Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Glorifying Hitler an insult to Buddhism - PM

by Zacki Jabbar-June 26, 2018, 12:27 pm

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that Adolf Hitler had shut down Buddhist organisations when he was the German leader and to glorify him was an insult to Buddhism.

Addressing the 125th anniversary celebration of the Maha Manthinda Pirivena in Matara on Saturday, the Prime Minister in reference to a speech made by the Anunayake of the Asgiriya Chapter Wendaruwe Upali Thera at the recent birthday party of former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, said that advocating babaric Hitlerite methods to govern a country, was in direct violation of the teachings of the Buddha.

Wickremesinghe said that if such a statement had been made In his presence, he would have objected to it immediately.

All right thinking people should condemn the attempt by bankrupt politicians and their supporters to establish a military dictatorship, he noted adding that Buddhism had contributed to Sri Lanka remaining a democracy.

The Prime Minister lamented that the newspapers had given poor coverage to the anti democratic remarks made at Gotabhaya’s birthday party.

"If I had made such a statement, the media would have torn me to shreds.Do journalists want a return to the Rajapaksa era when they were hounded, assaulted and killed", he queried.

Emphasising that military dictatorships and Buddhism could not co-exist , Wickremesinghe recalled that Hitler had closed down institutions that taught Buddhism in Germany.

It’s time to end malnutrition in South Asia

Sadly, much remains to be done to ensure children across South Asia can access the nutritious foods they need to live healthy lives – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

By Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough-Monday, 25 June 2018

In Sri Lanka, as in the rest of South Asia, improving agricultural production has long been a priority to achieve food security.

But growing more crops has hardly lessened the plight of malnutrition.

Chronic malnutrition remains prevalent across the region as many poor South Asians cannot afford nutritious foods or don’t have the relevant information or education to make smart dietary choices.

And children and the poorest are particularly at risk.

South Asia is home to about 62 million of the world’s 155 million children considered as stunted—or too short for their age.

And more than half of the world’s 52 million children identified as wasted—or too thin for their height—live in South Asia.

Moderate-to-severe stunting rates ranged from 17% in Sri Lanka in 2016 to a high 45% in Pakistan in 2012–13, with rates above 30% for most countries in the region.

Moderate-to-severe wasting rates ranged from 2% in Bhutan in 2015 to 21% in India in 2015-16, with rates above 10% for most countries in the region.

The social and economic cost of malnutrition is substantial, linked to impaired cognitive development, chronic disease, and lower future earnings.

And sadly, much remains to be done to ensure children across South Asia can access the nutritious foods they need to live healthy lives.

The World Health Organization’s global targets for 2025 aims to reduce the number of stunted children by 40% and curb the child wasting rate to less than 5%.

Bangladesh and India have seen modest average declines in stunting of 1% per year. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have experienced no decline.

Equally alarming, all South Asian countries are predicted to be off course in reducing wasting.

What’s striking about South Asia—and unique compared to the rest of the developing world—is how stubborn chronic malnutrition remains despite high economic growth.

What explains this disconnect?

The first hypothesis is that governments do not commit enough to improve food, water, sanitation, care, and health services that can help improve nutrition outcomes amid disadvantaged populations.

On the demand side, poor families usually underinvest in nutritious foods due to cost, nonmonetary constraints, or traditional beliefs and preferences.

To find solutions and stimulate behavioural changes for better nutrition, the World Bank’s South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative (SAFANSI) will gather this week experts on food systems and nutrition, international donors and civil society at a regional roundtable in Colombo.

The event will discuss how consumers interact with food systems, how markets affect their dietary preferences and consumption, and how government policies can enable or distort nutrition-sensitive food markets.

Later this year, the World Bank will publish the flagship report Ending Malnutrition in South Asia that examines the underlying factors behind South Asia’s high levels of undernutrition as well as slow progress in reducing undernutrition.

This study will also put forth recommendations to design policies and actions to address undernutrition.

This effort will require a multi-pronged approach as inadequate dietary intake depends on improving aggravating circumstances in water and sanitation, education, economic livelihoods, agriculture and food, and the status of women.

So far, South Asian governments have yet to effectively tackle the immense burden of undernutrition.

To be true, government and the private sector can—and should—help meet the demand for more nutritious foods.

But ultimately, consumers’ tastes and dietary choices will drive the demand for better foods.

As such, equipping individuals with the information they need to make good food choices and adopt healthier behaviours will have a more lasting impact.

