How Brexit could damage our health

We would lose drug research and health service funding as well as free treatment in Europe, and we’d have no external arbiters of food, air and water quality. This is dangerous

Woolacombe beach in Devon. ‘We have Europe to thank for our cleaner bathing beaches and the high standard of our water.’ Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

Christopher Birt-Tuesday 21 June 2016 

Much of the EU debate is conducted at the level of insults and unsupported claims and assertions. But, if we care to look, there are many areas where it is not difficult to identify the effects of Brexit.Health and health services are one such area – and Brexit could be devastating.

European health insurance cards, which have for many years guaranteed emergency treatment for Britons wherever they are in the EU would of course disappear in case of Brexit – leaving the UK government to negotiate new arrangements with each individual country. While this is widely known, the right of EU citizens to undergo any kind of healthcare anywhere in the EU is perhaps less familiar – possibly because it is the result of much more recent EU legislation. It is now not unusual for UK residents to choose to have hip replacements in France, or to travel to Belgium for spectacles, or to Budapest for dental treatment, all paid for (as according to EU legislation) by the local UK “purchaser”.

Of course the 1.2 million Brits living in other EU countries – including around 300,000 in Spain – rely on these facilities. And we should not forget this freedom of movement works both ways – to our benefit. It is thanks to an influx of medical professionals from around the EU that the NHS and care services are able to continue to operate at such a high standard. Would all these vital health care workers suddenly no longer be welcome?

The UK is a world centre for health and medical research. To a large extent this is the result of the substantial EU research budget. We receive substantially more research funding from the EU (16% of the whole) than the 11% that we pay in. Brexit would result in a substantial downgrading of UK health research, prolonging the wait periods for development of new treatments and pharmaceutical products. 

The single market has also allowed our country to become the centre of the pharmaceutical industry. The centralised EU system for licensing new products is based in London at the European Medicines Agency. After a Brexit it would move to another European country, taking many of our pharmaceutical firms with it.

The freedom of movement which allows the best scientists in Europe to follow the money and travel to UK research centres should also not be discounted. This does not only contribute to south-east England, but also benefits employment in universities and other research centres throughout the nation. That is not the only way that the wider UK is helped. The massive budget of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) plays a huge role; the rebirth of the City of Liverpool where I work has been made possible by this. Economic development itself leads to improved health, but within the current ERDF budget, €5bn has been “top-sliced” for exclusive spending on health and health services. Just one example is the major hospital complex, Altnagelvin, in Northern Ireland that has been developed using these funds.

Public health security at present relies substantially on the EU. Surveillance of developing epidemics and the appearance of brand new infectious disease hazards is centralised in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Denied access to this, the UK would stand alone in Europe in a dangerously exposed position. This is not the only relevant agency. The European Food Safety Authority, based in Italy, where guarantees on the safety of the food marketed for us all to buy are based is vitally important – just think of the problems in recent times with contaminated chicken.

Similarly, legislation on what is allowed to be included in food and how it is labelled is all of EU origin. The food industry complains loudly about being forced to comply with these safety measures. Could we really rely on any UK government to maintain these safety standards, in the face of the powerful lobbying of the food industry, without EU support?

When we think of one of the biggest challenges facing humanity today – climate change – it is the EU that leads the world in combating it. European agriculture is a major source of global warming gases, and the EU is seeking ways of reforming farming to solve the problem. Farmers are already beginning to protest loudly; the UK is in a far stronger position to fight this battle in cooperation with other European governments than alone.

Control of environmental standards is also an EU responsibility – we have Europe to thank for our cleaner bathing beaches and the high standard of our water, which only improved in the 1980s after the EEC passed a raft of water quality directives. Air quality standards in London are falling below EU required standards – with terrible effects on public health. Fortunately we have the European court of justice to chase the UK government on this and threaten fines. Without that there is no reason to believe it would be a priority.

The original EEC was founded to guarantee peace in Europe, where war had ravaged the continent for half a century. The EEC and its successor the EU have been very successful in this respect. Maintenance of peace is the perhaps the first public health priority above all others. We should not threaten this by beginning to break up the EU.

Families of the disappeared protest over lack of consultation for Sri Lanka's Office of Missing Persons


 26 June 2016
Families of the disappeared gathered to protest over the lack of consultation with the victim community in producing the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) bill that gained the confidence of the victims.

In a protest organised by the Forum for Searching Handed, Kidnapped and Forcibly Disappeared Relatives and the Vavuniya District Citizens Team, protesters gathered in front of the town centre accusing Sri Lanka’s President of continuing to protect people responsible for abduction.

Protesters expressed further concern at the OMP legislation’s failure to address the longstanding issues of inadequate witness protection and win the confidence of the Tamil community.

Placards reiterated  calls for a missing perosns commission that consisted of international experts that were approved by civil society organisations representing the victim community.

