Mangala , Wijedasa , Ranga … Does compensation payment to victims suffice to wash your hands off it ? - Poddala Jayantha

(Lanka-e-News -08.May.2017, 11.55PM)  Paying compensation to  the journalists who fell victims to attacks, just  in order  to wash the hands off it will not suffice  . An exhaustive investigation shall be conducted into all those crimes by a  presidential commission , senior journalist Poddala Jayantha who was also a victim of media suppression  has stated in the letters sent by him to ministers Mangala, Wijedasa , Gayantha and the Cabinet sub committee strongly urging them to take action in that direction. 

Poddala was one of the journalists abducted by the criminal white van to be liquidated during the brutal murderous lawless era of the Rajapakse regime. However , when that  attempt leaked out   , Poddala was released midway .  The murderers were so brutal that just during the  45 mins. Poddala was within the white Van , he was assaulted ruthlessly and his legs were broken most cruelly . Besides , his head was shaved and he was forced to swallow  his own  hair  .

Poddala who was abandoned  on the road to die was found by some passers by who took him to the hospital . Because Lanka e news made a complaint to the police in this regard , its editor and news editor too were arrested.  After preparing four bogus B reports , a request was  made to remand the complainants , but the magistrate declined  the request at that time. Because the police officer who prosecuted did not object to the magistrate’s order , he was transferred to Batticaloa the very next  day. Such was the egregious lawlessness that prevailed during that period of the despotic reign of Rajapakses who were so full of venom and vengeance against the journalists. 

It is for these reasons , Poddala has requested that a thorough investigation be conducted apart from the  payment of compensation . The full text of the letter sent by him to the secretary to  the cabinet sub committee Dr. Ranga Kalansuriya is hereunder ….

30-04-2017

Dr.Ranga Kalansuriya 

Secretary to Cabinet sub committee appointed for payment of compensation to aggrieved journalists , cum Director General (News) 

Dear Sir, 

Will compensation payment alone to aggrieved journalists suffice to wash the hands off it?

A proposal to the Cabinet sub committee inquiring into the inequities and injustices suffered by Sri Lankan journalists during the period between 2005 and 2015 …

If any government  has failed to mete out punishment to the criminals duly  after investigating the crimes , it is the absolute responsibility of that government to grant compensation at least  to the victims of those crimes. If the government for any reason is seeking to wash its hands off it after discharging that responsibility in part , then that crime is much worse than the original crime committed.

The media suppression in SL  has been raging under different governments in different ways . At least taking into consideration a given  period , through a special presidential commission vested with full powers an extensive and exhaustive investigation shall be conducted . 

Nature of  media suppression

If the period between 2005 and 2015 is considered , journalist killings; abductions; infliction of torture ; threats; attacks on media institutions; committing arson ;filing cases on frame ups; bringing pressure to bear on businesses of the media Institutions; threatening to cancel the frequency of the electronic media ; through outsiders purchasing  media Institutions by force; providing various inducements to journalists and media Institutions and silencing them ; and other criminalities not mentioned herein shall be reckoned as part and parcel of this media suppression .

Final outcome 

As a first step , after the media is gagged , the professional  associations ( not the GMOA , an association that has made terrorizing its weapon) , the civil organizations were de activated through threats and intimidation. The final outcome of those actions was the society  as a whole getting anesthetized , which enabled the ruling regime to achieve  its political agendas and aspirations without any impediment in whatever way they wanted.

After the social activities for the benefit of the country were stunted and society was  petrified , the bigwigs  of the ruling regime without control indulged in  monumental  frauds , corruption ,and abuse of  power , and made those  their lifestyle. In the end , the whole country had to abjectly surrender to the authority of a single family.

Cabinet sub committee ‘s inescapable responsibility 

Above is only a description in a nutshell .

It is my belief that your cabinet sub committee is vested with a responsibility much greater than merely  making recommendations to the government to release compensation  payments to the aggrieved . What your  committee cannot implement, can yet be  carried out  by making  a screen proposal to the government . That is , you can recommend to the government to appoint a fully empowered presidential commission to inquire into the crimes committed against the media personnel and Institutions during the period between 2005 and 2015.

The purpose of the right to information bill ..

It is salutary that the right to information bill which was a part of the agenda of  our struggle has come into being , its shortcomings notwithstanding . But while there exists a fierce media suppression , will there be a possibility to enjoy the full benefits of the rights conferred by this bill ?

To cite an example  , say during the previous regime , this enactment was in place ,and  if an individual requested  for information under that enactment which was in bad taste  to the then ruling government, that individual was without doubt taught a lesson which would prevent him from requesting for  that information again. Irrespective of the information requested and his right to information , the life of that individual who made that  request could have been terminated . In such an event,  thereafter , will anyone come forward to request information ?

Even though  a law is enacted  incorporating  a right, if anybody wishing to secure that right is killed violently , or frightened , will somebody else seek to possess that right ?

For example , when Prageeth , Lasantha and Sivaram were murdered the right to express and write one’s views  were  already incorporated in the laws of the country.

