Has Sri Lanka been beaten by Myanmar?

 Thursday, 12 July 2018

We have heard that the great Lee Kwan Yu wanted Singapore to be like Sri Lanka way back in the sixties. Today, Singapore is a $ 349 billion economy whilst we are at just a quarter of that value at around $ 85 billion.

Then we consider ourselves to be better than Bangladesh. Once again, way back in 1990, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Vietnam were at just $ 2 billion in export revenue. Today, Bangladesh is at $ 37 billion and Vietnam is at $ 213 billion whilst Sri Lanka is at just $ 11.5 billion.

Now we see that Myanmar - a country which was in the closet until 2010 due to the issue of ethnic cleansing – has touched 6.7% GDP growth in 2017, with tourist arrivals crossing 3.4 million and exports passing the $ 13 billion mark, beating Sri Lanka on all fronts. Many are asking if this is the performance we expected from the progressive government that we voted in in January 2015.


Myanmar 

I guess the world has moved fast whilst we in Sri Lanka are worried about who will be the next president rather than asking ourselves how we can be more competitive. Let me now peg ourselves with a country like Myanmar and see where Sri Lanka stands.

Better known globally as Burma, the country has a population of 54 million. The size of its economy is smaller than Sri Lanka’s at just $ 65 billion whilst its largest city is Yangon (called Rangoon).


Tourism 

While Sri Lanka attracted around two million visitors to the country in 2017, Myanmar welcomed 3.4 million tourists into the country with revenue touching $ 2.5 billion. The current customer mix comes in from countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and China. The country is targeting the next wave of growth to come from Europe, with an aggressive marketing plan sketched to achieve 7.4 million visitors and $ 10 billion. The country has floated a global tender for a marketing and communication campaign, with the top seven advertising agencies globally bidding for business.

What is noteworthy is that Myanmar Tourism Marketing (MTM) is very strong with their digital marketing strategy. The communication mix includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Apart from the digital pull strategy, MTM is using a push strategy with a strong linkage to western wholesales like travel agents and Destination Marketing Companies (DMCs). On the profile strategy, Myanmar has picked the key bloggers that reach key markets and has aggressively pushed the agenda on the brand value side. As at 2017, the brand has been pegged at $ 55 billion, growing at almost 30%.

Sri Lanka on the other hand has been trying to launch a global marketing campaign since 2015, whilst the one call from the private sector had been to drive a global positioning for the brand given the increased supply of room stock.

On brand value, the country has grown at single digits to around $ 73 billion given the drag on its reputation due to the Central Bank scam which is the first of its kind globally. As we speak, the two signatories on a typical Sri Lankan currency note have had notices issued against them by Interpol whilst the other ‘resigned’ due to fraud allegations that have been backed by facts from the Attorney General’s Department.


Exports 

Myanmar beat Sri Lanka›s export number of $ 11 billion way back in 2013. Today the country is crossing $ 13 billion in export revenue as at end 2017, while Sri Lanka is still at $ 11.5 billion, which shows us the internal drive it has on this sector.

The key to Myanmar’s aggressiveness in the arena of world trade is the strong policy reforms the country takes with the private sector. In a bid to contain the country’s trade deficit, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) launched a National Export Strategy targeting a new list of products. Strategically identified by the ministry and the private sector based on market demand, products such as fruits, handicrafts, gems and jewellery, processed food products and IT services were added to an existing list of seven other promoted sectors such as rice, beans, pulses and oilseeds, fisheries, forestry products, textiles and garments. 

The uniqueness of the country is how they use the most modern techniques to build the economy. Studies are currently being conducted on the feasibility and benefits of promoting the new products for new export markets based on the theory of ‹comparative advantages of a nation›. This move comes with the strategic thinking coming from the WTO and World Bank. The Myanmar Investment Commission had invited proposals from the machinery sector of the country which includes automobiles and auto parts, tractors and trailers, telephones and telecom equipment, machines, power distribution and installation, iron and steel construction materials which explains the policy reforms that are currently being actioned.

Dr. Vilem Semerak, lecturer at the Institute of Economic Studies of Charles University in the Czech Republic, whose research focuses on economic reforms and trade in Myanmar, who consults with the Myanmar Export Development Board, says that  import substitution, while being positive for the economy in the short term, should ultimately lead to the industrialisation of the sectors involved.

He goes on to state that industrialisation will help Myanmar develop and expand its export market as well as help it leverage its comparative advantages in production, which adds more value over the long term compared to simply replacing imported products with locally-made goods.

The country is targeting $ 20 billion by 2020, which incidentally is the same target set by Sri Lanka. However, on strategy, we see a gap in the two countries on policy, implementation and growth momentum.


What next for Myanmar?

Whilst the country is driving the global agenda strongly, just like Sri Lanka it has its own issues. The UN is branding the Rohingya crisis a case study in modern times of a country which has perpetrated ethnic cleansing.

The Rohingya crisis has put the country in the spotlight with some even stating that tourists must boycott the country. When the Canadian Ambassador to Malaysia tweeted, “First day of 2018 unfolds on Myanmar beach where the great surf is perfect for snorkelling to see nature and fish,” there was a global cry and ultimately he was officially asked to delete his tweet. The point we need to understand is that Myanmar is making strong policy reforms against the backdrop of the world pinning its back against the wall.


Conclusion

For Sri Lanka, the times when the world was anti-Sri Lankan are behind us. We have connected with the world post-2015. The world is positive towards us, with us regaining GSP+ being one of the few indicators of this. But sadly we are losing the game on many fronts to countries like Myanmar due to issues of competency such as governing the country, getting work done by the public sector on policy reforms and earning the credibility of the private sector on the government’s growth agenda.