Lamenting the lack of consultation with victim communities in setting up the OMP, the Secretary of the Forum for Searching, Handed, Kidnapped and Forcibly Disappeared Relatives, Mrs P Baaleshwari, said,

“We have already emphasised that the OMP offices should only after taking into account the recommendations of the affected families in the North-East. We also requested that we could specify trustworthy people to be involved in the activities of the office that had the confidence of the victim community.

Ms Baaleshwari went on to add that the despite their request, the government went ahead with the setting up of the OMP office and allocated foreign funds to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that were favourable to the current government, instead of NGOs representing the victim community, stating,

“Without considering any of our reasonable requests, the government chose people to work in the office under a veil of secrecy, giving huge amounts of foreign aid money to civil society organisations that represented them instead of the victim community in the North-East. 

They are conducting seminars amongst themselves whilst forcibly getting consent of some individual affected people

The rights activist went on to add that the OMP had fail to outline how it would bring justice to the affected families, ensure the safety of witnesses and  had only mentioned compensation procedures to the victim families. Ms Baaleshwari added,

“The office is not talking about how it will bring justice to the affected people, and instead keeps promising us compensations. Moreover there are no safety measures for the new witnesses who are going to record their statements trusting them. We have seen numerous commissions by Sri Lanka. What have they achieved? Who are the murderers? Who are the torturers?  Who are the abductors?”

Highlighting that torture was ongoing, Ms Baaleshwari, demanded that the government made public the location of the torture camps, and opened up access to them.

TNA forms team for talks with Govt

By Ananth Palakidnar-2016-06-27

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has formed an eight-member team to find solutions to the crucial issues in the North and East.
The eight members were selected from the TNA's four constituent parties ...at a meeting held at the TNA and Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan's office in Colombo on Saturday (25).

The TNA's constituent parties, Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi, (ITAK) People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam(PLOTE),Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) and Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) brought out the burning issues in the North and East and insisted on the necessity of holding negotiations with the Government.

Following an extensive discussion Sampanthan with the consent of all four constituent parties, formed an eight-member team to hold talks with Government leaders, President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The team comprises the leaders of the TNA's constituent parties and a member from each party. They will commence discussions this week to finalize the topics for the talks with the Government.

According to the TNA sources, as it was mentioned in the TNA manifesto at the Presidential and Parliamentary polls last year, the TNA has decided to expedite the process for negotiations with the Government with the forming of the new team.

Sampanthan will lead the ITAK, PLOTE will be led by D. Sitharthan MP, TELO by Selvam Adaikalanathan MP and the EPRLF by former Parliamentarian Suresh K Premachandran.

Others in the eight member team will be Mavai Senathiraja MP, former TELO Parliamentarian N. Srikantha, Sivashakthi Anandan MP and R. Ragavan.

Sri Lankan government efforts have fallen short of expectations

Jun 27, 2016

On 22 June 2016, during the 32nd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, legal experts from the Monitoring Accountability Panel (“MAP”) gave their assessment of the Sri Lankan Government’s transitional justice programme to date. The panel discussion was chaired by eminent jurist, Geoffrey Robertson QC, and included a detailed assessment by US lawyer, Ms Heather Ryan.

Following the UN Human Rights Council Resolution on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka,’ (October 2015), the Sri Lankan Government promised to consult widely with victims and establish accountability mechanisms to address the mass crimes committed during the armed conflict. The measures specifically included a criminal justice process with foreign judges and prosecutors to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

To date the Sri Lankan Government’s efforts have fallen well short of expectations. Whilst the consultation process is still underway, the Sri Lankan Government has already made major decisions on the transitional justice process without waiting to receive the views of those most affected.

The greatest concern is the Sri Lankan Government’s backtracking on the inclusion of foreign judges and prosecutors in future war crimes prosecutions. Within the context of Sri Lanka, international participation is essential to ensure an effective and impartial process. If powerful vested interests can force Sri Lanka’s elected government to rescind its promise to include international judicial actors, those same interests will be able to influence the direction of future prosecutions and trials. A purely domestic process is bound to fail.

As Geoffrey Robertson QC pointed out:
“It is now clear that the Sri Lankan government must make greater efforts to comply with its international obligation to victims and indeed with the HRC Resolution that it co-sponsored last year. There will be no compliance unless it establishes a proper international court and a criminal justice mechanism which features judges and prosecutors, a majority of whom should be drawn from distinguished international jurists. Although the leading states who also sponsored the Resolution should insist that the government live up to its promises in this respect, they should not discount the cost of providing for international lawyers, and they should foot that bill out of their own aid budgets to assist Sri Lanka.”

In short, the Sri Lankan Government must make greater efforts to comply with its international obligations to victims, conduct broad consultations, and establish a criminal justice mechanism that includes international prosecutors and judges. According to Heather Ryan, “the international community must forcefully press the Sri Lankan Government not to abandon its commitments and obligations in regard to these matters.”
- By Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam

Is Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister On Autopilot?

