Sri Lankan Tamils openly mark anniversary of war's end

Sri-Lankan-Tamils-take-part-in-a-ceremony-at-Mullaivaukkal-on-the-outskirts-of-Jaffna-in-commemoration-of-those-who-died-six-years-ago-in-battles-between-Liberation-Tigers-of-Tamil-Eelam-LTTE-fighters-and-government-troops-at-the-end-of-the-three-decades-old-separatist-conflict-AFP-Photo

 May 18, 2015

Sri Lankan Tamils openly commemorated their war dead for the first time on Monday, the sixth anniversary of the end of the island's decades-long civil conflict.

Hundreds of Tamils lit oil lamps and gave offerings of flowers during a ceremony in Mullivaikkal village that was held openly for the first time after the country's new government lifted a ban on commemorating Tamil victims.

Mullivaikkal is the northern village where Tamil Tiger rebels fought their last stand after 37 years of war, but for years, villagers were unable to mark the anniversary.

The military declared an end to the bloodshed when it finally killed Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran at a lagoon on the edge of the village on May 18, 2009, ending his long campaign for a separate homeland for ethnic minority Tamils.

The United Nations estimates that some 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the district that includes Mullivaikkal where they had fled after the government declared it a safe area.

New President Maithripala Sirisena has vowed to pursue reconciliation efforts with Sri Lanka's Tamil minority more vigorously than predecessor Mahinda Rajapakse, a hardline Sinhalese nationalist who oversaw the crushing of the rebels.

However Suresh Premachandran, a lawmaker with the Tamil National Alliance party, noted that processions to commemorate the dead were still banned, and criticised the Sirisena regime for not going far enough.

"The new government tells the international community that they are treating the Tamils with dignity. But they get court orders to prevent Tamils from remembering their dead," Premachandran told AFP by phone from Mullivaikkal.

While some commemorations by Tamils are now allowed, street processions and protests to commemorate the dead are banned due to a court order.

Sirisena will on Tuesday oversee a military parade, the state's main commemorations for the end of the war.

This year's events are set to be more low-key than in previous years. The name "Victory Parade" has been dropped in favour of "Armed Forces Day".

FACING SRI LANKA’S GHOSTS; WITH THOUSANDS STILL MISSING, SRI LANKA’S POSTWAR PROGRESS COMES TO A HALT.

By Devon Haynie .-19/05/2017

VAVUNIYA, Sri Lanka — At some point during its brutal 26 years, the Sri Lankan civil war brought terror or loss to virtually everyone in the country. For Kasipillai Jeyavanitha, a mother of four, the defining moment of the conflict came in March 2009, just two months before the war ended eight years ago today.

She and her family were among thousands of civilians who had been living in the rebel-held territory, and who now found themselves trapped inside a conflict zone as the military made its final, terrifying advance on the group that had fought for her people’s independence.

FACING SRI LANKA’S GHOSTS; WITH THOUSANDS STILL MISSING, SRI LANKA’S POSTWAR PROGRESS COMES TO A HALT..docx... by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

Mullivaikkaal remembrance at Trincomalee human rights organisation

18 May  2017

The Tamil victims of the massacre during the final stages of the war were remembered in Trincomalee at a human rights centre.

The tributary flame was lit by Sabthami Sivanesan, a young girl who survived the horrors of Mullivaikkaal.

Sri Lanka: Anti-Terror Bill Revives Concerns of Abuse

Draft Law Falls Far Short of Colombo’s Pledges to United Nations

May 18, 2017 5:09

(New York) – Sri Lanka’s latest counterterrorism bill falls far short of the government’s pledges to the United Nations Human Rights Council to end abusive detention without charge, Human Rights Watch said today. The Cabinet approved the third draft of the Counter Terrorism Act (CTA) on May 3, 2017, but no parliamentary vote has been set.

While the bill improves upon the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), it would still permit many of the abuses occurring under current law, and raises a number of new concerns. To meet its promises to the Human Rights Council, the government should reject any counterterrorism legislation that is not in accordance with international best practices.

“Sri Lanka’s counterterrorism bill buries its abusive intent under detailed procedures, but it still won’t protect people from wrongful detention,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “While some provisions could prevent abuses, the fundamental danger of prolonged detention without charge remains. This isn’t what UN member countries sought when they agreed that Sri Lanka would reform its security laws.”

UN member countries and the EU need to be pressing Colombo to fully abide by its pledges to the Human Rights Council. 

