All must stand together against religious extremism

Jun 19, 2017

 A multiplicity of racist attacks are erupting in different parts of the country and affecting different ethnic and religious communities.

  The widespread and systematic attacks against members of the Muslim community are insidious and low profile.  They are individual attacks on commercial establishments and mosques that are sometimes reported in the media and sometimes not. It appears that this is a testing ground where extremist groups are testing the space for racism. Violent extremists pose a security threat; it is naturally, yet not exclusively, the responsibility of the government to respond to ensure the safety of all its citizens.  This involves the mobilization of law enforcement agencies to enable the state to tackle the root causes of violent extremism, to create societal buy-in across diverse stakeholders toward a common goal, and to demonstrate the respect for both the rule of law and equality of all citizens.  The danger is that left unchecked by deterrent governmental action they will lead to a buildup and erupt in an unpredictable way.

 

A similar phenomenon has been taking place in regard to sections of the Christian community.  Here too the attacks are widespread and systematic and yet insidious and low profile.  President Maithripala Sirisena has said various attempts are being made through the internet and some media institutions, to spread civil unrest among communities in the country.  The state media reported the President saying “that when he asked the Colombo Archbishop, Most Rev.Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, regarding a statement made by a person during an interview with a private news channel that 166 Catholic churches were attacked during the past few months, the Archbishop of Colombo said no such incidents have been not reported. The President further said that he vehemently rejects such kind of statements made by some persons misleading society with ulterior objectives in mind.” The news item in a private news channel that Catholic Churches were attacked either smacks of ignorance or willful distortion of facts.

 

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is a representative of the Catholic community and has spoken as such.  However, there are also a minority of non-Catholic Christians who feel threatened and under siege.  We regret that the distinction between Catholic and non Catholic Christian has not been made.   The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka has reported that 111 incidents took place in 2014, 90 in 2015, 89 in 2016, and another 36 incidents in 2017 so far.  The report said that although these figures reflect a slight decline in the overall number of reported incidents, notably the number of incidents involving state officials has increased.   In this context the National Peace Council is dismayed that the Hon. Minister of Justice had threatened to remove Attorney-at-Law Lakshan Dias for highlighting incidents of religious violence as recorded by the National Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka and presented by him in a talk show.  Mr Lakshan Dias is a leading lawyer and a committed human rights defender who has been engaged in civil society activism for over two decades.  He is a member of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and many local and regional human rights groups.  He has appeared for many fundamental rights violation cases on a pro-bono basis on behalf of marginalized and underprivileged people and also in many cases representing the victims of religious hate crimes against the Christian and Muslim communities in the country.  We note that it is only the Supreme Court that is empowered to remove lawyers.

 

The National Peace Council calls for the protection of all and the upholding of Fundamental Rights enshrined in the constitution that give to all religions, big and small, the same rights of equality and freedom of propagation.  The impunity that is currently available to those who attack minority religious groups is an enormous danger to society at large as it heralds the breakdown of the Rule of Law.  We are pleased to note that in the past few days the police have acted and arrested several persons for engaging in hate crimes.  We urge the leaders of all religions and civil society to stand together, displaying a shared interest, to insist to the government that the Rule of Law is sacrosanct, and must prevail, or else we fear that what Sri Lanka collectively sows will be collectively reaped.

Sri Lanka: Who gives Bodu Bala the alms to spout their religious hate?

With monk on the run the Government finally answers wake-up call but probe vital to determine who finances bigotry’s monster

by Don Manu-Jun 19, 2017

Courtesy: The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka

( June 19, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Twice, last month, Bodu Bala Chieftain Gnanasara did not appear before the Court of Appeal to answer charges of contempt and state why he should not be punished for raising a ruckus in the Homagama Magistrates Courts last year as complained by its magistrate. On both occasions, the excuse given by his lawyers for his absence was that he was not well.

Neither did he show up this Monday when the case was called, with his lawyers citing that he was unable to do so because he feared for his life. Not surprising, is it, when one goes around the countryside hurling filthy abuse against Allah, the Almighty God of Islam, to inflame Muslim ire? It only reaffirms the validity of the Buddha’s karmic doctrine that every action has a similar reaction and that hate begets hate. Or as Christ said, “sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”

The damage he has caused to Buddhism cannot be overestimated. The damage he has caused to the Sinhala people whose proudest boast for over two thousand years had been to trumpet that they were the custodians of Buddhism in its pristine form cannot be quantified. In the eyes of the world, the question arises: Is this the result of 2000 years of Buddhism in Lanka?

The Court of Appeal did not however deem it fit to issue an arrest warrant but instead fixed the contempt matter for trial on July 17 and stated that if the ‘no show’ monk did not turn up that day, then a warrant will be issued for his arrest.

But on Thursday, the Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne issued a warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in courts to face two charges. The charges related to allegations of obstructing the police from exercising their duties in addition to making hate speeches in several places. And forcefully entering and sabotaging a press conference held at a hotel in Slave Island in April 2014.

