make the concept of ‘Good Governance’ a reality.

Sri Lanka’s path to peace

May 6, 2016

We are pleased to announce the release of our new report “the Path to Peace”. You can download a copy here.

The report is based on the testimony of nearly 300 war survivors and activists working in the north and east of Sri Lanka, and outlines their views on what would be needed to convert the current absence of war in the region into a lasting and sustainable peace. The report argues that structural violence continues to be a part of the daily lives of many in the north and east of Sri Lanka, and that if Sri Lanka’s peace is to be made permanent this must be addressed through a comprehensive reform of Sri Lanka’s security forces, by placing war survivors in positions of authority within any new processes that are established, and by the Sri Lankan government adopting a new attitude towards dealing with the past in which defensiveness is replaced by openness.

In two annexes we critique the superficiality of progress announced thus far, and provide an overview of different approaches taken by other countries around the world.

Our report comes amidst a renewed crackdown in northern Sri Lanka,with at least a dozen arrests, many of them seemingly performed in the manner of abductions, further increasing fear of the security sector and damaging trust between communities. Sri Lanka is still ranked as one of the worst performing democracies in the world for freedom of speech, and human rights violations, including over 30 instances of abduction and sexual torture linked to the security forces, persist.

Yet many in the international community seem determined to turn a blind eye to violations which do not fit their chosen narrative of Sri Lanka as a success story for international diplomacy. US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, recently made the absurd claim that “Sri Lanka has, since January 2015, emerged as a global champion of human rights and democratic accountability.”

The Government of Sri Lanka and the United Nations have agreed a series of steps which should guide Sri Lanka on the road towards peace. We find that there does not appear to have been a concerted attempt to implement these steps. One step that did however take place was that a public consultation process was announced to allow organisations to submit their ideas regarding the mechanisms which will now be established to take reforms forward. Despite the short window, and concerns about witness protection many individuals and organisations did submit their ideas (including this very powerful paper on an Office for Missing Persons). The Sri Lanka Campaign have submitted this report as our submission.

As we say in the report:

The stakes could not be higher. For several decades, Sri Lanka has endured repeated periods of mass violence, much of it ethnic in character. The victims are usually, but not exclusively, members of the non-majority ethnic population. Unless some way can be found to break these cycles of violence and the climate of impunity that sustains them then we may be doomed to repeat history.

The international community is firmly invested in this mechanism and there is little appetite for any alternative. Any new mechanism with international support could only come about after the failure of the current one, and such a failure would be hugely damaging for levels of trust on all sides – trust without which no process can hope to succeed. Thus, for all the weaknesses and shortcomings of the current process, it is at the present time still the best, and perhaps only, chance Sri Lanka has of dealing with the past.

It is therefore vitally important that this process be given the best possible chance of success. The Sri Lanka Campaign has consistently argued that success requires that the views and needs of those most directly affected by the civil war – those who lost loved ones or endured violence, imprisonment and displacement – are placed at the heart of the process.

Yet we are gravely concerned that this does not appear to be happening. The time-limited approach to consultation is likely to result in many survivors being excluded. On various key issues, such as militarisation, witness protection and prosecutions, the actions and statements of intent by the government have been deeply discouraging.

Meanwhile the international community has remained focussed on the institutional elements of the UN-mandated process. We are concerned that a desire to wrap up Sri Lanka’s processes quickly has served to exacerbate the government’s tendency to shy away from taking the most politically difficult steps.

…

For many in the north and east of Sri Lanka the conflict has not ended and structural violence continues to be a part of their daily lives. This must end before reconciliation can be attempted. Trust must be rebuilt. Human rights abuses must cease. What is effectively military occupation of large swathes of areas needs to stop. For many war survivors, it is simply not possible to talk about “moving on” from something they believe they are still experiencing.

Yet the Sri Lankan government – and international community – seem determined to run before they can walk. They must stop, they must listen, they must improve the lives of those who lost the most. Only then, will they be able to work with those people to build a sustainable peace.