Brad Adams

Asia Director

Recent interviews by Human Rights Watch found that torture remains endemic throughout Sri Lanka, including through the use of the PTA. Those arrested under the PTA, including since the war ended in 2009, gave accounts of torture and mistreatment, forced confessions, and denial of basic rights such as access to lawyers or family members.

As part of its undertakings for security sector reform at the Human Rights Council in October 2015, the Sri Lankan government pledged to repeal and replace the PTA. Several provisions under the proposed counterterrorism law are improvements, such as greater detainee access to counsel, entry of magistrates and Human Rights Commission officers to detention facilities, and reporting requirements that could help prevent enforced disappearances.

However, a number of provisions are likely to facilitate human rights abuses. Of particular concern are the bill’s broad and vague definitions of terrorist acts, which include a wide array of illegal conduct. The suspect needs to have acted with a terrorist purpose, but this broadly includes “intimidat[ing] a population” and threatening “the unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, national security or defence of Sri Lanka” – which could be found to include peaceful political activity or protest. While the draft law enumerates procedural safeguards, it is weak on demonstrating the manner in which they can be effectively implemented.

As with the PTA, under the proposed law police and military officers may make arrests without a warrant. Suspects may be detained without charge for 12 months, a reduction from the 18 months permitted under the PTA. Bail is only to be granted for exceptional reasons.

The bill also prohibits a range of conduct with “Proscribed Terrorist Organizations” that violate the right to freedom of association. If enacted, the law would prohibit ordinary dealings with many ethnic Tamil organizations, including those based abroad, that were declared illegal during the armed conflict and remain so, even if during or since the war they never engaged in any terrorist activity.

“The latest counterterrorism bill brings Sri Lanka no closer to having a law that will genuinely respect the rights of suspects,” Adams said. “UN member countries and the EU need to be pressing Colombo to fully abide by its pledges to the Human Rights Council.”

Do hospitalized patients get proper nutrition?

May 19, 2017

Everyone has the right to have an adequate diet. That applies to hospitalized patients as well. However, it remains a question as to whether the meals given to patients at state-run hospitals in Sri Lanka are adequate.

Normally, the hospital’s nutritionist should approve the menu for the patients, as it varies on the nature of illness of each and every patient. However, the Colombo National Hospital has only two menus. According to reports reaching us, one is for patients with diabetes, and the other is for patients who are not diabetic.

Kidney patients too, are given a normal diet

The CNH also supplies meals for the renal hospital at Maligawatte. Its residential patients are given a normal diet. Kidney patients are sensitive to the food and drinks they consume. Therefore, they should be given what they eat and drink very carefully.  For example, other patients should be given a piece of fish weighing 80 grams per patient, but for a kidney patient, it is only 18 grams, as approved at state hospitals.

Only the Kandy General Hospital provides a separate menu for kidney patients. So does, the IDH at Mulleriyawa, where there are 30 menus for the month.

Another question is if the patients are given the required quantity of food. Also, suppliers commit various irregularities. Reports reaching us say fish is supplied to the CNH mixed with between seven and 10 kilos of ice cubes. The weight of the ice cubes is added to the weight of the amount of fish. This adversely affects the nutrition of the patients. State hospitals are patronized by average citizens, while the affluent ones go to private hospitals. They are run with the tax money of the public, and we hope responsible authorities will pay attention to these matters.

-K. Wijayawardena-

By the Votive Candle

GROUNDVIEWS on 05/19/2017

Machan, I wish I could give you another poem
but even poetry does not console enough before
the loss of a dream. You were just in Sri Lanka
and visited the North. Can you tell me what
you found? Are people reconciled to occupation?
Will independence movements start up again?
I noticed the Chief Minister marking Mullivaikkal
on the day and with three minutes of silence.
What more, or what less, can we do, aging abroad
about that dreamscape which remains part
of the contiguous land now called Sri Lanka?

May 18, 2017

Image courtesy Ruki Fernando. Groundviews was sent this poem by a reader who wished to be anonymous.

Peratugami University students defy court order and suffer : Children of Peratugami leader and Wijeweera are studying in Australia !

(Lanka-e-News- 19.May.2017, 7.45AM)  It is a well and widely known fact the Padeniya group is most stubbornly refusing to accept every just and reasonable solution offered by the government regarding the private medical College issue because it is driven by most villainous ulterior motives .Under the cover of SAITM , before staging their next odious strike against which public protests are mounting rapidly , the Padeniya group used the Peratugami Inter University student  federation members as tools to do their sordid biddings – that is to stage protests in Colombo on the  16th. When these students staged a protest  march  on the 16 th the police had to use tear gas to disperse the protestors.

