Peace And Reconciliation In Sri Lanka Require Consistent, Discernible & Sustained Momentum

By K. Mukunthan –January 26, 2017

Dr. K. Mukunthan

Sri Lanka’s moment of truth is fast approaching. The expectation is that significant initiatives will be taken this year towards addressing the two issues that are vitally important to the Tamil people – a political resolution and accountability for war-time violations.

What is equally important is to maintain a consistent, discernible and sustained momentum towards reconciliation, bolstered by actions that make practical difference to the day to day life of the people and on this aspect, a lot to be desired in terms of commitment and drive.

The stalled progress on demilitarisation and land and prisoner release; extra-ordinary delay in repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act; condoning actions that could distort the established demography and religious landscape of the predominantly Tamil speaking regions; lack of consultations with Tamil leaders on development initiatives affecting the North-East; and the apparent backtracking on the extent of international participation in the judicial mechanism counselled in the UN resolution – all these have undoubtedly caused a degree of concern and frustration in the minds of Tamil people, and ought to be addressed swiftly.

Sri Lanka has a long history of missed opportunities for resolving its national crisis. More often than not, calculated activities by hard-line elements on both sides escalated minor differences into unmanageable levels, leading to total failure at the end. It is therefore important that no scope is given to such possibilities by the present day political leadership of all communities.
In this context, it is vital that the Tamil political leadership, including those in the Diaspora, reach out to all communities in Sri Lanka in addressing their respective concerns and fears, and seek their support for accommodating the aspirations of the Tamil community.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera during his visit to Australia in April last year gave assurances regarding substantive changes envisioned for Sri Lanka and the government’s intention to arrive at a broad consensus, with a cornerstone being the consent of the elected Tamil political leadership. Such strong commitments were well-received by all stakeholders interested in the well-being of Sri Lanka.

The Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop hosted a luncheon in honour of the visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister at the Kirribilli House (the Australian Prime Minister’s official residence in Sydney). I had the pleasure of attending the luncheon on behalf of the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC), and used that opportunity to reinforce our willingness to constructively contribute to positive developments in Sri Lanka. An abridged version of the following speech was delivered at the event. Though several months have passed, the contents of it are still relevant and worth reiterating.

Speech

This is the second time I am in the environs of the prestigious Kirribilli House. On the first occasion, in April 2009, I was one of the thousands of Tamils protesting outside this house, seeking Australian intervention to stop the dreadful war in Sri Lanka, a protest generally not acknowledged by the powers of the day. Today I am here inside this house, in this luncheon, in honour of the Foreign Minister Samaraweera. Undoubtedly the times have changed.

So, what is really different now? One, this reflects the political changes that have occurred in the context of Sri Lanka. More specifically, from a Tamil diaspora perspective, this is an outcome of the moderate, engagement-type of politics ardently followed by organisations such as ours. We are grateful for such recognition and trust bestowed upon us by the Australian government.
Despite such changed circumstances, the hard truth is that two important factors – political resolution of the Tamil problem and addressing the serious human rights violations committed by all sides – being the cause and outcome of the long drawn out conflict, remain unresolved seven years after the end of the war.

However, Sri Lanka for sure, appears to be a country in transition, and we are in the thrust of what seems to be a once in a generation opportunity, where a coalition government has taken steps – to democratise the state, to cooperate with the UNHRC, and to draft a new constitution – initiatives unthinkable just over an year ago.

But, I will not be honest if I don’t articulate the fact that there is a debate, sometimes intense, about how much this government can be trusted, and at times, it appears that a pessimistic point of view is the dominant narrative among our constituency, the Tamil diaspora. Nevertheless, there is also a strong counter point of view, an optimistic one that the Tamil community should do everything possible to consolidate the progressive changes so far, to solve this decades-old problem forever.

One common thread in this discourse is that Minister Samaraweera is the most prominent political leader in Sri Lanka, who is working with single-minded determination and dedication in all facets of the reconciliation process. His famous appeal and pledge, “Trust Us – Don’t Judge Us by the Past”, originally delivered at the UNHRC and later in Washington and Jaffna, hugely resonates with the Tamil community.

This brings Minister Samaraweera and us as partners in peace to a common future where our stakes are intimately linked.

For those of our constituents telling us “we are naive and overly trusting”, our reaction has been “we are not blindly trusting; our level of engagement is linked to real progress on the ground; but, we are keen to take initiatives ourselves (rather than waiting for events to take their own course), to build mutual trust and to increase the chances of success.”

And, for me personally, even if failure eventuates, taking a proactive approach towards peace and reconciliation is a more worthwhile and conscionable option, than remaining uninvolved, and contribute to the chances of letting this opportunity slip away.

For those pointing to us “we are not conscious of the history with litany of failures”, our response is “when an opportunity arises to change the course of history – that needs to be identified and grasped with both hands.” And in our mind, that is exactly the approach we are espousing.

Read More

UN CEDAW LISTS ISSUES THAT SRI LANKA NEEDS TO RESPOND AT ITS 66TH SESSION, NEXT MONTH.

26/01/2017

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will have its Sixty-sixth session on 13 February-3 March 2017 and Sri Lanka wiill be reviewed on 22nd February. The Committee has now published on line all related documents, including  the list of issues in relation to the eighth periodic report of Sri Lanka.

The UN CEDAW document follows:

UN CEDAW LISTS ISSUES THAT SRI LANKA NEEDS TO RESPOND AT ITS 66TH SESSION.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

If what you are aiming is to dupe us, we shall seek international intervention –Professional journalists warn president (photos) Post card campaign kick starts !

