Watchdog urges Malaysians to seek royal pardon for jailed leader Anwar Ibrahim

By A. Azim Idris | 21st June 2017 | @AzimIdrisHybrid

AN international human rights watchdog is seeking the help of Malaysians to convince the country’s monarch to free prominent opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim from prison, where he is serving a five-year sentence for sodomy.

New York-based Human Rights Foundation (HRF) urged the public to send letters addressed to the country’s head of state, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the King, to appeal for Anwar’s immediate release.

In an open letter, the foundation urged the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Muhammad V to release Anwar who it says was wrongly convicted on politically-motivated charges of sodomy.

“Anwar Ibrahim’s criminal prosecution, from beginning to end, was riddled with bias, political influence, and miscarriage of justice,” the letter to the King read.

“We respectfully urge Your Majesty to recognise the undeniable political meddling in (Anwar) Ibrahim’s case, order him to be released from prison, and clear him of his conviction.”

SEE ALSO: Malaysia: Jailed opposition leader Anwar withdraws as PM candidate

The foundation claimed the sodomy charges that led to Anwar’s conviction in 2014 were “trumped-up” and lacked DNA evidence. The charges, it said, also saw inconsistent testimony of his accuser and alleged tampering of evidence by a police officer in the case.

Anwar is currently serving a five-year prison sentence at the Sungai Buloh Prison centre, where he was sent upon his conviction two years ago.

He was jailed in February 2015 after his appeal against an earlier 2014 sodomy conviction was rejected by the High Court.

There have been several attempts to free him via the courts and through appealing for a royal pardon, all of which have proven unsuccessful.

Anwar has long claimed that the charges against him were politically-motivated as the conviction disqualifies him from political office.

HRF’s open letter was sent after new evidence purportedly surfaced involving alleged bribery during Anwar’s trial.

The foundation was referring to an article published by independent news site Sarawak Report, which alleged the lead prosecutor in the state’s appeal of Anwar’s initial acquittal, Shafee Abdullah, received payments totaling RM9.5 million.

The payments allegedly from the Malaysian government were said to be for personal compensation and were given some two weeks before the High Court overturned Anwar’s acquittal.

SEE ALSO: Malaysia: Opposition figurehead Anwar launches fresh challenge for freedom

The payments raise serious questions about Shafee’s independence, HRF said, especially since Najib’s administration had previously told the public that Shafee received a RM1,000 (US$233) token payment for his work on the prosecution team.

Since the article was published May 31, Shafee has yet to deny receiving any additional payment from the prime minister.

HRF president Thor Halvorssen said Anwar was “robbed” of his freedom and his political rights because of his popularity as an opposition leader.

“If he were given a fair trial, (Anwar) Ibrahim would have been cleared of these bogus sodomy charges.” he said.

“We respectfully urge Your Majesty to do the right thing and reunite him with his family as soon as possible.”

Old Hong Kong tenement buildings with subdivided flats pose threat as owners neglect repairs

Kowloon City district, where part of flooring in a walk-up collapsed, contains largest number of buildings that are at least 50 years old

Shirley Zhao-shirley.zhao@scmp.com-Wednesday, 21 June, 2017

Kowloon City district, where part of flooring in a walk-up collapsed, contains largest number of buildings that are at least 50 years old

Subdivided flats can be a solution to the city’s housing shortage, but they have also become a time bomb afflicting old buildings in Hong Kong.

Property owners in old areas like Hung Hom, where part of a 61-year-old tenement building collapsed in heavy rain on Wednesday [1], often find building maintenance unaffordable or lack interest in maintaining their flats while waiting for redevelopment opportunities.

The collapsed section of the flat in the six-storey walk-up on Gillies Avenue South contained furniture from a subdivided flat. There are five units in the flat, according to residents.

A similar incident happened at a 55-year-old tenement building on Kai Ming Street in To Kwa Wan in 2013. Its balcony was turned into a living space and became structurally unsafe.

Hongkongers keep community spirit alive as bulldozers move in [2]

The two cases are just the tip of the iceberg given there are 6,000 buildings which are at least 50 years old. There have been no repairs to 43 per cent of them, according to official figures.
By 2046, there will be 326,000 buildings which are at least 70 years old.

Kowloon City district, which includes Hung Hom, was found to have over 1,000 old buildings, the highest among all districts, according to a 2010 government survey.

Greg Wong Chak-yan, former president of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, said Kowloon City housed some of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods. Property owners were not well-off and less willing to pay for building maintenance, he said.

[3]
In recent years, as rents in the city kept shooting up, tiny but less expensive subdivided flats became more popular, especially in old buildings.

“Unfortunately, when most flats are subdivided, buildings with little maintenance will age very fast,” Wong said.

