China: Beijing warns it will oppose Taiwan independence


China's President Xi Jinping and China's Premier Li Keqiang arrive for the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 5, 2017. 

5th March 2017

CHINA will resolutely oppose and contain Taiwan independence, Premier Li Keqiang said in remarks prepared for delivery at the opening of the annual meeting of parliament on Sunday, amid heightened tension between Beijing and the self-ruled island.

China is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, whose ruling Democratic Progressive Party espouses the island’s formal independence, a red line for Beijing, which has cut off an official dialogue mechanism with Taipei.

Tsai says she wants peace with China.

“We will never tolerate any activity, in any form or name, which attempts to separate Taiwan from the motherland,” Li said in a report available before he delivered an annual address to China’s top legislature.

SEE ALSO: China-Taiwan tensions could be the tinderbox to set Asia-Pacific alight  

China will protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity while safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Li said.

Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to the Communists. China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, viewing it as a wayward province.

In 2014, hundreds of students occupied Taiwan’s parliament for weeks in protests known as the Sunflower Movement, demanding more transparency and fearful of China’s growing economic and political influence on the democratic island.

Chinese jets and warships carried out exercises near Taiwan and into the Western Pacific on Thursday, as Taiwan’s defence minister warned of a growing threat from its giant neighbour.

Li also said the notion of Hong Kong independence would lead nowhere, and Beijing would ensure that the principle of “one country, two systems” is applied in Hong Kong and Macao “without being bent or distorted”.

SEE ALSO: Hong Kong: Leadership race heats up as China clears way for candidates 

Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula, granting it extensive autonomy, an independent judiciary and rule of law for at least 50 years.

Hong Kong students organised weeks of protests in late 2014 to push for full democracy, but Beijing declined to make concessions. Chinese leaders are increasingly concerned about a fledgeling independence movement in Hong Kong.

China’s parliament last year staged a rare interpretation of the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, to effectively bar pro-independence city lawmakers from taking office there.

Communist Party rulers in Beijing have ultimate control over Hong Kong, and some Hong Kong people are concerned they are increasingly interfering to head off dissent -Reuters

China cuts growth goal, puts focus on reform and 'firewall' against risks

Chinese national flags are flying near a steel factory in Wu'an, Hebei province, China, February 23, 2017. Picture taken February 23, 2017.  REUTERS/Thomas Peter--A cameraman stands next to China's President Xi Jinping during the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 5, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee

China's Premier Li Keqiang bows before delivering a government work report during the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 5, 2017. Seated at top right is President Xi Jinping. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj--A worker works at a construction site in Shanghai, China March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Aly Song

By Kevin Yao and Xiaochong Zhang | BEIJING-Sun Mar 5, 2017

China has cut its growth target this year as the world's second-largest economy pushes through painful reforms to address a rapid build-up in debt, and erects a "firewall" against financial risks.

China aims to expand its economy by around 6.5 percent, Premier Li Keqiang said in his work report at the opening of the annual meeting of parliament on Sunday.

The target, which Reuters had reported exclusively from sources in January, was realistic and would help steer and steady expectations, said Li.

China set a target of 6.5 to 7 percent last year and ultimately achieved 6.7 percent growth, supported by record bank loans, a speculative housing boom and billions in government investment.

But as the government moves to cool the housing market, slow new credit and tighten its purse strings, China will have to depend more on domestic consumption and private investment for growth. As in 2016, China did not set a target for exports, underlining the uncertain global outlook.

"The developments both in and outside of China require that we are ready to face more complicated and graver situations," Li said, adding that world growth remained sluggish, while deglobalisation and protectionism were gathering pace.

Growth of around 6.5 percent is sufficient to safeguard employment, said Huang Shouhong, director of the State Council Research Office, who helped craft the premier's work report.

China added 13.14 million new urban jobs in 2016, with the number of college graduates finding employment or starting businesses reaching another record, according to Li's report.

"As for whether there is a bottom line on growth, as long as there are no problems in employment, growth slightly higher or lower is acceptable," Huang said.

Michael Tien, a Hong Kong delegate to China's parliament and founder of clothing chain G2000, said he was surprised by the 6.5 percent figure.