The group including Lahiru Chaturanga Weerasekera the convener of the students federation , Rayan Jayalath the convener of the medical faculty student federation , Tampitiye Sugananda ( robed monk)  convener  of Bhikkhu inter university federation , and their supporters were issued an injunction order by the Colombo chief magistrate Lal Ranasinghe prohibiting them from going in procession on the 16 th in front of and around the national hospital , Eye hospital and higher education  ministry which could obstruct the daily activities of the public or cause a breach of the peace. 

When Tampitiye Sugananda was handed over the court order by the police , he most contemptuously threw it down and trampled it . In addition he went on the unlawful protest march (photo depicts how Tampitiye Sugananda trampled the court order) .

The protestors started their march from near the Fort railway station .  The police however without  dispersing the crowd  at the outset idly watched and allowed the protestors to march up  to Town Hall . After the tear gassing , the protestors marched into the Victoria park . Unfortunately when the tear gas attack  targeted the park , the park visitors were most inconvenienced. 

Following the police tear gassing 15 times , 21 casualties were hospitalized , and 10 were arrested.

Puerile Lahiru Weerasekera who villainously violated the court order , when  speaking to the  media said like a great hero ,  he  and his group are accustomed to tear gas and baton attacks, while adding with great pride  their journey cannot be stopped by bomb attacks and  shooting .

The court issues a  restraining  order … The Peratugami goes in procession in defiance, and the court issues an order again. One of the two should only take place. But when both actions take place on and on , it is evident the court and  civilized society are obviously being made court jesters.

Student leaders should become students’  heroes , but what kind of heroes ? As heroes of the Higher education who secured the best benefits from it  ? Or heroes who reaped the benefits  and then ruined those? 

In recent history , not a single convener of the Inter University students federation  acquired a doctorate, let alone a post graduate qualification. After spending a number of years more , they just managed to acquire the basic degree  qualification.

Neither have they been able to secure a respectable post nor have they  commanded respect in their lives. Some others failed even to make a success of their simple lives , not to mention their  failing to pass the basic degree exam. H.B. Herath , Sirisena, Upali , Dharmasiri are some of the past conveners who are failures with  whom the writer has close friendly ties. Though all of them were personally ‘good’ individuals , owing to their taking the wrong road they wrecked their lives prematurely .They meeting their Waterloo  following a  disaster or bizarre involvement  was  inevitable.

While the children of Peratugami leader and Wijeweera are learning in private Institutions in Australia , their followers  - the foolish children who are agitating to close the private education Institutions are  wreaking havoc on their own education and falling victims to tear gas attacks , only to destroy their future and precious lives. It is such immature minds that are misled by these so called leaders.

If these foolish immature students who fell victims to the tear gas attack take the trouble to carefully preserve the last paragraphs of this article , and read it again after 10 or 20 years , they will irrespective of what opinion they formed today , are certainly going to pay glowing tributes to us  lighting oil lamps after having realized the prediction of Lanka e news made today is indeed true.

By - Chandra Pradeep

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by     (2017-05-19 02:27:21)

Hope Hospital, Maharagama promotes smoking!

May 19, 2017

Hope Hospital in Maharagama is an institution dedicated to the treatment and prevention of cancer, with around 2,500 patients being treated at its outpatient department a day. However, it has now become a place that promotes smoking and betel chewing, reports say.

Certain minor employees of the hospital do smoking at the premises in violation of circulars that ban smoking during duty hours. Also, the persons who are looking after the residential patients for a fee too, do likewise. All these are despite the posters being displayed on hospital walls that discourage smoking and betel chewing.

 

Oral cancer is the most common form of cancer among Sri Lankans. The main reasons attributed to that is smoking and betel chewing, doctors say. 

Another blatant attack

Saturday, 20 May 2017

Another attack, another blatant act of vandalism on a place of worship. Such attacks getting pretty regular and normal in Sri Lanka by the day sans any visible enforcement of the law to apprehend miscreants and bring them to justice. This time it’s the Kohilawatte Mosque in Sedawatte that is attacked sans any provocation. A wanton attack with considerable damage to property.