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(Lanka-e-news -26.Jan.2017, 10.50AM)  If the president is seeking to dupe the media and society without justice being meted out to the journalists who were murdered and went missing ,  the only option available in that event is to seek international intervention to secure redress, said , news editor of Ravaya Lasantha Ruhunage  the president of the Sri Lanka professional journalists Association .

Ruhunage expressed this view because , the good governance government which is talking most loud all the time on behalf of  media freedom has still not appointed a presidential commission empowered to investigate the murder of journalists; assault on journalists; setting fire to media Institutions; and the threats and intimidations faced  by journalists during the nefarious decade of the Rajapakses  even  after two years since the  advent of this government. The good government governance has not even responded to the request made by the Association for  the last two years. Hence , a post card campaign was inaugurated on 24th-  to send post cards bearing signatures of the public to the president to bring pressure on the government to appoint the presidential commission. 

It is well and widely known fact that the  organization worked with commitment to steer Maithripala Sirisena to the post of president , yet so far the president has not been able to even give an appointment to hold discussions , Ruhunage bemoaned  while  mounting  charges.

A large crowd including Journalists Islandwide , civil organization leaders , Ms. Sandya Ekneliyagoda , Risa Wickremetunge, a daughter of a relative of Late Lasantha Wickremetunge , political leaders and artistes participated in the post card campaign launched 24th . 

You (our readers)  can also contribute to this post card campaign. That is ,write the statement appearing hereunder on the post card , place your signature thereon and send it to  His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena , President House ,Colombo 01

 “ It is hereby requested to appoint a presidential commission to investigate the murder of journalists , abduction of journalists, assaults on journalists, and the various threats and intimidations posed to the media”

Photos – courtesy Vimukthi Soysa.

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by     (2017-01-26 05:23:30)

தமிழர்களுக்கு தீர்வு கிடைக்கும் வரை அரசு மீதான அழுத்தம் தொடரும்

Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 01:00

தமிழ் மக்களின் அனைத்துப் பிரச்சினைகளுக்கும் தீர்வு கிடைக்கும் வரை அரசாங்கத்தின் மீதான அழுத்தங்கள் தொடரும் என தமிழ்த் தேசிய கூட்டமைப்பு எம்.பி தர்மலிங்கம் சித்தார்த்தன் தெரிவித்தார். முல்லைத்தீவு மாவட்டத்தில் நேற்று இடம்பெற்ற நிகழ்வொன்றில் பெருமளவு மக்கள் மத்தியில் உரையாற்றிய அவர்: தென்னிலங்கை சம்பவங்கள் சந்தேகங்களைக் கிளப்பினாலும், பிரதமர் மற்றும் ஜனாதிபதியில் நம்பிக்கை உள்ளதாகவும் தெரிவித்தார்.

முல்லைத்தீவு வித்தியானந்தா கல்லூரியில் நேற்று தொழில் சட்டக்கல்லூரியை உத்தியோகபூர்வமாகத் திறந்து வைத்து மக்கள் மத்தியில் உரையாற்றிய அவர் தமதுரையில் மேலும் தெரிவிக்கையில், அரசியல் தீர்வு மூலமே எமது மக்கள் தமது பகுதிகளைத் தாமே நிர்வகிக்கும் நிலை உருவாக முடியும். தமிழ் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பும் எதிர்க் கட்சித் தலைவர் ஆர். சம்பந்தனும் அதற்கென முயற்சிகளில் தொடர்ந்தும் ஈடுபட்டு வருகின்றனர்.

அரசியல் தீர்வு, அரசியல் கைதிகள் மற்றும் காணாமற் போனார் தொடர்பான பிரச்சினைகள், காணி விடுவிப்பு போன்ற விடயங்களில் தமிழ் மக்கள் பெரும் எதிர்பார்ப்புடன் உள்ளனர்.

தமிழ் மக்கள் பெரும் நம்பிக்கையுடனேயே ஜனாதிபதி தமது ஆதரவை வழங்கி வருகின்றனர். அந்த நம்பிக்கை நிறைவேறும் என்ற நம்பிக்கை எமக்குள்ளது என்றும் அவர் மேலும் தெரிவித்தார்.

சிவமோகன்

(பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர்)

யுத்தத்தினால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட முல்லைத்தீவு மாவட்டத்தை மீளக் கட்டியெழுப்பும் ஜனாதிபதியின் செயற் திட்டங்கள் மகிழ்ச்சியளிக்கின்றன.

கேப்பாப்புலவு பகுதியில் ஒரு தொகுதி (243 ஏக்கர்) தற்போது விடுவிக்கப்பட்டபோதும் மேலும் பெருமளவு காணிகள் வடக்கின் பல பகுதிகளிலும் விடுவிக்கப்படாமலேயே உள்ளன. விரைவில் அவற்றை மக்களிடம் கையளிப்பதற்கு ஜனாதிபதி உடனடி நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

அதேபோன்று விடுவிக்கப்படாத அரசியல் கைதிகளின் விடுதலை மற்றும் காணாமற் போனோர் தொடர்பில் அரசாங்கத்தின் அசமந்தப் போக்கு தொடர்பில் வவுனியாவில் தொடர்ந்து மூன்றாவது நாளாகவும் உண்ணாவிரதப் போராட்டம் இடம்பெறுகிறது. அரசாங்கம் இந்த விடயங்களில் முக்கிய கவனம் செலுத்தி பாதிக்கப்பட்ட மக்களுக்கு உரிய தீர்வைப் பெற்றுக்கொடுக்க வேண்டியது அவசியம்.

