What will happen after 31 December?

BY GAGANI WEERAKOON-2017-07-16

As President Maithripala Sirisena was praised in Bangladesh for making a 'revolutionary transformation in Sri Lanka', the visiting UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Ben Emmerson, warned that the progress in achieving the key goals set out in the Resolution is not only slow, but seems to have grounded to a virtual halt due to lack of commitment from the side of government.

"None of the measures so far adopted to fulfil Sri Lanka's transitional justice commitments are adequate to ensure real progress, and there is little evidence that perpetrators of war crimes committed by members of the Sri Lankan armed forces are being brought to justice," he observed.
Interestingly it was during his stay, that the CID arrested former Navy Spokesman Commodore D.K.P. Dassanayake, while he was receiving treatment at Welisara Navy Hospital, on charges of aiding and abetting in the enforced disappearance of 11 youths in 2008 and 2009.

The CID was investigating the incident, where 11 youth were kidnapped in Colombo and later disappeared after being detained illegally in 2008 and 2009.

In his preliminary findings of the visit to Sri Lanka, the Special Rapporteur also observed that he was given a personal assurance by the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that once the current process of counter-terrorism reform had been completed, the Government would pass legislation paving the way for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to be established, and set up an Office of the Special Prosecutor to bring criminal charges against those involved in the most serious atrocities committed on both sides of the conflict.

"These are, of course, steps which the Government promised to the international community that it would have delivered in full by now. It is fair to say that there are some very slight indications of positive movement in this direction. During the visit, the Chief of the Army, Mahesh Senanayake, made a public commitment to ensuring that members of the armed forces who had committed crimes would be brought to justice; the Attorney General assured that if and when criminal allegations against the military finally reach his office, they will be prosecuted with the full force of the law. The Attorney General recognised that if Sri Lanka was to achieve lasting peace, then its law enforcement institutions must gain the confidence of all sectors of society, including the Tamil and Muslim minorities," the report stated.

Yet, Emmerson observed, that these indications fall far short of Sri Lanka's international commitment to achieve a lasting and just solution to its underlying problems, for the benefit of all of its communities, to establish a meaningful system of transitional justice that is governed by the principles of equality and accountability, and to put in place essential and urgently needed reform of the security sector.

The Special Rapporteur is encouraged by the Government's recent adoption of a 'zero tolerance policy' towards the use of torture; and by the appointment in July 2016 of a Committee to Eradicate Torture by the Police. In Sri Lanka, however, such practices are very deeply ingrained in the security sector and all of the evidence point to the conclusion that the use of torture has been, and remains today, endemic and routine, for those arrested and detained on national security grounds. As the authorities use this legislation disproportionately against members of the Tamil community, it is this community that has borne the brunt of the State's well-oiled torture apparatus.

In this context, Emmerson was extremely concerned to learn that 80 per cent of those most recently arrested under the PTA in late 2016 complained of torture and physical ill-treatment following their arrest, in cases which were later dealt with under ordinary criminal law. The Human Rights Commission emphasised that torture in custody formed a major priority in its work, and remains a pressing human rights concern. The most senior judge responsible for PTA cases in Colombo informed the Special Rapporteur that in over 90 per cent of the cases he had dealt with so far in 2017, he had been forced to exclude the essential confession evidence because it had not been given voluntarily – that is that it had been obtained through the use or threat of force.

During his interviews with current and former PTA detainees, Emmerson himself has heard 'distressing stories' of extremely brutal methods of torture, including beatings with sticks, the use of stress positions, asphyxiation using plastic bags filled with kerosene, the pulling out of fingernails, the insertion of needles beneath the fingernails, the use of various forms of water torture, the suspension of individuals for several hours by their thumbs, and the mutilation of genitals. In a number of instances brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur, these allegations had either been supported by independent medical evidence, or accepted by the judiciary as the basis for excluding a confession at trial.

Despite the shocking prevalence of the practice of torture in Sri Lanka, the Special Rapporteur notes the lack of effective investigations into such allegations. In response to a request for the most recent official statistics, he was informed that only 71 Police Officers had been proceeded against for torturing suspects since available records began. He notes that the Human Rights Commission is now routinely informed when an individual is detained under the PTA and has unfettered access to all places of detention. However, in a system that is premised on obtaining convictions by confessions, this, and other safeguards, have proved entirely insufficient to protect suspects against this most cowardly of international crimes.

Even though Emmerson made references to the judicial system of the country and called for a modernization of anti-terrorism laws, his observations did not mention any details at the discussion he held with the Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, other than mentioning the list of people whom he met.

The reason, according to well-informed sources, could be the heated argument he encountered while referring to inmates kept under the PTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act).

The incident occurred when Emmerson accused the Sri Lanka Police of torturing most of the suspects and stressing the number of terrorist suspects in custody as 200. When Minister Rajapakshe inquired Emmerson as to who had provided such inaccurate information UN official attributed his information to reliable sources. Minister Rajapakshe in annoyance reminded the visiting official that he was the Justice Minister of the country and spoke with responsibility.

Minister Rajapakshe also stressed that 71 persons held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in respect of 46 cases were hardcore terrorists responsible for mass murder.

In response to Emmerson's criticism of law enforcement authorities obtaining convictions through confessions, Rajapakshe pointed to British Premier Theresa May's recent vow to protect officers and men fighting terrorism at the expense of human rights laws. The minister said that it was absurd for the British UN official to condemn Sri Lanka for obtaining convictions by confessions when the UK followed the same policy.

September or December?

Apart from tackling human rights issues, President Maithripala Sirisena is returning from his Bangladesh State visit to an impatient group of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members who at the moment are demanding him to quit the political marriage with the United National Party (UNP) or to let them sit independently in the Opposition.

Just before leaving for Bangladesh a group of senior SLFP members met President Sirisena. The meeting, according to sources who witnessed it, was far from being cordial.

President Sirisena has promised to discuss the matter once he returned and the discussion is most likely to take place towards the latter part of this week

The MoU reached between the SLFP and the UNP in forming a coalition government will be completed by 2 September this year.