‘Dealdasa’ the infamous turncoat safeguarding Gnanassara, by trying to remove black coat of Lakshan meets his Waterloo again !

(Lanka-e-News -19.June.2017, 7.00PM)  The notorious turncoat, black coat, cut- throat minister of justice Wijedasa Rajapakse alias ‘Dealdasa’ who is viciously fomenting religious hatred among the people and seeking to drive the country into a holocaust while  supporting infamous robed  drunkard monk and thug Gnanassara to unleash violence against  the minorities of the country on the instructions of ex defense secretary murderous Gotabaya Rajapakse, furiously  threatened  he would remove the professional ‘title’ of lawyer Lakshan Dias . 

Wijedasa who was provoked , most arrogantly threatened Lakshan because the latter spoke on behalf of another  minority group that was  subjected to unwarranted suffering owing to the religious animosity which is being stoked by hate mongers like Wijedasa and Gnanassara to the detriment of the entire country. The threats and intimidation made to Lakshan by Wijedasa alias Dealdasa ( himself a black coated lawyer) who has made inciting religious hatred among the peace loving people  his favorite pastime , had obviously earned the displeasure and disappointment of the rudely shocked pro good governance masses.

Lakshan Dias is a lawyer who was in the vanguard of the struggle at that time even risking his own life  to throw out corrupt , cruel and despotic Rajapakses . Besides , he  led the campaign against the ousting of a former chief justice in a night, by the Rajapakses based on a conspiracy and vindictive grounds. He is a reputed lawyer well  known as one who played a key role in that struggle.

It cannot be forgotten it is this same  turncoat , cutthroat , black coat Wijedasa alias Dealdasa who some time ago similarly threatened and insulted Lanka e News editor , Professor Sarath Wijesuriya , JVP leader Anura Dissanayake and Sarath Fonseka (who faced a jail sentence )  despite the fact  that  all of them  made the largest  contributions to oust the criminal corrupt Rajapakse regime. 

We deem it our responsibility as a news website always championing the cause of truth and justice in the best interests of the nation , come what may , to clarify and crystallize the actual circumstances …..

Lakshan Dias who participated in the cordial political program conducted by one of a tv channel recently said, after the advent of the good governance government on 2015 -01-08 , 195 Christian places of worship were attacked. Dias while confirming  he is a lawyer revealed NCEASL (National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka) has made a written report on that. By browsing that website all details can be confirmed , and he is the lawyer who is appearing for them , he added. 

Since the attacks were launched after 2015 -01-08 , the chiefs of the good governance government should shoulder the responsibility  , but before all that it is the minister of justice Wijedasa Rajapakse who is primarily blameworthy for hiding Gnanassara the main  and preliminary cause of violence and hooliganism in the country . 

At a meeting ,Wijedasa said, he inquired about it from Rev. Cardinal  Malcolm Ranjith  , and since  the  latter repudiated the charges and said , there had been no such reports of violence , Lakshan had told lies.  Wijedasa therefore behaving like a toughie  threatened that if Lakshan does not make a public apology , he would next week take action to chase Lakshan out from his professional career. 

Who are Evangelicans ?

It becomes necessary at this  juncture to enlighten the  people on who are Evangelicans  ?

According to Rev. Malcolm Ranjith  ,based on a  statement made by him to the television channel , Evangelicans  are fundamentalists . That is, his sentiments were    because they are fundamentalists , attacking them is alright. 

In short Evangelicans are  a group which opposes  in the same way as true  Buddhists who are questioning how come Mahanayakes in SL  are enjoying pleasures and luxuries while being inside the temples and Maligawas , when the true Prince Siddhartha of the middle path  whom the mahanayakes are supposedly following  renounced all his wealth and luxuries and went out  in search of enlightenment ?

The main argument of this  group which originated in as far back as 1840 was ,if  Jesus who brought the divine message of god  to the people  sacrificed his life on the cross for the ‘sins of all the people’, then among all  human beings living now there is sin . When  that is so, then how can the Roman Catholic   priests become equal  to God and be revered as such ? Should there be a Holy Pope?  These are their questions among others.

They do not slavishly adhere to everything that is told in the Bible.  They are averse to the authoritarian powers  of the clergy. Therefore among the Evangelicans  there are no clergymen . They have only a lay organization structure .  This is akin to the administration by the Buddhist council of laymen sans monks at the Kalutara Bodhi. 

This Evangelical Christian forum commenced in SL as far back as in 1952 following country’s independence , and along with the Catholic churches losing the state sponsorship .

The three key cornerstones of their concept are human rights , economic and social  equality . Because they are opposed to the clergy system , they have no churches , and only have their Evangelical  center. There are 200 such centers across the country , and only about  200, 000 followers. They are a minority group of Christians in SL.  They must  have religious freedom. If anybody is condemning  them as fundamentalists and so forth , such an individual is deliberately undermining their religious freedom.  Moreover if any religious group has human rights , economic and social equality  as the  key cornerstones  of its  religious concept , what is wrong in that ? 

