by Bandu de Silva

The Indian domestic political system is in deep trouble despite the country making great headway in other directions, such as gaining nuclear power status and its overall economy about to make a big leap into the world of leading economic giants, competing with China. The trouble is how to keep India’s domestic political system under control with the supremacy of the Union at the centre.

This premise can fail if, as Paran Chopra, leading Indian analyst commenting on Indian interests in St. Gilan principles, emphasized, India does not examine the issue of whether the appeal of federalism, and particularly of its parliamentary variety, will become weaker or stronger if a federation’s claim to sovereignty is held to be a more qualified one than that of a unitary state, and if the parliamentary form became a laboratory for experimenting with the deflation of its sovereignty, through the conferment of diplomatic roles upon its constituents and penetration of boundaries – (The Hindu).
Continue reading ‘India Cannot Complain on Moral Grounds About Moves in Sri Lanka to Re-examine the 13th Constitutional Amendment’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

Fresh moves by New Delhi this week to prevent Colombo from tinkering with the 13th Amendment appear to have further entrenched the two States into conflicting positions, with the Government insisting certain provisions must go while India was emphatic Sri Lanka cannot tamper unilaterally with the Indo-Lanka Accord.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday told a visiting senior Indian official that the Parliamentary Select Committee was the best possible forum to reach consensus on the contentious 13th Amendment to the Constitution and called on New Delhi to convince the country’s main Tamil party to join the process.

Continue reading ‘Conflicting Positions Between New Delhi and Colombo Over Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment Further Entrenched’ »

Former South African President PW Botha meets with then-President Nelson Mandela in 1995-nelsonmandela.org

DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA

While it is desirable that a leader has an enlightened and transcendent vision for post-war nation-building, it is also understandable that a different kind of leader may engage in juggling and log-rolling at the same time.

What is not helpful though is when there are conflicting signals, crossed wires and wild swerves on matters of the highest importance and sensitivity.

A contradiction embedded at the heart of the policy of the Sri Lankan state surfaced during the visit of India’s National Security Advisor Shiv Shanker Menon. The surfacing took place not due to diligent delving by the Indian official but was exhibited in the response of the Sri Lankan state. That it has gone unremarked upon so far, says something about our political discourse.

What is that contradiction?

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa and R.Sampanthan Must Talk to Each Other as Mandela and De Clerk did in South Africa’ »

(Text of Press release Issued by the High Commission of India,Colombo on the visit of India’s National security Adviser Shivshankar Menon to Sri Lanka from July 8th -9th 2013)

July 09, 2013

Mr. Shivshankar Menon, National Security Adviser of India, visited Colombo on 8-9 July 2013 to participate in the 2nd NSA-Level Meeting on Trilateral Cooperation on Maritime Security between India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Governments of India, Sri Lanka and Maldives have been engaged in trilateral discussions to address the common maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean region. Following the meeting on 8 July, the three-side agreed on a roadmap for future cooperation in maritime security. In this context, they signed an Outcome Document outlining further collaborative measures in the areas of_inter alia_ Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA); strengthening coordination of maritime Search and Rescue (SAR); promoting marine oil pollution response cooperation; expanding ‘DOSTI’ (friendship) exercises;sharing of information on illegal maritime activities; and piracy.

Continue reading ‘India Tells Sri Lankan Political Leadership to Adhere to Commitment Given to India and International Community Of Political Settlement Going Beyond the 13th Amendment’ »

OUTCOME DOCUMENT OF THE SECOND NSA-LEVEL MEETING ON TRILATERAL COOPERATION ON MARITIME SECURITY BETWEEN INDIA, THE MALDIVES AND SRI LANKA

08, JULY 2013

1. The Second NSA-level Meeting on Trilateral Cooperation on Maritime Security between India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Trilateral Meeting’) took place in Colombo on 8, July 2013. The Indian side was led by H E Shivshankar Menon, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, Republic of India, the Maldivian side by Hon Mohamed Nazim, Minister of Defence and National Security of the Republic of Maldives and the Sri Lanka side by Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (hereinafter referred to as the ‘three sides’).

Continue reading ‘Shivshankar Menon,Mohamed Nazim and Gotabaya Rajapaksa Sign Document On Trilateral Cooperation on Maritime Security Between India,Maldives and Sri Lanka’ »

By

Prof. Suresh Canagarajah

(Text of Speech by Prof. Suresh Canagarajah, Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Applied Linguistics and English,Pennsylvania State University, USA, at the THE ANNUAL PRIZE GIVING of St.Johns’ College,Jaffna held on Saturday 6th July, 2013)

Venerable Chairman, Mr. Principal, Staff of St John’s College, Parents, and Students:

It is a pleasure to be back in my alma mater on its 190th anniversary. All old boys will agree that we owe a lot to St John’s College for all that we have achieved here in Sri Lanka and abroad in our personal and professional lives. I want to start with two brief stories to demonstrate how the foundation provided by St John’s has helped me in my academic career. I hope that these stories show our students how a strong and meaningful early education is important for our success.

Prof. Suresh Canagarajah-pic courtesy of: aplng.la.psu.edu/

When I went to the US for graduate education from University of Jaffna, I was worried that the knowledge there would be so advanced that I won’t be able to follow the courses. For one particular course, I thought I should talk to the professor before the class to see if he would recommend that I delay following that course. Professor John Baugh spoke with me for about ten minutes and asked me what books I had read in my field and which scholars I knew. Half way through the conversation, his eyes widened, and he said, “Do you realize that you are one of the most widely read students in this department? You obviously have good reading skills and academic training. Where did you get this educational foundation?”

Continue reading ‘As One History of our Community Draws to an End There is a Need to Initiate a New Tradition of Learning and Education’ »

by

Col R Hariharan

I do not think there is any Tamil outfit which has either the motivation or capability to carry out an attack on a holy site like Bodh Gaya.

(Summary of answers given to print and electronic media questions on the serial blasts in Bodh Gaya on Sunday July 7, 2013.)

What is your take on the serial blasts in Bodh Gaya, although the police seem to have had timely alerts before they occurred?

Continue reading ‘No Tamil Outfit Has the Motivation or Capability to Carry Out an Attack on a Holy Site Like Bodh Gaya”-Col.Hariharan’ »

By

Susitha R.Fernando

(Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni the Naval rating who attacked then Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi with his rifle butt in Colombo is now running his own record bar and doubles up as an astrologer.He spoke to « Daily Mirror” in an exclusive interview about the his eventful past explaining his motives and mindset)

Excerpts :

Q. Twenty six years after the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord now once again there is controversy over the 13th Amendment, the Provincial Council system and arguments for and against their continuation. What is your position today on this?

President J. R. Jayewardene signed this agreement against his conscience. He had no option but to sign it. Obviously to win voted in Tamil Nadu, Gandhi on the request of former Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran violated our air space and dropped food in Jaffna. This was a warning to President Jayawardene. Then Mr.Jayewardene sent former National Security Minister Lalith Athulathmudali to the United States to meet President Ronald Ragan. However the US which was more interested in the Indian market refused to intervene in this crisis. President Jayewardene was thus helpless and had no option but to sign the Accord.

So even today I am strongly opposed to the 13 A and any move to divide this country. Why should we be scared of any outsider. We have defeated the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world and I see no reason why we be scared of India.

We are not a state under India and we should do what we want. We must devolve powers through other local government bodies but should do away with the white elephant of Provincial Councils.

Continue reading ‘“I Intended to Kill Rajiv Gandhi” Says Wijemuni the Ex-Naval Rating Who Attacked Indian Premier in 1987’ »

By Prof. V. Suryanarayan

India is committed to achieving a bright future for the Sri Lankan Tamil community in a united Sri Lanka, in which all citizens can live in dignity, equality, and self-respect. In furtherance of this objective, India would work for a durable political solution through meaningful devolution of powers and the implementation of the 13th Amendment.

New Delhi’s commitment to the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, in which the Tamil identity can be protected and fostered, has not been appreciated both by the Sinhalese and the Tamil extremists. The Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 and the subsequent 13th Amendment were viewed by important Sinhalese leaders as illustrations of India’s hegemonic designs.

Continue reading ‘New Delhi Cannot Remain Silent When Terms of Indo-Lanka Accord are Being Unilaterally Changed’ »

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

If leaked intelligence warnings that were cited by India’s political opposition in the aftermath of the bombing inside the Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar are anything to go by, they remove the pro-Tiger lobby in Tamil Nadu from the equation. It appears the pro-Tiger rump, chaotic and impudent as it may be, is not among the likely culprits.

Continue reading ‘Pro-Tiger Groups in Tamil Nadu Not Suspected of Involvement in Mahabodhi Bomb Blasts’ »

by Sulochana Ramiah Mohan

Director of the controversial documentary, No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka, Callum Macrae, confided to Ceylon Today that he has little chance of coming to Sri Lanka to cover the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), as certain heads of Sri Lankan missions have warned him that he will be not welcome in the country.

However, he insisted, as a media person he has the right to be in Sri Lanka to cover the event.

Continue reading ‘“No Fire Zone”Film Director Callum Macrae Says it is his right as a media person to cover Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka’ »

By

M.A.Sumanthiran

When it comes to public goods like the common defence and market efficiency, every State has a choice. According to the infamous analogy, in the zero-sum game of budget allocation, every State can decide whether to prioritize guns or butter. Guns represent the State’s ability to protect her stored capital and Butter represents her ability to generate capital. According to this simple analogy, a certain balance is clearly required as one without the other is bankrupt. Post-War societies present a unique opportunity.

Continue reading ‘“Are Tamils and Muslims Enemies of the State or Citizens of the State” Is the Question Before Armed Forces in North and East.’ »

by

Capt. Elmo Jayawardena

The New York Film Festival is over; the best actor award is securely placed in a little hamlet in Moratuwa and everyone has now come to know Jagath Chamila. Great feat and nothing should take away the luminosity he enjoys today as he richly deserves the accolade for the role he played as Sam in Sameege Kathawa. My lines are to praise him and state my humble or ‘not so humble’ opinion on an event that started on the banks of Bolgoda and crept its way to the silver screen in the Big Apple.