The group, it seemed has demanded President Sirisena to do what President Chandrika Kumaratunga did in 2004. Kumaratunga sacked Wickremesinghe's Government just two years into its six-year term and called fresh elections which she won with the support of the JVP.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe who learnt his lesson the hard way, was crafty enough to make sure that the same misfortune would not be repeated; hence made it impossible for President Sirisena to do the same. As a well-planned precautionary measure, a clause was included in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution where it says President cannot dissolve the Parliament prematurely. Which means, this Parliament will have to continue till 2020.

If SLFP group leaves as threatened, the UNP will be in a better position to form a stronger government with a few coming from the Opposition as they already have 107 seats in Parliament.

They only needs only six more MPs to ensure an absolute majority.

In doing so, they could tap on the six seats available with the JVP, even though a UNP-JVP coalition is unimaginable.

The back-benchers of the SLFP, especially young MPs are at the moment contemplating how they could use this to their advantage and to the betterment of the party.

"All those who are threatening ideally have reached their retirement age. They should retire from politics and let young and new thinkers to get together and take the country forward. If they leave, there will be more people in the Opposition who would join us in forming a government," a group of young SLPers noted.

Meanwhile, Minister Kabir Hashim recently said that the UNP would be in a better position to form a stronger government. With the common idea being embedded is that it was due to SLFP's opposition that the entire process of reconciliation and Constitution making process has stalled, there is a better chance of UNP forming an alliance with the support of 15 MPs in the Tamil National Alliance.

From a Government in Crisis to a Crisis of Democracy

"People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made."Franklin Roosevelt (The State of the Union Address, 1944)

by Tisaranee Gunasekara-July 15, 2017, 5:09 pm 

This is not fiddling while Rome burns. This is taking ‘selfies’ on the railway track ignoring the hurtling express train.

No government can remain eternally popular. Governments, like people, also face midlife crises. Some of the woes afflicting the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration are due to such natural factors. Not all of them, though, or even most of them. These heights of inefficiency, this unwillingness to stand up to the bullying of special-interest groups, this inability to understand its own peril – there is nothing normal about any of this.

From a Government in Crisis to a Crisis of Democracy.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

SLFP-UNP marriage of convenience heading for separation

By Our Political Editor-Sunday, July 16, 2017

• President, PM outline different missions instead of common vision: Decision of renewal of MoU before December 31
• 
  
• Sirisena tells party loyalists to be patient and confident, says that some JO members are in regular contact with him
• 
  
• Ranil gears the party for local council elections, while party prepares to field him as 2020 presidential candidate
• Cabinet decides to shut down Anti-Corruption Secretariat and President expedites probes
• 
  

For a second successive week, ministers at their weekly meeting last Tuesday discussed the future of the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat (ACCS) and this time, decided to shut it down. Previous week’s meeting ended inconclusively with President Maithripala Sirisena letting off some steam on his coalition partner, the United National Party’s (UNP) alleged nexus with the Joint Opposition led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

SLFP-UNP marriage of convenience heading for separation.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

Sri Lanka: Plight at the end of the Tunnel

Over 90 percent of government revenue currently goes on debt servicing, mainly to China, and the concessionary capital repayment moratorium on multi-lateral agency loans will soon expire. What happens then?

by Ajit Kanagasundaram-Jul 16, 2017

( July 16, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The state of our economy is parlous but we are living in a fools’s paradise. We have achieved middle income status on borrowed money spent on unproductive show projects like Mattala airport. Goods, mostly imported, are feely available even though at a price and the only cloud on the horizon seems to be dengue and garbage spills and the bother of the eternally troublesome Tamils with their incessant demands for devolution and autonomy – why can’t they ever be satisfied with our generosity in letting them merely exist?. What can go wrong in Paradise? A great deal as I will try and explain.

Let us take the basics first. Over 90 percent of government revenue currently goes on debt servicing, mainly to China, and the concessionary capital repayment moratorium on multi-lateral agency loans will soon expire. What happens then? The answer of the IMF and World Bank will be the same remedies that failed in Indonesia and Thailand in 1997 and Greece in 2014 – more austerity, budget cuts and higher taxes. This will deepen the recession, increase unemployment in a country with no social security safety net, dampen economic activity and create social unrest in a fragile country with deep class and ethnic fissures. The next targets of ethnic pogroms will be the Muslims and Christians as there are no worthwhile Tamil targets left and the BBS is already flexing its muscles

But we will have no alternative but to comply.

Our short term remedies are to borrow more from China (and compromise our sovereignty even more) and sell our assets like Hambantota harbor – but these are clearly short term and finite. The expectation of enormous FDI and setting up an international banking center in the new Port City are pipe dreams – we do not have the administrative capacity to set up world standard industrial parks, our labor is unskilled and strike prone and we lack cheap reliable electric power. As for a banking center we lack cost effective office space (the 20-year old world trade center costs twice as much per square foot of office space than more modern office space in Singapore) , reliable and cheap telecommunication links to the world and above all a judiciary with a track record of unbiased and expeditious dispensation of justice. Till then the Megapolis will remain a Megalomananiapolis !!

The only remedy is to use our resources of soil and water, especially in the partially developed Mahaweli areas, and develop agricultural and horticultural exports as Thailand and Vietnam have done (Thailand alone exports $ 3 billion worth a year – four times more than our tea industry where we have over 150 years experience), but this will be slow an take a generation of hard and sustained work. Time is running out and the only voice in the wilderness is Indrajit Coomaraswamy, our Central Bank Governor, who harps on these realities in every speech – but who is listening? Part of the problem is that as a Harrow and Cambridge educated gentleman and intellectual he minces his words. We need a political heavyweight like Champika Ranawake to sound the warning loud and clear.

These steps are the minimum we must take.

– Immediately sell our loss making corporations to the private sector – here and abroad. Foreigners are preferable as they will bring in foreign capital and management methods.

– Start a focused program to cultivate and export horticultural products – especially mangoes and oranges from the largely undeveloped Mahaweli areas especially System B.

– Expand our production and export of spices.

– Start a fragrance industry with our endemic flowers and spices.