If that is the true picture of the Evangelicans  and  if they are opposed to Roman Catholic authoritarian  clergy , seeking an answer from  the Roman Catholic Cardinal in regard to the attacks launched against the Evangelical centers  are  most unfair and wrongful? Opportunistic  Wijedasa Rajapakse the notorious  turncoat , cutthroat , black coat has done exactly that !

Who should be asked about a crime ? the Cardinal or the IGP ?

A true government of good governance should inquire not from the Cardinal but from the IGP to learn of the truth if a lawyer is accusing that 195 religious places have been attacked. Or else from its security intelligence division . If Wijedasa the minister of Buddha sasana is not aware of the attack launched on the Evangelical  center , Devinuwara , Matara when  a group of  about 2000  broke into the center along with 30 robed monks , to cause havoc and unleash violence on 18 th of May 2017 , surely it is faceless, shameless  , characterless Wijedasa  the minister who should resign ,and not lawyer Lakshan Dias.

It is the duty of a government of  good governance to protect minority religious  groups from the attacks and violence unleashed on those citizens of the country  , and  not to threaten the individuals exposing those crimes. 

Whose ‘title’ should be stripped ?  Is it black coat Lakshan’s  or  turncoat  parana  coat Wijedasa’s ? 

Even if we  assume Lakshan told a lie, the minister of justice has no right to disbar  a lawyer . That is possible only by the supreme court (SC). It is a pity the minister of justice of SL is ignorant of that simple fact. 

When the minister of justice Wijedasa arrogantly  threatens  that he would strip Lakshan of his lawyer title , is n’t it he is demonstrating he has arrogated to himself powers of the SC ? Isn’t that clearly bringing pressure to bear on the SC by the justice minister?  

This same minister who is riding the high horse  only to have a heavy fall , similarly threatened the Lanka e news editor too earlier on. He bragged in parliament , on a red alert warrant the editor shall be arrested and fetched to SL . A few days later the notorious Gampaha magistrate issued an illegal Interpol warrant against the editor.

Though the CID later informed  court that the warrant was illegal and  cannot be executed , it was deducible    that rash court decision was based on the threat made by the minister because the latter  made that earlier. 

In any case  no legal  action could be taken against Wijedasa because he made the announcement in parliament taking refuge under  parliamentary privilege. But the threats and intimidation directed against Lakshan were made on ordinary platform by Wijedasa. Therefore one need not have a  doctorate in law to say , that Wijedasa as minister of justice has challenged the powers of  the SC unlawfully  , and that is something which can be proved before the law. 

Wijedasa who is riding the high horse and threatening all and sundry like a thug unlawfully despite being the justice minister who should uphold the law ,  also proved beyond doubt he is an accomplished liar of the worst grade.  Though Wijedasa  said he had no truck with Avant Garde owner, the  subsequent photos published  two weeks later of himself  with Avant Garde owner when they toured America on a holiday ,  proved beyond doubt that Wijedasa the turncoat- cutthroat had blatantly and brazenly lied in Parliament.
 
In the circumstances , before the title ‘lawyer’ of Lakshan is stripped unlawfully , not only the title of ‘lawyer’ but even the title ’president’s counsel’ of  Wijedasa  the double tongued double dealing culprit that are going to be divested under the law.  This is so certain it seems it is  inevitable.

Await the  second episode of Wijedasa  alias  Dealdasa which reveals the  desperate  efforts  he made to take a red alert warrant against Lanka e news editor, and how he stumbled and tumbled into  a precipice  most humiliatingly.

By Wimal Dheerasekera 

Translated by Jeff

You can watch the video footage related this incidents click following link
https://www.facebook.com/lankaenews/videos/1526364614095365/

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by     (2017-06-19 13:52:56)

Gnansara as presidential candidate in 2020!

by C.A.Chandraprema-June 18, 2017, 8:59 am 

The Bodu Bala Sena press conference held last Friday without the missing Ganansara, was very interesting in many respects. The statement made by Dilanthe Vitanage, its self styled ‘CEO’ was especially important. The most vital part of what he said was that it was Champika Ranawaka and Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thera who had egged Gnanasara towards violence (prachandathwaya).  What he said in Sinhala was "Gnanasara hamuduruwo prachandanthwayata yomu kale Champika Ranawakai Athureliye Rathana Hamuduriwoi." Vitanage was obviously trying to explain away the links that the BBS had and still has with the JHU but in the process, made certain definitive statements which need to be taken note of by all Buddhists. Gnanasara is undoubtedly the biggest disaster to befall the Buddhist community since Mapitigama Buddharakkitha and Talduwe Somarama. As Vitanage said, Champika did indeed use Ganansara as his personal ‘hit man’. For example, Gnanasara was one of the monks who had disrupted meetings of the Anti-War Front led by Kumar Rupesinghe and Dr Rajitha Senaratne in 2005/06.