(The writer was the Executive Director of the National Council for Economic Development (NCED), when the country was touching 7% GDP growth and he is the first person to shoulder the responsibilities of being the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau. He currently heads a global multinational for South Asia.)

A question never asked

What do we actually aspire for?

Why the urban middle class has no vision and no common aspiration for the future of Sri Lanka

2018-07

For over a year now, the urban middle-class has been collecting many new words for daily use from Central Bank and Bond scam to Arjuna Mahendran, Arjun Aloysius, Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL), Mendis & Company, Hambantota Port, Port City, Chinese Loans, Rajapaksas, Hitler, LTTE and over a week ago even Vijayakala.

They would be lost in their daily conversations without these words, for they seem to know little or nothing about other important issues to indulge in. Thus the rotten “education system”, the seriously ailing “medical profession and health”, jammed up “public commuting”, the ever-starving “rural economy”, the dislocated and dismantled “law and order” situation in the country among many other serious issues do not enter their dialogue and search for answers.

What is being served and savoured in these “educated” urban middle-class circles and in mainstream media, leaves much to be desired as to what Sri Lanka wants for her future.

Media goes agog with petty stories sensationalised with “voice cuts” from self-appointed, foreign-funded “social activists” and politicians slandering each other.
Within that aimless and uprooted middle-class culture, China and loans with Rajapaksa was one time turned into a punching bag for urban recreation.

While the Port City died off early, Hambantota Port was kept alive with this ‘Yahapalana’ Government also accused of meddling with the contract the wrong way up.
Then “cheques” from PTL or its subsidiary Mendis & Co was in vogue for city gossip.

One newspaper alleged that both the candidates at the 2015 January Presidential Election-Rajapaksa and Sirisena -were funded by the same Chinese Company

That fizzled off with few saying they did receive cheques but that wasn’t a big deal with professionals, administrators and even few journalists having accepted cheques from the same source. The Bar Association of SL that was dragged in lately, virtually said: “yes, so what?”

Then came the explosive NYT exposure on Rajapaksas being funded by the Chinese company involved in the Hambantota Port project, for their January 2015 Presidential Election Campaign.

That hit headlines and became the main issue for Colombo’s anti-corruption “cheerleaders” and for the ever ‘gossip ready’ urban middle class.

Surprisingly the key players in the ‘Yahapalana’ Government did not jump on it, as they did on Viyath Maga, Gota and Hitler and thereafter on Vijayakala’s preference for a return to LTTE rule for law and order in North.

All these stories have their shelf life. But with the Colombo middle class, they often get ‘washed and cleaned’ for reuse or get recycled into a different format for new use, with new taglines.

NYT exposure on Rajapaksas being funded for the 2015 January elections by the Chinese Hambantota Port project fund, nevertheless lost its glamour and lustre as a carefully investigated story with another local news report in CT last Sunday alleging both candidates at the 2015 January Presidential Election, Rajapaksa and Sirisena were funded by the same Chinese company.

The news report also claimed, with that evidence surfacing, Police investigations were stalled. There were few “Post-2015 anti-Rajapaksa maniacs, who believed their validity in urban middle-class projects would run dry if they did not stand by the ‘Yahapalana’ rule, immediately said that CT report was a “weak report” with no proper sources.

It is common knowledge they lack, that in this ‘open for the corrupt economy’, the “Filthy Rich” with massive interests in giant projects play safe by greasing both sides of the ballot.

This became far more unbearably smelly with the US State Department’s 2016 Fiscal Report surfacing once again in ‘social media’.

The ordinary American citizen may not be aware, that USD 686 mn of their tax money in 2014, again USD 655 mn dollars in 2015 and then USD 585 mn dollars in 2016 had been spent for ‘regime changes’ across the globe  

The fiscal report has a preface written by John Kerry as Secretary of State, who was one of the high-profile US diplomats to visit Sri Lanka in early May, after the 2015 January regime change.

He was very emphatic when he said while in Colombo “In this journey to restore your democracy, the American people stand with you,”

But the ordinary American citizen may not be aware, 686 million dollars of their tax money in 2014, again 655 million dollars in 2015 and then 585 million dollars in 2016 had been spent for ‘regime changes’ across the globe under the article “Democracy, Human Rights and Governance”. 

As officially stated by John Kerry in the 2016 Fiscal Report, “We (US State Department with USAID) have supported important democratic gains in Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Burma”.

While in US diplomatic jargon “important democratic gains” would mean “regime change”, neither the US State Department nor the present Sri Lankan Government explained what these “democratic gains” were and what allocations the US set aside for them were. Perhaps “democracy and governance” is not about ‘transparency and accountability’ in regime changes.

Two things stand out quite clear with all these headlines, news stories and gossip that make city rounds with certification that they are from “very reliable sources”. One, the Colombo middle-class is not aware and probably not interested too in knowing how Sri Lanka should reach out to its future, as a modern pluralistic nation State. Corruption is their only big-time topic.

That for them is the most important issue in this country and they want to believe, cleaning it upsets everything else. They, therefore, do not bother to scratch the surface to find out what in effect leads to such heavy and all-encompassing corruption in every topic and issue that surface- from the Bond-scam to Hambantota Port to funding of Presidential candidates on either side.

From greasing politicians to administrators, to professionals and their associations that keep the system corrupt.

The second is the fact, proven or otherwise, in the absence of an “alternate development programme” that could mobilise and galvanise public support against this ‘open for corrupt economy’, mainstream political parties that are manipulated by the filthy rich, are also manipulated by big global powers for their geopolitical needs and preferences.

