Friday, November 10, 2017

Opioid abuse crisis takes heavy toll on U.S. veterans

Barbara Goldberg-NOVEMBER 10, 2017

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Opioid drug abuse has killed more Americans than the Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam wars combined, and U.S. veterans and advocates this Veteran’s Day are focusing on how to help victims of the crisis.

FILE PHOTO: Needles used for shooting heroin and other opioids along with other paraphernalia litter the ground in a park in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. October 26, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Mostoller/File Photo

Veterans are twice as likely as non-veterans to die from accidental overdoses of the highly addictive painkillers, a rate that reflects high levels of chronic pain among vets, particularly those who served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to federal data.

U.S. government and healthcare officials have been struggling to stem the epidemic of overdoses, which killed more than 64,000 Americans in the 12 months ending last January alone, a 21 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. About 65,000 Americans died in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump named opioids a national public health emergency and a White House commission last week recommended establishing a nationwide system of drug courts and easier access to alternatives to opioids for people in pain.

“Our veterans deserve better than polished sound bites and empty promises,” said former Democratic Congressman Patrick Kennedy, a recovering addict and a member of the president’s opioid commission.

Kennedy said in an e-mail that more funding was needed for treatment facilities and medical professionals to help tackle the problem.

One effort to address the issue has stalled in Congress - the proposed Veterans Overmedication Prevention Act, sponsored by Senator John McCain. That measure is aimed at researching ways to help Veterans Administration doctors rely less on opioids in treating chronic pain.

“The Veterans Administration needs to understand whether overmedication of drugs, such as opioid pain-killers, is a contributing factor in suicide-related deaths,” McCain, one of the nation’s most visible veterans, said in an e-mail on Thursday. He noted that 20 veterans take their lives each day, a suicide rate 21 percent higher than for other U.S. adults.

The VA system has stepped up its efforts to address the crisis, having treated some 68,000 veterans for opioid addiction since March, said Department of Veterans Affairs spokesman Curtis Cashour.

The department’s Louis Stokes VA Center in Cleveland has also begun testing alternative treatments, including acupuncture and yoga, to reduce use of and dependency on the drugs, the VA said.

A delay in naming a Trump administration “drug czar” to head the effort, however, has fueled doubts about immediate action on the opioid crisis. Last month the White House nominee, Representative Tom Marino, withdrew from consideration following a report he spearheaded a bill that hurt the government’s ability to crack down on opioid makers.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

OHCHR REPORT TO UPR SRI LANKA: CONCERNS IN RELATION TO ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

Image:Panama villagers are demanding their land occupied by security forces to be released. (Credit: Vikalpa)

08/11/2017

The third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka will be held on Wednesday 15 November 2017 at 14:30 – 18:00 in Geneva UNHRC building, palais des nation. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has compiled and submitted a report on Sri Lanka for the consideration by the states. excerpts from the report follows.

C. Economic, social and cultural rights

1. Right to work and to just and favourable conditions of work

53. The United Nations country team noted that the right to work was not explicitly recognized in the Constitution except as freedom to engage in a lawful occupation or profession, which included the right to engage in trade union activities,72 and that the Termination of Employment (Special Provisions) Act specified that no person could be terminated from his services other than through his consent or by an application made to the Commissioner of Labour. Termination on the disciplinary grounds could be challenged before the Labour Tribunal.
54. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommended that Sri Lanka assist women heads of households in gaining access to employment and basic services to improve their socioeconomic condition.
55. The Committee on Migrant Workers recommended that Sri Lanka create income-generating opportunities for women, including in rural areas, and prevent domestic violence in order to make migration a choice, not a necessity.
56. It also recommended that Sri Lanka put in place a comprehensive, gender-responsive, fair recruitment policy with high standards; ensure that recruitment agencies improved the services they offered; hold those agencies accountable for the non-execution of their duties; regulate irregular subagents and brokers and sanction unlicensed agencies; and regularly update the recruitment agency blacklist and make it public.
57. The Committee was concerned that recruitment agencies were not women-friendly and 60 per cent of licensed recruitment agencies were located in the Colombo district and thus not easily accessible to those living in rural areas. It recommended that Sri Lanka oblige recruitment agencies to assign, upon request, female staff members to manage the recruitment of female domestic workers and make licensed recruitment agencies more easily accessible in order to reduce informal networks and reliance on brokers, including in rural districts.

2. Right to social security

58. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was concerned that the allowances of the main social assistance programme, Samurdhi, were insufficient and that mandatory deductions were imposed, such as in the case of savings, which lowered the allowances paid. It recommended that Sri Lanka reform the social protection system and ensure universal social security coverage and sufficient benefits for all persons, including those from the most disadvantaged and marginalized groups.

3. Right to an adequate standard of living

59. The United Nations country team expressed concern about large-scale evictions under the Urban Regeneration Programme instituted by the previous Government and the subsequent relocation of low-income families away from the city centre.