பிரபா கணேசன்:

(ஜனாதிபதியின் வன்னி மாவட்ட விசேட செயற் திட்டங்களுக்கான பணிப்பாளர்)

யுத்தத்தினால் பாரிய அளவில் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட மாவட்டமாக முல்லைத்தீவைக் குறிப்பிட முடியும். இங்கு மக்கள் முழுமையாக இன்னும் சகஜ நிலைக்குத் திரும்பவில்லை என்பது புலப்படுகிறது.

தமிழ் மக்களின் ஆதரவினாலேயே தாம் ஜனாதிபதித் தேர்தலில் வெற்றிபெற முடிந்தது என்றும் தமிழ் மக்களின் தேவைகள் பிரச்சினைகளுக்குத் தீர்வு பெற்றுக்கொடுப்பதில் தாம் அதிக கவனம் செலுத்தி வருவதாகவும் ஜனாதிபதி என்னிடம் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார். அவரது இந்த நோக்கம் நிறைவேற என்னாலான அனைத்து ஒத்துழைப்புகளையும் நான் வழங்குவேன்.

வடக்கு மக்களின் பிரச்சினைகளுக்குத் தீர்வு கிட்டும் சிறந்த சந்தர்ப்பம் தற்போது உருவாகியுள்ளது. காணிகள் விடுவிப்பு, அரசியல் கைதிகளின் விடுதலை, காணாமற் போனோர் தொடர்பிலான பிரச்சினைக்குத் தீர்வு உட்பட அனைத்து விடயங்களுக்கும் சிறந்த பதில் கிட்டும் என்ற நம்பிக்கை உண்டு. (ஸ)

முல்லைத்தீவிலிருந்து லோரன்ஸ் செல்வநாயகம்

War survivors who turned counsellors

Healing process: (From left) Thangamanikkam Saradadevi, Vellathambi Junaida and Jayadeepa Padmasri, part of a task force counselling war victims.   | Photo Credit: Picasa

When fellow survivors shared their concerns they could readily empathise.

Meera Srinivasan




When Thangamanikkam Saradadevi, Vellathambi Junaida and Jayadeepa Padmasri sat on a panel listening to hundreds of people in Batticaloa speak of their missing relatives, of land occupied by the military and of their waning patience, they could instantly relate to them.

This was not merely because the three women were trained as counsellors but also because they were fellow survivors of Sri Lanka’s brutal war and familiar with all that it took away and left behind.
Ms. Deepa, as Jayadeepa prefers being called, has been searching for her husband who went missing in May 2009, barely two years after their wedding.

A decade after Ms. Saradadevi’s husband was shot dead by the Army, her son was conscripted by the LTTE.

Ms. Junaida saw the LTTE go after her relatives, as they did after many Muslim families in the North and the East.

The three women, now working in different community organisations in Batticaloa, were part of a zonal-level task force that consulted war-affected people on the reconciliation mechanisms that the government has proposed.

Govt.-appointed panel
Earlier this month, a government-appointed Consultation Task Force (CTF), comprising activists and academicians, released a report based on such public hearings across Sri Lanka.

This is not the first such exercise. Families of victims have testified to different, government-appointed and other commissions in the past. However, there has been no action or follow-up on any. “The government would send a team of people, some of whom would be very cold and indifferent to us. They were usually Sinhalese and we were never sure if what we said was properly translated to them,” recalled Ms. Deepa, who has appeared before panels, submitting details about her missing husband.

“Whenever I met a woman of my age, I would feel her pain immediately,” Ms. Saradadevi (56) said. After her husband was killed in the 1990s, she packed and sold peanuts for a living. In the habit of reading anything she could lay her hands on, she spotted a note in a newspaper while wrapping peanuts. It was an advertisement calling for women interested in working with war widows. She took it up. As the war intensified, her son was abducted and, her son-in law went missing in the final years. “He returned, but had lost one leg in a shelling. There was no respite, it was one problem after another.” The same family was victimised repeatedly.

This time, the three women were seated on the other side of the table. Brainstorming in advance, they decided to try and make the process more sensitive and humane.

Though they were invested in the process, the three women don’t view the exercise without scepticism. In a sense, it was “just another commission”, they said.

“If the government was serious about it, why did it outsource the process to civil society and later abandon us?” Ms. Deepa asked. “There was no ownership from the government, locals saw it as an NGO programme.”

Pointing to the perceived futility of the consultations, Ms. Deepa said: “At the end of the day, people affected by a war have a natural tendency for peace and non-recurrence. They say just let us be, without further confusing us with these new processes.”

காணாமல் ஆக்கப்பட்டோர் விவகாரம்: உண்ணாவிரதம் வாபஸ்

26 ஜனவரி 2017

இலங்கையில் காணாமல் ஆக்கப்பட்டவர்கள் தொடர்பில் அரசாங்கம் பொறுப்புக் கூற வேண்டும் எனக் கோரி நான்கு நாட்களாக நடைபெற்ற காலவரையற்ற உண்ணாவிரதப் போராட்டம் இன்று வியாழக்கிழமை மாலை அரசாங்கம் அளித்த உறுதிமொழியொன்றையடுத்து கைவிடப்பட்டிருக்கின்றது.

உண்ணாவிரதம் இருந்தவர்களை நேரடியாக வந்து சந்தித்துப் பேச்சுக்கள் நடத்திய பிரதி பாதுகாப்பு அமைச்சர் ருவான் விஜேவர்தன எழுத்து மூலமாக அளித்த உறுதிமொழிக்கமைவாகவே தாங்கள் உண்ணாவிரதத்தை முடித்துக் கொண்டதாக உண்ணாவிரதம் இருந்து வந்த காணாமல் போனவர்களைத் தேடிக் கண்டறியும் சங்கத் தலைவி காசிப்பிள்ளை ஜெயவனிதா பிபிசி தமிழோசையிடம் கூறினார்.