In a more serious case in 2010, four people died after a 55-year-old block on Ma Tau Wai Road in To Kwa Wan tumbled down. [4]

Gillies Avenue South was recommended for redevelopment and renovation in a renewal plan unveiled in 2014. It was drawn up by a panel comprising Urban Renewal Authority officials and district representatives.

Wong, who chaired the panel, said developers had started to buy up properties on the street, which was near the junction of the existing Kwun Tong MTR line and the future Sha Tin to Central link.
HK$1.6b redevelopment project planned for To Kwa Wan [5]

Lai Kin-kwok, convener of the Platform of Concerning Subdivided Flats in Hong Kong, said the government had been slow in monitoring and helping property owners to maintain their buildings.
He added that owners tended to let their flats deteriorate if there were opportunities to sell them for redevelopment.

Lai was worried that as the government was considering making it an offence for people to live in industrial buildings, it would prompt poor households to move into old tenement buildings.

“When demand for these old subdivided flats increases, owners will have even less incentive to maintain their buildings because they don’t have to worry about renting them out, and these poor families have no other choices,” Lai said.

He urged the incoming government to consider innovative approaches, such as modifying abandoned campuses for housing or developing prefabricated buildings.

An Urban Renewal Authority spokeswoman said they had been focusing on areas like To Kwa Wan. She said they had started five redevelopment projects in the area since March last year.

Giant iceberg like 'niggling tooth' set to crack off Antarctica

FILE PHOTO: A rift across the Larsen C Ice Shelf that had grown longer and deeper is seen during an airborne surveys of changes in polar ice over the Antarctic Peninsula from NASA’s DC-8 research aircraft on November 10, 2016. Coutesy NASA/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

An oblique view of a massive rift in the Antarctic Peninsula's Larsen C ice shelf is shown in this November 10, 2016 photo taken by scientists on NASA's IceBridge mission in Antarctica. Courtesy John Sonntag/NASA/Handout via REUTERS

By Alister Doyle | OSLO-Wed Jun 21, 2017

One of the biggest icebergs on record is like a "niggling tooth" about to snap off Antarctica and will be an extra hazard for ships around the frozen continent as it breaks up, scientists said on Wednesday.

An area of the Larsen C ice shelf, about as big as the U.S. state of Delaware or the Indonesian island of Bali, is connected by just 13 km (8 miles) of ice after a crack has crept about 175 kms along the sheet, with a new jump last month.

"It's keeping us all on tenterhooks," Andrew Fleming, of the British Antarctic Survey, told Reuters of the lengthening and widening rift, adding "it feels like a niggling tooth" of a child as it comes loose.
Ice shelves are flat-topped areas of ice floating on the sea at the end of glaciers. The Larsen C ice is about 200 meters (656 ft) thick with about 20 meters jutting above the water.

Big icebergs break off Antarctica naturally, meaning scientists are not linking the rift to man-made climate change. The ice, however, is a part of the Antarctic peninsula that has warmed fast in recent decades.

"There is no other evidence of change on the ice shelf. This could simply be a single calving event which will then be followed by re-growth," Adrian Luckman, a professor at the University of Swansea in Wales, told Reuters.

His team reckons the ice will break off within months, perhaps in days or years.
RISKS FOR SHIPPING

The ice, about 5,000 square kilometers (1,930 square miles), will add to existing risks for ships as it breaks apart and melts. The peninsula is outside major trade routes but the main destination for cruise ships visiting from South America.

In 2009, more than 150 passengers and crew were evacuated after the MTV Explorer sank after striking an iceberg off the Antarctic peninsula.

Fleming said the Larsen C iceberg would add an extra pulse of ice and would be hazardous especially if smaller chunks reached usually ice-free areas in the South Atlantic, rather than staying close to Antarctica's coast.

The Larsen B ice shelf nearby broke up in 2002 and some of the ice drifted into the South Atlantic toward the island of South Georgia, east of Argentina.

In 2000, the biggest iceberg recorded broke off the Ross ice shelf and was about the size of Jamaica at 11,000 square kms. Bits have lingered for years.

The loss of ice shelves does not in itself affect sea levels because the ice is already floating. But their disappearance lets glaciers on land slip faster toward the ocean, thereby raising sea levels.

NASA estimates that the Larsen C ice shelf pins back ice on land that would add a centimeter (0.4 inch) to world sea levels, which have gained about 20 centimeters in the past century.

(Reporting By Alister Doyle; Editing by Gareth Jones)

Giant Antarctic iceberg set to break away - BBC News

Published on Jan 6, 2017

An iceberg expected to be one of the 10 largest ever recorded is ready to break away from Antarctica, scientists say. A long-running rift in the Larsen C ice shelf grew suddenly in December and now just 20km of ice is keeping the 5,000 sq km piece from floating away.

