Will Anyone Guess What This Is!

By Rusiripala Tennakoon –MAY 2, 2018

Leaked by a Whistle Blower “a page from the charges A/c salaries of Contract employees”

Could it be a list that includes the salary bill of some institutions paid for about 15 Executives drawing a handsome salary of Rs. 300,000/- each ? Well Rs. 300,000/-per month is a handsome salary according to the standards of the heavily debt burdened country !

Or could it be a little less generous emolument package covering about 30 top level Executives Grade employees, each being paid about Rs. 150,000/- per month?

Does it also refer to Performance Bonus payments made to Executives who showed extra-ordinary performance levels highly recognized by their Board of Directors on some evaluated criteria relevant to the profits generated based on their individual contributions?

This institution or organization has been very generous in computing and paying arrears of increments to its Executive Grade employees.  In one shot they have paid Rs. 37,502,500 Millions. Next year, just 6 months later this very generous organization had paid another sum of Rs. 37,502,500 the same as the previous year’s payment, as arrears of increments again.

As the assumed numbers for the salary payments in our hypothetical assessment above, 15 or 30 in number, this amount of incremental arrears should have been for this number.  If according to our presumption the numbers was 15 then each lucky Executive employee would get  Rs. 2,500,166/- as incremental arrears. The next question is for which period?  If the amount is for one year then each would be entitled to a monthly increment arrears amount of Rs. 208,347/22. Vow! What an increment?

A top level of Senior Administrative Grade (Former Civil Servant Grade) gets an annual increment about Rs. 30,000/- i.e. Rs. 2,500/- per month. (If on the other hand the number is 30 the amount each gets as arrears of increments would be Rs. 1,250,083/- which works out to a monthly increment of Rs.104,173/61). This is an amount which will not be reflected anywhere in any public service salary structure!

Now there are two Gratuity payments in this list.  An amount of Rs. 8,453,300/- paid to a person called Sabry and another amount of Rs. 3,400,000/- paid to a person called Deepal.  The gratuity payment is made according to a statutory formula which is half months’ salary last drawn multiplied by the number of year in service.

If we assume that these 2 Executives had a service period of 15 years then we can work out the salary basing the gratuity formula.  It works out to Rs. 1,127,100/- in the case of Sabry and Rs. 453,333/- in the case of Deepal.

Now you will wonder who these lucky Executives were, and who this generous employer is. We will give you the answer, but not specifically identifying the institution due to other restrictions and reasons.

Nevertheless! There you are. It is a State Bank – Where? In Sri Lanka !

The information quoted is an extract of the charges A/c Contract Employees Salary

And this salary and bonus bill is for how many Executives? Less than 5 !

Not 15 or 30 we assumed in our computations. Even if the number of Contract Executives is taken as 5, according to the April, 2018 Salary figure they are paid an average of Rs. 1,100,000/- each.

According to the Collective Agreements of the banks with their employees (Public documents) the General Manager of a State Bank which is the highest Executive position is entitled to less than Rs. 300,000/- per month.

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OVER 600,000 PEOPLE AFFECTED BY DROUGHT IN NORTHERN SRI LANKA

01/05/2018

COLOMBO, April 30 (Xinhua) — The number of people affected by drought in Sri Lanka has increased to 613,326, the Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said in its situation report on Monday.

According to the report, people in 11 administrative districts in the northern half of Sri Lanka have been affected by lack of drinking water, heat and crop failure, with the highest number of 216,670 persons being affected in Puttalam district.

However, DMC spokesman Pradeep Kodippili said the southern and central parts of Sri Lanka have been experiencing rain during the past few days.

“Initially, we issued a landslide warning for some areas in central Sri Lanka. We lifted the warning later after the rain subsided,” the spokesman said.

President Gamarala in his eagerness to oust P.M. has outrun his sureness : Derelicts duties and causes Rs. 1500 million loss to govt. !!

(Lanka-e-News - 01.May.2018, 9.15PM)  President Gamarala who is now precariously clinging on a 4 % vote base owing to his own follies and lunacies , and from the beginning of this year -2018 , was tumbling over in a mad haste to chase out the prime minister , has caused a loss of Rs. 1500 million to the  government by end of April 2018 consequent upon his gross dereliction of duties as the defense minister. His eagerness to outfox and outwit the P.M. has outrun his sureness of his most onerous duties.

The complaint against this egregious  blunder of presidential  plunder was made by Buddhika Pathirane M.P. 

This massive loss has resulted because the president who is also the defense minister while wasting his precious time on scheming   and plotting against the P.M. had failed to call for tenders on time to register  suppliers for the supply of food to the  three forces . 

As the term of the suppliers terminated on  17-12-31 , the suppliers for new supplies should have been appointed and concluded on 2018-01-01 .

Unfortunately , for president Gamarala what was more important than his most responsible  duties towards the nation was his plotting to chase away P.M. who in fact on the other hand was the one who steered Gamarala  to the presidential throne.  As a result of this neglect Gamarala’s urgent duties of registering  suppliers of food for the forces on time was forgotten. Due to this grave lapse , the supplies had to be  obtained from the same old suppliers , and mind you this went  on until as late as May 2018. That is , the period of the old suppliers had been invariably extended until  end of May. Owing to this bungling , by end of April alone the government had incurred a loss of Rs. 1500 million !  and that is likely to shoot up further  in May.

To cite just one  example  : The price of dhal at which the old suppliers provided the dry ration to the forces was Rs. 148.00 per kilo. Under the new market price , the suppliers say they can supply at Rs. 101.00 per kilo. 