That is the reason for both China and the US to work towards retaining the regime and the other in changing the regime. That is also the reason why such external interventions are not seriously investigated in mainstream media.

Thus, people are dragged into elections that are only democratic procedures and are superficial, with campaigns that don’t address serious socio-political issues and needs.

Recent elections are restricted and left to regime changes with offers to change personalities and not policy and programmes as preferred by the urban middle-class in tandem with the filthy rich.

This has become the practice and the political norm with the urban Sinhala middle-class. They are yet again in a hurry to fix a Sinhala Buddhist candidate of their choice, the people will be asked to vote for.

They seem to dabble with PM Wickremesinghe from the UNP, President Sirisena who successfully contested the 2015 January Presidential Election as the ‘Common’ candidate with the promise it would be his first and last Presidential Election, again from the SLFP and a third, Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the absence of Mahinda Rajapaksa as possible candidates for 2020 Presidential Poll.

There are few others too who seem to want to enter the fray as independents, trying to create a demand for themselves in social media. These ‘would be new entrants’ as presidential candidates, are also staking a claim in establishing a “corruption free” society.

But “how?” is not the question they would answer convincingly and without rhetoric. They too don’t understand that it is this “free market economy” that nurtures majoritarian racism and is inherently corrupt.

That during 40 years of free-market economic life in this country, the whole State machinery, the political establishment and all professions have been basically bought over by the filthy rich, who remain the only beneficiary with a growing Colombo-centred urban middle class.

These few new and independent budding Presidential Candidates from the rich urban society, also lack any interest and knowledge and thus any viable programme to resurrect the already bankrupt education, health, public transport, rural economy, urban development and to bring back sanity into law enforcement.

None, therefore, has come up with any viable socio-economic and cultural programme for the whole country. Neither from the continually failed mainstream politics who would definitely dominate whatever election that came first and nor from those who stand anew in the periphery. This goes to say, the urban Sri Lankan middle-class has no vision and no common aspiration for the future of Sri Lanka. 

They are petty and selfish in that sense. And the bottom line is, in an awfully corrupt society with corrupt and inefficient systems where people cannot decide whom they should democratically and independently elect as their authentic representatives but has to select someone who’s offered to them as decided by political parties run by the filthy rich and endorsed by the elites in Colombo middle class, there is no future for Sri Lanka to aspire for.

That is the space the big powers have in manipulating regime changes. That is the ugly space that China is accused of using during elections and is also the political space that the US State Department says they “supported important democratic gains”.

With a total absence in forging an alternative to this ever-growing, filthy rich economy, 2020 elections will not be without such external players helping us to make decisions that help them.

Of Erdogan, Mahinda & Gota Or The Dance Of The Vidāyaka Janadhipathi

By Shyamon Jayasinghe –JULY 11, 2018

Shyamon Jayasinghe

“It is from weakness that people reach for dictators and concentrated government power. Only the strong can be free. And only the productive can be strong.”

We have been talking about Turkey’s Erdogan who recently won electoral support to be the country’s first Executive President. At the elections, Turkey began digging its grave. The country abandoned the Parliamentary system according to which decision-making is participatory and collaborative. Under the Parliamentary system there is a Prime Minister but the latter is subject to Parliamentary support. By this simple mechanism the Prime Minister is someone watched. Since Parliament is supreme, the law is supreme and every power holder has to perform within a country’s legal framework.

And so, we see Erdogan at the master game. The most crucial portfolio is that of finance. Our own Mahinda Rajapaksa awarded that role to himself whereas Erdogan has shown himself to be rather backward. He has entrusted the job to his trusted Son-in-law. After all, a good son-in-law is more trustworthy than anybody else; and if he has some knowledge of finance, unlike Mahinda who didn’t have a clue, he is up in the game as then he has less third parties to depend on. The job could be handled in style and sophistication. The subject of defence along with those of the army,navy, airforce and police is already with Erdogan. Our own Mahinda did have defense under him but he thought it practical to let someone trustworthy handle the nuts and bolts and work the machine of ultimate power. Mahinda gave it to brother Gota who had left the Forces and settled down in the US for many years. Gotabaya Rajapaksa smilingly returned to the island when brother Mahinda became President; yet Gota was keen to retain US citizenship -just in case. He still clings onto that- just in case. His patriotism is thus, just in case.

Mahinda did another smart thing. He appointed the other brother Basil as Minister in charge of Economic Development. This gave our own dear leader another great key to interfere with every government agency. In this way, the Rajapaksa family held about 80 per cent of Sri Lanka’s budget. Mahinda can now go to town! He wouldn’t give a damn. Dissentients beware as Brother Gota will do the job. With brother Mahinda’s blessings, Gota was veritably our own home-made Hiltler. The Venerable  Anunayaka of Asgiriya has aksed only for a return of what was there. Why blame him? Brother Chamal was there to keep the house under control. Wimal was hired to shout. The two sons can dance at the periphery. If the family be in charge what’s wrong with sonna boy Namal running around with girls and racing cars?

The Central Bank? Cabraal can be trusted for money manipulations and issuing creative growth rates. Old Mohan is hundred per cent as we saw how it was reported that he had thrown the great temptation into the hands of the newly appointed yahapalanaya government: “Sir, I will give the verdict you want!” Our Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe,  was silly not to take that gift. Ranil has always been retrograde. 

What a marvellous prospect! 