Larsen C is the most northern major ice shelf in Antarctica.

9 Signs That You’re Not Eating Enough

By Franziska Spritzler [1] / Authority Nutrition [2]-June 17, 2017, 12:00 PM GMT

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can be challenging, especially in a modern society where food is constantly available.

However, not eating enough calories can also be a concern, whether it’s due to intentional food restriction, decreased appetite or other reasons.

In fact, under-eating on a regular basis can lead to a number of mental, physical and emotional health issues. Here are 9 signs that you’re not eating enough.

1. Low Energy Levels.

Calories [3] are units of energy your body uses to function.

When you don’t eat enough calories [4], you’re likely to feel tired most of the time.

The number of calories needed for these basic functions within a 24-hour period is referred to as your resting metabolic rate.

Most people have a resting metabolic rate higher than 1,000 calories per day. Adding physical activity can increase your daily needs by another 1,000 calories or more.

Although hormones also play a role in energy balance, generally if you take in more calories than needed, you will store most of the excess as fat. If you take in fewer calories than needed, you will lose weight.

Restricting intake to fewer than 1,000 calories daily can slow down your metabolic rate and lead to fatigue since you’re not taking in enough calories to support even the basic functions that keep you alive.

Eating too little has particularly been linked to low energy levels in older people, whose food intake may decrease due to reduced appetite (1 [5]).

Other studies in female athletes have found that fatigue may occur when calorie intake is too low to support a high level of physical activity. This seems to be most common in sports that emphasize thinness, like gymnastics and figure skating (2 [6], 3 [7]).

Yet even light physical activity [8] like walking or taking the stairs may cause you to tire easily if your calorie intake is well below your needs.

Summary: Eating too few calories can lead to fatigue due to insufficient energy to exercise or perform movement beyond basic functions.

2. Hair Loss.

Losing hair can be very distressing.

It’s normal to lose several strands of hair daily. However, if you’re noticing an increased amount of hair accumulating in your hairbrush or shower drain, it may be a sign that you’re not eating enough.
Many nutrients are needed to maintain normal, healthy hair growth [9].

Inadequate intake of calories, protein [10], biotin [11], iron and other vitamins and minerals is a common cause of hair loss (4 [12], 5 [13], 6 [14], 7 [15], 8 [16]).

Basically, when you don’t take in enough calories and key nutrients, your body will prioritize the health of your heart, brain and other organs over hair growth.

Summary: Hair loss may occur as a result of inadequate intake of calories, protein and certain vitamins and minerals.

3. Constant Hunger.

Being hungry all the time is one of the more obvious signs that you’re not eating enough food.

Studies confirm that appetite and food cravings increase in response to drastic calorie restriction due to changes in levels of hormones that control hunger and fullness [17] (9 [18], 10 [19], 11 [20], 12 [21]).

One three-month study followed mice who were fed a diet containing 40% fewer calories than usual.
It found that their levels of appetite-suppressing hormones [22] leptin and IGF-1 decreased and hunger signals increased significantly (9 [18]).

In humans, calorie restriction may cause hunger and food cravings in both normal-weight and overweight individuals.

In a study of 58 adults, consuming a 40%-calorie-restricted diet increased hunger levels by about 18% (10 [19]).

What’s more, low calorie intake has been shown to increase production of cortisol [23], a stress hormone that has been linked to hunger and increased belly fat [24] (13 [25], 14 [26]).
Essentially, if your calorie intake drops too much, your body will send signals that drive you to eat in order to avoid potential starvation.

Summary: Undereating can cause hormonal shifts that increase hunger in order to compensate for inadequate calorie and nutrient intake.

4. Inability to Get Pregnant.
Undereating may interfere with a woman’s ability to become pregnant [27].

The hypothalamus and pituitary gland located in your brain work together to maintain hormonal balance, including reproductive health.

The hypothalamus receives signals from your body that let it know when hormone levels need to be adjusted.

Based on the signals it receives, the hypothalamus produces hormones that either stimulate or inhibit production of estrogen, progesterone and other hormones by your pituitary gland.

Research has shown that this complex system is highly sensitive to changes in calorie intake and weight (12 [21]).

When your calorie intake or body fat [28] percentage drops too low, signals may become impaired, leading to changes in the amount of hormones released.

Without the proper balance of reproductive hormones, pregnancy cannot take place. The first sign of this is hypothalamic amenorrhea, or having no menstrual period for three months or longer (15 [29]).

In an older study, when 36 underweight women with amenorrhea or infertility related to calorie restriction increased their calorie intake and achieved ideal body weight, 90% began menstruating and 73% became pregnant (16 [30]).

If you are trying to conceive, make sure to consume a well-balanced, adequate-calorie diet [31] in order to ensure proper hormonal function and a healthy pregnancy.