In other words there is a loss of Rs. 47.00 per kilo of dhal by purchasing this commodity from the old suppliers. This is no trivial loss because the forces require 400,000 kilos of dhal monthly meaning that the loss incurred by the government on dhal alone is about  Rs. 18.8 million   per month. Since there has been a delay of 5 months , the loss incurred on dhal alone is  Rs. 94 million!!  In this way , the government on dry rations alone has faced a loss of over Rs. 1500 million (Rs. 1.5 billion !) 

Buddhika Pathirane had lodged his complaint based on charges of corruption  . 

It is very unfortunate despite president Gamarala who is day in and day out speaking about the alleged bond scam , and saying ’I am against corruption’ does not know what monumental corruption and losses are ongoing  under his very nose – under his defense ministry !

It is now crystal clear why Gamarala is not transferring out the Auditor General who is the key player in the corruption despite the Public service commission insisting on that for the last  8 months.

Let it be understood , all the burdens of these losses have to be borne by the helpless and hapless people of the country  ,and not by Polonnaruwa rice mill owning brothers, bar license owning daughters or ‘commis’ sons in laws .

In the complaint of Buddhika , the other charges are : The State Janawasama  which was hitherto supplying Tea to the forces has been axed , and a private enterprise henchman has been given the contract ; and while there are more suitable boot and  shoes suppliers , another crony  had been awarded the contract .

The complaint supported with cogent evidence is contained in a 200 page document. Buddhika has also additionally lodged complaints with the FCID and the Auditor General .

The FCID has already initiated investigations and a statement is to be recorded of Buddhika M.P. this Friday. 

This is the first time an investigation has been launched by the FCID into a corruption in which the ministry under the president himself is being charged with grave financial misappropriation . This is  something  unprecedented  and historical.

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by     (2018-05-01 15:57:52)

UNP changes: Band-Aids or a surgery?

“We rise by lifting others” ~Robert Ingersoll 

2018-05-02

The United National Party (UNP) needed surgery. A creative experienced surgeon would have used his scalpel with precision and cut and sutured the fragments that have been malignant, creating a dangerous disease that shrouded the whole body, paralyzing the limbs, penetrating into the marrow and benumbing the critical chunks. Yet it looks like the changes that entailed a dismal performance at the recently concluded local government elections were not a result caused by the scalpel of such an experienced surgeon. It looks more like a procedure in between surgery and Band-Aids, performed by an amateur, still learning the fine art (or in this case science) of prescribing a sure remedy for a protracted malady.

The UNP’s woes are many. And they are varied. There is no one-off solution. Ungraspable concepts of 21st century-politics remain as they are for most of the decision-makers of the party, ungraspable. With the advent of the social media, the alacrity at which information travels from its source to the Smartphones or laptops has transformed not only the volume of information; it has affected the initial quality of data and substance of matters. Gossip soon became gospel and before the real truth comes out another string of gossip and rumours have followed with the same intensity and latent power such gossips and rumours contain within themselves. Authenticity and veracity has been the unintended casualty in this process.

A very few amongst the present crop of UNP-Parliamentarians have grasped that and those who understood that power, were elected to the new politburo of the party. Yet in the context of these unique innovations in technology, there are some fundamentals of politics that have remained relevant and crucial to the present day dynamic of power politics. Specialization, distribution of labour and delegation of responsibility with corresponding authority as superior management principles have not been replaced by any of this modern-day gadgetry. If one wants to succeed in politics of any era, such fundamental principles need close attention from those who try to exploit the varying vagaries of the profession.

The UNP, stuck in a morass of an abysmal performance at the LG polls, with a devastating effect on its leader who has managed to survive a no-confidence motion, once again has made an unambiguous attempt, more on the sustenance of its leader than itself. It is almost beyond dispute that the general feeling among a vast majority of UNPers that a change at the helm is part of the package of changes they were expecting. But it is quite inane of them to expect that. Ranil Wickremesinghe is going nowhere. His manoeuvering and navigational skills have reached their zenith. Ousting him from the party leadership is not going to happen. They had better resign themselves to that reality now, not later. However, whether Ranil Wickremesinghe is going to be the next presidential candidate from the UNP is altogether a different subject. That is the hub these party rebels need to concentrate on now.

As much as the ordinary voters in the country vote to elect a president or a Member of Parliament, the elementary mindset of the UNP Working Committee is not different from that of any other voter in the country -- they are all just voters who want a ‘winner’ as against a ‘loser.’ Electing a nominee for the forthcoming presidential elections in 2020 is another matter altogether. In a real sense, this proposition of electing a nominee is a making of Ranil Wickremesinghe himself. Having failed to place confidence in himself as a plausible and ‘winning’ candidate -- Sarath Fonseka in 2010 and Maithripala Sirisena in 2015 -- Ranil has given enough and more reasons to UNP members, at grassroots level as well as district, provisional and national level leaders that the slot of nomination is an open, not a closed decision.

It’s inescapable that those who would like or hate Navin and Sajith, would factor in their respective likes and dislikes for their fathers and the tremendous work of their fathers will have an unequivocal effect on their final choice

This is where the focus of Sajith Premadasa and Navin Dissanayake, the only two second-tier leaders in the party in whom much confidence and surety by the party membership has placed, should be. A battle to dethrone Ranil Wickremesinghe from party leadership is not a realistic proposition. It will tear the party apart. But a fight for nomination to contest the presidential elections would appear to be a more legitimate contest. Ever since Ranil Wickremesinghe took over the party after Gamini Dissanayake’s untimely death in 1994, he, as the leader of party, declined to contest on his own party’s ticket on two decisive occasions, 2009 and 2015. That is an extremely-adverse precedent to set for a party leader. Most of the criticism aimed at Ranil Wickremesinghe is centering on that precedent set by him. For a party leader to forego an opportunity of such significance and magnitude could be construed as a betrayal of the party’s principles and core values.