Fittingly, this week’s timely roundtable ‘Putting the Lens on the Consumer’ will provide the knowledge, resources, and tools needed to pave the way for optimum nutrition for all South Asians.

(The author is the World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives.)

The Emerging Political Vacuum in Sri Lanka: Is JVP the Answer?

Featured image by Vikalpa

SUNANDA DESHAPRIYA- 06/25/2018

If there is one question that troubles many rights activists in Sri Lanka today, it is the current political instability within the coalition Government led by Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithripala Sirisena government and their seeming inability to stop the Joint Opposition, unofficially spearheaded by the Rajapaksa family, from capturing power again.

Both President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe have lost the political credibility they had in January 2015. Sirisena’s somersault in fortune was undoubtedly escalated by the irregularities with the Central Bank bond issue. In my opinion, Prime Minster Wickremesinghe should be held accountable. Yet this still does not justify Sirisena’s inexplicable political circuses since, which have weakened the governing coalition.

Sirisena has given away the opportunity to transform the Sri Lanka Freedom Party back to a centre-left social democratic party. His political reactions are knee-jerk and lack any political vision. Often he contradicts himself with off-the-cuff utterances. He has become a kind of political clown, who performs to appease the crowd.

Wickremesinghe, on the other hand, has not been able to be a change agent in any meaningful way. He has strengthened the grip of the Royal College connection on the United National Party and rules like a dictator. His economic policies has not worked to the betterment of the people. UNP does not have a second-level leadership that can make a difference. Both politicians in line for succession of the UNP, namely Sajith Premadasa and Navin Dissanayake are conservative, Sinhala nationalists. Both have not shown any incisive knowledge of present day political realities, locally and internationally.

The “yahapaalana” government has now more or less abandoned the constitutional reform process, as well as the accountability process. The recent proposal by the government to appoint the Rajapaksa era Ambassador to UN Human Rights Council, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka as ambassador to Russia alone symbolises the turnabout the government has taken on the accountability issue. It was only few weeks ago that Jayatilleka opined any future Rajapaksa rule should be able to rollback the 2015 UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka which called for a comprehensive transitional justice process.

On the other hand both coalition parties are mired in corruption and nepotism. As part and parcel of the corrupt Sri Lankan political class, the majority of politicians within both parties consider being elected as a member of any level of governing institution as a way to amass wealth and power.

In 2015 the people of Sri Lanka voted in Sirisena, the common candidate, as President in the hope of unveiling a new political culture. This dream is shattered more than ever today. Today Sirisena’s politics are gravitating towards the Rajapaksas. Sooner or later both factions will merge, leaving few behind. In whatever form, the return of the Rajapaksa family rule, now seems inevitable. Only a political miracle can stop them from taking over the country and the SLFP.

It is in this context that we need to look for a people’s alternative to both these parties. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, (JVP) has been involved in politics of Sri Lanka for more than a half a century. It has tried armed struggle as well as Parliamentary politics to become a viable alternative to both ruling parties and so far has not succeeded.

JVP is the only party outside the establishment which has a countrywide presence, a network of activists and supporters except in the North of the country. It has a set of tireless and experienced male leaders. And in its leader Anura Kumara, they have a mesmerising public orator and a charismatic public figure. The JVP leadership is not corrupt and has shown genuine dedication to their course. But as shown by its marginal representation in Parliament these qualities are not sufficient to become a political “remote control” in their own parlance.

Unfortunately the JVP leadership has not shown any incisive intellect, neither has it been able to attract personalities of intellect.

For almost the quarter of a century the party has been in Parliamentary politics it has not been able to pass the 10 percent margin of votes cast. The JVP is engaged in an isolationist politics, probably coming from its umbilical cord. Sectarianism was one of the major traits of the JVP of 1971 and onwards. JVP, its leaders as well as members consider themselves as the only correct, puritan movement in the country thereby ‘caging’ themselves away from all other social movements and activism. It has never been able to create a genuine broad front. For JVP coalition politics or networking is to make use of the other and not to work as equal partners. This is one of the major reasons that the JVP has not been able becomes a peoples’ movement.

Probably this behaviour comes from its dogmatic Marxist – Leninist ideology. The JVP marches under the banners of Marx, Engels, Lenin and its former leader Wijeweera. But it has not made any critical examination of the failures of their ideology in practice, nor has it examined the degeneration of Communist countries into one party dictatorships.