"I think it's very high," he told Reuters. "In the past few years, whatever number they come up with, they will always meet it, and they will always exceed it a little bit. So with this economy, 6.5 (percent) is mind-boggling."

DELICATE BALANCE

Economists say it is a delicate balancing act to support growth and maintain liquidity while pursuing reforms and taming unruly financial forces.

The 2017 target for broad money supply growth was cut slightly to around 12 percent from about 13 percent for 2016. The government's budget deficit target was kept unchanged at 3 percent of GDP.

Li said China would continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy, adding that government aimed to cut companies' tax burden by about 350 billion yuan ($51 billion) this year.

China will also maintain a prudent and neutral monetary policy, he said.

Beijing has flagged in recent months a gradual shift away from a loose monetary stance to discourage speculative investments. Since February, the central bank has raised by tiny increments the interest rates on some lending facilities.

Jia Kang, former director at the finance ministry's Institute of Fiscal Science, told Reuters he did not expect the PBOC to hike policy rates, at least in the near term.

"It seems unlikely, since stability comes first in the short term," Jia said.

At present, systemic risks are under control, but China must be fully alert and build a "firewall" against financial risks, Li said.

Chinese banks extended a record 12.65 trillion yuan of loans in 2016, and recent data shows that new yuan loans hit 2.03 trillion yuan in January, the second-highest ever.

"We will apply a full range of monetary policy instruments, maintain basic stability in liquidity, see that market interest rates remain at an appropriate level, and improve the transmission mechanism of monetary policy," Li said.

China will also press on with asset securitisation and debt-to-equity swaps this year.

CAPACITY CUTS, LAYOFFS

China will push forward with reform of state-owned firms and assets this year, Li said.

Ownership reforms at more than 100 central government-run enterprises will be completed by year-end as part of efforts to use private capital to revive its lumbering state sector, state media reported last month.

China is also looking to shutter more 'zombie' enterprises, a term loosely used to describe inefficient firms with surplus capacity.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a work report released on Sunday that it would shut or stop construction of coal-fired power plants with capacity of more than 50 million kilowatts.

China will also cut steel capacity and coal output this year, the economic planner said.

Fixed-asset investment is expected to rise about 9 percent in 2017, down from last year's target of 10.5 percent.

"As overcapacity is cut, we must provide assistance to laid-off workers," Li said.

China aims to create more than 11 million new urban jobs this year, even as employment pressure grows.

"This year's target for urban job creation is 1 million more than last year, underlining the greater importance we are attaching to employment," Li said.

(Reporting by Kevin Yao and Xiaochong Zhang; Additional reporting by Sue-Lin Wong, Meng Meng, Dominique Patton, Yawen Chen, Elias Glenn, Jake Spring, Christian Shepherd, Muyu Xu, Stella Qiu, Judy Hua, Lusha Zhang and John Ruwitch; Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Will Waterman)

Artificial 'embryos' created in the lab

Stem cells coordinate to produce the embryo

By Matthew Hill-3 March 2017

Scientists have created "artificial embryos" using stem cells from mice, in what they believe is a world first.

The University of Cambridge team used two types of stem cells and a 3D scaffold to create a structure closely resembling a natural mouse embryo.

Previous attempts have had limited success because early embryo development requires the different cells to coordinate with each other.

The researchers hope their work will help improve fertility treatments.

It could also provide useful insights into the way early embryos develop.

However, experimentation on human embryos is strictly regulated, and banned after 14 days.

Human-pig 'chimera embryos' detailed

Should embryo research rules be changed?

Embryo study shows 'life's first steps'

Once a mammalian egg has been fertilised, it divides to generate embryonic stem cells - the body's "master cells".

These embryonic stem cells cluster together inside the embryo towards one end, forming the rudimentary embryonic structure known as a blastocyst.

The Cambridge team, whose work is published in the journal Science, created their artificial embryo using embryonic stem cells and a second type of stem cell - extra-embryonic trophoblast stem cells - which form the placenta.

Lead researcher Prof Magdalena Zenricka Goetz said: "We knew that interactions between the different types of stem cell are important for development, but the striking thing that our new work illustrates is that this is a real partnership - these cells truly guide each other."

However, the researchers say their artificial embryo is unlikely to develop into a healthy foetus as it would probably need the third form of stem cell, which develops into the yolk sac that provides nutrition.