I saw the movie more than six times, from the first print that Director/Producer Priyankara Vithanachchi made. Let the movie speak for itself. A book and a movie are not easy to compare. Authors have space, and for them it is only a matter of spinning a story by minting words and expressions to arouse the interest of a reader. They have a wide canvas to beautify with colourful descriptions and well-constructed lines to fill their books. Film makers have a much harder task. They struggle in turbid tangles and battle multiple fronts. First with budgets, (do not forget this is Priyankara and not Spielberg.) They have to use so much creativity and do a balancing act in order to come out with the best possible combination to create a winning movie. There too the probabilities linger, to slip on the last step when victory is within reach. Priyankara made Sameege Kathawa with varying winds that blew mostly from negative directions. This was his first real film. How good is it? That you will see and decide for yourself, yes, it is in the eyes of the beholder. I only hope that Sameege Kathawa will hit the cinema halls fast as it is a people’s movie and they now have a national hero to watch.

Jagath won the award and he is a celebrity, a real one amidst the ‘card board Sandos’ we are forced to worship. I am waiting to see how the cookie crumbles. Will the masses get a chance to see Jagath playing Sammy, ASAP?

Continue reading ‘“Sameege Kathawa”Must Be Screened in Sri Lanka Soon for People to see how Jagath Chamila Became the Best Actor in New York’ »

By

C.A.Chandraprema

Last Friday, Minister Basil Rajapaksa was in India in a situation no less crucial than the one in which he left for India in October 2008 when the war was reaching its peak. This time, however, his visit does not seem to have been as successful as the October 2008 visit. If his task was to convince India that the 13th Amendment to the constitution needs to be amended, he does not seem to have succeeded. The Indian External Affairs Minister had been emphasizing that the 13th Amendment should not only be fully implemented but that Sri Lanka should even go beyond it to ensure meaningful devolution to the provinces.

It’s now more than a quarter of a century since the Indo Lanka Peace Accord was entered into and the 13th Amendment enacted. It is highly unlikely that there is even one senior official in the Indian External Affairs Ministry who has read the 13th Amendment in full. The Indian External Affairs Minister is obviously going on briefings he gets from his officials. And the officials themselves would be going on what they hear from the TNA and various Sri Lankan NGOs. Because the Sri Lankan provincial councils system was modeled on the Indian system of devolution, most Indian bureaucrats would be under the impression that the system forced on Sri Lanka by India in 1987 is identical in all respects to the Indian system. They would not know that there are significant ways in which the Sri Lankan and Indian constitutional provisions on devolution differ.

In India, the powers of the central government, the state governments and the powers that can be concurrently exercised by both are contained in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The Indian Seventh Schedule lists the powers of the central government (the Indian Union list) first, followed by the list of powers of the states and finally the list of concurrent powers. The Indian dictated 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution saw the addition of the Ninth Schedule to the Sri Lankan constitution which is the equivalent of the Seventh Schedule of the Indian constitution. In contrast to the Indian Seventh Schedule which lists the powers of the central government first, the Sri Lankan Ninth Schedule has reversed this order by stating the powers of the provinces first, and then the powers of the central government followed by the list of concurrent powers.

Continue reading ‘Article 154G(11) Will be Govt’s Secret Weapon to Amend Powers of 13th Amendment Without Two-Thirds Majority’ »

By

Nirmala Chandrahasan

The general perception that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution with the provisions for setting up Provincial Councils is an Indian imposition is factually incorrect. These provisions were apparently based on drafts submitted by the government of Sri Lanka. Mr. R. Sampanthan MP, the leader of the TNA in a recent interview published in the Asian Tribune 27th June states, “The 13th Amendment came out of extensive talks between the government and the TULF (the Predecessor of the TNA) in July August 1986. Secretary to the discussion was Mr. Felix Dias Abeysinghe former retired Commissioner of Elections.

The persons representing the GoSL were President Jayewardene, Ronnie de Mel, Lalith Athulathmudali, Gamini Dissanayake, A. C. S. Hameed, K. W. Devanayagam and Ranil Wickremesinghe. Representing the Tamil side were A. Amirthalingam, Sivasithamparam, Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam, V. Anandasangaree, Joseph Pararajasingham and R Sampanthan.” He states that they discussed nearly nine drafts. The Indo Sri Lanka Treaty was signed in July 1987. He goes on to say that what subsequently came out as the 13th Amendment was a watered down version of what had been agreed upon by the government and the TULF. The government of India was not represented at the talks. He states the minutes of all the talks and the relevant papers must be available in the presidential Office.

Continue reading ‘Perception of 13th Constitutional Amendment Being an Indian Imposition is Factually Incorrect’ »

By

Hafeel Farisz

In a wide ranging interview with the Daily Mirror, The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, one of the few remaining Tamil nationalist politicians of a bygone era, Rajavarothayam Sampanthan, stated why he believed that Tamils were being considered as second class citizens, the importance for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and also responded to allegations against him and his party to the effect that they were the proxies of the LTTE and asserted his commitement to a united undivided Sri Lanka.

Excerpts:

Q: You are seen as a contemporary leader of Tamil nationalism. What do you have to say to the repeatedly made allegation, that you are still espousing a separatist cause, a cause which the LTTE fought militarily for?

I think that is a totally wrong conception of our true role. I belong to the old Tamil political tradition, commenced by the Federal party way back in the late 50’s. We have been committed to non-violence and we have pursued our political agitation through non-violent and peaceful means. We have performed Sathyagrahas and conducted civil disobedience campaigns, we have never resorted to violence nor promoted anyone resorting to violence.

Continue reading ‘Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement is an International Treaty That Cannot be Unilaterally Abrogated Without Consequences-Sampanthan’ »

Col R Hariharan

President Mahinda Rajapaksa appears to have taken a pragmatic decision to go ahead with the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) election without tinkering with the 13th Amendment (13A). The presidential proclamation made on the election last Friday, has been welcomed by India as it has removed a rider that could have hobbled India-Sri Lanka relations. The NPC will go to polls along with the Central and North Western Provincial councils which have been dissolved. According to media reports the PC elections are likely to be held on September 27.

Fortuitously or otherwise, Basil Rajapaksa, Minister for Economic Development, and the President’s brother, was in New Delhi to convey the good news on holding the NPC election to Indian counterpart he was meeting. According to the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry’s statement, Rajapaksa’s visit to New Delhi was to deal with other areas of discussion, and was also “aimed at apprising the Indian leaders on Sri Lanka’s changes to the 13th amendment — the move to strip police and land powers to provinces.”

As it invariably happens when Indian and Sri Lankan counterparts meet, there are two versions on what the Sri Lanka minister discussed with Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid, National Security Advisor Shivshankara Menon and the Secretary MEA Rajan Mathai in New Delhi.

Continue reading ‘Will the TNA be Allowed to Rule the Northern Provincial Council in Case they get Most of the Seats in a Free Election?’ »

By

Namini Wijedasa

In his first remarks since returning from New Delhi, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa pointedly refused to say whether the Indian Government insists on Sri Lanka consulting it before changing the 13th Amendment. He maintained, instead, that some things must necessarily remain secret — as they would be between “husband and wife”. He said that was how problems were sorted out.

The Minister was asked by the Sunday Times if the Government had abandoned its urgent bill envisaging changes to the 13th Amendment, notably the removal of police and land powers from the provinces. He replied: “When we bring a bill like that, we don’t let go of it so easily without informing the public. There are times when we have brought that type of thing and retracted but we won’t give it up.”

Continue reading ‘India Wants TNA to Participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee Says Basil Rajapaksa’ »

(Full Text of Letter sent to Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma by United National Party Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera)

H.E. Kamalesh Sharma,
Secretary-General,
The Commonwealth,
Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1-5HX,
UK

Your Excellency,

CHOGM – 2013

I am writing to you with reference to a news item published in the Sri Lanka Daily Mirror of 29th June 2013. The story, captioned ‘Commonwealth wants to make practical difference in Sri Lanka’ quotes a letter you have reportedly sent to an unspecified recipient . In the absence of any contradiction or clarification from your organisation, I assume that the remarks are accurate. You are quoted as saying:

“The LLRC report was a home grown roadmap for achieving peace in a multi ethnic nation.The question for the international community is whether to criticise the lack of progress from afar in implementing that report or to offer and to make a practical difference. The Commonwealth has opted for the latter and the Sri Lankan government even now is identifying the areas where we will help. We are active in Sri Lanka in advancing Commonwealth values, including human rights, the media, the judiciary and building mutual respect and understanding in communities.”

Continue reading ‘Appointment of Civilian Governor and Confinement of Army to Barracks Essential for Free and Fair Elections to North-Mangala Samaraweera’ »

By

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

Buddhists all over the world including Sri Lanka were shocked by the news of multiple explosions rocking the sacred town of Bodhgaya in the early hours of Sunday July 7th 2013.

Although precise details are scarce at this juncture preliminary reports indicate that a series of at least eight blasts occurred both within and outside the Mahabodhi temple

Continue reading ‘Multiple Bomb Blasts at Bodhgaya’s Revered Mahabodhi That was Reclaimed for Buddhists by Sri Lanka’s Anagarika Dharmapala.’ »

by

Vishnuguptha

“The human dilemma is not whether to do right or wrong but rather to do right when it matters the most and wrong when it matters the least.” (Unknown writer)

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) are dead. The war was won and the guns have fallen silent. But the drums keep beating and clarion calls for celebrations still continue as if the whole of Sri Lanka’s history has been reborn to an era of plenty, peace and power. This was how the ancient conquerors ruled their subjects. The vanquished are kept to lick their own wounds while the victors are salivating for more, not any more on the battlefield where military prowess was exhibited, but on the economic plains of ‘massive’ infrastructure development work so undertaken by the victors to please an unequal partner of one single nation of “Sri Lankans”.

But such a sophisticated concept seems to be totally alien to the circle of rulers who continue to ‘occupy and rule’ the land that once was almost entirely inhabited by the ones who lost the war. The majority segment of Sri Lanka’s population has chosen to march further forward, northwards, in a demented fury to show the vanquished as to who the real masters are.