The JVP hasn’t had a theoretician who can change the course of the party after its founding leader Wijeweera. The present leadership of the JVP consists of only followers, not independent thinkers. This is one of the reasons for its inability to adopt to political realities of the present day world. It has remained male dominated, dogmatic and pipe- dreaming. It has not been able to embrace evolving environmental and non-discriminatory politics.

Its stoic silence when Sirisena banned females from buying alcohol and working in bars that sell alcohol is just one recent example of this. Another example is the ignorance of the university student movement it leads. The JVP politics have almost erased any intellectual debate on contemporary issues within our universities. Our universities have become places of protests and ragging instead of centres of learning. Although movements with radical ideologies such as green-left–non discriminatory politics have found their support among upward moving city and urban communities around the world, in Sri Lanka JVP remains a rural movement. Its main slogan for the last local authorities election was ”Gama hadanna apata denna”. (Give us the village we will develop it).

If JVP wants to become the third force it needs to make a paradigm shift in its politics and organisation. The JVP needs to aim at 10-20 percent of votes who are not interested in obtaining any personal advantage by voting for a particular party. It needs to learn the politics of networking and broad fronts. It needs to attract smaller left-leaning sections among the minorities, who shun identity politics of nationalist parties. Overall it needs to be a modern social democratic party with a green left and non discriminatory outlook. Needless to say that acceptance of rights of the numerical ethnic minorities and social minorities is a must to become a third political force in Sri Lanka. Equal importance should be given to a self critical look at JVP’s violent past. Neither the banner of popular Sinhalese nationalism nor their dogmatic Marxism will help them to break free from their 5 percent vote-bank.

As things stand now, it is very difficult to foresee such a change coming from the JVP leadership. It has become a prisoner of its past. Until such a change has begun or a new socio-political movement gathers shape, Sri Lanka may not see an alternative third political formation which we can be a part of and be proud of.

Editor’s Note: Also read “After the NCM: Thinking about Positive Possibilities” and “The Subversion of our Democratic Political Spaces, and What it Means for Sri Lanka’s Future“

If Gota heeds to the sermon and becomes a Hitler …

Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa has skeletons though, may not be in his closet, but wherever white vans had dumped victims during his abduction prone tenure as the Defence Secretary. But, not even by a long shot did he go any close to Hitler. Last week, when a high priest publicly urged him to become a Hitler, it was not clear whether the aspiring presidential candidate took it as a compliment or as a personal affront. The Anunayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, Ven Vedaruvey Upali Thera has reportedly told Mr. Rajapaksa: “if they call you Hitler, even become a Hitler and establish the military rule and develop the country.” Those were unusual birthday blessings reportedly delivered at an alms-giving to mark the 69th birthday of Mr. Rajapaksa.

2018-06-26

These remarks smack of a new low of many things; of the political culture and religious elites who claim to have a historic duty to advise the political leadership. Those are hallmarks of insularity and ignorance not just of one gory episode of human history. That ignorance, in fact, has deep roots in South Asia, and the Middle East: Anagarika Dharmapala himself wrote to Hitler, but never received a reply. Hordes of Indians venerate Subhash Chandra Bose, who fought as an accessory of the Japanese imperial army, one of the most brutal forces that ever walked on this part of world since Genghis Khan.

This ignorance has been repackaged as patriotism and is being sold to the public. There is a regular stream of buyers.

But, flaunting despotism runs not just against any religious teaching, but also against our earthly basic human values of decency, which have to be defended if a civilized form of government is ever to function. Hitler is remotely the candidate for a civilized government. Nor would his reincarnation do any better.

This flimsy notion that circumventing democratic norms would lead to development is bunkum. White vans do not bring in investors. The era of authoritarian development is long gone, except in the countries that are still rising from an extremely low economic base such as Rwanda (where a past trauma of a genocide may warrant certain measures).

Gotabaya’s military rule is more likely to resemble kleptocratic and out of touch Burmese Junta or Sanee Abacha of Nigeria, than anything remotely akin to Ataturk or Ching kai-shek

A closer look at the recent history of political economy would reveal, except a few, majority of authoritarian states, military dictatorships and theocracies failed in creating prosperity for their own people. The few that succeeded - Taiwan, South Korea, Chile, and Shah’s Iran etc., shared certain characteristics: They were right leaning, pro-market, largely secular and pro-American, which pumped investment, advisors and technological transfer. That is obviously not an arrangement that Mr. Rajapaksa and his acolytes, who feel intimidated by free trade agreements and foreign expertise, want to have. Only other successful authoritarian development state, Communist China thrives not chiefly in the unchecked coercive force, but also in a centuries-old Confucius social and cultural dynamic which has been harnessed and moulded by the party state.