The Path to Peace Final by Thavam Ratna

FREEDOM FROM TORTURE DOCUMENTS CONTINUING TORTURE IN SRI LANKA

May 6, 2016

Freedom from Torture, the UK-based human rights organisation, is calling for urgent action by the Government of Sri Lanka to end ongoing torture. The charity publishes new information as the joint visit to Sri Lanka by UN Special Rapporteurs on Torture, Professor Juan Méndez, and on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Mónica Pinto, comes to an end on Saturday.

The Sri Lankan Government has made encouraging commitments to delivering truth, justice and reconciliation. However, while torture is still being practised any efforts towards long-term stability are undermined. The number of referrals Freedom from Torture has received for people tortured since the January 2015 presidential election is deeply worrying.

Ann Hannah, International Advocate and Researcher at Freedom from Torture, said:

We support our clients’ clear demand for an internationalised justice process for torture and other serious human rights abuses which took place during and after the civil war and this has to be coupled with measures to stop others from suffering the same horrific treatment that they survived.

Our clinical evidence shows that torture continues in Sri Lanka under President Sirisena. Ahead of scrutiny by the Human Rights Council in June, we hope that the Government will announce a credible and effective torture prevention programme as part of efforts to fully implement its international commitments and build a sustainable peace.

We are also extremely concerned about our mounting evidence of Sri Lankan Tamils tortured after return from the UK. Many were interrogated about the activities of the Tamil diaspora in this country. The Home Office must urgently update its policy to recognise our evidence of ongoing torture and the particular risks faced by those returning from the UK with a real or perceived past connection to the LTTE, at whatever level and whether directly or through a family member or acquaintance.

Background

In 2015, for the fourth year running, Sri Lanka was the top country of origin for people referred to our services. Freedom from Torture’s report, Tainted Peace, published in August 2015, reported on 148 Sri Lankan cases forensically documented by its Medical Legal Service between May 2009 and August 2014. Since then the charity has completed medico legal reports (MLRs) on a further 100 cases.

In addition, Freedom from Torture has received 17 referrals, to either its Medico-Legal Service or its therapeutic treatment services, for people - including a child in one case - tortured after President Sirisena’s election in January 2015. They have reported torture by a range of state actors, including the Criminal Investigation Department, the Terrorism Investigation Department, the police, “security” and the army.

Freedom from Torture is especially concerned about Sri Lankan Tamils tortured on return from the UK. Our Tainted Peace study included 55 people tortured in these circumstances. This practice continues. 

Four of the 17 referrals received by the charity for torture since the Sri Lankan presidential election in 2015 involved torture after return from the UK. We have now completed medico-legal reports for a total of 66 people detained and tortured after returning to Sri Lanka from the UK in the post-war period (including one of the four referrals described above). The majority were questioned about their reasons for being in the UK, their activities and/or their contacts in the UK.

The UK Home Office is currently reviewing its asylum policy on the risk to Tamils.

Follow our International Advocate and Researcher Ann Hannah on Twitter for further comment: https://twitter.com/avh16.

Related documents:

Sri Lanka: Update on torture since 200

Update_on_post_conflict_torture_may_2016.PDF-SRI LANKA – UPDATE on TORTURE SINCE 2009 by Thavam Ratna

Any intended changes to Sri Lankan media must happen under an independent Media Commission –FMM

The following statement issued by the Free Media Movement

( May 7, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Free Media Movement (FMM) emphasized the need of an Independent Media Regulatory Commission and requested the Government to take necessary steps to establish such a commission for the betterment of the profession.

Mechanisms needed to establish a free and responsible media in Sri Lanka such as setting up institutes and structures, restructuring the existing mechanism and law reforms must be decided and implemented through an Independent Media Commission. The fact was in discussion among experts of the field at the special event held to celebrate Press Freedom Day at Hotel Janaki in Narahenpita, on 4th May.