If any government had enacted laws regarding most sensitive humanitarian rights , it must be the responsibility of your government to build protective walls and fences against the obstacles and hurdles which militate against those enjoying  those rights. Otherwise the rights which are granted will not reap the desired  result for the society.

On the other hand , if any government after granting rights of   freedom to the country’s media , subsequently based on a spurious agenda uses that to commit barbarities , it must be the responsibility of a government to put in place mechanisms to preclude such crimes being committed against  the media , and to create an awareness among society to reject the media which don’t fall in line with those mechanisms.

If punishment is not meted out for the crimes committed after the investigation , and the gravity of the crimes is not debated among society , the recurrence of such incidents will be inevitable. After  the media is silenced and the society in general is anesthetized , the monumental harm that can result to the country is well  known , and we have experienced that harm well and truly. 

Payment of compensation to prisoners of  Welikade prison and to the  journalists

Though the report on the cruel murders committed within the Welikade prison was finalized  , it was concealed , and the families of the victims were each paid Rs. I million as compensation. This was not because the criminals could not be tracked down , rather it was because  the objective  was to shield the criminals. Hence does it mean  everything is  over simply because  compensation was paid  to those who suffered  ? 

Out of whose money are  the compensation being paid ? Was it only this group that committed such prison murders ? If the criminals are allowed to go unpunished , won’t similar murders be committed in the future ? By not probing into the root cause of the crime , and  for what reason it was committed,  while also keeping the society aloof from it ,  doesn’t  it tantamount to extending support to commit more such crimes? 

Based on what is revealed above, we  are naturally compelled to review  the compensation payments to the journalists who fell victims.

Why was Lasantha Wickremetunge murdered ? What did his murderers expect and was the reason for his murder  very trivial ? Why was Prageeth Ekneliyagoda abducted? What did  his abductors  expect and was the reason for his murder  very trivial   ? Were the so many  journalists of the North and East, and the employees of media Institutions there  about whom hitherto nothing had been discussed murdered based on very  trivial   grounds?

After the killing of Lasantha Wickremetunge, will such an investigative  English journalist  like him  spring up who could fill the  void ? If he was living how many monumental  frauds and corruption which raged in the country after his death would have been highlighted by him and would have kept the  society on alert ?

If the Welikade prisoners were not murdered , through those prisoners wouldn’t it have been possible  for  the country to get to know  at least half of the violent crimes  which were committed by  the political authority using them ?

The suspect who went to Kotte Rajamaha viharaya in search of Sapumal Kumaraya’s sword killed two monks . It is hereby  urged to give due  consideration to the fact that the suspect who  was fetched  after calling by his  name and killed  could have been   the prime witness against the political authority who used him to commit the murders .

In the circumstances , just paying compensation to the victims of the crimes is not going to halt such crimes being committed in the future – not by any means.

Wrong  example 

Moreover these set a bad example . Refraining from conducting an investigation into the crime committed by any  government ; not meting out punishment to the culprits; not making known to the society  the reasons for committing the crime, but concluding everything by simply paying compensation to the victims is to create a pernicious  tradition which sets in motion a most dangerous trend  within the country.

This is because every government for the crimes it commits to perpetuate itself in  power pays compensation to the victims out of the tax payments collected from  the masses . Why should the people pay compensation for the crime the rulers commit ?

Since that is the actual position , it is earnestly urged based on the above grounds , if recommendations are being made to pay compensation to the media victims , a presidential commission shall be appointed to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the crimes in  order that there will not be a  repetition .

This proposal was first made to the government by professional media association , but hitherto that was not given consideration . Therefore ,you are  hereby requested to present that proposal via  the cabinet sub committee once again to the government.

Thanks 

Yours faithfully 

Poddala Jayantha 

(former president of Professional  media association Sri Lanka)

poddalaj@gmail.com

New York, USA.

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by     (2017-05-08 23:01:10)

The battle for the minds of people can be won

By Jehan Perera-May 8, 2017, 8:37 pm 

The Joint Opposition was successful in political and psychological terms when it succeeded in ensuring large scale participation of its supporters at its May Day event. Galle Face Green, which covers 18 acres of land, is perhaps the largest open air venue for public events in the country. In the past this has been the venue allocated to the Pope to conduct religious services as was last done in 2015. Members of the Joint Opposition claimed that the crowd at the May Day rally of the Joint Opposition was even larger than those who came to attend the Pope’s event. But there was also a difference. The vast majority of those who came to see the Pope did so at their own expense. They were neither bused nor provided with meals and drinks by the Church.

At the last presidential elections held in 2015, nearly 5.8 million people voted for former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. It is likely that most of them continue to repose their trust and confidence in the former president. The crowds that thronged Galle Face Green would account for a small fraction of that political base. Joint Opposition members claimed that public participation at their event was more than those of all other May Day rallies combined. What was needed was organizational skill and determination to bring them down to one location, and of course, the financial resources to pay for their travel. It appears that the Joint Opposition considered more to be at stake for their futures, and so outdid the others in money and effort to gain the psychological edge.