4. Right to health

60. The United Nations country team noted concerns regarding access to good quality health care and medical treatment. Private health care was reportedly costly and lacked regulation.
61. The United Nations country team also expressed concern about the lack of availability of youth-friendly health services for adolescents and the lack of access to professional mental health care in the context of post-war reconciliation. It was also concerned that doctors and other medical staff were often unaware of and insensitive to the health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

5. Right to education

62. The United Nations country team noted concerns by university academics and students regarding the deterioration of academic freedom and university autonomy. It also noted that young people often did not have access to accurate and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health information and that sexual and reproductive health and rights education through the formal school system was limited.

For foot notes pl see here for full report:G1725068

G1725068-Compilation on Sri Lanka.pdf by Thavam on Scribd

UN human rights chief - reports of recent rape and torture in Sri Lanka 'merit closer inspection from our part'

08Nov 2017

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein has highlighted the need for a "much closer inspection" on the part of the UN into reports of rape and torture of Tamil men by Sri Lankan security services since 2016, under the current national unity government.

Responding to reports published on Wednesday by the Associated Press detailing rape and torture by security forces from 2016 until July 2017, Mr Zeid said, "while the UN is unable to confirm this until we mount an investigation, clearly the reports are horrifying and merit a much closer inspection from our part, especially if they occurred in 2016 and 2017."

The news wire, which based its feature on interviews with 20 Tamil men and a review of 32 medical and psychological reports, noted that the UN Human Rights chief was "aghast at AP's accounts of the 52 tortured men."

The reports of ongoing torture and rape of Tamils at the hands of Sri Lankan security forces comes at a time when the government led by Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe has tried to rebuild the country's image internationally following a series of UN reports and UN Human Rights Council resolutions on war crimes and crimes against humanity committed.

The government has denied the reports of ongoing torture and rape, stating that it "strongly condemns any act of torture".

The military has rejected the reports as a fabrication.

Sri Lanka's army commander, Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake was quoted by AP as saying, "there are people who come back and make up these stories, especially people who are living in Europe."

"I'm very confident on what I say, because army was not involved and as for that matter I'm sure that police also were not involved," he said, adding, “There’s no reason for us to do that now.”

Lack of progress

Despite co-sponsoring resolution 30/1 which calls for a hybrid court to be established in order to investigate and provide justice for the mass atrocities, the Sri Lankan government has failed to make progress on the issue of accountability.

In March, Mr Zeid criticised the government's progress as "worryingly slow" and called on member states to "wherever possible, in particular under universal jurisdiction, investigate and prosecute those allegedly responsible for such violations as torture, enforced disappearance, war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Mr Zeid said, "in the face of rising frustration among victims, a number of confidence building measures must be accelerated. These include the release of land occupied by the military, which remains slow. While an effort is underway to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and replace it with legislation with complies with international human rights law, this work has yet to be concluded."

"I am particularly troubled by the lack of progress on a number of emblematic cases. The consistent failure to effectively investigate, prosecute and punish serious crimes appears to reflect a broader reluctance or fear to take action against members of the security forces."

"Combined with a general lack of trust of the justice system regarding past violations this continuing unwillingness or inability by the authorities to address impunity reinforces the need for international participation in a judicial mechanism."

The government has continued to fail to make progress on accountability however, as well as on the wider issues of detention such as a repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the release of land from military occupation and an end to the militarisation of the Tamil areas, despite numerous government promises made on the international stage.

Rising frustration among victims

The failure to act has repeatedly raised questions about the government's commitment to its own pledges. Last month the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff reiterated concerns over the delays in the implementation of transitional justice measures, stating that it raised "questions in many quarters about the determination of the government to undertake a comprehensive transitional justice programme."

In March the UN HRC adopted a co-sponsored resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, granting the country two more years until 2019 to implement the actions set out in resolution 30/1 from October 2015.

The lack of progress on accountability is fueling increasing frustration among Tamils, whose vote was crucial in bringing the national unity government to power in 2015.

Recent months have seen frequent protests by Tamils across the North-East, including by families of the disappeared and students at the University of Jaffna, calling for the release of land occupied by the military and the release of Tamil political prisoners.

Agitation among the Tamils, particularly in the run up to Tamil National Remembrance Day on November 27th has led to the increased deployment of security forces, particularly armed Special Task Force officers in Tamil areas.

The national unity government's failure to act and ongoing reports of rape and torture has been met with condemndation but unsurprise from Tamils, who renewed calls for internationally led process of investigation and prosecution for mass atrocities committed against the Tamil people.

Colombia, Sri Lanka and referendums: Interview with Juanita Goebertus

GROUNDVIEWS-on 11/09/2017

Juanita Goebertus is the Deputy Director of the Institute for Integrated Transitions. On a recent trip to Colombo, she shared some thoughts on the Colombian referendum, how it came about, her vast experience around planning for a plebiscite and other insights from her country’s violent history and how it could resonate with Sri Lanka’s constitutional reform process.

We began our conversation with Juanita giving a brief overview of the Colombian referendum – why it was held, the context it was held in, and an overview of what led to its result. Going against all polls and expectations, given the surprising result in Colombia, Juanita is asked what confidence a Sri Lankan desirous of a new constitution can have in a referendum, which today is subject to sophisticated political forces that strengthen, often, the No camp.

Her answer embraces the catastrophic mistakes made by the Yes camp in Colombia, including being very late around the media and communications planning, output and engagement. This leads to a question that probes Juanita more about the role of communications and media strategy around a referendum, and why political leaders need to account for public engagement as an inextricable part of any campaign strategy.