Continue reading ‘Tigers Have Perished On Warfront but Sinhala Buddhists and Govt are Holding on to Those “Tigers”by their Tails’ »

By

N Sathiya Moorthy

Whether or not the TNA joins the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on power-devolution, there is an absolute need to keep the discourse on track. The chances are that the proceedings could become a political slanging match of every conceivable and imaginative kind. PSC Chair and Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva would require every skill and firmness in the trade if the PSC has to produce a package that aims at resolving the ethnic issue, and not encourage further dilution of the devolution package, among others.

The Opposition UNP has not announced its decision on joining the PSC. The JVP has decided to boycott it. The Government parties are a divided house, with conflicting voices emerging out of the edge of the SLFP leader of the ruling UPFA coalition. The temptation would be for every party and participant to use the PSC to address the whole nation, if not the rest of the world too. The only difference thus far between the APRC earlier and the PSC now is that the Government with cause and justification had kept the TNA out of the former. Without enough of both, the TNA has chosen to keep out of the latter.

Continue reading ‘The TNA Like The Govt Has Been Taking One Step Forward And Two Steps Backward at Every Turn’ »

by

Tisaranee Gunasekara

“Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, competence and commonsense?”
Lee Iaccoca (Where Have All the Leaders Gone?)

‘The Conference of Birds’ is a peerless jewel in the crown of Islamic literature. Written in the 12th Century by the Persian poet Farid ud-Din Attar, this epic poem tells of an avian Odyssey in search of a king. The birds want the Simorgh to be their king; but when they reach the distant home of that legendary bird, after an epic-journey, all they find is a lake in which they see their own reflections.

The king the birds seek is a spiritual and not an earthly one; ‘The Conference of Birds’ is generally interpreted as an allegorical poem about the quest for God. But this enchanting tale can be seen from a political angle as well, as a depiction of humankind’s eternal search for utopian systems and ideal rulers. The lesson the birds learnt is a lesson not irrelevant to humans as well: leaders are often a reflection of the people who choose them and sustain them, for good or ill.

And that, in Rajapaksa Sri Lanka, is a frightening thought.

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksas Who Gave Us The Bodu Bala Sena Scourge May Give Us a Sri Lankan Taleban as well’ »

By

Callum Macrae

For the last two weeks I have been on a tour of four Commonwealth countries to screen the film: The first of a series on international screening tours designed to take the film to Commonwealth and other countries around the world.

This first tour included parliamentary screenings in Malaysia and Australia – although equally important have been screenings for the people who elect – and hold these governments to account. Thus we have had very successful screenings in Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand, as well as Canberra, Melbourne and Perth in Australia. At all of these meetings we had very committed and concerned Q and A’s and discussions afterwards.

Many people spoke of their horror on discovering the true scale of the crimes and massacres which marked the end of this awful war. These screenings generated a lot of publicity and press coverage – including several TV and radio features – and I am confident will lead to renewed calls for action for justice.

Continue reading ‘Malaysian Police and Censors in Kuala Lumpur Raid Screening of “No Fire Zone” Film on Alleged War Crimes in Sri Lanka’ »

BY

NICHOLAS CHENG

KUALA LUMPUR: Three organisers of a controversial documentary film screening at the KL/Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall were detained by Home Ministry, Immigration and police officials here Wednesday.

The screening of the movie, No Fire Zone, which explores the oppression of Tamils in Sri Lanka, was organised by human rights group Pusat Komas.

Programme coordinator Lena Hendry said the officers entered the hall after the movie had finished at around 8.30pm.

Continue reading ‘Three Organisers in Malaysia Detained for Screening “No fire Zone”Documentay Film on Massacre of Sri Lankan Tamils’ »

(Text of Press Release Issued on July 3rd 2013 by the Tamil National Alliance Media Office)

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) took a decision on the 29th of June 2013, not to participate in the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC). At that time we said we would issue a full statement explaining this decision:

When the Government originally announced that it wanted to set up a PSC, it was engaged in bilateral negotiations with the TNA. It was at a time when the Government had defaulted in its commitment to respond to the comprehensive proposals put forward by the TNA. Even so the TNA fully cooperated in the process of setting up of the PSC by seeking amendments to the Terms of Reference, upon an undertaking by the Government that the PSC process will commence only after a measure of consensus was reached between the two parties at the bilateral talks.

It is the conduct of the Government that made it impossible to commence the PSC deliberations, despite the TNA making compromises at least three times, in order to break the deadlock and move forward. The following historic narrative will make this clear:

Continue reading ‘Why the Tamil National Alliance will not Participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee’ »

The final determination of the Sri Lanka Country Guidance Case is out today. This will provide a new guidance in deciding asylum cases in the UK.

It is to be noted that the UK Upper Tribunal has agreed that Tamils detained by the Sri Lankan security services remains at real risk of ill-treatment or harm requiring international protection.
The decision also introduced a categories of the persons at risk in Sri Lanka which includes, LTTE members, relatives of the LTTE members, Journalists, Tamils Activist and Human rights workers.

Continue reading ‘Ruling by UK Upper Tribunal Says Tamils Detained by Sri Lankan Security Forces Face High risk of Ill-Treatment or Harm’ »

By

Nadine Mariah

TNA MP and lawyer M. A. Sumanthiran told The Sunday Leader that the 13th Amendment alone would not be sufficient to solve the national questions, and that the government should go above and beyond the constitution to truly address ethnic tensions in Sri Lanka.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Q: Do you think the proposed 19th amendment will solve the national question?

A: Not at all! It will only exacerbate the problem. The 13th amendment was brought in as the solution to the national question, but everyone will agree that it did not sufficiently redress the imbalance created by the reality of a heterogeneous society in which some were the permanent majority while others were permanent minorities. All attempts to finally settle this were in the direction of enhancing devolution and making it meaningful. Greater devolution is agreed as the way forward and not the opposite, which is what is contemplated by the proposed 19th amendment.

Continue reading ‘It was the Govt which Offered to “Implement the 13th Amendment in full and Go Beyond it also”-MA Sumanthiran’ »

By

Nadine Mariah

Leader of the Democratic Left Front, National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara emphasizes that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was a step in the right direction in solving the ethnic problem. He believes that it will be fully implemented after consultation of a fairly representative parliamentary select committee (PSC)

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Q: Do the proposed changes to the 13th Amendment, in your view, solve the national question?

A: Yes, it is a step in the right direction to address the national question; it is definitely a right step. To have free and fair elections in the Northern and Eastern provinces is what these changes allow. We must give that to them, to elect their own representatives, that is the first step in winning them over; the Northern and Eastern provinces are still very much disillusioned.

Continue reading ‘There is no Alternative to the Provincial Councils System-Vasudeva Nanayakkara’ »

by Lakshmi Puri

UNITED NATIONS – Last year, as rebels captured the main towns in Northern Mali, UN Women registered a sudden and dramatic increase of rapes in the first week of the takeover of Gao and Kidal, in places where most women never report this violence to anyone, not even health practitioners.

We heard stories of girls as young as 12 being taken from their homes to military camps, gang-raped for days and subsequently abandoned; of surgery and delivery rooms invaded by armed men enforcing dress codes and occupying health facilities; of young women being punished, flogged, and tortured for bearing children outside of marriage.

Continue reading ‘Forwrd Movement in Turning Violence Against Women from Pandemic into Aberration’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

For quite some time now India has been trying to understand with at least a modicum of certainty, where exactly Mahinda Rajapaksa stands on the issue of the 13th Amendment. India needs to gain some insight into his thinking on this, so its leaders could evaluate his genuineness and reliability in respect of his various promises and pronouncement regarding the Amendment. However, his thinking on this vital matter is as elusive as ever. Even his close associates find it near impossible to read his mind.

Wikileakes revelations in recent days have laid bare a few pointers, which could perhaps help pin down his inner convictions on this matter. It discloses details of several discussions Rajapaksa has had with US Ambassador Jeffery Lunstead just prior to 2005 Presidential Election. A careful perusal of this throws some light on how to unravel the exact stance of Mahinda in regard to 13A. In one of the leaked cables datelined 30 September 2005, Ambassador Lunstead records a discussion he had with Nirupama Rajapaksa, a niece of the President, who has bluntly remarked about Mahinda’s inscrutability, and reluctance to disclose his inner feelings.

Continue reading ‘Actual Mindset of Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment’ »

by

N Sathiya Moorthy

It may remain unclear whether the Tamil National Alliance’s (TNA) decision to stay away from the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) being formed in Sri Lanka to find a political solution to the still so very vexatious ‘ethnic issue’ was influenced by the fact that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was ‘dismayed’ by reports of the Sri Lankan Government attempting to ‘dilute certain key provisions’ of the Thirteenth Amendment ahead of the promised Northern Provincial Council poll. Singh had expressed his views when a TNA delegation led by parliamentary group leader R Sampanthan called on him in New Delhi a fortnight ago.

Continue reading ‘Why the Tamil National Alliance Should Not Boycott the Parliamentary Select Committee’ »

By

Vishnuguptha

“Living is death; dying is life. We are not what we appear to be. On this side of the grave we are exiles, on that citizens; on this side orphans, on that children;”

~Henry Ward Beecher

From the time Sri Lanka gained Independence from the colonial powers, all Sri Lankan political leaders, barring none, have been indulging in a frenzy of electoral politics. Every national issue had been viewed through the electoral eyeglass and solutions to those national issues had been skewed and screwed to such an un-dignifying degree, in almost all instances, that the solutions that had been found and effected, had proven time and again, to be more radical and damaging than the original problem. This tragic flaw ever so manifest in our pattern of governance over the last six and half decades, had taken its toll on our national character, giving it an appearance of an incompetent and untrained technician trying to meddle with a machine about whose intricate workings, he does not comprehend at all. Not a good one.

When you pour into this pot of confusion, the sons of ministers playing havoc on the beaches, at nightclubs and on board planes in mid-air and also hammering Army personnel, the common masses must be really wondering as to what kind of government and governance we have been ‘blessed’ with. To paraphrase Churchill, never in the short history of Sri Lanka’s post-independence era have so few a number created so much chaos in so short a time as at present. The war-victory psyche is still playing up and the second generation of those who govern has taken upon themselves, the task of undoing whatever the positive this government has done, if only there is anything positive to write home about, over the last eight years.

