‘Sorry Sirisena !’… Shiral and Dharmasiri of presidential media unit -a subsidiary of Capital Maharaja on a mudslinging campaign against UNP leaders

(Lanka-e-News -20.March.2017, 5.50AM) A group led by NGO crook Shiral Lakthileke and Dharma Siri Ekanayake who are serving under president Maithripala Sirisena are in the process of making preparations to indulge in character assassinations via a mud slinging campaign targeting many powerful and popular leaders of the UNP including Ranil Wickremesinghe , based on reports reaching us. In fact it is the presidential media unit which has by now become a ‘subsidiary’ of Capital Maharaja Co.  which  is engineering this move.

Several popular UNP leaders within the government including  ministers and state ministers  who work with commitment making valuable contributions at the crucial hour and when vital decisions are being  taken are targeted  in this conspiracy. Among those ministers  targeted are : Lakshman Kiriella , Ravi Karunanayake, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Daya Gamage and  Harin Fernando , as well as deputy minister Ranjan Ramanayake , according to clear and cogent evidence available with us.

The aim of this mudslinging campaign is to make a large number of UNP heavyweights unpopular among the people. To accomplish this dastardly and deceptive goal , electronic media , websites, social media  and newspapers are being  enlisted mainly.  The primary objective of these villains is to tarnish the character of the victims , and undermine the confidence people are having in them , by publishing inaccurate details about them . The media aforementioned are being  most craftily and cunningly used towards this obnoxious and hate mongering goal. 

Wheeler dealer Kili who met Maithri  on 10th Jan 2015 (early morning )

It is  the TV channel of Maharaja that is to be  utilized as the official channel for this mudslinging  shamelessly despite Raja Mahendran foundering on the rocks when  trying to pursue and propagate his filthy and foul political agenda  via his TV channel. Yet he is unashamed .

It is an unequivocal fact  Sri Lankans have never heeded or acted on Maharaja’s television telecasts. If the people have truly followed Maharaja’s channel , by now it is Milinda Moragoda or Sajith Premadasa who ought be the president of the country, and prime minister should have been  Buddhika Pathirane , while Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mangala Samaraweera must have been in the thick of the Amazon forest. 

Yet  Kili Maharaja had still not learnt a lesson in spite of his putrid antecedence. Kili Maharaja and  his mahajara stooges have descended to the lowliest of levels to sacrifice the personal lives of people and even friendship   at the altar of treacherous and cheap  political aims and ambitions.

Though dispensation of justice belongs to courts , Kili Maharaja has now begun even hearing cases and delivering judgments via his TV channels. While these are the mahajara activities this mentally deranged  Maharaja is engaged in while prodding and propelling his lackeys and political pimps into parliament only to make the August assembly a subsidiary of  his business racket organization , president Maithripala on the other hand becoming his lap top mouse in spite of Maharaja’s mahajara stench from top to bottom  is most reprehensible , repugnant and repulsive from the standpoint of the masses . It is the consensus among all that Maithri is trying to lop a branch of a tree while sitting on it !

Maithripala Sirisena took oaths as president on 9 th January 2015. The main guest whom he met in the early  morning of the following day (10) was Kili Maharaja . It was then Dharma Siri was made media director . We shall  reveal details of this at a later date. No matter what , sadly  it has become the primary task of the president now to look after the necessities  and foul desires  of infamous mahajara  Maharaja. 

One such necessity  was related via our story which revolved around the US $ 300 million dollar warship deal. The president is in the ready to grant this deal to Maharaja even flouting tender procedures . It is learnt that  president will be travelling to Russia on account of this deal. In other words Maharaja is currently president Maithripala’s  ‘deal kili’  (pampered parrot sans wings  of Maithri)

Presidential media division - a subsidiary  of ‘Capital Maharaja’ 

One cursory glance at the presidential media division  which is submerged under Kili clearly reveals the plight and predicament president Maithripala has been plunged into , with his media ‘men’ serving the wheeler dealer Kili and not the nation.  The ‘efficiency’ and ‘capabilities’ of President’s mediocre media division were  well portrayed by the lackluster media coverage given to the Moragahakanda project ceremony  which was only next to the phenomenal Mahaweli project. This was  because the sole and whole  gaze of that division is fixed on other sordid self serving goals .