From the time of its unexpected victory at the presidential elections of January 2015, the government has been steadily losing the political and psychological advantage that it had. This is mainly on account of its inability to show the general public that it is a dynamic and can-do government that has a plan and is implementing its plan. This is only partly on account of the government being a coalition of two equal parties, each of which has taken turns in governing the country in the past. This time around for the first time they are working together with a lot of give and take and giving a lot of space to each other and to the polity in general. The problem is that they are not communicating a coherent message about their vision and plans to the people.

OPPOSITION ALLIANCES

The most positive feature of the present government is the space it has given to everyone in the polity to discuss and debate on public issues. But this freedom is being used mainly by those in the opposition who criticise whatever the government does and use the political space to mobilize protests against the government. The government fails to use the space for discussion and debate to take its own message to the people. Instead the government is limiting its discussion and debate to within itself, and to small groups within it, whether it is on economic policy or constitutional reform or transitional justice. The government needs to find ways to take leadership of the debate and discussion and take it to the masses of the people.

By way of contrast, the Joint Opposition strategy is one of going to key groups, such as religious clergy and professionals, and making their case in a nationalistic manner. They conjure up fears of external interventions and erosion of national security and are forging alliances with important trade unions such as the GMOA to oppose the government. In some instances they are opposing the very processes that they launched during their tenure in government. They are now criticizing the very things they set up. This is not based on policy but on partisan politics. These include the strike by doctors of the GMOA over the issue of the private medical school (SAITM) and against the Hambantota port development project both of which were set up and set on course during the period of the previous government.

In this context the government needs to go back to the vision of good governance and inter-ethnic justice that it presented to the people at the 2015 elections and which won for it the majority of votes of the electorate. The government also made commitments to the international community especially regarding the resolution of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and the GSP Plus of the EU which need to be delivered on. The government needs to spell out is vision to the people and explain why it made those commitments and why they are in the best interests of the country, and not a betrayal as asserted by the Joint Opposition.

RESPONSIVE PEOPLE

Last week at educational workshops were organized by the National Peace Council for students of Kelaniya and Peradeniya universities on the issues of the UNHRC resolution. The main issues discussed was what is required to be done in terms of ascertaining the truth about the past, ensuring accountability for human rights violations and compensation for victims, and changing the constitution to facilitate a political solution. The students were given the opportunity to express their own opinions in small groups of 8-12 students. Three of the four groups said that their priorities were truth first, and accountability and compensation second. One of the four groups reported that their priorities were compensation first and accountability second.

It was significant that the students did not reject the notion of transitional justicein the manner of nationalists who say that war heroes are being persecuted. This was after they had been educated about what accountability in international law really means, without the false propaganda of the opposition. Political education was done on a mass scale during the war by former president Chandrika Kumaratunga with support from Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. They led the Sudu Nelum movement to explain to the people the need for a political solution based on the devolution and sharing of power between the ethnic communities. The rest of the government leaders at that time also went to the people with the message that the President was taking with determination.

The government was able to secure a victory in the EU parliament a fortnight ago when an attempt was made to deny Sri Lanka the benefits of the GSP Plus tariff concession. However, obtaining the tariff concession remains contingent upon the government’s delivery of a number of commitments in terms of international human rights and labour covenants for which the government has to reform some of the laws of the land. It also needs to implement the provisions of the UNHRC resolution for which it has obtained a further two years. The problem, however, is that the government is not taking up the implementation of its commitments wholeheartedly, although it agreed to them on the basis that they were for the good of the country. Instead of being deterred by the size of the Joint Opposition event at Galle Face Green the government needs to take the fight to the people why its way is better.

Sri Lanka Customs: Cheats Go Unpunished

By Hemantha Edirisooriya – May 8, 2017

The Customs Department is the major revenue-collecting agency of the government that contributes over 60% of the govt tax revenue. The primary duty of this department is to collect and protect the revenue barring all forms of tax evasions including organized smuggling.

However, the records show that the Customs has failed in its primary duty causing tremendous revenue losses to the government mainly due to officers colluding with the fraudster elements with no action being taken against them, resulting in the total breakdown of rule of law. The gravity of this lawlessness is vividly depicted with officers holding high profile offices, such as Deputy Director of Generals of Customs being charged for their alleged connivance in a number of organized revenue frauds.

A series of Customs cases referred below bear ample evidence demonstrating the level of corruption with the involvement of the officers from various ranks violating the Customs Law for unjust enrichment.

In the Case No POM/025/2016, a Deputy Director General of Customs has been charged for collusion with fraudster elements to smuggle out a shipment of contraband, which was detected by the Police Special Task Force on 19th Jan 2016, after the shipment was removed from the Colombo port premises. Yet, in spite of the completion of the investigations by June 2016 and the overwhelming evidence recovered, up until now no action has been against this senior officer and the others involved in the fraud. The total revenue defrauded in the case runs into over 17 million rupees. The latest development of this case is the withdrawal of the Inquiring Officer appointed to hear this case on 05th May 2017.

In the case CIB/INV/137/137/2015, a Superintendent of Customs was nabbed at the Katunayake airport on 27th March 2015 whilst attempting to smuggle out 3 kilograms of gold valued over 18 million rupees concealed in his socks. Yet, the Department has absolutely failed to initiate action against the suspect officer who continues to be in service making the Customs Service a mockery.