Summary: Consuming too few calories can disrupt reproductive hormone signals, leading to difficulty getting pregnant.

5. Sleep Issues.
Sleep deprivation has been found to lead to insulin resistance [32] and weight gain [33] in dozens of studies (17 [34]).

In addition, while overeating may cause sleeping difficulty, it appears that strict dieting can lead to sleep problems as well.

Animal and human research has shown that starvation-level calorie restriction leads to sleep interruptions and a reduction in slow-wave sleep, also known as deep sleep (18 [35]).

In one study of 381 college students, restrictive diets and other eating problems were linked to poor sleep quality and low mood (19 [36]).

In another small study of 10 young women, four weeks of dieting led to greater difficulty falling asleep and a decrease in the amount of time spent in deep sleep [37] (20 [38]).
Feeling as though you are too hungry to fall asleep or waking up hungry are major signs that you’re not getting enough to eat.

Summary: Undereating has been linked to poor quality sleep, including taking longer to fall asleep and spending less time in deep sleep.

6. Irritability.

If little things have begun to set you off, it could be related to not eating enough.

Indeed, irritability was one of several issues experienced by young men who underwent calorie restriction as part of the Minnesota Starvation Experiment during World War II (21 [39]).

These men developed moodiness and other symptoms while consuming an average of 1,800 calories per day, which was classified as “semi-starvation” for their own calorie needs. Your own needs may be lower, of course.

A more recent study of 413 college and high school students also found that irritability was associated with dieting and restrictive eating patterns (22 [40]).

To keep your mood on an even keel, don’t let your calories drop too low.

Summary: Prolonged low calorie intake and restrictive eating patterns have been linked to irritability and moodiness.

7. Feeling Cold All the Time.

If you constantly feel cold, not eating enough food could be the cause.

Your body needs to burn a certain number of calories in order to create heat and maintain a healthy, comfortable body temperature.

In fact, even mild calorie restriction has been shown to lower core body temperature.

In a six-year controlled study of 72 middle-aged adults, those who consumed an average of 1,769 calories daily had significantly lower body temperatures than the groups who consumed 2,300–2,900 calories, regardless of physical activity (23 [41]).

In a separate analysis of the same study, the calorie-restricted group experienced a decrease in T3 thyroid hormone [42] levels, whereas the other groups did not. T3 is a hormone that helps maintain body temperature, among other functions (24 [43]).

In another study of 15 obese women, T3 levels decreased by as much as 66% during an eight-week period in which the women consumed only 400 calories per day (25 [44]).

Overall, the more severely you slash calories, the colder you’re likely to feel.

Summary: Consuming too few calories can lead to a decrease in body temperature, which may be due in part to lower levels of T3 thyroid hormone.

8. Constipation.

Infrequent bowel movements may be related to inadequate calorie intake.

This isn’t surprising, since consuming very little food will result in less waste in your digestive tract.
Constipation [45] is typically described as having three or fewer bowel movements per week or having small, hard stools that are difficult to pass. This is very common in older people and can be worsened by poor diet.

One small study of 18 older adults found that constipation occurred most often in those who didn’t consume enough calories. This was true even if they got plenty of fiber, often considered the most important factor [46] for proper bowel function (26 [47]).

Dieting and eating too little food may also cause constipation in younger people due to a slowed metabolic rate.

In a study of 301 college-aged women, the strictest dieters were most likely to have constipation and other digestive problems (27 [48]).

If you’re having problems with regularity, it’s important to take a look at the amount of food that you’re eating and evaluate whether you’re getting enough.

Summary: Strict dieting and under-eating can lead to constipation, partly due to less waste product to form stool and slower movement of food through the digestive tract.

9. Anxiety.

Although dieting itself may lead to moodiness, outright anxiety [49] can occur in response to very low calorie intake.

In a large study of more than 2,500 Australian teens, 62% of those who were classified as “extreme dieters” reported high levels of depression and anxiety (28 [50]).

Anxiety has also been observed in overweight people who eat very low-calorie diets.

In a controlled study of 67 obese people who ate either 400 or 800 calories per day for one to three months, roughly 20% of people in both groups reported increased anxiety (29 [51]).

To minimize anxiety while trying to lose weight, make sure you’re consuming enough calories and eating a healthy diet [52] that includes plenty of fatty fish to ensure you’re getting omega-3 fatty acids [53], which may help reduce anxiety (30 [54]).

Summary: Very low calorie intake may lead to moodiness, anxiety and depression in teens and adults.

The Bottom Line

Although overeating increases the risk of developing health problems, undereating can also be problematic.

This is especially true with severe or chronic calorie restriction. Instead, to lose weight sustainably, make sure to eat at least 1,200 calories per day.

Additionally, be on the lookout for these 9 signs that you may need more food than you’re currently taking in.