தமிழர் தாயகத்தில் கையளிக்கப்பட்டு, காணாமல் ஆக்கப்பட்ட குடும்பங்களின் சங்கம் மாசி மாதம் 9 ஆம் தேதி சட்டம், ஒழுங்கு அமைச்சர், சட்டமா அதிபர் திணைக்களம், பொலிஸ் மா அதிபர், நீதி அமைச்சர் இவர்களுடன் 16 பேர் கொண்ட குழுவும் அருட்தந்தையர்களும் சந்திப்பார்கள். இக்கூட்டம் அன்று காலை 11 மணிக்கு அலரி மாளிகையில் இடம்பெறும் என்று எழுதப்பட்டுள்ள அந்தக் கடிதத்தில் பாதுகாப்பு ராஜாங்க ஆமைச்சர் ருவான் விஜேவர்தன கையெழுத்திட்டுள்ளார்.

இந்தக் காலப்பகுதியில் காணாமல் போயுள்ளவர்கள் தொடர்பாக நடவடிக்கைகள் எடுக்கப்பட்டு 9 ஆம்தேதி நடைபெறுகின்ற சந்திப்பின்போது இந்தப் பிரச்சினைக்குத் தீர்வு வழங்கப்படும் என்று அமைச்சர் ரஞ்சன் விஜேவர்தன தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

பாதுகாப்பு ராஜாங்க அமைச்சர் கேட்டுக்கொண்டதற்கு ஏற்ப அவர் அளித்த உறுதிமொழியை ஏற்று இந்த உண்ணாவிரதம் கைவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

අතුරුදහන් වුවන් වෙනුවෙන් කළ උපවාසය තාවකාලිකව නිමයි | VIDEO

 January 25, 2017

අතුරුදහන් වූවන්ට සිදුවූ දේ සොයා ගන්නා තුරු නොනැගිටින බවට ශපත කරමින් උපවාසයක නිරත වුවන්ට දෙසතියක් ඇතුලත අගමැතිවරයා, නීතිපතිවරයා සමග අරලියගහ මන්දිරයේදී මුණ ගස්වන බවට රජය විසින් දෙන ලද සහතිකයකින් අනතුරුව දින හතරක් සපිරෙන මාරාන්තික උපවාසය තාවකාලිකව අත්හිටුවා තිබේ.

වව්නියාවේදී උපවාසය පැවැති ස්ථානයට රජයේ නියෝජිතයා ලෙස 26 බ්‍රහස්පතින්දා පැමිණි ආරක්ෂක රාජ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය රුවන් විජේවර්ධන සිංහල සහ දෙමළ බසින් ලිඛිතව පොරොන්දු වී ඇත්තේ පෙබරවාරි 09 දා තමන්ද සමග උපවාසකරුවන්ට අගමැතිවරයා සහ නීතිපතිවරයා සමග සාකච්ඡාවක් ලබා දීමට කටයුතු කරන බවයි.

උපවාසිකයන් සියලු දෙනා හට ආරක්ෂක රාජ්‍ය අමාත්‍යවරයා ජලය පොවමින් උපවාසය අවසන් කරන ලදී.

උතුරේ මහ ඇමැතිවරයා 25 බ්‍රහස්පතින්දා උදෑසන ජනාධිපතිවරයා වෙත ලිඛිතව අනතුරු අඟවා තිබුනේ උපවාස භූමියට රජයේ ඉහල බලධාරියකු පැමිණ නිශ්චිත විසඳුමක් ලබා නොදුනහොත් ජනතාව ආණ්ඩුව කෙරෙහි තබා ඇති විශ්වාසය බිද වැටිය හැකි බවයි.

“උපවාසික එක කාන්තාවක් අත ඇති ඡායාරූපයක ඇගේ අතුරුදහන් දියණිය ඔබතුමා පසෙකින් හිටගෙන සිටින්නීය. අඩුම වශයෙන් ඇය ඉන්නා තැන හෝ වහාම සොයාබලා ඇගේ මෑණියන්ට බාර දීමට කටයුතු කළ හැකිය,” යි මහ ඇමති විග්නේස්වරන් ලියා තිබේ.

 

උපවාසයට සහාය

රජයේ ආරක්ෂක අංශ විසින් අතුරුදහන් කරනු ලැබුවන් පිළිබද තොරතුරු හෙළි කරන ලෙසත් සියලු දේශපාලන සිරකරුවන් නිදහස් කරන ලෙසත් ඉල්ලමින් වව්නියාවේදී ආරම්භ කර තිබු මාරාන්තික උපවාසයට සහාය දක්වමින් බන්ධනාගාර සිරකරුවන් විසින් ආහාර වර්ජනයක් ද අද දිනයේ ක්‍රියාත්මක කර තිබුණි.

ත්‍රස්තවාදය වැලැක්වීමේ පනත යටතේ අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන කොළඹ මැගසින් බන්ධනාගාරයේ සහ අනුරාධපුර බන්ධනාගාරයේ රඳවා සිටින සැකකරුවන් පිරිසක් මෙලෙස ආහාර වර්ජනයේ නිරත වු බවයි රැදවියන්ගේ ප්‍රකාශකයෙක් ගගන හා කියා සිටියේ.

කෙසේ නමුත් ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් විමසීම සදහා බන්ධනාගාර කොමසාරිස් හා මාධ්‍ය ප්‍රකාශක තුෂාර උපුල්දෙණිය සම්බන්ධ කරගැනීමට ගගන දැරු උත්සායය ව්‍යවර්ථ විය.