In the case CIB/INV/14/2013/CCR/1384, a shipment of ethanol valued over 33 million rupees was detected by the officers of the Excise Department after it was passed by the Customs on 13th March 2013 as a shipment of chemicals (turpentine oil). The investigation revealed the direct involvement of the then Director of Customs responsible for Prevention of Smuggling, who was later promoted to the Additional Director General of Customs whilst the case against him was pending. The administration failed to take any action against the suspect officer concerned.

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EU REAFFIRMS THE REINSTATEMENT OF GSP PLUS TO SRI LANKA.

Image: Ambassador Tung-Lai Margue.

08/05/2017

European Union Ambassador to Sri Lanka  Tung-Lai Margue’s  has reaffirmed the reinstatement of GSP Plus to Sri Lanka in his message for Europe Day.

The excerpt of his message says that ” two years ago, after the election of a government with a commitment and vision to make fundamental reforms, Sri Lanka and the European Union reset our relationship: we renewed our cooperation, broadening our political dialogue to cover a wide range of topics, from fisheries exports to trade, from agriculture to climate change, as well as often difficult and sensitive topics such as national reconciliation, good governance, human rights and the rule of law. Sri Lanka’s renewed commitment to respecting international rule of law and upholding its international human rights, labour rights and environmental obligations has resulted in the European Commission recommending the reinstatement of GSP Plus. Getting there took many hours of intense collaboration between Sri Lanka and the EU, as together we examined Sri Lanka’s compliance with the 27 international conventions on which the GSP+ assessment is based. I hope that our colleagues in the Member States and in the European Parliament will soon indicate that they are happy for readmission to take place.

Full text of the speech follows:

NDB Chief Financial Officer suspended for Whistle Blowing

May 08, 2017

The Banking and Non Banking sector is reeling after the Secretively shocking suspension of the Chief Financial Officer Fizan Osman of NDB for exposing a racket of the bank’s conduct at the highest levels.

It is over the sale of certain Bank stocks in collusion with a Chairman of a Bank, a key investor and a Chief Executive Officer. 

The Unions allege the Board is like a post box and don't know what is going on. Most Directors’ are cronies of the former regime helped on by the current regime. 

Union’s allege a bribe was paid by the bank to buy shares of another bank. The Chief Financial Officer has been suspended for blowing the whistle too late. 

Recently Ranil’s first cousin a Banker who had to leave Grindlay’s Bank in a hurry Mr. Athukorala was appointed Chairman of the Bank. A parachute according the Union and they accuse him of being totally ineffective, only interested in his perks and his car. 

The Bank slipped even below the Boutique Bank NTB in their performance. The former CEO of the Bank deserted the Bank with his key officials to Cargill’s bank. We are exposing this sorry story of white collar crime in the despositor's intrest.

Medical Students Seek Intervention In The SAITM Special Leave To Appeal Case

May 8, 2017

Several medical students have filed an application to intervene in the Special Leave to Appeal matter filed by the Sri Lanka Medical Council stating that the the Judgement of the Court of Appeal affects them as well as the general public. The Application has been made under Article 134(3) of the Constitution.

Dr. Neville Fernando – SITM boss

In the said Petition, the medical students allege that SAITM has conducted itself in a contrived manner to obtain the necessary approvals from the Government and in fact mislead the Government on several occasions.

The Petitioners have alleged that at the time SAITM was set up, it has indicated that it would function as an offshore campus of Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy (NNSMA) and advertised as such, although the Russian Government as well as the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia has confirmed that there was no such offshore campus registered with the Russian Authorities. In fact, although SAITM has claimed that the NNSMA’s Sri Lanka Campus has approval of SLMC, while only the NNSMA, Russia had such approval.

The Petitioners have further alleged that the present Minister of Higher Education and Minister of Health as well as their predecessors have acted in a manner that has been beneficial to SAITM and the conduct of the present Minister of Health is bias since his daughter-in-law is a current student at SAITM.

The Petitioners allege that Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva had rescinded the Minimum Education Standards for Medicine in 2010 without replacing them and several successive Ministers including the present Minister has failed to issue the new regulations to date. This has resulted with the SLMC which registers Medical Practitioners in Sri Lanka, unable to assess whether SAITM complies with any educational standard.

Further, it is alleged that then Minister of Higher Education S.B. Dissanayake has amended the Regulations relating to recognition of Degree Awarding Institutes to bypass the SLMC’s approval.

In view of the documents marked to the Petition, the Petitioners have stated that it clearly demonstrate that, the collusive and complicit actions and inactions of the Minister of Higher Education, Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education, University Grants Commission, and the Minister of Health has resulted with SAITM being given legal recognition albeit in a deceitful, illogical and arbitrary manner resulting with grave prejudice being caused to the general public.

The Petitioners have also stated that the Minister of Higher Education, Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education, University Grants Commission, and the Minister of Health have not acted and/or failed to act in a judicious manner, and has acted in a manner that has given preferential treatment to the SAITM, and gone out of its ordinary sphere of activity to grant legitimacy to a process which is demonstrably tainted with illegality and unreasonable and/or wrongful actions.