Ever since I heard Xi Jinping in China declare himself “President for Life,” I have wondered why our beloved Mahinda did not do such a thing in the 18th Amendment. Xi Jing Ping now carries out different duties under separate titles. For example, he meets foreign dignitaries and receives ambassadors in his capacity as President; issues military directives as Chairman of the Central Military Commission; and upholds party rule through the office of General Secretary. 

In like manner is Kim Jong-Un set. The latter is officially styled the “Supreme Leader of North Korea.’ He has got the media controlled by him to call him “Our Dear Leader.” Kim is also the Leader of the North Korean Workers Pary since 2012. His multifariously powerful role has no deadline, which means he will also be “for life.” Small wonder he keeps clapping. How stupid for Donmald Trump to follow that!

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Should death be implemented?

JUL 13 2018

There is a saying that if punishments are severe, the wrongdoers will think twice before committing an offence, which will in turn result in creating a better society.

Several countries that have adopted this approach have been successful in maintaining law and order to high level.

 The topic of death penalty has created somewhat of a debate in Sri Lanka after the Government announced that it was mulling implementing the punishment for drug related crimes.

Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the announcement and has urged Sri Lanka to pull back any moves made on implementing death penalty.

AI had also pointed out that implementing death penalty for drug related crimes was a violation of International Law and added that Sri Lanka would brazenly defy its international commitments if the move was implemented.
There are many aspects that have to be considered before death penalty is implemented.

The first is whether it is indeed necessary.

Since of late, Sri Lanka has been in the news for many drug related raids. In fact, the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention announced that it had joined forces with the Police and the Armed Forces to nab drug smugglers and traffickers. Police presence has increased in several parts of Colombo especially at night to nab the offenders.

The increase in drug related incidents is indeed a matter of concern. However, nabbing small time smugglers and traffickers, and punishing them is not the solution. The authorities need to target the king-pins behind the racket.

The worth of heroin captured the past few days alone runs into billions. Authorities should strengthen the investigations and zero in on the bigger, powerful culprits involved in the mafia. What if the seized items are just the tip of the iceberg?

Secondly, before moving towards implementing the death penalty, the Government authorities have to conduct a thorough study on the existing loopholes that allow these groups to be active.

These loopholes could be in the law, or could be in the implementation of the law.

Thirdly, the topic of death penalty is very sensitive owing to the nature of the punishment. Several countries have done away with death penalties due to various factors.

It is worthy to note that Sri Lanka suspended the implementation of death penalty 40 years ago.

As warned by the AI, Sri Lanka could also face international repercussions if it decides to go ahead with the death penalty. Being a signatory in various international bodies including the United Nations, Sri Lanka should be mindful of its position on the international arena.

Before worrying about death penalties, Sri Lanka should focus on proper implementation of the existing laws and regulations. For instance, the Bus Lane that was allocated for the buses during peak hours is not strictly implemented.

Even though the garbage menace is somewhat sorted, the Government is yet to come up with a mechanism for waste disposal.

Colombo’s traffic congestion has resulted in the loss of millions of rupees.
As far as the judicial system is concerned the prolonged Court hearings, some of which last for years, is an important aspect that needs a solution.
The overcrowded prisons are another issue.

It is not necessary for Sri Lanka to implement that which was stopped four decades ago. What we need is a proper implementation of the existing laws. Simple as that.

Cabinet unanimously approves implementation of death sentence for heroin dealers..! Gota - no drug trafficking during Rajapakse era is all smiles shaking hands with heroin magnate (photo)

(Lanka e News -2018.July.12, 8.00PM)  The proposal made by president Maithripala  to the cabinet Tuesday (10) was ratified by the cabinet.It is most noteworthy that this was approved unanimously without a single member opposing it.

On the 7 th , 103 kilograms of heroin were seized at Kalubowila and Battaramulla. 30 parcels of heroin were first  taken into custody from a jeep at Prathibimbarama Road, Kalubowila , and while the two suspects arrested in this connection  were being questioned , a further cache  of heroin (66 parcels) was  taken into custody by the police narcotics bureau from a house at Subuthipura road , Battaramulla.The value of this 103 kilos of heroin is about Rs. 1250 million.

Following investigations it has come to light the masterminds behind these dealings are now serving death sentence  in the  prison  cells. Since there is no implementation of death sentence  in Sri Lanka though those found guilty  are sentenced to death by court  , many of these criminals get released in 20 years or less .

The necessity for the president to make this  cabinet proposal was based on the grounds that  if the death sentence delivered on these criminals are to continue un-implemented  in the way it is now , the criminals while remaining in jail will continue carrying on the heroin business without let or hindrance.

Notorious Duminda R.   Silva alias kudu Dumiya and his closest assistant  Chaminda Ravi Jayanath alias Dematagoda Chaminda who are in prison in connection with the murder of Bharatha Lakshman,  though they are not incarcerated for heroin , are carrying on their  heroin business even better than when they were outside , sources have revealed. 

Gota and Mujehideen

Meanwhile Gotabaya Rajapakse at Bibile Medagama Vihara said today (10) ,  during the Mahinda Rajapakse era ,the  drug menace was controlled  but now it is apparent the drug scourge is growing and the government  is unable to control it.

It is this same Gotabaya who is making these announcements,  during the period when he was the defense secretary he directly and closely had dealings with drug traffickers . That  fact is known to everyone except  a just born  infant . 

The  photograph herein depicts Gotabaya ( can you beat that ! this is the Gotabaya who is aspiring to be the next president of SL !)  most happily shaking hands with Mujehideen a most infamously famous  drug dealer who supplies heroin to SL , and now hiding in Malaysia . Mujehideen the key man who smuggles heroin into Sri Lanka is a relative of Mohomed Samoon Mohomed Shyam who was taken into custody along with a quantity of heroin from a super luxury mansion at Ward place in 2003, and is now in the death row following death sentence passed on him..