Continue reading ‘Sons of Govt Ministers Playing Havoc on Beaches,Aboard Planes,At Nightclubs and Also Hammering Army Personnel’ »

Hafeel Farisz Interviews Defence Secretary

The country’s powerful Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa spoke to the Daily Mirror in one of his most wide ranging interviews in recent times, on a gamut of issues. Rajapaksa explained why he believes that devolution of power is not the solution to the national question. He also expressed his candid views about his percieved relationship with hard-line Sinhala groups,the issues surrounding the arrest of a senior Police officer on charges of murder and about the controversial Matale mass grave among other topics on this exclusive interview.

Excerpts-

Q: You come from a political family. What are your views on the presidencies of J.R. Jayewardene, R.Premadasa and Chandrika BandaranaikeYour impressions of their times in power?

Continue reading ‘“I did not create the Bodu Bala Sena, it was a creation as a reaction to what was happening”-Gotabaya Rajajapaksa’ »

(Text of Editorial appearing in “The Island”of July 4th 2013 under the heading”Fathers, sons and closed doors”)

One of our young cricketers has become internationally known overnight—for the wrong reason though. He tried to open the door of a British airways plane in mid-air while looking for a toilet the other day. Sri Lanka Cricket, which usually has egg on its face by trying to sweep things under the carpet, promptly identified him as Ramith, son of Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

His father who, incidentally, considers it his bounden duty to lay down guidelines on ethical practices among journalists, also had a problem with a closed door of a hotel room down under some time ago. Unable to open a door which got locked, shutting him out on a balcony, he tried to creep into his room through a window and had a nasty fall in the process. Having learnt a bitter lesson, he must have advised his son to be wary of taking chances if a door happened to be closed and to keep tugging at its handle until it opened or help arrived. The boy must have remembered his father’s advice and did as had been told, even at an altitude of 35,000 feet! An epitome of obedience, eh?

Continue reading ‘Rambukwellas and Closed Doors:Father Keheliya in Australian Hotel Room and Son Ramith in British Airways Plane.’ »

by

Namini Wijedasa

The State Resources and Enterprise Development Ministry decided to chop down and sell nearly 70,000 trees on Government-owned plantations, after the Labour Dept said they would sue estate management companies for 16 years worth of unpaid worker dues.

Meanwhile, experts conceded that it has been a longstanding practice to fell mature, cultivated trees in estates for economic purposes. However, they warned, it must be done with caution, and that, a simultaneous replanting campaign is imperative.

This is the first time, such a large quantity of trees would be harvested in one go. The total number of trees to be cut down is 67,132. They are distributed across 36 estates in the Matale, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy districts, and mostly growing among tea bushes.

Continue reading ‘67,132 Trees in 36 Estates to be Sold to Timber Corporation to pay Rs 1.74 Bllion EPF,ETF Due to Workers Since 1997’ »

by

Dinouk Colombage

The controversial retention of public land in the Jaffna Peninsula, on the excuse they come under ‘high security zones (HSZ),’ has left thousands of Jaffna residents homeless and prime agricultural land unused by the civilians.

Hidden from locals, in the Valikamam North HSZ, the military has taken to developing the region for tourism purposes, unfortunately at the expense of hundreds of people, who have lost their homes.

In an area sitting along the Peninsula’s northern beach front, and covering nearly 25 square miles, the Valikamam North HSZ is cordoned off to all locals, who wish to travel to what were originally their own homes.

Continue reading ‘Homes and Lands Taken from Jaffna People for “High Security Zones”Being Used by Military for Tourism Purposes’ »

Sri Lanka saw six cases of religious persecution in the month of June alone, all of which took place in the districts of Hambantota, Batticaloa, Kegalle, and Kalutara.

“After a relative lull during the month of May, incidents of religious persecution once again increased during this month,” according to the June 2013 Incident Report of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL), an umbrella organization of evangelical churches and denominations in the Sinhala-Buddhist majority country.

Continue reading ‘Six Incidents of Religious Persecution in Sri Lanka in June 2013 Where Christian Churches were Under Attack’ »

Vivek Katju

by

Vivek Katju

Amidst the entire range of complexities that mark the situation in Sri Lanka one fact remains incontestable: President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his three brothers — Defence Secretary Gotabhaya, Basil, who controls politics and economic policies, and the soft-spoken Speaker of the Parliament, Chamal — are the arbiters of their country’s destiny. The institutions of democracy as provided for within Sri Lanka’s democratic constitution operate but neither the parliamentary opposition nor voices of dissent within the ruling alliance have the strength to put a brake on the objectives that the Rajapaksa brothers, especially the President, have set for themselves and, by extension, for their country.

Continue reading ‘Entire India Shares the Concern Expressed in Tamil Nadu for the Rights and Welfare of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Community’ »

(Text of Cover Story “The Face of Buddhist Terror”in July 1st 2013 TIME magazine)

by

Hannah Beech

His face as still and serene as a statue’s, the Buddhist monk who has taken the title “the Burmese bin Laden” begins his sermon. Hundreds of worshippers sit before him, palms pressed together, sweat trickling down their sticky backs. On cue, the crowd chants with the man in burgundy robes, the mantras drifting through the sultry air of a temple in Mandalay, Burma’s second biggest city after Rangoon. It seems a peaceful scene, but Wirathu’s message crackles with hate. “Now is not the time for calm,” the monk intones, as he spends 90 minutes describing the many ways in which he detests the minority Muslims in this Buddhist-majority land. “Now is the time to rise up, to make your blood boil.”

Continue reading ‘“Buddhist Blood is Boiling”-Rise of “Buddhist Terror” in Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka’ »

by Rex Clementine

Sri Lankan cricket enthusiasts were in for a rude shock yesterday after it was revealed that the country will not be hosting any ICC events for the next ten years!

The ICC announced yesterday its global events from the period of 2016 to 2023 and while all Full Members of ICC were given some event, the only countries that were not allocated any events were Sri Lanka and Pakistan. While no cricket has been taking place in Pakistan since 2009 due to security concerns, it was surprising to see Sri Lanka being completely left out– not even an under-19 World Cup or a Women’s World Cup.

Continue reading ‘No Hosting of International Cricket Council Events for Sri Lanka for Ten Years’ »

by Gouri Dange

Most of us ‘old song lovers’ are hooked to and entwined with the songs of SD, Naushad, Madanmohan, Ravi, Shankar Jaikishan, Kalyanji Anandji (and yes, even some LP), RD, Hemantda, Salil Chaudhari, Chitragupt, et al. In our unilateral view, any music directors and singers after that era will need to sit around in vats in some basement until they are appropriately aged and their music survives the test of time.

There is one school of old Hindi film song lovers/listeners who defensively and steadfastly refuse to be drawn into any talk about ragas used by music directors. Were you to even tangentially suggest that a particular song is so perfect for the lyrics and the situation in the film because the music director has chosen to cast it in a particular raga, the too-quick response is, “I don’t know about all this ragas-wagas-and-all. I just know it is so melodious.”

Continue reading ‘Appropriate Use of Classical Music Ragas in Old Hindi Film Songs’ »

by

Zacki Jabbar

The on-going campaign to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was led by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday.

Addressing a press conference in Colombo, Samaraweera said that he did not think President Mahinda Rajapaksa wanted to go along with the plan hatched by Gotabhaya and supported by parties such as the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and National Freedom Front (NFF).

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Behind Campaign to Abolish 13th Constitutional Amendment Says Mangala Samaraweera’ »

by

Dilrukshi Handunnetti

Outspoken politician and Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne claims Sri Lanka should learn from her past political mistakes and cautions against drastic decision-making with regard to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. He feels such moves would be to the detriment of the country.

Excerpts:

Q:

You strike an emotional note when speaking of the moves to alter the 13th Amendment? Why?

A: There is reason for me to be so. The sacrifices made and the suffering some of us underwent to promote and maintain the topic of power devolution in the political agenda, makes some of us react to the current debate with strong sentiments. It had not been easy to mainstream the idea and to convince the populace that sharing power is the solution to our problem. People have had to make sacrifices for taking such a stance.

During our Sri Lanka Mahajana Party (SLMP) days, we were vilified as promoters of near separatism. Our claims were based on principles of equity and correcting historical wrongs. We have come this far and a political fringe should not be allowed to dominate the discussion and force us to take backward steps. It will be detrimental to the national interest.

Continue reading ‘Instead of Amending we Should Implement the 13th Amendmet in Full and Build Upon it-Rajitha Senaratne’ »

by

Dinouk Colombage

With the pending announcement of the Northern Provincial Council elections, many people in the Jaffna Peninsula are already preparing for a sweeping victory by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

While the Commissioner of Elections is yet to set a date for the election, many residents of the region are convinced the government will announce an election solely in light of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Continue reading ‘Many People in Jaffna Preparing for Sweeping Victory of the TNA in Northern Provincial Poll’ »

By

Marianne David

The conservation of sea turtles is becoming increasingly important, especially in the backdrop of the numerous threats posed to their survival. Sri Lanka has a major role to play in this regard, being home to five of the seven species of marine turtles in the world. Of these five, two are currently critically endangered.

The sea turtles calling our shores home are the Green Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle, Leatherback Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle and Loggerhead Turtle. The Leatherback Turtle and the Hawksbill Turtle are the two most critically endangered. Species not found in Sri Lanka are the Flatback Turtle and Kemp’s Ridley Turtle.

Continue reading ‘Conservation of Sea Turtles:Five of World’s Seven Marine Turtle Species Call Sri Lankan Shores Home’ »

By

Vishnuguptha

“Winston Smith: Does Big Brother exist?
O’Brien: Of course he exists.
Winston Smith: Does he exist like you or me?
O’Brien: You do not exist. ”
― George Orwell

It’s time that the Government and all other political parties and fringe groups realized that holding the elections for the Northern Province would eventually benefit not only the Province in question, but also the country at large and its people. Those who occupy the threshold don’t seem to have any place other than the threshold; they will keep in between extremes without having any pivotal role to play. Politics does not flow like that, other than in Sri Lanka whose leaders have never failed to sustain their own parochial thinking and take an unsuspecting mass of voters along a very destructive path.