Against such a convoluted backdrop, development of other personalities, specifically those of Navin Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa whose fathers, Gamini Dissanayake and R. Premadasa respectively who literally gave their lives for the party, is a natural progression of political dynamics. But one must remember when evaluating Navin and Sajith, albeit it’s provocative component to compare the personalities of the two fathers and their respective contributions to the party and the country, they must be evaluated completely independent of their fathers’ achievements. What R. Premadasa and Gamini Dissanayake did for the UNP and Sri  Lanka’s socio-economical-political development is unmatchable.

Yet it’s inescapable that those who would like or hate Navin and Sajith, would factor in their respective likes and dislikes for their fathers and the tremendous work of their fathers will have an unequivocal effect on their final choice. But there remains one singular factor which would not change. Especially in the context of what was mentioned earlier in this column about voters electing a ‘winner’ as against a ‘loser,’ the performance of Navin Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa at the LG elections concluded in February 2018, does matter.

Let’s do an analysis of the LG elections results for Navin and Sajith
(Source: Ada Derana Website) 

The UNP has been clearly swept in the Hambantota District. Despite the UNP winning the Hambantota MC, it failed to form the council which again reflects badly on Sajith’s organisational skills.

A close scrutiny of the above statistical table reveals that the unconfirmed yet widely-rumoured stories by the media and other interested parties that Sajith Premadasa has a better and firmer hold on the electorate, especially the Sinhalese Buddhist faction, is shattered. Sajith Premadasa has found a very credible and a better results-producing competitor in Navin Dissanayake. The irony, however, is that until about two months ago Sajith had a free field as far as successors to Ranil Wickremesinghe were concerned.

The LG elections coupled with Navin being the UNPer to receive the highest number of votes at the election of the UNP politburo among its Working Committee members cum Parliamentarians has catapulted Navin Dissanayake to be a force to be reckoned with. It was also reported that at this meeting when some member suggested another name for deputy leader position in the party, Sajith immediately got up and stated that he would resign from his deputy leadership position if that happened. This selfish rush to protect his turf is not a sign of a good, self-confident and secure leader.

Sajith is known to be a loner. Yet his dedication to his ministry work and Buddhist temples has cut quite a unique figure among some of the neo-liberal ministers in the UNP-led government. His tireless work in the Hambantota District and adjacent districts, especially among poorer class of people reminds of the work done by his late father, R. Premadasa.

On the other end of the spectrum, Navin Dissanayake too seems to be fairly conversant with, among others, parliamentary procedures, political strategizing and tactics and above all ‘winning’ votes. A ‘winning’ politician, apart from substantiating the confidence people have in the competitors, has some other remarkable side to it. That is its unique character of standing out as an enabler of optimism among the supporters which generates enthusiasm to work harder and go to the polls. That unique character in a ‘winner’ cannot be transformed into a contagious trait among many unless and until a unique and remarkable campaign based on modern and scientific political campaign principles is launched and executed to its finality. Beginning from branding, choosing its unique selling proposition (USP), multi-tiered delegation, precise scheduling, more than adequate transport facilities, more than a significant amount of money and manpower and ability to change course midway without causing damage to the original plan and objectives are all parts of a good plan.

But execution remains the most critical and game-changing element of the whole campaign. Whoever has the edge on these crucial parts of the equation wins the game. Both Navin and Sajith have a fight to fight.

The writer can be contacted at vishwamithra1984@gmail.com

Reflections on President Premadasa

Wednesday, 2 May 2018

Ranasinghe Premadasa was born on 23 June 1924 in Colombo. He completed his education at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10. He was interested in social service for the welfare of the poor and downtrodden. He was the architect of the Sri Sucharitha Movement, an organisation with the objectives of uplifting the economic, social and spiritual development of the low income people. These youth who enrolled in his development movement refrained from taking liquor and avoided smoking and gambling. R. Premadasa too was a teetotaller.

He had been the Deputy Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council. He was elected second Member of Parliament at the general election held in 1965 for the same seat and was appointed Chief Government Whip besides being appointed Parliamentary Secretary of Local Government. Later he was raised to the position of Minister of Local Government. In the following general election held in 1970, he was elected first MP for Colombo Central and sat in the Opposition with late J.R. Jayewardene, the Leader of the Opposition.

Premadasa was elected first MP for Colombo Central in 1977 and became the Leader of the House and the Minister of Local Government. He was appointed the Deputy Leader of the UNP. When J.R. Jayewardene became the first Executive President of the country, Minister Premadasa became the Prime Minister on 23 February 1978.

Part of his political program was shelter for the poor, after the United Nations declared a Year of Shelter. Other policies included Janasaviya, the instrument he used to help the poor, a foster parents scheme, the Gam Udawa project, the mobile secretariat whereby he took the Central Government bureaucracy to the peasants, the Tower Hall Foundation for drama and music, and the pension schemes he initiated for the elder artistes. On the economic front, the garment industry project that he initiated became a forerunner in earning foreign exchange and provision of employment in the villages.

He was elected second Executive President of the country when late J. R. Jayewardene stepped down. He led the UNP to victory at the general election held in 1989. He survived the attempted impeachment by some of his party men together with opposition Members of Parliament. He focussed on building the economy, in which exercise too he was successful as seen by the improved position of the country’s economy during his tenure.

However, Premadasa’s greatest achievements were in the field of housing, poverty alleviation and the upliftment of the downtrodden. He was the architect of many innovative development schemes, such as, the Gam Udawa, Presidential Mobile Service, 200 Garment Factories programs amongst others.

Premadasa proposed at the United Nations Organization in New York to declare a year as International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. The proposal was unanimously accepted at the 37th session of the United Nations General Assembly and 1987 was declared the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless.

He launched the Gam Udawa scheme all over the country. He was the founder of the Janasaviya, now the Samurdhi scheme.