Even for those who have a soft corner for pro-growth development, what should worry is that given the personal dispensation of people around him, Gotabaya’s military rule is more likely to resemble kleptocratic and out of touch Burmese Junta or Sanee Abacha of Nigeria, than anything remotely akin to Ataturk or Ching kai-shek.

This disturbing tendency to flaunt despotism as a panacea for real and perceived failings of democracy is also universal. Strongmen and conmen who exploited public anxieties have often exaggerated those shortcomings and ridden to power promising to address them; and once in positions of political power, they have calculatedly dismantled the same democratic systems and independent institutions. The danger is much higher when the despot himself morphed into a populist, such as in Turkeywhere authoritarian President Erdogan won a second term of an all-powerful presidency this week.

Sri Lanka itself is witnessing a growing antipathy towards new found freedoms, and deliberate efforts to overstate existing problems, be it crimes, cost of living or a new scheming to concoct a narrative of the revival of the LTTE.

This is the first phase of delegitimizing the democratic system. These claims are freely aired due to the relative freedom, not so long ago such a bravado would have warranted a white van ride. Also, those hyperbolic and polarized assertions are a manifestation of misplaced pathways of political empowerment in this country. Whether it was the British who gave universal suffrage before people had access to proper toilets, or S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike who opened floodgates , chiefly responsible for this aberration needs further dispassionate soul searching.

Flaunting despotism runs not just against any religious teaching, but also against our earthly basic human values of decency, which have to be defended if a civilized form of government is ever to function

The second phase of this strategy is to present the ‘would be despot’ as the catalyst of change, which Mr. Rajapaksa’s associates in Viyathmaga and other groups are doing.

Third, if elected to power by some luck, the true colours of “dehami nayakaya” (Dharmista ruler) would be in full show: The 18th Amendment would be given away, independent institutions would be dismantled. Regime legitimization would be achieved through sermons by likeminded monks and Rupavahini propaganda. Dissent would be labelled as traitors.

At the last stage, it would be too late and risky to speak out because by then, it would be hard to find a judge dare enough to hear a habeas corpus.

All the above can happen in a democracy, or a flawed democracy, not just because its detractors are exemplary manipulators of public grievances. But because, its governments are reactive, indecisive and incapable of independent decision making. This government is a case in point. In our part of the world, no government can survive in power unless it exerts a good deal of its autonomy over society. That may not be the classic democratic thing to do.

If elected to power by some luck, the true colours of “dehami nayakaya” (Dharmista ruler) would be in full show: The 18th Amendment would be given away, independent institutions would be dismantled. Regime legitimization would be achieved through sermons by likeminded monks and Rupavahini propaganda. Dissent would be labelled as traitors

But, the difference between a despotic rule and democracy lies in the means it uses to achieve this end: whether it is white vans or powers vested with it by the Constitution.

When a government hesitates to use its constitutional powers, and to do so proactively and efficiently to make room for highways, industrial zones and combat crimes, its detractors tell the public a Hitler and a military rule would make all their dreams come true.

These statements themselves are a threat to social and political fabric, and in a functional and authoritative system, such calls for a military rule is tantamount to sedition and the laws of the State should take its course.

When a government fails to take action to address grassroots’ grievances and play blind to sinister efforts to manipulate them, it effectively delegitimize the democratic system. Then a Hitler could well become a reality.

Follow @RangaJayasuriya

China’s lending knots and enslavement politics: Nepal and SL; Gota and Alaina!

By Keerthi Ratnayake

(Lanka e News -26.June.2018, 6.00AM) When an individual is unable to make ends meet – that is, unable to cut the coat according to the cloth or his income match the expenditure ,the latest fad is borrowing. It is a well known fact , a number of conditions have to be satisfied if a loan is to be taken from a bank. However on high interest terms , a loan can be taken from a village usurer (loan shark) easily at prohibitive interest rates-the borrower can keep a deed or even ear rings as a guarantee and obtain a huge loan most swiftly..

Why take a loan ? How is it going to be repaid? don’t concern the borrower at that moment . Many usurers of course are happy when loan payments are defaulted .This is because when the loan is unpaid ,the lender can get ownership of the property , land etc . including the borrower’s wife .