Northern Provincial Council elections could not be held if the Thirteenth Amendment was not there; Provincial Councils are a creation of the Thirteenth Amendment, yet if any adjustments or further amendments- however minute or slight they may be and the purpose of such amendments is to dilute the powers already devolved to the Provinces- are effected, then we are killing the spirit of the 13 A. Outside of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, all other provinces acquired their current Council status mainly and solely owing to the enactment of the Thirteenth Amendment. The decentralized administration, manor-like official residences, fat allowances and salaries, attendant perks and all other fringe benefits that flow into the pockets of politicians, officials and their main and minor staff did materialize because there is a provincial or regional administrative mechanism in play with extensive powers to implement the policies and principles of that administration. The very spirit of that devolution is embedded in the devolution of political power which overrides all other powers, be it administrative, financial, cultural or economic.

Continue reading ‘Holding Northern Province Elections Without Amending 13 A will Benefit the Country at large and its People’ »

by Brendan Brady

As mobs wielding torches and machetes rampaged through his neighborhood, Abdul had a strangely candid encounter with one assailant. Recognizing the man as his long-time neighbor—the same man who had once showed great affection towards Abdul’s children—Abdul yelled to his would-be executioner: “‘Why are you doing this?’ He told me, ‘Sorry, I’m fighting for my people.’” Abdul, whose full name is withheld to protect his identity, is a Muslim from the Rohingya ethnic group and his attacker, a Buddhist. Abdul kept him and other members of the mob at bay by throwing his valuables out of his window onto the street. As they were distracted collecting the cash and jewelry, another group of Buddhists from his street approached his house from the rear. They, too, were armed but they had come to escort Abdul and his family out of the besieged neighborhood. “They saved our lives.”

The conflict in western Burma’s Rakhine State erupted last June, when reports spread that a Buddhist woman was raped and murdered by three Rohingya men. Shortly after, a mob of Buddhists exacted retribution by pulling over a bus carrying Muslims and beating 10 passengers to death. The incidents ignited sectarian violence throughout the state. Nearly 200 were killed and many more injured, and some 10,000 homes were destroyed. The vast majority of the estimated 140,000 displaced were Rohingyas, and a year after their violent upheaval they continue to languish in squalid temporary encampments.

Continue reading ‘Burma’s Rohingya Muslims Viciously Targeted by Rakhine State Buddhist Mobs’ »

By

Tisaranee Gunasekara

“If a people is to pass away,
Then will the furies will just send a man
Who, spreading deceit all over, will indoctrinate
The healthy people in crime…”
Friedrich Hölderlin (The Death of Empedokles)

Chathurika de Silva, the courageous magistrate who placed the rule of law above the law of the rulers, was abruptly transferred out of Matale.

And with that sudden (though hardly unexpected ) transfer, the hope of a free and fair inquiry into the Matale mass-grave evaporated.

Magistrate de Silva’s transfer was preceded by the equally sudden (and not-unexpected) transfer of Dr. Ajith Jayasena, the JMO in charge of the case, from Matale to Kurunegala.

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksas Planning to Hoodwink India by Getting Courts to Postpone Northern Provincial Elections’ »

By
Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne

Those parties, who made use of the Provincial Council system for 25 years, are now up in arms at the thought of Tamils in the Northern Province having an elected council of their own, for the first time since Vartharajah was deposed by the President Premadasa.

These parties used these councils to do services to their followers and to build up their leaders. Some of these may not exist today if not for the devolution of power.

PC system helped them to enjoy power in the respective areas but they want to deprive the NPC of rights, the other PCs enjoyed for a quarter century.

Obviously they do not want Tamils and Muslims to share power and they believe only Sinhala nationality has the right of autonomy or self rule. In effect they assume other communities should be under the power of Sinhala.

Continue reading ‘Sinhala Nationalism and Chauvinist Campaigns Could Make Theravada Buddhism Extinct in Sri Lanka’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

Last Wednesday, police officials paid a visit to the beef stall at the Bambalapitiya Market on Galle Road. They had a polite warning for the beef vendors at the market. The Sinhala Ravaya and Ravana Balaya march would pass through the Galle Road in Colombo early next week, they said, and the best way to avoid unruly incidents was for the beef stalls to shut their doors on that day.

The warning came one day after participants in the Sinhala Ravaya foot marched from Kataragama to Temple Trees in Colombo, passing through Tangalle and setting Muslim owned beef stalls ablaze in full view of the police. The saffron army has passed through town after town along the Southern coast, issuing dire warnings of their arrival in the area 24 hours ahead and challenging meat vendors to remain open when the ‘river of people’ pass through their towns.

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa Promises Sinhala Ravaya That New Legislation to Ban Killing of Cows Will be Introduced in Two Months’ »

By Eran Wickremaratne M.P.

Freedom of expression and the freedom to information are universally accepted values. The individual’s right to freedom of expression has had to be defended from time immemorial whether the threat was from the king or the ruling coterie in a republic. That struggle continues today.

The media provides both information and expression of opinions for public consumption. The Judiciary and the media are the two keystones of our democracy. The subjugation of the Judiciary to the Executive as in the recent irregular and immoral impeachment of the Chief Justice is a part of our recent dark history.

Continue reading ‘Imposition of Code of Ethics for Media is in Some Respects Worse than Press Censorship.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

It is quickly beginning to look as if the Government may have bitten off a little more than it can chew with regard to revising the 13th Amendment to the Constitution ahead of the Northern provincial council election. All signs show that the Rajapaksa administration is being pushed into a corner with regard to the absolute necessity to hold the poll in the North by its self-imposed September deadline.

For it is important to remember that while the international community, including New Delhi and Sri Lanka’s firm friend Tokyo, are holding Colombo to the September election promise, the very first commitment in this regard came from President Rajapaksa himself in repeated media interviews and promises to foreign visitors.

Continue reading ‘Unprecedented Resistance in Cabinet of Ministers Against President’s Move to Dilute 13th Amendment’ »

By

Marianne David

INTRODUCTION

A trade union for journalists in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Journalists’ Trade Union (SLJTU), was launched in Colombo on Tuesday.

According to SLJTU President Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema, the union, which is registered with the Labour Department, was formed with the intention of addressing issues faced by Sri Lankan journalists when engaging in their profession.

Following are excerpts of an interview with Abeywickrema:The Interview was obtained exclusively for this blog

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s First Trade Union for Journalists Pledges to Mobilise Media and Address key Issues’ »

By

Lakna Paranamanna

Starting his political career as a member of the Leftist movement, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Rajitha Senaratne has always cut a rebellious figure in Sri Lanka’s political arena. Despite being a Cabinet minister, his position against the move by the Government to revise the 13th Amendment to the Constitution has caused ripples within the ruling coalition and the political arena. In a candid conversation with the Daily Mirror, Minister Senaratne reinforced his commitment to the 13A and did not mince his words about the hardliners who campaign for its repeal. Following are some excerpts from the interview with him.

Continue reading ‘“Silent Majority of Sri Lankans are for Devolution of Power” –An Interview with Dr.Rajitha Senaratne’ »

By

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

Brazen attempts are being made by vested interests to distort the truth about the incident where a Lady teacher was forced to kneel down in public by a United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA)Provincial councillor from the North western province.

Although President Mahinda Rajapaksa personally telephoned the lady teacher and promised that justice would be done it is reliably learnt that a systematic campaign is underway to intimidate potential witnesses into denying or distorting the truth about the incident that has been widely condemned.

According to informed sources a powerful group of politicians close to the Provincial councillor concerned is engaged in this campaign with the aid of some senior Education Department officials in the Puttalam region. It is also alleged that Wayamba Province Governor Tissa Balalle is somewhat partial towards the Provincial councillor in this matter.

Continue reading ‘Eye Witnesses in Police Complaint About Case Where Provincial Councillor Forced Lady Teacher to Kneel Being Intmidated to Deny they Saw it’ »

by

Col R Hariharan

Indian Ministry of External Affairs took the unusual step of issuing a strong press statement cautioning Sri Lanka not to dilute the 13th Amendment (13A) at the end of a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation’s meetings with Indian leadership including the Prime Minister on June 19, 2013. It was in response in to Colombo’s hectic moves to dismantle the constitutional provision of 13A that confers a level of autonomy to Tamil minority. If 13A is abolished it would not only be negation of the promises President Rajapaksa made to the nation and India but it would set the clock back on the national reconciliation process that is stalled at the start line since 2009.

The much maligned 13A reached its episodic climax during May-June as the September 2013 Northern Provincial Council (NPC) elections neared. There was a flurry of activities in Colombo as the President was averse to allow the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) – erstwhile political ally of the LTTE- to capture power in the NPC. There was a bit of confusion as the President was making up his mind on how to go about doing this. This resulted in the administration and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the all powerful Defence Secretary sending confusing signals on future course of action. Lalith Weeratunge, President’s Secretary, added his penny’s worth in twitter justifying the dilution of powers of the “while elephant” provincial councils had not served any purpose, a discovery that came 23 years too late.

Continue reading ‘Nine Lives of Sri Lanka’s Thirteenth Constituional Amendment’ »

by Lauren Padgett (Editor)

In 25 years of investigative journalism in Sri Lanka, Frederica Jansz has seen it all, and was forced to leave it all behind.

She has a price on her head and can never return to her native country, after standing up to an oppressive government through journalistic expression.

Jansz’ journey to Washington as a political refugee is complicated and painful, but with two sons happily enrolled in local schools—one at Pierce College and the other at Sunrise Elementary—she hopes to begin a new life here as an American single mom.

Continue reading ‘Courageous”Sunday Leader”Editor Frederica Jansz Battles to Begin a New Life as a Political Refugee in the USA’ »

By

Megara Tegal

The Niqab – a veil worn by conservative Muslim women – has been a frequent target of criticism by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) when condemning the Muslim community. During a BBS convention in Baddulla last week (15 June), the controversial General Secretary of the BBS, Ven. Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero; who was indicted on 11 charges of carrying out an attack on the Calvary Church in Araliya Place, Thalahena, yet again called for the ban of the Niqab speaking on behalf of local banks.

Ven. Gnanasara Thero announced that several local banks had contacted him and repined that conducting business with veiled clients is problematic and is of great inconvenience to the banks. “When women wearing a Niqab or Burka go to a bank to do a transaction and when they are asked to show their Identity Cards (ID) the bank officer is unable to verify the identity as the woman’s face is covered” declared Gnanasara Thero. “When the woman is asked to show the face she refuses. So how do we know if it is a man or woman under the dress?”

