ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 20, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the major Tamil party of the country needs to move away from the war mentality of the Tamil Tiger terrorist group LTTE.
Addressing the media personnel today at the Temple Trees, the President said instead, the TNA must appear on behalf of the needs of people they are representing in the country and not on the requirements of pro-LTTE migrant groups.
Accusing the Tamil party of working in conformity with the wishes and requirements of LTTE loyalists in the world, the President denounced the TNA's call for an international inquiry against the country as the most serious treacherous act and harm they were doing for the country and for the Tamil people.
President Rajapaksa emphasized that the government will not grant police powers to provincial councils as sought by the TNA and said the arguments presented by the Ceylon Workers Leader and Minister Armugam Thondaman on problems that could arise due to provision of police powers to the provincial councils are reasonable.
He said the government has never engaged in a dispute with the TNA, but the party was participating in talks with the goals of the LTTE in mind. He urged the TNA to make efforts for a political solution instead of making undue political efforts for the world to unnecessarily interfere in Sri Lanka.
"The Eelam dream is still reigning in them. What the Tamil Alliance should do is to nominate representatives to the Select Committee for a political solution," the President said.
The President also noted that the government has recruited Tamil speaking citizens to the police. Interviews are presently being conducted to recruit another batch of Tamil citizens to the police service.
TNA wants accountability mechanism for Sri Lanka
By R. K. Radhakrishnan
TheHindu.com
December 19, 2011
Calling upon the international community to establish a “mechanism for accountability” to bring to book the perpetrators of war crimes during the last stages of the Eelam War that ended in May 2009, the Tamil National Alliance on Monday said the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report “categorically fails to effectively and meaningfully deal with issues of accountability”.
Recalling that many Tamil civilians, direct victims of the war, deposed before the LLRC, TNA leader R.Sampanthan said “the findings of the LLRC offend the dignity of these victims”.
The TNA insisted that the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both the Tamil Tigers and the government forces needed to be fully investigated. The U.N. Panel of Experts which investigated the last stages of the war had concluded that the LTTE had deliberately targeted civilians and used them as human shields, among other violations. The allegations against the Sri Lanka government include deliberately underestimating civilian numbers in the Vanni in order to deprive them of food and medical supplies, deliberately or recklessly endangering the lives of civilians in No-Fire Zones, targeting civilian objects including hospitals, and executing or causing the disappearance of those who had surrendered.
“The LLRC concludes that, on these issues, the government is not responsible. Instead, it shifts blame onto individual soldiers and surmises that any violations that may have been committed were merely isolated incidents. For example, large numbers of disappearances that resulted from the surrender of unarmed persons to government forces have been cynically dismissed as isolated incidents perpetrated ‘by a few'. The LLRC unjustifiably rules out the possibility that these violations were systematic,” said Mr. Sampanthan.
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The Tiger Nominated Agents of the RACIST Tamil National Alliance CONTINUES its drive for an Aparthieid Bantustan for Tamils-Only in Sri Lanka by continuing the DEMONIZATION AGENDA of their late unlamented LTTE SunGod.
They have NEVER PAUSED FOR BREATH in that drive, and are now gearing up to exploit war crimes allegations to achieve their RACIST GOALS.
This is NOT THE FIRST TIME they have invited Foreign Invasion and/or Foreign Interference in Sri Lanka. It was a DAILY OCCURRENCE during EELAM WAR IV. TNA's Sivajilingam saw fit to reside in Chennai inciting Demonstrations in Tamil Nadu, and made daily appeals to the Govt. of India for invasion. He was never punished for that TREASON!
King Charles of England, defeated and ousted by Parliamentary Forces in the English Civil War, was BEHEADED for HIGH TREASON by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell for inviting an Irish-Spanish Army to Invade England and restore him to the throne, even as he was being offered a constitutional monarchy by Cromwell. Likewise, even as the GOSL engages in political talks with the TNA, the TNA seeks to undermine and destroy Sri Lanka collaborating with Foreign Powers.