There are countless defaulters who have fallen into the traps of usurers among us. There are many megalomaniac ‘show offs’ too among us who have fallen prey to leasing Companies after making a hash of their lease contracts. Let us warn it is however impossible for those who indulge in fake ostentation to escape the mockery they will have to face of the people .

The infamous pedigree of China the usurer and exploiter…

There are many countries in the geopolitical arena who have gone bankrupt by borrowing on prohibitive interest. Today , in that list of countries ,Sri Lanka is at the top.

China figures prominently in the theme of conversation of everybody when it is about ruthless loan sharks , the country which lends at very high 8 % rate of interest. It is to be noted while China lends at prohibitive interest rates , there are countries in the world which lend at concessionary interest rates of 1 to 3%.

Word Bank, Asian Development Bank and Japan’s cooperative agency are among them. If loans are to be taken from these Institutions , feasibility report, capability report and environmental report have to be forwarded in regard to the project in view.

If the cost of the project , the benefits to be derived there-from and the environmental impact are satisfactory the loan is granted. Besides there are no intermediaries for these loans , and are directly granted to the government . Since the benefits of the projects are reaped after a long time , it is paramount these loans are obtained on a long term and at a small interest rate.

Firstly , a feasibility study is done when a massive project is being launched. That is to identify the national needs and plans, and to ascertain whether the aims and objectives can be accomplished through the project. If it is perceived the objective of the project can be attained , then a capability study is carried out to determine whether everything is in order for the project to be successfully completed.

One example of a project that was successful on these lines was the accelerated Mahaweli project. Following the farmer community that multiplied as a result of the Mahaweli project , the country became self sufficient in rice. The hydro power augmented the National power grid. Along the border of North and East , the Sinhala farmer community flourished while populating those regions. It was possible for the government too to re pay the loan taken on account of the accelerated Mahaweli project at 2 % interest over a period of 12 years.

The rogues’ den which plundered the country under the guise of development…

As the last government was tapering to an end , the notorious Rajapakses brought forward a number of development projects. Their sole and whole objective was to plunder the country wholesale under the pretext of development projects. Believe it or not , because the personal agendas of Rajapakses were masquerading as national interests none of the projects launched by the Rajapakses were supported by the most essential feasibility report or the capability report .

They went after China on the sly which lent on prohibitive interest rates , instead of Institutions which granted loans on most concessionary rates. The loans taken from China at 6-8 % interest were invested most fraudulently in the following projects :

Ports , Airport, Cricket ground, conference hall, cinema villages , administrative buildings and parks. In the end only the pockets of Rajapakses were lined with the huge illicit commissions while none of these projects brought in a revenue for the country .The people gained nothing from those by way of service.

Consequently , the country fell into deep despair , being unable to repay even the installments out of the national revenue. Owing to the selfish agendas and rackets of Rajapakses whose gaze were fixed only on earning illicit commissions , the country was driven into a dire and dismal situation . By analogy , the country has been driven into dire straits in much the same way as the owner of a house losing the title of the deed of the house after borrowing at high rates of interest.

So called Patriotism which spills over like the cesspit ….

Though criticisms are mounted against Ranil , he is never an inefficient administrator. In 2001 when Ranil took over, the treasury was empty and the economy was in tatters. Yet within three years Ranil could resuscitate the economy by whatever means. In 2015 , Ranil had to take over a country which was drowned in debts on a scale unprecedented in country’s history; a country that was mortgaged to China by Rajapakse family reign; a country turned turtle because of the Chinese loans taken.

It is very unfortunate the common man has not understood the destruction that was wrought on the country by the huge illicit commissions which went into the pockets of crooked Rajapakses a byword for corruption . Neither has he tried to understand the cause of this devastation . Although the Sri Lankans are only idly watching and are silent , the whole world is fully aware of the disaster the country has been plunged into and the most portentous signals of doom and gloom in store for the country.

The evil fallout of all these debacles is , we are today made the slaves of China. While talking about patriotism from the cesspit of corruption and indulging in hate mongering against the West , our country had been driven into abysmal despair. Today the whole world is therefore frowning on us. We are looked down derisively , insolently and as worthy only of ridicule.