මේ අතර උපවාසයේ නිරතව සිටි පිරිසයට සහාය දක්වමින් යාපනය නල්ලුර් කෝවිල ඉදිරිපිටද උද්ඝෝෂනයක් ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමට අතුරුදහන්වුවන් සහ දේශපාලන සිරකරුවන් වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී සිටින උතුරේ සංවිධානයක් කටයුතු කර තිබුණි.

එමෙන්ම උපවාසයට සහාය දැක්වීම පිනිස යාපනය සරසවියේ සිසුන් 70 ට අධික පිරිසක්ද අද දිනයේ උපවාසය පැවැති ස්ථානයට පැමිණ සිටි බව ගගන වව්නියාව වාර්තාකරු සදහන් කරයි.

උපවාසයේ නිරතව සිටි 14 දෙනා අතරින් සිව් දෙනකුගේ තත්වය අයහපත් තත්වයක පැවැති බව පවසන ඔහු කිසිවකුත් අද හවස් යාමය දක්වා රෝහල් ගත කර නොමැති බවද තහවුරු කළේය.

අගමැතිගේ ප්‍රකාශයට විරෝධය

මේ අතර ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ දහස් සංඛ්‍යාත අතුරුදහන් වූවන් “එලොව ගියේද, රට ගියේදැ,” යි නොදන්නා බවට අගමැති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ විසින් 25 බදාදා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ සිදු කළ ප්‍රකාශයට විරෝධය පල කරමින් අතුරුදහන් වුවන් පිළිබදව සොයා බැලීමේ කමිටුව විසින් සිය අද දිනයේ මාධ්‍ය නිවේදනයක් ද නිකුත් කර තිබුනි.

අතුරුදහන් වුවන් පිළිබදව සොයා බැලීමට කටයුතු කරන බවට විපක්ෂ නායකවරයා ලෙස සිටියදී රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ විසින් ප්‍රකාශ කරනු ලැබුවත් ඔහු විසින් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ සිදු කර තිබෙන ප්‍රකාශය සම්පුර්ණයෙන් පරස්පර ප්‍රකාශයක් බව එම නිවේදනය මගින් පෙන්වා දෙන මානව හිමිකම් ක්‍රියාධර සුන්දරම් මහේන්ද්‍රන් අවධාරණය කර ඇත්තේ අගමැතිවරයාගෙන්ද දෙමළ ජනතාවට යුක්තිය ඉටු නොවන බවක් පෙනෙන්නට ඇති බවයි.

 

උතුරු නැගෙනහිර ප්‍රදේශවල සිටින යුද හමුදා ප්‍රමාණය අඩු කිරීමට හෝ මේ වන තෙක් කටයුතු කර නොමැති බවට චෝදනා කරන ඔහු ගගන හා කියා සිටියේ “රජයේ ක්‍රියාකලාපය තුලින් පෙන්නුම් කරන්නේ උඹලාගේ අයිතිවාසිකම් උඔලා සටන් කරලා දිනාගනිල්ලා වැනි හැඟීමක්,” බවයි.

ලංකාවේ අතුරුදහන් වීම්

අතුරුදහන් වීම් පිලිබඳ සොයා බලන එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ ක්‍රියාකාරී කමිටුවට 1980 සිට ශ්‍රී ලංකාවෙන් වාර්තාවී තිබෙන නොවිසඳුණු අතුරුදහන් වීම් සංඛ්‍යාව 5750 කි.

එය දෙවැනි වන්නේ ඉරාකයට පමණයි.

නොවැම්බරයේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට පැමිණි එම කමිටුවේ විශේෂඥ මණ්ඩලයට ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ මානව හිමිකම් ක්‍රියාධාරීන් වාර්තා කළ පරිදි ආගිය අතක් නොමැති පුද්ගලයන් 22,000 කට වැඩි දෙනකුගේ තොරතුරු දේශීය වශයෙන් ලේඛණ ගතවී ඇත.

 

Sri Lankan PM says missing persons may have left the country illegally

உண்ணாவிரத த்த்தில் ஈடுபட்டவர்களை சந்தித்த பாதுகாப்பு இராஜாங்க அமைச்சர்

අතුරුදහන් වුවන් වෙනුවෙන් කළ උපවාසය තාවකාලිකව නිමයි | VIDEO

Sri Lanka PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. (File photo)

By P K Balachandran - 26th January 2017 

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament that as per police records, there is no information relating to persons who had allegedly disappeared during the ethnic conflict.

However, they may have left the country illegally through unconventional channels, he added. 

Wickremesinghe was replying to a question raised by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in parliament on Wednesday.

The PM’s statement assumes importance in the context of a “fast unto death” in Vavuniya by the kins of some Tamils who had allegedly disappeared during the conflict, some after having surrendered to the Security Forces at the end of the war.

As per a promise to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in September 2015, the government decided to set up an Office of Missing Persons (OMP), but due to objections in regard to some clauses in the act, the actual setting up of the OMP has been delayed, the Prime Minister said. Necessary changes would be made and presented to parliament soon, he assured.

The government has already offered to give the families of the disappeared “Certificates of Absence” so that they could get some compensation. But this has been rejected by the families who insist that government must investigate and tell them where their disappeared relations are and whether they are dead or alive.

Meanwhile, cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne categorically stated that it is neither possible to trace the missing nor can the government consider them dead and give the next of kin their death certificates. He cited the case of a lady, reportedly missing from 1988, returning home this year.

“What would have happened if we had given a death certificate in her case?” Senaratne asked.

When Mahinda Rajapaksa was president, he too said that many of the disappeared could be living abroad (mostly in the West) as refugees, and regretted that the governments in these countries were not cooperating in tracing them.

Not Just a Tamil Problem   

The problem of the disappeared is not restricted to the minority Tamils. Sinhalese too had disappeared mysteriously during the 1971 and 1988 insurgencies in the South and during the nine-year presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

During the country’s civil war, both the Government and the Tamil Tiger rebels were accused of killing and abducting critics.