The best evidence that bears out the accusation that the presidential media division is functioning as a subsidiary  of Capital Maharaja is :  Dharma Siri Ekanayake , the presidential media director even at the moment of writing this report is receiving salaries from the presidential media unit as well as from Capital Maharaja conglomerate while also enjoying other perks and privileges. If an individual is drawing salaries holding posts as  Director from two Institutions concurrently , those are  affiliated bodies , aren’t  they ?
 
In  other words , Capital Maharaja the private enterprise and presidential media division  the State enterprise are functioning as  affiliated entities. If what we are revealing are untrue , we challenge Dharmasiri Ekanayake to file action in any court. We are ready to prove that he is also under the pay of capital  Maharaja .

The  illicit mudslinging campaign of maharaja is being carried out with the full assistance of and through presidential media Director Dharmasiri . While defense secretary Karunasena Hettiarachi was sending a letter of demand to Professor Sarath Wijesuriya of movement for just society claiming compensation based on  defamation charges, the president who pretended  he knew  nothing about it , is apparently  behaving in like manner even now as regards  the political  mudslinging campaign conducted by his media division . At this rate , at a not too distant date the president too will have to face the same music . Hypocritical cutthroat friends turning into  foes is much easier than  eating hoppers.  In plain language , turncoats- cutthroats Shiral and Dharmasiri the confirmed  lackeys and lickspittles of Maharaja  who have been given a blank cheque by president to do what they want in the media division , are  one day surely going to slit the throat of Maithripala Sirisena with the same sword they are wielding given by  Maharaja to carry out his instructions.

In case the president hasn’t the capacity to understand this , let us refresh his memory on  one incident to open his eyes and mind: It will be best if President Maithripala recalls  what his media division did on his behalf  when corruption charges were leveled against the president in Australia. When the occasion demands  , at a future date we shall expose  the relevant details .

‘Serpent’

The notorious NGO crook Shiral Lakthileke is a rare mental patient who cannot be searched and found even in the lunatic asylum  . A specimen even laboratories would refuse to have for dissection. An English newspaper journalist   who was  closely associated with Shiral had this to say :

''When a person meets Shiral for the first time and talks with him he gives the impression he is a pundit on politics and  social science. But on the second occasion when one speaks with him  , the realization dawns he is  just a vacuous goofy goon who repeats the same highfalutin sentences to everyone he meets to  impress that there is no one in the world who can match him . The only difference I see between him and a medicinal oil seller on the Pettah pavement is , Shiral wears  a tie and sports a beard. Some even say he first wears a tie when he has to  go even  to  the latrine.''  Those who really know Shiral acknowledge   this story not only with their hands even their feet raised up. 

If one truly wishes to know more about  the true eccentric and megalomaniac nature of Shiral ,  a well known news website editor shall be contacted. He would explain  how this goofy goon Shiral was made a fool  to perform ‘Dips’ exercises on the main road before all at Nugegoda junction .

It is worth probing how Shiral the goofy goon who was chased out from the UNP and floated   into the main election office of president Maithripala like  a Haley’s comet during the last presidential elections secured such a post. This is a scoundrel who campaigned against the  very  leader of the party which  steered  him into power . He is not only a goof  but also a  tie coat wearing goon and a leader  of hooligans who  attacked his  party leader and Sri Kotha with stones and missiles. 

On another occasion , Shiral the  gang leader shot himself on the main  Road at Matara in protest against his own  UNP leader who groomed and guided him . This proves  how demented he is. 

Maithripala who became the president undoubtedly on the support and assistance of the UNP leader surprisingly appointed this psychotic Shiral as his co ordinating secretary as though to give a slap on the face of Ranil Wickremesinghe . If Ranil has only done what Maithri did at that time , how would have Maithri felt ?

Shiral the goofy goon shall  be enlightened on a  fact. During that period , the contest for presidency was not between Ranil and Maithri , rather between Maithri and Mahinda. Hence, it would do immense good to him if he remembers that. The SLFP votes were cast to Mahinda and  not Maithri. Hence ,it is well for  Shiral who somehow inveigled his way into Maithri’s camp to secure the co ordinating secretary post realizes Maithri was put on the pedestal of president because of the UNP votes. Therefore ,  it is hoped Shiral takes  heed of the warning that after securing this position solely and wholly because of   the UNP,  if he is to  use that same position to hit out at the UNP, his  ingratitude and monstrosity    will never ever be forgotten by the UNP ers even after lightning has struck such  ungrateful  two legged sinister brutes .
 