Meanwhile the cabinet unanimously approved the implementation of the death sentence in SL . Interestingly and intriguingly , the kudu (heroin) channel  of the brother of  kudu Duminda which is  being run for the purpose of laundering  the illegal earnings of kudu Duminda had not shown any response by way of a news report ,to the latest cabinet resolution.

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by     (2018-07-12 15:53:03)

The Silent Sangha

Featured image courtesy PMDNews

SORAYA DEEN-07/12/2018

One of the greatest challenges facing Sri Lanka today is the failure to bring about communal reconciliation in the island. Hate has grown, gone rampant and viral. On a recent visit to Lanka I was alarmed to hear fellow Sri Lankans freely express a high level of fear and hatred towards their counterparts. I remembered the words of Brian Eno, who once said, “Feelings are more dangerous than ideas, because they aren’t susceptible to rational evaluation. They grow quietly, spreading underground, and erupt suddenly, all over the place.”

The Silent Sangha.docx by Thavam on Scribd

Why Do People Not Commit A Crime?

By Mass L. Usuf –JULY 11, 2018

Mass Usuf

“Before you call yourself a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or any other theology, learn to be human first.” ― Shannon L. Alder

To learn to be human is one of the greatest challenges that this country is facing today. Many of its people are figuratively evolving towards animalistic behaviour which of course is different from animal behaviour. While there are others who condescend to levels even below the animals. Animal behaviour is governed by natural instincts. It possesses only limited power and a beauty to observe as part of natures handiwork. Man, relatively has much more power and also endowed with will power which quality is absent in animals. Therefore, man can rise to the level above angels in goodness while also condescend himself below the level of animals in evil.  

Lessons on humaneness is nurtured at home by the parents and elders, at the place of worship by the religious leaders and at the school by the teachers. In all other places sans these institutions, the Guide is that nurtured humaneness which dwells in one’s own conscientiousness. Humanity is universal and common to all religions. It consists of a triangular association of the self (constituting the identity), the other (meaning the society) and God. This fundamental principle broadly defines man’s diverse relationship. Such relationships being conditioned by rights, duties and obligations falling within that matrix. While the self-forms the nucleus of this triangle, it has the choice of two polarised options that of materialism or spiritualism. A third option available is the path in between these two polarities based on variable scales. The intensity of the polarisation and the extent of the desire towards achieving shall determine the level of humaneness.

From the viewpoint of humanity, Sri Lanka is one of those countries where all major world religions have been in existence for centuries. This is not through the phenomenon of economic or political migration as seen globally in the twilight of the last century but through coexistence dating back to at least a millennium. Therefore, Sri Lanka is a proud nation enriched by a multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society. The rich pluralistic combination of several civilisations adds glamour and accentuates the unique heritage that had evolved indigenously.

In this backdrop Sri Lanka ideally should radiate herself to the entire world as a beacon of guidance towards moral rectitude. Especially because of its richness in all forms of human values in a diversely manifested religious and socio-cultural structure. While this should have been the benchmark unfortunately, everything that is seen in reality undermines such standards.

Breakdown Of The Family Or The Law?

Whatever be the proximal or distal cause, the country is witnessing an unprecedented spike in acts of crimes. The erosion of the moral fabric along with the rapid breakdown of law and order must alarm the average citizen. This consciousness must arise NOW and TODAY. It is very pertinent to question if it is only the law and order of the country that is failing? Or, are we also witnessing the gradual disintegration of the atomic family unit, as a nucleus of the larger society?  

Innovative acts of crimes, gang violence, drug related murders, contract killings, drug abuse, house breaking, robberies, rape and other sexual offences are heard on a daily basis.  Some acts of homicide are gruesome while sexual offences especially, those committed on little children are horrendous. These crimes against the society are perpetrated for materialistic gains or to settle personal/business vendetta. In case of sexual crimes, obviously, perversion stimulated through pornography and fuelled by intoxicants.  To this list of crimes must be added the violence against the ethnic minority Muslims and the evangelical Christians. The genesis of these types of violent attacks on the Muslims and Christians are of course, religious and ethnic based. Economic imperative seduces violation of the law for example in food adulteration, substandard or unhygienic consumables on sale for human consumption.

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Move to implement death penalty: AI says will damage SLs reputation

METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE- JUL 12 2018

Sri Lanka must pull back from any plans to implement the death penalty and preserve its longstanding positive record on shunning this cruel and irreversible punishment, Amnesty International (AI) said yesterday.

President, Maithripala Srisena is reportedly pressing ahead with plans to execute 19 death row inmates convicted of drug-related offences.

“By resuming executions after more than 40 years, Sri Lanka will do immense damage to its reputation. The government must immediately halt plans to carry out any executions, commute all death sentences, and establish an official moratorium on the implementation of the death penalty as a first step towards its full abolition,” said Dinushika Dissanayake, Deputy Director for South Asia at Amnesty International.

“Sri Lanka has been a leader in the region, with an enviable record of shunning this cruel and irreversible punishment at a time when many other countries persisted with it. Now, when most of the world has turned its back on the death penalty, it risks heading in the wrong direction and joining a shrinking minority of states that persist with this horrific practice.”

Dilith Jayaweera eclipses Chathurika – Thilanga’s next treachery after demolishing the entire ‘cricket edifice’ !