Dozens of journalists, both Tamil and Sinhalese, had disappeared during Rajapaksa’s presidency. Some were killed or had fled the country, reports Krishan Francis of Associated Press. 

Two years into Sirisena’s presidency, there is little sign that the suspects, mostly military soldiers, will be punished, he notes. 

Sandya Ekneligoda, who has fought for seven years to discover what happened to her abducted journalist husband Prageeth Ekneligoda,  told AP: “From day one I had the conviction that Prageeth had no enemies and that this (the abductions) is a work of Mahinda. Mahinda and Gotabaya should be responsible.”

The reference was to the former president and his brother and powerful defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Sandya said that investigators told her that her husband was probably dead. They had found that he had been taken by his abductors to an Army camp and the last available information is that he was transported to the east coast.

நல்லாட்சியின் திட்டங்களை மகிந்த காலத்து அதிகாரிகள் குழப்புகின்றனர்-யாழில் அமைச்சர் மங்கள

26-Jan-2017

நல்லாட்சி அரசாங்கம்  பழைய அரசுடன் போராட வேண்டி உள்ளது. நல்லாட்சி அரசாங்கம் புதிய திட்டங்களை கொண்டுவந்தாலும் பழைய அரசாங்கத்தினால் நியமிக்கப்பட்ட அதிகாரிகள் அதனை முறியடிக்கின்றனர். எத்தடை  வரினும் எமது திட்ட்ங்களை நிறை வேற்றுவோம் என வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சர் மங்கள சமரவீர தெரிவித்தார். 

இலங்கை வெளிவிவகார  அமைச்சின் பிராந்திய தூதரக சேவைகளுக்கான பணியகத்தினை  யாழ் மாவட்ட செயலகத்தில் இன்றைய தினம் ஆரம்பித்து வைத்து உரையாற்றும் போதே மேற்கண்டவாறு தெரிவித்தார் அவர் தனதுரையில் மேலும் தெரி விக்கையில்

வெளிநாட்டு வெளிவிவகார கொன்சிலின் பணியகத்தினை யாழ்நகரில் ஆரம்பிப்பதற்கு உதவிய அனைவருக்கும் எனது மன மார்ந்த நன்றிகள். இதேபோல்  வெளிநாட்டு வெளிவிவகார கொன்சிலின் திடடத்தினை மாத்தறையிலும் ஆரம்பிக்கவுள்ளோம். 

இன்னும் சில நாட்களில் இலங்கையின் சுதந்திர தினம் வரவுள்ளது. இலங்கை பிரித்தானிய அரசாங்கத்திடம் இருந்து சுதந்திரம் அடைந்த போது டைம்ஸ் பத்திரிக்கை இலங்கையை ஆசியாவின் சுவிஸ்லாந்து என வர்ணித்திருந்தது. ஆனால்  தற்போதைய நிலைமை வேறாகிவிட்ட்து . சுதந்திரத்திக்கு பின்னரான காலப்பகுதியில்  ஆசியாவிலேயே சிறந்த அரச மற்றும் பொலிஸ் சேவையி னை இலங்கை அரசு வழங்கி வந்ததது.

எங்களுடைய மாகாணங்களின் அபிவிருத்தி விரைவாக நடைபெறவேண்டும். சிங்கப்பூரின் சிற்பி   லீ குவான் கியூ, தான் பிரதமராக பதவியேற்று தனது முதலாவது வரவு செலவுத்திட்டத்தில் உரையாற்றுகையில் இலங்கையை விட சிங்கப்பூரை ஐந்து வருடங்களுக்குள் முன்னேற்றுவேன் என கூறி இருந்தார் ஆனால் இப்போது சிங்கப்பூர் இமயத்தை தொட்டு விட்டது. ஆனால்  நாம் பின்னோக்கியே நிற்கின்றோம். இவர் தனது  சுய சரிதை புத்தகத்திலும் இலங்கைக்காக 10 பக்கங்களை ஒதுக்கி உள்ளார். 

இங்கு இருக்கின்ற வளங்களை பார்க்கின்ற போது நாட்டில் யுத்தம் நிலவாது இருந்திருந்தால் எமது நாடு சிங்கப்பூராக மாறி இருக்கும். நாம் இன, மத, மொழியாக பிரியாது இலங்கையர் என்ற உணர்வோடு  இருந்திருந்தால் எமது நாடு பாதாளத்திற்குள் சென்றிருக்காது.

ஆரம்பத்தில்  நாட்டில் உள்ள  சிறு சிறு பிரச்சனைகளுக்கு தீர்வு காணாது  விட்டுச்செல்ல அது பூதாகாரமாக உருவெடுத்து யுத்த த்தில் முடிந்தது. யுத்தத்தில் பல பெறுமதி மிக்க உயிர்களை இழந்தோம். யுத்தத்தினால் இறந்தவர்கள் அனைவரும் இலங்கை அரசா ங்கத்தினுடைய பிள்ளைகளே. நாட்டின் இறைமையை பாதுக்காக்க போரிட்ட இருதரப்பினரது உயிர்களும் பெறுமதி வாய்ந்த வையே.

நாட்டில் நல்லாட்சி அரசாங்கம் அமைந்துள்ளது. ஜனாதிபதி மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேனா 2 வருடங்களில் 11தடவைகள்  வடக்கிற்கு விஜயம் மேற்கொண்டு  மக்களின் குறைகளை கேட்டறிந்து சென்றுள்ளார்.  வடக்கும் தெற்கும் ஒருநாடு என்ற அடிப்படையில் ஜன நாயக வழியில் செயற்படுவோம். 2015ம் ஆண்டிற்கு பின்னர் வடக்கில் சிவில் பரிபாலனங்களை மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறோம். 

