“It has been brought to our attention that at least 3 Members of Parliament belonging to the Tamil National Alliance have not signed the purported letter alleged to have been signed by 8 or 11 Members of Parliament stating that no further time should be granted to the Government of Sri Lanka to implement Resolution 30/1 of October 2015,” says TNA Spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran.
Sumanthiran
Issuing a statement today the TNA spokesperson said: “Hon. G. Srinesan, Shanthi Sriskantharajah and K Kodeswaran have informed the Party that their names appear as signatories to the said purported letter, despite the fact that they expressly refused to sign the same.”
The MPs have signed the appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), requesting the UNHRC to not give the Sri Lankan government an extension to implement the resolutions, which was to be implemented by this month.
The signatories include; S. Sritharan, S. Adaikalanathan, Siva Mohan, Dharmalingam Sitharthan, S. Yogeswaran, Shanthi Kantharaja, Sivasakthi Ananthan, G. Srinesen, Charles Nirmelanathan, S. Viyalanderen, and K. Kodeeswaran have signed the petition.
In the appeal, the signatories have pointed out that even though the Sri Lankan government voluntarily signed the resolution and committed to fully implement the resolutions as required by March 2017, no progress have been made on the declaration despite an initial commitment by the government,
“Extensions and grace periods have been given already, but no progress has been made on any front,” the appeal claimed.
India’s preoccupation with Sri Lanka under the new dispensation now relates to bonding with the island neighbour on two vital aspects – finalising the economic and technology cooperation agreement (ETCA) still in limbo and firming up closer defence and security cooperation. China had been laying siege on Indian space in Sri Lanka on both the issues.
by Col. R Hariharan-
( March 7, 2017, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lanka is once again under of stress as the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) commencing in Geneva in March 2017 when the Human Rights Commissioner will present his report on Sri Lanka’s follow up actions to meet the requirements of the UNHRC resolution of October 2015. Sri Lanka had agreed to fulfilwithin two years the requirements of accountability on alleged war crimes and human rights abuses, creating institutions for transitional justice and carryout security sector reforms. Sri Lanka is expected to seek extension of time as it has not been able to complete action on some of the key requirements, it. Though the TNA leader P Sampanthan had expressed his unhappiness with the government performance on the subject in parliament, are unlikely to oppose the government move.
Pro-LTTE sections of the Tamil Diaspora have been trying to raise international support to oppose giving any extension of time to Sri Lanka at the UNHRC. However, this demand is unlikely to find much traction among international civil society organizations. The Human Rights Watch (HRW), which had been highly critical of Sri Lanka’s human rights record during President Rajapaksa’s rule, has commended the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government for the actions it had taken including ending the culture of surveillance, lifting media restrictions and reviewing all cases of those detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and amending the constitution to ensure free functioning of national institutions.
However, HRW Asia Director Brad Adams in a statement has highlighted Sri Lanka’s failure in security sector reforms as required by the October 2015 resolution. He has drawn attention to a recent report of the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and inhuman treatment which had brought the focus on Sri Lanka’s ongoing “culture of torture” and failure to abolish the draconian PTA , though the country’s war with LTTE ended in 2009. He said police have continued to arrest and detain people arbitrarily. In his view, Sri Lanka leaders appeared “to be backtracking on key human rights issues including reforming the police” and it was crucial the HRC considered “closely” whether Sri Lanka made progress in commitments on transitional justice including security reforms. The UN body will also be considering the report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues on Sri Lanka.
As the HRW Asia director has pointed out, Sri Lanka had been dragging its feet on core issues of accountability like the creation of various institutions for transitional justice, particularly, the mechanism for war crimes which has been hanging fire over the issue of participation of foreign judges. The legislation on the creation of the Office of Missing Persons was passed in August 2016 but it is yet to fulfil its obligations to those affected. Nothing substantial has happened on a truth commission and reparations issues. President Maithripala Sirisena has been cautious in handling the touchy aspects of war crimes issue to fend off former president Rajapaksa who continues to whip up rightwing Sinhala sentiments to help his political comeback. As a result, in spite of its professed good intent, the government has made only slow progress. These issues are likely to figure at the UNHRC session during the discussion on the Human Rights Commissioner’s report.
Sri Lanka foreign affairs minister Mangala Samaraweera in his address to the UNHRC session is likely to explain the reconciliation efforts undertaken by the government so far and appeal for more time to fulfil its commitments made to the Council in 2015. Sri Lanka’s request is likely to be favourably considered as the UN Secretary General Antonion Gutteras and the U.S., China, Japan, Australia etc have appreciated Sri Lanka’s reconciliation efforts. Even the UK, unlike in the past when it had been critical of Sri Lanka’s reconciliation efforts, is likely to support Sri Lanka after highlighting the unfulfilled commitments.