Gen. Benedict Arnold of the Continental US Army in the US WAr of Independence colluded with the British to kidnap his Commander-in-Chief Gen. George Washington. The plot was discovered and the plotters, except Benedict Arnold who escaped to the British, were executed for HIGH TREASON. Benedict Arnold's name is now a synonym for a TRAITOR! The Names of these TNA leaders are today synonymous with TREACHERY!
The CONTINUING TREACHERY of the TNA is the FAULT OF THE GOSL.
The GOSL did not hold the TNA accountable for their support of LTTE terrorism, or for the TREASONOUS ACTIVITIES of the TNA Leaders over 30 years, after the DEFEAT of the LTTE. Reconciliation is not synonymous with ignoring HIGH TREASON! It has never been so in ANY OTHER COUNTRY ... and should not be so in Sri Lanka. Ignoring TREASON breeds FURTHER TREASON!
The GOSL did not charge the TNA with treason and terrorism, prosecute them, and punish them with execution and/or life prison sentences.
The TNA ... with RACIST notions indelibly etched in their minds over 30 years of SunGod Worship ... will never see reason and become a loyal Tamil party working towards peace and amity for ALL in Sri Lanka as the GOSL hopes.
NEVER!
These Poisonous Rattlesnakes can only be shown the error of their ways by CONFRONTING and PUNISHING THEM.
PUNISH these TREASONOUS RACIST RATTLESNAKES at least NOW!
The survival of the motherland, and the attainment of the New Wonder of Asia for the benefit of ALL peoples of Sri Lanka, are at stake.
The ERADICATION of RACIST SEPARATISM from the Nation should be EELAM WAR V!
The President SHOULD NOT PARDON Sarath Fonseka.
He has not changed in his character ... he is still a man full of toxic animosity, driven by unbounded ambition and greed for political power, and a desire for vengeance against those who frustrated his military takeover of Sri Lanka. He continues to collude with Sri Lanka's enemies towards that end.
Upon release, Fonseka would flee abroad, become a puppet of Foreign Powers inimical to Sri Lanka, make additional false allegations on war crimes to boost his support, and cause UNTOLD HARM to Sri Lanka.
It is not the survival of leaders that is at stake here, it is the survival of Sri Lanka and its people.
Human Compassion for him would be misplaced, for it would compromise the safety of the nation. Instead have compassion for the innocent people of Sri Lanka his release would put at risk of great harm.
IGNORE all those political and religious leaders, and foreign powers, who offer reasons and arguments for releasing him for thier own gain.
Fonseka has not been sentenced to adequately long prison terms for his crimes against the nation; that is the fault of those who judged his crimes.
He should be serving a life sentence in Prison ... BEYOND ANY DOUBT.
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Sri Lanka President to consider a formal request to pardon ex-Army commander
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 20, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today that he would consider a formal request to pardon the jailed former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka if such a request is presented to him properly.
Meeting with the media personnel today, the President said it would be a futile attempt to seek his release through the presentation of one million signatures or making request to the International community.
He said that several persons have met him to discuss a pardon and secretary of the National Democratic Alliance Tiran Alles also discussed the matter with him.
The opposition United National Party (UNP) recently launched a campaign to collect one million signatures to get the jailed Army commander released.
However, the family of the jailed Army commander has not made any formal requests to the President or to the Justice Minister yet.
INDEED, what we want is a PATRIOTIC Opposition Party, not a PUPPET of Foreign Enemies of Sri Lanka hell bent on imposing foreigner's will upon us FOR THEIR BENEFIT!
The UNP, should RECREATE ITSELF in the image of the ORIGINAL UNP that restored to Sri Lanka its hallowed crown in 1948!
We want a UNP that works for the BENEFIT OF the Sri Lankan People, in the NATIONAL INTEREST, offering its own ideas, collaborating in and supporting programs and policies on the basis of MERIT, irrespective of political origin.
It is not the survival of political leaders that is at stake here; it is the survival of the nation and its people.
The PATRIOTIC party of my long departed revered father ... WHERE ART THOU?
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Sri Lanka President asks main opposition UNP to unite
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 22, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa asked the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to unite and form a strong opposition for the country.
Addressing Parliament yesterday evening, the President said the opposition was currently weak.