Juanita’s submission that the communications and political strategy needs to embrace popular fears and engage the support base of former leaders is probed in greater detail. She is asked how a campaign around a referendum can deal with spoilers – those who for whatever reason in a variety of ways, including through insincere engagement, seek to undermine and destroy a reform process.

Juanita brings up the point about transitional justice and the role it played in the Colombian referendum. The question is put to her, more from a Sri Lankan context, as to how a process leading up to a referendum on a new constitution should prioritise TJ issues – whether a high visibility undermines or risks gains in other areas, or a low visibility risks the importance of TJ being marginalised.

Her final question is around how to mobilise a Yes campaign in light of, in Sri Lanka, statements from the likes of Maj. Gen. Kamal Gooneratne, tacitly endorsed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his Viyathmaga campaign, that anyone who supports the new constitution is a traitor, should be killed, and after being murdered, should be further humiliated. Juanita flags several points of great importance for the current government, if it is truly desirous of meaningful constitutional change, through a referendum.

Let’s unitedly march towards democracy and modernism

By Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne-2017-11-09

Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Finance and Media, supporting the report submitted by the Steering Committee on constitutional reform, called for a Constitution that 'will help our nation put its past behind for good and move forward with renewed hope.' Obviously he has meant that Sri Lankans must forget the past where majoritist politics created clashes among nationalities within the country. Hence, this is a positive statement. Mangala's speech also alluded to the Sathara Brahma Viharana or the four humanist mental conditions that should be evoked when looking at another, Meththa, Karuna, Muditha, and Upekkha. These are not divine, but human attitudes developed within social communal living suppressing desire, hate and delusion.

Of course those who believe in God the creator, can believe these mindsets arrive with God's blessing; no problem. According to Buddhist teachings Meththa means to defend the right of the other to live, Karuna means to give the share of the other, Muditha means the joy in others achievement, finally Upekkha means to pardon others' mistakes in equanimity.

There have been a lot of allusions to the Buddha's doctrine of late. M.A. Sumanthiran (TNA) has argued for the repealing of Article 9 of the Constitution which states "The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e)."

An indefensible position

He has rightfully stated that he, not being a Buddhist, just for that cannot be told that he is second class in this country. He argues further that support for Article 9 is 'an indefensible position for the Buddhists to take.' Clearly he is pointing to the fact that Buddhists following a teaching which so strongly emphasized the equality of all humans are in an embarrassing situation. If Article 9 is deleted all religions will be treated equally under Articles 10 and 14 (1) (e) whether Sumanthiran is silent or not about those Articles. The inconsistency with Buddhist philosophy would be eliminated. With that message of dharma given in the speech of Mangala will be valid. The sarcasm of Sumanthiran was evident when he said that he will not oppose if Buddhists' demand that Article 9 should be included, could be neutralized. Thus Mangala started with the correct perspective and Sumanthiran made use of the avenue set by Mangala. All this of course is not innocent, but is it progressive. It is true that history whether one likes it or not, bears upon the present and future. Constitutions have not, do not and will not fall from the sky. Societies and cultures are changing and developing ever according to the rule of uthpathathithibanga. Hence, these are not cast in stone of course and are necessarily altered over time and space, with negation of the negation for better or worse. Negation or dumping history is a serious occurrence in spite of the need to remember the past; seen violent and bloody persecution which cannot and should not be forgotten. One notes that neither Samaraweera nor his political friends have clean histories; nobody has been, and neither are they ready to do the forgive-and-forget of past wrongs perpetrated by political opponents. That does not mean that they are right in the middle of a revenge game, as were their predecessors.

Less seriously, Sumanthiran is known as a Christian, and his religious community may have had it good for centuries at the expense of Buddhists and Hindus, before Panadura Vadaya and arrival of Colonel Olcott. Buddhist revival changed the picture even under British rule. Asking Buddhists to act as a rational enlightened community is a credit to the Buddhist revivalists. Many believe that Sri Lanka is the real centre of Theravada Buddhism and men such as Prof. Carlo Fonseka claim Buddhism is a source for rationalist thinking. Of course, to assume they have achieved one of the four levels of enlightenment, at least Sovan, is a bit much. However , Sumanthiran, by his sober yet compelling appeal made the eyes open for so many, while surely injured the pride of several racists in the Sinhala Buddhist camp. But it has not violated the Christian teaching, for example, you could read Matthew 5:39: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." Let us unitedly march towards democracy and modernism.

A Refutation Of Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe: Prof A. J. Wilson Was Not The Drafter Of The ‘Obnoxious’ 1978 Constitution

By Laksiri Fernando –NOVEMBER 9, 2017

Dr. Laksiri Fernando

On 3 July and 23 August, I wrote two articles criticising Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe first “An Open Letter” asking whether he is ‘For Justice or Summary Justice’ and the second saying that he has ‘No Justification to Remain in the Cabinet.’ None of those were personal or with any personal animosity but for public interest and to put the historical records straight.

In the “Open Letter” my last two paragraphs were the following.