Prof Goetz's team has a strong track record of research in embryology

The same team recently developed a technique that allows blastocysts to develop in the lab up to the legal limit of 14 days in the UK.

They have already grown these artificial mice embryos to the equivalent stage, and they are now working on using the same technique to develop artificial human embryos.

If they are successful, it could open the door to experimenting on embryos beyond the current 14-day limit.

Prof Jonathan Montgomery, an expert in health care law, at University College London, said: "It wouldn't, obviously, be within the current regulatory framework, although we would need to think carefully about how we should oversee it.

"It is early days, but if they do manage to not only create the partnership that's needed to get started but also the nutrition that's needed to sustain it, you could see that we are contemplating the opportunity of developing human embryos for quite a substantial period in vivo."

Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, of The Francis Crick Institute, said some structures seen in early embryos had failed to develop.

This, and other problems, would need to be solved before the technology could be developed further.

He also said it was unlikely that human equivalents could be developed because the necessary cells from human embryos were not available.

SRI LANKA: NEW CONSTITUTION, REPARATIONS, TRUTH-SEEKING & DEMOCRATISATION ARE THE GOALS NOW.

Image: Minister Ganeshan with school children © @ManoGanesan

by Mano Ganeshan.-04/03/2017

Look at the UNHRC sessions, today. We will be given a two-year conditional time period. I already said in my tweet early this week. It is “WAY-FORWARD breaking roadblocks targeting four Goals; 1)#New Constitution 2)#Reparations 3)#Truth-Seeking 4)#Democratisation.”

The [UNHRC] session is going on now. We have asked for the two-year time frame. It is going to be conditional with a time table. My ministry has two mandates. I am going to set both national coexistence dialogue campaign and official language policy implementation in parallel with the UNHRC time frame. My time line will be in line with UNHRC resolutions. Let us see how it’s going to come. Language policy implementations shall be the prelude to the political solution. Coexistence dialogue campaign shall bring the Sri Lankan identity with the committed consideration for the diverse nature of the nation.

It is going to be a time table. Within which we have to produce a new constitution. That will need a referendum. Besides, why should we do something behind the backs of the people, especially the Sinhala people? Let them study and decide. National question is the top priority for us, the Tamil, Muslim parties, progressive national parties and the international community. We supported and helped to establish the national government for this noble endeavour. It is not established for the sole purposes of some politicians to get ministerial portfolios and perks. We have seen both major parties playing politics by the national ethnic question since the 1950s. Hence we established the national government today with both UNP and SLFP. It should be understood very firmly by all parties. Those who reject the referendum are undermining the noble motive behind the establishment of national government.

We are for the referendum [ for constitutional reform]. That is the mandate we received on January 8, 2015. Those who reject the referendum were not part of the team that received the mandate. They were on the other side. Today, they have come in and taken seats. That’s fine and no issue over it. But they can’t change the mandate. That is beyond limits.

I don’t know if TNA still sticks to Federalism. Unitary and Federalism are terminologies. We had a 30 year old bloody war practically over these terminologies. The world considered us as sick jokers. The terminologies do not matter. Nobody is meddling with the sovereignty. It is a debateless subject. Both TNA and TPA who represent the total Tamil populace in this country are for one single Sri Lanka. So, let us not make issues out of nothing.

My proposal is this. Let us finish the new constitution by May. Go for a referendum. All those forces rallied together in January 2015 will be together again. We can defeat the JO or anybody who oppose the new constitution. People who are more intelligent and patriotic than some politicians will support us. I trust we can obtain more than 6.2million what we received in 2015 on this one straight issue of the Constitution. Upon our victory it will be the end of the JO. Let any election, LG or PC come later after this.

SLMC, TPA, ACMC, EPDP who collectively represent 19 MPs in Parliament have jointly submitted proposals to the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly. On the Executive Presidency subject, we have proposed for the continuation of the Presidency that is elected directly by the people. The executive powers shall be brought to the minimum where the President elected directly by the people at Presidential elections shall only hold the defence portfolio. It is one of our major proposals amid others. We have taken this position in view of the unscrupulous demands of both the UNP and the SLFP at the electoral reforms subject. They claim that abolishment of the Presidency will weaken the stability of the country. Hence, demand additional bonus seats in Parliament as stability bonuses at the cost of minor parties. Therefore, we, of the minor parties have now decided to keep both the Presidency and our Parliamentary stakes intact. Those who campaign for the abolishment of the Presidency shall understand the plights of the minor parties.