Muslims world over eagerly preparing in anticipation of welcoming the blessed month of Ramadan which is just around the corner. This preparation taking place at every level among Muslims all over the world. Usually mosques undertake minor refurbishments this time around.

A fresh coating of paint is pretty standard coupled with other space related needs. All this in preparation to provide congregants a better atmosphere for their daily acts of worship during the blessed month. It’s also a desire to accommodate as many and facilitate their acts of worship. We just witnessed similar acts of renovation and accommodation in anticipation of Vesak. The objective very much similar.

Sawm or fasting is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims required to fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During the 29/30 days of Ramadan all adult Muslims must give up the following things during the hours of daylight: Food or drink of any sort, smoking, including passive smoking and all forms of legitimate sexual activity. Most importantly considerable portions of time spent in the mosque anticipating huge rewards.

It seems some have different ideas, sinister ideas. The Kohilawatte Mosque is attacked with stones and clubs in broad daylight by the all too familiar “unidentified” group. Resulting in extensive damage to property. Police had said no arrests had been made. If the past is something to go by there will be none.

Successive governments despite lofty pronouncements of freedom of religion and much hackneyed phrases such as “striving to” uphold the constitution have got themselves totally disrobed. They don’t seem to have any shame exposing themselves and remaining totally and clearly naked. Bogged down in the “democratic dilemma” conscious only of numbers and nothing else, they’ve lost it “all”. It seems everything boils down to the wicked numbers game and this is the truth.

None dare to choke the majority even if unending immorality seem to trickle from them till dooms day. Any corrective measure will be politically inexpedient, disadvantageous if not suicidal to the two main political parties. So minority places of worship have to be attacked, congregants intimidated, assaulted if not murdered for Sri Lanka’s democracy is to flourish.

It seems human blood sacrifice is mandatory to nourish Sri Lanka’s democracy. Law enforcement officers need to be pinioned while saffron-clad disciples of Lord Buddha are allowed to spew a verbal torrent directed at any group of their choice. Hurling some of the choicest words using a distinct style on well-groomed ASPs, SPs and other senior Police officers who dare not whimper. Long live Sri Lanka’s democracy.

Just as when we thought that the universalisation of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government. It was indeed a heady time. The Berlin Wall had fallen, the Soviet Bloc collapsed and the United States had become the world’s unrivaled superpower. Since then colorful Donald Trump had ascended, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, an absolute shocker, and minorities terrorised in Sri Lanka to sustain majority rule there. Democracy has indeed undergone tremendous vicissitudes.

Just a couple of years ago three Muslims were killed and scores injured in clashes with hardline Buddhists in Aluthgama and Beruwala. The incident occurred with the involvement of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS, ‘Forces of Buddhist Power’), a hardline violent ethnic Sinhala Buddhist organisation with links to the then Government. These were not isolated incidents but well planned to support a particular party and a candidate.

Obviously there remain huge gaps in terms of legal action against perpetrators of religious violence and discrimination. This has become increasingly apparent. This is despite the fact that the Sri Lankan Constitution totally and fully guarantees the right to equality, non-discrimination, and freedom of religion. This includes choice of religion and religious worship, From November 2015 until the end of June 2016, 64 incidents of religious freedom violations against Muslims were documented in 13 districts across Sri Lanka. Hate speech constitutes the most common form of violation, comprising more than half of all reported incidents. The majority of violations against Muslims during the period were perpetrated by Buddhist nationalist groups.

The Yahapalanaya Government has to urgently and immediately address the different disconnections in the web of national administration and project its strength if it’s to survive and prevent a major backlash. There is a powder keg that’s being built and unfortunately no proper leadership seem  to stridently articulate the inherent dangers and consequences so ominously hovering above.

Human life is sacred and right to worship any religion must be sincerely guaranteed to all Sri Lankans and with absolute protection.

Let’s eschew the politics of numbers and pursue the politics of soundness.

The Fate Of Another Muslim Child Marriage

By Shreen Abdul Saroor –MAY 19, 2017

In one of the worst cases of domestic violence in recent times, F.S a young 18 year old Muslim girl is currently battling life threatening injuries after being tied to a chair, poured oil and set on fire by her abusive husband last Friday. She was four months pregnant and lost her baby. She is also the young mother of a 7-month old baby.