“Let me raise a last point. In your submissions at the beginning of the Salakuna interview you claimed that ‘it was Professor A. J. Wilson who drafted the 1978 Constitution.’ This is completely wrong. I was also surprised why did you make such a claim and then quoted his book ‘The Gaullist System in Asia: The Constitution of Sri Lanka (1978)’ to say that this constitution would end up in anarchy? Perhaps your ignorance.

Your quotation is correct, but your claim about his authorship of the constitution is wrong. If you again go through his Acknowledgements, you might be able to dispel your misunderstanding. In July 1978, he was asked to comment on the Draft Constitution. I was very close to him at that time. He was extremely polite, but his advice was not taken into proper consideration in finalizing the constitution. The constitution was promulgated in September 1978. Please don’t blame him directly or indirectly for this obnoxious constitution.”

Without heeding to this saner advice, he has repeated his accusation that Professor Wilson was the drafter of the 1978 constitution in his latest article titled “Constitutional Assembly unconstitutional, null and void ab initio” in The Island (1 November 2017). Referring to certain legal obstacles in enacting a new constitution under the Soulbury constitution he said the following.

“Since there were no such barriers in the constitution of 1972, J. R. Jayewardene entrusted the task of drafting a new constitution to one of his allies Professor Alfred Jayaratnam Wilson, a political science expert and the son in law of late Mr. S. J. V. Chelvanayagam, the leader of the TULF. The draft he made was received with the assent of the cabinet of ministers and then presented to the National State Assembly in terms of Article 51 of the 1972 constitution.”

Of course if A. J. Wilson was entrusted with the task of drafting the 1978 constitution, it would have been to the credit of him and the constitution would have been different, in my opinion. However it was not the case. Since this is an important historical matter, I opted to consult Mrs A. J. Wilson (4 November 2017) seeking her opinion who is now living in Ottawa, Canada, at her old age.

The following is the statement she has sent me (9 November 2017) also giving me permission to quote her and her name.

“Professor A.J. Wilson served as a constitutional advisor to Sri Lanka’s president J.R. Jayawardene from 1978-83. Professor Wilson was not involved in the preparation or drafting of the constitution for Sri Lanka. Professor Wilson acted as an advisor to ensure that the Tamil voice and views was expressed and heard in the political process.”

Let me add that Mrs Wilson was a librarian at the University of New Brunswick and well trained and very professional in her documentation and archival matters. The above statement substantiates what I said previously in my open letter to Dr Wijedasa Rajapaksha.

I do remember Prof Wilson’s visit in July 1978 where I met him at his cousin Dr (medical) Wilson’s place in Colombo. He was asked to comment on the draft. Although we didn’t discuss the draft constitution, I do remember his not so favourable indications about the draft. The other person present at the occasion was Neelan Tiruchelvam.

Constitutional reform, communications & political transformation: An interview with Mark Freeman

GROUNDVIEWS-on 11/09/2017

Mark Freeman is the founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT). As noted on IFIT’s website, Mark is a Belgian and Canadian citizen. He is a leading expert in international human rights and conflict resolution.

Groundviews caught up with Mark during a recent visit to Colombo. We began our conversation interrogating the role and relevance of foreign experts, of whom Sri Lanka has arguably seen more than its fair share of, in helping to strengthen, inter alia, our constitutional reform process. The question posed to Mark is how experts can contribute in a way that doesn’t exacerbate what is often a hostile reaction to their visits and recommendations.

Mark is then asked, given the proclivity of successive governments including the one in power to take from international experts whatever that is convenient and shun, or decry, whatever that is inconvenient, how best local actors including those in official roles engage with input that is aimed at strengthening democracy, even if it is a bitter pill to swallow.

We go on to discuss Sri Lanka’s constitutional reform process in particular. Mark is asked on how best a reform process can be undertaken if the dominant frames of engagement with core issues is through frames of fear, fright or anxiety. In Sri Lanka, the Joint Opposition’s framing of the new constitution is far more effective than the government’s ability to communicate, leading to a general public who first encounter and often only ever engage with core constitutional principles through downright lies, fiction and misdirection. Mark is asked how in such a context, a reform process can communicate its message in a way that assuages key concerns and violent pushback.

Referring to the conversation I had with Mark’s colleague at IFIT Juanita Goebertus, I ask him about the role and relevance of political and strategic communications around a referendum process, and in key moments of nation building. Marks focusses on the importance of communicating not at (just) an intellectual level, but at an emotional level – connecting to and addressing fears.

Mark is then asked to respond to, given recent events in Spain and also IFIT experience in dealing with political transitions in a number of very different contexts, how best to deal with public fears around secession, which dominates the discourse around constitutional reform in Sri Lanka.

In the final question, Mark address how, through his vast experience, the thinks how in 2018’s referendum on the new constitution, the side desirous of seeing it through can win, despite the chorus of opposition and fear mongering against it.

Listen to the full podcast below, or directly on SoundCloud here.

LIVE: 2018 Budget Speech

By Yusuf Ariff-November 9, 2017

Minister of Finance and Mass Media, Mangala Samaraweera, arrived at the Parliament to present the Budget proposals for the fourth fiscal year of the Good Governance government.

Highlights of the Budget Speech:

• He commenced the 2018 Budget Speech (Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill).