(Excerpts from a interview given to the Nation by Minister Mano Ganeshan.)

Demonstration Called Off, Sampanthan Praised Sirisena For Resolving Puthukkudiyiruppu Land Issue

March 4, 2017

“Puthukkudiyiruppu land matter has been resolved. The land is to be returned in 3 stages the first stage on 4th March and the second and third stages in a few months. The commitments made should be honoured.” says Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan.

Maithripala and Sampanthan | File photo

Sending a letter to the President, Samapanthan said: “In view of possession being handed over at Kepepulavu – Pillaikudiyiruppu – The persons who were demonstrating against being kept out of their lands, have called off their demonstration. I am particularly thankful to you and other authorities for the expeditious action taken to hand back this land.”

We publish below the letter in full:

His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena

President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat
Colombo 1

Your Excellency,

I write to thank you for the meeting I had with you on Monday the 27th with fellow Members of parliament of the Tamil National Alliance to discuss land issues in Mullaithivu District. I wish to sincerely thank you for the prompt action taken. I wish to convey to you the following:-

Kepapulavu – Pillakudieruppu –

On the basis of information received – 54 lands have been handed over to the persons entitled to same on documents. There are 30 other persons who were in possession of their lands earlier, but who still do not have permits. They are entitled to be given the lands as they were in possession earlier, before displacement. They had not obtained permits in view of the prevalent situation. The Government/Agent /Mullaithivu District Secretary/Maritimepattu should be able to obtain the necessary information. These 30 persons too, if they are landless people and were in possession earlier should be issued permits and restored to possession. The houses on these lands have been destroyed. The people should be provided with housing and other facilities.

Puthukkudiyiruppu

The matter has been resolved. The land is to be returned in 3 stages the first stage on 4th March and the second and third stages in a few months. The commitments made should be honoured.

In view of possession being handed over at Kepepulavu – Pillaikudiyiruppu – The persons who were demonstrating against being kept out of their lands, have called off their demonstration.
I am particularly thankful to you and other authorities for the expeditious action taken to hand back this land.

In respect of the land of the Killinochchi Maha Vidyalayam – which too, I discussed with you, I am informed that action is being taken to return to the school authorities 142 perches of land. More land would yet be retained by the Armed forces.

The Killinochchi Maha Vidyalayam has around 2500 students. The school is short of accommodation, particularly for the primary section. The school urgently needs more accommodation. The school also urgently needs a playground. I have visited the school and seen the difficult position. The balance land too should be released early. I shall be grateful if action is taken to release the balance land also, to the KIlinochchi Maha Vidyalayam authorities at the earliest.

Thanking you and with my regards.

Yours sincerely

R Sampanthan, MP
Leader of the Opposition

Copies to: 1. Hon Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe

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''Challenge is against former president Rajapaksa so; it is none of Bandula Gunawardana’s business…'' -Finance Minister repeats former president to go to Courts.

(Lanka-e-News - 04.March.2017, 11.30PM) A former president who has been accused of exploiting the controversial bond issue should go before Court and, his proxies have nothing to do with it, Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake reiterated. If Bandula Gunawardana or Emeritus Professor G.L. Peries who held ministry portfolios in the previous government are preparing to go to Court, there is no meaning in the attempt, the minister points out.

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa said recently that he would take legal action against the allegations that he acted dishonestly in issuing treasury bonds. Responding to his statement, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake challenged the former president to go to Courts against the allegations if he has guts to do so. However, MP Bandula Gunawardana stated during a media briefing yesterday that he would go to Courts on behalf of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Responding to the statement made by MP Gunawardana, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake renewed his challenge to the former president during a media briefing held at the Finance Ministry today (March 3).

Finance Minister Karunanayake expressed his views further in this manner.

