Buddhist Imagery and Clothing: An Unwritten Code

Featured image courtesy AntonO

GROUNDVIEWS on 07/18/2017

On July 17, 2017, Deepam and her niece were subject to a bizarre and frightening experience. The family was grocery shopping at the up-scale Crescat Shopping Centre, in the heart of Colombo, when an elderly lady appeared to take an interest in Deepam’s 26-year-old niece, and had asked where she was from. She had responded truthfully that they were tourists from India. The family thought that was the end of the interaction. However, it turned out that the lady had dialed the 119 police hotline and made a complaint because of the dress she was wearing, which had a depiction of the Buddha on it.

A policeman arrived at Crescat and, Deepam told Groundviews, attempted to handcuff her terrified daughter and take her into custody. Having realised that the problem was with the dress she was wearing, Deepam had asked if they could cover the offending image with more clothes, at least until the trip to the police station. This request was refused.

Deepam insisted on accompanying her niece, being afraid for her safety. The police officer had put the two in a trishaw that took them to the Kollupitiya police station. There, the two eventually saw the Officer in Charge (OIC), who ascertained that the family was due to fly out that day. As a result the Officer said they would “let them off with a warning.” The niece eventually signed a statement written by the police. A lawyer who was at the police station said the family was assured they would not be detained at immigration, and had decided not to pursue the matter further. The OIC added that the girl was only taken in to prevent a tense situation from arising.

However, Deepam said she felt the government had neglected its duty.

“If my niece had known wearing clothing depicting the Buddha was offensive, she would not have worn that dress. But we saw no signage at the airport, no information indicating that this was prohibited,” Deepam said.

Deepam and her niece were eventually allowed to leave, although the dress was confiscated.
This incident is notable as it was the latest in a string of incidents involving concerns around depictions of Buddha.

In 2014, a British tourist was detained and eventually deported because of a Buddha tattoo on her arm.

In March 2013, another British tourist was also asked to fly back to the UK because of his tattoo. The UK updated its travel advisory on Sri Lanka following these incidents. That same year, two hotel managers from Beruwala were arrested when they organized a ‘nirvana’ style event featuring Buddha Bar music, resulting in a de facto ban on the latter.

In 2012, three French tourists were given suspended jail terms for pretending to kiss a Buddha statue. In 2010, R n B singer Akon was denied a visa to Sri Lanka because one of his videos had girls in bikinis dancing in front of a Buddha statue.

However, it is worth noting that while countries like the UK changed their travel advisories, Sri Lanka itself has not provided any advisory on clothing to arriving tourists – apart from when visiting places of worship. The Sri Lanka Tourism’s website has only this to say under its “Travel Habits” section.

“In a place of worship, in a forest, in a village, in an ancient place, behave with respect. A civilised person is sensitive to others in terms of noise, words, behaviour, and dress. Insensitivity is a sign of an uncivilised person”

There are also explicit instructions on photography with Buddhist imagery.

Under a separate “Travel Tips” section:

“There are some important restrictions that apply to photography regarding Buddhist imagery. When you visit a temple or other religious site, remember that photography should not be carried out in a manner causing disrespect. For instance, it is strictly forbidden to be photographed in front of or beside any statues and murals. Note that flash photography can damage old murals.”
Yet there is nothing with regards to clothing.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration is no clearer. It notes that foreigners who violate the Immigration and Emigration Act can be arrested, but does not have any specific information about clothing, though Section 12 (b) notes any tourist who “is likely to conduct himself so as to be dangerous to peace and good order… or to excite feelings of disaffection to the Government of Sri Lanka, or to intrigue against the authority of the Government of Sri Lanka” can be prohibited from entry.

Incidents such as those experienced by Deepam and her daughter are worrying, as they show the police acting on unwritten codes of conduct in a broad way that impacts tourists, who may be unaware of local sensitivities.

This also highlights the continued wave of intolerance towards any perceived threat to Buddhism – rhetoric that groups like the Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana Balaya and Sinhala Ravaya appreciate and peddle themselves. The fact that the Police felt it necessary to bring the girl in to ‘prevent a tense situation’ is interesting in itself. While the incident was amicably resolved, the questions it raises are disquieting.

Intelligence division of forces unnerved over infamous Kili Maharaja importing weapons..! Kili attacks media regulatory…

(Lanka-e-News - 18.July.2017, 11.30PM)   It is a well and widely known fact that Capital Maharaja Co. owner Raja  Mahendran alias Kili Maharaja by  appointing his stooges as chiefs of President Maithripala Sirisena’s media unit , and after paying those chiefs,  bribes and additional salaries has made the presidential media unit a branch of his media chain. Now  after adorning  president Maithripala in colorful and flamboyant jungies ( mini shorts ) is taking  him down the garden path . The president has been deceived and duped so much so that Kili Maharaja is to be appointed as an agent for supply of arms to  the forces. The dangerous  deception practiced on the president  can be understood when seen against the backdrop that this illicit ‘deal’ is being steered ahead despite the forces becoming jittery over  it.

The former defense secretary Karunasena Hettiarachi a notorious rapist , a dipsomaniac  and a most corrupt individual was invited to the residence of Nimal Cook another despicable stooge of Maharaja . There , after a briefing, through this scoundrel of an ex defense secretary  , the president was  lured into giving the consent  to get down a shipment of weapons to the value of US dollars 300 million  produced in Russia , and to foist that on the SL  Naval forces.  Fortunately for the country and the forces , because Lanka e news  exposed this racket on time , it was halted. (Read our earlier report ).