• Government expects to achieve 5% economic growth and maintain inflation at 6%. Budget deficit 4.5% of GDP – finance minister

• To become a middle income country by 2025, Sri Lanka needs to achieve rapid economic progress - Samaraweera

• The theme of my budget proposal is “Neela-Haritha Enterprise Sri Lanka” – Samaraweera

• More major reforms of legislation necessary similar to the Inland Revenue Act which was recently passed in Parliament.

• Bankruptcy laws need to be made much more efficient.

• Vehicle policy

• By year 2040 all vehicles in Sri Lanka will be powered by renewable energy.

• By year 2025 all Government vehicles will be either Electric or Hybrid.

• Import tax for electric vehicles will be reduced by Rs 1 million

• Rs 2.5 million import tax on luxury vehicles

• Luxury tax on all super luxury vehicles

• Rs 50,000 tax increase on importing three-wheelers

• Youth who already own three-wheelers will be provided with an opportunity to sell them to countries such as Bangladesh.

• Importing vehicles without airbags will be prohibited in the future.

• SLTB will also go green – Mangala

• Rs 500 million allocated to introduce eco-friendly buses for SLTB.

• A Carbon tax to be introduced: Motorcycles- 17 cents per day, cars – Rs 1.78 per day, buses – Rs 2.74 per day

• The number of telecommunication towers (around 50,000 in the country) need to be reduced as they are not environment friendly. A tax to be imposed on those towers.

• A virtual blue-green institute to be established.

• A new insurance scheme to be introduced for 6 crops including paddy. Rs 40,000 per acre.
• Nation Building Tax to be removed from selected agricultural equipment.

• A new programme to be introduced to promote and develop entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka.
• Loans to be granted to SME industries without guarantors.

• Port authority act needs to be amended to cater to the modern day logistics and shipping activities.
• The center for robotics will be further strengthened

Proposals to stimulate tourism industry. Tourism industry remains a vibrant industry - MS.

Credit facilities to people who want to upgrade their homes to keep tourists as their home stay guests
Impose a tax of 1% on commissions charged by online travel agents (residents and non-residents)
Railway stations such Nanu Oya, Galle Ella declared as archeological sites

Public–private partnerships (PPP) to operate domestic airports such as Sigiriya

SLTDA will establish 25 lifeguarding stations, 20 tourism policing units

VAT refund scheme for foreign passport holders from May 01, 2018

“Tourist board-approved Tuk-Tuk” prgramme to be launched across the country. Training for this free of charge for drivers.

Nation Building Tax to be removed on rough precious stones brought into the country for cutting, polishing and re-export.

Professional technical training institutes with the support of government of Switzerland and Germany to be established in Badulla, Kandy, Trincomalee, Ratnapura and Anuradhapura.

Budget will ensure that Sri Lankan students will complete at least 13 years of schooling.

University intake to be increase by 20%

Medical faculties to be established in Wayamba, Sabaragamuwa and Moratuwa universities at a cost of Rs 1,250 million.

Medium-size companies run by females will be given access to loan concessions.

Restrictions imposed on foreigners purchasing local land plots to be relaxed.

Import tax on certain foods and beverages for the tourism sector to be removed. The list will be released later.

Health insurance scheme to be introduced for school children to be extended to university students as well.

Production tax to be imposed on sugary drinks. 50 cents per gram with effect from midnight today.
Rs 100 million allocated to develop 100 rural sports grounds

Import tax on sports shoes to be removed from midnight today to help uplift the sports in the country.
49% of liquor consumption is illicit liquor.

NBT to be imposed on liquor from April 01, 2018.

Tax formula to be introduced on volume of liqour

Rs 3 billion to be allocated to support IT startups, SMEs

Rs 50 million to be allocated to establish a Buddhist library

Finance minister urges traders to provide the benefit of the reduced levies on essential goods which were gazette yesterday. If not strict action will be taken as decided during the Cabinet meeting this morning, he warned.

“Fair price shops” to be established across the country with the help of the private sector.

A special ‘Loan Repayment Tax’ will be imposed on all bank transactions at a rate of 20 cents for every Rs 1000 with effect from April 01, 2018.

It is a temporary tax which will exist only for 3 years. The tax will not be imposed on customers. “You can call it the Medamulana Tax” – Mangala

A manufacturing tax of Rs 10 per kilogram to be imposed on plastic raw materials to discourage polythene, plastic industry.

The Customs Ordinance to be amended in line with the international code system. It will be a fully-automatic system.

A tax of 25 cents will be imposed on marketing and promotions-related text messages (SMS) from April 2018.

A tax to be imposed on ethanol and related raw materials. Rs 15 tax on volume per litre on non-consumable spirits.