He called on UNPers to accept the constitutionally appointed party leader and unite. The President also said the UNP should get closer to the people and work towards the benefit of the country rather than working "to please the international community".
He has said that instead of holding signs and protesting against the budget, the UNP could help by making alternative proposals for the government to consider. Meanwhile, Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne vowed to protect the UNP Leader and its party headquarters at Sirikotha, which was recently attacked.
Referring to comments made by UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe that his life and party were under threat, the Premier said the government would help the party.
Mr. Jayaratne said the UNP headquarters would be protected after the required renovations and money will be allocated from the Presidential Fund to assist the wounded.
"Let's protect the UNP," Jayaratne said.
More than any other index, the start-up of NEW COMPANIES is the TRUEST INDICATOR of the habits of innovation and entrepreneurship taking firm root in Sri Lanka.
This gives hope that the Government's Infrastructure Development will bear fruit as expected in multiplying economic activity, especially in the export oriented sector.
We Sri Lankans YEARN for the day when Sri Lankans will find it MORE REWARDING, financially and emotionally, to live, work and foster the motherland than depart abroad for a better life.
The day will soon come when a Sri Lankans will be recognized globally as highly educated and accomplished citizens of a progressive, economically vibrant, powerful nation capable of defending itself.
I have NO DOUBT that we will achieve that goal in the NEXT 15 years!
Jayawewa, Sri Lanka Matha
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Sri Lanka start-ups rise 40%
*5,993 new firms born, says Rishad
Island.lk
December 20, 2011
Sri Lanka’s new start-ups have risen by 40.35 percent. "Up-to September this year, 5,993 new companies were incorporated under the 2007 Companies Act by the Department of Registrar of Companies. By end of September this year, 24,823 companies also have been re-registered, says Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce.
"This 65th budget of our government has granted incentives for investment at all levels, specially since SMEs consist of more than 75 percent of Sri Lanka’s industries and enterprises. The 2012 budget is the most SME-friendly budget this country has seen in recent times. The President has rightly recognised the valuable contribution of the SME sector to Sri Lanka’s economy, and in bridging growth disparities across provinces," Bathiudeen delivering the performance review of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce at the Committee Stage Debate in Parliament.
He said the ministry had also been successful in bringing the Private Public Partnership model to the SME sector.
According to the Department of Registrar of Companies, the newly incorporated companies in Sri Lanka have risen by 40.35 percent in Jan-Sept 2011. The total number of companies registered under the new Companies Act No 7 of 2007 as at 30th September 2011 is 5,993 and it is an increase of 40.35 percent over the same period in 2010 which stood at 4,270. The total number of existing companies as at 30 September 2010 stood at 48,961. Two senior officers who report directly to the Registrar General of Companies have been assigned the task of approving the names of companies and incorporation of new companies. Usually a name is approved the day after the application is presented and in the case of incorporation the certificate is issued on the day after the documents are issued, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Re-registration Unit of the Registrar of Companies which was established in May 2007 with the introduction of the Companies Act No 7 of 2007 to facilitate the re-registration of firms has also completed the bulk of its work. 26,202 applications were received by the Unit for re-registration while 24,823 were registered with 1120 applications pending as of September 2011 end.
Sri Lanka's third quarter GDP expands 8.4 percent
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 21, Colombo: The economic output of Sri Lanka as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the 3rd Quarter 2011 has recorded an 8.4 percent growth compared to the same quarter in 2010, according to the data released by the Department of Census and Statistics Wednesday.
In the third quarter of 2011 the highest contribution to the GDP was from the service sector with a 59.2 percent while the industry sector's contribution was 29.1 percent and agriculture sector contributed 11.7 percent.
The services sector at current market prices has brought in US$ 8.53 billion to the Q3 GDP of US$ 14.47 billion. Contribution from industry sector stood at US$ 4.21 billion and agricultural sector contributed US$ 1.73 billion.
In Q3 the country exported goods valued at US$ 2.67 billion while imported US$ 5.18 billion worth of goods. Imports of investment goods such as building materials, vehicles, machinery and equipment at CIF value cost the country US$ 1.24 billion.