– Build up a dairy industry especially in Jaffna where the people have a natural affinity for the activity.

– Allow foreigners to buy land freely if they pay a 100% tax rather than selectively as at present.

– Start a foreign residence program, similar to Malaysia’s “Malaysia my second home” program where foreigners are given a permanent visa if they bring in a minimum amount of capital. Sri Lanka has a better land environment and sea share than Malayasia and is much better culturally Malaysia’s Chinese are too busy making money, the Indians are cowed and introverted and the Malays are arrogant in their delusion of ethnic superiority and belief in Islam. The Sri Lankans are much more interesting and welcoming of foreigners especially the British, who as Galle Fort shows, have a natural affinity for us.

– Allow dual citizenship to any Diaspora, not selectively as at present especially for Tamils, as they will invest in the North and the East. The combined income of the Tamil Diaspora is now well in excess of our GDP and this is the largest untapped source of capital – not more loans.

If we do not act fast, for those of us who can see there is the “Plight at the end of the Tunnel”.

---

The writer can be reached at ajitkanagasundram@gmail.com

CID to take Lalith Jayasinghe to Jaffna!

Jul 15, 2017

Pursuant to an order by the attorney general, the CID summoned senior DIG Lalith Jayasinghe, and he was due to be taken to Jaffna at 9.00 pm today. He gave a statement to the CID for more than three hours, and the information he has given has given rise to the need to produce him before the Jaffna magistrate, who will decide if the senior DIG should be given bail or remanded, after considering a ‘B’ report to be filed by the CID.

In a challenge to the basic principle that everyone is equal before the law, Jayasinghe had been evading the law for nearly two years due to his personal and political connections, with his friends at the police commission too, giving him protection.

However, the CID and the AG’s Department could not refrain from summoning him due to the revelations made in open courts by witnesses to the Sivaloganathan Vidya gang rape and murder case being heard at the Jaffna high court and as per clause 127 of the criminal procedure code. It was him who had intentionally released Mahalingam Shashi Kumar alias Swiss Kumar, the main accused in the case. However, the CID managed to arrest him again in Colombo.

While all mainstream media in Sri Lanka were protecting Jayasinghe and Prof. V.T. Thamilmaran of the Colombo law faculty, only Lanka News Web exposed the truth, preventing the senior DIG from evading the law. Certain media accused us of fabricating things. We have details of many more incidents, but time is not right to reveal them. But, we urge the CID and the AG’s Department to again go through the death bed confession of the person involved in the murder of three persons including Choka Malli in Ratnapura during the presidential election. Further details will follow.

Senior DIG Lalith Jayasinghe arrested

By Yusuf Ariff-July 15, 2017

Senior DIG Lalith Jayasinghe has been arrested for allegedly helping a suspect in the murder of schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya in Jaffna to evade arrest.

The 18-year-old student from Pungudutivu was abducted, raped and murdered while returning from school on May 13, 2015.

The incident sparked wide-spread condemnation and protests especially in her hometown of Jaffna while 9 suspects were arrested and indicted over the murder. 

Terrorizing GMOA faces humiliation at every turn ! They agree never to strike again after discussion with Ranil and Rajitha..! -Full report ….

 

(Lanka-e-News - 15.July.2017, 12.30PM) It is by now a well and widely known fact that the GMOA of the terrorist group of medical doctors alias medical oppressors of  Padeniya  is working according to the diabolic and anti national agenda of discarded deposed ex president Mahinda Rajapakse . Hence  they naturally became a scourge of the entire country  during the last several months , only to finally  bite   the dust most degradingly after failing miserably in their ruthless efforts to sabotage the education of immature  students of SAITM, and  medical Colleges; instigate students  to violence and hooliganism defying the law ; and  jeopardize  the lives of helpless suffering patients by staging regular  lightning  and indefinite strikes to the detriment of the entire country.

 After meeting the Waterloo and voluntarily inviting  disgrace they finally said  they would not stage strikes again in relation to the SAITM issue after convening a media discussion following their meeting with the Prime minister (P.M.) and Health minister  on the 12 th . 

It is to be noted this outcome was  following their  discussion ‘asked  and granted’ . That is ,after they went out of the way and sought a  discussion with the health minister and the prime minister. At the media discussion thereafter they revealed that they have agreed to accept the proposals  of the government. 

This GMOA now dubbed Government medical oppressors association is aware if they are to again stage strikes , it is the provoked and enraged  public that will teach them a lesson. All these days the GMOA of Padeniya killed patients slowly via strikes , but now the tables will be turned on them :They will be killed not only slowly but surely by  the people and patients. In fact , if the Padeniyas had still not understood the  dire situation in the country and the threats these GMOA terrorist leaders  are facing even after the warning and advice proffered to them by Dr.Carlo Fonseka who begged them not to strike,  they are only carving a short cut to their own disaster sooner than later , all  because of their overriding traitorous traits and innate  bestial nature despite being doctors who have taken the sacred oath of Hippocrates to give precedence to serving and treating the  serve .

These ruthless medical doctors now dubbed medical oppressors ,  sought a discussion with the P.M. as a face  saving exercise when they were headed for trouble owing  to their own seeking . Prior to that when they were going after the president to get an appointment for  discussions , they tried desperately  to get an appointment with the P.M. for a discussion  through Vajira Abeywardena . However when the latter told them he cannot comply with their request because Padeniya called the  P.M.  a mental patient, they sought other avenues to secure the appointment. 

P.M. imposes conditions…  

As a last straw they finally contacted  Dinesh Weerakody the president of the national human resource Council under the  economic and national policy ministry of P.M. and Dr. Gotabaya Ranasinghe. Padeniya in his desperation implored them to somehow get them  an appointment with the P.M. When Dinesh communicated this to P.M. , the latter stipulated  two conditions. 

The two conditions were: 

Only two doctors representing the GMOA can participate in the discussion , and the P.M. will participate only if the health minister Rajitha Senaratne consents. Besides , he will not participate unless the health minister too joins in the discussion. The GMOA leaders including Padeniya and Haritha Aluthge who were launching verbal onslaughts on  the health minister earlier on  , agreed with the P.M. ‘s conditions  readily.