President Maithri taking  advice from such goofs like Shiral who is suffering from a mental disequilibrium , and full of  guiles and guises is sure being led down the garden path . By the time Maithri realizes his mistake , it might  be too late. A word of caution is all what can be offered to the president for permitting ‘serpents’ like Shiral who was a walking catastrophe wherever he worked , to creep into Maithri’s  most protected  crevices of his body .   Being a ‘serpent’  he would not leave until he has stung and destroyed the one he has crept upon insidiously  ,like how he has been wreaking  havoc wherever else he served.  

Mudslinging maniacs 

The other rascal who is hanging on the footboard with this mudslinging Kili, Shiral , Dharmasiri group is none other than Ruwan Ferdinands. The latter became notorious for his villainous betrayals while he was  with minister Mangala Samaraweera, after collecting millions of rupees from Rajapakses . He is therefore of the same ilk of the other members of the mudslinging group. He was chased away by Mangala when his true colors became known. Now Ruwan who is with a bigwig of the SLFP is existing on illicit and degrading  contracts entrusted to him .  His inordinate love for filthy lucre however earned has made Ruwan very close to others with the same rapacious lust .

Ruwan whose gaze is fixed only on filthy lucre hasn’t any capacity  to engage in  genuine politics or in the journalist profession  though he makes pretences in those spheres . As long as filthy lucre flows into his ever opened pockets, he doesn’t care  two hoots for anything else that is  worthwhile or ethical in this world.  

Ruwan’s newspaper which has a sale of about 4000 to 5000 copies on Sundays is extending support to this mudslinging campaign.  The newspaper of his which reveals all the lies on Sunday , and are declared   as wrong  by the  websites of his paper on  Monday ,after lying idle  without sales with the newsagents finally find the way into the refuse bins  Sunday evening. This newspaper which has become a joke is soon going to grind to a halt like a  discarded old crock.

Sorry Sirisena  …..

It is a pity  president Maithripala is unaware that these mudslinging  villains who are soiling the image  of the entire good governance government  are sure going to sling mud at him , and even stab him on the back one day. If the president is unable to keep these ravenous rapacious rascally  hunting dogs which are running amok tied,  the day will come when we may have to leave him because we are not having the blood of Brutus coursing through our veins . Besides  we are answerable to the nation that elected us to power on 2015-01-08 . Moreover , we are not only having our party but even the whole country faithfully aligned behind us.  On that day when we take  leave of you , we shall say  ‘Sorry Sirisena’ because we can only feel sorry for somebody who cannot be curbed or corrected  commits indiscretions.

Bhagavan Daas

Translated by Jeff

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by     (2017-03-20 00:35:00)

Swine Flu Panic Sets In Sri Lanka

March 19, 2017

Panic has set among Sri Lankans of a possible Swine Flu (H1N1) outbreak in the country, amidst unconfirmed reports that a large number of Swine Flu affected Maldivians had arrived in Colombo for treatment.

File photo

An SMS alert making the rounds claimed that over 200 Maldivians with the swine flu had arrived in the country unmonitored and had checked themselves in to Lanka Hospital for treatment, however Group Chief Executive Officer of Lanka Hospitals Dr. Prasad Medawatte issued a statement rejecting the reports which were circulating in social media that Maldivian patients diagnosed with swine flu were admitted to Lanka Hospitals and had died. “Lanka Hospitals wishes to announce that only 12 Maldivian patients have been admitted currently at Lanka Hospitals, out of which 10 are surgical and 2 are medical patients; none with swine flu,” he said on Friday.

However, an OPD patient who had made an appointment to channel a doctor at the hospital said that he had decided to skip his appointment because despite the assurance from the hospital, he did not want to take the risk. “The truth is Lanka Hospital has a lot of Maldivian patients and there can be a possibility that there are even one or two patients with the flu, so I don’t want to take the unnecessary risk,” he said.

He also pointed out that a large number of Maldivians travel to Sri Lanka very regularly for medical and education purposes, and although Maldives reported about the virus outbreak early this week, the Sri Lankan airport did not have any mechanism over the past week to screen anyone coming into the country from Maldives. “So there can be a possibility of Maldivians with the virus who may have travelled to Sri Lanka,” he noted

Meanwhile, SriLankan airlines on Friday announced that it had activated the Communicable Disease Procedures on its flights that are operating in and out of Male. “Accordingly the crew will be wearing face masks and will provide a face mask to any passenger who requests one to wear during a flight,” the airline said.