Foreign NGOs have been the bane of Sri Lanka, undermining and destabilizing the Nation, and operating as law unto themselves!
Usually, they target PATRIOTIC governments.
Now, they are targeting their own puppet Ranil Wickramasinghe ... so claims the "victim".
Something smells to high heaven here!!!!
Whatever smells, the GOSL should take this GOLDEN opportunity to kick these pestiferous iNGOs right out of Sri Lanka!
GOOD RIDDANCE to BAD RUBBISH, I say!
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Govt. ready to act on RW’s call for NGO probe
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
December 22, 2011
In the wake of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s unprecedented claim that a German NGO had thrown its financial weight behind those seeking to oust him from the party leadership, the government is now contemplating a comprehensive inquiry into NGO activity.
Although the government initiated an inquiry early this year on three recipients of over Rs. 618 million during a three-year period since 2008, it wasn’t pursued. However, the German NGO targeted by Wickremesinghe is not among the three NGOs which attracted the attention of the government, sources said.
The government expects the UNP leader to help identify funding sources and the recipients of foreign funds. The official UNP website quoted Wickremesinghe as having said that he wanted the parliament to investigate the German NGO.
Although Wickremesinghe refrained from targeting any other country, political sources alleged that the rebels had received the backing of at least two other countries, a charge strongly denied by the Reformists.
The rebels alleged that Wickremesinghe was bending backwards to please President Rajapaksa for his political survival. Commenting on President Rajapaksa’s speech in parliament at the end of the Budget 2012 debate, on Wednesday, rebel sources said the President went out of his way to safeguard Wickremesinghe’s interests. Could there be anything as silly as President Rajapaksa advising Reformists to rally around Wickremesinghe, they said.
Responding to a query by The Island, sources said that those, who had been invited for post-Budget 2012 dinner at Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa’s official residence on Wednesday, had discussed external intervention on the domestic political scene.
Highly placed government sources alleged that those supportive of the LTTE’s cause had campaigned against the then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s bid at the Nov. 2005 presidential election. Sources recalled how those NGOs had undermined Premier Rajapaksa by calling him a warmonger. Interestingly Wickremesinghe’s recent tirade had been directed at some of those who stood by him during his two abortive bids at the presidency, sources said.
UNP sources alleged that sections of both print and electronic media, particularly some of those near and dear to Wickremesinghe, too, had been involved in the conspiracy.
Sources ruled out the possibility of Wickremesinghe reaching an agreement with the rebels, particularly in the backdrop of an alleged foreign hand in the move to oust him.
Wickremesinghe’s attack on the NGOs and a section of the media, which he categorized as part of a conspiracy against him had unsettled some of those in his camp, sources said. The possibility of irate Wickremesinghe exposing NGO operations to the government had caused anxiety among foreign missions and NGOs, sources said.
Whisper to me softly Effendi, if my lips do not utter the truth:
The Puppet Dance of the United Nations on War Crimes CONTINUES with "Different Strokes for Different Folks" ... "Now you see it, Now you don't"!
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The Crusaders' Crimes
Editorial
Island.lk
December 22, 2011
"The United States urges the United Nations to end, once and for all, its actions in relation to the Goldstone Report … As we made clear when the Goldstone Report was first presented we did not see evidence that the Israeli government intentionally targeted civilians."
This is what US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice told the apex world body in April, 2011, urging it not to be preoccupied with the Goldstone report which accused Israel of committing war crimes during the Gaza War. The US led a high pressure campaign to railroad Justice Richard Goldstone into making a retraction. Testifying before the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Rice said the Goldstone report (2009) based on an investigation by a panel appointed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) must simply disappear while the Congress pressured former South African Judge Goldstone to amend it. The US succeeded in having the advance of the report through the UN system stymied effectively.
When UNHRC Chief Navi Pillay issued a statement condemning Bahrain for using brute force against protesters calling for reforms, the US and its allies backing pro-western King Al-Khalifa made her eat humble pie; she retracted it in no time. So much for her impartiality, independence and courage!