Accordingly , the discussion was held on 12 th night with the participation  of Padeniya and GMOA secretary Haritha Aluthge. Others  present were the P.M. and health minister   Rajitha Senaratne. Dinesh Weerakody  too was there to render assistance. 

The P.M. speaking first said , as a trade union organization , the GMOA criticizing their  minister  is wrong , for the minister only expresses the opinion of the government represented by all and not his personal opinion. 

The GMOA stated SAITM  was first commenced as a Technology Institute which has now become a medical College.

Rajitha Senaratne in his reply said  , that contention is not tenable, and explained, when the Peradeniya University was launched in  the nineteen forties , there wasn’t a medical faculty , and that faculty where he obtained his education was started in the nineteen sixties.

In the future the government is contemplating opening a medical faculty  in the Wayambe and another in  Sabaragamuwa Universities ,  and three more medical faculties in the Moratuwa University . Hence opening new faculties in Universities from time to time for new subjects is natural , Rajitha elaborated. Now the SLIIT  too has made a request to commence a medical faculty . Based on the argument of the GMOA then is  that also wrong ? the minister questioned. 

It was the view of Padeniya and Haritha Aluthge (the medical doctors cum medical oppressors)  that the commencement of SAITM sans adequate standards  is wrong. 

Minimum standard

The P.M. and Rajitha pinpointed , SAITM was not something created by the present government , and asked for an evaluation regarding everything said and done  in the past when the SAITM was launched . It was because of the fault of the medical council that the minimum standard was not stipulated . Hence it was not the fault of anyone else  , they  explained. 

SAITM was commenced by Neville Fernando  who is himself a doctor. In 2009  , a request was made by letter to the Medical Council to inform the minimum  standard required . The president of the medical council H.S.R. Samarasinghe at that time in his reply stated , the council cannot arrive at a definite conclusion regarding the minimum standard. 

The P.M. and Rajitha therefore questioned , then how can SAITM have a minimum standard which even the medical council did not have at that time ?  Padeniya already suffering from AIDS (Acquired intelligence deficiency syndrome) was dumbfounded and baffled by this question. 

Padenya then questioned how  SAITM which was to award medical degrees earlier  in affiliation with Russia is now going to award those here?  

It was the medical council which made the SAITM to do that, Rajitha  pointed out. ‘When SAITM wanted to be a foreign degree awarding Institute in liaison with the government in 2010,  it is your GMOA that insisted , not to award foreign degrees , and to try  to award local degrees. It was the president of the Medical council then , professor Ms.Lalitha Mendis who intimated in writing that AT 16 is not necessary , while highlighting the four advantages . Hence , who has made the mistake? Is it the SAITM or the Medical council ?’  Rajitha rightly asked.

SAITM may have shortfalls , but what has to be determined  now is  the permissible minimum standard,   Rajitha asserted while emphasizing  it is he as the minister under the new government who took the first step towards that. The medical council was to make inquiries in that regard from the medical faculties , and  that report pertaining to the minimum  standard was to be handed over to him on the 22 nd of June , but that was the day the anti SATM students laid siege to the  health ministry . Owing to that unfortunate incident , the report was postponed , the minister lamented.

In any event both parties agreed to soon pass legislation on the minimum standard that has been finalized  now.

Now the students are bad !

When Padeniya and Haritha  Aluthge did a U turn and blamed the students for the damage  caused to the health ministry , and said they do not condone those actions under any circumstances , the P.M.  and Rajitha were rudely shocked  because they were the ones – the GMOA leaders who were from behind prodding and pushing  the students to stage indefinite strikes and resort to violence .

Padeniya and Haritha Aluthge anyway tried to defend themselves and  fasten the blame more on the Peratugami  cadres who they said were most responsible for the violent destructive activities while stating  the medical students on the contrary were peaceful.

The GMOA leaders also said , there was a competition between the Peratugami and JVP student cadres to score plus points . One party was trying to outstrip the other in violent activities to prove they were better revolutionaries  .The  GMOA leaders expressed their  resentment against them on that.

President of Medical council

The GMOA leaders next made a request to the P.M. and Rajitha to re-appoint Professor Lalitha Mendis as the new  president of the medical council who was holding that position before Dr. Carlo Fonseka . They explained  Professor Colvin Gunaratne who the government is going to appoint  is too old for that post. 

The characteristic stupidity of the GMOA leaders suffering from AIDS (Acquired intelligence deficiency syndrome) was clearly manifested by this request. Their earlier attempts were to appoint Dr.  Carlo Fonseka in support of which they even cruelly threatened to stage strikes jeopardizing lives of the helpless and  hapless patients . Dr. Carlo is older than Dr. Colvin Gunaratne. Dr. Carlo is now 84 years old whereas Dr. Colvin Gunaratne is 80 years of age.  Little wonder  these Padeniyas are rightly described as medical oppressors and imbeciles suffering from intelligence deficiency syndrome . After they tried  to  stage strikes to re appoint Dr. Carlo Fonseka who is 84 years old as the president of the medical council , are now saying Dr. Colvin Gunaratne  (80 years old and younger than Carlo Fonseka) whom the government is going to appoint is too old, and to appoint  Dr. Lalitha Mendis as the  new president of the medical council who provided facilities to  SAITM. 

 From what is revealed above ,one can imagine the intelligence deficiency  of these so called Padeniyas (  AIDS  contracted) who are pompously  posing and parading  as champions of the cause of medical education in SL.

Padeniya requested , if Lalitha Mendis cannot be appointed , at least to appoint Dr.Palitha Abeykoon as the Council’s president. By this request once again Padeniyas proved not only their intelligence deficiency even their most unscrupulous and unprincipled nature because Abeykoon is already a  chairman of a popular private hospital and a member of the board of Directors of another private hospital . Though he is a specialist and a Harvard degree qualified doctor the conflict of  interests is obvious if he is to be appointed as requested by Padeniyas because he is a chairman of a private hospital as well as a board member of another.  It is only mentally feeble or deranged  doctors will make such a request. 