India’s preoccupation with Sri Lanka under the new dispensation now relates to bonding with the island neighbour on two vital aspects – finalising the economic and technology cooperation agreement (ETCA) still in limbo and firming up closer defence and security cooperation. China had been laying siege on Indian space in Sri Lanka on both the issues. So India’s interest in Sri Lanka Tamils probably relates to rehabilitation efforts and devolution and equity for Tamils in the new constitution being finalized. With the constitutional polemics figuring prominently, it is not surprising the issue came up when Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar met with the TNA leaders. He is reported to have told them he would take up the issue with the President and Prime Minister. However, it was probably a moment of truth for a section of the TNA agitating for the merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces when he told them that India would not press Sri Lanka on the issue. He advised them to use the opportunities offered with the change of regime to secure the rights of Tamils. Given this backdrop, India is likely to support Sri Lanka’s request for extension of time as the major Tamil Nadu regional parties with their internal preoccupations have been muted on the subject.
Follow up on LTTE plot to kill Tamil MP
The arrest of five rehabilitated former LTTE cadres reported in January 2017 for allegedly plotting to assassinate MA Sumanthiran, moderate Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Parliament, and recovery of claymore mines and ganja from their homes had triggered a lot of speculations about possible revival of the Tamil tigers’ activity in the island nation. However, police have preferred to charge them only for possession of narcotics (ganja) and explosives and not under the PTA , when they were produced in the court.
There are three possible explanations for this: lack of clinching evidence except for uncorroborated or shaky confessional statement; the government not wanting to apply the PTA particularly as the UNHRC scheduled to meet in Geneva in March 2017; or as columnist DBS Jeyaraj states the government was not wanting to apply the PTA till it is revised to be less draconian (as required by the 2005 resolution.) Probably, all the three reasons are valid. However, till the LTTE overseas elements holed up among Tamil Diaspora community continue to stoke the embers of LTTE’s Eelam struggle in Sri Lanka, the government has no other option but to keep a wary eye on any suspicious separatist activity.
Col R Hariharan, a retired MI officer, served as the head of Intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force from 1987 to 90. He is associated with the Chennai Centre for China Studies. E-mail: haridirect@gmail.com Blog: http://col.hariharan.info
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has rejected a fresh appeal from the United Nations to allow international judges to investigate alleged war-era atrocities, vowing to not prosecute soldiers.
"I am not going to allow non-governmental organisations to dictate how to run my government. I will not listen to their calls to prosecute my troops," the president said in remarks distributed by his office Sunday.
The UN on Friday criticised Sri Lanka's "worryingly slow" progress in addressing its wartime past, urging the government to adopt laws allowing for special hybrid courts to try war criminals.
In his first remarks since the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva handed down a new scorecard on Sri Lanka, Sirisena rebuffed calls for international judges to probe abuses committed during the island's 37-year civil war.
Sri Lanka has resisted calls to establish a special court to investigate allegations that government forces killed up to 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final months of fighting, which ended in May 2009.
Sirisena, a member of the majority Sinhalese community, received the support of the Tamil minority after promising accountability for excesses carried out by the largely Sinhalese military.
- Inadequate response -
He had agreed to a UN Human Rights Council resolution in October 2015 which called for special tribunals and reparations for victims and gave Sri Lanka 18 months to establish credible investigations.
But the deadline lapsed without those commitments being met.
The UN said coalition politics in the unity government Sirisena formed after ousting former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse were likely to blame for the slow pace of progress.
Last week the main Tamil political party accused Sirisena of failing to deliver on his promises, and urged the UN to hold his administration to account.
Sirisena's response marks a sharp shift in his policy towards accountability and reconciliation, which had earned him the praise of international observers.
"A charge sheet is now brought against our forces with a demand to include foreign judges to try them," he said in a speech to troops in the northern peninsula of Jaffna, the Tamil heartland.
The defiant tone contrasted with his Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, who asked the Human Rights Council for more time, promising that his country remained committed to seeking justice.
At least 100,000 people were killed during the separatist war between government forces and rebels from the Tamil Tigers group, with atrocities recorded by both sides.
In its report, the UN said abuses including torture remain widespread in the ethnically divided island nation of 21 million, with "a prevailing culture of impunity" partly to blame.
The UN acknowledged that Colombo had made some positive advances on constitutional and legal reforms, limited land restitution and symbolic gestures towards reconciliation.
But it cautioned that the measures taken so far had been "inadequate, lacked coordination and a sense of urgency."
We fail to understand why, where there is ample evidence that politicians had committed offences for which other citizens are routinely prosecuted, remanded, denied bail and/or permission to leave the country, are treated by the law entirely differently, the Friday Forum has said.