Budget Speech 2018 by deranapics on Scribd

Before and after the Designer Budget

2017-11-10

Preceded by a week of ‘petrol anger’ in a country that queued long hours to buy few litres of petrol each day, Mangala Samaraweera ventured out yesterday with his new project of winning back lost votes with a ‘Designer Budget’ for the year 2018.
End January 2018 is now speculated to have the long delayed LG polls, after over two years of haggling with a Delimitation Report. One day prior to the budget the finance ministry on Wednesday announced tax reductions on essential food items. A Sri Lankan ‘Tweep’ said, ‘Poonac was not in the list’.
That same day, the Constitutional Assembly debate concluded after debating the Interim Report of the Steering Committee for 07 days. Politically, Mangala’s ‘pro people’ export

growth projected 2018 Budget, runs into conflict with his own appeal for unity in a secular, devolved State that may not be Unitary though written so, into the Constitution. The debate on how pro-people the budget is, and what benefits it would deliver to the people with export growth is left for economists and neo liberalists to engage in. I would instead move to the debate on the Interim Report of the Steering Committee that would bounce back into centre stage once the budget is read and voted on.
The interim report debate basically was on two issues that tie up others on the way. The first is about the Unitary State. That brings in other issues like devolution, 13A Plus, federal system of governance and the delicacy of the Sinhala extremism, separatism as well. The second is that of foremost place for Buddhism and the need for a secular State. This ties up with the issue of equality and the status of non-Buddhists in a State that would treat Buddhists preferentially and leave all others as second class.

"Mangala Samaraweera ventured out with his new project of winning back lost votes with a ‘Designer Budget’ for the year 2018."

The JO harps on both issues and their campaign against Constitution making is not restricted to the Constitutional Assembly. With this government’s arrogant aloofness in engaging people, the JO have successfully mobilised Sinhala extremism led by Buddhist monks. With allegations the government is in a conspiracy to create a Federal Constitution that would destabilise the Unitary State, Buddhist monks led by both the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters now demand the Constitution making process to be abandoned. Leading another collective of Buddhist monks, Bellanwila Wimalaratne Thera said, Buddhism cannot be given the foremost place if other religions are also equally treated when Articles 10 and 14(1)(e) are tagged with Article 09. Theoretically, the learned monk seems right. If all other religions are treated as equal with Articles 10 and 14(1)(e), how can Buddhism be special and foremost is his argument.
Instead of reasoning out and rationalising the necessity to treat all Citizens as equals in a civilised democratic society and therefore the necessity to have the Constitution as secular, the whole debate on the Interim Report revolved around promises and guarantees that Buddhism would have its foremost place in the Constitution as it was since 1972 with the first Republican Constitution. Meekly saying they stand for a Secular Constitution, these promises and guarantees were shamelessly offered even by the TNA spokesperson MP Sumanthiran. He went on to say, “ having said that, that should be the ideal, we have gone on to say,….we have gone on to say,…. but if the Buddhist people wish that a certain status be given to Buddhism, we will not stand in the way. “Sumanthiran with his command of the language and debating skills says, for Buddhists who claim equality, asking for a foremost place for Buddhism is an indefensible position and then says, “We who are non-Buddhists are saying, we don’t mind it being given a foremost place….” He goes further with his guarantee. He says, “But yet if you want it, we have said, we are willing to grant it….”.
This in plain language is a “bloody betrayal” not only of Tamil people, but all minority communities too. It’s a blatant and an open insult to all Tamil leaders from GG to SJV and from Amirthalingam to even Prabhakaran. From even before independence, they all struggled in their own ways against ‘second class treatment’ and to gain equality of status for the Tamil people. GGs ‘parity of status’ and SJV’s ‘federalism’ was that. From Amirthalingam’s democratic politics to Prabhakaran’s “Eelam” it was that.
I thus wrote in my ‘Blog’, on 03 November, [quote]That in no uncertain terms, on his own argument would leave all Citizens of other faiths including all Tamils, second class citizens under a Unitary State. And the extremist Sinhala Buddhist leaders would say, “we did not force it upon them. They agreed to be second class citizens as all good minorities should be” [unquote - http://kusalperera.blogspot.com/2017/11/where-most-are-not-right-all-225-have.html].

"The whole debate on the Interim Report revolved around promises and guarantees that Buddhism would have its foremost place in the Constitution"

This shameless compromise is not how the issue of a Secular Constitution should be approached in making a New Constitution that has to be at least better than the present Constitution, if we are unable to make the best with people’s participation. The approach should be with an alternate articulation that can be accepted by the majority as the most suitable replacement of Article 09 of the present Constitution. Sent to all members of the Steering Committee on 06 November, there is now a proposal at hand that can well replace Article 09. Proposed by a ‘collective’ of public interest activists and professionals, it says, “Chapter II Article 9 to read thus :The State and Government shall at all times foster and uphold Karuna, Meththa, Mudhitha, Upeksha and Ahimsa as the noble precepts of governance, equally across caste, class, religion, ethnicity and gender.” The proposal also introduces a new clause as ‘Article 09.1’ that says, “The fundamental duty of the State and its constitutionally established institutions shall be to provide equal opportunities to enable citizens to fully enjoy their civil, political, socio-economic, cultural, environmental and educational rights in order to establish and maintain a democratic society based on these five noble precepts.”
As an initiator of this alternate proposal, I was asked by many, how this could be a replacement to the present Article 9 that ensures foremost place to Buddhism and the “duty of the State to protect and foster Buddha Sasana”. The answer is very simple. Article 9 as it is, guarantees everything to Buddhism as a “Religion” and more importantly to its “Clergy”. Yet Buddhism as a religion is not practised by Buddhists, as a “constitutional right”. They don’t go to temple because the Constitution says Buddhism has the foremost place in Sri Lanka. They don’t observe ‘Sil’ on Poya Day because the Constitution says it protects and fosters the Sangha. They practised Buddhism for centuries even before the 1972 Constitution gave it State patronage. They still practise Buddhism in the form they believe in as rituals and traditions. The Constitution has nothing to do with Buddhism that is carried from generation to generation by Buddhists as their “Religion”, as their “faith”.