This article was originally published by Authority Nutrition [55].

Franziska Spritzler has a BSc in nutrition and dietetics. She is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with expertise in carbohydrate-restricted diets for diabetes and weight management.

AN OPEN APPEAL TO UN & IC TO ASSIST SRILANKA TO RAPIDLY IMPLEMENT RESOLUTION 30/1

Could These Vesak Lanterns Bring Light To Life Of Political Prisoners? 

By North East Coordinating Committee.-20/06/2017

Sri Lanka moved from a post war suppressive political period to a new political transit period under a new government which came to power on 9th January 2015. The change has opened a space for the communities and civil societies in North and East areas to come out and openly express their grievances and to demand for their rights. Even though the situation may look positive still the fundamental rights are challenged by the continuing militarized and ethno-political institutions that continue to be exist in these areas. Besides, within the two years period the National Unity government has failed to prove its strong and genuine commitments on resolving the national question of minorities.

The Government of Sri Lanka cosponsored the Resolution 30/1 which was adopted in the United Nations Human Rights Council on 1st October 2015. As the Government of Sri Lanka has not duly fulfilled its commitments which are enshrined in the resolution 30/1, the Council has given 2years period of extension to Sri Lankan government in March 2017 to fulfill its obligations. But there are no signs from the side of the government to implement these commitments.

Therefore, we North and East Coordinating Committee (NECC) bring the political and human rights situation of the people of North East to the attention of the United Nations and the international community to assist and support the Sri Lankan government to fulfill its duties to its people.
Read the full report below which describes the N &E situation under 10 themes:

1. Challenges in the Transitional Justice mechanisms
2. Consultation Task Force and National Consultation was not officially recognized by the State
3. Prevention of Terrorism Act
4. Political prisoners
5. Enforced Disappearances
6. Ex Combatants
7. Rule of law
8. Gender based violence and sexual crimes
9. Development bill to reduce powers of the provincial councils
10. Resettlement is not carried out fully in the North and East and Continuation of Military occupation

Recommendations 

Based on the continuing injustice and rights denial of the people of North and East by the Sri-Lankan state. we appeal the United Nations and the International community to consider our following recommendations positively and to assist the Sri-Lankan government to fulfill its obligations to its people in North and East:

1. To promote transitional justice process in a holistic manner, we insist the Sri-Lankan government to establish a “Ministry of Human Rights and Transitional Justice”

2. To legalize the transitional justice process, we insist the Sri-Lankan government to create “Transitional Justice Law”

3. To eradicate immunity and to promote reconciliation we demand for a justice mechanism with international judges

4. Sri Lankan government should officially disclose the truth about the involuntarily disappeared persons and persons who have been handed over to the military by their families and later gone missing. Actions should be taken to fully implement the recommendations of the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances.

5. The Directives of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission on the release of political detainees and review and reforming the Prevention of Terrorism Act should be taken into consideration while implementing international standards.

6. Inquires and intimidation against human rights defenders and civil society activists should be stopped immediately.

Read the full report as a PDF: NECC – Sri Lanka – May 2017 – An Open Appeal to UN and International Community

NECC-Sri-Lanka-May-2017-An-Open-Appeal-to-UN-and-International-Community.pdf by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

The Case For A Sangha Rebellion: Revolution Or Reform? Who Will Bell The Cat?

By Somapala Gunadheera –JUNE 20, 2017

Somapala Gunadheera

My colleague in the CCS, C. R. De Silva has asked me for my comments on the article,”Buddhism & Good Governance: The Case for a Sangha Rebellion” published recently in the Colombo telegraph in two instalments, for his information. CR was keen to have my comments as he had recently published ideas on the same line. Though I do not have the background to comment on the ideas of an international anthropologist and sociologist like Prof. H. L. Seneviratne, I decided to share my views with the reading public in general. I am only a lay Buddhist who identifies himself with the being at the edge of the universe. These comments are made from that point of view.

In his article, the Professor has made a distinction between the worldview of ‘Sinhala Cultural Buddhism’ and that of ‘Philosophical Buddhism’. His challenge is to try and imbue the society with the universalist ethicality of Philosophical Buddhism, and its ethos of urbanity, civility and modernity’ He is calling upon the more educated and dynamic sections of the saṅgha to accept that challenge, and give leadership to a social movement for meeting it. The Professor has logically analysed the path of deterioration of Philosophical Buddhism to Political Buddhism.

He traces the development from the time of the Buddha, when an attempt was made to harmlessly purge the island of non –Buddhist elements or to convert them. According to the worldview, classically expressed in the national chronicle Mahāvaṃsa, Sri Lanka belongs to its ethnic and religious majority, the Sinhala Buddhists. It has been foreseen by the Buddha that it is in Sri Lanka that his dharma would shine, making it the Dhammadipa, “the island of righteousness”. The Sinhala Buddhist worldview did not wither away, but within the reality of day-to-day social relations it had no relevance, and people of different ethnicities and religions interacted with each other freely, pragmatically and profitably.