Yet Kili Maharaja who is most notorious as a mahajara ( most squalid) businessman cum wheeler dealer has not given up on his efforts . His motto being  ‘where there is muck there is money.’ Therefore he knows not clean business deals or honest ventures. He is therefore still moving heaven and earth to become  an agent for ‘Rosoboronexport’ Co. Russia , and become  an authorized  Sri Lankan  agent for weapons. 

How Kili Maharaja supported the terrorists.. 

It is well known to the intelligence division of the forces that during the 30 years old cruel devastating ethnic war after independence ,Kili Maharaja maintaining close ties  with the terrorists , and by making extortion payments to the terrorists  promoted his business ventures faithfully adhering to his anti national  motto ‘ where there is muck there is money.’ Maharaja gave not only S Lon pipes but even Pepsi cola to the terrorists . In addition provided protection to the terrorists who arrived in Colombo as well as provided facilities to them to go overseas. Therefore Maharaja was deeply disappointed when the terrorists were defeated .The conduct of Kili  Maharaja when the forces captured the Kilinochchi fortress of the terrorists  is ample testimony in proof of that. Though that marked  a crucial  victory for the country which was a turning point  during the 30 years old war ,  the media chain of Maharaja  belittled that victory  and gave precedence to the bomb attack in Colombo on the same day launched by a terrorist suicide bomber, while giving massive publicity to the terrorist  attack via his  media chain.

His wicked eagerness to give publicity to the attack was so tremendous  that his media  used the old pictures of victims being taken to hospitals , instead of the actual pictures taken on that day.  The idea was to show that the suicide bomb attack was having a greater impact than the Kilinochchi victory of the forces. However  not much harm resulted from the suicide bomb attack as the explosion was   in front of a camp and away from it . Yet Maharaja using old pictures  of attacks portrayed  it as multifold vicious and devastating to boost the morale of the terrorists

How Kili Maharaja helped the despot 

Gotabaya who was provoked by these  Kili Maharaja machinations arranged  for a fierce attack on Maharaja’s media Institution. Even a claymore bomb was used in the attack .  Maharaja who is noted for his overriding unscrupulous and selfish self seeking traits then did a U turn instead of fighting for justice and  redress  , to enter into a secret sordid pact with Gotabaya .

Thereafter to inaugurate his Wesak zone, Kili Maharaja invited Gotabaya who hurled claymore bombs at his Institution. From that time  , whenever the name of Rajapakses were  being mentioned in their media channels  , that was suppressed by a ’meek’ noise , to glorify and laud  them  to the sky, while castigating the opposition chiefs including Ranil Wickremesinghe.  They were carrying on regardless as number one in  news reporting.  

However fortunately  the genuine masses did not fall prey to the mahajara (sordidness)  and profusion of lies of Maharaja  . They cast their votes to the UNP alliance and its leader , to throw out the Rajapakses lock , stock and barrel . Kili Maharaja who is always faceless , policy less and most unscrupulous did a U turn again like the weather vane changing direction with the prevailing wind . He then ensnared the new president Maithripala Sirisena who  did not have any idea  of the struggle and sacrifices made by  good governance masses , and who was at zero level  when it came to leadership abilities and experience .

In fact ,if the president had even minimum grey matter he would not have made  those under the pay of Kili Maharaja his media chiefs. Anyway , one and only President Sirisena did it. Though the detrimental side of that deadly move has been clearly shown to him , and he himself has known them , apparently he doesn’t give a damn ,which is clear  evidence how much of cunning and crooked Maharaja’s guile he has swallowed.  Believe it or not , in the whole wide world the only presidential media division which makes royalty claims is Sirisena’s Maharaja (mahajara)media division .

Kili Maharaja is resorting to all the conspiracies , camouflages and subterfuges to bring president  under his thumb knowing very well the president can be influenced easily towards the evil direction . Kili is indulging in all these villainous  maneuvers to ensure that he gets appointed as the agent for import of weapons. 

Either he is demented or traitorous 

If the leader of a country is to allow an individual to import arms who was closely associated in many ways with armed terrorists who waged a war against the country of which he is the leader , surely , either the leader of the country is demented or is a traitor. If he is neither, then he is  not fit to be the country’s leader. 

It is on those grounds the intelligence division of the  forces are opposed to granting the agency to Kili Maharaja to import arms . However the intelligence division of the forces have a ray of hope . That is , the hope  , this traitorous conspiracy that was hatched by dipsomaniac  ex defense secretary  in Nimal Cook’s house while drinking whiskey will not be allowed to succeed by the new defense secretary , Waidyaratne  a former additional solicitor general who not only respects laws but also knows what his onerous responsibilities are towards the country , being   a law abiding  and respected Sri Lankan citizen. 

Media and weapon businesses together…

Meanwhile Kili Maharaja is attacking the government which  proposed mass media regulatory, solely with a view to safeguard his own  agency plans for  weapons import .

Nowhere in the world illicit weapon dealers are issued licenses to carry on media businesses. Media owners are not granted licenses to do weapon deals. Such businesses were conducted only during the time of Hitler . The inevitable result was the second world war. 

The present civilized   world after learning a lesson from that devastation , does not permit media business and weapons business to be carried on concurrently .