Taylor Dibbert-06/25/2016

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera recently spoke at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs in Oslo. Mr. Samaraweera has again presented a very optimistic assessment of the current state of affairs in the war-torn island nation.

The foreign minister is right to note that recent political developments have presented the country with an unforeseen opportunity. And he, importantly, highlights the passage of the 19th amendment to the constitution, which trimmed presidential powers and reintroduced term limits for the presidency.

Here’s more from Mr. Samaraweera:

In fact again as some of you may know, we have achieved a considerable amount, many victories, in a short period of time in the area of democratization. Within the first one 100 days itself, President [Maithripala] Sirisena pruned down many of his executive powers as much as he could without going through a referendum as the Supreme Court requested. He reintroduced term limits for the Presidency. He again took away all institutions like the Judiciary and the Public Service Commissions, the Corruption Commissions all out of the grip of Presidential rule and independent commissions are now functioning again and also committed himself for a new Constitution, not merely Constitutional Amendments, a new Constitution.

With the 32nd session of the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC) currently underway, let’s consider Colombo’s transitional justice agenda in more detail.

Mr. Samaraweera weighs in:

So with that [transitional justice mechanisms] in mind, we have been working hard in the last several months, especially since the [HRC] resolution was passed unanimously on the first of October last year. We have now in fact, the first of these mechanisms which we proposed, the Permanent Office for Missing Persons has now being finalized and also got unanimous approval by the Cabinet and the next step of publishing it as a government gazette was also completed two weeks ago in all three languages and the final step would be to present it in Parliament within the next month or so once the due time frames are completed. So the OMP or the Office for Missing Persons, I feel is a massive step forward.

Mr. Samaraweera fails to mention that there have been numerous concerns regarding the nature in which the OMP is being created. Many wonder if the cabinet’s hasty decision to approve the OMP was designed largely to deflect international worries about the government’s lack of progress.

What about the judicial mechanism to hold individuals accountable for alleged wartime abuses? Is international involvement (to ensure that the process is credible) still under consideration?

Mr. Samaraweera explains:

Of course there’s a certain degree of controversy on how it [the judicial mechanism] should be setup and the level of international participation. That too will be decided after the consultations are over but all I can say now is whatever we decide upon, will and must have approval, not only ourselves but of the victims those who suffered. This is not an exercise to please ourselves. So the final contours of the architecture of the courts we are hoping to set up will be in discussion. Especially with parties like the [Tamil National Alliance] TNA or other groups which represent the victims.

Time for some unbridled optimism:

And we have. In fact, again I don’t want it to be like the monkey praising his own tail, to go on about the achievements we have made but, in the short period of time, we have made some remarkable achievements and we are continuing to do so. I saw some of our friends in the international arena call what we have done in this time as ‘baby steps’ but to them I’d like to say that even though it may look like baby steps to some of you in the international community, I think if I may paraphrase Armstrong going to the moon, It’s a giant leap for Sri Lanka and we will move forward.

There are other routine references to trade, investment and development. Colombo has “been getting a lot of support from the West since the new government came into power,” Mr. Samaraweera says. That’s undeniably true.

What Mr. Samarweera doesn’t mention is that Colombo is still in the early stages of complying with the HRC resolution. What Mr. Samaraweera doesn’t mention is that the government has been prevaricating vis-à-vis international participation in this process. What Mr. Samaraweera doesn’t mention is that — given how little has been accomplished and how much remains to be done — some people have begun to question Colombo’s sincerity about further reform.

Moreover, contrary to what Mr. Samaraweera claims, demilitarization in the Tamil-majority north and east has yet to begin. And credible reports reveal that torture and sexual violence continue to plague these areas. 18 months since Mahinda Rajapaksa lost the presidency, daily life in these locations has not noticeably improved.

Mr. Samaraweera continues to deliver upbeat speeches that are infused with hopeful, self-congratulatory language. But speeches aren’t policy. In the days ahead, hopefully HRC member states and the broader international community keep that in mind.

Follow Taylor Dibbert on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taylordibbert

Moolai Hospital Jaffna – Reaching For New Vistas

By S. Sivathasan –June 26, 2016

S. Sivathasan

Plumbing new ground, embracing bold initiatives, sustaining effort amidst adversities and bouncing back even after grave situations, have remained a hallmark of the Jaffna man’s attributes. The vicissitudes of Moolai Hospital epitomize these characteristics. Commenced in 1935 as the first Cooperative Hospital in the country, it developed at high speed attracting attention of medical professionals, drawing a multitude of patients from the North and prospering as well.