During his presidency Premadasa took action to reduce poverty in the country. He encouraged the building of model villages with clean water, decent roads, schools and health centres. He encouraged the placement of small-scale industries, mostly garment-related, in poor areas by giving factory owners low-interest loans and a share in textile quotas for the United States and Europe.

Premadasa was well known for the humble life led by him in his simple home, away from his luxurious official residence. He perhaps travelled less than any other leading Sri Lankan politician.

Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake brought an impeachment motion in August 1991 which was an utter failure. It so happened that the writer’s father, a former Judge of the Supreme Court and a Member of Parliament from the National List in the SLFP, refused to sign the impeachment motion with the SLFP.

In September 1991, I wrote an article in defence of President R. Premadasa and analysed why the motion should fail. Then in 1992 during the time my father was in and out of hospital for his heart condition and prostrate complications and was confined to bed at his home.  I had picked up my daughters from St. Bridget’s Convent and was passing my father’s residence around 1:45 p.m. when I noticed a fleet of vehicles parked near my father’s residence and noticed the President’s vehicle.

I thought the worst and parked the car and went in. To my amazement I saw President Premadasa seated in my father’s room speaking to him. He greeted me and thanked me for the article I wrote of him during the impeachment crisis. I was surprised that he had taken note of that and remembered. He then wanted to know whether he could help us in any way to assist in my father’s recovery. We thanked him and appreciated his kindness.

My father’s cousin S.J.V. Chelvanayagam’s youngest son Ravindran used to send some tablets known as Proscar which helped my father’s condition through people travelling. But this time he had sent it by UPS courier. The stock we had was over. UPS called me and said that the medication was being held by the Customs. So that night I sent a fax to President Premadasa around 9 p.m. to Senasuma Sucharitha Mawatha.

Contd. on Page 21

At 5:45 a.m. the next day, I received a call from a person who introduced himself as Piyadigama, the Additional Secretary to the President. He informed me that the President had read my fax and had directed Heengama, the then Director General of Customs, to release the medication to Dr. Joe Fernando, the Secretary to the Ministry of Health and that the medication could be collected from the Ministry of Health after 9 a.m. This was how President Premadasa worked. The entire administration was under his control.

When President Premadasa was assassinated my father and I were very sad. My father died in 1994 January. President Premadasa was assassinated on 1 May 1993.

It is noteworthy to mention a memorable event. SAARCLAW was established in Colombo on 24th October 1991, when the then President of Sri Lanka,  Ranasinghe Premadasa inaugurated the Association in the presence of a large gathering including 175 members of the legal community like judges, legal practitioners and academics of the SAARC at the BMICH. I remember that President Premadasa got to the podium and delivered the historical address.

He said: “I don’t know whether I am qualified to inaugurate this Conference… I think I am. I am from Hulftsdorp where the largest court complex is situated. Lawyers in Colombo have their offices. Hulftsdorp is my home. When lawyers complete their cases they dispose files to their backyard. When I was young I used to bend pick these files sit on the floor and read… that is how I came to know the law.  But there are two amongst you who are against me for my commitments. They initiated an impeachment motion which failed.”

There was standing ovation. He never mentioned the names of those two who initiated the impeachment motion although both were lawyers. That was President Ranasinghe Premadasa – the legend.

Why Did Premadasa Admire Hitler?

By Rifat Halim –MAY 1, 2018

Ranasinghe Premadasa was a fascinating leader, who deserves a much better biography than the ones that Bradman Weerakoon and Evans Cooray have produced.

Premadasa, then Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Local Government with the
Minister of Local Government Senator M Tiruchelvam QC (In the White Suit) in the Colombo Airport in 1968.

There are three questions that come to mind on his 25th death anniversary:

(1) Why did he admire Hitler?

Premadasa served as the Parliamentary Secretary (colloquially known as the Deputy Minister) to the Minister of Local Government Murugeysen Tiruchelvam QC from March 1965 to September 1968. Tiruchelvam was the Federal Parry’s nominee in Dudley Senanayake’s Cabinet. He succeeded Tiruchelvam as Minister, when the latter resigned in September 1968.

In early 1968, the Frederich Ebert Stiftung (FES), a think tank controlled by German Social Democratic Party (SPD), invited Minister Tiruchelvam to study local government in West Germany. The Minister declined the invitation and nominated his Deputy Premadasa, Dr. Sarath Amunugama (who was then a coordinating secretary in the Ministry) and one more official. Dr. Sarath Amunugama is now a Cabinet Minister.

When they arrived in Bonn (West Germany’s capital), Premadasa asked Amunugama to purchase books on Adolf Hitler. Premadasa told Amunugama that he was a long-standing admirer of Hitler. This was the first and only time that Amunugama had met a fan of Hitler.

Amunugama had to look long and hard for books on Hitler in Bonn. The Americans had restricted all pro-Nazi literature from the bookshops. When a few books were produced, Premadasa was delighted. He exclaimed that he wished that his late mentor AE Goonesinghe (who modelled the Ceylon Labour Party on the Nazi Party) could have been in Bonn.

Former UNP MP Asoka Somaratne (who resigned after the accord) has written that Premadasa enjoyed watching Hitler’s speeches, even if he could not speak one word of German. Premadasa even adopted Hitler’s mannerisms in his own speeches.

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Lester — a treasure Sri Lanka didn’t treasure enough

Dear Sumithra, I am deeply saddened by Lester’s death. However, I am more angered by the way the State of Sri Lanka treated him.

by Bandula Jayasekara-May 1, 2018

( May 1, 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Political vultures are circling round the late Maestro Lester James Peries after his death. They have instructed to ‘honour’ him with a state funeral at the expenses of the state. I saw a photograph of President Sirisena handing over a cheque to Lester on his 99th birthday on 5th April this year. The cheque was to cover his medical expenses. I was saddened by it. The incumbent President and his predecessors could have done better and more for Lester. Why the pathetic public display I thought. Why didn’t they do it earlier? Why at 99? Disgusting. Isn’t it? Lester was a treasure. A treasure, Sri Lankan authorities didn’t treasure enough.