Read More

Cigarette smuggling -- Customs on lookout for Chinese king-pin

2017-03-20


The Customs Department is on high alert to track down a leading Chinese cigarette-smuggler operating in Sri Lanka and said to be linked to the detection of Chinese cigarettes at the Bandaranaike International Airport in the past three months, a senior official said. 

He said the attempts to smuggle Chinese cigarettes into the country through the BIA had been masterminded by this person and that every time contraband cigarettes were detected, the mystery man is supposed to provide the funds to pay the fines.

 Except for the two major detections this year, where a Chinese woman was nabbed with Chinese cigarettes worth some Rs.3 million and four Chinese workers attached to BIA runway project nabbed with cigarettes worth some Rs.6 million, four other minor smuggling attempts had been detected. 

The Customs sleuths had noted that on each occasion that the cigarettes were detected the Rs.100,000 fine imposed the funds were provided by this particular Chinese who operates here.

 Sources said when a smuggler is arrested he or she is permitted to leave the airport, under Customs supervision, to obtain the money to pay the fine but in these instances the suspected smuggler king-pin had approached the arrested smugglers to handover the required amount.

 The Customs believe that the smuggling of Chinese cigarettes was due to the big demand for the cigarettes by the large number of Chinese working in many development projects in Sri Lanka. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)

Colombo city infested by rats

Mar 19, 2017

Reports say rats could pose a grave threat to the city of Colombo. The reason is that very big rat populations had been found from where land development and renovation of old buildings take place in the city, the most recent being when land was being prepared for the project for the Beira lake development.

As a result of this project, the rats could flee and find new habitats in the institutions and houses located nearby. Urban development specialists warn that these rats could pose a grave threat to these institutions, schools and houses if no immediate action was taken. Furthermore, rat fever and bubonic plague could threaten the city.

Rats can acclimatize themselves to any situation. A female can give birth to around one million young ones within a three year period. Even if 95 per cent of the rat population in a given area is destroyed, the situation will be back to stage one within a year.

When contacted, CMC’s chief medical health officer Ruwan Wijayamuni said they had the required medical officers, PHIs and other staff as well as medicines and other requirements if any contingency occurred. He said eliminating the rats was already underway.

Bangladesh and Australia have reported major threats by rats, especially in Chittagong hills where the situation worsened into a long-term famine and epidemic. A massive expenditure and considerable labour had to be borne to eliminate the rats.

Sithara Kularatne - Sathhanda

Judicial ethics violence is an unpardonable sin

Following article based on the excerpts from the speech the new Chief Justice Priyasath Dep ( writer) delivered at the ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court to welcome him.

Laws delays are a sensitive and complicated issue discussed in various fora which requires urgent steps to be taken to eliminate delays to restore confidence in the justice delivery system.

by Priyasath Dep-Mar 19, 2017

Mar 19, 2017Mar 19, 2017

( March 19, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In 2011, the Bar warmly welcomed me when I was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court after having served the Attorney General’s Department for more than thirty three years. In my speech I stated that I was conscious of the fact that as a judge of the apex court of the country, I have an honourous task to perform which I consider as a sacred duty. To-day after a lapse of five and half years you are welcoming me as the 45 th Chief Justice of the Country. As the Chief Justice my task is difficult and responsibility is heavy. I seek divine inspiration to perform my duties and I will always act according to my conscience and the law.

Judicial ethics violence is an unpardonable sin.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

Palestinians hail UN report declaring Israel an apartheid state

Ali Abunimah-16 March 2017

Palestinians are welcoming a landmark UN report that finds Israel guilty of practicing apartheid.

Meanwhile Israel and its US patron have reacted with rage.

The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), the civil society coalition that leads the global boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, hailed the report as a “historic breakthrough.”

Published by the UN’s Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the report concludes that Israel is an apartheid state.

Launching it on Wednesday, ESCWA head Rima Khalaf said the report was the “first of its type” from a UN body that “clearly and frankly concludes that Israel is a racist state that has established an apartheid system that persecutes the Palestinian people.”

The report urges national governments to “support boycott, divestment and sanctions activities and respond positively to calls for such initiatives.”

“This is the first UN entity to prove beyond doubt that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid against the Palestinian people – which confirms the BDS movement’s own findings since 2005,” Ingrid Jaradat, a member of the BNC secretariat, said. “Given that apartheid is the second most serious crime against humanity in international law – after the crime of genocide – this taboo-shattering finding by ESCWA will strengthen the case for global sanctions against Israel.”