Infamous Kili Maharaja  who is best known  as a most unscrupulous wheeler dealer cum businessman who would sacrifice precious national interests at the altar of his selfish self seeking  fell foul ambitions with a view to carry on  both his media and weapons businesses has started a campaign to attack the government for its involvement  in favor of the mass media regulatory which was most longed for  over a long period. Selfish, self seeking, self centered Kili is of course fully aware when there is a genuine  media regulatory , media and weapon businesses cannot be carried on simultaneously .
 
If the sensitive intelligence division of the government’s security forces turn jittery  in disfavor of  the mischievous attempts of infamous Kili Maharaja to become an agent for weapons , and to  carry on both the mass media business and weapons deals  simultaneously , undoubtedly the genuine journalists and mass media organizations that understand the true picture will also agitate  against it.

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by     (2017-07-18 19:30:45)

End of the Anti-Corruption Secretariat

By Kavindya Chris Thomas-2017-07-18

Last Thursday (13) Co-Cabinet Spokesman, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, addressing the Cabinet media briefing, said that the Anti-Corruption Secretariat had not delivered on its promises. This was in response to a question which was raised regarding extending the Anti-Corruption Secretariat's term which expired on 30 June. "The government spent Rs 65 million on the secretariat, but we have not seen it achieve much," Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said. What exactly is this Anti-Corruption Secretariat and why was it shut down?

Birth

On 29 January 2015, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe put forward a Cabinet Paper, calling for an institution to crack down on large scale fraud and corruption that took place during the previous regime. The Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat was set up with the objective of collecting information from the general public (which would assist in cracking open cases) and relaying that information to the Bribery Commission or to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID). When the Anti-Corruption Secretariat was formed after the 8 January revolution, it was approved by both the Constitutional Council and the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. The Secretariat which was led by the Prime Minister had a subcommittee and a rapid response committee. The secretariat also had its own short-term and long-term goals.

Following Cabinet approval on that same day, it functioned till Friday, 30 June thanks to extensions provided to its tenure, until Dr. Rajitha Senaratne stated that they have decided not to extend the term after its expiration.

On 30 June 2016, the Cabinet approved a proposal by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to continue the operations of the Anti-Corruption Secretariat and extend the services of its staff till 31 December 2016. The then Co-Cabinet Spokesman, Gayantha Karunathilaka said that the government aims to restructure the Anti-Corruption Secretariat and to establish a full-fledged Serious Fraud Office similar to the Serious Fraud Office in the UK. However, no such restructuring took place in the year that followed, and Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said the Cabinet decided not to extend the Anti-Corruption Secretariat's term after 30 June 2017.

Having been aware of the expiration of the Anti-Corruption Secretariat's extension period, its secretary wrote to the Premier's secretary a day before the expiration, to question what the officials should do after the tenure expired. According to reports, the officials serving at the secretariat, the official residence of the Prime Minister, stayed back till late (8:30 p.m.) on Saturday 1 July, in the hope that someone would arrive from the Prime Minister's Office to move the equipment and documents stored at the premises. However, the Secretary to the Prime Minister had not even acknowledged receipt of that letter. Nevertheless, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne stated that it was only supposed to be set up for a year when he attended a Cabinet media briefing at the Government Information Department last Thursday. This was in response to a question as to whether the secretariat will remain open. "The Cabinet Paper to establish the secretariat was put forward in February 2015. When its term expired in November, it was given another six months extension until 30 June," he said. Dr. Rajitha Senaratne further stated that the task of the secretariat was to prepare documentation and direct complaints of corruption to other investigating agencies. "We have 14 government agencies to investigate corruption. What the secretariat needed to do was to prioritise the cases, but they have sent everything to the FCID and the FCID was formed to investigate large scale corruption," he said.

Meanwhile, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister, Mahinda Amaraweera had remarked that given the achievements of the previous regime, its top officials should be forgiven for their corrupt practices. Dr. Rajitha Senaratne responding to the comment said that neither the Cabinet nor its ministers had the power to pardon anyone and that it was up to the Courts to decide.
Death

Last May, the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement that said a committee comprising of officers from the Bribery Commission, FCID, and the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat are preparing a special report on regularizing the functions of the Anti-Corruption Institution. This was in response to a newspaper report, which stated that the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat was going to be shuttered.

The statement in May added that a final conclusion would be reached as to whether the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat will continue to function, whether its duties would be revised, and whether it would be given responsibilities similar to the Bribery Commission and FCID. However, the Cabinet announced that the Anti-Corruption Secretariat's term has not been extended after 30 June. The Anti-Corruption Secretariat, which was formed with so much hopes and dreams, has died an untimely death, not having served its purpose at all.

WHO SITUATION REPORT 01 ON SRI LANKA DENGUE OUTBREAK: 82 543 CASES, 250 DEATHS

Report from World Health Organization.

 

 18/07/2017

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• There is an increase in the number of dengue cases in Sri Lanka this year. Since January until 7th July 2017, as many as 82,543 dengue cases, including 250 deaths, have been reported by the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine.
• The number of cases this year is three-and-a-half times more than the average number of cases for the same period between 2010 and 2016.
• Based on surveillance data, dengue cases peaked in June 2017, coinciding with the South-West monsoon rains which commenced in late May.