(Lanka e News -2018.July.12, 8.00PM)  After driving the last nail  into the coffin of Sri Lankan (SL) cricket  , Thilanga Sumathipala is continuing to perform his  acrobatics  before it. While Faizer Mustafa is beating the drums for  Thilanga to perform his clownish acrobatics , President Sirisena is enjoying watching the sad spectacle .When  they are so enjoying to the hilt, the cricket fans and the players who treat the game fondly and  as a second religion are weeping and wailing over the disaster that has struck the game.

While Dinesh Chandimal who did not have even that little gray matter  to give suitable answers during the disciplinary inquiry is facing a ban – forbidden to play ,and because of Asanga Gurusinge’s crazy antics and imbecility who was got down from Australia to teach a lesson to the so called ‘brilliant brain’ Chandika Haturusinghe who came here   for   a monthly salary of Rs. 5 million,  as well as  Arjuna Ranatunge , the three of them are likely to be denied the South  African tour . The irony of ironies is ,  it is Mustafa who had never held a bat in his whole life who had proffered all the advice.

Thilanga’s pipe dream to become P.M.

The political aspiration  of Thilanga is to become prime minister ( pipe dream) some day .In cricket his final aim  is to occupy  the highest seat of the ICC .Thilanga who is earning filthy lucre in unlimited amounts from his bookies which thrive on hapless helpless punters , the commissions collected from the cricket games, and from rigging the games , is deploying those earnings  to achieve these  goals. However , after he was chased out by the people from Borella at the last parliamentary elections Thilanga of course has realized he hasn’t even a ghost of a chance of winning at parliamentary elections again.

When Ranil Wickremesinghe initially gave him the Anuradhapura UNP organizer post , he treated Ranil like a deity. By the time Ranil perceived the cunning and crooked traits of Thilanga , the latter had got close to Mahinda. Thilanga whom Chandrika detested most aligned himself behind Mahinda then in order to teach a lesson to Chandrika.

Thilanga who spent for the election campaign in Colombo  of Mahinda , after the defeat  , ingratiated himself into the favor of Maithripala Sirisena virtually worshipping him only to get  thrown out at the elections because he was extolling Maithripala while denouncing Mahinda . Later he  was given an M.P. post through the national list and made deputy speaker . Thereafter with the president’s patronage he secured the highest position  in the cricket arena. He accomplished that by destroying the citadel of power  of Nishantha  - Mahinda Rajapakse  who controlled the cricket arena until then.

In addition , exploiting his political power he surmounted  his  disqualifications : owning bookies, sports gear business , and newspaper publication which barred him from holding the post of president of Cricket board . Thilanga also  managed to make his friend Jayantha Dharmadasa the vice president  of the association and get him to his side. Later chased him out without telling that  in so many words.

Billions of rupees down the drain….

Thilanga who is talented in ‘marketing’ the cricket , during the last 2 years succeeded in bringing in billions of rupees to the Association , but at the same time spent  many millions of rupees for no  valid reason.

Thilanga’s henchmen Sujeewa Godaliyeddha , Shammi Silva, Godfrey Dabare , Anura Weerasinghe ,Aruna De Silva, Raveen Wickremeratne , Priyantha Soysa, Bandula Saman Waturegama and  Janaka Pathirane who were reduced  to pulp and nowhere around for  several years during  the power citadel of Nishantha and D.S.De Silva, however with  Thilanga’s  entry  began to flourish as never before gobbling up the cricket association funds in billions with Thilanga’s patronage.

Thilanga meanwhile wished  to show his gratitude to president Maithripala Sirisena who helped  Thilanga to earn and gain monumentally . He therefore assisted president’s daughter who owns the media gang advertising firm to earn in billions through the cricket association funds.

By giving advertisements  to  all the media Institutions , Thilanga made  the media to bend. stoop  and flex  according to his needs. Thilanga who gave massive bribes to the sports journalists  on a scale they were never accustomed to before , for giving  publicity to cricket , also allocated millions of rupees of the  funds of the association for  the cricket tours.

Interior Décor Co. also makes hay while the sun shines alongside  the cricket commentary  broadcast

What’s more ! Thilanga never forgot to release many millions of rupees to a crooked company formed by Bandula Saman Waturegama a notorious blue brigand crook who was chased out from the SLBC by Hudson Samarasinghe . Thilanga made these colossal payments to that spurious Co. for cricket  commentary  broadcasts.  

Raveen Wickremeratne who lost his job following the closure of CSN , was helped by Thilanga  by granting  tournament broadcasting rights to Raveen’ s brother in law. Raveen who went on all the foreign tours  collected over Rs. 10 million as daily allowances  from the association.

The interior décor Co. of Priyantha Udayaratne during the five matches played in Dubai and Lahore was paid a whopping sum of Rs.ten  million. It is to be noted Priyantha was taken into the fold of Bandula Saman for  broadcasting commentaries.

Thilanga who undertook the contract to chase out Ranil and got 16 SLFPers out from the government with that in view  is currently  in a deep quandary , for these 16 turncoats  are now   trying to leave Sirisena and join Mahinda again. Being  not able to keep even his foot  on cricket association soil because of the cricket court case is still making Faizer Mustafa to dance like a puppet of his in the  same way as he did with Dayasiri Jayasekera earlier on.

Thilanga who changes direction like a weather vane with the prevailing wind  now currying favor with Gota while neglecting Sirisena

Dilith Jayaweera is a bosom pal and business partner of Gotabaya . Presently , the advertising tasks of the association have been entrusted to ‘Try Ad’ advertising Co .of Dilith Jyaweera based on a plan of Thilanga. This is being done through  Mustafa. It is Try Ad of Jayaweera that has now taken the place of Chaturika’s Media gang which is now on the way out.