Gnansara as presidential candidate in 2020!.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

Sri Lanka, The Resplendent Isle, The Real Of Indian Ocean Then & Now

By Lasantha Pethiyagoda –JUNE 20, 2017

Lasantha Pethiyagoda

How times have changed! When DS Senanayake, SWRD Bandaranaike, Dudley Senanayake, Sirimavo Bandaranaike ruled Sri Lanka, did the people go around glorifying them as larger-than-life superhuman entities? Did anyone try to deify them as worthy of obeisance and reverence? Did we see articles in newspapers specifically devoted to the worship of such personalities as some kind of weird idols that were somehow better than ordinary human beings? Did the ministers who worked under these leaders praise to high heaven, with empty and obviously insincere adjectives, the virtues of these men and women? However, Sri Lanka’s recent rulers rode high on these ego trips.

DS Senanayake’s son Dudley did not have children, so that dynasty ended. SWRD Bandaranaike’s place passed to his wife and then later on to his daughter. That dynasty seems over as well. JR Jayewardene did not cultivate a dynastic culture. DB Wijetunge was by far the most honourable human being to hold the post of “Executive” president. He had no ambition to pass on his genes for the spawn to rule the land. Dynasties have ruled in neighbouring countries in contemporary times. However, this is not a characteristic of representative democracy; nor the parliamentary system as practiced in progressive and politically mature countries.

When the Senanayakes ruled, say the population in Sri Lanka was 12 million. How many ministers were employed? How many “portfolios” were there? Granted, that times were less complicated, with no special emphasis on national security or women’s affairs. If the population has doubled since then, how many times more, is the number of ministers, their minions, carers, secretaries, “official” residences, “official” vehicles for entourages and “security” battalions? There were nine provinces in Sri Lanka. I believe there are still about the same number. Yet, how many more snouts splurge at the trough of public wealth?

How have rich people become rich? They either inherit wealth from their parents, marry other rich people, or make lots of profit from a lucrative business, where sales incomes are consistently high and expenses are correspondingly low, which result in much more cash inflow than outflow. The profits are largely kept by the owners to make their lives better (ie rich people) Who are the consumers? Do ordinary consumers also become rich? No.

As we see around us, prices of commodities invariably go up, although prices of some items like vegetables and fruits (killer commodities that I will deal with later) do fluctuate, maintaining the illusion of fairness. Are there many more people who are very rich than when the Senanayakes and Bandaranaikes ruled in the 60’s and 70’s? Yes. Exponentially so. In fact, the super- rich in Sri Lanka are many, many times richer than the richest back then ever were, allowing for inflation and depreciation in the value of the currency etc. Has economic development (per capita Gross Domestic Product) improved as much as the rich had become richer? No way! In fact it has largely stagnated and has been marginal.

What does the above say about the poor? With almost the same amount of wealth in the country (not accounting for the massive, record foreign debt) the poor have far less than they ever had several generations ago. In the ruthless capitalist system that dominates poor third world Sri Lanka, are the poor being taken care of? Is there a welfare system (Samurdhi?) that keeps the poor above poverty levels, with at least two meals a day, a suitable roof above, protection from common diseases which can kill, or a proper education? I would suggest a loud NO. The rich component of society is a dismal 0.003%, whereas the poor (including the so-called “middle class”) make up 99.997%. So, who has the system benefitted? Most Sri Lankans? NO.

Compared to three or four decades ago, in the last few years many more local residents tune into “Buddhist” channels on TV and radio more often, and also “listen” to bana (sermons) being preached by all sorts of monks with various bents, some often flouting basic concepts of the Buddha’s teachings while talking of their own unsubstantiated theories. Hordes of “pilgrims” flock to the more fashionable places of worship, dressed in white to symbolise purity, on full moon days, presumably to observe “uposatha ashtanga seela” as never before in the contemporary history of Sri Lanka. Yet these same people very clearly seem to be as far from the dhamma as ever, in their daily countenance, behaviour and attitudes, easily established by simple observation.

Now, people lie as a habit, not as a hasty escape route from difficult situations. Dishonesty has become a norm rather than the embarrassing exception. In fact, if one could successfully deceive people consistently and achieve financial objectives and prosperity, others look up to them with pride. The fact that such vermin are beneath contempt, by traditional standards of ethics and morality is ignored or overlooked. The Buddhist concepts of the noble eight-fold path “samma kammantha, samma waayaama” in practice by their kith and kin are looked down upon as stupidity and naivety, or a simple lack of opportunistic wisdom, not worthy of credit.

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Risk management should be part of bank culture: CB



By Uditha Jayasinghe  -

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Banks must build strong risk management into their corporate culture, Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy advocated yesterday, as a way to embed compliance into every level of decision-making within banks.  

Speaking at ‘Risk Symposium 2017’ under the theme ‘Risk Management for Sustainable Value Creation’ organised by the Association of Banking Sector Professionals, the Governor was encouraging in his observations of the sector and insisted it was the “lifeblood” of the economy.

“There is a need to meet regulatory expectations while simultaneously improving risk management and creating operational efficiencies to maximise profits in the organisations. Accomplishing these dual goals can be a challenging task for banks, boards and management. But if done effectively it has the potential to transform regulatory expectations into an opportunity to improve these capabilities and further integrate risk management practices in business unit processes and activities. The goal should be to address regulatory requirements in ways that reduce complexity, costs, risks and ultimately improve financial performance and shareholder value,” he said.