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Duty free shopping at BIA in danger of becoming monopoly? 

• Only two bids for second shop space, both offering same concession fee
• Dufry duty free bids for second time
• Second bid’s DFS India owned by Flemingo Duty Free International, holding company of Flemingo Duty Free Sri Lanka

By Chathuri Dissanayake-Tuesday, 9 May 2017

Duty free shopping at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is in danger of becoming a monopoly, industry analysts warned.

Following the retendering process for bids to operate the second space allocated for a Core Category Duty Free Shop at BIA despite protests by interested parties, operators now claim that the decisions taken may create a monopoly in the market as one of the bidders, DFS India, is a fully-owned company under Flemingo Duty Free International, which won the first tender to operate space 1 at both the departure restricted area and arrival restricted area.

According to reliable sources there were only two bidders in the second round of bidding for shop space 2, in both the departure restricted area and arrival restricted area with 3,060 sq. ft and 2,665 sq. ft respectively.

Although the first tender announcement listed two spaces in the departure restricted area concession, the bidder, offering to pay the second-highest concession fee following technical evaluation, was awarded the tender as per tender conditions. During the retender, Dufry AG a Swiss-based company which operated World Duty Free in BIA and DFS India Ltd. with B&S Holdings bid for the second shop space.

Both bidders offered a concession fee of 43%, following a clause put in the second tender stating that the fee has to be more than 40%. The tender team is now required to make a selection based on the technical evaluation of the bids presented.

However, interested parties are claiming the situation may lead to a monopoly by Flemingo Duty Free as the holding company of Flemingo Duty Free Sri Lanka also owns DFS India Ltd. A rating conducted by ICRA Ltd, Moody’s investor company, states that “on February 27, 2017, the Flemingo Group bought out 51% stake of DFS Venture Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Hence, effective February 27, 2017, DFSI is fully owned by Flemingo Group.”

Further, Flemingo Duty Free Director Athul Ahuja is also a Director of DFS India Ltd.

“The situation may lead to a complete monopoly if DFS’ joint bid is awarded the contract,” said one operator who wished to remain anonymous.

During the first tender process, DFS submitted a “protest bid”, although no clarification was offered on the grounds for protest. This has led industry players to believe that certain players are vying to fix the tender process to benefit one bidder.

The first tender process awarded the much larger shop space at both the arrival and departure lounge to Flemingo at a concession fee of 40%. The ministry then decided to retender a second smaller shop space, slapping a clause for the minimum concession fee at 40% despite operators crying foul over the decision.

World Duty Free (WDF), which employs about 300 individuals and has maintained a presence in the country for the last 21 years, was asked to clear the space for Flemingo Duty Free. However, WDF later filed legal action against the decision.

When contacted, the DFS Group told Daily FT that the company no longer holds any stake in DFS India.

“DFS India, to our knowledge, is fully controlled by Flemingo, as DFS Group exited our previous JV partnership and is now simply a supplier to Flemingo,” a statement sent by the DFS Group said.

Flemingo Duty Free Sri Lanka CEO P.K. Thimaya refused to comment on the matter.

If DFS India Ltd. is owned by Flemingo Duty Free, the bid submitted by the latter has violated the tender condition which allows only one bid proposal to be submitted per bidder.

Transportation and Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary Nihal Somaweera told Daily FT that the Technical Evaluation Committee is evaluating the two bid proposals and will submit a report.

“The Technical Evaluation Committee is now handling it. The Tender Board is to meet on the 16th. They may be able to give the report by then. Till then we are unable to say anything. We will look into all tender conditions and financial stability and other qualifications before awarding it,” Somaweera said.

MP Handunetti believes Commission will uphold COPE recommendations

By Sarath Dharmasena and Shyam Nuwan Ganewatte-May 8, 2017

Chairman of the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), parliamentarian Sunil Handunetti, MP, yesterday testifying before the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the alleged bond scam, said he believed the Commission would grant approval for implementing the recommendations of the COPE report.

The COPE Chairman said the implementation of his committee’s recommendations had to be done in accordance with parliamentary responsibility for public finance.

Even after the conclusion of the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry sitting, the Central Bank as an institution responsible for implementing the COPE recommendations had to report to parliament, Handuneetti said.

He said 15 MPs, including him, had agreed to the COPE report without footnotes and nine parliamentarians had approved it with footnotes and all of them had agreed on the conclusions and recommendations of the COPE report.

In answer to questions posed by the Commission members, Handunetti said some objections could not be considered important as MPs have agreed to conclusions and recommendations of the COPE report and footnotes had been incorporated only to explain the points on which there had been no agreement, he said.

Senior Deputy Solicitor General Priyantha Navana: Who added the footnotes?

Handunetti: Harsha de Silva.

The Commission is scheduled to summon Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva to testify on the footnotes.

The evidence of Handunetti was led by Deputy Solicitor General Priyantha Navana.