F.S is also a victim of forced child marriage, which is legal for Sri Lankan Muslims. She was 16 years old when was taken to the Nallanthaluwa Kodi Palli Mosque in Munthal, Puttalam and forced to marry Mohamed Imran who was 22 years old. Marrying against her will, F.S did not know that Imran was already married twice before and she was his third wife. She never received a marriage certificate as the nikah was not registered by the men officiating the marriage ceremony.

F.S faced serious physical abuse and psychological trauma after the marriage and had reached out to a colleague a month ago asking for information in obtaining a divorce via the Quazi courts, but never came back again. Later it was learnt that she also went to the police who mediated and reconciled F.S and her husband and sent her back to him, despite grave danger of further abuse.

After the attempted murder of his wife, Mohamed Imran took away their 7 month-old baby threatening her that if she reported the incident as being his fault that he would harm the baby as well. F.S. in her moments of waking consciousness was concerned only about her baby. Fortunately the baby is now safe with other family members but Mohamed Imran is on the run from the police.

It is unbearable to see the young lives of Sri Lankan Muslim women being destroyed because of the lack of legal protection of their rights. F.S was both a victim of her husband but also a victim of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) and the Constitution, which does not (yet) protect her rights. What did this child do to deserve this fate? Was it her fault that she was born Muslim in Sri Lanka?

For Muslims, marriage by male guardians without consent of bride, child marriage, forced polygamy, non-registration of marriages is legal and thus both her husband, the legal system and State is responsible for what happened to F.S. Imran Mohamed was like many other husbands – an abusive man who believed he had a privilege and power over his wife. However the gaps in the legal system and the discriminatory loopholes in the MMDA helped him become the perpetrator that he became. Laws are meant to protect rights, not promote abuse.

F.S’s case is also reflective of the deep flaws we have with addressing domestic violence in Sri Lanka. What use are the police if they are sending women back to their abusers and murderers? How many more Sri Lankan women are living with grave dangers within their homes unable to seek support and redress because the system is so hell bent to save marriage instead of save lives? As with MMDA reforms, a review and reform of how the overall justice system is dealing with gender-based violence in Sri Lanka is long overdue.

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If country is subordinated to party, and you are becoming a fiend, we have insecticides for it – 51 UNP backbenchers warn president ! (video)

(Lanka-e-News- 19.May.2017, 7.45AM) If the president is kowtowing to the defeated politicians ,and heeding their words subordinating the country , while also  neglecting the  UNP,  and building his party , it is best the 51 UNP backbenchers instead of being with him , leave him , and stand erect ,  Puttalam UNP M.P. Asoka Priyantha said  issuing  a red alert signal to Maithripala Sirisena .

Asoka Priyantha made this revelation at a media briefing held at the Estate laborers auditorium, Rajagiriya  on the 17 th. Commenting further he elaborated thus : 

The defeated political leaders  are seeking after they are  discarded , to curry favor  with the government , infiltrate into it and capture power , we cannot allow that to happen. We the  51 UNP backbenchers are there to rescue the government . To us , first the country ,secondly the party , thirdly the individual .Whereas the president and the defeated MPs reckon the country which should be primary and paramount as second , and have put the party before it . If that is their view and are seeking to rescue the party , we as a group of M.P.s  shall stand erect .

We are prepared to go on the journey with anybody who was not with us on 2015-01-08 and 2015 -08 -17 and be friends  and relatives , but when they become foes and fiends , we have super quality insecticides for it.

What we  are expecting is  to maintain the respect and dignity of the UNP party which worked with commitment to propel the good governance government to victory. On the other hand if the president is heeding and listening to the  defeated politicos without taking that into account ,  we are bound to take a decision.

At this juncture what is paramount is not a cabinet re shuffle , rather fulfilling the pledges made to the masses , as well as  introducing a new constitution, Asoka Priyantha M.P. exhorted .

Hereunder is the video footage of Asoka Priyantha’s full speech 

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by     (2017-05-19 02:22:48)

Two Sri Lankan women gone missing in Saudi Arabia

May 19, 2017

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment seek information about two women migrated to Saudi Arabia who are believed to have gone missing for over a year.

The family members, unable to trace their loved ones have lodged a complaint at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) hoping that the search could be expedited. The SLBFE has launched an investigation to search the whereabouts of these persons through the Sri Lankan mission in Saudi Arabia.

 D.M. Karunawathi is one of the women whose whereabouts cannot be traced. Karunawathi, hailing for Bibile, has migrated to Saudi Arabia in 2008. Periyasami Mutthu Mariamma is the other woman the SLBFE is seeking information. She is from Pundaluoya and has migrated to Saudi Arabia in 2012.