Fulsome Praise

In the early fifties, there was a news item quoting V. V. Giri from a speech he made in India. Therein he said that the co-operative movement was highly developed in Ceylon and particularly in Jaffna. He stated pointedly that there was even a well-run cooperative hospital in Jaffna. It was a reference to Moolai Hospital. Giri served as the first Indian High Commissioner in Ceylon during 1948 to 1951. He was President of India 1969 to 1974. He had observed the growth of the cooperative movement in Ceylon. His insight on Jaffna was sharp. Moolai Hospital had caught his attention and prompted a keen remark. The accolade was well merited.

Dr. N. T. Sampanthan and Moolai Hospital were one

Origins

The institution built with motives that were altruistic, was envisaged as a non-profit taking venture with benefits accruing to society. It is this hospital which is now on the threshold of setting its sights high. What were its origins? In 1934 a group of socially minded individuals in Jaffna outlined a project for a hospital to be established along cooperative lines. Well known among them was a great cooperator V. Veerasingham, who was Principal of Manipay Hindu College and later the MP for Vaddukkoddai 1952 -1956. Veerasingham Hall a part of the Cooperative Federation complex and a landmark in Jaffna is named after him. Last month the Postal Department issued a stamp honouring his services to the cooperative movement and siting his contribution to establishing the Moolai Hospital.

Moolai Hospital, Jaffna District

American Missionaries

Moolai was aptly chosen to site the hospital. It is located a mile away from Jaffna College, Vaddukkoddai founded by American Missionaries in 1823. Manipay 5 miles away from Moolai was another great centre of health care. Dr. Green a great American Missionary founded this hospital in 1848 and also established the first Medical School in Ceylon. A School of Nursing too developed alongside at Manipay Hospital. Under the benign patronage of American Missionaries, education and health care developed apace. In the same cradle, Moolai too grew reaching the status for a private Medical College to be recognized in the eighties.

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Illegal fishing, land grabbing by outsiders add to Tamil fishermen's woes

Lankan Tamil fishermen show a net torn by intruding boats (EPS)

By P.K.Balachandran-- 24th June 2016

KOKKILAI: Seven years after the end of the war the fishermen of Kokkilai in the Tamil-majority Mullaitivu district of North-East Sri Lanka are yet to enjoy the fruits of peace.

If fighting on land and sea disrupted their livelihood during the 30 year war, illegal fishing by Sinhalese and Muslims from outside the area; forcible occupation of lands by outsiders with state-backing; and grabbing of private lands to build an army-backed Buddhist temple, are  troubling the Tamil fisher folk after the war.

In the context of a past when the nearby Weli Oya (Manal Aru) area was systematically colonized by the Sinhalese in 1985, the fishermen of Kokkilai are apprehensive about a future of economic and political marginalization and even displacement.    

In a letter addressed to President Maithripala Sirisena dated April 26, 2016, the Tamil fishermen of Kokkilai, Kurunattukerni and Kokkuthoduvai said that 450 to 500 boats of Muslim fishermen from Pulmoddai in neighboring Trincomalee district have been fishing in the Kokkilai lagoon using boats with outboard motors and the “kottu valai” net, both which are banned by a Gazette notification of  July 2015.

The banned techniques are destroying the lagoon’s resources besides denying the local fishermen a chance to fish in the lagoon using traditional nets and small boats, the letter said. With the lagoon denuded of fish by the poachers, the affected local fishermen are thinking of committing suicide, the letter said.

Suspecting that a high Fisheries Ministry official based in Colombo had been bribed by the poachers, Kokkilai’s Tamil fishermen approached Mullaitivu’s Government Agent, Roopavathi Ketheeswaran. She wrote to the official concerned quoting the Gazette notification, but got no reply.

Highlighting the other major problem faced by the Tamil fishermen, a local Catholic priest, who is taking up their cause, said that about 1000 non-Tamil fisher families from Chilaw and Negombo on the Western coast have settled permanently in the Kokkilai area. Of these only 78 families had traditionally come to Kokkilai to fish and these were not settlers but itinerant fishermen, he pointed out.

The priest alleged that in  Muhadwaram,  250 non-Tamil families from the South are building houses on lands without getting deeds.

“The affected Tamil fishermen cannot even approach these colonies because of the strong arm tactics used by the leader of the immigrants,” the priest said.

In this context, the Tamils of Kokkilai got irritated when an army-backed Buddhist monk started building a Buddha Vihara  on land grabbed from five Tamil families.

“The monk, who is also backed by the Colombo-based radical organization Bodu Bala Sena, has been trying to buy off the lands, but the concerned owners have rejected the offer,” the Catholic priest said

He observed that the Tamils find the determined efforts being made to build a Buddha Vihara in an area which has no Buddhists other than the soldiers in the nearby army camp, a bit intriguing.

Tamils generally see this and the settlement of Sinhalese speaking fishermen from the Western coast as an early sign of planned colonization of this traditionally Tamil area with a view to changing the ethnic ratio.

But Tamils do not mind fishermen from the outside fishing in their midst if it does not harm them.