Issuing a statement the Friday Forum said: “the President’s recent public statements on the appointment of a High Court Judge, has created further confusion in the public mind on the functioning of the legal system. Is it acceptable to disregard obligations under the Constitution in regard to appointments to the judiciary and then seek to make others accountable for interference in the process?”
Upholding the rule of law, and taking action against those who have violated the law was a principal undertaking given to the citizens when the President and many in the present government sought our votes and were elected to public office. Let them not betray the trust placed in their commitment to good governance and yahapalanaya. The President and Prime Minister in particular, have an important responsibility for leadership in this regard. Problems in governance do not justify inaction, fault finding and retracting promises made to the people to give leadership in good governance.” the statement signed by Dr. G. Usvatte-aratchi and Dr. A.C. Visvalingam on behalf of the Friday Forum said.
We publish below the statement in full:
On The Rule Of Law, Again
In November 2016, Friday Forum issued a statement (Ruler’s Laws and the Rule of Law) deploring the growing denial of the rule of law in the decade ending in 2014. Friday Forum requested the government to speedily work on many fronts to restore the supremacy of the law in relations between government and persons, and among persons themselves, including legal entities. Developments since then impel Friday Forum now to deplore the failures of the present government to uphold the rule of law by bringing before courts persons alleged to have broken the law. Initial steps taken by government in this direction with regard to some allegations held out hope that the processes for seeking justice would gather some momentum. These inquiries include those relating to the murder of the young rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, the murder and the disappearance of several journalists and some politicians, criminal abuse of power to amass enormous wealth with no credible source of income or legal transfer of property to account for them, and corrupt and irresponsible conduct of persons holding public office.
We fail to understand why, where there is ample evidence that politicians had committed offences for which other citizens are routinely prosecuted, remanded, denied bail and/or permission to leave the country, are treated by the law entirely differently. The President’s recent public statements on the appointment of a High Court Judge, has created further confusion in the public mind on the functioning of the legal system. Is it acceptable to disregard obligations under the Constitution in regard to appointments to the judiciary and then seek to make others accountable for interference in the process?
This country prides itself in the possession of a system and institutions that can bring perpetrators of grave crimes to justice. We as citizens rightfully expect that investigations would be conducted and judicial proceedings completed without inordinate delay. Close to 24 months is not too short a period in which to have taken measures to drive some vigour and dynamism into these procedures and re-establish the supremacy of the law in our society. Government has an obligation to explain why the justice system is so ineffective.
Friday Forum also observes with deep concern the serious deterioration in standards of conduct of holders of public office. Despite the recent Report of the Committee on Public Enterprises providing detailed information on the bonds scam and the even more recent incident of the Head of Police, in a telephone call overheard by many over a microphone, reportedly assuring his Minister that a relative of his would not be arrested, those accused of these violations have yet to be held accountable. State accounting procedure requires that all government revenue from whatever source be credited to the Consolidated Fund. We note that blatant violation of this procedure when the sale proceeds of billions of rupees from the disposal of the state owned land occupied by the military in Colombo Fort to foreign companies was credited to an account controlled by selected members of the armed services and Defense Ministry. To date there have been no prosecutions of those responsible. No action has been taken by government in respect of these violations.
Top member of Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms (CTFRM) Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu has said that a new Office of the Missing Persons (OMP) Bill will be presented to Parliament soon.
The revelation was made in live TV I ‘Face the Nation’ debate on post-war reconciliation efforts against the backdrop of the on-going 34th Geneva sessions. In response to a query, the founder Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) said that the civil society had been told of the government decision to bring in new Bill to replace the one passed in August last year.
The panel included Dr Saravanamuttu and executive director of the National Peace Council Dr Jehan Perera, who accompanied the government delegation to the Geneva session.
Dr Saravanamuttu faulted the government for having presented the OMP Bill in Parliament several weeks before the 11 member CTFRM had finalised its report. The CTFRM presented its findings to former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in early January this year. Alleging that the government had been in an inordinate hurry to ensure the passage of the OMP Bill ahead of 2016 September sessions in Geneva, the activist pointed out the inordinate delay in launching the project.
Dr Saravanamuttu functioned as the Secretary to the CTFRM headed by Manouri Muttetuwegama. According to him, the new Bill would take into consideration amendments proposed after the chaotic passage of the original Bill.
The OMP Bill is meant to set up a permanent office to locate missing persons. The CPA chief reiterated that the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government shouldn’t have presented the original Bill in August last year.
Commenting on the CTFRM proposal to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), Dr Saravanamuttu said that the proposed new Counter Terrorism Law was even worse than the PTA. He claimed that the draft had been sent back to make necessary amendments and was expected back soon.