Long ago, Lester told me how sad had been when our mutual friend the late Ajith Samaranayake criticised him for appearing in an advertisement endorsing a popular Video Recorder. “It took me more than a year to direct Yuganthaya and I was paid Rs. 40,000. For this advertisement which was shot in my garden and took only one hour, I got paid Rs. 40,000. They also gave me a video recorder to watch movies. What is wrong with that?” Lester asked. I told Ajith what Lester told me and also told him what I thought about it. Later, Ajith understood why Lester had agreed to appear in the advertisement and both of them continued to be good friends until Ajith’s untimely death. We all know Lester and Sumithra Peries never made money and lived in a rented house. Whatever they earned they invested in films.

We must commend what former President Chandrika Kumaratunga did for Lester and Sumithra. She recognised them and honoured them. Chandrika asked him to be Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Paris. Lester declined and Sumithra was appointed as Ambassador. Sumithra told me apart from serving the country well, they, especially Lester, had a memorable time in France. Lester and Sumithra first met in Paris and their love story began in the Romantic City. She saw his movie Rekawa first in Paris. The city of culture and art recognized the Maestro of Sri Lankan cinema and the poetess of Sri Lankan cinema. Those were very happy times for Lester.

Let our ‘leaders’ who capitalize on birthdays and funeral of artistes be reminded that India and France recognized and honoured Lester James Peiries of Sri Lanka, before Sri Lanka did. He was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 31st International Film Festival of India in 2000. The French Government honoured him in 1997 with Commandeur (Commander) in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) UNESCO awarded Lester the ‘Fellini Gold Medal for Outstanding film career in 2003 at the Cannes International Film Festival and his own country, Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia, waited until 2007 to confer the Sri Lankabimanaya, the highest civilian honour to Lester.

Taking part in News 1st Pathikada on Sirasa TV, A Tribute to Lester on 1st April this year, actress Yashoda Wimaladharma told Sri Lanka about the financial difficulties faced by Lester and Sumithra to get their masterpiece Vaishnavee released earlier. “They asked for help even from the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. But, they didn’t help” Let us ask, why the state patronage now? Don’t get fooled Sri Lanka. Yashoda also said “The film was first premiered in Kolkata. Lester and Sumithra boasts of a wonderful friendship with Kolkata. It is over 50 years. At the closing ceremony, the Chief Minister of Kolkata said: “We have a long friendship with Lester and Sumithra. Our friendship is so much, if I was the leader of India I would make them special citizens of India and honour them.”

My friend Kumar de Silva, a dear friend of the Peiris family, who wrote the autobiography of Lester, Lester by Lester also participated in my programme on 1st April. He told me after the programme, with sadness “Lester waited and waited for five years until the film is released. Bandula, I think he is holding on until then.” Kumar, you were right. But, how did you know it?

The Island was Lester’s favourite newspaper. I have seen him combing the paper from the first page to the last. Lester, loved its editorials and its contents. He was an avid reader, A Maestro. Sumithra told me “He wouldn’t let anyone else touch the newspaper. He holds on to it.” I have seen it happening when I have walked in to his room. It was his Island. I know Lester was elated when the Editor of The Island, my friend Prabath Sahabandu paid tribute to Lester in Editorials dedicated to him. He realised right thinking people loved and treasured him. The Island has lost one of its greatest readers.

I can pen more from the first time I met him when he was the Chief Guest at the Trinity College prize giving and how I questioned him as to why he didn’t come to Kandy looking for actors (That was after Madol Duwa) Then I got a note signed by one of his assistant directors V. Upali Perera to come and meet Lester in Colombo. My interest in acting was lost when I came to Colombo. However, it was a privilege for me to have met both Lester and Sumithra and continued an association with love, respect and honour toward them. I wonder what the Master of the Pen, late Ajith Samaranayake, who took me to meet them first, would have written about the departure of the Maestro of Sri Lankan Cinema. They would meet in heaven and have a long discussion instead.

This is enough. Dear Sumithra, I am deeply saddened by Lester’s death. However, I am more angered by the way the State of Sri Lanka treated him.

PS: It isn’t late for the State of Sri Lanka to protect, care and honour Legends of Lanka, Irangani Serasinghe, Vajira Chitrasena and Sumithra Peries.

Dr. Lester James Peries, the father of Sri Lankan cinema

Wednesday, 2 May 2018

Lester James Peries, the pioneer who dedicated his wide knowledge of cinematography for amelioration of cinema industry is no more with us. The cinema fans of the entire international community are profoundly grieved by the unbearable loss of the Giant of Sri Lankan cinema. He passed away at the age of 99 years on 29 April 2018.

The inestimable contribution made by this great son of Sri Lanka to bring Sinhala cinema to the pinnacle of its glory is historical. At the time Indian film industry had the influence in Sri Lanka monopolising their power of technology on production of Sri Lankan films, the cultural background was almost South Indian. Sri Lankan producers were inclined to produce films on commercial basis caused by the want of technical infrastructure. It was this young auteur contemplated to exert his cinematic know how toward resilience of the film industry by his influence of productions depicting indigenous culture. He is the world acclaimed cinematographer Dr. Lester James Peries who established the global image of Sri Lanka in cinema industry.

Lester James Peries was born to a well reputed Roman Catholic family in Dehiwala on 5 April 1919 residence of which was known as ‘Sinhagiri’. His father Dr. James Francis Peiris (1882-1961) was a medical doctor graduated in Scotland. Ann Gertrude Winifred Jayasuriya (1887-1971) a student of St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo was his mother who became the first girl to pass the Senior Cambridge Examination from the same school. He had two brothers Ivan and Noel and a sister Erica. He started his preliminary studies at St. Mary’s Primary College, Dehiwala later known as Holy Family Convent and later joined St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya.