SITUATION OVERVIEW
Situation update

• Approximately 43% of cases were reported from the Western Province.
• The most affected areas are the Colombo district, 18,761 cases; Gampaha, 12,121 cases; Kurunegala, 5,065 cases; Kalutara, 4,589 cases and Kandy, 4,209 cases.
• Preliminary laboratory results have identified dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) as the circulating strain in this outbreak.

Public health concerns

• The current dengue outbreak follows heavy rains and subsequent flooding and landslides, which affected 600 000 people in 15 of the 25 districts in the country.
• Heavy monsoon rains have led to standing water pools, leading to a delay / failure in clearing of waste and other potential breeding grounds for mosquito larvae.
• The numbers of dengue cases are higher in urban and suburban areas. read full report here: dengue_outbreak_2017_sit_rep_1
  [WHO Country Office for Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Dengue Outbreak Situation Report 01 (11 July 2017)]
  

SriLankan Airlines’ Attempt To ‘Buy Time’ On RTI Request Fails

JULY 18, 2017

Though SriLankan Airlines management had attempted to ‘buy time’ on an RTI application filed by the Airline Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka under Sri Lanka’s RTI Act, saying that it will be requesting for advice from the RTI Commission, the Commission has responded informing the Information Officer at SriLankan Airlines that the Commission will be ‘unable’ to advise as requested.      

Ajith Dias – Chairman SriLankan Airlines

A source from the Guild told Colombo Telegraph that the Guild has been informed that the RTI Commission has pointed out to the SriLankan Airlines that if the Commission elects to ‘advise Information Officers on matters of this nature, it will result in the Commission having to refrain from hearing the appeal as it had already advised or expressed an opinion on the matter.’

‘This is the correct approach to take’ the source stated. ‘Why should SriLankan management ask for advice? It must either give or refuse the information. Then we can go on appeal.’ he said.

He confirmed that according to his knowledge, the Commission had formally informed Sri Lankan Airlines that under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, No. 12 of 2016, the Information Officer, Designated Officer and the appeal authorities have to independently and separately exercise their decision making powers.

The objective of the RTI Act is such in that it confers absolute independence free from any interference proceeding from any authority having even appellate powers such as the Commission, on the Information Officer and Designated Officer who initially exercise original powers.

The RTI request of the Pilots Guild to SriLankan Airlines Limited related to the following;

1. Salaries and other allowances and/or benefits of:

(a) The Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines Limited

(b) Head of Human Resources of SriLankan Airlines Limited

(c) chief commercial officer of SriLankan Airlines Limited

2. All information related and/or connected to Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) correspondence with SriLankan Airlines Limited.

3. All information related and/or connected to Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) initial entry into an Agreement with SriLankan Airlines all information relating to the Agreement with SriLankan Airlines Limited including the said Agreement.

4. All financial information (including but not limited to profits and/or losses and/or damages) connected to the Agreement and/or arrangement between Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) and SriLankan Airlines Limited.

5. All information related to and/or connected to the termination of the Agreement and/or arrangement between Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) and SriLankan Airlines Limited.

6. All information related to and/or connected to the cancellation of the order of Airbus A350 Aircraft (including but not limited to all Agreements and/or correspondence related to ordering of Airbus A350 Aircraft and the cancellation thereof).

7 . All information related to and/or connected to the cost of personal flying training for the A320 jet conversion borne by SriLankan Airlines and/or any party for the Chief Executive Officer Mr. Suren Ratwatte

The Pilots Guild’s response:

Read More

Weerawansa the bankrupt pavement politico says arrest of Navy criminal in mass killing of students is to victimize war heroes when Navy commander himself complains against murderers (video)

(Lanka-e-News - 18.July.2017, 11.30PM)  Most notorious bankrupt corrupt  politico Wimal Weerawansa the grade nine dis (qualified) moron convened a media briefing to publicize that the arrest of ex Navy spokesman D.K.P. Dassanayake in connection with  the mass murder of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim students is a victimization of war hero, and the students were LTTE  cadres. These were students  who were abducted with motive to collect extortion payments by a murder squad of the Navy . Thereafter the students were  killed most brutally after collecting the extortion payments.

The parents of these victims who were naturally provoked by the announcement made by Weerawansa whose mouth stinks a mile even worse than a spittoon when opened , held a media briefing on the 17 th to reveal the truth . They said , and proved Weerawansa’s announcemen is an absolute lie. 

One of the parents who participated in this discussion is a former member of the forces while   Sarojini Naganathan , mother of another victim is married to a Sinhalese. Sarojini  revealed that a sum of Rs. 10 million was demanded from her  if her child was to be released . When she reported this to ex Fisheries minister Felix Perera , the latter phoned ex Navy Commander and requested him to release the children, she added . She also handed over a letter to the media that was sent by Felix Perera addressed to the Navy commander at that time in this connection (letter is herein). 

Another mother Jennifer Weerasinghe disclosed , even a case was filed in 2009. She therefore asked how can children who were not ‘Tigers’ then become ‘Tigers’ now ? She went on to point out , if her child is in fact a tiger she would withdraw her  case .

Weerawansa the bankrupt crooked corrupt political imbecile , following  the arrest of Dassanayake , reckons these murderers as war heroes , and the innocent children as Tigers , despite the fact that it was ex Navy Commander Karannagoda himself who made the first complaint against these ghastly murders. The B report B/732/2009  that was submitted to  the Fort Magistrate in 2009 is evidence. (Copy of that report is herein) .