 The SLBFE requests the public to forward any information available with them about these persons which would be highly supportive of their search inquiry. The public can reach the SLBFE to forward the information through 0094 11 4379328.

 A few days earlier, the SLBFE, in collaboration with the Foreign Employment Ministry, managed to trace the whereabouts of a woman who went missing in Saudi Arabia for 14 years. The woman, T.M. Sriyakanthi from Ethiliwewa, Weherayaya who migrated to Saudi Arabia in 2002 as a domestic assistant, had been unable to communicate with her family due to the harsh restrictions of her employer. She reached Sri Lanka on May 16, 2017 and with the intervention of the authorities and the diplomatic mission she received her due salary worth 81,050 Riyal, according to the information of the Ministry of Foreign Employment.

CIABOC reduced to a mere name board, says ACF

‘All including yahapalana horu must be punished’

Tennakoon

By Shamindra Ferdinando-May 19, 2017, 10:39 pm 

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has been weakened to such an extent that the outfit is now useless, the Anti-Corruption Front (ACF) says.

Advisor to the ACF Rajith Tennakoon addressing the media at ACF office at Welikadawatte, Rajagiriya, on Thursday asserted that the situation had deteriorated following the resignation of Director General Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe in Oct last year.

Wickramasinghe quit as the CIABOC DG close on the heels of a public statement President Maithripala Sirisena made, denouncing the outfit.

Wickremasinghe assumed duties as the new Director General of CIABOC on Feb 12, 2015.

Tennakoon said they, too, had accused Wickremasinghe of failing to fulfil her obligations but since her, the CIABOC had become what it used to be during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency. "The CIABOC is just a name board today. We are ashamed of yahapalana rulers’ failure to take meaningful measures to tackle corruption."

Ven. Ulapone Sumangala, attorney-at-law Chrishmal Warnasuriya, former Director General Administration, Parliament Lacille de Silva and former President of the Ceylon Bank Employees Union Rusiripala Tennakoon endorsed Tennakoon’s call to establish special court to hear corruption cases as promised over two years back.

Except Rusiripala, others campaigned for the change of government at January 2015 presidential polls.

Tennakoon urged President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to establish a special court without further delay.

He blamed the government for not extending the tenure of Secretary to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources, and Privileges (PRECIFAC) Lacille de Silva.

Alleging that de Silva’s removal in March 2016 had undermined the PRECIFAC, Tennakkon said they were not satisfied with the status of investigations undertaken by that outfit. "Today, PRECIFAC, too, is just a name board. We are really disappointed and embarrassed."

Alleging that the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat, functioning under the Prime Minister’s Office, was being starved of resources, Tennakoon said that outfit would also end up being a mere name board before long.

The ACF Advisor flayed the government for not setting up a special court to hear corruption cases though Cabinet approval obtained over two years ago. The civil society activist said that the judiciary had failed to vigorously prosecute corruption cases while the Attorney General Department, too, was holding up investigations.

None of those responsible for the Central Bank bond scam had yet to be punished, Tennakoon said, noting that CBSL officials had revealed sensitive documents, hidden audit inquiries and the one who had facilitated the bond scam had stayed put.

Calling the Power and Renewable Energy Ministry Sri Lanka’s most corrupt ministry, Tennakoon alleged its Secretary Suren Batagoda was expected to receive a promotion soon.

Shocking revelations made at the Presidential Commission probing the bond scams underscored the pathetic state of affairs. It would be important to keep in mind that the Commission was still inquiring into the bond scam perpetrated on Feb. 27, 2015 and second bond racket in March 2016 remains to be investigated.

Tennakoon said those who had switched allegiance to President Maithripala Sirisena after serving the former President were enjoying life today. They had simply avoided investigations by joining yahapalana government, he alleged.

Petroleum trade unions now striking with all the might did not have that might in 2012 -when innocent Anthony was murdered using the forces for protesting against kerosene price hike !

(Lanka-e-News- 19.May.2017, 7.45AM)   Several  trade unions of the Petroleum Corporation have threatened to stage  ‘terrorist strikes’  thereby terrorizing the people once again.

We identify  these as “ terrorist strikes” because these are absolutely  in violation of the World labor convention  governing strikes of workers . This is because by a letter yesterday they have threatened “ it will be an uninterrupted strike without giving sufficient notice .”