He was more attentive towards lectures on Arts inspired by the films he was fortunate to watch through projectors found available to him. He was 11 years old when he was awarded an 8 mm Kodasco projector by his father. He started writing to the blue pages of the Ceylon Daily News at the age of 17. In 1939 he joined Times of Ceylon newspaper and displayed his skills under the Indian Editor Frank Moraes and also reviewed books in Radio Ceylon (now SLBC). “The Teacher” and “The Saree” are two short stories written by him. In view of Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne the young Lester enjoyed the presentation of the book called “Cathedral and a Star” authored by him to Pandith Sri Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

His brother Ivan reputably a skilled painter was a close associate of the internationally renowned artist George Keit and Lionel Wendt who were knowledgeable on medium of cinema with their experience in world recognised documentary film “Song of Ceylon”. In 1943 a movement called ‘43 Group’ consisting of modern independent artists in Sri Lanka as proposed by Ivan Pieris was established at Lionel Wednt residence now known as Lionel Wednt Theater.

The objective was to introduce their expertise to the international world community. George Keit, Manju Sri, Lionel Wednt, Aubrey Collette, Ivan Peries and Justin Deraniyagala were the leading members of this ‘43 Group’. Lester James Peries was one of the pioneer members. Lester’s life was significantly influenced by association of professional artists of ‘43 group.

Creation of this movement influenced the establishment of various societies on various sectors in culture and arts. The establishment of Colombo Film Society in 1945 by Lester James, Anton Wickramasinghe and few intellectuals was to promote media of cinema in Sri Lanka as a result of this new awakening.

Lester travelled to England in 1947 as advised by his mother to join his brother Ivan who was on a scholarship in London. This young journalist of competent skills in journalism wrote articles to Ceylon Daily News column from London on the request of the Editor Moraes under the heading “Letter on Arts from London”.

Lester’s debut in production was the “Farewell to Childhood” in 1950 a short film based on the story written by him called “Saree”. The Amateur Cine World Silver Plaque was awarded to this experimental film among the ten best films produced in Great Britain. His second film was “A Sinhalese Dance” and the final film “Soliloquy” was produced in London in 1951 a 20 minute short film based on threefold love story. The Mini Cinema Cup for short films was awarded to this production for its best technical proficiency by the Institute of Amateur and Experimental Film Makers Festival-Great Britain (1951).

On his return to Sri Lanka Lester joined the Government Film Unit (GFU) and worked with Ralph Keene who was the Director of GFU. In the first instance Lester assisted Keene to make a documentary film “Nelungama”. Later two documentary films “Conquest in the Dry Zone” (1954) on Malaria epidemic and “Be Safe” or “Be Sorry” (1955) were produced for the GFU by his own creation. The film “Conquest in the Dry Zone” won the Diploma of Honor at the Venice Film Festival in 1954. He left the GFU in 1955 after his ambition for production of Sinhala films on his own.

Significantly the year 1956 became historic by the revolutionary changes took effect on political, social and cultural fields in Sri Lanka in the interest of the entire nation. “Rekhawa” the debut of his production disporting his extraordinary knowledge in the technique of film industry by Lester James Peiris in December 1956 earned him a commendable reputation as the best production of Sri Lankan Cinema. Starting from his masterly production “Rekhawa” this great Cinematographer accredited with an abundance of knowledgeable skills in film industry has elevated the Sri Lankan cinema to the zenith of its glory by a numerous production of films winning international awards, an inestimable honour to the nation.

Dr. Lester James Peries has featured about 20 films during the last 50 years of his experience in film industry enlivening Sri Lankan cinema with accolade after accolade both locally and abroad. Sri Lankan nation owes him a debt of gratitude for his immeasurable account of high quality productions of international acclaim namely Rekhawa (Line of Destiny 1956), Sandeshaya (The Message 1960), Gamperaliya (Changing Village 1963), Delovak Athara (Between Two Worlds 1966), Ran Salu (The Yellow Robe 1967), Golu Hadawatha (The Silence of the Heart 1968), Akkara Paha (Five Acres of Land 1970), Nidhanaya (The Treasure 1972), Desa Nisa (The Eyes 1975), The God King (1975), Madol Duwa (Enchanted Island 1976), Veera Puran Appu (Rebellion 1978), Ahasin Polowata (White Flowers for the Dead 1978), Pinhami (1979), Baddegama (Village in the Jungle 1981), Kaliyugaya (The Era of Kalli – The Changing Village Part II, 1983), Yuganthaya (The Changing Village Part III, 1985), Awaragira (The Sunset 1995), Wekande Wallauwa (Mansion by the Lake 2003) and Ammavarune (Mothers 2006).

In addition to his contribution of documentary films to the GFU Lester has produced 10 documentary films on requests by various other institutions. Among them were “Too Many and Too Soon” (1961), “Home from the Sea” (1962), “Forward into the Future” (1964), “Steel” (1969), “Forty Leagues from Paradise” (1970), “A Dream of Kings” (1971) and “Kandy Perahera” (1971).

Giraya was the only teledrama directed by Lester in early ‘90s on a story written by Somasiri Senanayake.

His final contribution to film industry is ‘Vaishnavee’(The Goddess) directed by Sumithra Peiris initiated in 2012 on the script written by Tony Ranasinhge. This film which is the concept and story by Lester was screened on 5 April 2018 in coincidence with Lester’s 99th birthday.