Karannagoda who made the first complaint had also stated in it to investigate whether  his chief security personnel, Lieutenant Commander  Sampath Munasinghe  who abducted the children had links with the LTTE . In addition , Gotabaya Rajapakse the defense secretary at that time instructed the then DIG Sisira Mendis in charge of  the CID to pursue the investigations. That was  mentioned in the B report .

It is in this factual context when an impartial investigation is under way ,  the half baked imbecile Weerawansa the most infamous bankrupt politico who could not even pass grade nine blabbered , the war heroes are the accused , and all the Sinhalese , Tamil and Muslim students who were murdered in cold blood with extortion motives are Tigers. 

The law abiding citizens who know  that  at least one  lie drops each time  this scoundrel opens his mouth and the stench it  emanates , are  wondering why   this cursed spittoon of a mouth has not been struck by lightning yet, and whether lightning is fighting shy of getting close to the mouth that stinks a mile.

The video footage which is a collection of  excerpts of media briefing of the parents  , and that of Rajitha Senaratne the media spokesman are hereunder . Video footage – courtesy National television 

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by     (2017-07-18 19:05:38)

VC refutes Moratuwa Uni responsible for animal slaughter

2017-07-18

Moratuwa University Vice Chancellor Prof. A.K.W. Jayawardane yesterday denied that Moratuwa University authorities were responsible for the deaths of the dogs and cats and however said there was a fatal accident by its security personnel mistakenly.

While denying animal rights activists’ charges, Prof. Jayawardane said the animals were sedated by the University security officers (Rakna Lanka) as it was part of their job not to allow any stray animals into the university facility.

He said the University Medical Centre had records of students who were bitten by these stray dogs therefore concerning the threat to the students and following the complaints received from them, the University authority decided to send the animals away.

However, he said the as a recognized university in the country the Moratuwa University authority did not condone such incidents.

“We maintain a dog free environment within the university premises. It is an unfortunate that the security officers overdosed the animals when they attempted to sedate them. We are also unhappy about the fatal accident, but it is not us who are responsible for their deaths. We would take preventive measures to prevent such recurrence,” Vice Chancellor said.

He further said the method that was used to sedate the animals could not be approved and the university condemned such animal cruelty .

Meanwhile, the State Veterinary Surgeons’ Association (SVSA) condemned the incident during a press conference held at Colombo yesterday.

SVSA Secretary Dr. P. L. Kumarawadu said any individual or a group can complaint to the Veterinary Council of such indigenous sedation as it is not possible to carry out such a task without a veterinary surgeon.

He also said the Veterinary Council had enforced the law on several malpractices especially on a case reported in the Habaraduwa area in 2007.

Dr. Kumarawadu said according to the prevailing law it allows the killing of the stray animals using a standard method only under the guidance of a veterinary surgeon however, the law doesn’t allow animal cruelty and therefore charges can be leveled against those responsible.

On Sunday evening, the university students had recovered 10 cats and two dogs on Sunday (16) evening buried in a pit at Homagama opposite a state bank, after being sedated using an anesthetic drug.

Dr. Kumarawadu told the Daily Mirror that this drug was not used to sedate dogs in Sri Lanka as it should be used with caution.

Animal right activists charged that the Rakna Lanka Security Agency which is in charge of the university security had overdosed the animal with Ketamine leading the poor animals to a tragic death. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)

Video by Buddhi

Qatar crisis cranks up pressure on besieged Gaza

A Palestinian youth holds a Qatari flag during a rally in support of Qatar, at the Qatari-funded Hamad City housing project, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, 9 June 2017.Ashraf AmraAPA images

Hamza Abu Eltarabesh-18 July 2017

The Gaza Strip is often seen as a place apart, cut off from the rest of the world and the rest of Palestine by Israel – with the collusion to varying degrees of Egypt – which appears bent on its isolation.

But while it is true that the passage of people and goods to and from Gaza is severely restricted, the impact of politics has not been similarly constrained.

The latest spat between Qatar and three fellow Gulf Cooperation Council countries – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – plus Egypt, is a perfect illustration.

The confrontation could have a dramatic impact on Gaza if Qatar’s economic standing declines.

In recent years, Qatar has provided an exception to Gaza’s isolation. The importance of Doha to Gaza expanded in 2012, after the exiled Hamas leadership left Damascus, unable to side with President Bashar al-Assad against his opponents in Syria’s civil war.

At the time, the Egyptian revolution and the election of Muhammad Morsi as president might have made that departure from Syria appear a small price to pay. Egypt shares a crossing with Gaza and seemed a natural ally.

Turkey, too, looked like a promising breakthrough for Hamas in Gaza. Its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan is cut from the same Islamist cloth as Hamas.

Turkey became closely connected to Gaza after nearly 600 Turkish citizens participated in a flotilla in 2010 to break the siege.

A NATO member, Turkey had long-standing military, trade and diplomatic relations with Israel. But Israel’s deadly attack on the flotilla caused a deep rift with Ankara.

Relations with Israel have been normalized and the opening to Turkey has since narrowed for Gaza.
Turkey, which in 2011 imposed military sanctions on Israel over the flotilla attack, last year dropped its effortsto pursue criminal prosecutions of the Israeli military officers who planned it.