Example of the evil fallouts of Chinese loans …

The Chinese loans have plunged us into such a disgraceful situation that in order to illustrate the devastating effects of such loans even the African countries choose SL as an example. Yet the locals still deliver idiotic sermons against the ‘invasions’ of the West , without taking the trouble to notice the insidious invasions of the Chinese under their very nose. This is why while the whole world is well aware of the Chinese loan sharks , sadly , our own people are blind to the impending disasters. There are several reasons for that…

The rulers , media and social activists are dumb before the Chinese Yuan . Because of the loan entanglement and enslavement ,our ‘first citizen ‘ is also dumbfounded and blind. The other reason is , the deep seated hatred against the West and the affinity for the Chinese. For instance , if the Hambantota Port and 15000 acres of the land around had been leased out to India or America , the locals who are prejudiced against India and America would have definitely been up in arms over it.

The side not looked into in the protests against India and the West….

It is an incontrovertible fact that it is the unsavory reflections of the colonial rule which created this animosity towards the West and the affinity for China. However the hostility towards the West and India are not just because of the colonial era. That is the consequence of a Chinese plan.

The geopolitics of China is planned not just for a few years but targeting several decades forward. For example , one stretch of the silk route project is planned to go on until 2050. The Chinese magazines in 1960’s and 1970’s were spread even among nooks and corners of the country.

The Chinese magazines which were printed under the patronage of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo could be obtained at low prices and these magazines were given free to libraries. The Chinese magazines made a special contribution towards sowing the seeds fomenting anti West and anti Indian sentiments.

The JVP founder Rohana Wijeweera himself in the statement made to the police in 1971 , clearly mentioned, it is China that sowed the concept of “Indian hegemony ’ which was one of his five famous classes . Moreover Wijeweera confessed it was China’s ‘creation’ . It is well to recall it were Wijeweera and the JVP that separated the umbilical cord of many politicians who are clamoring on political platforms today.

Chinese loan knotted politics… .

There are over 25 countries across the world which are today entangled in the loan knots of China , and sadly SL is the leading country in that list. There is no one who does not know about the Greek war Trojan horse heroism . From the time of the Trojan war , the Piraeus Port of Greece has been a strategic port. But now China has taken over that Port .China has also taken over the Australian Darwin Port on a 99 year lease. America, Italy , France and Japan have established camps which are in existence over many years in the Djibouti Port that is located in the nerve center of the Red sea .

But now ,China challenging America has acquired 25 % of the ownership of Djibouti Port and 70 % container terminals. Pakistan which is a neighboring country of China is also strangulated by the loans taken from the former. Through the Panama papers it came to light how the Pakistan prime minister robbed via the Chinese projects. These robberies are not confined only to Nawaz Sheriff of Pakistan or the Rajapakses of SL , this is a common crime characterizing all countries which deal with China.

It is the practice of China to generously reciprocate the rulers and officers who most dishonorably and deceitfully ‘sell’ their countries.

Rising tide against China’s loan entanglement knots..

The first country that rose against China’s geopolitical lending enslavement was Nepal. The latter which was to build the proposed ‘Buddhi Gandhaki’ hydro power scheme at over twice the cost of SL’s Hambantota project , as well as several other projects were called off by the Nepal government which rejected the Chinese loan.

The rejection of the Chinese loan which began with Nepal had today become a growing tide . Malaysia, Pakistan , Kenya and many other countries are taking measures to invalidate agreements with China.

It was the then US ambassador Alaina Templits to Nepal who awoke and alerted Nepal to set the wheel in motion against China’s geopolitical lending enslavement. She launched workshops to create an awareness among politicians and civil societies , and to enlighten them on the Chinese loan entanglements and knots . Her activities did not stop at speeches and workshops alone. She wrote to the Nepal’s leading newspapers about China’s lending and enslaving politics which was disguised as aid. Her bold measures were something which would should shock all but that was the truth. Unbelievably she wrote to the leading newspapers in her own name !

Keerthi Ratnayake

Translated by Jeff

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by (2018-06-26 00:34:40)

Alleged misappropriation of funds spent on Rajapaksa mausoleum-Gota questioned by FCID

Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa arriving at the FCID yesterday. Picture by Rukmal Gamage

Vijayani Edirisinghe-Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa visited the FCID yesterday and gave a statement following an order issued by the Court of Appeal regarding a complaint made against seven people including him for the alleged misappropriation of several millions rupees of funds belonging to the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation for erecting a mausoleum and a museum in memory of his late parents.

The recording of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s statement lasted for about two hours. The FCID has already recorded statements from the other six persons from time to time.