“There were 78 families from the South which used to come here even during the war, and the LTTE used to permit them because of tradition. But people object to the planned settlement of outsiders denying the locals their rights; the favoritism shown to non-Tamils from outside the area; and the use of banned methods of fishing, which denude local resources,” the Catholic priest said.

We cannot release all lands belong to the army – Defense secretary

Jun 26, 2016

Defense secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said that that the army is not ready to free all lands belong to the army in the north and east. He said due to security reasons some lands cannot be freed and all lands without security concerns would be given to the people.

Defense secretary told this when he participated in functions held in Walikamam and Pesalai areas in Jaffna releasing 201 acres of lands belong to the people.

The defense secretary further said monitoring is undergoing to release some more lands.

He said 25,000 of acres of private lands occupied by the army during the war time and 6000 acres of lands belong to different institutions has been released 

MUSLIM COUNCIL TO IGP: YOU BLAME MUSLIMS FOR ALUTHGAMA INCIDENT, BUT NO MENTION OF REAL OFFENDERS

(image: An armed Sri Lankan soldier on alert as unarmed policemen inspect a deserted street following sectarian clashes between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Muslim communities in Aluthgama, 60 kilometers south of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 16 June 2014 –
Newsmax.com)

26/06/2016

“We are very surprised that your statement made to the media had blamed a few Muslim persons for the Aluthgama incident, while no reference was made to the real offenders. While, it would have been advisable in your capacity as IGP not to be judgmental for sake of peace, it appears that the focus of blame has been turned on the victims rather than the perpetrators of the violence. Despite the reality been to the contrary, your statement shows bias as you have singled out and highlighted the entire responsibility of the incident on the local Muslims” says Sri Lanka Muslim Congress in a letter to the Inspector General of Police Sri Lanka Police. Pujitha Jayasundara.

The letter follows:

Letter to Inspector General of Police

June, 27th 2014

The Inspector General of Police Sri Lanka Police
Police Headquarters
Colombo 1

Dear Sir,

Aluthgama Fiasco and thereafter

We wish to bring the following concerns to your attention and shall appreciate a meeting to discuss same.

1. Violence has continued even after the Aluthgama incident and notably the NoLimit shopping premises in Panadura had suffered damage due to a fire. We urge you to take immediate measures to investigate this matter and apprehend the offenders and take preventive action against any such incidents.

2. We fear that escalation of violence will cause further loss to property, lives and tarnish the image of the country which is desperately trying to claw back into normalcy. We would all have to suffer the moral and economic consequences of continued violence which we hope will not occur.

We are concerned that the root causes to the problems related to the attacks on the Muslim community and other minorities has not been addressed and appropriate action taken

to enforce justice.

4. We are alarmed that mobs instigated by a small group of extremists have been allowed to murder, terrorize, loot properties and cause arson with impunity. It is regrettable that all of the damage, destruction and murders took place while the curfew imposed by the government was in effect. The Muslims in the area claim that the curfew was imposed only to keep the Muslims indoors while the mobs could be allowed to cause maximum damage with impunity.

5. We are very surprised that your statement made to the media had blamed a few Muslim persons for the Aluthgama incident, while no reference was made to the real offenders. While, it would have been advisable in your capacity as IGP not to be judgmental for sake of peace, it appears that the focus of blame has been turned on the victims rather than the perpetrators of the violence. Despite the reality been to the contrary, your statement shows bias as you have singled out and highlighted the entire responsibility of the incident on the local Muslims. As you may be aware, there is ample information that the Buddhist monk was not hurt in the first incident and it was only due to some mysterious forces that he was admitted to the Nagoda Hospital even though he did not have any injuries. Also it is beyond any reason how a terrified community who sought shelter and protection inside a mosque against imminent violence would have the courage to pelt stones knowing its consequences. We would be pleased to provide you with video evidence that clearly shows who pelted the first stone.

6. It is also regrettable that the foremost role played by the terrorizing gang had been overlooked in your statement despite the fact they had come in a procession prepared to provoke and attack. It was a big lapse to allow the mob to pass through a trouble area. Furthermore how does one explain why a procession was allowed to stop opposite the Mosque and aggravate the people while the police did not take any action to stop them? It hardly needs any deduction to figure out their motive. Some people in the procession were carrying backpacks with stones in it? Your department’s intelligence could have easily found all the inciting statements from the web including posters posted (as attached) on Facebook and other on-line media calling for a rally to teach the “Marakalays” a lesson. .

7. In connection with the above, we would like to bring to your attention the letter sent to you and senior DIG Mr Anura Senanayake by us and several other Muslim organizations, requesting you to stop the meeting in Aluthgama on Sunday the 15th. We explicitly mentioned the possibility of violence against the Muslims based on the information posted on online media. Hon. Faizer Musthapha, Deputy Minister of Investment Promotions too had sent a letter to you and the Secretary, Ministry of Law and Order with the same message. Despite assurances given, we are at a loss to understand how a vehicle procession was allowed to proceed through a Muslim concentrated village after the meeting where Venerable Galabode Aththe Gnanasara spewed venom against the Muslims.