After moving from the prime ministership to the presidency and seeking to expand his powers, Erdogan survived a military coup attempt a year ago – leaving Turkey largely preoccupied with internal matters.

Of course, Gaza’s connection with Turkey did not cool as much as the relationship with Cairo, which went from close to hostile after the 2013 military coup against Morsi and the installation of Abdulfattah al-Sisi as Egypt’s ruler.

As a result of these regional shifts since 2013, Hamas has found itself with fewer international friends than ever, and only Doha was prepared to offer visible political support.

Vital support

In the years since, not least after the devastating Israeli assault of 2014, Hamas and two million Palestinians in Gaza have relied disproportionately on Qatari aid.

After Damascus, Doha became the new home for the exiled Hamas leadership under Khaled Meshaal, while Qatari-financed building projects and cash assistance have been vital to the impoverished coastal strip.

It was Qatari money that in January secured three months of fuel for Gaza’s damaged power station.
But that support is under intense pressure. Donald Trump, the US president, paid no attention to Hamas’ attempt at improving relations with the wider world with its revised charter in May.

Hamas remains on the US list of “terrorist” organizations, and Trump even mentioned it in the same breath as Islamic State and other jihadist groups during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia.

A number of Arab governments seized on Trump’s words as an opportunity to step up pressure on Qatar, with which Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have long had strained relations.

They accused Qatar of supporting “terrorism” and of interference in their domestic affairs through the output of media organizations such as Al Jazeera.

Qatar, said Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, had to stop its support for Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. He argued that Qatar’s policies undermine the Palestinian Authority and Egypt’s leadership.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Qatar’s foreign minister, has marveled at how support for Palestinians had become an accusation thrown at one Arab country by another.

“The US views Hamas as a terror organization. But to the rest of the Arab nations, it is a legitimate resistance movement. We do not support Hamas, we support the Palestinian people,” he said.

Fears for the future

So far, with the deadline for Qatar to agree to the demands imposed by Saudi Arabia and allies long passed, no agreement has been reached.

Away from the choppy regional political interchanges, Qatar’s isolation could have broad repercussions in Gaza.

In June, a Norwegian human rights organization warned that the sanctions imposed on Qatar could adversely affect long-stalled reconstruction in Gaza.

Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, warned that Qatar might be forced to cut crucial funds.

Qatar has been “very important as an investor in Gaza,” Egeland said, including for infrastructure.
Mahmoud Yasin, 44, farms just over an acre of land in Beit Lahiya, and has benefited from a Qatari agricultural project. He is now fearful for the future.

“My farm and other farms in Gaza have been rehabilitated and improved with Qatari assistance. In case these projects are stopped, I don’t know how we can maintain our farms and how many years they can last under the closure and with Israel preventing the entrance of the tools of our trade.”

Mariam, who did not want to provide her full name, shares similar fears. The mother of four – whose husband was executed as a collaborator four years ago – has relied on a Qatari fund for orphans.
An official at Qatar Charity, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Doha supports 5,000 out of 8,000 orphans in Gaza, including children of suspected collaborators and those children who have lost only their father.

“I found no one but Qatar on my side to help my children,” said Mariam. “I hope that the storm affecting Qatar is not reflected in their ability to help us and help Gaza.”

Other areas may also be affected. A number of sports clubs in Gaza receive funding from Qatari sports organizations, Abdulsalam Haniya, a member of the Higher Council for Youth and Sport in Gaza, told The Electronic Intifada. Some may be forced to shut should funding dry up.

Analysts divided

Analysts are divided over the potential economic consequences of Qatar’s isolation. Some say Qatar is unlikely to completely cut its support for Gaza and Hamas, while others suggest Doha may be left with little choice.

Abdel Sattar Qassem, a political analyst and professor at An-Najah National University in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, sees the Saudi move as a part of a greater American-Israeli strategy to neutralize Hamas. He said it could have lasting effects.

“Hamas has one real enemy which is Israel. That’s why the American-Saudi attempt at ending Qatari support for Hamas will not stop.”

Meanwhile, measures by the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, including cutting funding for Gaza’s health system and forcing thousands of public employees in the territory into early retirement, will put Hamas and Gaza in an even tighter vise.

Qatar will no longer be able to serve as a buffer to offset the harsh PA measures.

Talal Okal, a columnist with al-Ayam newspaper, agreed that it would be difficult for Qatar to resume its financial support for Gaza.

“Political and financial support for the Palestinian issue will be affected not only by Qatar, but by the Gulf states and Arab region in general,” Okal said. “Palestinians will be left to face Israel alone.”

But Husam al-Dajani, a political science lecturer at Ummah University, believes Qatar will not completely cut off its support for Gaza, even if aid is temporarily reduced.

If Qatar does cut funding, al-Dajani said, Hamas will be politically isolated in the Arab region. However, he said Hamas maintains good relations with other Muslim countries, especially Iran and Turkey, and is well ensconced in power in Gaza, offering it some insulation.

Unemployment could soar even higher

It is the construction sector that looks set to be hardest hit by any reduction in support. Ibrahim al-Madhoun, a political analyst close to Hamas, said numerous projects may have to be postponed.

“Qatar provides the Gaza Strip with many services and sponsors many construction projects,” he said. “Any reduction of Qatari support will negatively affect these projects.”

Maher al-Tabbaa, a spokesperson for Gaza’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said unemployment, already at record levels, could spike from 42 percent to as high as 60 percent in the event Qatari financed projects were to end.