Shareholder value addition will attract investment, pointed out the Governor, who acknowledged that already banks are seen as an attractive sector with international banks showing interest in establishing links.

“Clearly financial mediation provided by the banking sector is the lifeblood of the economy. Efficient mediation is critical and managing risks to ensure we have stability is crucial for the future prospects of the economy and the country.”        

“In light of the changing risk dimensions, banks are not only faced with conventional risk such as credit, market and operational and liquidity risk but new risks such as reputational risks, cyber risks and systemic risks. Therefore to address and combat these risks effectively banks must adopt a futuristic approach through appropriate business models, factor in macroeconomic variables and their impact, identify emerging risk concentration through stress testing and enhance risk reporting,” he added.

Formulating pre-emptive strategies based on the outcomes of stress testing and other risk reporting mechanisms are imported, Dr. Coomaraswamy insisted. The challenge banks face in identifying and managing unpredictable and unknown risks requires encouraging a holistic view of risks across the organisation. In order to overcome this challenge banks must build a strong risk management culture that is an integral part of the corporate values of the organisation, driven by the board of directors and senior management, he noted.

“Corporate values such as integrity, accountability and principle-based decision-making are the foundation for individual behaviour across organisations and a strong shared risk culture embeds risk compliance into everyday activities.”

In the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis there have been many regulatory measures to strengthen and foster prudent behaviour by banks. Regulations such as Basel III demand greater capital, leverage, liquidity and funding requirements as well as higher standards of risk reporting by banks, the Governor went on to say.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has also mirrored these international best practices and updated legal regulations and other stipulations to strengthen local financial systems.

“The Central Bank has also issued guidelines on credit risk and market risk and has encouraged banks to upgrade management frameworks in keeping with the regulations issued by it to carry out banking business sustainably by managing their risk exposures effectively and prudently. This will assist them to achieve their strategic targets effectively.”  

SRI LANKA: ASSIGNING NATIONAL LOTTERIES BOARD TO FOREIGN MINISTER IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

19/06/2017

The Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) says that assigning the National Lotteries Board to Minister of Foreign Affairs is unconstitutional as the Finance Act  the National Lotteries Board should come under the ‘Minister to whom the subject of Finance has been assigned.

TISL statement further says that ” The President under his power to determine ministries, appoint ministers and assign subjects and functions to such ministers has done so by creating a Ministry of Finance and Media, appointing Hon. Mangala Samaraweera MP as a minister and assigning him with the subject of Finance and Media. This completes the President’s obligations under Article 43 of the Constitution.

Having concluded his obligations and in pursuance of the provisions of the Finance Act, the ‘Minister to whom the subject of Finance is assigned’ – presently the Hon. Minister Samaraweera, Minister of Finance and Media would therefore, by law, need to be in charge of the National Lotteries Board. It has however been erroneously gazetted under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
The full text of the TISL followers:

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) is concerned by the recent gazette notification, which has erroneously in law placed the National Lotteries Board under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. TISL calls for the error to be expediently remedied by re-gazetting the National Lotteries Board under the Finance Ministry as per the law.

The National Lotteries Board was created by The Finance Act 1963, which was subsequently revised in 1997 and 1998. The law specifically defines the Minister for the purposes of the Act as the ‘Minister to whom the subject of Finance has been assigned’.

The President under his power to determine ministries, appoint ministers and assign subjects and functions to such ministers has done so by creating a Ministry of Finance and Media, appointing Hon. Mangala Samaraweera MP as a minister and assigning him with the subject of Finance and Media. This completes the President’s obligations under Article 43 of the Constitution.

Having concluded his obligations and in pursuance of the provisions of the Finance Act, the ‘Minister to whom the subject of Finance is assigned’ – presently the Hon. Minister Samaraweera, Minister of Finance and Media would therefore, by law, need to be in charge of the National Lotteries Board. It has however been erroneously gazetted under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In this light, Asoka Obeyesekere, Executive Director, TISL stated that “it would seem clear that assigning lotteries to any other minister, other than the Finance Minister, is incorrect in law and in contravention of the intentions of Parliament when passing the Act”.

TISL calls on H.E. President Sirisena to correct the error in the gazette notification, thereby bringing the National Lotteries Board under the purview of the Finance Ministry. The correction of this error would allay any fears that state bodies are retained as personal privileges.

TISL recalls the considerable work carried out by Prof. Siri Hettige, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Colombo, who through the Campaign for Sound National Policies, highlighted the appropriate ministries to be created, with all agencies and departments identified to be placed under their respective ministries in early 2015. This advice was provided to H.E. President Sirisena.

It is incumbent on H.E. President Sirisena, as Head of the Cabinet, to ensure that steps are taken to rectify such errors. This can be done by ensuring that the National Lotteries Board is re-gazetted and brought under the purview of the Finance Minister, in adherence to its statute.