We have decided to place our serious concerns before you in order that justice will prevail irrespective of religion, ethnicity, power or position. We shall be thankful to meet with you to discuss the above.

We thank you for your kind co-operation and look forward to your firm action. Yours sincerely

Hilmy Ahamed,

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress

CC: Major General Nanda Mallawaarachchi

The Fascist Danger of Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara

Gnanasara’s outburst, violence or fascism should not be a reason to condemn all Buddhist monks. He is in saffron robes, but he is not a proper Buddhist monk in my opinion. What is alarming however is he is flanked by several other ‘Buddhist monks,’ with or without knowing the gravity of what they do or utter.

by Laksiri Fernando

( June 26, 2016, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) The failure so far to curtail the extremist Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) activities against the Muslim community is a major black mark on the Yahapalana government as it promised to bring peace and reconciliation to the country. It is understood that people’s racial attitudes, hatred or prejudices cannot easily be eliminated just because of a governmental change after an election. However, it is the bounden duty of any government to curtail open extremist activities, spreading hate and incitement against communities. This is more so in the case of a government elected on the promise of good governance, rule of law and justice to all communities and particularly to the vulnerable minorities.

Preaching of Hate  

What Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara has demonstrated at the Satyagraha meeting at Mahiyangana on the 21st of this month is not simply expressing his views. It does not cover under the freedom of expression. It is a clear incitement against the Muslim community and a challenge to the rule of law and the law enforcement authorities. He should have been already arrested and brought before the law of the country.

His hate against the Muslim community in this instance is very clear. It has been clear even before and throughout his ‘political career.’ He is simply not a proper Buddhist monk in my opinion but a political activist with extremist views and intensions bordering on a fascist ideology and intent.

Gnanasara is always an emotionally charged person often with the use of filthy language. These are clear signs of a fascist lineage. It is typical of a fascist propagandist to lie, distort or make a mountain out of a molehill. He has said “First they threw rotten eggs at our teachers in Madawala, and then they tried to build a mosque which was taller than the height of the Dalada Maligawa.” Who has given him the sole authority to speak on behalf of the Sinhala people or the Buddhists? Even if he has genuine concerns about the said incidents (which I doubt/dispute), threatening the Muslim community in general is not the way to resolve a dispute. The foremost place for Buddhism cannot be the height of the Dalada Maligawa!

  

Promotion of Incitement  

Most alarming is his threat to enact the ‘phase two of Aluthgama.’ This is where his violent and fascist intent is very clear. After referring to possible ‘intelligence officers’ listening to his speech he said, “go and tell the authorities that if they don’t give a solution to what we demand, we will launch the phase two of Aluthgama.” The demand he placed was to release the two young persons in remand who had apparently intimidated the Muslim businesses in the area to close down their shops during a protest. The said protest had apparently organized because of the ‘pulling down of a Buddhist flag’ by a Muslim youth which should also be condemned and consider provocative. However, this is not a recent incident but more of a pretext.

In his speech, he not only attacked the Muslims but also the Tamils. In his speech, he didn’t fail to recall the ‘proverbial mother’! If anyone has concerns about the people in custody, the right place to go is the courts and not the market place. He has always opted to disregard the laws and law enforcement authorities in the country. In addition to fascism, he also demonstrates a complex strand of anarchism. He cannot simply be considered as a proper Buddhist monk.

His most alarming threat of violence was against the police. Referring to the IGP, he said, “If you can’t handle them, tell us, we will take care of them. We only need about 50 people to take care of them, and we are not scared to go behind bars.” He was referring to the Mahiyangana police as ‘them’ and clearly threatening mob violence as he admitted it would place them behind bars. However, such a threat is sufficient enough to arrest him as a precaution and charge him against incitement.

Why Not to Condemn All Monks

Gnanasara’s outburst, violence or fascism should not be a reason to condemn all Buddhist monks. He is in saffron robes, but he is not a proper Buddhist monk in my opinion. What is alarming however is he is flanked by several other ‘Buddhist monks,’ with or without knowing the gravity of what they do or utter. 

This is a matter to be untangled preferably within the Buddhist Sangha themselves. It is also apparent that Gnanasara is exploiting business enmities between different communities to promote his fascist cause and in this case at Mahiyangana.  

It is not unusual for the clergy of different religions or denominations to get involved in politics, extremist movements or even fascism. However, this cannot be considered ‘healthy for religion or for politics.’ Particularly in Hungary during the rise of Fascism in 1930s, there were numerous Catholic priests who went behind Szalasi’s movement. Ference Szalasi was the leader of the Arrow Cross Party which was responsible for the killing and mayhem of thousands of Jews. This is just an example.