யுத்த  காலங்களில் இராணுவத் தேவைகளுக்காக கையகப்படுத்தப்பட்ட காணிகளை தற்போது நாம் படிப்படியாக வழங்கி வருகி றோம். ஆனால் இதன் வேகம் மந்த கதியிலேயே செல்கிறது. முக்கியமாக தனியாரின் காணிகளை முதலில் விடுவதற்கு முயற்சிக்கி ன்றோம்.   

காணாமல் போக செய்யப்படடவர்களுக்கான அலுவலகம் ஒன்றை  அமைப்பதற்காண பணிகள் மும்முரமாக நடைபெற்று வரு கிறது. இதற்கான சட்ட ஒப்புதல் நீண்ட இழுபறிகளுக்கு பின்னர் கிடைத்து இருக்கிறது. இந்த  சட்ட மூலத்திற்கு ஜே.வி.பி  சில கரு த்துக்களை முன்வைத்து இருக்கிறது. அவற்றினையும் உள்வாங்கி செயற்படவுள்ளோம்.

 

கடந்த வருடம் நடமாடும் சேவையினை ஆரம்பித்து வைக்கும் போது முதலமைச்சர் விக்னேஷ்வரனே வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சின் கொன்சியூலர் பிரிவினையும் யாழில் ஆரம்பிக்குமாறு   கோரிக்கை விடுத்திருந்தார்.. இப்போது அது நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டுள்ளது. இனிமேல் வடக்கு கிழக்கு மக்கள் கொழும்பிற்கு செல்லவேண்டியதில்லை யாழ்பாணத்திலேயே தமது கருமங்களை நிறைவேற்ற முடியும் என மேலும் தெரிவித்தார்

UNP-SLFP hand in glove on corruption: Opposition Leader 

Thursday, 26 January 2017

• Sampanthan warns of nexus between corruption and dictatorship, termination of democracy
•  “People are getting sick of all of you,” Opposition Leader tells UNP and SLFP

When it comes to corruption, the country’s two main political parties are hand in glove, Opposition Leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan told Parliament on Tuesday, as he issued a fiery warning that corruption could pave the way for dictatorship and the termination of democracy.

Speaking at the adjournment debate on the COPE report on the alleged Central Bank bond scam, the 84-year-old Leader of the Opposition said neither of the two main parties had made honest endeavours to bring an end to corruption, and accused the UNP and the SLFP of colluding and protecting each other on corruption issues.

“The people are sick of this, they are sick of all of you. They believe you must be packed off and maybe they would prefer a dictator to take over,” Sampanthan asserted, in a clear and concise eight-minute speech.

The veteran Tamil politician reminded the House that nepotism and dictatorship have been preceded in many countries by rampant corruption. “Rampant corruption has been the main cause of dictatorship taking hold in many countries, and democracy being terminated,” he warned.

Sri Lanka had flirted with just such a scenario in 2015, but the people had prevented the erosion, the Opposition Leader explained.

Accusing the National Unity Government of failing to bring corrupt to book, Sampanthan said the country needed to know why no persons of the former regime had been charged in a court of law when so many allegations of corruption were being leveled against them.

“Is it because you are protecting them? Or because your charges are so flimsy that you can’t substantiate them in court?” he charged.

“This country is sinking under the charges of corruption, both against the UNP and the SLFP,” Sampanthan asserted.

The Opposition Leader also urged the Government to bring culprits in the 2015 bond scam to book. “Nobody should be spared. The truth must be ascertained.” Sampanthan pressed.

He urged the Government to appoint an “upright independent” commission of inquiry to go into the transaction and reveal the truth to the country.

“This money belongs to the poor people of this country. You have no right to swindle the people of this country in this way,” Sampanthan charged.

Sri Lanka More Corrupt Under Yahapālanaya Than Under Rajapaksa Regime

January 25, 2017

Sri Lanka has become more corrupt under Yahapalanaya than it was under the Rajapaksa regime according to this years’ Corruption Perceptions Index.

According to the 2016 annual Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which ranks countries according to the perceived level of public sector corruption, Sri Lanka has ranked 95th among 176 countries, dropping down the rank by 10 slots when compared to 2014.

According to the 2015 annual CPI, Sri Lanka has ranked 83rd among 168 countries. This is a marginal improvement on its 85th placed ranking in 2014.

There was a gradual deterioration of the country’s position of corruption perception from 2005 in which year it had been ranked at 78 out of 159 countries. Out of 177 countries that have been surveyed, Sri Lanka is ranked at 91 in 2013, a slippage from 79 out of 176 countries in 2012.

“Globally, the data reveals that a staggering 69% of the 176 countries scored below 50 in the 2016 CPI indicating the high levels of perceived public sector corruption prevalent throughout the world. 2016 also marks an alarming trend where more countries declined rather than improved in the overall index.” the Transparency International Sri Lanka said today.

Denmark and New Zealand are jointly ranked 1st in the 2016 CPI with a score of 90 followed by Finland, Sweden and Switzerland ranked 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively. India has scored highest in the South Asian region with a score of 40 and ranked 79th overall. India is followed by Sri Lanka and the Maldives which are jointly ranked 95th.

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Sri Lanka stuck in 'gigantic debt trap': govt

Sri Lanka's Finance Ministry said the cash-strapped country's debt servicing cost this year was estimated at about half of its foreign currency reserves ©Ishara S.KODIKARA (AFP/File)

By AFP-26 January 2017

Sri Lanka Thursday said it was stuck in a "gigantic debt trap" and that paying off foreign loans would hit a record $2.41 billion this year, up from $1.82 billion last year.