When ungrateful Thilanga is trying to kill two birds with one stone , it is Sirisena who is getting stoned , the one  who helped Thilanga to  reach  the swollen headed  status when he was like a drowning man without  even a straw to cling on to.

By e News Sportsman

Translated by Jeff

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by     (2018-07-12 15:46:21)

Namal tells court he was ill, hence no show

Lakmal Sooriyagoda-Friday, July 13, 2018

Filing a motion before Colombo Chief Magistrate’s court, Hambantota district MP Namal Rajapaksa yesterday informed that he was unable to appear before the FCID on June 24 as per a bail condition into a magisterial inquiry, since he was suffering from an illness.

The FCID had filed a B report in Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court (No.3) against five suspects, including Hambantota district MP Namal Rajapaksa for their alleged involvement in money laundering amounting to Rs.15 million in a company owned by Namal Rajapaksa.

Counsel Sampath Mendis appearing on behalf of MP Namal Rajapaksa through a motion informed that his client had to appear before FCID on June 24 as per a bail condition imposed by court, but he could not do so since he was suffering from an illness. He said FCID has been informed in this regard with relevant medical certificates.

The Additional Magistrate decided to ignore the suspect’s failure to appear before FCID since he tendered the relevant documents to support his absence. Further magisterial inquiry into the incident was fixed for October 25.

The FCID had commenced investigation into a complaint that MP Namal Rajapaksa had purchased Hello Corp.Pvt. Ltd for Rs.100 million using ill-gotten funds of Gowers Corporation and NR Consultation Pvt Ltd, allegedly owned by Namal Rajapaksa. Defence counsel Sampath Mendis, Didula Rajapaksa and Mahesh Rajapaksa appeared for the suspect.

Parents should love, nurture and stimulate children - UNICEF Country Rep.

Tim Sutton, Country Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

• ​Sri Lanka has an alarming nutrition deficit 
• Beating children with canes and sticks won’t help
• Country aims to end violence against children by 2030
• Conflict has a lingering effect on society, especially children  

We need to be working in a far more joined up effort, so that families and children are better supported. We need to be targeting some of our investments better.

Creating a healthy generation of children with potential is a vision of any country. As observed and mentioned, children should be nurtured to take the mantle of the society forward and in the right direction. But whether they have the proper environment to develop to their fullest potential remains a question. In a world where cases of child abuse, violence and neglect get reported every other hour, the opportunities to succeed are often hindered. This violence can affect the brain which can impact the ability of a child to learn and develop knowledge, with lifelong implications. As a country that places much emphasis on the family unit, Sri Lanka is trying to make progress in giving more value to the lives of children. As vulnerable as they have become, it is important to educate parents, relatives, schools and other institutions to protect these children. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Tim Sutton, Country Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) elaborated on a few key aspects that Sri Lanka needs to immediately focus on.   

Child protection in Sri Lanka 

2018-07-12 

Child protection has been a main area of concern with the increasing rates of abuse, violence and neglect. “The formation of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) was a major step taken some years ago,” Sutton said. “The issues relating to exploitation and abuse of children in Sri Lanka were relatively well-known in comparison to other countries. The abuse that takes place in association with the tourism sector has drawn the attention of the authorities. In 2016 Sri Lanka joined the ‘Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children ‘and we worked closely with the Government to operationalize this partnership which is based around seven proven interventions. We know what to do, we know how to do it and Sri Lanka is one of the 13 ‘pathfinder’ countries that are committed to end violence against children by 2030. That’s all good news. That violence, exploitation and abuse of children continue is not good news. That cases are being discussed is good news. But if we can’t quantify the problem it’s very difficult to deal with it. I don’t think we still understand the scale of the problem in Sri Lanka. We therefore need clear data, so that we can address this in the best possible way” added Sutton. He believes that cases of violence against children aren’t permitted, but is ‘almost’ accepted, as in the case of corporal punishment, in society and that norms have to change. Therefore it’s important to work with the society to promote ‘positive discipline’ which is non-violence with regard to children. “We know violence does lasting emotional damage and what we now understand is that it impacts a child’s development” he added. “Exposure to abuse and violence over several years brings about a chemical reaction in the brain which stops or impedes development. Prolonged exposure impacts on the brain development and it can cost several IQ points. This in turn costs the country and children lose the ability to earn more financially in adulthood, all because of the violence, abuse and neglect that they have experienced. Therefore changing those social norms are important and this is something that every household needs to do. It should no longer be acceptable to abuse a child. We need to extend this to our public institutions, particularly schools. We need to support schools and parents need to demand from schools that physical discipline isn’t what their children need to develop the inquiring minds that will drive Sri Lanka’s social and economic success in future,” he added. 

Immediate role of parents 

Parents play a pivotal role in moulding the future of children. Without the necessary support, a child will not progress through the developmental stages. Placing emphasis on the newly launched Eat-Play-Love campaign, Sutton pointed out that children should obtain nutritious food in the right amounts at the right time. “We have a nutrition deficit in Sri Lanka which we need to address,” he stressed. “It is the responsibility of every parent in particular to make sure that their children are well fed and well nourished. We need to play and stimulate our children. Five minutes of play can develop 300,000 neurons and these neurons make the brain work. And during those first five years of life the brain is developing and adding these connections at a rate that is never repeated. Protection from abuse and neglect and giving children the best possible environment to grow up in – loving, nurturing and stimulating- is what parents need to do. Parents need to demand that they don’t allow violence against children in any form. A simple way is to ensure that schools don’t use physical modes of punishment to discipline children. The Government has shown leadership and we need to support them to ensure that it becomes even more effective,” he said. 