Appreciative expressions on perceptive vision of Dr. Lester James Peiris have been articulated by world renowned professionals invariably on many occasions. It is related in the book authored by Ronald Fernando that the world popular Indian Super Star late Raj Kapoor highly impressed by the movie “Rekhawa” had recommended to Sri Lankan Producer K. Gunaratnam to utilise the talents of this consummate cinematographer Lester in his future productions. In consequence Gunaratnam offered the direction of his film “Sandeshaya” to Lester James who excelled a marvellous spell of innate skills in his performance as the Director to bring the film to the pinnacle of its international acclaim.

Remarkably a number of books have been written by various scholars on the biography of this reputable character and his award winning productions. In addition a documentary film by the name “The Foot Steps of an Asian Master” was directed by Neil I. Perera in 1985 and another film “The World of Peries” directed by Bickram Singhare on behalf of the Ministry of External Affairs, India.

He not only won the First International Award to Sri Lanka in London in the early 50s but also achieved the Golden Peacock Award presented by Delhi International Award and Golden Head of Palenque Award from Mexico World Film Festival for “Gamperaliya” a story turned a new page in Sri Lankan cinema as the Best film. It was Lester who represented Sri Lanka with his film “Rekhawa” first at the Cannes Film Festival in 1957. The number of local awards won by him from Rekhawa to Amma Varune is a patent estimation of his exemplary contribution to Sri Lankan Cinema. Recognition of his productions at high degree of excellence by the International Cinema not only demands absolute technique but involves tremendous amount of dedication and determined effort. In appreciation of his invaluable contribution to cinema he was honoured with the title Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters by the Government of France in 1997, The Lifetime Achievement Award and the Golden Lotus by the Government of India at Delhi International Film Festival and the Asian Cinema Person at Cannes International Film Festival. He has also discreetly performed an extraordinary service as a member of the jury at the International Film Festival with distinctive responsibility. The entire nation is profoundly delighted by the global tribute of high regard extended to this indomitable personality over his intellectual expertise on film industry.

He was felicitated by his own nation with title Kala Keerthi in 1980 Issue of a stamp to mark his birthday in 2002, highest honour of Sri Lankabhimanaya in 2007, naming Dickman’s Rd. as Dr. Lester James Peiris Mawatha and an Orchid flower named after Lester James Peries by Lakmalsala. It is significant that he was honoured with the Doctorate by the Universities of Colombo and Peradeniya in 1985 and 2003 respectively.

The latest facilitation for this doyen of Sri Lankan cinema is honouring of UNESCO, the world’s most presage institution for culture for his Gamperaliya production.

Dr. Lester James Peiris Sonduru Minisa has exalted the image of Sri Lanka in the global cinema with a high degree of respect. He is regarded a leading cinematographer along with world renowned Satyajith Ray of India and Akerawar Korusowa of Japan. The brilliancy of resplendent contribution made by Lester to Sri Lankan cinema will be etched in the memories of the citizenry of Sri Lanka.
(The writer is the retired former Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications – Sri Lanka Export Development Board and Ex-Director of Sri Lanka Trade Centre in Maldives. He can be reached at t.k.premadasa@gmail.com.)

Fifty killed in Gaza. Zero Israelis injured.

Israel argues that its deadly crackdown on the Great March of Return is part of its “armed conflict [with] the Hamas terrorist organization.” Ashraf AmraAPA images

Maureen Clare Murphy- 1 May 2018

Israeli occupation forces killed three Palestinians in Gaza including a child, in two separate incidents Sunday evening.

Regarding the first incident, the army claimed that two “suspects attempted to infiltrate Israel from the southern Gaza Strip and damage the security fence.” The army fired towards them in response, killing one, and injuring the other, who was detained “and transferred to security forces for further questioning.”

The Israeli military said that the two others were killed after they “infiltrated into Israel [and] hurled explosive devices at IDF soldiers.”

One of those killed Sunday evening was identified by Palestinian media outlets as 16-year-old Yusif Abu Jazar, killed of east of Rafah. He is the fifth child reported killed in Gaza during Israel’s lethal crackdown on Great March of Return protests that began on 30 March.

Israel was reportedly holding the bodies of all three Palestinians killed on Sunday, as it continues to withholdthe bodies of Musab al-Saloul and Muhammad al-Rabaia, two Palestinians killed in the eastern boundary of the central Gaza Strip on 30 March.

Another Palestinian was arrested by Israel on Sunday after attempting to cross the fence separating Israel and the Gaza Strip. An Israeli army spokesperson called the arrested man “a Hamas terrorist” and accused him of trying to “sabotage the fence and other security equipment.”

Palestinians frequently attempt to leave the tightly besieged Gaza Strip in search of work in Israel by breaching the boundary fence, due to the dire economic circumstances in Gaza. Israeli forces are typically able to detain them without using lethal force.

Legal challenge to open-fire policy

Israel meanwhile continues to spin the protests launched on 30 March as “Hamas riots,” accusing the political and resistance group of “attempting to disguise terror activities as a civilian-led riot.”

Several human rights groups have petitioned Israel’s high court over the military’s shooting of unarmed protesters in Gaza.

Human rights lawyer Michael Sfard told the Associated Press that the high court case is the first broad review of the military’s open-fire regulations in nearly 30 years.

The military told the court that “these are incidents that are part of the armed conflict between the Hamas terrorist organization and Israel, with all that this implies.”

Adalah, one of the groups challenging the open fire regulations, rebutted the military’s claim.

“All the eyewitness testimony and video documentation from the past several weeks clearly reveals the Israeli military has been using live fire in Gaza, resulting in the killings of dozens of unarmed protesters taking part in civilian demonstrations,” the rights group stated. “At no point did the protesters endanger the lives of others.”

Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s human rights program, pointed out that the state’s own response to the high court petition argues that “Contrary to what is claimed in the petitions, open-fire directives do not permit use of live ammunition towards a person only due to their presence in the buffer zone or near the security barrier.”