This would exacerbate poverty and, along with the worsening electricity crisis, cause further damage to the health and well-being of people in Gaza.

This gloomy picture is not shared by all, however. Samir Abu Mudallah, an economics lecturer at Al-Azhar University, said the impact of continued sanctions on Qatar should not unduly affect the wealthy peninsula state, which enjoys the world’s highest per capita GDP.

Qatar’s economy is primarily based on gas exports and even if sanctions continue, Qatar’s economy is in good shape. Doha, if it wishes, could maintain the comparatively modest financing for projects in Gaza, Abu Mudallah said.

But even with continued funding, Gaza is a powder keg as a result of the decade-long Israeli blockade that has pushed youth unemployment to nearly 60 percent, the ongoing electricity crisis and the Palestinian Authority’s pressure.

Suggestions of a new conflagration between Gaza and Israel seem premature, however. “For Hamas, even being involved in a fourth war doesn’t end the current crises,” said Qassem. But no one can foresee what Israel might do.

The agreement between Hamas and the former Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan has also complicated the picture.

The news was surprising to Palestinians in Gaza and details of the agreement are still not clear. It may have political, economic and social implications.

Certainly, many Palestinians in Gaza will hope that it might spell the beginning of the end of the blockade they have suffered from for 10 years, and a way out of the potential calamity that the end of Qatari funding could spell.

But antagonistic past relations between Dahlan and Hamas suggest nothing can be taken for granted.


Hamza Abu Eltarabesh is a journalist from Gaza.

Palestinian worshippers hurt in clash with Israeli police in Jerusalem

Israeli border police disperse a Palestinian man during scuffles that erupted after Palestinians held evening prayers outside the Lion's Gate of Jerusalem's Old City July 18, 2017.

JULY 18, 2017

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Several Palestinians were injured, at least one seriously, when they clashed with police near Jerusalem's Noble Sanctuary-Temple Mount compound after Muslim evening prayers on Tuesday, according to Palestinian medical officials.

A hospital official said one man had suffered a serious head wound from a rubber bullet fired from close range but an Israeli police spokesman denied that rubber bullets had been used. A senior Muslim cleric was also hurt, witnesses said.

Tensions have increased around the compound, which is holy to Muslims and Jews, since three Arab-Israeli gunmen shot dead two Israeli policemen outside the complex on Friday in one of the most serious attacks in the area in years.

The assailants were killed by security forces and Israeli authorities briefly closed the compound.

When it was reopened on Sunday, metal detectors had been installed, to the anger of Muslim religious authorities. Israeli officials said they were a permanent measure but many worshippers refused to go through them and preferred to pray outside the compound.

The Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service said at least 14 people had been injured in Tuesday's violence. A video clip posted on social media from the scene showed people running away from a melee and loud popping sounds.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said that, after prayers ended, some of the dozens of worshippers had started throwing rocks and bottles at police officers, and dispersal means were used. Two officers were lightly hurt, she said.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police who regularly patrol Jerusalem's Old City use stun grenades in clashes, but are not routinely armed with rubber bullets.

Reporting by Ammar Awad; Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Kevin Liffey

Saudi vice police arrest video model for wearing short skirt

State TV said police had detained the woman for appearing in 'indecent clothing' in a notoriously conservative region of the Saudi Kingdom

The model was featured in several videos (screengrab)

saudi king family

Tuesday 18 July 2017

A Saudi woman has been arrested for a video that was widely shared online which showed her strolling along an empty street wearing a skirt and crop top, Saudi state TV channel Ekhbariya reported on Tuesday.

"Riyadh police have detained the woman who appeared in indecent clothing in Ushaiqir and referred her to the public prosecutor," Ekhbariya said on its official Twitter account, including the popular hashtag.

A series of videos, initially posted to the Snapchat account of "Model Khulood", show a young woman in a high-waisted skirt walking through a fort in Ushaiqer, outside the capital Riyadh, playing with sand in the dunes and turning towards the camera for a close-up, her long hair uncovered. 

The videos have since been uploaded to YouTube and Twitter. 

The local government of Riyadh issued a memo saying authorities were taking the "necessary measures" to find the woman, who it accused of "walking around... in indecent clothing".

The Commission of the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice - Saudi Arabia's "morality police" - on Sunday also confirmed it was investigating the case in coordination with "relevant authorities" via Twitter. 

The snaps have sparked heated debate, with social media users in the region and beyond weighing in on questions of gender and rights in the kingdom, where women are required to wear long black abaya robes and cover their hair in public.

Many have come to the defence of the girl, pointing out the privileges afforded to Western women by Saudi authorities.

The US first lady, Melania Trump, and Ivanka Trump, the daughter of the president, did not cover their hair when they visited Saudi Arabia in May. 

"If it were Trump's daughter, we would have braced ourselves for the flood of compliments and love poems," read one tweet. 

"Problem solved," tweeted Shahd bint Fahd alongside a picture of the model with Ivanka Trump's face superimposed over the original. 

Others expressed outrage and derided those speaking out in support of the model.

"These are the demands of the liberal ignorant community: a naked woman, a co-ed movie theatre, and music and dance. That's progress to them! Not health care and not education," read one tweet.

This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.