Israel reacted with predictable anger. A spokesperson for its foreign ministry likened the report’s meticulous legal and factual analysis to propaganda from the Nazi-era anti-Semitic publication Der Stürmer.

Israel’s biggest financial benefactor also expressed its outrage at the report, and demanded that the UN withdraw it.

In a statement from its UN envoy Nikki Haley, the US government dismissed the report as “anti-Israel propaganda” and attacked Richard Falk, the eminent international law expert who co-authored it.

And in a clear sign that he will be no more resistant to pressure from Israel and its surrogates than his predecessor, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres distanced himself from the report, a move that drew praise from Haley.

“The report as it stands does not reflect the views of the secretary-general,” a spokesperson for Guterres told media.

Omar Barghouti, a co-founder of the BDS movement, said the UN report was a sign for Palestinians that “our South Africa moment is nearing.”

Barghouti said it was “a stark indicator that Israel’s apartheid is destined to end, as South Africa’s did.”

Noting the growth of BDS campaigns around the world, Barghouti added that the report “may well be the very first beam of light that ushers the dawn of sanctions against Israel’s regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid.”

Israel’s belligerent reaction – as well as its escalating efforts to crush international support for Palestinian rights – may indicate that its leadership is reaching a similar conclusion.

American Unrest Proves China Got the Internet Right

Beijing has been criticized for its Great Firewall and online censorship. Now it's looking prescient.

BY RAN JIJUN-MARCH 15, 2017

In 2016, social media dominated the internet and the world. On November 8, Republican Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States, in some ways because of his social media support. At the same time, the internet in which Americans take such pride has been beset with social crises. It has become ever more extreme, filled with an endless stream of fake news. By contrast, the Chinese internet, long mocked by the Western world, has entered a period of peace and calm. China’s system of internet management, it’s now clear, has worked; and the West’s model of free speech is showing cracks in a new media era.

The internet has generally been a global good, rapidly and profoundly changing modern life, with massive effects on thought, ideology, and even industry. But the seemingly omnipotent web has also bred new problems in world governance. Private citizens have shown themselves poor stewards of the internet; their collective sense of rules and laws is rather weak. Instead, the web is based on the expression of moods and the airing of grievances, and is characterized by unreasonableness and a lack of order. Recently, the internet has also become a place where America’s ever-more-extreme social conflicts find a voice. The web has become polarized and social rifts have grown deeper, posing a huge challenge to modern American society.

What should the United States do? One view of the web, which the United States often seems to support, is that the internet is sui generis, both part of yet removed from the real world, and requires an entirely new and bespoke system to govern it. Another view holds that some lessons learned from the past, and from the physical world, can be adapted and deployed to govern online behavior. That’s China’s view. 
Although China’s internet is often accused of being highly regulated, that honor actually belongs to the U.S. web. Partly because of its long head start, the United States has the more numerous and comprehensive set of laws governing internet safety. Starting in 1977, the United States began to lay down one law after another aimed at strengthening online information security and network security, which ultimately shaped the rules of the game for everyone. The Privacy Act promulgated in 1974 and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act in 1998 are but two of many examples.

Just as with traditional governance, the U.S. internet was restrained by two main principles: the rule of law and the market. In these spaces, nations, corporations, and society each exercised some measure of control over the other. Big telecom companies worked with government to create a Pax-Americana internet. Internet uses saw their informational freedoms expand in step with the development of U.S. telecommunications.

That was before the shock of “PRISM-gate,” which suggested the expansion of internet freedom was coming, or had already come, to an end.In an age of sharp social conflicts, American officials learned, it was not enough to depend on industry self-regulation or individual discipline. Where the information industry is regarded as an economic actor, and not a public servant, social media extremism and the spread of falsehoods is an inevitable symptom.

Contrast the U.S. system with the development of Chinese internet governance. Whereas the United States has a system focusing on freedom to produce and share content, China has taken an opposite, more authoritarian approach. The government in particular takes the lead, which is in keeping with China’s social contract, which prioritizes stability and economic growth. Nurtured by its traditional political heritage, the Chinese government seeks to reduce the likelihood of marginal dissatisfaction escalating to public crisis. China has so far been very successful in regulating online space by encouraging public discussions, providing outlets for public grievances, but restricting ill-meant rumors and information that might impact negatively social stability or incur social panic. This approach is suitable and wise for China in an era of massive social transformation.