This was the first attempt of the FMM to take forward this campaign to the public sphere. The discussion highlighted the importance of enabling expert committees under the proposed Commission to take responsible actions such as setting up an Independent Broadcasting Authority to issue license to media institutes, transforming state media to Public Service Media, legal reforms and required restructuring processes.

Dr. Ranga Kalansooriya, Regional Advisor of the International Media Support made his remarks in his key note address themed ‘An Independent Media Regulatory Commission – towards free and socially responsible media’.

A special panel discussion was held addressing various issues related to setting up the media regulatory commission and ensuring a free and fair media. The panel was moderated by Media researcher NalakaGunawardene. Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Karunarathna Paranawithana, Co convener of South Asian Women in Media (Sri Lanka) Hana Ibrahim, President of the South Asian Free Media Association (Sri Lanka)LakshmanGunasekara and Senior Lecturer Wijeyananda Rupasinghe were the panelists. FMM Convener Seetha Ranjanee, in her address, elaborated the objectives of establishing an Independent Media Regulatory Commission.

The Central Bank Vs. Its Critics

By Hema Senanayake –May 6, 2016 

Hema Senanayake

Dr. W.A. Wijewardena pointed out that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) made losses in the year 2015. In a recent article, former deputy Governor of Central Bank Dr. W.A. Wijewardena insisted that such losses made by the Central Bank are economic landmines that could explode at any time. Should I agree or should I disagree with his assertion?

First, I do not agree with the present wisdom of CBSL including its Board known as Monetary Board. If economy is broken and is not functioning well and the currency is not stable then do not blame P.M or President, instead put the blame on the Central Bank. If it is not sufficient then blame the P.M., President and other elected officials for not running the Central Bank properly. Having said that, I also would say that I do not agree with the said assertion of Dr. Wijewardena.

I always do appreciate Dr. Wijewardena’s writings. Unlike us who happened to be macroeconomic analysts, Dr. Wijewardena being a former Deputy Governor of CBSL knows in and out of central banking. Yet, if he makes an inaccurate analysis the CBSL could take the upper hand in rejecting not only his comments but also others’ views too. This would be a dangerous development. Therefore our criticism must be fair and must guide political authorities to perform their job properly.

The Central Bank is a peculiar organization. It makes operational losses but still transfer profits to the government. Can any business entity do this? Dr. Wijewardena commented on this situation as follows:

“The loss in 2013 was followed by a comprehensive loss of Rs. 22 billion in 2014, but the accounts of the bank for 2014 showed that the Monetary Board had made an interim profit transfer of Rs. 8.5 billion to the Government out of these losses. An institution making losses can pay dividends to shareholders only by running down its capital and that was exactly what the Monetary Board had done in the two years concerned.” (Colombo Telegraph, May 03, 2016)

The Central Bank has responded to Dr. Wijewardena and he wrote about it as follows:

“The Monetary Board apparently did not take this comment kindly and caused its operational arm – the Central Bank – to issue a statement disputing this writer. The Board had argued in its wisdom that there was nothing wrong in the Bank making losses because central banks are not supposed to make profits and it would be imprudent for a financial institution to have a capital base covering 100% of its domestic assets.” (Wijewardena, CT, May 03, 2016)

Dr. Wijewardena questioned about the Central Bank’s capital and its depletion due to losses and the Central Bank responded saying that there was nothing wrong in the Bank making losses because central banks are not supposed to make profits and it would be imprudent for a financial institution to have a capital base covering 100% of its domestic assets.”

Read More

Sri Lanka Fin Min: Country undergoing ‘mop-up’ operation

Lakruwan Wanniarachchi | AFP | Getty Images

Jessica Hartogs-Tuesday, 3 May 2016

Sri Lanka's new government is carrying out a "mop-up" operation after the last administration left the small Asian country in a "debt-trap," the country's finance minister told CNBC Tuesday.