“I challenged former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to go to Court if the allegations made against him are wrong. He said he would go. Interference made by Bandula Gunawardana and G.L. Peries to answer the issue on behalf of Rajapaksa would not be acceptable. In the capacity of current Minister of Finance, I did ask the question. Mahinda Rajapaksa, as the previous Finance Minister should directly reply to the question. He was responsible for the signatures which endorsed those gazette notifications. Therefore I repeatedly tell him to go to Courts. But there is no concrete foundation for him to go to Courts so he used different cat’s-paws to release various statements”, Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.

MP Nalin Bandara also participated in this event.

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by     (2017-03-04 23:16:45)

For SAITM, don’t make poor patients suffer

Mar 04, 2017

Despite the continuing crises such as the debt-ridden economy, the lack of direct foreign investments and the soaring cost of living, the national government to a large extent is restoring democratic rights.

Civic conscious citizens need to be aware of the moral law that rights are linked to responsibilities. To the extent we fulfil our responsibilities, only to that extent could we claim or fight for our rights. Similarly to the extent we fail in our responsibilities, to that extent we forfeit our rights. 
Reflections on these lines are essential in view of the growing number of strikes, demonstrations or work-to-rule campaigns that often affect innocent people. For instance the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), which proudly claims to be one of the most powerful trade unions in Asia, yesterday launched another unannounced strike at all public hospitals in the Western Province. The strike is part of the GMOA’s growing campaign against the awarding of medical degrees to graduates of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) at Malabe.

The wildcat strike left thousands of patients, mostly poor people, stranded. At Kalubowila’s Colombo South Teaching Hospital one patient said he had come on Thursday night all the way from Embilipitiya because yesterday was his clinic day. President Maithripala Sirisena, who has personally intervened to resolve the SAITM crisis, says he is meeting all parties including the authorities, SAITM students and their families to find a solution that is just and fair to all concerned. But the GMOA, which is widely accused of sometimes playing party politics, appears to be unwilling to wait for this just and fair solution to be worked out. Yesterday the GMOA caused additional pain and suffering to thousands of mainly poor patients and it has been doing it on a regular basis since the SAITM crisis erupted last year though this private university was set up 2008.

Medicine or healing, in its highest sense, is a vocation where the well-being of patients is given top priority. Valid questions are being asked whether the doctors who suddenly struck work yesterday were aware or sincerely committed to the hallowed Hippocratic Oath which they took. Lest they forget a part of the oath is like this: “I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant; I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow; I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of over-treatment and therapeutic nihilism; I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science and that warmth, sympathy and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug…” With the GMOA regularly breaking this oath and setting a bad example, we also see university students staging demonstrations on busy highways at peak times, causing delays and other problems to thousands of people including schoolchildren. This has led to calls even by civic rights activists that no group has a right to cause serious problems to thousands of innocent people -- and therefore there should be some restrictions on demonstrations at peak times on city highways.

Traditionally, most democratic countries have accepted the right to strike but it should be the last resort only when dialogue, consensus and other non-threatning means have failed. But now it appears that some organizations are resorting to the unacceptable position of striking first and talking later thereby causing all sorts of problems to thousands of people. When medical doctors resort to this it could amount to a death blow to democracy and also to poor patients. If the physicians heal themselves we could see healing in many social justice issues that confront us today.

http://www.dailymirror.lk

Evil Behind The Robe – Reliving The Role Of Sangha In The Bandaranaike Assassination

By Shyamon Jayasinghe –March 4, 2017

Shyamon Jayasinghe

“The next surprise comes split seconds after, when Somarama draws forth his right arm from be- neath the robes to disclose a revolver from which he fires, explicitly from the hip..”

It is strange that the story of the assassination of Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike has been allowed to slide into the historical dustbin. That tragic and shocking episode is so laden with potent lessons for our future generations. The narrative, related pictures and souvenirs should be displayed in the Museum for generations of Sri Lankans to observe and think about. Here is a blind spot in our social consciousness. We ignore the need for preserving lessons of history and, therefore, we are in peril for having repeats. The JVP insurrection many years after, although not of the evil genre of the political assassination, also does fall under this category of collective memories that shouldn’t be left to die. Such incidents spring from a wider social reality and an understanding that should be part of our political literacy.

Let’s focus on the assassination that rocked Sri Lanka and the wider world. We must put it back into our social consciousness. My approach is to take the cue from an account given by a former and famous Lake House journalist: ECT Candappa.