China now has a bevy of laws regulating its web, but its most potent governance tools are the Great Firewall, which filters out some foreign content seen as hazardous to China’s information security, and an internal system that screens out keywords determined to be disadvantageous to social stability. The concepts behind them reflect two broad judgments: First, the collapse of the Soviet Union happened partly because in its final stages, the Soviet Republic lost sovereignty over information within its borders, allowing false U.S. propaganda to flood in, defeating the USSR on the ideological front; and second, information on the internet comes from complex sources, and so false and manipulated information is rampant.

China has always regulated information from the top down, but from 2003 to 2008, with the Beijing Olympics approaching, Chinese internet regulation was comparatively laissez-faire, part of an effort to spur sector growth and the development of big Chinese internet companies. Starting in the second half of 2008, which saw violent terrorist attacks in the western region of Xinjiang that left multiple deaths and the beginning of global unrest powered by the internet, the Chinese government became more aware of the serious repercussions resulting from internet rumors and the web’s huge power to mobilize people, and tightened its regulation accordingly. Maintaining social stability became even more important, and the government gradually became more conservative on this score.

One enduring problem is the lack of media literacy among Chinese netizens. They aren’t familiar with the basic operating mode in Western speech, where all ideas contend; when faced with unfiltered information, average Chinese web users often have no way to discern truth from falsehoods. China’s response is pragmatic: it does not block VPNs wholesale (which allow users to “hop” the Great Firewall), nor does China block all outside information. Some sites, such as Cankao Xiaoxi, even sometimes translate Western criticisms of China, and can be freely shared. But if China set aside all information barriers, it would be the equivalent of handing over its information sovereignty.

Because it draws upon lessons from information management in the pre-internet age, China treats cyberspace much as it does physical space.Just as Beijing regulates speech deemed as jeopardizing social stability and monitors large gatherings in order to promote social harmony and cohesion in the real world, so does it regulate speech and “gatherings” in the virtual world. It’s okay to complain about Chinese politics over dinner, just not at an organized street rally; similarly, China’s regulatory bodies tolerate social criticisms from average netizens, even those directed at political leaders, and generally only target some opinion leaders who, in the government’s view, instigate social turmoil. Meanwhile, both offline and online, Chinese official media continue to act as the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, aiming primarily to promote social consensus.

Underlying this approach is an understanding Beijing has had since the founding of the People’s Republic of China: media is the most effective social mobilizer. Given media’s power, the fundamental goal of China’s internet regulation has been to prevent social unrest, not to filter out all criticism of authority.

The United States has a different history, one in which different opinions compete for public attention. For generations, this model has worked. But the social contract underpinning free speech in the United States appears to be fraying.

China’s government is well aware that the internet is a powerful agent for social change. The question is how much of this change is positive. Beijing has hedged its bets, showing itself rather tolerant of grassroots criticism on social networks while regulating opinion-makers, state media, and outside information. The social stability China has enjoyed so far in this new age suggests the approach is working. But the state will remain vigilant against potential risks that may crop up. The internet teems with opportunities, but also challenges to governance and social cohesion. China is no exception — and neither is America.

Image: Elijah Nouvelage/Stringer/Getty

Brazil president seeks to calm fears over meat sales, exports

By Anthony Boadle | BRASILIA-Mon Mar 20, 2017

President Michel Temer, confronting a corruption scandal tarnishing Brazil's lucrative meat industry, met on Sunday with executives and foreign diplomats to assuage health concerns tarnishing a sector responsible for $12 billion in annual exports.

The hastily called meetings, following raids by police on Friday investigating whether companies paid bribes to conceal unsanitary conditions at meatpackers, come as Temer works to protect one of the few vibrant sectors in Latin America's biggest economy, hit by two years of recession.

Addressing diplomats from Europe, the United States, China and elsewhere, Temer said Brazil's government "reiterates its confidence in the quality of a national product that has won over consumers and obtained the approval of the most rigorous markets."

Temer, who even took some of the diplomats to a lakeside steakhouse after the meeting, portrayed the raids as isolated, if necessary, efforts against corruption. He sought to dispel fears of systemic flaws in a sector that is now the world's largest exporter of beef and several other meat products.

He said investigators would accelerate the probe and underscored that Friday's raids affected just 21 of more than 4,800 meatpackers in operation. Only 33 of more than 11,000 inspectors, he added, are being investigated.