All involved in bond scam will be prosecuted- Additional Solicitor General

2017-05-08

Additional Solicitor General President's Counsel Dappula De Livera informed the Bond Commission on Friday that all those responsible for the Central Bank bond scam would be prosecuted under civil and criminal charges. He said that action will be taken according to the available evidence.

He said that he made every attempts to achieve the objective of the commission by working day and and night as a holy task entrusted upon him. He added that the attorney general had the power to prosecute all those who were involved in it. 

The President's Counsel said so in reply to a matter raised by Attorney at Law Harsha Fernando who appeared on behalf of P. Samarasiri who acted as the Chairman of the Tender Board during the tenure of senior deputy governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe. The ASG made this observation when Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe was giving evidence on Friday before the Bond Commission under the direction of senior government Attorney at law Shahida Bari.(Manopriya Gunasekera and Ranjan Katugampola)

Suren Batagoda reveals all about coal mafia (video)

May 08, 2017

Interested parties are concerned by recent media reports that the government incurred a Rs. four billion loss in the purchase of coal by the Power and Renewable Energy Ministry. It was extensively discussed by the media, anti-corruption groups and politicians. The ministry and Lanka Coal Company traded accusations. It continued until the most recent incident, the resignation of CEB chairman Anura Wijepala. At all times, the key figure was ministry secretary Dr. Suren Batagoda.

There are accusations and explanations, and since we consider it the duty of the media to report both sides, we had a discussion with Dr. Batagoda about this mafia.

Lanka Coal Company made a serious allegation after its director board was dissolved in view of the recommendations and conclusions in a report submitted by the auditor general on 30 December 2016 to the energy supervisory committee of parliament. It insisted the ministry was to be blamed for a Rs. four billion loss in the purchase of coal. Written evidence has been placed before the media. This issue, that remains unresolved since 2006, haunted the entire country and even leveled serious accusations against the present regime too.

Up to the fifth purchase in 2014, the method of coal purchases has been a failure. It worsened with the sixth procurement.  On the cabinet’s instructions on 04 September, 2014, Lanka Coal started the process to select two suppliers to supply 2,250,000 mt of coal in a four year period. The main challenge was to eliminate the irregularities that existed in the previous purchases. However, that could not be overcome and similar weaknesses existed in the sixth purchase too, with Lanka Coal not rectifying them.

“Certain of Maithri’s deals are without an agreement”

“I’m accused only, I’m not asked why”

Six suppliers – Nobel Resources, Suek AG, Trafigura PTE, Adani Global, Swiss Singapore and Liberty Commodities – were chosen. From them, the technical evaluation committee selected the lowest bidder, Swiss Singapore. According to the secretary, the technical committee, tender board, cabinet, prime minister and the president have all approved the deal. Dr. Batagoda says the coal purchase tender, after six years, has now been brought under a proper procedure.

After the coal purchase fiasco, accusations were leveled against the secretary over the purchase of electricity in emergency situations too. Batagoda says the ministry has made that process methodical, but the media and the others have not conveyed the correct message to the public in that regard. He says the changing hands of state, public owned property among friends at the Power and Renewable Energy Ministry has become a thing of the past.

“Know the truth through the RTI act and speak”

“I ended the monopoly while Maithri tried to protect it”

According to him, Lanka Coal had acted irresponsibly. For certain purchases, it did not have an agreement at least. Authorities can take legal action in such situations. Especially in the controversy surrounding the coal purchases, have the responsible officials acted in an irresponsible manner? If the major foreign companies have committed fraud, how did local authorities react?

Dr. Batagoda explained thus:

“Lanka Coal has not made a single payment properly”

“Is halting theft wrong?”

In the meantime, the secretary says Lanka Coal has not made a single payment properly, and all were paid in excess.

Since the right to information act is in force, anyone can have the right to obtain correct information, he said, adding that this applies to the Power and Renewable Energy Ministry too.

He questioned as to whether it was reasonable to give wrong information to society even as there are provisions to obtain the correct information.

(Ashika Brahmana/Nishantha Priyadarshana)

Our rulers have no concern regarding environment

May 8, 2017

The rulers of this country have no concern regarding the environment, the irregular development that has been carried out by governments during the past 3 to 4 decades have started falling on people’s heads at present says the Member of the Central Committee of the JVP Parliamentarian Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

This was said at a press conference held at the head office of the JVP at Pelawatta today (8th) morning. The Member of the Central Committee Samantha Vidyarathna and former JVP Local Government Councilor and the convener of Organization to Protect Kelani River Basin Asitha Niroshan also participated.