This replacement proposed, is not going to dilute, deny or rob the Buddhists of anything they enjoy at present in believing and practising Buddhism as their hereditary Religion. Instead what the proposal wants to ensure is a new society on “Universally accepted Precepts” that Lord Buddha preached as the basis of his “Philosophy”. It stresses on “five noble precepts” that neither Buddhists nor any other religious faith could afford to refuse to accept. And they are not “religious” and cannot be owned by a single religious faith. They are all about “human values” that different UN Charters enshrine as “Human, Labour, Women and Child” Rights. All values a society needs to cultivate and nurture the Buddhists can proudly take the lead in Sri Lanka. They are also “secular values” no ‘Atheist’ or ‘Agnostic’ like me could shun as “religious values”.
They are all social values that can be taught, cultivated and nurtured through all Daham pasal, in Sunday Schools, in Madrasas and through Hindu classes and texts. They are human values that deny and refute all divisions and demarcations on ethnic, religious, caste, class and gender basis that can and should be introduced into school text books. They are values that can be taught in class rooms without separating children according to their Religion at Birth.
This therefore is a discussion and a debate that has to be promoted instead of the present ‘for and against’ diatribes on the Constitution. To place the debate on constitution making on a more saner platform, the TNA leadership could leave Sumanthiran’s selfish deal aside for a new and a respected compromise, the Buddhists will have to accept and all other
faiths too.

E-News shut down should be stopped – Free Media Movement

(Lanka-e-News - 09.Nov.2017, 5.30PM) Free Media Movement observes that an informal censorship is prevalent within the country, by obstructing the technical access to Lanka E News Website.

The efforts by the FMM to obtain information from the Tele Communications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) who is alleged for being responsible for the act, were unsuccessful.

According to Lanka E News, the website has been obstructed since 08thNovember 2017 by the interference of the TRCSL. TRCSL has not yet responded to this allegation. This silence has further validated the allegation. We believe that TRCSL should issue a statement immediately, as a responsible government institution.

If the allegation is true, by obstructing the access to Lanka E-News within the country, the government has demonstrated the likelihood of taking similar arbitrary actions towards any other website or media in the future. Therefore, FMM wants to emphasize the fact that this action of the current government has endangered the future of media freedom and democracy in Sri Lanka.

Furthermore, this can be considered as a conversion of intimidating interference against journalists into action, which has been carrying out recently by the three year-old government.

Free Media Movement demands to abolish the ban of Lanka E News, to rectify this arbitrary and repressive tendency immediately and to ensure the sustaining media freedom and democracy.

C. Dodawatta

Convener

Dileesha Abesundara

Secretary

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by (2017-11-09 12:13:10)

May his legacy live on

Sachitra Mahendra-Friday, November 10, 2017

Fish continue to swim under the soft coral growth. The coral growths house a pond divided by a bridge which leads to the monastery. The monastery sheltered a spiritual leader of this country. As you enter the Kotte Sri Naga Vihara premises, the life-size statue of its previous Chief Incumbent greets you with a fatherly smile.

Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera needs hardly any introduction owing to his involvement in bringing the incumbent government into power. But his missionary journey began a long time before. For those who knew him up close and personal, the life-size statue will bring back the larger-than-life legacy left behind by the legendary Sangha figure.

The Sinhalese community has maintained an irrevocable connection with the Sangha Order since times immemorial. Even the numerous invasions could not sever that connection. The colonial masters tried their best to dissociate the cord between the Sangha and community. Their attempts to relieve this land of the Sacred Tooth Relic are a classic example.

Like the fish continuing to swim under the soft coral growth, the relationship between the Sangha and the Sinhalese communities flourished. The Sangha community, with an orchestra-like division of sects, exerted a large influence over the general public. Thanks to this influence, many other communities found solace in this land. Sri Lanka is the ideal melting pot for any ethnic community because of the Buddhist influence.

That the royalty consulted the Sangha both at times of trouble and otherwise has been the norm. The Sangha community, for that matter, intervened when they deemed it necessary. Unruly their behaviour may seem to the run of the mill. But such kind of intervention may be necessary at times.

Excellent orator, influential figure

Venerable Sobitha Thera’s public presence turned out to be an offshoot of such circumstances. Which is why his public presence could not be termed as an overnight feat. He shot down his first salvo during the tenure of President J R Jayewardene (from 1977 to 1988).

The Venerable Thera dealt with many aspects such as centralising power within the presidency, the threats against freedom of expression, civil rights and the rule of law. He was a vociferous speaker against the Indian intervention campaign in the 1980s.

What was quite charming about the Venerable Thera?

Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera had a deep, resonant, voice. That made him not only an excellent orator but an influential figure, much sought after in the Sri Lankan majority community.