Dr Saravanamuttu urged the government leaders to speak with one voice on the contentious issue of accountability. Responding to a statement made by a panelist, he stressed that foreign participation in accountability process had been agreed on in Geneva in Oct 2015. The CTFRM recommendations, handed over in January this year, included participation of foreign judges, he said.
(Lanka-e-News -07.March.2017, 10.45PM) Ex minister Wimal Werawansa the notorious fraudster of the corrupt Rajapakse regime, who occasioned a colossal loss of Rs. 90 million to the State by misusing as many as 40 vehicles of the State was remanded again until the 20 th by Fort magistrate cum additional district judge Ms. Lanka Jayaratne who disregarded his one hour ten minutes long special statement in court requesting bail. Interestingly , this is the grade nine qualified Weerawansa who sought to get bail in court without even a lawyer representing him after obtaining permission from court. Weerawansa who is best noted for most stupid speeches in parliament perhaps assumed he could even fool the judge like how he fools the voters with his spittoon of a mouth.
Weerawansa who is already in remand custody over his gigantic fraud of illegally distributing state vehicles among his kith and kin , cronies and henchmen was re remanded nevertheless.
Believe it or not , Weerawansa has given official vehicles even to his younger sister who was cooking meals in the kitchen.Weerawansa who is possessed of an overriding trait of indulging in claptraps and long vacuous speeches tried to say in court he was not guilty , and that there were others who are involved with him, during which attempted defense he wasted more than an hour of the precious time of the court.
He went on to explain that 11 of the 40 vehicles were given to Aashru Marasinghe who was the chairman of the State engineering Corporation at that time and six more vehicles were given to Lasantha Alagiyawanna. He argued most idiotically, and questioned ,how is that they had been left out , and only he had been made a suspect? The thrust of his defense was along these utterly insensible lines.
If Weerawansa’s contention is to be accepted , then others too who received vehicles from Wimal Weerawansa , that is Ridhma Vimukthi Weerawansa the youngest son of his elder sister Sumanawathi Weerawansa and her eldest son Lalith Pushpakumara ; Bombuwala Ananda Asoka Kumara the husband of Thanuja Nishanthige the elder sister of Weerawansa’s wife ; Nilani Weerawansa the younger sister of Werawansa , and her husband Palleguru Gamage Ananda Priyadharshana also ought to be in remand custody. This is because culprit Weerawansa has granted official vehicles without any hindrance to all of them . It is a pity brainless Weerawansa who is as crooked as is brainless should remain in a roofless house for much longer time to realize that he is solely responsible as the minister at that time ,and not those under him for issuing orders to distribute state vehicles as though those belonged to his dowry property .
Another foolish argument advanced by this grade nine dis(qualified) moron was , he only followed what his predecessor minister Rajitha Seneratne did. This clearly demonstrates during the corrupt criminal Rajapakse regime , it is buffaloes like Werawansa who could not understand that it is the laws of the country and not what others did should be followed who held ministerial portfolios, and paraded as great ‘patriots’ .
The judge who was listening to the time wasting stupid statement of Weerawansa finally said , his request would be considered on the 20 th.
Moronic ex minister Weerawansa related another intriguing story in court : The cell where he is detained and other cells are kept locked from 5.30 in the evening until 6.00 or 6.30 the following morning , and he is provided with two devices from the prison to be used for his urination and defecation during the night , otherwise he has to wait until dawn to attend to those urges. Owing to this situation , he does not take his dinner , and drinks only little water , he pointed out to court.
Unfortunately , the judge failed to remind the culprit that he is incarcerated because he has committed a crime and warn , a prison is not a holiday home for culprits to be provided with comforts .
The magistrate in reply said , she has no powers to give orders in that connection . She therefore instructed the suspect to make the complaint in writing or verbally to the Commissioner General of prison.
Rt. Rev. Daniel Thiagarajah, the Chair of the Boards of Directors of Jaffna College and Uduvil Girls’ College and the Bishop of the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India has sent a letter to the Trustees of Jaffna College Funds in Boston, USA as his response to the letter sent by the latter on the 5th of January 2017, Colombo Telegraph learns.
Even though the letter sent by the Bishop is not available, Colombo Telegraph is in possession of the response sent by the Rev. Richard Huleatt, the Chairperson of the Trustees on the 26th of February 2017 to the Bishop’s letter. It can be understood from this brief response that the Bishop on the 12thof February had responded to the letter sent by the Trustees of Jaffna College Funds in Boston, USA on the 5th of January 2017. Like the first letter sent to the Bishop, the Trustees have copied their response dated 26 February to 19 others including the Chief Minister and Minister of Education of the Northern Province and selected alumni of the two schools all over the world.