ECT Candappa or ‘Manny,’ as he was called by his friends, lives here in Melbourne in Dandenong – the same suburb I reside. I never knew that until my good friend, former Lake House feature writer, Rane Ranatunge, coming down from Sydney requested me to escort him to visit the iconic man of Lake House. Manny seemed in every way like a king of the once proud tribe of scribes. At 86, he is in a wheelchair. He beckoned us to sit along with him. “Don’t worry about my wheelchair,” he remarked.” if Roosevelt could run US from a wheelchair?” Manny exuded a most genial smile mixed with self-assurance and composure. What a marvellous memory he has, Rane observed, upon noticing how Manny related details of his life and times as a journalist.

One episode about which he unfolded his memory was that of the assassination of Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister, SWRD Bandaranaike. Immediately after the assassination, Manny went to the Prime Minister’s residence, to hospital, and to other relevant spots tor investigation “When I went to meet Dr PR Anthonis (the surgeon who operated on SWRD), he initially got angry about my intrusiveness.

I was quick in mind to realise the importance of Manny’s findings – which were contemporary and not secondhand – and I kept questioning him. He presented a big book he had written, entitled, ”The Palm of His Hand.” This book of 429 pages looks impressive. I brought it with me and just completed finishing it. Unfortunately, only a few pages dwelt with the assassination. However, those pages constitute a kind of authentic information on a major historical event in Sri Lanka’s modern political evolution.

Buddarakkita

The lesson from the assassination constitutes a warning of what can come from Sangha politics. It is the same pattern with regard to all religions. Religions have produced a lot of evil that has troubled the world and it continues to do so today with the emergence of fundamentalism in Islam. Christianity had its cruel days during the middle Ages. Commenting on Hindu-Muslim violence in his time, India’s first Prime minister, Jawarahalal Nehru said, “I am horrified by the spectacle of religion.” It now turns out that even Buddhism, reputed as the ‘world’s most peaceful religion,’ is also susceptible to evil use. The brutal treatment of Rohingya Muslims by Burmese Buddhists is not an isolated event. Social media often carries images of wild and hateful behaviour by monks on the rampage in Sri Lanka. Recently, a monk pounced on a Tamil Grama Sevaka in Batticaloa with threatening racist language. The Bodu Bala Senawa went on rampage against Muslims. All done in the name of religion by ordained monks. Watch the gestures of some of the so-called ‘Nalaka Hamuduruwo.’ Some prominent monks go about lying for politicians.

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Lankaenews editor fails to turn up in Courts

(Lanka-e-News - 04.March.2017, 3.00PM) Lankaenews website editor Sandaruwan Senadheera was not present before the Supreme Court yesterday regarding 14 contempt of court applications for allegedly publishing defamatory articles which appeared in Lankaenews defaming the judges from the Apex Court to the Magistrate’s Court castigating their characters.

The Court was informed that Lankaenews website editor is yet to receive notices since he is residing in United Kingdom.

On January 19, Sandaruwan Senadheera and Attorney-at-Law Chandrasiri Seneviratne were noticed to appear before Supreme Court on March 3. However, Attorney-at-law Chandrasiri Seneviratne, the second accused of these applications was present in Court.

Meanwhile, three-judge-Bench comprising Justice Buwaneka Aluvihare, Justice Sisira de Abrew and Justice Anil Goonaratne directed the petitioner to amend the caption of the petitions by putting accused new address in UK. Theses petitions are to be taken up for mention on May 16.

These 14 complaints had been filed by former Deputy Mayor of Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Municipal Council, Attorney-at-Law Madura Vithanage complaining that there had been a series of articles published appeared in the social media web site/face book named “Lankaenews” in which the judges and the Judicial Institutions had been critically ridiculed and intimidated and at certain instances and there had been scathing attacks on judges commencing from Magistrates to the Chief Justice.

The complainant stated that through the contents of the said articles, the web site/Facebook owner/operator has insulted, defamed, and ridiculed the judges whose names are referred to therein and there is direct and indirect intimidation on judges as well as the judiciary as a whole.

In his petitions, the petitioners cited lankaenews editor Sandaruwan Senadheera as the accused and the Attorney General and the President of Bar Association of Sri Lanka as respondents.