No wonder Padeniya and his clan ( now confirmed imbeciles ) the so called leaders of the GMOA made  a real  hash of the SAITM issue , in addition to  imperiling lives of innocent patients and obstructing the education of immature medical students by  driving them to the streets to stage uncalled for strikes to their own  detriment and the entire country . 

In any case , the P.M. and Rajitha had to bear with patience and tell  these buffoons the laws pertaining to minimum standard is now almost finalized , and the draft thereof is in the final stage while its Sinhala and Tamil translations are also getting ready . 

The P.M. in reply to the proposals made by Padeniyas said , those have already been done. The new recruitments to SAITM and awarding of degrees are already stopped, he pinpointed. When Padeniya whose buffoonery and   tomfoolery have become known by now to the whole world said , that being done without a letter in writing is an  issue.  P.M. asked where on earth is a letter also needed  for a matter that is already being implemented ? If the GMOA has concurred in the decisions of the government intimated  in writing to the  SAITM  , is there anything more than that ? P.M. questioned. The P.M. also informed , next week SAITM has to register as a general company. 

The GMOA leaders finally agreed with P.M. and the Health Minister. Later the GMOA convened a media briefing and revealed ,  they have no necessity any more to stage strikes. 

The stark truth….

The stark truth is the GMOA leaders have  by now  proved to the  people of the country and the whole world by deed and word, they are  indeed a ruthless set of   medical oppressors  who have contracted acute AIDS (Acquired intelligence deficiency syndrome) and not medical doctors .  These leaders who rode the high horse have had a heavy fall worse than that of Humpty Dumpty . Following the discussions  they had with the P.M and Rajitha  they had to leave crestfallen . Now they cannot scream “SAITM ,SAITM” and stage ruthless , meaningless and senseless  strikes like street urchins , street idlers and  street loafers  while shamelessly calling themselves as doctors.  They are fully aware of the mounting public resentment and opposition against them . Besides the GMOA has been made a party to the appeal  filed in the supreme court (SC) by the medical council , in which event until the SC gives a decision the  GMOA cannot engage in its  favorite occupation of idlers  – strikes.  The SC is to deliver its decision in  early August. After that all have to abide by that decision , and the SAITM issue will be resolved.

It is significant to note it is while the government was making every sincere and diligent  effort to resolve this SAITM issue permanently, the GMOA on the other hand pursuing the evil agenda of Medamulana political agenda created mayhem in the country with the goal to topple the government using SAITM as  an issue. The Peratugami party which even opposed the national drugs bill used this SAITM issue to achieve its political objectives . The JVP the other revolutionary party also joined in to demonstrate they are more revolutionary than the Peratugami. These are two parties most notorious for their regressive policies and traitorous agendas standing in the way of every development effort geared for the benefit of the country and the people . Their so called revolutionary gains are losses caused to the younger generation - sacrificing the innocent lives of youths . Already the JVP has been discarded and  dis(credited) as being responsible for the deaths of many thousands of students and youths during their unsuccessful stupid  insurgency .

 Similarly in this anti SAITM protests it were the immature innocent students who lost their precious education and time , not to mention  their sufferings following police retaliation when they resorted to violence at the behest of  moronic GMOA and these  political party leaders.

These deadly manipulations turned destructive not only against students of SAITM but even those of State universities . The immaturity of the students is understandable , but their parents cannot take refuge under that excuse. This is simply based on the hypocrisy and jealousy of the parents that another child should not study as well as their own. 

No matter what opinions are expressed superficially , this protest was initiated  not based on the harm befalling them rather on the jealousy that the other is going to benefit . It is no issue if these medical villains have waged their struggle to truly elevate the students of SAITM too to the same standard as theirs.  That was not their intention.  What they said was’ close the graduate shop.’ Going by all their villainy , venom and vengeful actions , it is a sure bet these present students of government medical colleges will turn out in the future  to be a group  of most jealous and venomous doctors who would be a bane to the profession , society and the country.  

By Chandra  Pradeep

Translated by Jeff

 

 

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by     (2017-07-15 07:14:41)

Will Sri Lanka be in a state of conflict for all time?

Will ‘timid’ Government responses encourage anti- social elements?

Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thero

by Gnana Moonesinghe-July 15, 2017, 5:11 pm 

Will Sri Lanka be pushed into the cauldron of conflict once again with the governance mechanism in limbo, slow to react responsively to conflict loaded situations?

BODHU BALA SENA

Sri Lanka is no stranger to conflict. In the present context what is bewildering and disconcerting is the perception that the present government (as did the previous one) is watching passively while the Bodhu Bala Sena, a radical Sinhalese Buddhist organization appear to be pre -programmed to rouse religious and communal hatred towards institutions and communities and thereby create friction in the already fractured social relationships.

To date it was possible to dismiss some of the Sinhala Buddhist ‘activists’ as the foolhardy fringe of extremist folly, but it is not possible any longer, in particular, following the statement issued by the Mahanayake of Asgiriya, at the conclusion of the discussions at the Karaka Sangha Sabha of the Asgiriya chapter.

THE INTERVENTION OF THE SANGHA

The misty environment in Sri Lanka has turned increasingly dark and threatening and provocative following the statement issued by the Mahanayake of Asgiriya. This statement received weightage as it is the considered conclusion to the discussions within the Karaka Sangha Sabha of the Asgiriya chapter. It can be gathered from the press release that while the Sangha was not in empathy with the ‘style of communication’ of the Secretary of the BBS, Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, they were sympathetic to his line of ‘thinking’.

The statement called upon all "patriotic people" to act in unison to confront the challenge to Buddhism. The majority of the Buddhists in the country look for guidance to the Sangha. This call asking Buddhists to protect the challenge to Buddhism will be construed as asking the Buddhists to support the BBS standpoint.