Speaking from Frankfurt at the Asian Development Bank Conference, Ravi Karunanayake told CNBC that the new government's "biggest problem is from the brought-forward, we're taking stock of what's on. We're basically unearthing what's been off-balance sheet items that have today become a contingent liability and bring that into books."

The Sri Lankan government put on hold several Chinese infrastructure projects : "We were questioning one or two items because a clean government needs to tell the people what it was – but all of those projects are back in full operation. It's a win-win go forward."

Sri Lanka received a $1.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund on Friday, which Krystal Tan, an Asia economist at Capital Economics, said in a note over the weekend, "without an IMF loan, Sri Lanka would have been in a precarious position," noting that foreign exchange reserves only covered around 80 percent of short-term external debt.

"Just because we are able to tell the world, 'this is what we inherited,' this does not mean you can just write it off," said Karunanayake, on the country's huge debt.

Credit rating company Moody's Investors Service, in a report before the IMF deal, stated that general government debt was around 76 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015, up 71.6 percent from five years earlier.

Karunanayake said the government is trying to make the changes "without having an impact on the people, because the people have been impoverished for long enough – that's why they changed the government."

The sharp drop in oil prices also hit the country hard. Remittances from Sri Lankan overseas workers in oil-producing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries account for around 9 percent of the country's GDP, Moody's noted.

Vote dispute: 163 out of 225 MPs missing -Speaker wants party leaders to take remedial action

by Shamindra Ferdinando-May 6, 2016, 9:42 pm 

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, MP, yesterday said that it was the responsibility of party leaders to ensure the participation of their members in parliamentary proceedings.

Speaker Jayasuriya said that in case members skipped sessions it would be the responsibility of the respective leaders to take punitive action against them. The former UNP Deputy leader is on record as having said that a single day’s parliamentary sittings cost the Sri Lankan taxpayer Rs. 4.6 mn, and, therefore, MPs should bear in mind their responsibilities.

The Speaker was responding to a query by The Island whether he could take disciplinary action against those who hadn’t been present in parliament on Thursday (May 5) afternoon when a vote taken at the end of a debate to give approval for a supplementary estimate of Rs 55 mn for the government revealed only 62 members out of 225 were present.

The parliament was told 33 members voted for the supplementary estimate and 31 voted against. Both the Joint Opposition and the JVP strongly objected to the result. Alleging vote rigging, they demanded a recount. After several recounts, the Secretary General of Parliament and political party representatives agreed that there had been 31 votes each for and against the supplementary estimate.

Had members of the UNP-SLFP coalition been present on that day, the supplementary estimate could have been passed without any issue, Speaker Jayasuriya said.

The UNP parliamentary group comprises 106 members plus one SLMC MP.

The SLFP group backing the UNP comprises 46 members. The rebel SLFP-led UPFA group comprises 49 members, including former President and Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Speaker expressed serious concern over continuing low turnaround at parliamentary sessions. Parliament meets eight days a month. According to him, the situation at some Provincial Councils was worse for want of a system to ensure participation.

Asked whether the offending members could be dealt under the code of conduct for the members of parliament, Speaker Jayasuriya said the draft of the proposed code of conduct had been made available to all members of parliament. Once the members state their positions, the proposed code of conduct could be adopted, the Speaker said. In respect of attendance, the draft proposed: "Every member shall attend every sitting of the House and meeting of the committee of which he or she is a member, in accordance with practice of the House, except with reasonable excuse, or in the case of extended absence, if excused in accordance with the practice of the House."

Political sources pointed out that the TNA rescued the government by voting for the supplementary estimate.

Most of the Ministers, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers hadn’t been present at the time the vote was taken. At the end of the debate Chief Opposition Whip JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake called for a division.

Having campaigned against the previous administration, the UNP obviously didn’t expect JVP leader Dissanayake to cause an unnecessary crisis by calling for a division. Many an eyebrow was raised at the JVP backing the Joint Opposition against the government.

The Yahapalana government conducted various lessons for members as well as parliamentary staff recently to improve their participation in the process.