The petitioner is requesting the Court to charge the accused on the offence of contempt of the Supreme Court under Article 105(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka and grant an order restraining the accused preventing him from publishing further Contemptuous statements/articles scandalizing the judges or any judicial institution including Supreme

Court and the Judicial Services Commission until the conclusion of this case.

“These articles have attacked on both the judicial conduct as well as the private lives of the judges and caused embarrassment not only to the judges but also to the entire judiciary,” the complainant said.

The complainant stated that “Lankaenews” is a web site owned and maintained by Sandaruwan Senadheera from London, United Kingdom.

He further stated that the contents in the said articles are derogatory of the judiciary and the judges and tantamount to contempt of court punishable under law.

President’s Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya appeared for the petitioner. Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam appeared for the Attorney General.Senior Counsel J.C. Weliamuna appeared for the second accused. 

(DailyNews-Sri Lanka)

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by     (2017-03-04 09:34:43)

Doctors and Doctors

“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” – Leo Tolstoy

Saturday, 4 March 2017

Gamini is an inveterate day trader. He buys small quantities of shares at the stock market hoping that the price will move up during the day, enabling him to sell before the market closes in the afternoon, at a profit. For example, he may at 10 a.m. buy 5,000 shares of stock X at Rs. 20. By 2 p.m. stock X may reach Rs. 22. He will sell at that point, with a profit of Rs. 10,000 minus the brokerage on the transaction.

Doctors and Doctors.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

90% OF WOMEN HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT ON BUSES AND TRAINS IN SRI LANKA.

image-DM

04/03/2017

Ninety percent of women have been subjected to sexual harassment on buses and trains. But many were unaware that perpetrators can be punished because the offense is a crime, says a new study conducted by United Nations Populations Fund in Sri Lanka.

By Anushiya Sathisraja.

A national campaign is needed to tackle the pervasive culture of sexual harassment of women on public transport, an official says.

Such a campaign must include a national dialogue, efforts to raise awareness, and educating people on the consequences of sexual harassment.

Swarna Sumanasekera, who chairs the National Committee on Women under the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, said campaigns must highlight that sexual harassment is a form of sexism and a criminal offence under Sri Lanka’s Penal Code. Public service messages should emphasise “zero tolerance to sexual harassment”.

Ms. Sumanasekera said sexual harassment in public transport, discriminates against women and girls, and affects them physically, psychologically, and economically.

Principles of gender equality should be taught to children early, she said.

A study by the United Nations Populations Fund, involving 2,500 people between 15 and 35 years of age, representing all administrative districts in the nine provinces of the country, show that more than 25 per cent of women are sexually harassed every month on public transport. Every day 12.1 per cent of women are reported being sexually harrassed. And every week, 16.4 per cent said they suffered.

But cases go largely unreported because women feel they would not be taken seriously, the Sunday Times learns.

The study also reveals that, 92 per cent of the respondents never sought help from law enforcement. It was also noted that 74 per cent were unaware about a hotline to report sexual harassment on public transport.

Ninety percent of women have been subjected to sexual harassment on buses and trains. But many were unaware that perpetrators can be punished because the offense is a crime.

The study identified 35 different actions that can be categorized as acts of sexual harassment, ranging from physical contact to verbal and visual actions of a sexual nature. The findings show that sexual harassment is largely physical.

The focus on sexual harassment conceals data that demonstrates that the largest proportion of violence against women take place in public places, usually on public transport.

Almost 30 per cent of students said their studies were negatively affected, while 37 per cent said that the incidents negatively-affected their performance at work.

The study also found that 82 per cent had noticed others being sexually harassed on public transport, but it is rare that other passengers in buses or trains intervene. The main reason for this, as noted in focus group discussions, was the ‘unwillingness to take the risk of causing conflict’ and ‘fear of drawing attention to oneself’.

Kumudini Samuel, the Founder of Women and Media Collective, said the survey data were not a suprise. “The top most reason for the increase in sexual harassment, is the absence of fear of the law.” She adds that laws and policies are needed in public transport and workplaces.

Police say perpetrators must be forced to change.

“We don’t want anyone to change their behaviour to avoid being a victim,” said the head of the Children and Women Bureau of the Sri Lanka Police L R Amarasena. “The only people who should change their behaviour are the perpetrators.”