The Daily Mirror of June 6 carried another statement issued by all three Mahanayake’s and other Sangha Sabhas. The statement:

1. that there is no need or urgency to bring another Constitution or an Amendment to the Constitution

2. Government should find swift resolution of the SAITM issue.

3. Proposed that ‘bringing the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances Bill to parliament should be delayed to enable parliament to study the Bill;

4. That a special committee be appointed to look into the grievances facing Buddhists with regard to religion and culture, and the prevailing racial and religious unrest,

5. Attention to be focused on protecting religious places of archeological interest in the country;

6. Buddhism to retain the foremost position in the constitution;

7. Retain the Executive power of the President.

Invasion of the constitutional space of Parliament

The Sangha must be of the opinion that it is within their territory of immediate concern to ask for a committee to be appointed to look into the above mentioned issues. But an in-depth analysis of the suggestions makes one conclude that the Sangha is invading the political space of the country’s elected representatives, a potential intrusion of the sovereignty of Parliament.

The statement of the Sangha may be looked upon as a directive to the Buddhists; at this point the Sangha becomes a contributor to conflict situation in society.

Has Parliament abdicated its policy initiative and its decision making prerogative? Apart from the religious bodies other organizations like the Trade Unions some of whom are also seen to be dictating to policymakers on what should be strictly be an aspect of the constitutional right of Parliament. While suggestions on policy making are welcome as the democratic right of the people, insistence and intimidation through work stoppage etc is not.

In this context yet another contentious issue is raised: Can there be any unstated compliance between the GMOA and other Trade Unions to pressurize the government to toe their line of thinking through trade union action? Where then is the relevance of the voice of the people as expressed and reflected in Parliament through periodic elections? Ideally the Sangha should not be seen or even suspected to be in collusion with other partisan socio-political organizations. Even on religious matters there is the bending of rules of objectivity while no attempt is made to look into the position, challenges and problems of all the other religions and communities.

This stains the image of the Sangha as an independent and objective body.

At a time when attempts are being made to seal the bonds of inter community spirit making a plea to stall the legislation on enforced disappearances appear to be mischievous if not downright controversial. The same observation can be made for the issue of a new Constitution.

Lord Buddha’s directive an example of

studied response

It is pertinent at this present moment to recall the Buddha’s reaction to an incident related to calculated mischief directed at the Sangha drawn from a community of persons among whom the Buddha and his disciples were residing. The Buddha did not rush to find solutions to the controversial issues that disturbed some from the rank of monks living with him. He had said in response to the abuse hurled at the monks that:

"Unguarded men provoke with words like darts,

Let fly against an elephant in battle.

But when hard words are spoken to Bhikkus

Let him endure with unruffled mind."

Buddha’s advice was not to rush to defend or be proactive, a lesson from the Great Teacher that all Buddhists in the country ought to follow. Although it was originally meant for the Bhikkus the advice is equally applicable to laymen as well. Objective and studied counsel is essential to diffuse the probability of inciting violence. In the light of Sri Lanka’s past history of conflicts and violence, everything possible must be done to calm people down. Experience shows how difficult it is to bring peace once confrontation takes place.

Following the military defeat of the rebels in the 30-year war in 2015, declarations of the government’s intent to initiate reconciliation and encourage integration had been given prominence. But the process has been slow, arrested as it is by the diktat of political power play for a populist stand. At this juncture it will be detrimental to national unity if any ‘extremist’ – ‘Patriotic Front’ - add to the country’s woes by injecting fresh reasons for conflict and violence. The directive of the Sangha Sabha, as well as the offensive sound bytes of the BBS against the Muslim minority and Christians, is controversial. It could provoke a violent reaction if faced with street demonstrations and offensive diatribes against these communities.

Need to investigate contentious issues

Pluralism is central to the existence of the Sri Lankan nation. BBS wrath directed towards the religious minorities may be based on a misinformed position. It is for the government to step in and clarify the questionable issues so that peace can be secured. The two major issues to be investigated will be the charges:

1. "Muslim extremism prevails in the country."

2. Buddhist archaeological sites are being destroyed in the Eastern Province by Muslims.

If the government fails to act quickly, it will be construed as if some agreement or empathy exists between the government sources and the BBS.

The request by political activists for legislation preventing hate speech was to contain just such ill- informed provocations that invariably seem to end in violence and turmoil.

A recall of events during this period would indicate that it would be extremely foolish to permit communal disharmony to take root in society that can within minutes destroy all postwar initiatives for peace and development. Putting to right the destruction after the war takes time and even longer to restore mental equanimity as seen with the experience in the North, the East and other affected sections in Sri Lanka.

Unfortunately over the years policy makers have become preoccupied more with sustainability of power for themselves rather than with the urgent concerns of the people and the imperative to keep people from resorting to violence. What had come to central position are not people but politicians keen on political power play manipulations through corruption, both financial and systems adjustments. Viewed from this point interpretation of what is right and wrong has become tenuous.

Is the Tamil leadership a contributor to conflict?

At this juncture to muddy the already muddied waters as it were, enters the Tamil politicians, once again, in conflict with the ‘other’ while all claim to speak for the Tamil underdog. But a closer look will reveal that they are all vying for power by outsmarting each other to reach the voter base. While on this subject it is indeed a tragic sight to have the most senior Tamil politician who is trying valiantly to strike a note of moderation and compromise, in confrontation with the ex -Supreme Court Judge, the Northern Province Chief Minister. Much expectation and hope was vested on the Northern Chief Minister purely because of his experience on the bench which had it been applied to the problems in his jurisdiction in the North could have yielded much towards reconciliation and consensus building. Instead the judge transformed himself into a politician no different to any seen around.

Playing politics for high stakes is not what is expected of the Chief Minister or from a retired Supreme Court Judge; his attention has to be directed to the needs of the people, many of whom are in dire straits. The need of the hour is not to play the old game of rousing the people without looking for resolution of the urgent problems of the people. Extremism has always struck quick resonance with people as it requires an appeal to emotions and not to logical interpretation.

It is pertinent to ask whether the Tamils as well as the Sinhalese want to unite with the Sri Lankan State or if they want to form a separate state. A section of the Tamil leadership has opted to work towards reconciliation and integration within the country. To that extent they are cooperating with the Government in their constitution making process hoping to find a response to their aspirations in the new constitution. Whether they will find it or not is a matter of conjecture to be seen soon. If however there is patent disunity and hostile divisions within the community, their bargaining power will be lost and the minority Tamils will land on the same spot as before - helpless and alone. If viewed objectively there should be the application of a sense of proportionality in the demands and expectations which perhaps is the way to set about negotiating. Certainly asking for all of100% will not deliver results.