The Finance Ministry said the cash-strapped country's debt servicing cost this year was estimated at about half of its foreign currency reserves, while repayments were expected to worsen to $4.0 billion in two years.

The main reason was loans taken by the previous administration for white elephant projects such as an airport and a deep sea port, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said in a statement, with both continuing to incur heavy losses.

"Sri Lanka is embroiled in a gigantic debt trap," he said. "The infrastructure development (of the former government) has not brought any returns on its investments."

Earlier this month the government announced it would raise $1.5 billion through a domestic bond sale to rebuild its foreign exchange reserves.

The move to borrow locally came weeks after the International Monetary Fund warned the country's foreign reserves were "below comfortable levels".

Last June the government, which came to power in January 2015, received a $1.5 billion IMF bailout after facing a balance of payments crisis.

The total foreign currency reserves at the end of December were $5.16 billion, up from $4.72 billion a month earlier, according to government data.

Sri Lanka is also selling part of a loss-making $1.4 billion harbour to a Chinese company to help repay crippling debts.

Malik corrects Rajitha and media over Horana tyre plant

Friday, 27 January 2017

Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama yesterday issued a lengthy statement correcting what he described as misleading and incorrect information in media articles relating to the project to manufacture radial and solid tyres at Wagawaththa Industrial Zone, Horana.

“The statement made by (Minister and Cabinet Spokesman) Rajitha Senarathne on this issue is also incorrect,” said the announcement by Minister Malik’s office.

Following is the full text of the statement:

It is necessary to emphasise the fact thatboth His Excellency the President and the Hon. Prime Minister were aware of the investor since I, myself, informed them well in advance. 

Furthermore, two Cabinet papers, i.e.initially one proposing the land and then giving details of the incentives and other terms, were submitted on this project and in addition the project was discussed and endorsed at several meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management. 

The statement that the land was given for Rs.100per acre is incorrect. In fact, the Government Chief Valuer had valued the land at Rs. 170,825,000and the investor has agreed to pay the total amount upfront. The Chief Valuer has also indicated that a further Rs. 10,000be charged as an annual nominal fee. Further details pertaining to the project are given below.

The 100-acre land at Horana, Wagawaththa Industrial Zone is a bare undeveloped land undulating in most areas. Based on the technical investigations done by Central Engineering and Consultancy Bureau (CECB), it is noted that the investor has to incur a sum of about Rs.300 to 400 million as per the estimate to bring the land to a usable state. The investor claims that around 3m layer of weak soil has to be removed throughout 25 acres of this land.

The BOI is not providing any infrastructure facilities like in other zones – e.g. even the waste disposal treatment plant will be constructed by this investor. Similarly, all internal roads will have to be constructed by the investor.

Based on valuation of land by Government Chief Valuer – an upfront payment of Rs. 170 million is to be paid by investor. Since the project requires a large extent of land, the investor requested the land be leased to him based on the valuation determined by the Chief Valuer on the basis that infrastructure will be provided by him. 

The said request by the investor was accommodated by us in view of the high value of the investment of the project and the significant contribution expected to the economy particularly linked with the rubber industry.

The BOI should promote investment and if necessary regulations and rules need to be changed to attract investments as the current regulations have failed to bring in investors. The FDI in 2015 was $ 970 million and in 2016 it will be around $ 450 million, which is extremely low by any standard.

The total investment of this project is $ 75million (Rs. 11.25 billion). The project will employ around 3,000 people. It will add value to the rubber produced in Sri Lanka and convert raw rubber to radial and solid tyres. The annual export earnings will be above $ 125million.

There will also be inward transfer of technology as the Italian company Marangoniis expected to provide the technical know-how to produce tyres and other rubber-based products.

There are similar BOI projects, on BOI-owned properties, which have been given on long-term lease with an upfront payment and an annual fee is not charged from such projects – e.g. MAS Group given 47 acres on 50-year lease and upfront payment is to be received and no annual fee is charged. This was a well-developed property with buildings and other infrastructure, although major repairs/renovations will have to be undertaken by the investor (former Kabool Lace property).

Furthermore, a land vested by BOI in Kuliyapitiya was given on a freehold basis to Western Automobile Assembly for a proposed vehicle assembly plant. The BOI has also granted 357 acres in the same area on a 99-year lease for $ 1 per acre per annum to Merbok, in settlement of a dispute arising from a contract signed in year 2000.

All expenses in developing this land, includingconstructing a treatment plant, internal roadways and obtainingtransformers, etc. will be on account of the investor. Therefore, this project should be considered on the same basis as the MAS project.

This investor applied to set up the plant inMarch 2016 when they were eligible for the tax concessions under BOI. 

Initially, BOI took steps to acquire a private land in Horana but since the owners of that land were unwilling to sell this property BOI was instructed not to acquire that land as per this President’s observation on Cabinet Paper No. MODSIT/3/CAB/16/8 dated 2016.06.02.

We believe the investor should not be penalised for this delay on the part of BOI to make available the land. Accordingly a Cabinet Memorandum was submitted on 2016.10.03 identifying the BOI-owned land at Wagawaththa and explaining this position.Accordingly approvalwas granted by the Cabinet on granting the tax concessions prevailing at the time of the application. 

It is worth to mention that in different countries promoting investment projects, various mechanisms exist for lease of land and providing infrastructure on case by case basis, based on evaluation of salient features of the project, level of infrastructure required, extent of land, etc. In India, in certain states land is given for one Indian Rupee per acre per year to attract investors.

When proposals for investments are received we do not look at the political affiliations of the investor and projects are evaluated and approved on the basis of economic and social benefits to the country.