The conquest of Sri Lanka by the British resulted in a framework of modern democratic governance but did not change the traditional world view of governance. A revolutionary change took place with the fall of the conservative government in 1956 and until now (2017) it is a story of compromising that view in turn by both major political parties. It was a shift in the value system that underlay political action. In contrast to the government just voted out of office, the newly elected coalition championed ethnicity, language, religion and “culture”, i.e., the ingredients of the Sinhala Buddhist worldview. For this purpose they designed a platform whose main ingredients were the replacement of English with the majority language Sinhala as the official language, and giving recognition and material support for religion and “culture”. The electoral appeal of this platform was so powerful that the relatively secular and cosmopolitan UNP gradually accepted it, making it virtually the non-negotiable clause in the platforms of both major national parties. 

It was a shift in the value system that underlay political action. In contrast to the government just voted out of office in1956, the newly elected coalition championed ethnicity, language, religion and “culture”, i.e., the ingredients of the Sinhala Buddhist worldview. The reforms of 1992 and 1998 lead to the increasing spread of bribery, corruption, and nepotism; the politicization of all institutions; fraud, inefficiency and unaccountability in everything; breakdown of the judiciary, the police and the administrative service; indiscipline at work, leisure, and on the roads; and more.

Although I agreed with the Professor’s learned analysis of the origins and the development of cultural development of Buddhism to the detriment of good governance, I was left with some doubts. Having named certain monks who took a positive interest in advancing the pragmatic world view of Buddhism, he expected the Sangha to initiate a revolution that would usher in that view. The movement led by the Vidyōdaya monks in the 1930 and 1940s that they termed “rural development” (grāma saṅvardhana) that combined the religious and the economic, the moral and the material came closest to such a revolution but it fizzled out without making a lasting impact on Buddhist society. For myself, I doubted the emergence of a lasting revolution headed by the sangha.

These doubts have been eloquently expressed in the CT  by Dr. Siri Gamage, the Professor’s former pupil in Sociology and anthropology at the Peradeniya University, with the following questions on his former teacher’s recommendations with which I identify myself.

1. How far a rebellion of the educated and cosmopolitan Sangha aimed at reviving the society’s value system based on philosophical Buddhism and ethics can be a solution to what is essentially a political and to some extent an economic problem?

Read More

UK Tamils protest against repression of memorialisation

20 Jun  2017

Tamils in the UK protested against state repression and the detention of Thirumurugan Gandhi, leader of the Tamil Nadu-based May 17 movement.

Led by Tamil Solidarity, protestors gathered outside the Indian High Commission in London and called for an end to Indian and Tamil Nadu state repression of memorialisation.

High Court release six arrested over Keith Noyahr abduction

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Six army intelligence officers arrested for allegedly being involved in the assault and abduction of journalist, Keith Noyahr were ordered to be released under strict bail conditions by Colombo High Court today.

Accordingly, each suspect was ordered to be released on a cash bail of Rs.35,000 and three sureties of Rs.1.5 million each.

They were barred from leaving the country and High Court observed that bail can be cancelled if they interfere with evidence and witnesses in the case. They were further ordered to appear before CID on every Sunday.

On March 20, the Mount Lavinia Magistrate issued an order to release the suspects on bail despite the strong objections of prosecution on which the CID was yet to conclude investigations.

However, the CID filed a revision application in the High Court challenging the Magistrate's order to release the suspects on bail.

Following the revision application filed by the CID, the High Court issued an order to suspend the Mount Lavinia Magistrate's order and further ordered to remand the suspects.

Keeth Noyahr who was Deputy Editor of The Nation was abducted on May 22, 2008, was mercilessly beaten by an unidentified group and was held for over seven hours.

The CID arrested six Sri Lankan army personnel attached to the Army Intelligence Directorate, in connection with the assault on Noyahr.

A Major of the Intelligence unit is also among the suspects. 

PODDALA JAYANTHA RETURNS TO SRI LANKA MAKE A COMPLAINT ON HIS ABDUCTION AND ASSAULT IN 2009

Image: Poddala Jayantha speaking to press after making his complaint. Credit: @vikalpavoices

20/06/2017

Well known Sri Lankan journalist Poddala Jayantha has returned to Sri Lanka to make a complaint to Criminal Investigation Department of the Sri Lanka Police requesting for an investigation in connection with the incident in which he was abducted, tortured and his limbs were broken.