This is also the case today of many Imams and other Islamic religious leaders supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). However, there are many other Imam’s and leaders condemning or distancing themselves from ISIS. Sri Lanka is fortunate to have moderate or ‘Abangan’ Islamic believers and the government or the public should be mindful of not to push the youngsters to the extremes like in some Western countries which could create a virtual hell as a result of these religious polarizations. That is one reason why lawful action should be taken forthwith against Gnanasara and his gang.

Cambodian Example

In the case of curtailing Buddhist monks going for politics or for extremist politics, there were prohibitions in the Cambodian constitution before 1975 forbidding Buddhist monks even in voting. I think it was influenced by the views of Prince Norodom Sihanouk of that time. However this position changed after the UN inspired new constitution in 1993 without any prohibition. Yet until 2006, the Buddhist Supreme Patriarchs (very much similar to our Sanga Nayakas) banned the Buddhist monks voting or even registering for voting, believing that the ‘monks should not be biased.’

However, in recent times this has changed again. A good number of Buddhist monks are now involved in various social causes like human rights and peace. However, there are no organizations such as the BBS or the 969 Movement of Ashin Wirathu in Mynamar (Burma). This is despite the presence of numerous Cham Muslims or minority Vietnamese in Cambodia. Still the Cambodian Buddhist Supreme Patriarchs hold the moral authority to refrain their respective member monks getting involved in extremist politics or unacceptable ventures contrary to the Buddhist principles. This is part of the Sangha Vinaya (discipline) fairly maintained in Cambodia.  

I am not at all advocating a constitutional prohibition of Buddhist monks or other priests getting involved in politics like in pre-1975 Cambodia. However, there should be some constraints within all religions or religious denominations of their clergy men or women getting involved in politics or extremist politics. The case of Gnanasara however is different. He is obviously a potential fascist, who can derail all the good intentions of reconciliation and peace in the country. He is apparently a law breaker and inciter who should be brought before the law.   

A Postscript  

After finishing the above short peace, I had the occasion to watch an interview of Khaled Abol Naga, the prominent Egyptian actor, producer and the film director over the ABC 24 TV (Australia) this afternoon. When he was asked what he thinks about the reasons for many young people going for the cause of ISIS, he said that “when you leave a small injustice unaddressed, the grievances become accumulated. That is what happened after the creation of Israel neglecting the Palestinians and others.”

“The ISIS however is not the solution but the exacerbation of the problem,” he emphasized. The reason he gave was very common to Buddhism, Christianity or Islam: “hatred begets hatred” (Wairayen Wairaya Nosan Sinde). This is why the rule of law should be administered, for Gnanasara or any other perpetrators, without any hatred or vengeance.

SriLankan Airlines Hospitality @ Lord’s

By Rajeewa Jayaweera –June 26, 2016

Rajeewa Jayaweera

The national carrier SriLankan Airlines operated an eighteen seater Flysmiles Hospitality Booth at Lord’s Cricket Grounds in London on Friday, 10 June and Saturday, 11 June during the third test match between England and Sri Lanka. Free food and drinks had been served to invitees. A group photograph which contained former cricketing greats Sidath Wettimuny, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, cabinet minister Arjuna Ranatunga and cricket commentator Ranjith Fernando besides the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer of SriLankan Airlines has been published in the media.

The published cost of a hospitality booth at Lord’s for the England Sri Lanka test match was GBP 5,000 per day for first three days and GBP 3,000 per day for last two days. The hospitality booth had been obtained by SriLankan Airlines head office free of charge on one day and at a cost of GBP 5,000 less member’s discount by courtesy of the Chairman on the other day. Cost of food, beverages and Champagne was paid for separately.

The airline granted 14 free return air tickets to London for members of the Foundation of Goodness dance troupe, an MCC supported charity project in Sri Lanka. They performed at the Westminster Concert organized by Lord Mayor of London and sponsored by MCC. Cost of 14 return air tickets to London including opportunity costs would amount to more than GBP 5,000 booth rental for a day.

Friday had been assigned to the London office to entertain their guests. Saturday had been utilized by head office for corporate entertainment.

Considering the deepening financial crisis faced by the airline, some are heard to criticize this exercise as extravagant and wasteful.

There is nothing wrong in conducting hospitality suites during important events such as trade fairs and sporting events, provided they are conducted in a manner beneficial to the organization. In fact, such exercises make an important part of promotional programs in many companies, especially loss making concerns striving to return to profitability.

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Serpent that got thrashed with ‘kurundhu polu’ now driving a wedge between Maithri and civil organizations..!