The need for a value-based education system

School is the first place where a child interacts with society. Therefore, treating children with dignity takes them a long way. Cases of physical abuse in schools have made headlines in rural areas and the Government is yet to address such issues. According to the Household Income and Expenditure Survey done by the Census and Statistics Department, only 48.7% of three to five year olds attend preschool. This, when of good quality, helps to foster cognitive and language development, social competency and emotional development. According to Sutton the Ministry of Education is equipped with ideas on how to change the mainstream education system. “But there’s a heavy emphasis on exams and reaching certain pass marks which are entrenched in society. We need to look at the curriculum – what children learn and how.  What often happens in classes is that teachers teach those who can understand and those who can’t are left behind. So it’s important to support and educate teachers to teach to all levels of children,” said Sutton. 

Strengthening the family unit

Research suggests that the first five years of life are critical to a child’s future. However the ‘Ending Violence in Childhood : Global Report 2017’ reveals that 73.4% of children aged one to 14 experience corporal punishment at home by parents including children under the age of five.
Therefore too many children are entering adulthood at a disadvantage. In most instances, mothers in rural areas in Sri Lanka travel abroad for foreign employment and leave their children with grandparents, uncles and other relatives leading up to cases of incest, neglect etc. In response to this issue, Sutton said that the Government has taken a regulatory approach to this and if the child is under five years of age the mother cannot leave. “But we need to make sure that families are supported. Foreign employment is a great income earner for Sri Lanka, but as we develop, everyone would hope that income-earning opportunities will prosper within Sri Lanka and that industries will develop and employment will increase, so that people don’t have to travel abroad to earn.   

• Sri Lanka is one of the 13 ‘pathfinder’ countries that are committed to end violence
• That cases are being discussed is good news
• Parents need to demand from schools that physical discipline isn’t what their children
• It is the responsibility of every parent in particular to make sure that their children are well fed

Prevailing nutrition deficit 

According to the Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2016 by the Department of Census and Statistics, 17% of children under five are risking development due to stunted growth, resulting from poor nutrition. This survey also revealed that 15.1% of children under five years of age are suffering from ‘wasting’ and if untreated could lead to chronic malnutrition. “The figures are a little alarming and have been for some time,” said a concerned Sutton. “We have quite high levels of stunting and wasting in Sri Lanka and there are pockets where it’s high as well as low. But across the country the figures are worrying. What worries UNICEF is that these figures haven’t improved for the past 10 years which means that we need to be doing things a little differently. Therefore we need to take a far more integrated approach to dealing with poor nutrition in Sri Lanka. It’s not just an issue of health and agriculture but it’s an issue for everyone. We therefore need to support the Government to bring about a concerted, cross-cutting programme to improve these figures.

Sutton further said that this nutrition deficit is costing Sri Lanka as well. “In the first five years of life, when a child is developing, 75% of the energy that they take in from food goes to developing the brain,” he added. “Children who are malnourished, or not receiving the correct foods aren’t getting enough energy for brain development. That costs IQ points which limits a child’s ability to develop to its full potential, and ultimately to reach full capacity in adulthood. During the past 20 years the dependency ratio has halved when comparing the number of people working compared to those who are not. What this means is that Sri Lanka is getting over its demographic dividend when it has a huge pool of young people that it can pull it to the workforce for cheap labour. This has happened throughout Asia in China, Vietnam and other countries. They have stimulated growth by pulling in this huge mass of workers and employing  them in factories and other places. We don’t have a huge pool of young people coming into the workforce anymore. Therefore our population pyramid too is distorted as of today. This means that in the next 30 years the dependency ratio will halve again. But for Sri Lanka to maintain its current status in 30 years’ time, people need to be twice as productive. Therefore we need to help this generation and the next generation to increase their productivity. We need to do that through education. We need to educate families and communities and make sure that children get the best possible start. This takes us back to the eat-play-love idea. If you get these correct they will be more productive and that’s what Sri Lanka’s future depends on,”he stressed.

Suggested improvements 

Sutton agrees that the 30-year ethnic conflict has an impact on the development of the present day child. “The conflict cost the country around USD 200 billion. That’s a huge deficit to makeup and Sri Lanka has compromised a little bit on the high levels of debt therefore it doesn’t have as much physical freedom that other countries have. But peace has been made and as we move forward in the reconciliation and rebuilding process we should stay on course and build a secure, prosperous Sri Lanka. There are many people who have lost their families and it’s an enormous cost to those families and society. But now we need to move forward. There are no scientific studies that look at the linkages of conflict and the violence in society, but undoubtedly there is a lingering effect. This history is part of what makes Sri Lanka today. Therefore we shouldn’t deny that history, but we need to acknowledge it and move forward,” he added.

Sutton also acknowledged the services extended by people working in the Government sector to support children. “It’s important to improve those services and make them more responsive to children and families. I know that there is a commitment to make those services better. The fantastic thing about Sri Lanka is that we have those services. Many countries don’t. We have the universal house system, education system and we need to make them better and stronger. When we talk about early childhood development the critical thing is to improve those services that reach out to families and children in an integrated approach, so that people are talking to probation officers while the education officers are setting their standards for early childhood education. We need to be working in a far more joined up effort, so that families and children are better supported. We need to be targeting some of our investments better. We hope this would be one of the critical things that the next Budget addresses. There needs to be a holistic approach that covers areas including the justice system to ensure that cases are taken up in courts more quickly. We have a good system in place and it’s just that we need to make it better and responsive to cater to the needs of all children,”concluded Sutton.