Jayantha at the CID today. Credit @vikalpavoices
He was abducted on his way home,  tortured and left to die on June 2009 .His limbs were broken and later left on the road, his hair and beard were cut and hair pushed into his mouth by the alleged military abductors.

Few months later he went to USA and claimed political asylum. Now he works and lives with his family in New York.

In January 2008 He was personalty threatened by then defense secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
He went in to temporary exile soon in 2008 February to save his life from death squads of the regime but came back to Sri Lanka few months later  to resume his journalism work at the government owned Lake House.

Poddala Jayantha arrived at the CID this morning with several civil society activists and media associations including Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association to file the complaint. Mr. Poddala Jayantha was the former President of Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, reports Lanka Truth.

On several occasions  Mr. Poddala Jayantha had told media  that former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa sent for him and threatened him and a few days later a white van abducted him and tortured him. He insists that it is the  Rajapaksa regime is responsible for his abduction and torture.

Speaking to reporters after making the complaint Jayantha told media that he expects to come back to Sri Lanka for good so that his abductors should be brought to book by the government. He calls on the government to investigate not only the his abduction but all acts of violence that took place against media and journalists under the Rajapaksa regime.

Opposite approach to minimize torture in Sri Lanka

Jun 20, 2017

The history of torture has been from time immemorial. Today and in the future torture is a reality in many countries.

To solve a problem there may be multiple approaches. Maybe certain methods are more effective than others but each has its own ways, means and value. An intervention to minimize torture is a main issue in Sri Lanka. It has seen much effort paid to it over a long period of time. It is reasonable to concentrate on the victim who suffered torture as well as the violation of his fundamental rights. But, the torturer must be punished according to the Law. To punish the torturer and to get justice for the victim, a proper investigation should be carried out. It is imperative to analyze the entire situation of an act of torture relating not only to the victim but to the actions and mind-set of the perpetrator.

Why is it Important to Pay Attention to the Torturer in Order to Reduce Torture?

Where there is torture in a society there has to be a torturer. If there are no torturers there will be no acts of torture. It is important to study the mental state of torturers. How did they develop such a personality? If a person understands the possible outcomes of being a torturer, perhaps he will think twice before inflicting torture on another person. Do you think that this is a possible, effective avenue to minimize torture in a given society? The modern world is evolving to where it can achieve targets more easily with a deeper understanding of the problems. In this exercise let us consider the mental state of the torturer with a view that it can be used to lessen torture in society.

Any Special Risk Factors in Becoming a Torturer?

Are all the officers or individuals in the Police Institution torturers? The answer is very straight forward and it is NO. [2] In general, human-kind is considered as an empathetic species. If so, why do a small percentage of people engage in such brutal actions as to be investigated? It is not only the mentality of the individual that has to be considered. The collective attitude of individuals in a group has to be evaluated. It depends on a given society existing with many inter-influential situations.

So, if we want to understand why torture occurs, it is important to consider the psychology of individuals, their peer groups and society in general. The peer group indeed affects the behaviour of an individual. It can lead them to do things that they would never ordinarily do. The field of Psychology has researched the subject of torture for years. Some initial research that was undertaken by Professor Stanley Milgram, at Yale University, (published in 1963) and the Stanford Prison Experiment should be considered as how human behaviour is influenced by external factors. Milgram concluded that an ordinary person would be willing to obey instructions from an authority figure to increase electric-shocks on a person without considering his own conscience. [3] Milgram’s research and other similar research have concluded that the superior, Official-Type of Encouragement is operative in a situation--i.e. Top-Down Pressure. A reverse force has also been identified, known as Peer Encouragement --i.e. Bottom-Up Pressure according to John Conroy. [4] He said that "When torture takes place, people believe they are on the high moral-ground, that the nation is under threat and they are the front line protecting the nation, and people will be grateful for what they are doing." It explains how a torturer justifies his conscience for being a torturer.

Not only the aspects mentioned above, but other causes and risk factors can be associated with the execution of torture. It has been recognized that various psychological deviations are seen in these perpetrators especially Sadistic Satisfaction. Acts of torture may satisfy the deviated mental state of the torturer. And, as a result such persons are willingly to inflict torture on others. These characters are people who lack empathy. [5]

In addition, the concept of Dark Personalities, coined by Paulhus and Williams (2002), shows how the vulnerability of a torturer can be explained further. Such a personality is described mainly as having one of three characteristics which are believed to finally create a ruthless person. [6].

1. Sociopath 
A person who has undergone a traumatic childhood is included in this category because of early trauma, abuse or neglect. As he develops, he becomes mentally deranged and is unable to regulate his emotions.

2. Narcissist
“They really see themselves as special, better than the niftiest person that ever lived. There is no chink in their armor, they are simply infallible in their minds”.