The Trustees in their response to the Bishop’s letter state that though they appreciate the Bishop’s perspective on the events that the Bishop describes in his letter, they cannot consider it as a response to the specific matters requested in the letter sent by the Trustees in January. The Trustees’ letter also states they continue to look forward to receiving an appropriate response from the Bishop before the March 15, 2017 deadline.
The Trustees in January decided to cut 5% of the funds allocated to Jaffna College and Uduvil Girls’ College for the first quarter of the year 2017 citing various irregularities and malpractices in the general and financial administration of the two schools in the recent past. Failure on the part of the two schools to submit the audited financial statements for 2015, violence unleashed on the students who were protesting against the appointment of the new Principal at Uduvil Girls’ College last year, the administrators’ failure to hold those who were involved in the violence accountable, threats of physical harm and punitive measures, recruitment of under-qualified teachers to both schools in the recent past, abuse and misuse of power and the funds sent by the Trustees , intimidation and manipulation of the teachers and the board members placing their personal interests above the welfare of the students and the school are among the reasons cited in the letter for the reduction of funds to these two educational institutions in Northern Sri Lanka.
The Trustees in their letter copied to 19 individuals including the Chief Minister of the Northern Province Justice C. V. Wigneswaran, the Education Minister of the Province Mr. T. Gurukularajah, the Principals of the schools and members of the alumni all over the world had insisted that 9 major reforms ensuring transparency and fairness in the areas of administration, financial reporting, and recruitment of teachers and officers be implemented before the 30th of June 2017. These reforms include independent audits of the funds utilized by the schools and internal controls, prudent and open nominations for persons to serve as directors, appointment of qualified officers and teachers, disclosure of related party transactions, avoidance of cronyism and nepotism, and regular meetings of Boards and Committees, followed by public reports of deliberations and decisions. The letter notes that the changes that they require are “consistent with governance and reporting standards that are accepted and implemented by well-run organizations worldwide, including educational institutes”. The Rev. Huleatt also observes that for the Trustees “to act responsibly as fiduciary, [their] beneficiaries should provide [them] with transparent financial reporting, demonstrate responsible governance practices, communicate cooperatively with [them]”.
It should be noted that the Board of Directors of Jaffna College did not meet between the 5th of January 2017 and the 12th of February 2017. The alumni of Jaffna College express their anger that the Bishop responded to the letter sent by the Trustees without calling for a meeting of the Board of Directors. They note that this has prevented the Alumni Representative to the Board from presenting the alumni’s views on the Trustees’ letter to the Board. Many consider the Bishop’s decision to send a response to a letter that should have been discussed formally at a meeting of the Board of Directors an undemocratic act revealing the authoritarianism ubiquitous in the administration of the two schools.
The Bishop told Sunday Times in January that he would release his lawyers’ response to the Trustees’ letter to the public after it was drafted. But no such response has been released to the public or the media so far though a response has been mailed to the Trustees. Sunday Times reported that among the Bishop’s council was Attorney-at-law and Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran. While Mrs. Savithri Sumanthiran, wife of Mr. M.A. Sumanthiran, is on the Board of Directors of Uduvil Girls’ College, Ms. Vijula Arulanantham, a close legal associate of Mr Sumanthiran, serves on the Boards of both Jaffna College and Uduvil Girls’ College, in the former as its Vice Chairperson.
In the meantime, the Executive Committees of the alumni of associations of Jaffna College in Vaddukoddai, Colombo, Toronto, London, Melbourne and Sydney have unanimously welcomed and endorsed the letter sent by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees to the Chairperson of the Board of Directors on the 5th of January 2017 demanding far-reaching reforms in the administration of their alma mater.
In addition to the reforms prescribed in the letter sent by the Trustees on the 5th of January, the alumni association of Sydney has requested the Trustees of Jaffna College Funds to demand the Board of Directors to adopt a conflict of interest policy for the officers, faculty and employees of Jaffna College that bars the latter from using the school as a venue for their private businesses such as catering, photography and construction work. Our sources tell us that some who are employed at Jaffna College as teachers and administrators are engaged in these businesses inside the school causing serious conflicts of interests.
Police personnel deployed at Government hospital at Rameswaram, where the deceased fisherman's body kept. | Photo Credit: L Balachandar
MARCH 07, 2017
India on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the alleged killing of a Tamil Nadu fisherman by the Sri Lankan navy. The Ministry of External Affairs said the High Commissioner of India has taken up the issue and reached out to the highest leadership in Colombo.