CAA has wasted over Rs.13,000 million as office rent

Jun 19, 2017

 Following years of delay, arrangements are made to build an office for Civil Aviation Authority Naikanda, Katunayake. For the past 15 years the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has used over Rs. 13,000 million of its revenue to pay the rent of the current building holding its office, according to internal sources. The current building is owned by a close associate of the CAA chairman, the sources confirmed.

After inquiring in to the situation, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva had given the directives to make necessary arrangements to buy a land to build an office for the CAA. If the constructions started at least one and half years ago, four floors would have been completed, said the employees while commenting about the actions of their top management.

While paying a monthly rental of Rs. 6 million, the CAA has been successful in earning profitable revenue, being able to pay the Treasury Rs. 700 million on several occasions. Despite the financial capability the top management of the CAA has not been interested in building a permanent office which would have been more economical.

The dwindling tobacco industry Tobacco, no more

 

The Daily Mirror spoke to the CEO of Alcohol and Drug Information Center (ADIC) Pubudu Sumanasekera on the hazards of smoking and the use of tobacco and the myths and misconceptions involved with the tobacco industry. EXCERPTS:

"There should be a transparent formula to decide the amount of tax on tobacco by parliament, as for many other commodities that existed in the market."

 2017-06-20

You pooh-poohed the popular thinking that the tobacco companies contribute a massive amount of tax annually to the government coffers and therefore the tobacco industry is an important segment of the economy in terms of employment generation and income. Can you elaborate please?

I would like to tell that this idea is established and popularized by the tobacco industry as a part of their image building. We can observe some media still trying to interpret it as a true statement although it’s wrong.  
The truth is that British American Tobacco (BAT) established Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) with their shares of more than 92% of the total shares of CTC. The CTC pays taxes to the Sri Lankan government with the money earned from Sri Lanka itself. But the tobacco industry tries to pretend they pay the tax from their own money. The truth is that this money solely comes from the tobacco consumers in the country while BAT takes 92% of total profit after tax to their mother country resulting in 92 % of the locally collected profit being absorbed by BAT. It is simple math. Annually, a huge amount of national income is drained to BAT.  
In comparison with other industries tobacco is not an industry which generates employment, as it is a machine based industry where the use of human resource is minimal. According to a research it was found that if money spent on the tobacco industry was invested in other industries, it will bring more employment opportunities to the country. Further, the World Bank does not approve  government incentives for the tobacco industry in developing countries, as they found it useless.  
Sri Lanka is a country which invests plenty of money on development of human capital by promoting free education and government incentive systems. Losing human capital in terms of creativity, thinking power and skills due to tobacco use is a huge loss to a country as it is found that  most people dying from tobacco related illnesses are in their productive age. Further, tobacco related deaths are untimely deaths and are 100% preventable. So losing human capital on one hand and the work force of the country on the other is a huge economic loss to a developing country like Sri Lanka.  
Because the majority of smokers in Sri Lanka are poor, the use of tobacco itself creates poverty and perpetuates poverty in their families. Ultimately we can’t expect any positive impact from an industry which causes a massive cost to a country in all aspects.  

Though there was a worldwide campaign against the use of tobacco and smoking, cigarette companies are resorting to many a strategy to popularize and market their products. How could the young generation be saved from the menace of tobacco and smoking?

It’s a well known fact that the tobacco industry targets the young generation as new users. Although there are various traps to catch young people by the industry, some are very vigilant. We have identified two most successful ways to protect the young generation from this threat. One is by exposing the unethical business strategies that the tobacco industry uses to catch the young generation. If I take a few examples, the tobacco industry pays money for some popular characters who are money oriented and engage them to smoke in public places, in teledramas and films. And most of these popular figures don’t realize that they become lifetime promotional material for the tobacco industry even without getting paid, when they are addicted to smoking. Further, we have noticed that even cartoons which are only designed for children, purposely include scenes of smoking. This clearly violates the child-rights charter.  
In the film industry, we find that it offers the bulk of money to include smoking scenes from the top directing level to the bottom level helper. Thereby the industry associates smoking with the coolest attractive things in youth by using attractive figures, symbols and people to allow them to unconsciously absorb the idea that smoking is generalized. In order to do that they sponsor many attractive events like car races to associate the feeling of adventure, risk taking and fearlessness along with smoking. Further smoking is associated with sexual behaviour in films, pictures and all sex videos to ally smoking as a must have part in sexual life, even though well known scientific facts confirm that smoking causes sexual impotence. The industry targets the most sensitive areas of youth life with their ugly strategies in promotion of smoking.  

"Government has already decided to stop growing tobacco due to heavy erosion of soil caused by tobacco cultivation."