3. Psychopath
4. A person suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behavior.

In a recent article published by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), it was recognized that there are three dynamics in becoming a torturer. According to Riccardo Bocco and Jonathan Austin, three dynamics are required for torturers to emerge, even in the absence of a leader. A system that requires torture to be used is found in: situational dynamics, material dynamics and circulation of the knowledge of torture. [7]

Whatever theories that are put forward, the causative and risk factors for being or converting into a torturer are difficult to pinpoint [8]. But there are a few ways that can predict such personalities emerging.

Here are two examples. Correlation between animal cruelty and future cruelty towards human beings has been an established fact. [9] Those that have undergone severe childhood abuse should also be highlighted. A precise explanation about the causative factors is beyond the scope of this article.

The Cost to the Torturer Because of Torturing

Up to this point, we have discussed why people tend to inflict torture on others. However, the main idea of this article is to elicit the effects upon the torturer himself. The understanding of the outcome and the fate that they have to undergo for being a torturer has its own psychological effects on them. Through this awareness much hope can be generated to minimize torture. The perpetrator will understand the cost that he has to pay throughout his lifetime. This insight, as to how the torturer’s life will be negatively affected, would make a person think twice before torturing. It is a recognized fact that there will be psychological sequelae for the torturer as well. [10] Many literature citations confirm this. The list below states possible psychological outcomes in perpetrators of torture. [11]

Psychosocial Sequelae for Perpetrators of Torture

Post-Traumatic Symptoms

1. Intrusive thoughts and re-experiencing torturing in nightmares and flashbacks
2. Avoidance of reminders and triggers
3. Social alienation – feeling outside of humanity, social isolation, family isolation
4. Feelings – extreme shame and guilt/ remorse, self-condemnation, feeling loss of humanity, fear of retaliation including legal claims
5. High arousal states – angry outbursts, difficulty in concentration, sleep disturbances inability to fall or stay sleep
6. Dissociative personality splinter – developing a Torture Persona, sense of Disembodiment, amnesia for parts or whole of the experience
7. Drug and alcohol abuse – self-medication, prescription drug abuse
8. Suicidal thoughts and behavior
9. Increased aggression/continued perpetrator behavior

The above 9 illustrations makes it clear that the cost a perpetrator has to pay is considerable and should not be overlooked. More research and interviews are needed in Sri Lanka to elaborate these causative outcomes among the torturers in Sri Lanka.

Recommendations and Conclusion

To conclude this article, it is mandatory that the Government take the major responsibility in minimizing torture. There should be proper instruction related to the outcomes that a perpetrator of torture would suffer while still in the Police Department or the military. Empathy should be stressed/developed during the training of new personnel. Not only that, they should be educated to know that torture is wrong. So it is essential to share new research about the possible squealae to torturers and to highlight the possible outcomes of torturers in their training courses. By changing attitudes regarding torture, rationally there should be fewer numbers of torturers in our Police Institution and Armed Forces. Modern techniques should be introduced especially Interviewing Techniques for suspects and DNA analysis.

A reliable screening method would be most advantageous in interviewing new recruits. It could weed out vulnerable recruits liable to torture in the future. Set up an Educational Curricula with high moral and ethical standards, employing the latest techniques and investigative equipment in use globally. Strongly emphasize the lifelong repercussions torturers have to pay for engaging in this heinous behavior. These are a few approaches to minimize torture in Sri Lanka in addition to the system of punishing perpetrators.

Footnotes

Rasika Sanjeewa Weerawickrama, LLB (Col), LLM (HK)), (Attorney-at-Law) is a Legal Practitioner in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The author acknowledges the excellent guidance in researching by Rev. Sister Marya Zaborowski, Maryknoll Sisters of Saint Dominic.
Stephen Reicher and Alex Haslam, a Psychologist. Why not everyone is a torturer? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3700209.stm
The Milgram Experiment. 1963 https://www.simplypsychology.org/milgram.html
The view from the bottom-up - Changing Ireland. changingireland.ie/Issue42.pdf
Psychology of torture. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology_of_torture
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150130-the-man-who-studies-evil
Françoise Sironi, Riccardo Bocco, Paul Bouvier Tackling Torture: Who are the torturers? https://www.icrc.org/en/document/lutter-contre-la-torture-qui-sont-les-tortionnaires
Interview with a Torturer. https://longreads.com/2015/03/11/interview-with-a-torturer/
Cynthia Hodges, Cruelty to Animals and Violence towards People. https://www.animallaw.info/article/link-cruelty-animals-and-violence-towards-people
Why do humans torture others? https://www.quora.com/Why-do-humans-torture-others
Psychosocial Drivers, Prevention and Sequelae of Engaging in Torture. icsve.org/research-reports/psychosocial-drivers-prevention-and-sequelae-of-engaging-in-torture/
By Sanjeewa Weerawickrama [1]