“The Government of India is deeply concerned at the killing of an Indian fisherman. Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka has taken up the matter with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan navy has promised a full and thorough investigation,” sources in the Ministry of External Affairs the media even as reports came of public outrage in Tamil Nadu’s coastal region.
Twenty-one-year old K. Bristo from Thangachimadam died and several were injured after the Sri Lankan navy allegedly fired at them near Rameswaram on Monday late evening. Locals said their boat was in the high seas at the time of the incident.
This is the first incident of alleged killing of an Indian fisherman after the December 2 agreement when both sides decided to release the fishing boats in each other’s custody. The meeting, which was held under the Joint Working Group framework, also pledged to avoid use of violence against fishermen.
The Sri Lankan authorities have denied that they shot at the Indian fisherman but maintained that they are authorised to counter poaching activities. Sri Lanka navy captain Samindha Valaguluge was quoted by a news channel as saying, “Our boats are not authorised to open fire. But we have been instructed to arrest fishermen and seize their boats if they are crossing the border.”
The Police are still looking for two key suspects in the shooting incident involving SAITM CEO Dr. Sameera Senaratne.
Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake told Parliament the police are looking for a former Pradeshiya Sabha member and a driver over the incident.
Investigations had revealed that the recent shooting incident targeting the vehicle of SAITM CEO Dr. Sameera Senaratne, was staged.
Gunmen on a motorbike opened fire on the vehicle of SAITM CEO Dr. Sameera Senaratne in Malabe on February 6.
Senaratne escaped unhurt but the car was damaged in the shooting incident. Sameera Senaratne was temporarily relieved of his duties at SAITM after it was revealed the shooting incident was staged. (Colombo Gazette)
(Lanka-e-News -07.March.2017, 7.00PM) It is an unequivocal fact that UNP was able to secure an overwhelming victory at the last general elections and form a new government after 7 years. By now many may have forgotten that it is Anurudha Padeniya the present bigoted dictatorial president of the GMOA , along with an ex president of the country conjointly with the JVP who toppled the government in 2004 when that government was having a clear majority in parliament. Now after 13 years , the same moves and maneuvers are slyly being given effect to is very clear if one looks backs on the past history .
That time too what Padeniya did was crippling the entire medical service (to the detriment of the suffering patients and the country as a whole) by staging uninterrupted strikes . Consequently , even the emergency patients had to be taken out and hospitals had to be closed. Their main motive was to render the UNP government unpopular among the people . The dastardly and demonic moves of Padeniya finally bore fruit with the UNP being driven into defeat at the 2004 general elections.
When Padeniya was engaged in that cruel and crafty conspiracy deserting his onerous life saving duties as a medical practitioner , the higher officials of the government remained deaf and blind precipitating the defeat of the UNP government .The UNP government that faced tribulations thereafter along with the masses was elected to power again on 2015-01-08 .
Padeniya who did not stage any struggles during the period from 2004 until 2015, functioned as unofficial health minister . All appointments and transfers of the health ministry were effected from Temple Trees conspiratorially by Padeniya along with Mahinda Rajapakse the ex president. Surely the incumbent president who was the health minster then cannot say , he did not know Padeniya acted most high handedly and offensively without caring even for the health minister .
SAITM medical College was launched during that period . When Padeniya was questioned in that regard by the GMOA during its central committee meeting , the same Padeniya categorically said , ‘that is not our issue , and is something concerning the government.’
Padeniya who took that stance then , is today under the pretext of a ‘struggle’ is agitating to close down SAITM . He is in fact striving and conspiring to topple the UNP government which we elected to power after toiling hard . He is engaging in these moves to repeat what took place 13 years ago via subtle machinations . All preparations are being made. Token strikes are being staged from district to district and are getting themselves armed. Now he thinks he is a ‘ national hero’. He fearlessly calls the health minister a lunatic. The incumbent president who came to power on our sweat and toils has already become a ‘toy’ and ‘tool’ in the hands of Padeniya.
It is crystal clear now Padeniya who united all the groups including the UPFA which in fact commenced the SAITM is leaving no stone unturned to play the same old ‘ anti national game’ and achieve the same result. He is ostensibly protesting against the SAITM College , but his target is truly to organize strikes in hospitals to put lives of suffering patients in dire jeopardy , and tarnish the image of the UNP so that the UNP government will become unpopular among the masses.
On the contrary ,if his motives are genuine why should Padeniya organize destructive strikes from district to district despite filing an appeal against the appeal court verdict , and while that decision is pending in the supreme court ? It is therefore his hidden treacherous aim to go for an Island wide strike , make the people get disillusioned with the government , and thereby create a public mental despair which would induce the people to make the incumbent president , the prime minister and the UNP ministers to resign their posts . This scenario is hoped by him in the not too distant date.