Continue reading ‘Gnanasara Thero Says Local Banks are Complaining to Bodu Bala Sena About Muslim Women Wearing the “Niqab”Veil’ »

By

Kath Noble

Mahinda Rajapaksa has had another bright idea. A few weeks ago, he got one of his hangers-on in the ‘public service’ to float a draft code of ethics for journalists, which he no doubt expected to prove useful in strengthening formal mechanisms of control of the Fourth Estate. Unfortunately for him, the document was so flawed that even his hangers-on in the media could find nothing positive to say about it. Indeed, the condemnation that it elicited was virtually universal, forcing the President to step in and promise that such efforts would be left to journalists themselves.

That initiative forestalled, Mahinda Rajapaksa is now busying himself with an alternative – the dissemination of ideas for self-censorship.

At last week’s regular meeting with newspaper editors, he made a particularly curious suggestion. He requested them not to cover the anti-Muslim activities of extremist organisations, saying, ‘If they don’t get publicity, they will just fade away.’

One cannot help but wonder if he is aware of the context in which such arguments are usually made.

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa with his “Bright Ideas”Should not Get Involved in Formulating Guidelines for the Media’ »

by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha M.P.

(Text of a Lecture given to the Masters Course at the Kotelawala Defence University)

Ethnicity and Religion are perhaps the most obvious elements through which people distinguish themselves from each other. They are not the only ones, and sometimes elements such as caste and class become even more important in the emergence of reasons to limit association with others.

Fortunately we in Sri Lanka do not have too much experience of this, though we should constantly be aware that the phenomenon exists, and needs to be guarded against. What we do have, which keeps people apart even where there is the utmost goodwill, is barriers created by language. Sri Lanka is perhaps the only country in the world where those who have school leaving qualifications are not required to know a second language. The result is that many of our people are trapped in a monolingualism that stops them communicating, and hence associating, with others.

Continue reading ‘Need to Build up a National Identity to Stop Ethnicity and Religion Exercising their Destructive Ideological and Political influences’ »

by

Nirgunan Tiruchelvam

Puppetry is dying in Sri Lanka due to the rise of television. But, the cricket team may help revive it.

The 26 year-old Angelo Mathews is a captain only in name. The team is controlled by the old firm of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, who are aged 36 and 35.

The two veterans whisper field placements to their prodigy. The fielders look to the old guard for guidance not to the official captain. Master strokes such as sending Kulasekera as a pinch hitter against England are not Mathews’ ideas.

To add to the comedy, the 23 year-old vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal can’t command a place in the side. Mathews barely looks at him, let alone consult him. Chandimal was banished to the outfield, while Mathews sought wisdom from the old men.

Continue reading ‘Angelo Mathews is “Puppet Captain”With team Being Controlled by Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara’ »

By
M.A.Sumanthiran M.P.

The Government of Sri Lanka recently revealed its agenda to further restrict minority freedoms and autonomy in the country. It seeks to:

(1) repeal constitutional provisions granting people the freedom to determine administrative boundaries

(2) amend the Constitution, so as to permit the Central government to freely and arbitrarily legislate on provincial matters — even without the consent of the people of a particular province and

(3) remove altogether provincial powers over land and police. These constitutional features were first introduced through the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, constituent to the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987. Hence, the government’s agenda is in fact to dilute the Thirteenth Amendment.
Continue reading ‘New Delhi Must Act Decisively to Prevent Attempts by the Sri Lankan Govt to Dilute the 13th Amendment’ »

By

Nirmala Kannangara

Following revelations on how former DIG Vass Gunawardena extorted money from the Parliamentary Affairs Secretary to Minister Mervyn Silva to avoid taking action against him for the possession of heroin and firearms; concrete evidence has now emerged as to how Minister Silva is having close associations with underworld thugs.

Sarath Edirisinghe alias Singappuru Sarath was the then Parliamentary Affairs Secretary to Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva. He was allegedly connected to many murders, extortions, prostitution and drug peddling with the assistance of the Minister. Although Singappuru Sarath was remanded for an alleged murder, he was later taken as a state witness and was granted bail within a few weeks all because of Mervyn Silva’s connections.

The investigations further revealed that Vass Gunawardena had told Singappuru Sarath that his (Singappuru Sarath’s) name was on the top of the list of drug traffickers to be killed.

Continue reading ‘Mervyn Silva Connection with Underworld Criminals Exposed During Investigation of DIG Vass Gunawardena’ »

by

Lorraine King

A Brent MP is calling for the government to drop plans to charge some visitors to the UK £3,000 for a visa.

Sarah Teather, Liberal Democrat MP for Brent Central, has slammed the proposals by the Home Office as unworkable and discriminatory.

From November, visitors from six ‘high risk’ countries will have to pay the bond before they are allowed to enter the UK.

The pilot scheme, which aims to clampdown on immigration abuse, will affect anyone coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, India and Ghana.

Continue reading ‘Visitors From Six “High Risk Countries”Including Sri Lanka Will Have to Pay 3000 Pounds or SL Rupees Six Lakhs for British Visa’ »

by

Johan Galtung

The atrocious Second World War left behind lasting damage by lowering our standards for what is marginally acceptable. War is bad; but if it is not nuclear, the limit has not yet been reached. Fascism is bad; but if it does not come with dictatorship and the elimination of a category of people, the limit has not yet been reached. Hiroshima, Hitler, Auschwitz are deeply rooted in our minds, distorting them.

Hiroshima makes us disregard the state terrorism against German and Japanese cities, killing citizens of any age and gender. And Hitler and Auschwitz make us disregard fascism as the pursuit of political goals by means of violence and the threats of violence. It takes two to make a war, by whatever means. But it takes only one to make fascism, against one’s own people, and-or against others.

What is the essence of fascism? A definition has been given: coupling the pursuit of political goals and of massive violence. We have democracy exactly to prevent that, a political game for the pursuit of political goals by nonviolent means, and more particularly by getting the majority, as demonstrated by free and fair elections or referenda, on one’s side. A wonderful innovation with a logical follow-up: the use of nonviolence when the majority also oversteps lines or limits, for instance as written into the codes of human rights.

Continue reading ‘It Takes Two to Make a War But Only One to Make Fascism Against One’s Own People and/or Against Others’ »

By

John Pilger

In his book, ‘Propaganda’, published in 1928, Edward Bernays wrote: “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.”

The American nephew of Sigmund Freud, Bernays invented the term “public relations” as a euphemism for state propaganda. He warned that an enduring threat to the invisible government was the truth-teller and an enlightened public.

In 1971, whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg leaked US government files known as The Pentagon Papers, revealing that the invasion of Vietnam was based on systematic lying. Four years later, Frank Church conducted sensational hearings in the US Senate: one of the last flickers of American democracy. These laid bare the full extent of the invisible government: the domestic spying and subversion and warmongering by intelligence and “security” agencies and the backing they received from big business and the media, both conservative and liberal.

Continue reading ‘Washington Using Facebook,Google,Apple etc to Spy on Almost Everyone is a Modern Form of Fascism’ »

by Gary Younge

When Darrell Anderson, 22, joined the US military he knew there was going to be a war, and he wanted to fight it. “I thought I was going to free Iraqi people,” he told me. “I thought I was going to do a good thing.”

Until, that is, he realised precisely what he had to do. While on patrol in Baghdad, he thought: “What are we doing here? Are we looking for weapons of mass destruction? No. Are we helping the people? No, they hate us. What are we working towards, apart from just staying alive? If this was my neighbourhood and foreign soldiers were doing this then what would I be doing?” Within a few months, he says, “I was cocking my weapon at innocent civilians without any sympathy or humanity”. While home on leave he realised he was not going to be able to lead a normal life if he went back. His mum drove him to Canada, where I met him in 2006 at a picnic for war resisters in Fort Erie.

Anderson’s trajectory, from uncritical patriotism to conscious disaffection and finally to conscientious dissent, is a familiar one among a generation of Americans who came of political age after 9/11. Over time, efforts to balance the myth of American freedom on which they were raised, with the reality of American power that they have been called on to monitor or operate, causes a profound dislocation in their world view. Like a meat eater in an abattoir, they are forced to confront the brutality of the world they are implicated in and recoil at their role in it – occasionally in dramatic fashion.

Continue reading ‘New Generation of US Patriots Concerned Over Violation of Civil Liberties in the name of Security’ »

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

Two weeks back, during a Cabinet meeting, as some of his Cabinet Ministers exchanged verbal barbs over the proposed changes to the 13th Amendment, President Rajapaksa, who had been quietly listening to the heated exchange of words, broke the silence to remind them that he knows how to obtain the required two-thirds majority, in order to pass the proposed amendments, if he wishes to do so.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa met Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang on May 28, 2013 at the Great Hall of the People.

He was not bragging and if recent history is any guide, he had been masterful in that particular manoeuvre. However, after much foreplay, his government, which initially planned to pass the proposed amendments as an ‘urgent Bill’ – notwithstanding that its urgency itself is a matter of wild imagination – suddenly went on the back foot.
Continue reading ‘Fanciful Idea of using China against India Prompts key Protagonists of Colombo Regime to Ignore New Delhi’s Concerns’ »

Rex Clementine Reporting from Cardiff

Lapses in British intelligence and the security services were severely exposed after six supporters of the LTTE invaded the pitch during the Sri Lanka–India clash at the ICC Champions Trophy tournament.

During the second semi-final of the tournament on Thursday, two LTTE supporters invaded the pitch, carrying the LTTE flag in the penultimate over of the Sri Lankan innings.

Proving that there were serious lapses in security, five other supporters also carrying the LTTE flag marched onto the pitch during the Indian innings, and it took security officials more than a minute to bring the situation under control, as two of the supporters ran around mid-pitch.

Continue reading ‘Four Attacks Against Sri Lankan Cricket Fans at Cardiff by Youths Carrying Tiger Flags’ »

By

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

The secret behind the good health of Minister of Public Relations and Public Affairs Mervyn Silva is due to his emulating former Indian Prime minister Morarji Desai who lived up tp a hundred years

It is now known that the controversial politician elected as MP from Gampaha district drinks his own urine every day just as Morarji Desai did.
Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva Drinks His Own Urine Daily Like Ex-Indian PM Morarji Desai’ »

by

Tisaranee Gunasekara

89th Birth Anniversary of President Ranasinghe Premadasa

“…the social state is advantageous to men when all have something and no one has too much”
Rousseau (Social Contract).