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa addressing the media said, “After this government came to power many decisions regarding local and foreign investment projects that are proposed as necessary for development are taken by the economic management committee. This committee takes decisions and approves projects without any environmental survey or adhering to the advice of the Central Environmental Authority or Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation that decide whether a project is congenial to the masses and the environment. As a result crises have developed at various places. People have commenced struggles to save their lands and environment. The irregular development that has been carried out by governments during the past 3 to 4 decades has started falling on people’s heads at present. This is confirmed from the incidents at Meethotamulla, Meeriyabadda and floods in Kelani Valley. People are being buried and are dying. We of the JVP have taken a special interest in these incidents. We have decided to expose the environmental destruction being carried out by handing over thousands of acres of lands from Monaragala and Badulla districts to companies and draw the attention of the country to it.”
Sugar cane syrup is sweet for rulers & companies but it is bitter for masses – JVP CC Member Samantha Vidyarathna

Mr. Samantha Vidyarathna speaking at the press conference said, “This government is attempting to bring a project the previous government brought to Wellassa Binthenna in 2006 and was unsuccessful. By now cabinet approval has been taken to cultivate sugar cane and arrangements have been made to lay the foundation stone for the factory. In December 2006 then Minister Milroy Fernando had cabinet approval to hand over 65,000 acres from Uva-Wellassa to Booker Tate Company in Britain. It is the same company that opened the Monaragala, Pelwatta sugar factories. In 2006 a people’s campaign began against handing over lands. During the 2006 – 2007 period the government had taken steps to hand over 65,000 acres of lands from Bibile, Medagama, Madulla, Badalkumbura, Rideemaliyadda,

Meegahakivula, Lunugala, Kandaketiya, Padiyathalawa and Mahaoya areas. A massive protest erupted against this move. Scholars and intellectuals signed public petitions. We, as the JVP, held a day’s debate in Parliament. It was Minister Dharmadasa Banda who was in charge of the project. The project that was halted then has been given life again.

The local agent of this project is I.M.S. Holdings, the same company that was involved in the project previous time. However, the government is making an attempt to conceal the involvement of Booker Tate Company in the project. The project proposes cultivation of sugar cane, Guinea grass and forming milk villages. Instead of the 65,000 acres proposed in the first project this time it is proposed to have 62,500 acres. Companies in Thailand and China too are mentioned. In the earlier project it had been proposed to include lands from Nilgala reserve, Galoya reserve and Maduruoya reserve. Now, Galoya and Nilgala have been dropped and lands will be made available from Maduruoya reserve.

Due to agitations the government had to pay attention. Committees were appointed to make investigations. A field survey was conducted in March, 2006. According to this survey the request by I.M.S. Holdings to have lands from Nilgala, Galoya an Maduruoya was rejected.

However, 373 acres from Maduruoya reserve that was proposed to be given then has been included in the new project. The officials of Forest Department refused to allow this land to be included in the project. However, the government has compiled various reports in a bid to lease out the lands. No money has been received for the lands given to Dole company in the USA.

The aim of the project is to make farmers labourers in company lands. Sugarcane plant needs a lot of water. Having large sugarcane plantations will create shortage of water to the area. Sugar cane may be sweet to the rulers and companies but it is bitter for the people.”

Responding to questions posed by journalists Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said, “The mandate received by this government was to punish fraudsters and the corrupt. FCID was established according to the mandate Mr. Maithripala Sirisena received. It helped in the investigation process. Initially the FCID worked efficiently. However, at present it has been affected due to political interferences. Filing cases against fraudsters and the corrupt got delayed. Documents regarding certain fraudsters were taken to the Prime Minister’s office. Now the political influence has intensified and there is an attempt to close it down. The government, without stopping at that, has started slandering the officers that served in the FCID. The government has cast aside the mandate it received and is moving on a path of its own.

When the government came to power it said it would minimize waste. It criticized the fleet of about 1500 vehicles former President had. They also talked about the burden of the massive cabinet of the former President. However, the present government on several occasions has presented supplementary estimates to bring down vehicles for ministers. Once Rs. 1190 million was allocated in a supplementary estimate to bring down vehicles for ministers. On another occasion another Rs.570 million was allocated. Now, again a supplementary estimate for Rs. 330 million has been presented to buy vehicles for a few more ministers. Earlier, Rs. 600 million was allocated to bring two bullet proof vehicles for the Prime Minister. Rs.600 million was again allocated to get down vehicles for the President. This government too suffers from the same vehicle craze the former government had. The government that hesitates to give Rs.100,000 compensation for a death at Meethotamulla spends millions to satisfy its vehicle craze.

We don’t say an MP should use a three wheeler or a bullock cart. Every MP is given a permit to import a luxury vehicle. Despite having such vehicles they want to spend Rs. 30 to 45 million of public money to get down luxury vehicles. The Prime Minister always talks about the debt burden. The Minister of Finance spends millions to publish advertisements to make people aware of the debt burden. However, billions are spent to bring down vehicles for ministers. This waste cannot be stopped until ministers’ vehicle craze is cured.”

Top 5 things Lankan Buddhists shouldn’t do!

Tuesday, 9 May 2017

Buddha statue (death pose), Gal Viharaya, Polonnaruva – Pic by Samadara Ginige

I was born a Buddhist. As most Buddhist children would, I too learned the institutional-religious system. I’ve moved beyond that, and now trying to understand its core scientific explanation of life, the life Gautama Buddha and how Buddhism relates to everyday life.

I have studied other religions and have consciously decided to be a Buddhist. For a nation that has been designed for millennia based on Buddhism, our people (disclaimer: not all) do some really stupid things. Here are the top 5:

1. Wishing “Budu Saranai!” (May you have the protection of Buddha)

First of all, Gautama Buddha is no more. It is believed he died some 2,500 years ago. His mortal body was cremated. He will never return. He will not be resurrected. He’s not living in some spirit form. Nirvana is not some celestial paradise the enlightened ones go after death.