Honorable Prime Minister , please identify the true enemies. If the enemies are not identified and controlled , there could be a repetition of what took place in the past. In which case we shall once again be in the opposition . For another decade or two we will have to suffer facing assaults and attacks. Of course it is still not too late . We therefore humbly implore you to take measures to curb and control corrupt and unscrupulous Anurudha Padeniya by exposing his cruel and corrupt motives and manipulations , in order that our government will be safeguarded .
Yours
True UNP doctors who wish to remain anonymous vis avis the terror of Padeniya
--------------------------- by (2017-03-07 13:36:10)
It was mainly sitting relaxingly, and inhaling and exhaling for ten minutes, closing your eyes. There was a cassette available at a reasonable price to take home. The important thing was to be conscious about the process, and the instructor during the training, and also in the cassette, was asking us to concentrate on the nostrils, and how the air goes into the lungs and coming out when you exhale. During this exercise, your mind really becomes focussed.
by Laksiri Fernando-
( March 7, 2017, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) I was pleased to read another great piece by Dr Upul Wijayawardhana on the subject of meditation, titled “Scientific basis of mindfulness meditation” on last Saturday (The Island, 4 March 2017). I am using neutral language as much as possible by purpose without glowing him in praise. It is also my personal experience that ‘meditation to the mind is like physical exercises to the body.’ I am particularly referring to the mindfulness meditation or Vipassana, as he has explained.
I became attracted to Buddhism at the age of ten when my Mahappa (father’s elder brother) became a Buddhist in 1955. I was inquisitive what he was doing in his room, sitting on a mat in a strange posture; and sitting there for long hours, keeping his eyes closed. It was in 1958 and thereafter, I came across many of E. W. Adikaram’s articles in the Silumina newspaper, one of which was “Jathivadiya Manasika Pisseki” (Communalist is a Lunatic). He also published a series of short booklets thereafter called “Sithuvili” (Thoughts) where he explained some simple methods of meditation. I also had the opportunity to listen to him at Moratuwa town hall as a youngster and on radio. He came for a series of lectures. Everything became forgotten later, engrossed in studies, ‘student politics’ and in a busy professional life thereafter. However, when I look back, even ‘student politics’ (!) could have been enriched, if there was a touch of ‘mindfulness.’
Current Trends
In Australian schools today, mindfulness training is extensively used and there will be a “Mindfulness Teacher Training Certificate Course” in Sydney in a week’s time on 15-16 March. As Dr Wijayawardhana says “Though the purists may argue that these variants negate the original aims but I am sure Gautama Buddha would not have minded his technique being used, even with modifications, for the good of many.” The important point to ask here is whether and how far the Sri Lankan schools use these methods of ‘Mindfulness’ in a scientific manner for the benefit of the students and the society. Three objectives that Australian schools attempting to achieve are: (1) Relieve anxiety and stress of students (2) Let go of anger and frustration and (3) Overcome worrying and negative thinking.
Wijayawardhana has given a useful exposition to the benefit of many medical personnel at the 39th Annual Academic Session of the Kandy Society of Medicine (15 February) about the various ways the medical science/s today using the methods of meditation, beginning with the initiatives by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 in USA. When I encountered the first symptoms of acute angina in early 1997, after what they called an angioplasty, I was put on a heart rehabilitation program at the Concord Hospital in Sydney. After several weeks of physical exercises, I was surprised when the instructor introduced what he called the ‘Breathing Meditation.’ It was similar to Anapanasati and when he was talking, he looked at me and said, ‘Fernando, you must be familiar with this,’ to which I just nodded.
It was mainly sitting relaxingly, and inhaling and exhaling for ten minutes, closing your eyes. There was a cassette available at a reasonable price to take home. The important thing was to be conscious about the process, and the instructor during the training, and also in the cassette, was asking us to concentrate on the nostrils, and how the air goes into the lungs and coming out when you exhale. During this exercise, your mind really becomes focussed. After the process, you feel much calmer and relaxed. This was mainly for stress control, as he said. Only after sometime that I realized, the name of the hospital, Concord, was well suited for this meditation lesson. During that time, we were also living in Concord.
For Peace and Harmony
On a more social or ‘spiritual’ application, Dr Wijayawardhana has highlighted the recent contributions made by U Ba Khin (the Burmese) and more particularly, Satya Narayan Goenka, to popularize meditation and mindfulness in society. He also mentions its relevance to peace and harmony in the world, referring to Goenka’s speech at the UN Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders for World Peace in August 2000. This is immensely relevant for Sri Lanka today.