Although he was the kingmaker, he did not live in the lap of luxury. He had his own lifestyle strictly focused on principles and precepts. That charisma in him sent shockwaves through the society when he publicly announced that he would contest for the presidency.

As a saint perched on the mountain, he saw every head of state, appointed to office following his blessings, only solidarising their positions within the presidency. He observed all that silently and took revolutionary steps when necessary. While playing a national role, the Thera also shouldered other tasks such as educating the youth on the dangers of drugs and alcohol abuse.

Venerable Sobitha Thera had no special affinity to any political leader in particular. He treated every politician like any elder would treat a child. He was not hesitant to point out whenever they erred. That rare personality in this Sangha figure stood tall wherever he trod. That is the emblem of this social reformer called Ven Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera.

As the Chief Incumbent of the Kotte Naga Vihara, Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera was an avant-garde socialist and social reformer. Born on May 29, a Vesak Full Moon Poya Day in 1942, in Maduluwawa, Padukka, Homagama, he obtained the primary education at Maduluwawa Maha Vidyalaya. Pathirage Don Rathnasekara (as he was known in the lay life) took up robes at 11 on May 9, 1955.

Legacy awaiting excavation

Ven Sobitha Thera was an amiable elder to any devotee he sights at the temple. He did not care very much about his popularity (or civil power, rather) when he opens up a conversation with a devotee. Even though he is too busy for a small talk, he would certainly greet you with his warm smile.

The Thera’s real personality rests alive at the Naga Vihara. Although smaller in size as compared to most mainstream Buddhist temples, Naga Vihara is home to verdant greenery. The bridge, the pond underneath and schools of fish swimming leisurely are a signatory sight of the entrance to his little abode.

And you were always welcome to enter this little green kingdom. A devotee or two would often ask the Thera for a plant or two. Ven Sobitha Thera would not think twice in such instances. He would generously offer a plant. In his own territory, Ven Thera lived with much ease. No politician could shake him with luxury. He won the hearts of devotees. They were the patrons who looked after him well even during the tough times when he had fallen from the grace of certain politicians.

Venerable Sobitha Thera is no more. But he has left behind a legacy awaiting excavation.

President of good governance bans Lanka e news within SL ! Whither good governance ?

(Lanka-e-News - 08.Nov.2017,11.30PM) The Sri Lanka (SL) Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) which is under the good governance president of SL while banning the Lanka e news website has issued instructions to all internet facility providing companies to forbid the public from browsing Lanka e news website within SL.

Accordingly since this noon no one in SL was able to browse the news website www. lankaenews.com

Prior to this ban , after the exposure of the joint illicit deal of the president and Maharaja by Lanka e news relating to the purchase of a decrepit warship , an official of the presidential secretariat had spoken to an Institution providing advertisements to Lanka e news , and instructed to halt that advertisement.

Not only the advertisements of many establishments were stopped but even the arrears of payments due to Lanka e news from them had been suspended.

It is well to recall during the corrupt brutal Rajapakse regime , the first threat posed to the media was through restriction of advertisements . Next , the CID broke into the office premises and after summoning to the CID they were interrogated. This harassment was repeated 9 to 10 times for a year.

Just because a complaint was lodged by us with the police that journalist Poddala Jayantha had been abducted , the editor and news editor were hauled up in courts on frame ups that Lanka e news was involved.

Thereafter a colleague of ours Prageeth Ekneliyagoda was abducted and went missing. In fear the editor too had to flee the country . At about the same time arrest of journalists on false charges and remanding them commenced in Sri Lanka . After that the Lanka e news portal and its valuable library were set on fire , reducing the whole premises to ashes. Some months later Lanka e news was banned. Those ordeals and uncalled for sufferings were faced by Lanka e news during that period of media suppression and killing of media personnel.

Following the advent of the good governance government , the ban on Lanka e news website was lifted and the investigation into the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneliyagoda was begun. However the arson committed on Lanka e news was not investigated. Though several high rung officers of the army were arrested and remanded in connection with the Ekenliyagoda disappearance, the president in his intense craziness and with utter disregard for the sacrosanct law released them on bail . An accused (army) who is out on bail is not reinstated in service , yet the president reinstated them in service. Thereafter the investigations were disrupted , and now nobody knows what happened to the investigations.

Later , the president sought to obtain an Interpol warrant through a henchman of his against the Lanka e news editor which attempt came a cropper. Having failed in that direction , a bogus case was filed through the henchman .

The president then announced compensation shall be paid to the journalists who were victimized and to the media Institutions which faced losses including Lanka e news. That was only flashy verbiage worse than smelly garbage of which the president has in plenty. Until today president’s promised compensation too never returned after it was sent on pension by him. Instead he has now started paying ‘compensation’ through imposition of bans.

When president today attended the second death anniversary of late Most Ven. Maduluwawe Thera who made a major contribution towards the victory of good governance government , he said , he appointed a Commission to apprehend the crooks , and those crooks have paid monies to the websites operating from abroad to sling mud at him.

Let us emphatically state , the ban imposed on Lanka e news constitutes a huge blow to the right to information.

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by (2017-11-08 21:26:44)