The Land Reclamation and Development Corporation also functioned under the Defence Ministry.

The FCID had received a complaint alleging that millions of rupees belonging to the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation had been spent on refurbishing the tombs of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s late parents D.A. Rajapaksa and Mrs. Rajapaksa at Medamulana and for building a mausoleum with an appropriate surrounding and a museum despite the Corporation functioning on borrowings.

The FCID after conducting investigations into the complaint inspected the said mausoleum and relevant files at the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation after questioning and recording statements from relevant officials there.

Thereafter, the FCID also recorded a statement from Gotabhaya Rajapaksa too and submitted a report to the Attorney General for taking legal action under the Public Property Act against seven persons including Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for alleged misappropriation of millions of rupees belonging to the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation.

Meanwhile, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa submitted a Writ Petition Number 391-2017 in the Appeal Court seeking an order preventing his arrest saying the charges made against him did not come under the purview of the Public Property Act. After calling the petition several times and the Attorney General making his observations, the Petition was taken up for hearing on June 14.

Court ordered that a statement be made before the FCID on 25-6-2018 about the manner in which the two parties acted.

Accordingly, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa visited the FCID and made a statement yesterday.

Crisis-ridden Sri Lanka economy: Time for economics to prevail on politics

Three-and-a-half years have elapsed since the Government has taken control of the management of the country’s economy. Except on the inflation front where inflation has largely been subdued, there has not been any significant improvement in any other area in the macroeconomy – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

Release of GDP data

Monday, 25 June 2018

Sri Lanka’s official statistics bureau, Department of Census and Statistics or DCS, has released the country’s 2018 first quarter provisional economic growth data in its website (available at: http://www.statistics.gov.lk/national_accounts/dcsna_r2/reports/2018.06.18/Q1_2018_(2018_06_18).pdf).

Crisis-ridden Sri Lanka economy Time for economics to prevail on politics.docx by Thavam on Scribd

A Mountain Of Dirt Behind Waste Management

By Rusiripala Tennakoon –JUNE 25, 2018

Rusiripala Tennakoon

For Sri Lanka waste handling and management has been a widely discussed subject. There have been several disagreements, disputes and debates surrounding the issue. It has cost many human lives flaring up in most inhuman manner. Shocking news of a mountain of waste devastating a whole area of residential houses causing a death toll of over one hundred human lives just less than two years ago, was seen as its latest culmination.

The incident spurred many actions and programs which are yet to see the light of day. The speed and the momentum that was built up in the wake of the Kolonnawa episode as public concern appear to be decelerating. Is the matter going to rest composed as it was before the explosion! Plans said to be on the way are unfortunately gestating through long periods.

Continuation of the state of affairs and perhaps a “status quo ante” seems to be much preferred by those sharks that were used to the taste of juicy morsels in the run of affairs than the much awaited solutions. The slowness in the approach to resolve the issue is a temptation to peep into the affairs hidden behind a heap of crap shielding the treasure of accumulated wealth and earnings of some involved in the waste-management. Alarming as they are, the entire picture is taking us towards far horizons. This has lead to a consternation, whether health, environment, cleanliness and such important elements to a decent human life could be laid by and compromised for the pillage by those in high places.

The issue of waste collection dumping and proper management is mostly centered round the city of Colombo. The role played by the Colombo Municipality is extremely important in this connection. Hence with no accusing fingers pointed towards anybody the following data statistics, the veracity of which could be ascertained by anybody from sources that matter, are produced to enable the public to form their own opinion based on these.

Historical Data – Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) was dissolved with effect from 23rd June 2010, over charges of corruption and a special commissioner was appointed to oversee the functions of the CMC. Among the alleged irregularities on the part of the CMC members the following issue also came up;

“ awarding of a two-year contract in 2007 to private company Carekleen Pvt Ltd to clear solid waste in two areas of Colombo, without calling for tenders and seeking the CMC’s approval”

Elections were held in 2011, to elect 59 Councilors and 53 were elected and 6 were nominated. The term of this council ended in December 2015 and was extended from Dec 2015 to June 2016 by Gazette Notification.

This term of the Council ended in 30th June 2016 and the administration thereafter (until the last election) came under a special commissioner .

Elections were held again in February 2018 and elected 119 Councilors for a term of 4 years – returning 60 from the UNP and 59 from all other parties.

Now let us take a look at the relevant statistical information:

Expenditure for Solid waste management comprise of the following elements;