If a genuine strike is to be staged, that should follow only when discussions have failed , and after due notification . ‘So called strikes shall be staged so as the Institution is not made to collapse’ is what the World International  labor convention stipulates. Strikes that cause collapse of Institutions are identified as destructive actions of trade unions.
 
By that token , the unions of the Petroleum Corporation by threatening ‘without prior notice an uninterrupted strike will be staged’, had clearly  indicated  it is a terrorist  destructive action and not a genuine trade union action 

Moreover the reasons adduced  by them for the strike are absolutely ludicrous and ridiculous,     betraying  their ignorance and uneducated  nature .  This became  manifest when they based  their demand on what  is utterly irrelevant- against  the memorandum of understanding between the two countries that was signed by the P.M. when he recently toured India. One of the agreements  among those  signed was the development of the Trincomalee oil tank jointly by the two countries .The trade unions concluding the memorandum of understanding  is contradictory to their demands is most stupid.

The most comical part of the terrorist strike tragi-comedy  is :When a memorandum of understanding is signed between two countries , it becoming unlawful because it is not signed to suit the  personal agendas of the union leaders .

If the agreement that is not signed  by the leaders of the two countries is to become law , certainly that should be sanctioned by the parliament or the cabinet of those countries. When such sanctions are being granted , it is most likely changes may be effected to the  agreement .

On the contrary , the aforementioned memorandum of understanding has still not become law and is still  not a certainty. The  cabinet approval has not yet been given to it. In such circumstances , the threat ‘ we shall strike without giving notice’   is a ‘terrorist strike’ threat and not a legitimate  trade union strike threat.
 
Moreover , if the new government is to honor its undertakings it gave to its people , it has to necessarily develop the country according to new agreements. They have a legitimate right and a people’s mandate towards  that. Trade unions going beyond the people’s mandate and seeking political demands are to deprive themselves of their own legitimacy.

It is however most shocking the SLFP trade union  of the Petroleum corporation affiliated to the SLFP party of which Maithripala Sirisena is the leader also being among the other trade unions which are threatening to strike without prior notice  .The inference that can be drawn form this is  ,either Maithripala is impeding the memorandum of understanding signed by the P.M.  or he is through his trade union trying to voluntarily get himself thrashed with the tail of the Sting Ray fish.

The ‘terrorist strike’  letter of threat of the trade unions of the Petroleum Corporation is hereunder

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by     (2017-05-19 02:31:47)

Time for civil society to act on the solid waste disposal problem 

Friday, 19 May 2017

Sometimes there are events which compel you to take action. The tragedy of Meethotamulla is one such. In spite of all the available knowledge on solid waste management and all foreign sites visited and workshops attended by officials, a mountain of garbage was allowed to collapse on a community killing many people, right in our backyard in Colombo.

Since the tragedy, several of us have been brainstorming what we could do besides occasionally writing about the topic or wringing our hands in frustration. After many discussions we decided to get more organised, because the status quo may continue if we don’t.

Campaign for sustainable solid

waste disposal 

The campaign was formalised on 14 May in recognition of the one month anniversary of Meethotamulla. It is a joint effort by LIRNEasia, Sarvodaya and the Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities to find solutions for disposing our waste without harming people or the environment.

There are many commendable efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle waste at the source, but very little attention is paid to the regulation of waste disposal sites. The campaign hopes to fill that void. The present partnership is only a start. We need other like-minded individuals and organisations to come on board. Following is a working set of goals, objectives, and activities.

Goals and objectives

The ultimate goal is it to ensure that we have the infrastructure and regulatory framework, at national, provincial or regional level, necessary for sustainable solid waste disposal. Goals are lofty ideals. Measurable objectives help one stay on course.

The short-term objective being considered by the campaign is to ensure that waste is disposed without causing harm to the people or the environment in at least one local authority by 14 April 2018, one year after the Meethotamulla tragedy.

We are confident of achieving this objective because some local authorities already have access to more or less sanitary landfill sites. Our partnerships allow us identify bottlenecks at provincial or national level, help to introduce new by-laws as necessary, and have an active civil society to monitor the progress in a selected set of those.

The lessons we learn about policy, political, administrative or social barriers to the proper disposal of waste in these local authorities will be invaluable for our long term goal of a more comprehensive solution.

Why focus on solid waste disposal?