How millennials have redefined home ownership



By : Anuj Puri -Mon, Jul 17, 2017

By now, it has become quite clear that as a generation, Millennials have a very different take on homeownership than their parents and grandparents did. This trend has been studied extensively in the West, but it has made itself quite obvious in India too. How do Millennials view home purchase differently in general, and in India in particular?

  Different Strokes

 In the first place, this is a generation of people who were hands-on with technology from childhood onwards. Social media, Google and the blog universe have been part of their life from the word 'go'. Millennials also display a much higher ability to adapt and accommodate than the previous generations, which is why co-working has become such a relevant concept in India today.

This very dynamic generation has been defined in many different ways, but we generally consider people who were born between 1980 and 2000 as Millennials. At a generation level, we see that the boundaries between work and pleasure, business and leisure and indeed workplace and residence have become far less distinct than they were before. Home is where the computer and PlayStation are, the workplace is where the free Wi-Fi, recreation area and VC room are. Millennials who have finished college and are professionally active tend to have quite a bit of the 'digital nomad' in them.

  A Renting Generation?

The hitherto unprecedented ability and willingness of Millennials to adapt is one of the chief reasons why the market for the rental homes in India is stronger today than ever before. Millennials are not as particular about the status value of their address as they are about the connectivity, conveniences and security of a neighbourhood. They want to be able to get to work and back home quickly and enjoy a decent level of social amenities in the area they live in.

 For many of them, buying a home in such an area may be beyond their financial capability, so renting makes complete sense to them. However, even if it is affordable, Millennials as a global breed do not necessarily view buying a home as the best of investment choices and may choose to put their surplus cash into stocks instead.

 Apart from the fact that many of them move around quite a lot, an increasing number of Millennials also have the option to work at home, wherever that happens to be. Either way, staying flexible with location can be an important consideration for many Millennials during their active career life. Globally, especially in the highly developed countries, the Millennial Mindset as a factor influencing residential market trends highlights a definite predilection for renting as opposed to buying homes. We are also seeing this trend in India, but it is far less distinct.

The Indian Millennial

 There can obviously be no cookie-cutter approach to studying the preferences of an entire generation - and those of their offspring, who basically grow up absorbing the preferences of their parents. The near-impossibility of trying to slot this generation in a neatly-labelled category becomes even more evident when we consider how Millennials actually differ quite a lot from country to country. For instance, different attitudes towards renting or buying homes in different parts of the United States and Europe are readily apparent.

 In Asia, the variations are even more distinct, primarily because employability and prosperity levels tend to vary vastly in most cities. India, where the gulf between the earning power and therefore investment appetite of different parts of the population even within the same generation can be vast, is a prime example.

  To say that Indian Millennials prefer to rent homes would be a senseless generalization. In this massive sub-continent, people come from different economic and social backgrounds. We do see many common traits of the Millennial generation among Indians who have had the good fortune of a good education - for instance, digital savviness, a willingness to blend their professional and personal lives, and the tendency to travel a lot. However, we also see that parental and societal influences can still hold considerable sway.

Therefore, an Indian Millennial often opts for homeownership where his or her global counterparts may happily live their entire lives in rental homes. In India, no single factor conveys a feeling of security and social integration quite as much as a self-owned home does. Buying a home may or may not make the same kind of investment sense as stock market speculation. However, an Indian Millennial is very apt to consider owning a home as an essential and fundamental basis from which to launch the rest of his or her other life plans.

Also, the regular income of a rented-out second home conveys a much stronger sense of financial stability in India than investments in the stock market. While it is true that like the stock market, the real estate market is also driven largely by sentiment, it is equally true that the real estate market is not nearly as fickle. Furthermore, there is almost never a dearth of demand for rental homes in a country where the largest part of the population can still not afford to buy homes and indeed consists of transient workforces which depend solely on rental accommodation.

  Other Variables

 In other words, owning property tends to make a lot more sense to an Indian Millennial. Again, this trend can vary pretty significantly from state to state and even city to city, depending on several factors including:

 The affordability of real estate

The average level of education among the local population, which influences purchasing power

The kind of employment opportunities being generated locally, and

The social influences at play

 Within the scope of homeownership, an area where we have seen considerable change is the kind of homes that millennials prefer over their forebears:

 Super-sized luxury homes are generally out, compact homes with good potential resale value are in

 Snob-value addresses are out, local conveniences and connectivity are in Projects by unknown developers are out, projects by well-known developers are in

Poorly-developed and therefore insecure locations are out, local and in-project security is in

Focus on the lowest ticket size is out, focus on value for money is in Non-availability of parking spaces is a complete deal-breaker

 Some of these requirements may seem natural and logical when one considers them today, but they are actually the result of a generation which lives, works and thinks very differently than the previous ones. While Indian Millennials do continue to traditional influences, they are equally wired into the realities of modern-day India where positives such as technology evolution, vastly improved infrastructure and a significantly revamped job market, as well as negatives like proliferating crime, urban decay and traffic chaos all play a role in the where, when and how of home purchase.

 Developers have had no option but read the writing on the fall and fall in line with the more exacting requirements of Indian Millennials. Builders who have stubbornly held on to their 'traditional' success formulas and not deciphered these market signals tend to find themselves with few if any takers for their projects. The sea-change the market has undergone and the new influences that drive it are very evident from the kind of features that builders now highlight in their hoardings, product brochures and radio jingles. Indeed, the Millennial Factor has induced a major revolution in the Indian residential real estate space - and it will only keep changing from here on.