The state also argues that “the directives do not permit firing of live ammunition at an individual just because they participate in a violent disorder or support Hamas.”

Eylon A. Levy

✔@EylonALevy

30 Apr

Replying to @EylonALevy

State lawyer: 20-80m between curled wire fence and border fence. Very easy for Gazans to break into Israel - in which much greater firepower would be needed. What do you do once they break in? Sfard: ARREST THEM.

Eylon A. Levy

✔@EylonALevy

State lawyer: There are no special rules of engagement for #GreatReturnMarch, they're standing orders - and soldiers are briefed on specific situation. There's nothing new here.

4:52 AM - Apr 30, 2018

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• See Eylon A. Levy's other Tweets

The military’s open-fire regulations are classified and the army has said it would only show them to the judges in a closed session, making it impossible for human rights defenders or the public to assess the claims made in court.

Fifty Palestinians have been killed in Gaza’s eastern perimeter since 30 March. Five of those killed were children and two were journalists. The vast majority were participating in protests when they were fatally injured by Israeli sharpshooters.

No Israelis have been killed or injured as a result of the Great March of Return protests.

A senior military officer who was present at the Gaza-Israel boundary on Friday, when soldiers fatally wounded four protesters, including a child, told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that snipers are restricted to shooting at the legs of people approaching the fence.

He claimed that most of the Great March of Return fatalities “resulted from snipers aiming at demonstrators’ legs, with the killings an unintentional outcome after a protester bent down, a sniper missed, a bullet ricocheted or a similar phenomenon,” Haaretz reported.

After the Israeli military fatally wounded 18 protesters on 30 March, the first day of the protests, it tweeted and then deleted an admission of responsibility for the deaths and injuries.

“Nothing was carried out uncontrolled; everything was accurate and measured, and we know where every bullet landed,” the tweet from the Israeli military spokesperson stated.

The shootings of several Palestinians killed during Great March of Return protests have been captured on video.

This video shows Abdallah al-Shamali, 20, standing amid a group of men and children when he is shot in the chest without warning on 20 April:

#GAZA: footage shows the moment Abdullah Shamali was shot in the head from distance of #700 meters away from the border fence! pic.twitter.com/tU4YAyJ1zj

— Muhammad Smiry 🇵🇸 Gaza (@MuhammadSmiry) 30 April 2018

Muhammad Smiry 🇵🇸 Gaza @MuhammadSmiry #GAZA: footage shows the moment Abdullah Shamali was shot in the head from distance of #700 meters away from the border fence! 5:46 AM - Apr 30, 2018 269 491 people are talking about this

Muhammad Smiry  Gaza@MuhammadSmiry

#GAZA: footage shows the moment Abdullah Shamali was shot in the head from distance of #700 meters away from the border fence!

5:46 AM - Apr 30, 2018

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• 491 people are talking about this

Al-Shamali posed no conceivable threat to any Israeli soldier, positioned hundreds of meters away, when he was fatally wounded.

The fatal injury of journalist Ahmad Abu Hussein, who was wearing protective gear identifying him as a member of the press when he was shot on 13 April, was likewise documented on video.

A video shows Tahrir Mahmoud Said Wahbeh, 18, being shot in the head as his back was turned turned to the soldiers positioned behind the Gaza boundary fence on 23 April.

Video shows that Muhammad Ayyoub, 14, posed no conceivable danger to heavily armed Israeli occupation forces when he was killed on 20 April.

Another video shows Abd al-Fattah Abd al-Nabi, 19, being shot in the head as he ran away from the boundary fence on 30 March.

Farmers killed by shelling

This video shows the killing by artillery fire of farmers Sari Walid Abu Odeh and Hamdan Ismail Abu Amsha, who were targeted when they were trying to rescue Palestinians injured near the Gaza boundary fence in northern Gaza on 30 March:

30-3-2018 Israeli forces fire tank shells at two injured Palestinians northern Gaza#GeatReturnMarch pic.twitter.com/3VwzHzzP9r

— Palestine Live En (@pallive_en) 26 April 2018

Palestine Live En@pallive_en

30-3-2018 Israeli forces fire tank shells at two injured Palestinians northern Gaza#GeatReturnMarch

8:35 AM - Apr 26, 2018

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• 59 people are talking about this

A witness told the human rights group Al-Haq that the Israeli army fired on two young men who were trying to cut the fence and cross the boundary. One of the injured men was evacuated on a motorcycle and Hamdan attempted to come to the aid of the other.

Soldiers fired at Hamdan as he was carrying the injured man. Hamdan fell to the ground and the man he was attempting to rescue managed to crawl away.

Sari approached Hamdan amid sporadic firing from Israeli soldiers, and was able to pick him up and carry him for a few meters before he too was shot in the leg and fell to the ground.

“Sari and Hamdan were on the ground bleeding for about an hour,” witness Ahmad Khaled Abu Odeh, Sari’s cousin, told Al-Haq. “I saw them stand up and walk together for a few meters. Sari was pulling Hamdan, when soldiers shot him again and he fell to the ground.”

Then the military began shelling the men.

“My uncle called Sari, who told him Hamdan was killed by the shell’s shrapnel,” Ahmad Abu Odeh said. “A minute later, I heard a second and third shell. We then lost connection with Sari completely. An hour later, an ambulance came and evacuated Sari and Hamdan’s bodies.”

Israeli soldiers operate under an apparent shoot-to-kill policy in Gaza’s boundary areas. The exact range of the zone is undeclared but is generally understood to be within 300 meters of the Gaza-Israel boundary.

Israeli forces killed 19 Palestinians inside the Gaza boundary between the beginning of 2017 and 3 March 2018, according to the Israeli rights group B’Tselem.