During 2008-2010, LIRNEasia carried out an action research project on ‘knowledge to innovation in solid waste management at local authorities in Sri Lanka’. The project was centred on the 3R concept or the “reduce-reuse-recycle” concept, and the science, technology and police issues around it. A valuable lesson we learned through our research is the need to balance 3R initiatives with final-disposal facilities for waste that cannot be recycled.

Every country, even Sweden (the current exemplar in solid-waste management) began with zero recycling and 100% landfilling at some point, and progressed to higher levels of recycling and lower levels of landfilling. Zero waste is a lofty goal which developing countries should approach sensibly, keeping in mind the natural increase in the consumption of goods and service by the poor as they raise themselves out of poverty. Therefore we need space to dispose our waste, but we need to do that sustainably so that we don’t harm the environment or the people in the vicinity.

During our action research project we found many innovations in smaller local authorities in Balangoda, Weligama, Kuliyapitiya and attempts by pockets of officials and civil society organisations at the local level. A network of committed individuals emerged, but overtime, other priorities took our attention. Streets were getting cleaned, garbage was picked up and mountains of garbage were out of our sight.

It is time to renew our networks we felt and hence the Campaign for Sustainable Solid Waste Disposal.

Responsibility and accountability of Government    

The priority at this point is to identify a hierarchy of responsibility and accountability for solid waste disposal. There was no single authority accountable for the Meethotamulla tragedy. It was outside the jurisdiction of the CMC. But why was the council allowed to dispose waste unsafely in a populated area? Why weren’t they provided with alternative facilities?

In the future, which Government entity should be responsible and accountable for waste disposal facilities? What other entities should be part of the solution? What are the modalities?

To answer these questions we will be convening a panel of experts and others who can contribute to the discussion at a session scheduled for the late afternoon on 2 June. Additionally we will also work with three to five local authorities to identify and correct to the extent possible, any bottlenecks they face in the disposal of their solid waste. The output of these discussions and local level activism will be policy proposals presented through policy briefs, videos, dedicated web site and face to face meetings with policymakers and the general public. The more important output is of course a change in solid waste disposal practice in at least one local authority.

Technical issues 

The rest of the sessions will be dedicated to more technical issues such as disposal of bio-degradable waste or non-biodegradable waste, waste to energy options and landfilling, and the socio-economic issue of unsanitary working conditions and other problems faced by solid waste workers.

Biodegradable waste, when landfilled or dumped, causes the most harm to communities and the environment. They are the components in the waste that leach out liquids as they degrade, cause stench and give out gases that can cause explosions or cause global warning. If we can separately collect discarded kitchen scraps or food waste, the rest of the waste is manageable. The issue is how do we process the biodegradable waste safely and productively? Home or institution based composting is an option but in urban environments we have to look at mass-scale options as well.

Non-biodegradable waste such as paper, plastics, polythene, glass and metal waste is increasingly portrayed as a valuable resource. What other non-biodegradable waste is generated in Sri Lanka? How much of all such waste generated is recyclable?

What shall we do with the rest? 

There is much mystery surrounding waste-to-energy options in solid waste disposal. What are the available options and how do we select the best?

Sanitary landfills are indispensable for in solid waste management process since no waste is hundred percent recyclable, but, how do we make landfills more community or environment friendly?

We hope to address these and other technical issues by bringing together experts and those with experience in each filed.

Dignity of labour for solid waste workers

Solid waste workers are the foot-soldiers who pick up our garbage and keep our surroundings clean, but their vocation is not viewed favourably by society. This situation cannot continue. If we are to dispose our waste sustainably, these workers have to be more than passive receivers of garbage. They will have to educate their customers to manage the waste at the source, i.e. at homes and institutions.

As part of our action research, LIRNEasia also worked with the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission of Sri Lanka to develop National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) to develop solid waste workers as solid waste operations assistants and supervisors. The Solid Waste Management Training Centre at the Balangoda Urban Council has trained and certified over 1,000 workers since then. The Association of Solid Waste Management Assessors at Local Authorities was initiated by LIRNEasia as an association for knowledge sharing and collaboration. In the present campaign we will work with that association and others to expand the ongoing training and certification of solid waste workers, thereby filling the human resource gaps in solid waste disposal.

(The first expert panel on ‘A hierarchy of responsibility and accountability for solid waste disposal’ is scheduled to meet in the late afternoon on 2 June. You can email me at gamage@gmail.com for more information and/or if you want to help with the campaign. We have started on a shoe string. We could use all the help.)