Despite allegations by police that some producers had sold rotten and adulterated meat products, Luis Eduardo Rangel, a senior Agriculture Ministry official, said: "There is no sanitary risk."

The allegations, he added, were "worrisome from a corruption and crime point of view," but "from a health perspective we are very confident that the sanitary issues alleged do not represent a risk for consumers or exports."

As such, government officials after the meeting were quick to point out that Brazil's success as a meat producer in part stems from what has been an efficient and highly-regarded system of sanitary controls. They noted that none of the more than 150 countries that already buy Brazilian meat has suspended imports.

Still, some customers are wary.

"You cannot play around with food," said André Regli, Switzerland's ambassador to Brazil, adding the problems were "worrying."

On Saturday, officials from the European Union said they sent two letters to Brazil's government seeking details about any systemic risks to imports. China's government asked for similar information.

Brazilian officials said they would address E.U. and Chinese concerns on Sunday.

On Friday, regulators from the United States, which recently began importing fresh beef from Brazil, said they were monitoring the issue but that inspections at import terminals there should prevent any health risks.

After Sunday's meeting, the head of Brazil's powerful farm association said he hoped for fast and severe punishment for those caught breaking laws.

"We producers are victims of this," said João Martins, president of the National Agriculture Confederation, speculating that the price of Brazilian beef could fall in the coming days.

In damage-control efforts, Brazil's two biggest meat companies launched a public relations campaign over the weekend to make clear they did not sell rotten beef.

JBS SA, the world's largest meat producer (JBSS3.SA), and rival BRF SA (BRFS3.SA), took out full-page ads in Brazilian newspapers and magazines on Saturday defending their business practices and internal controls. They condemned any wrongdoing uncovered by the probe.

(Additional reporting by Paulo Prada; Editing by Peter Cooney and Sandra Maler)

The story of Aris 13 hijacked on March 13

Some important possibilities need to be brought out at this juncture to safeguard the lives of people, assets and the credibility of the State of Sri Lanka.

by Parakrama Dissanayake-Mar 20, 2017

( March 20, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Many of us, on TV, watched with sadness, the plight of family members of the crew of Aris 13, a sea going vessel which was hijacked on Monday March 13. Two days later, I watched on TV, a media briefing in which, the staff of the Director General of Merchant Shipping telling the nation about the action taken by them and the incident. What struck me most was, when they said the vessel was anchored off Djibouti. I presume it was a very senior officer of the Directorate. The highlights were full of inaccuracies and half truths. It is wrong for responsible authorities, to make factually incorrect statements. By then, the whole world, other than Sri Lanka, probably, did know what had happened and where the vessel was. Therefore, I thought it would be worth trying to educate the public. In other words, to strike while the iron is still hot.

The vessel, Aris 13 is a bunkering tanker with a gross tonnage of 1188, draft of 4.6 metres and a speed of about 5 knots. Its IMO registration is 9012501, flying the Comoros Islands flag. Normally, known as a “low and slow” vessel due to its speed and low draft and as such very vulnerable to pirate attacks. The vessel is believed to have left Colombo harbour on January 28, 2017. It was an all Sri Lankan crew, of which five had signed Articles, which is a mandatory requirement for seafarers. The rest of the crew had not done so. The vessel was moving from Djibouti to Mogadishu in Somalia. They were sailing close to the coast of Somalia carrying fuel. There were no security personnel on board and the crew may have not been aware of the looming episode.

The hijacking

As per reports from related sources and the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), the vessel had passed a SOS message on Monday, saying they were being followed by two skiffs. The vessel had then switched off its tracking system and disappeared. Later it was revealed that the vessel had been taken to a small coastal port known as Alula, in the autonomous Somali state of Puntland, in the Horn of Africa. Puntland remains, part of Somalia but autonomous since 1998 unlike Somaliland. Initial reports indicated that the hijackers claimed they were fishermen who were disgruntled that foreigners were poaching in their sea. The District Commissioner of Alula, Ali Shire Mohammed Osman had promised to take action. Meanwhile the EU NAVFOR from the European Union deployed their assets to monitor the situation. By Friday, the Sri Lankan State had taken positive steps to take control of the situation. All credit to the State, the State of Puntland and the rest of those who contributed, to save the lives and vessel. Probably diplomacy was at its best in a very murky situation.