Other possible ways we have identified is to make young people realize that whatever the company or the users say, like the so-called positive outcomes of smoking, these are just an illusion based on psychological phenomenon. All the so-called positive outcomes are just a feeling of conditioning their normal activities. There is no direct link to that feeling with the nicotine in the tobacco. Most of the people believe that smoking conditions other activities of man, which they used to perform perfectly even before they start smoking. As an example some people tell their views on smoking as a habit, and that they can’t go to the toilet without a cigarette. They have forgotten that they performed the same body functions since childhood. Tobacco has anyway disturbed the functions man used to perform without a burden. So we try to make people understand that nicotine never gives the exact thing that the user expects.  
Simultaneously I believe that tobacco prevention will be most effective, if Sri Lanka introduces fruitful policy measures in tobacco control. As instances of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs and the high price of cigarette resulted by government tax enforcement, reduced its affordability, this brought about the most effective outcomes in the reduction of tobacco demand in Srilanka.  
Young people should actively be involved in tobacco prevention work, as it gives them a further assurance that they will be prevented from smoking in the future.  

What is most harmful? Passive smoking or second or third level smoking?

We can’t directly say what is most harmful. Anyway, smoking is harmful and it affects differently on different people. So comparing the damage caused by different types of smoking is of no use, as everybody has a right to live in a clean environment.  

However, the tobacco industry is a government approved business, generating huge revenues and employment opportunities. Your comments?

If tobacco was invented today, I am so sure that it will never be approved by any authority or the government, as a consumable product. This is due to its high economic, social, health, and environmental cost. .Further, tobacco cultivation uses very high amounts of insecticides and pesticides, which cause many health hazards, including chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka.  
As I explained to you in the previous question regarding revenue issue and employment opportunities, it has no base.  

"Sri Lanka is a country which invests plenty of money on development of human capital by promoting free education and government incentive systems."

 

In the West they have invented a harmless electronic cigarette. Is smoking a mentally related or physically related habit?

According to my knowledge there are no harmless electronic or any kind of cigarette invented.  
Addiction to cigarette among the young generation is mainly psychological. When they got to know their popular star Shah Rukh Khan is a smoker they imitated him. With that initiation to smoke, after continuous use for sometime, it makes one to feel uncomfortable in the absence of smoking. When smoking becomes a habit for someone, their normal behaviour becomes disturbed due to cigarettes. Then they make it an excuse to use cigarettes to return to normal. The industry knows this psychological phenomenon and purposely put people into this illusion, saying that the cigarette will make their lives better.  

Sri Lanka is in the forefront of enacting legislation to control the use of tobacco and smoking which has paid rich dividends. Is there anything further to do to distance the people and the youth in particular, from using tobacco and smoking?

Tobacco control legislation has always resulted in a positive impact on the Sri Lankan economy and it has never yielded negative impacts. The latest tax increment also resulted in an increase of government revenue. Not only the government, it is a fact that the tobacco industry has also increased their profits with taxes. To make clear tax policies, Sri Lanka is lacking the expertise for the government treasury or while knowing the truth, they are purposely provide wrong information to policy makers. As an example, the information in the white paper sent by the consultants of the finance ministry are mostly wrong and misleading. I should say it’s worth for all of you to understand how policy makers are misled by consultants.  
Our idea is that there should be a transparent formula to decide the amount of tax on tobacco by parliament, as for many other commodities that existed in the market. Further, just like other countries we should go for banning of the selling of single cigarettes.  
Moreover, when tobacco cultivation is minimized in the country, farmers are no longer exploited by the tobacco industry to act in the forefront, in government regulations against the industry. Government has already decided to stop growing tobacco due to heavy erosion of soil caused by tobacco cultivation. This will protect the children of tobacco farming families from the risk of lung disease.  

Do you think the tobacco industry is doomed and all cigarette companies will have to be closed down in the near future?

It will definitely be closed down due to many reasons. First every country is taking policy decisions to minimize tobacco use worldwide. As evidence, 180 parties have signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control worldwide at present.  
Secondly, smokers understand that the industry has fooled them for a long time. As for every consumable product there should be correct information provided with the pack .But the tobacco industry is unable to fulfill it .So the consumers’ quitting rate of cigarette use is increasing.  
Thirdly, the potential customers have understood that the industry is cheating them and trapping them into smoking. People are more aware of industry strategies than before.  
Fourthly, the media has also understood that the industry tries to promote cigarettes in the face of false news.  
Finally people working in the industry also have begun to realize the they also have been fooled by the employer to remain in the industry.  

At least two dead after attack at Mali tourist resort near Bamako

Malian government says ‘situation is under control’ at Le Campement resort east of capital after reports of gunshots and rising smoke

 Flames rise following an attack where gunmen stormed Le Campement Kangaba resort in Dougourakoro, to the east of the Malian capital Bamako. Photograph: Reuters Tv/Reuters

Agencies in Bamako-Sunday 18 June 2017

At least two people have been killed after a tourist resort near Bamako, the capital of Mali, was attacked. A spokesman for the country’s security ministry said one of the dead was a French national but the nationality of the other person killed was not known.

Malian troops and soldiers from France’s Barkhane counter-terrorism force were called to Le Campement in Dougourakoro, a resort popular with westerners east of Bamako. Residents nearby reported hearing shots fired while smoke billowed into the air.

At least 32 people were rescued and 14 others injured, the security ministry said.