It is hoped that wiser counsel will prevail and politicians and others including the revered religious leaders will not by their short sighted attitude subject the country to another period of violence and its consequences. In a global setting it can be seen that boundaries between countries have blurred and concepts of majorities and minorities have no significant relevance. Religion is a personal concern. It is humanity that matters not religious or racial identities. Respect for the other is essential. There can be no other way for the nation to progress and to live in peace.

JVP asks for debate on closure of ACCS

July 15, 2017

The Leader of the JVP Anura Dissanayaka has requested the Speaker to allow a day’s debate on the closing down of the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat.

Mr. Dissanayaka said it is expected to talk about the move to close down the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat and the attempts to hinder the struggle against fraud and corruption. He said he has requested the Speaker in writing to allow a day in the second week of the month for the debate.

The JVP Leader has warned the government that stern action would be taken as a political party if the government attempts to sabotage investigations being carried out on frauds and corruption by weakening institutions that implement law and order in the country.

VAT is to be done away with!

Jul 15, 2017

With the implementation of the proposed Inland Revenue act, the VAT will be simplified and subsequently done away with, and indirect tax revenue is to be brought down, the finance ministry expects. Ministry sources say that as much as 80 per cent of state tax revenue comes from indirect taxes, pressurizing the majority low-income families, and the government intends ease that pressure and to raise the 20 pc direct tax revenue.

The new act proposes a tax system based on individual income, and there will be no increase of the taxes paid by all the masses as claimed falsely by some. Certain gangs that swindled assets during the Rajapaksa regime are behind a plan to sabotage the new act that will give relief to the majority low-income people.

Ministry sources also say the existing tax system is very complex. Haphazard amendments resulted in both the government and the public facing inconveniences that had been going on like a cycle in the past, with the VAT amendments being a case in point. Several times, amendments brought tax relief for many items it covers, but the low-income people did not gain any advantage, due to the prevailing situation in which giving relief and maintaining tax revenue both have to be balanced. The VAT reduction brought the taxes down on some goods only being consumed by a limited number of consumers.

The government takes the lead in economic growth, job generation and elimination of poverty, and at the same time it has to strengthen institutions, increase competition and maintain state financial stability and to modernize the tax policy by including policies on international trade relations.

In such a scenario, the proposed tax act will not burden the low-income people by the 14 pc PAYE tax on the agricultural sector, 14 pc tax on EPF investments, 14 pc tax on exports and the 14 pc tax on the hotels industry. Bringing banking, insurance, leasing, IT product exports, container re-exportation under the 14 pc tax are not direct tax burdens on the public and intends to raise direct tax income in the event of minimizing indirect taxes, the sources say. It is unfortunate that some say the new act is introduced on World Bank and IMF recommendations to burden the public. Whatever those falsehoods say, a WB report in June pointed out the new tax system should act as a security net for low income people. Therefore, the people should look at this with an open mind.

Kashyapa Kotelawala

PRECIFAC summons P. B. Jayasundera

2017-07-14

Former Treasury secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundera, former Co-operatives and Internal Trade Ministry secretary, former deputy secretary to the Treasury and Lanka Sathosa ex-chairman were summoned by the PRECIFAC today in connection with a loss of Rs.136 million incurred by the state in 2014.

A PRECIFAC spokesman said they received a petition saying that the government had incurred a loss of about Rs.136 million by purchasing big onions from local farmers at a higher rate of Rs.90 against the Cabinet decision which proposed to purchase them at a rate of Rs.60.

He said according to the petition, more than 4.5 million kg of big onions had been purchased from the local farmers at a higher rate against the Cabinet decision in 2014 to get political advantage for the presidential election campaign of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. (Ajith Siriwardana)

Plastics ban is good in parts; room for corrections?

Friday, 14 July 2017 

On Tuesday Cabinet approved a proposal by the President as Minister for Environment on short-term, mid-term and long-term measures to curtail the use of polythene or the soft form of plastics familiar to the average citizen as shopping bags and lunch sheets, and polystyrenes and other plastics.

It is a detailed proposal that prohibits plastics for decoration in all events (yes, it includes plastic night gowns on Vesak lanterns), but allows for the use of plastics thicker than 20 micron where a 20 micron polythene is a pretty thin one about one-fifth the size of a human hair. Lunch sheets are prohibited, period. The order also prohibits the use of polystyrene plates, cups and spoons and sale of processed or cooked foods in polythene containers. Open burning of plastics is also banned.

What bothers me about the order is the ban on cooked meals packed in polythene containers or lunch sheets, but the absence of regulation to curtail the use of shopping bags. The midterm and long-term proposals are puzzling but more on that later.

Follow-up evaluation essential

Even if the Government is to go ahead with the ban, it should do so with the humility that neither the proposer Government nor the sceptical outsiders have the perfect answer. Therefore a thorough follow-up of the implementation and an evaluation of impact are absolutely necessary. Effect on micro-entrepreneurs and the emergence of substitutes or lack thereof need to be monitored and assessed, and policy corrections made.

In this column I try to lay out the issues of concern, hoping for changes to the ban if at all possible or a better implementation process as second best.

The good and bad

of plastics 

The number one villain in the solid waste crisis in Sri Lanka is now correctly understood to be our food waste. It is good to see our municipalities finally beginning to manage their solid waste collection by collecting food waste separately. By all accounts people are responding positively.

Now we come to the second serious problem – i.e. plastics in our waste in the form soft sheets or in hard form, the former of which is the immediate concern. The lightness, impermeability and strength of the plastic bags and lunch sheets make them wonder materials but those properties are their weaknesses too.

These plastics easily ‘leak’ into the environment, get carried by air and water to end up in the oceans to last forever harming the ocean ecosystem and the shores in the process. Today plastic pollution of oceans is a massive global problem. We have to curtail the use of plastics and dispose what we use safely, but how is the question.