-Prof. Wijesuriya expresses shock and resentment

(Lanka-e-News- 26.June.2016, 8.25PM) On the 26 th of June in page six of Sunday  Lanka deepa , a letter was published as answer of the president to a reader’s   question under the theme , ‘ We shall accept that the people are facing burdens in life.’ The procedure followed is ,when questions are  posed by readers to Lankadeepa, those  are sent to the Presidential secretariat , and answers are  secured. This task is carried out by Ajantha Kumara of Lankadeepa .It was reported  that the president had given an answer as follows:

'I have four advisors. Prof. Sarath Wijesooriya is one of them.'

Wijesooriya however has repudiated what was revealed by Lankadeepa purportedly told by the president ,as an absolute lie. Wijesuriya’s statement is hereunder …

This is for the attention of all those of the National movement for just society .

This is in connection with the statement supposedly made by the president during the  interview to be published on 2016-06-26 in the Lankadeepa newspaper .

01. I have not received appointment as presidential advisor. I am not president’s advisor under any circumstance. President is  well  aware that he has not appointed me as an advisor. It is a grave issue why such a statement was therefore made  . Making an irresponsible statement such as this by a president as the leader of the country soils  my good reputation. I fully condemn this statement. 

02. During the Rajapakse reign , criticisms were leveled against me before the emergence of the movement for just society. Because of my close ties for a long period with late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera I joined the movement for just society at his request.

After his demise when the executive committee was vesting me with responsibilities , I consented because of the necessity to safeguard the movement of late Ven. Sobitha Thera . I wish to state I did not exploit  that position to achieve personal gains or goals for whatever reason . I have full faith that I shall not even most minutely do anything that will tarnish late Ven. Sobitha Thera’s reputation.

03. I have no aspirations to hold  posts or positions from  the president or the government .  Even if a post is offered I shall not accept . Based on my qualifications I am holding a post of professor in the Colombo University for a long time. Even after retirement I am not prepared  to hold any post no matter how high including  that associated with   a politician .

04. I hereby express my deep shock and opposition to the  statement made irresponsibly by the president to a citizen who worked even risking  his  life to elect the  president . I also wish to state further , I shall be sending a reply to the next Sunday newspaper articulating my displeasure over this report .

Yours faithfully
Professor Sarath Wijesooriya 
2016-06-26

Lanka e News  postscript :

Based on a probe conducted by us , it is the president’s co ordinating advisor Shiral Lakthileke best known for his worst slimy , sly ,scheming and shallow traits who is in charge of the vexatious issues of the ‘questions and answers’ of newspaper readers .Hence the answers had been provided with the knowledge and instructions of Lakthileke (the notorious mischief creator and wolf in human clothing ,wherever he had been ), and not with the knowledge or instructions of the president. 

Lakthileke is on the sly in keeping with his overriding scheming ways and wolf in human clothing traits is  trying to form an organization under the name of ‘Citizen’s voice for a just society’ which is a fake imitation of  the ‘Citizen’s movement for  a just society’ founded by late Ven. Sobitha Thera now headed by Professor Sarath Wijesuriya , it is learnt . 

It is based on a cheap abominable conspiracy aimed at tarnishing the reputation of Prof. Wijesuriya that this crafty manipulation was put in place , it is learnt. 

Shiral Lakthileke the infamous crooked NGO scoundrel  who fattened himself on the monies supplied by the Rajapakse – Maharaja combine during the Rajapakse nefarious decade to undermine and weaken the burgeoning opposition force at that time is today after having crept into the presidential secretariat using the route of the serpents is engaging in all the sly, stupid  activities and damaging  juggleries exploiting the official label of co ordinating secretary . Being a two legged serpent by birth he cannot ever think honestly , unselfishly or  straight ..Like how if the devil is put at  the wheel it can only drive you to hell , if you thrust  the serpent under your sarong , it can only sting you to death even if you caress it fondly . At least by now the president should realize this before it is too late.

If the president has understood  it is because of the ‘Kurundu polu’  (poles) ‘feast’ given at Matara by Lakthileke of the opposition then that enabled Maithri  to sit in the president’s throne today , what the president should do today is , chase Lakthileke out after tanning his hide with an erabadu polu (poles) ‘feast’ ,for thrice putting the president  in trouble….

Let us recall the three instances lest  those had been forgotten ..

1.Leading Maithri down the garden path and making him a fool of a King , and creating  a mad circus at  the presidential investiture.

2.Bringing in policy-less ,shameless, unscrupulous  and rudderless  Dayan Jayathileke the demented ‘donkey’ who is well known as a laughing stock among the international community, before the president as the one to speak on foreign policy. ( This was indeed a conspiracy to destroy the international image and acclaim Maithri has acquired before the world).

3.The current conspiracy to subject the president to humiliation and make him  incur the hatred of the civil organizations by writing falsehoods to the newspaper in the name of the president .

It is hoped that the president will realize sooner than later if he takes in a serpent , it is not going to kiss him , it can only sting him . Hence when it stings , shouting for help will be unavailing , for no one will sympathize with the one who is the architect of one’s own misfortunes.

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by     (2016-06-26 15:08:27)