Sea piracy

The safety of sea lanes and the supply chain is nothing new in the world of commerce, so is piracy. In the current context, sea lanes connect all continents and logistic movement across the globe. In recent years, Somali sea piracy, which actually is part of organised crime, took centre stage in security matters. As a result of piracy, extending to a large area and becoming a major threat to international commerce, there arose a need for a global response.

In 2008, the UN Security Council formally condemned all acts of Piracy and Armed Robbery off Somalia’s coast and resorted to its first action by adopting Resolution 1816. The Resolution called on states to use “all necessary means” to repress acts of piracy and robbery at sea. In 2013 the UN adopted Resolution 2125, “to tighten anti piracy measures” Meanwhile the IMO responded by its circulars 1333, 1334, 1405 and 1406. Much was also done by both state and non state actors, following these initiatives, to counter the threat and menace. The High Risk Area (HRA) became the “geographical battle ground”. By about 2011, Somali pirates had launched about 237 attacks off the coast of Somalia and the global cost of piracy was about 8 billion USD. About 80% of this cost was borne by the shipping industry, which included higher insurance premiums, ransoms, security and other expenses. There was a time that a hijacked vessel could fetch a ransom of about 6 million USD. By that time, the pirates held 736 hostages and 32 ships. That was during the heyday of the Somali warlords. However, there had not been any major attacks since about 2012, other than about four attempted attacks. The role of Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs), intervention by regional naval forces and international cooperation improved the security of the strategic sea route which connected traffic from the South China Sea through the Suez Canal to Europe. The last known incident was, when a crew of 17 Iranians, were taken hostage. Four are believed to have died, four rescued and only eight remained.

Horn of Africa

I heard about the region, as a schoolboy whilst studying Geography. Back then, it was told that the region was the gateway to Asia. Arab traders had ventured into Asia from this important point and eventually it became a trade and commerce hub. Subsequently, it became a strategic point, with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. The Bab el Mandep straits which has a width of about 30 KMs, divides Yemen and Djibouti. This strategic link, connects the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Suez and the Mediterranean Sea. Almost 5 million barrels of oil pass through this point daily. Such is its importance. The area is considered to be one of the most important choke points in the shipping industry. Interestingly, the vessel Iris 13 was hijacked close to this area. The region is also considered to be a conflict area in recent times. Countries in the region are Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia in the South and Yemen in the North.

Djibouti, which was said to be the place where the vessel was anchored (which of course was not true) is the safari grounds for high paying sovereign states. The American, German, Japanese, French, Italian and Spanish militaries all have military presence in the country to protect their assets in the region, including shipping. Soon the Chinese too will join the fray in opening up a base. So, seven militaries will be crammed up in this country of 1 million people, to project their military power from thousands of KMs away from their homelands. In addition, the European Union Naval Force operation, Atalanta also known as EU NAVFOR has been in operation since December 2008 in the region. Such is the current state of military and naval assets in the region.

Whilst various news reports and views were being expressed over the incident, as mentioned before, some interesting opinions too were expressed. Someone asked, whether it was not possible for the Sri Lankan Navy to rescue them. Such was the concern and naivety. Another view which was expressed and given prominence over the web and media was that it was possible for an individual to seek their release if the State of Sri Lanka approached him. And many believed that story like all other stories.

One media organisation went to the extent of taking credit for its reporting. Its not unusual for reportage to be biased, one sided and to the advantage of individuals. The State media for a change, on Friday, gave some worthwhile reportage on the incident.

Concerns

Some important possibilities need to be brought out at this juncture to safeguard the lives of people, assets and the credibility of the State of Sri Lanka.

Regularise the departure of all sea going personnel from Sri Lanka with more control measures.

At present there are a number of personnel going as crews in general and as security personnel in particular, from Sri Lanka without any restriction. These include foreigners. Eventually, when an incident of this nature takes place, the State has to intervene. If it fails, the responsibility is on the State. Building and developing diplomatic ties in this region in a very positive manner. This action could be a long term investment though costly. This can be seen from the investment made by other nations.

State media to be more proactive in its approach, to situations such as this. Although the saga ended with comfort to the families and the Nation, the loss of lives if it happened, would have been tragic and sad.

Improved communications between Sri Lankan authorities and international bodies including IMO and other non state actors.

The story of Aris 13 hijacked on March 13, will be a case study for those involved in naval studies although the vessel had breached all best practices of security. It will be an eye opener for the shipping industry which is very lax on current security threats and the pirates themselves. It will also be a victory for international diplomacy.