In fact the very reason Siddhartha Gautama left his kingdom in search of salvation is to put an absolute end to the cycle of re-formation. So the Buddha doesn’t exist and therefore cannot protect you. In fact Buddha teaches that “the only one can protect you is yourself”. Only a fool would wish somebody “BS” (the abbreviated form of Budu Saranai often used at the end of a text message…) or for somebody to expect and pray for the protection of Buddha.

Worshipping Buddha out of respect for his teachings is one thing, but praying to a statue is meaningless. The highest level of this stupidity is demonstrated when people put up a board with the words “Budu Saranai” on half-built houses or buildings. What are they expecting? Buddha to secretly build the house? Give me a break!

2. Expecting protection from chanting Buddha’s teachings

We all know that the majority of the Lankan Buddhists, young and old, doesn’t know the meaning of the verses they chant over and over. They are in Pali language and most of us don’t know Pali. So what we are actually doing, is chanting some words in a language we don’t know, without knowing what those words actually mean, and expecting protection from the act of chanting. Can it get any more stupid than that?

Loud chanting must have been a necessity during and after Buddha’s life in order to teach and to pass the teachings from generation to generation, until it was written down. Yet, here we are chanting “pirith” on radio, on television, on loudspeakers, at religious activities without knowing what on earth they mean. If only we try to learn Pali or read the Sinhala translations would we understand the actual meaning of the teachings. It is an absolute mockery for a reasonable Buddhist to expect rain from chanting anything!

3. Eating meat right after wishing ‘May all animals be happy!’

Lankan Buddhists are the worst type of hypocrites of all religious people. They would find weird excuses and mind-boggling arguments to eat meat, that even if Gautama Buddha did exist in some spirit form in the land of Nirvana, would make him laugh like the laughing Buddha (two different subjects).

One of the corner stones of Buddhism is utmost compassion to all animals. It is so much so that Buddha teaches that one must have “Karuna” (a combination of love, kindness and compassion) to all animals in the same way that a “mother would love her only child”.

There’s no way a reasonable Buddhist knowingly eat meat after shouting out the verses claiming to have that much of compassion to all animals anywhere and everywhere (yes, fish is meat; yes, dried-fish is meat; yes, salmon is meat…). Actually a real Buddhist must act against all forms of animal cruelty. Please save your convoluted, misinterpreted, nonsensical arguments. A special mention about the Buddhist monks who knowingly and sometimes by request eat meat – you are nothing but fakes.

4. Fighting for ancient religious sites “after” Muslims occupy them

Lankan Buddhists are funny creatures. We have some of the world’s most fascinating Buddhist archaeological sites scattered all over the country. We haven’t even excavated or preserved most of them. But the ones which are at least somewhat preserved are being polluted and neglected. There are thousands of sites with ruins of a Stupa or a monastery with broken statues and stone pillars which are just neglected and left to further ruin.

But when some Muslims for their own stupid reasons go and occupy one of those sites, Lankan Buddhists get all worked up. Nobody would’ve occupied anything if we took care of those places in the first place!

 

5. Removing preference to Buddhism from the Lankan Constitution

When we have a thousand and one more important things to do, some people want to remove a clause from our Constitution. Leaving aside the political debate, I would like to point out how stupid the whole thing is. What does it really mean when the Government is required to give the foremost place to Buddhism? At the least it should implement the basic precepts of Buddhism.

If the clause is in effect, then the Government should ban slaughtering of animals, eradicate corruption and theft from top to bottom, implement severe punishments to all forms sexual harassment, ban production and selling of alcohol and tobacco products, none of which are even remotely done here.

If the leaders of the country are following the constitutional clause, they will never deceive the people, they will not be stealing public money, they will not import luxury vehicles over and over, they will not brag about how many women they slept with, they will behave decently and will operate on the moral values of love, compassion, generosity and tolerance. That clause was never implemented since the day it was written. Because if it was, we would be in a whole lot better place.

The best thing that can happen to Sri Lanka right now is Lankan Buddhists having a hard reality check, more like a hard reality slap. Buddhism in Sri Lanka has become a joke. It’s governed by some Laissez-faire chief monks we only see on television when politicians visit them at their high-chambers. Most of the ordinary monks speak nonsense in their preaching. Most temples have become business operations. Politicians abuse Buddhist sentiments. Extreme fractions are fighting senseless battles. Buddhists have become the worst enemy of the Muslims.

Catholic pastors are preaching Buddhism while singing songs. Young monks are jumping over fences to protest against the Government. More meat and alcohol are sold than usual on the day before a Buddhist holiday. Sunday newspapers are filled with classifieds from witches and spin-doctors. And one mad man is hoodwinking the people claiming to be the new Buddha while acting on a lame music video with a glow around his head added by Adobe After Effects! What kind of a stupid version of Buddhism is this?

What did I miss? Write them in your comments.

(All opinions in this article are of the writer.)