Values are not constants. Different historical-times have different political, developmental and socio-cultural values. For centuries, beheading a murderer was an accepted practice across civilisational-divides. So was child labour. In those Western nations caught in the ferment of the first Industrial Revolution, children as young as six-years worked for 18-20 hours in mills and mines. Politicians and prelates, kings and society ladies accepted this brutal exploitation as a necessary condition for the wealth of nations.

The initial demands for marginal improvements in the harsh labouring-conditions of these ‘new slaves’ were decried as inimical to national wellbeing: “It was asserted….that the restriction of the labour of young persons and children would be ruinous to industry and that foreign countries in which enterprising employers were not hindered by factory laws would secure trade which would be lost to Great Britain”. The US Supreme Court declared any attempt to provide some safety to America’s labouring children as unconstitutional, in the first quarter of the 20th Century.

Continue reading ‘Dominant Caste Sinhalese and Tamils Had Common Visceral Antipathy Towards President Premadasa as he was of a Subaltern Caste’ »

By MERVYN DE SILVA – 14TH Death Anniversary June 23rd

Mervyn de Silva

(Abridged text of lecture delivered at the Marga Institute in 1985, two years before the airdrop, the Indo-Lanka Accord, the IPKF and the 13th Amendment. Full text in ‘Crisis Commentaries: Selected Political Writings of Mervyn de Silva’, ed. E Vijayalakshmi, ICES Colombo 2001, pp68-78)

This evening’s topic is in fact an invitation to discuss the foreign policy issues involved in what is popularly called our ethnic problem but now, more properly termed, I think, our national crisis. The shocking events of July 1983 suddenly and rudely awakened the Sri Lankan intelligentsia to the realities of our immediate environment and the world outside. In short, we were, psychologically speaking, taken by the scruff of our necks and forced to face up to and come to terms with a host of harsh realities that constitute the pith and substance of foreign policy. Therefore, they present themselves as constant challenges to our diplomacy, in varying degrees of importance and urgency.

Continue reading ‘The Price of Folly: External Aspects of The Ethnic Issue’ »

OFTEN, when Sri Lanka’s ethnic-Sinhalese-dominated government appears to be offering a hand in friendship to the Tamil minority, it turns out to be a slap in the face. For example, in 2010 it appointed a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission to investigate the final phase of the 26-year civil war.

But many Tamils saw it as a whitewash, because it absolved the Sri Lankan army of charges that it had deliberately attacked civilians during the war’s apocalyptic final battles in 2009, and many of its confidence-building recommendations have not been implemented. Or take the election scheduled for this September in the north of the country when (mostly Tamil) voters are for the first time to elect a provincial council. The government is now moving to neuter the council, depriving the region of much of the autonomy it had been promised.
Continue reading ‘The winners in Sri Lanka’s civil war continue to make life hard for the losers-Economist’ »

Rex Clementine reporting from Cardiff

The Sri Lankan cricket team has been the most consistent team in ICC events during the last six years. Since 2007, there have been eight ICC events and Sri Lanka has reached the finals in four of them, while there have been two semi-final appearances.

The only instances when they did not reach the last four was at the 2007 World T-20 in South Africa and the 2009 Champions Trophy, also in South Africa.

One major drawback for the Sri Lankans though has been their inability to win finals.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Consistently Enters Semi-finals and Finals in Cricket but Constantly Fails to Win’ »

THE INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT AGAINST ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND RACISM (IMADR) Japan has condemned roundly the harassment of a Sri Lankan Human Rights Defender Dr. Nimalka Fernando by Sri Lankan Embassy staff in Tokyo. Fernando was heckled and interrupted during a seminar lecture delivered by her . Embassy staff also followed her and tried to intimidate and threaten her not only during her speech but afterwards when she was leaving the venue.

The text of the Press release issued by IMADR is as follows –

TOKYO, 13 JUNE 2013 – IMADR strongly condemns any kinds and acts of reprisal and harassment against Human Rights Defenders and expresses its grave concern and protest against the action and behavior of Sri Lankan Embassy representatives for Japan at a public event in Tokyo hurling abusive words at a prominent Sri Lankan Human Rights Defender.

In the evening of 12th June, 2013, the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) organized a public seminar on human rights and development challenges in Sri Lanka at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. The main part of the event was the lecture by Dr. Nimalka FERNANDO, a Human Rights Defender (HRD) from Sri Lanka and the president of IMADR. Along with Japanese participants, the event was also attended by several Sri Lankan persons, who were led by two representatives from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Japan.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Embassy Staff in Tokyo Harass Human Rights Defender Nimalka Fernando During Seminar in Japan’ »

by Col.R Hariharan

[Full text of a presentation on “Managing India- China convergences and contradictions” made by Col. R.Hariharan at the China-South Asia Think Tank Forum meet held on June 6 and 7, 2013 at Kunming.]

Introduction

The 21st century is going to be the Asian century, if we go by the continued growth of Asian economy despite global economic downturn. Three Asian power centres – China, Japan, and India – are increasingly influencing global power equation well beyond Asia. As strategic analyst Brahma Challaney puts it “Never before have China, Japan, and India have all been strong at the same time.”

Historically, the three Asian powers have had social and cultural linkages that influenced religious perceptions and life style of Asia as a whole. However, the aftermath of the World War II not only changed Asia’s territorial contours but also introduced political and structural changes. After the end of Cold War and the emergence of a liberalized world economic order, China has developed into a global economic power, overtaking Japan in the process. China now aspires to overtake the U.S., which continues to remain the most powerful nation in the world.

India having grown into a regional economic power has more modest ambitions to expand its linkages with the east and protect its global strategic, economic and political interests. In Japan strong nationalist sentiments are striving to cut loose its umbilical relationship with the U.S in a bid to reassert its global power.

Continue reading ‘India and China have no choice but to build a meaningful relationship with each other, avoiding military confrontation.’ »

By

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

A protest march conducted by the Extremist Sinhala Ravaya (sound or roar of Sinhala)organization against cattle slaughter has now turned ugly with a Muslim owned beef stall being set ablaze enroute in the Southern Province coastal town of Tangalle in full view of the Police.

The incident has sent alarm bells ringing among Muslims engaged in the meat trade running beef stalls along the coastal areas of the Southern and Western Provinces as the protest march route is from Kataragama to Colombo.
Continue reading ‘Muslim Owned Beef Stall in Tangalle Set Ablaze by Sinhala Ravaya Extremists Marching Against Cattle Slaughter’ »

By

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

Another incident of anti-Muslim violence has occurred in the Southern province of Sri Lanka during the course of the protest march being conducted by the Sinhala Ravaya from Kataragama/Kathirkaamam to Colombo.

Preliminary reports indicate that a Muslim photographer authorised by the Police to record the Sinhala March had been assaulted with the Police doing nothing to stop it.

Continue reading ‘Muslim Photographer Attacked by Marching Sinhala Ravaya Protesters at Gandara in Matara District’ »

Bob Rae, the Liberal MP and former interim leader of the party, will resign his Toronto Centre seat.

An emotional Rae, 64, told his Liberal colleagues of his decision at Wednesday’s party caucus meeting. He had previously announced he was taking on a job as chief negotiator for several First Nations groups in northern Ontario who are negotiating with the provincial government over the Ring of Fire mining development.

Bob Rae spoke at the Donald Gow Memorial Lecture at Queens University in April 2013 about “Why Canada’s First Nations People Can’t Wait.”

Rae told reporters his work as a negotiator required too much of his time and made it impossible for him to continue as a member of Parliament.

Continue reading ‘Bob Rae Will Resign as Toronto Centre Liberal MP to be Chief Negotiator for First Nations Groups in Northern Ontario’ »

(New York, June 19, 2013) – A new media code proposed by the Sri Lankan government contains overbroad and vague language that could have a severe and chilling effect on free speech, Human Rights Watch said today. On June 17, 2013, the Ministry of Mass Media and Information officially proposed a Code of Media Ethics that would apply to print and electronic media, including the Internet.

The proposed code comes at a time when the government has taken various measures to clamp down on Sri Lanka’s once vibrant media, including forcing some electronic media critical of the government to close down.

Continue reading ‘New Media Code Proposed by Sri Lankan Govt Could Further Restrict Already Embattled Press says Human Rights Watch’ »

By

D.B.S.JEYARAJ

President Rajapaksa’s proposed move to bring about urgent legislation to amend the Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment and circumscribe devolution suffered a major setback as the Government’s chief Muslim constituent party has resolved to oppose such arbitrary and ad hoc attempts to make Constitutional changes.

pic: slmc.lk

The Parliamentary Group of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress(SLMC) met at the Colombo residence of party leader and Justice minister Rauff Hakeem on Monday June 10th 2013 and unanimously resolved to express opposition to moves by the Rajapaksa regime to bring about changes to the Constitution curtailing further the powers of devolution allocated to the Country’s Provincial councils under the thirteenth Constitutional amendment.

All eight Muslim congress Parliamentarians participated at the meeting that lasted for more than two hours.
The participants were Justice minister and Kandy district MP Rauff Hakeem,Productivity promotion minister Basheer Segu Dawood, Trincomalee dist MP MS Thowfeek,Amparai dist MP’s HMM Harees and Faizal Cassim,Wanni dist MP MB Farook and National list MP’s MT Hasen Ali and Mohamed Aslam.Hasen Ali is the secretary general of the party while Segu Dawood is the chairman. Hakeem is party leader.

Continue reading ‘Muslim Congress Parliamentary Group Unanimously Resolves to Oppose Govt Moves to Amend 13th Constitutional Amendment’ »

The Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka (CBCSL) has called upon the government not to amend the 13th Amendment to the Constitution or repeal it but to discuss it with all parties to bring about a totally new Constitution.

A statement issued to media yesterday signed by President of the CBCSL, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and Secretary General of the CBCSL, Bishop Valence Mendis, says: “What is needed is the proper study and careful consideration of all factors along with a broad-based consultation of the different political parties and civil society groups before any changes are to be made.”