Plastic grocery bags cost little to make but hold more than a thousand times their weight. They’re light. They’re waterproof. Piece of fish wrapped in paper drips all over. Wrapped in plastic you carry it home in peace.

The lunch sheet is the other plastic ubiquitous in all parts of the country at business settings or social events. The lady who is selling rice and curry lunch packets by the roadside sitting under an umbrella could be a widow struggling to feed a family. All she needs right now are supplies for one meal, few lunch sheets, used new papers and she is in the lunch packet business.

A worker leaving home for the city at three or four in the morning is the customer for her lunch packet business. Both are beneficiaries of the plastic sheet. In fact, plastic wrapping is really a poor man’s wrapping and if we take it away, it could affect many people unseen in our middle class enclaves.

There are many bad uses of plastics. Use of plastics for decoration religious, political or social events can be banned because the extra cost of decorations here can be averted without economic costs.  These are also uses that can be policed.

On the other hand the take-out hoppers or the dosa serving may cost you less than a hundred rupees, but it comes with five to six different plastic sheets or tiny bags. Even in the remotest village with plenty of water, plates are always covered with a plastic sheet to save washing. A lunch sheet ban takes care of these but affects uses with economic implications for the working poor.

What replaces plastics

can be worse

There is much talk about biodegradable plastics, but we are yet to see the viability of these on a large-scale. A fork made from a potato-based polymer, which I brought home from a takeout in a posh suburb in the US, came unscathed after months in my compost bin in Sri Lanka. In addition to the question of degradability in real life situations, biodegradable plastics won’t solve the littering problem.

Paper is biodegradable in the long term, but does not cut it for packaging. In the US, shoppers may hug their thick paper bags on their way to their cars, but paper bags are not viable for those who travel in congested public transport here. Cloth bags too do not cut it when handling wet or moist materials.

In the Parliament, there was a fuss about replacing plastic bottles with glass bottles, but that is not advisable for Parliament or for public events. Glass is thousand time heavier than the plastic equivalent and breakable too. We don’t want our excitable Parliamentarian doing harm to each other with broken bottles, or trucks carting water bottles across town at great energy and environmental costs.

Paper or plastic alternatives are clearly more expensive. Although the jury is still out there, paper or glass alternatives can leave a larger carbon footprint too because of heavy economic and environmental costs in production and transport.

Lessons from countries than banned plastics 

Several cities in California have banned shopping bags and France recently joined the fray. Sweden in contrast apparently is opting to further increase the price for plastic use. Taiwan introduced thickness requirements but now has changed to price regulation as follows as they test the water and proceed.

“Nearly 70,000 stores are to be added to those ordered to stop providing free plastic bags, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said. Stores from seven business categories were on the list, with the regulation to apply to them from 1 January 2018, the EPA said, adding that its aim is to reduce waste. The restriction will not apply to businesses like bakeries where food comes into direct contact with plastic bags, it said. Earlier regulations stipulated that the bags should be thicker than 0.06mm and stipulated fines of between NT$1,200 and NT$6,000. The agency said it would rescind the thickness requirement for plastic bags, while stores would remain in control of how much they charged.”

Many African countries have banned shopping bags. Media is full of these announcements but there is little follow up of their success of these. As the Economist reported in March this year, “Kenya has tried to ban polythene bags twice before, in 2007 and 2011, without much success. This latest measure is broader, but few are ready for it. In Rwanda, since its ban was imposed, a thriving underground industry has emerged smuggling the bags from neighbouring Congo.”

In 2002 when the Government of Bangladesh was the first country is Asia to ban polythene bags of less than 55 micron thickness, it was hailed as a major step but plastic use is apparently creeping in.

Price mechanisms

seem to work best

In Sri Lanka, shopping bags are given free, and lunch sheets are so cheap. Therefore, they are used and thrown with abandon. What if we stop giving shopping bags for free and make lunch sheets more expensive?

Sounds like a solution that addresses the root cause, but the Government has decided to ban all lunch sheets and do nothing about shopping bags. CEA’s permission can be sought for special uses, but that is an opening for undue use of discretion.

Reverse Supreme

Court ban on charge for shopping bags?

As Lanka Business Online reported on 13 October 2008: “Sri Lanka’s top supermarket chains, with the Environmental Ministry, announced earlier in the year at a ceremony, that they are charging for plastic carrier bags to discourage their use. But a three-judge Supreme Court bench Monday struck down the move and directed Sri Lanka’s consumer authority to issue a directive within a week banning supermarkets and other retailers from charging for carrier bags given to shoppers. Court also directed supermarkets to give biodegradable alternatives if plastic bags were considered environmentally harmful. Liyanagamage Ariyapala, a resident of Kottegoda, has taken the issue to court supported by lawyer Sudath Jayasundera.”

The measure by supermarkets reduced plastic bag use by 50% or more in two weeks, but activists acted myopically and Supreme Court headed Sarath Nanda Silva responded myopically. Whether it is possible to reverse this decision by changing the Consumer Affairs Act is something policymakers should explore. The monies charged by supermarkets can be credited to an environmental fund allowing the vendors to keep a portion for administrative costs and payback for reused bags.

Payback for reused bags

Shoppers can be credited for reusing bags, even those used in fruit and vegetable counters. When I take used bags to the weighing counter, it takes some convincing to have the staff put a new sticker over an old one. What I want is better. I want my grocery store give me 50 cents or even 10 cents back for each such bag I reuse and more for larger and thicker bags.

Spaces for plastic

bag drop-offs

Our CMC talks about these but we are yet to see one implemented. LIRNEasia’s nascent movement called ‘Campaign for Sustainable Solid Waste Disposal’ and its ‘Colombo Our City’ arm will be pursuing the matter. Supermarkets can be convenient locations.

Strong anti-

littering laws

In a 2009 Gazette 1627/19, the Ministry of Environment has issued a gazette prohibiting the “dumping of solid waste at any place other than places designated for such purpose by the relevant local authority or any person or body of persons authorised by them in that behalf”. We could use a gazette specifying hefty fines and mandating action by the environmental police divisions.