Goenka started his speech by saying that “Religion is religion only when it unites. Religion is no more religion when it divides.” He ended his speech by quoting Emperor Dharma Asoka’s Edict XII, which begins with declaring “One should not honour only one’s own religion and condemn the religions of others, but one should honour other’s religions for this or that reason.” He did quote the whole Edict, which further explains ‘this or that reason’ why other religions should be respected.
What is more important is what he said as the main thrust of his speech relating to Vipassana Meditation. He related ‘the peace in the world to the peace in the mind.’ This is also in the motto of UNESCO taking from the Buddha directly which says “We must construct the defences of peace in the minds of women and men.” He further said, “If there is no peace in the minds of the individual, I cannot understand how can there be real peace in the world.”
Within a short span of time, given to him at the summit, Goenka tried to illustrate the problem by explaining the common or normal nature of the human mind which is agitated with often-times with ‘anger, envy, hatred and animosity.’ This is how he tried to emphasise the importance of meditation and mindfulness which are necessary for peace within and in the world. He categorically said, “If I have anger, I am the first victim of my anger” which is absolutely true.
Therefore, we should thank Upul Wijayawardhana for bringing Goenka’s speech and other matters to our attention. He says, “When I retired I directed my attention to an organ more obscure than the heart; the brain. I was fascinated by the mind and consciousness and started learning Abhidhamma…” In my case, my knowledge of Abhidhamma is almost nil. But when he says he considers the ‘Buddha to be a scientist and a philosopher’ it resonates with my understanding as well. One of my recent journal articles was “Origins of research methodology, Buddhism and the Four Noble Truths” (Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences 39 (2), December 2016). http://sljss.sljol.info/articles/abstract/10.4038/sljss.v39i2.7446/
He has also said “A great disservice had been done by making him [the Buddha] a religious leader thus limiting his discoveries only to his followers but, fortunately, it is changing though slowly….” I am not going to deduct simplistic conclusions from that statement for the current debates on ‘foremost place for Buddhism’ in the present or a new constitution. But it might give some food for thought for the Buddhists to think about, while I have no objection for that ‘foremost place’ or hesitation to appreciate Buddhism as a great religion. It is my observation that Buddhism has given many (or most) people some civility, discipline and a particular serene culture. Listening to Bana (sermons), observation of Sil (precepts) and worship of Bodhi (Bo tree) are good ethnical practices which would be meaningless to those who consider Buddhism only as a philosophy and/or science.
Personal Benefits for Anyone
Be as it may, more pertinent is Wijayawardhana’s emphasis on ‘mindfulness’ and ‘meditation,’ now for some time in Sri Lankan newspapers. It appears to me that the mind is a jumble of thought processes for whatever the reason/s. I am not sure whether there is a physiological/medical explanation for its erratic nature. When you try to focus on it, it is almost uncontrollable at least at the beginning. That can be one reason why many people (including myself!) are usually grievance ridden, aggressive, agitated and intolerant. That cannot however be the only reason. There are some other objective or external reasons why your agitations are generated. For example, if a person is deprived of possessions or unnecessarily harassed by someone, then the agitation is almost natural.
Thoughts in the mind come and go quickly, unless you are engaged thoroughly in a particular task (i.e. talking, writing, driving) and they usually come and go as images or in words. Your thinking is audio-visual! What comes to mind, when you first observe, usually are grievances or offenses. That your spouse, brother, neighbour or colleague has done such and such a thing to you. Most hearting (particularly among the middle classes) is what happens to your dignity or pride. Most intriguing is the grievances and antagonisms coming in enlarged forms. Some of them can be pure misunderstandings.
Of course, there are thoughts that come to your mind because of sensual or sexual impulses. However, they are (presumably) less, if you try to meditate. If you can observe your thought processes through simple meditation and analyse them for rational reasoning, that renders much peace to your mind than anything else. You also might be able to identify some root causes for your disturbances. Continuous doing so definitely calms you down and your productivity in whatever you do would be increased. Your thoughts become more cohesive and logical and also objective without (much) prejudice. You feel more harmony in life and less conflicts and animosities. You may achieve some ‘detachment.’
Conclusion
Therefore, what Upul Wijayawardhana has been saying in his numerous articles in Sri Lankan newspapers should be taken seriously. Three major conclusions that can be drawn could be (1) the introduction of mindfulness training in school curricula with an interfaith or secular emphasis, (2) the setting up of mindfulness/meditation training centres in universities for the benefit of students and academics, and (3) the incorporation of a purposeful ‘Peace of Mind Program’ (i.e. UNESCO motto) in the national reconciliation and peace building work. It should be emphasised that meditation and mindfulness are common to all religious traditions, and more particularly to Hinduism and Buddhism.
Further, could it be useful if a ‘Mindfulness’ training program is launched for the Parliamentarians and politicians?