The full text of the statement is as follows:

Continue reading ‘Catholic Bishops Conference Want Govt to Bring New Constitution Instead of Amending or Repealing the 13th Constitutional Amendment’ »

(Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and leader of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham ,Muttuvel Karunanidhi has written a letter to Indian Prime minister Manmohan Singh urging him to prevent the repeal of the India-Sri Lanka agreement of 1987 signed by Rajiv Gandhi and JR Jayewardena and requesting him to ensure the speedy implementation of the pact.The full text of the letter is reproduced below)

Dear Prime Minister,

I wish to bring to your kind notice the attempts of the Sinhala Extremist Groups led by Jathika Hela Urumaya to get the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of SriLanka repealed and consequently the 1987 Rajiv – Jayawardane Accord abrogated.

This is reminiscent of the historical tendency of the Sinhalese to disown agreements and pacts made to pave way for the Sinhala- Tamil amity. From Mahendra Pact of 1925 to the agreement on a Cease-fire in 2002, nearly 14 Agreements and Pacts entered into so far have been flouted.

Continue reading ‘DMK Chief Karunanidhi Writes to Manmohan Singh Urging PM to Prevent Repeal of Indo-Lanka Pact Signed by Rajiv and JR’ »

New York) – Sri Lankan authorities should challenge a parliamentarian’s claim as to the whereabouts of a political cartoonist who was forcibly disappeared in 2010 and provide information on his fate. Sri Lankan lawmaker Arundika Fernando told Sri Lanka’s Parliament on June 5, 2013, that Prageeth Ekneligoda, a cartoonist and government critic who has not been seen since leaving work on January 24, 2010, is currently living in hiding in France.

“Solving the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda and that of thousands of other Sri Lankans over past decades should be a top priority of the Sri Lankan government and its investigative agencies,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “After years of no progress in Ekneligoda’s case, any clues about his fate should prompt an intensive investigation, not shrugs by senior government officials.”

Continue reading ‘Arundika Fernando Statement in Parliament About Disappeared Cartoonist Prageeth Ekneligoda Must be Challenged -Human Rights Watch’ »

Glenn Greenwald, Ewen MacAskill and Laura Poitras in Hong Kong

The individual responsible for one of the most significant leaks in US political history is Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA and current employee of the defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. Snowden has been working at the National Security Agency for the last four years as an employee of various outside contractors, including Booz Allen and Dell.

The Guardian, after several days of interviews, is revealing his identity at his request. From the moment he decided to disclose numerous top-secret documents to the public, he was determined not to opt for the protection of anonymity. “I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong,” he said.

Snowden will go down in history as one of America’s most consequential whistleblowers, alongside Daniel Ellsberg and Bradley Manning. He is responsible for handing over material from one of the world’s most secretive organisations – the NSA.

Continue reading ‘Edward Snowden:The 29 Year old Whistleblower Behind US National Security Surveillance Leaks’ »

By Elias Groll

The war over how to spin revelations of the National Security Agency’s latest spying program has officially begun.

On the heels of media reports that the NSA has gained access to the servers of nine leading tech companies — enabling the spy agency to examine emails, video, photographs, and other digital communications — Google has issued a strongly worded statement denying that the company granted the government “direct access” to its servers. That statement goes so far as to say that the company hasn’t even heard of “a program called PRISM until yesterday.”

At first glance, Google’s statement is difficult to believe. Senior intelligence officials have confirmed the program’s existence, and Google’s logo is prominently listed on internal NSA documents describing participating companies. But Google may be engaging in a far more subtle public relations strategy than outright denial.

Continue reading ‘US National Security Agency Begins Spying Program to Examine Emails, Videos, Photographs and Other Digital Communications’ »

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

The Media Ministry’s proposed Code of Ethics is the Rajapaksa administration’s equivalent to ‘newspeak.’ In the first place, a ‘code of ethics’ drafted unilaterally, and even clandestinely, by the spin doctors of the government, is not worth its salt.

That is not how democracies work. Perhaps the best equivalent to this so-called Code of Ethics would be the fictitious, totalitarian language of George Orwell’s dystopian novel, ‘1984.’ Their real world equivalents were much scarier.

Continue reading ‘Proposed Code of Ethics by Rajapaksa Administration is Equivalent to “Newspeak” in George Orwell’s Novel “1984”’ »

By

Tisaranee Gunasekara

“Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government” (US Supreme Court on Pentagon Papers)

If the Rajapaksas succeed in turning their ‘media ethics proposal’ into law,Sri Lanka will have her very own Minitrue (Ministry of Truth). And the role of Lankan media will be redefined, from ‘watchdogs of democracy’ to ‘lapdogs of the Rajapaksas’.

Parishioners gather at St. Francis Xavier’s Catholic Church – Angulana after it was attacked on June 6, 2013-pic via: queenofangels.lk

In the consequent Orwellian reality, it will be permissible for Mervyn Silva to tie a public official to a tree and Rohitha Rajapaksa to hammer a referee, both in full public view. But it will be impermissible for the media to report/comment on these (and other innumerable crimes and transgressions by power-wielders and their kith and kin) because that would “offend against expectations of the public, morality of the country or tend to lower the standards of public taste and morality”[i].
Continue reading ‘New “Media Ethics Proposal” Will Turn Sri Lankan Media From Watchdogs of Democracy to Lapdogs of the Rajapaksas’ »

By

Jonathan Marks

(Jonathan Marks is a molecular anthropologist who teaches at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He is author of Human Biodiversity and What It Means to Be 98% Chimpanzee)

Introduction

Anthropologists have been studying race for over 200 years now, and contrary to what seems to be conventional wisdom (at least as articulated in Leroi’s New York Times essay), they have learned quite a bit about it.

Perhaps the most significant discovery is that human groups, however constituted, are fluid, bio-cultural units. They run a broad gamut from more-or-less biological to more-or-less cultural, both in the criteria used to define the groups and in the context or circumstances that make such groups interesting or relevant to define. Thus, a category such as “achondroplastic dwarves” or “albinos” is unified by the possession of a few key phenotypes and genetic features in spite of the overall biological and cultural heterogeneity of its members. A category such as “blondes” or “Italians” is likewise constructed around some aspects of phenotype, genes, geography, or nationality. However, one can become a blonde or an Italian, while one cannot become an achondroplast or an albino.
Continue reading ‘Race as Concept and Category: Reality and Realisation’ »

By

Tisaranee Gunasekara

“Nemesis, the goddess of measure and not of revenge, keeps watch. All those who overstep the limits are pitilessly punished by her”.

Albert Camus (Helen’s Exile)

One of the most incisive analyses about Rajapaksa modus operandi was made not by a Sri Lankan but by an American Ambassador Robert Blake. Mr. Blake’s observations about how the Siblings operate have a particular resonance as the Rajapaksas plan to neutralise the last remaining structural obstacle to their power-grab: the 13th Amendment.

“The President is often reluctant to make decisions and will stall for time, particularly on important issues. Sometimes he avoids decision making altogether by delegating many responsibilities to Gothabaya or Basil, allowing him to avoid blame for unpopular decisions…. the President’s brothers play an important and influential role in shaping GSL security and political policy.

Moreover, one of their biggest roles is to provide political cover to the President. The President often has Gothabaya and Basil take credit for decisions so he can appear less involved in actions that earn the GSL criticism at home and abroad”.

Continue reading ‘Disembowelling the 13th Amendment Will Transform Veluppillai Pirapaharan from Failed Leader into Misunderstood Prophet.’ »

(Text of Statement Issued by the Centre for Policy Alternatives on Proposed Constitutional Amendments)

5th June 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply perturbed by recent media reports that the government is planning on amending several provisions of the Thirteenth Amendment to the constitution.

Over the past several weeks there were contradictory statements made by senior MPs of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) as to whether discussions are under way to amend the constitution. However, all such reports were denied by the (acting) cabinet spokesperson who at the weekly cabinet news briefing whilst purporting to represent the official position of the government stated that;

“The President expressly said a Parliamentary Select Committee consisting of all the political parties can discuss if there will be any changes to the present Constitution, especially to the 13th Amendment. In that scenario, no steps have been taken to change the status quo.”

However several media organizations reported this morning that the government is to propose amendments to several provisions of the Thirteenth Amendment and that these amendments will be introduced in the form of an urgent bill.

Continue reading ‘Proposals to Amend 13th Constitutional Amendment is a Historical Mistake by Govt -Centre for Policy Alternatives’ »

By Jeanne Galatzer-Levy

Siva Sivananthan at the Sivananthan Laboratories in Bolingbrook

Sivalingam Sivananthan, professor of physics at the University of Illinois at Chicago, has been named a White House Champion of Change. He was presented with the honor at a ceremony this morning (May 29, 2013) at the White House.

The honor recognizes immigrant innovators and entrepreneurs—”the best and brightest from around the world who are helping create American jobs, grow the economy and make our nation competitive in the world,” the White House said in a press release.

Sivananthan’s work with a semiconductor material, mercury cadmium telluride or MCT, is at the heart of night vision technology and made the raid that took down Osama Bin Laden on a moonless night possible. Developing “technology that protects our protectors” has given him the opportunity to give back to his adopted country, said Sivananthan.

Continue reading ‘US Names Illinois University Physics Prof Sivalingam Sivananthan as White House Champion of Change’ »

By

Vishnuguptha

“We win justice quickest by rendering justice to the other party.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

The 13th Amendment which saw passage in Parliament in August 1987 amidst civil chaos and political turmoil, once again has gained unusual attention from political quarters, both international and local. What is even more bewildering is, after accomplishing a military victory of unprecedented scale and crushing all hopes of a Tamil Ealam and after eliminating the last semblance of any militant resistance from the Northern Tamils, the very constitutional modification offered via the 13th Amendment to the people of the North and the East, is now under threat.

The victorious Sinhalese politicians led by the fringe elements of the government coalition and most unambiguously backed by the military establishment (which is close to the ruling elite) of the country, are now crying out loud to galvanize the hardcore Sinhalese Buddhists of the land towards the abolition of that Constitutional Amendment.

Continue reading ‘Survival of 13th Constitutional Amendment Highly Unlikely Unless President Rajapaksa Shows Real Desire to do Justice’ »