“Security forces are in place. Campement Kangaba is blocked off and an operation is under way,” said a security ministry spokesman, Baba Cisse. “The situation is under control.”

Moussa Ag Infahi, director of the national police, saidthat three of the assailants had been killed while a fourth escaped.

Witness Boubacar Sangare was just outside the compound during the attack. “Westerners were fleeing the encampment while two plainclothes police exchanged fire with the assailants,” he said. “There were four national police vehicles and French soldiers in armoured vehicles on the scene.” He added that a helicopter was circling overhead.

Mahamadou Doumbia said a militant on a motorcycle entered the area around 3:40pm and cried “Allah Akbar” before jumping off and running toward the pool area.

“Then a car with three jihadists entered the resort and they started to fire their weapons,” he said. “A French soldier who had come for the weekend but had his gun shot and wounded a jihadist.”

A spokesman for French forces in Mali declined to immediately comment.

As night fell, witnesses saw smoke rising from the Campement Kangaba, which features three swimming pools and is a popular escape from the Malian heat.

It was not immediately clear what was burning. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The west African country has been battling a jihadi insurgency for several years, with Islamist fighters roaming the north and centre of Mali. In November 2015, gunmen took guests and staff hostage at the luxury Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako in a siege that left at least 20 people dead, including 14 foreigners. Responsibility for that attack was claimed by Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

A state of emergency has been renewed several times since the Radisson Blu attack, most recently in April, when it was extended for six months.

In 2012 Mali’s north fell under the control of jihadi groups linked to AQIM that hijacked an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising, though the Islamists were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013. But jihadis have mounted numerous attacks on civilians and the army, as well as on French and UN forces still stationed there.

Identity of Finsbury Park mosque attacker revealed

Darren Osborne, 47-year-old father living in Cardiff, is now being held on suspicion of terror offences, says Scotland Yard

Police patrol the Finsbury Park area of north London after attack on Muslim worshippers on 19 June (AFP)

Monday 19 June 2017

The suspect behind the Finsbury Park mosque attack was named on Wednesday as Darren Osborne, a 47-year-old married father of four, living in Cardiff.

Osborne ploughed a van through a crowd outside the north London mosque at about 12:20am on Monday, injuring 10 people and leaving an elderly man who suffered a heart attack dead.

Witnesses said the driver of the vehicle had shouted "I want to kill all Muslims"  and "this is for London Bridge", before he was restrained.

Mohammed Mahmoud (C), an Imam at Finsbury Park Mosque, gives a statement to the media at a police cordon in the Finsbury Park area of north London on 19 June (AFP)

Osborne was initially arrested by police on suspicion of attempted murder, but is now being held on suspicion of terror offences, Scotland Yard said.

Police were on Monday searching an address in a cul-de-sac close to Cardiff golf club in the northeast of the city suburbs.

According to UK security minister Ben Wallace, Osborne was not known to the government, reported the Guardian.

“What I can say on this case is this individual, so far as we know at the moment, was not known to us, but we are aware of a rise in the far right,” said Wallace.

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'We saved the day': How Finsbury Park locals stopped van attack

Met police commissioner Cressida Dick said the suspect targeted Muslim worshippers.

“This was quite clearly an attack on Muslims who looked like they were probably Muslims and they were coming from a prayer meeting,” said the Met police commissioner, Cressida Dick.

“We treat this as a terrorist attack and we in the Met are as shocked as anybody in this local community or across the country at what has happened.”

The suspect's mother expressed shock at knowing that her son was behind the attack. She described Osborne as a "complex" person, in an interview with ITV News.

"I’m not going to defend him, but he’s my son and it’s a terrible, terrible shock," she said. "It’s not just robbing a bank, it’s an atrocity. And at this moment in time, I can’t cope with it, I can’t. I don’t want to say anything more."

The suspect has been described by neighbours as “aggressive”. The weekend before the tragedy, he called the 12-year-old son of his Muslim neighbours “in-bred”, the Guardian reported. 

The Met police said in a statement: “At this stage in the investigation, it is believed that the suspect acted alone but we are of course investigating all the circumstances leading up to the attack.”

Local youths told by Middle East Eye they were forced to restrain the alleged attacker themselves for between 10 and 20 minutes. Ahmed Hajji, a 23-year-old local to Finsbury Park, said: "The police arrived late, which forced us to do a citizen's arrest of the man so he would not get away.

"Local youths, who are always demonised in this area, were the ones that saved the day."

A policewoman sorts through floral tributes left near the police cordon, close to the scene of a van attack in Finsbury Park, north London on 19 June (AFP)

Abdi, another local who wanted to be identified only by his first name, said the attacker shouted "this is for London Bridge" - a reference to an attack by three men earlier this month. The man added "Just kill me, just kill me" as he was taken away by police, Abdi said.

Osborne was protected by an imam at the mosque, Mohammed Mahmoud.

“There was a mob attempt to hurt him, so we pushed people away from him until he was safely taken by police,” Mahmoud said. He waved to onlookers from the back of the police van as he was led away.