(Original caption : National campaign should target perverts on buses and trains, says official)

Sunday Times

SLMC Is Falling Down

By Razi Muhammadh –March 5, 2017

Raazi Mohmamadh

The clock has already started ticking for Sri Lanka Muslim Congrass. The lava has bursted from the already burning mountain. SLMC is breaking apart.

Two significant persons have already waged a war against SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem. Basheer Cegu Dawood, then chairman of the party has appeared in an interview on Vasantham TV and told that the party leader is caught between too many scandals and not capable of being leader to the party of which constitution is based on Quran and Hadith.Former chairman claimed that the leader of SLMC has lost the credibility to lead the Muslim community. Following his interview in Vasantham TV and his Facebook posts criticizing the SLMC leadership, Basheer Cegu Dawood has been interdicted by the Party high command. Supporters of Cegu Dawood and Hakeem already started a social media war.

Another person who has started objecting to the leadership of SLMC is the former Secretary General of the Party Mr. Hassan Ali. Hassan Ali is one of the founder members of SLMC and a admirer of late Mr. Ashroff. Hassan Ali claims that Rauf Hakeem is a bootlicker of Mahinda Rajapaksa and always wanted to be with MR’s side even though the mood of the people was against Mahida.

During a public meeting held in Nintavur on 2017.03.03, Hassan Ali claimed that Mr.Rauf Hakeem wanted to support Mahinda Rajapaksa during the last presidential campaign. Hassan Ali was the main reason the party has joined the Mythri Faction he claimed. Since then Hassan Ali was seen by Hakeem as his rival to his leadership.

The origin of the rift between Hassan Ali and Hakeem goes back to 2015 delegates’ conference. During a mandatory high command meeting prior to delegates’ conference, Mr. Hakeem has introduced a new position -‘secretary to the command’ apart from the already existing Secretary General to the party which was occupied by Hassan Ali. This move is to silence Mr. Hassan Ali who had become a headache to Mr.Hakeem.

Mr. Hassan Ali has objected to this sudden Constitutional change and made a complaint to the Elections Commissioner. Elections commissioner instructed Mr.Hakeem to sort out this issue, if not he said that the party will not be able to contest under the party symbol. Having smelled the seriousness of the issue Mr.Hakeem has promised Mr. Hassan Ali that his Secretary General position will be restored in 2016 delegates conference and he will be given MP seat in the Parliament. Mr.Hakeem has promised Mr. Hassan Ali that the current parliamentarian MHM.Salman would resign his position and leave room for Hassan Ali to take oath as a parliament member on 2017.01.09 when the parliament reconvened. Mr.Hakkeem handed over to Hassan Ali a copy of the resignation of Mr. Salman from the parliamentary membership.

Having believed what the leader has promised, Hassan Ali agreed to go silent on the Secretary General issue believing that his original position would be restored in the next Delegates’ conference that held last month. But the letter of resignation was not handed over to the Secretary General of the parliament. Salman remains the MP. Attached is the copy of the resignation of Salman, Hakeem has given to Hassan Ali.

To his disappointment, Hassan Ali kept silent waiting for the delegates’ conference where he believed his Secretary General Position would be restored. That also didn’t happen. Hassan Ali decided to go public.

Yesterday a meeting was arranged in his town Nintavur where Hassan Ali explained to the public how he, being a founder member of the party was cheated by the Leader and ousted from the position that he had been occupying for 35years. He spoke sensibly to a huge crowd that appealed to their senses.

Hassan Ali is one of the founding pillars of SLMC. He is the founder General Secretary to the party. He is revered among the SLMC supporters as the most senior party member after the demise of Mr. Ashraf. Hakeem’s dissidents within the party have also joined hands with Hassan Ali during yesterday’s meeting. This is expected to be a big blow to the SLMC’s leader Rauf Hakeem.
The pulse of the Ampara district is that the supporters of SLMC have started to think that Hakeem is ruining the party leadership so he should be removed. The supporters also think that Hakeem Being born and bred in central province cannot understand the political needs of the Eastern province Muslims. People think that Hakeem is not capable enough to voice the political aspirations of the Eastern Muslims. They also think that Hakeem is not suitable to lead a party that has its roots in East.

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