It is against this backdrop that the contemptuous rejection by the US of Sri Lanka's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report should be viewed. Washington is usually dismissive of reports/statements that do not say what it wants them to say. One wonders whether the US government worthies even had the time to flip through the LLRC report let alone study it before passing judgment.
The US is entitled to its views. But, shouldn't the self-appointed crusaders against war crimes lead by example? Why doesn't the US accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC)? It is unbecoming of a world leader to be on a noble mission to rid the world of war crimes without being party to the ‘Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court’, isn't it?
The US has wriggled out of the Iraqi imbroglio with a troop withdrawal. President Barack Obama calls the Iraq mission a success. But, has the US destroyed the Weapons of Mass Destruction, credible evidence of which President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed to possess before plunging feet first into war? Yesterday, 14 bomb blasts in different locations rocked Baghdad. Only al Qaeda is capable of carrying out such coordinated attacks. The US has made an unholy mess of that country.
Never mind America's failed mission and tail-between-the-legs exit! What about the blatant war crimes its military committed in Iraq in an illegal war launched on the basis of falsified intelligence dossiers? Will they be probed? If not, what moral right does the US have to campaign against war crimes?
The Crusaders' Crimes
.....continued ....
Former Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nobel Laureate, Mohamed ElBaradei, provides enough and more credible evidence of war crimes committed by the US-led forces in Iraq. In his book, The Age of Deception, Nuclear Diplomacy in Treacherous Times, ElBaradei makes a damning indictment: "United States and its allies promoted an ethos of violence and cultural division that harkened back to an earlier era of human history." He also makes stunning revelations: "The harshest reality of the Iraq War and its extended aftermath––an aspect that has been disturbingly minimised in Western media reports––is the Iraqi civilian loss of life. Estimates have ranged as high as eight hundred thousand Iraqi deaths during the first three years of the war. This does not count the millions maimed or wounded, or the millions displaced from their homes and stripped of their livelihoods." (Emphasis added)
Rhetorical and trap questions ElBaradei has raised as regards the illegal Iraqi war have gone unanswered: "Should the United Nations request an opinion from the International Court of Justice as to the legality of the Iraq War? If the answer is that the war was in fact illegal––and moreover, if consideration is given to the massive civilian casualties incurred––should not the International Criminal Court investigate whether this constitutes a 'war crime' and determine who is accountable? Should Iraq request reparations at the International Court of Justice, or another forum, for the damages incurred during a war launched in violation of international law and on the basis of falsehoods?" Sadly, these questions never get posed to the White House and State Department spokespersons at press conferences.
In a bid to avoid international opprobrium for its war crimes, the US seems to have adopted the same ruse as pickpockets who, when given chase, take to their heels shouting, 'Pickpocket, pickpocket', to mislead curious onlookers into believing they are pursuers and not thieves on the run!
Let the US be told: "Physician heal thyself!"
Reality of War hits Norway!
Norway acknowledges that civilians get killed in military operations, that warring parties can only hope to reduce the number killed.
Norway sees the light only when it has to defend its OWN ROLE in NATO operations in distant Foreign Lands.
However, it will soon be BUSINESS AS USUAL DEMONIZING Sri Lanka fighting for its survival within its own territory!
Bloody NORWEGIAN HYPOCRITES!
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Norway: Loss of civilian lives during military action not IHL violation
By Shamindra Ferdinando
December 23, 2011
In the wake of a section of the international community seeing holes in Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), NATO member Norway has acknowledged the impossibility in avoiding mistakes and civilian deaths during an intense military campaign.
Norway joined several countries, including the UK and France, in carrying out air attacks targeting Libya.
The Sri Lankan embassy in Oslo told The Island that a recent Norwegian language statement, attributed to Norwegian Defence Minister Espen Barth Eide, couldn’t have come at a better time for the government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) facing severe criticism over the conduct of its troops during the final phase of the conflict.
The Norwegian Minister was responding to a New York Times (NYT) exclusive that it had obtained evidence to prove the NATO air campaign claimed the lives of up to 70 civilians, including 29 women and children. The revelation has been made in the backdrop of NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen declaring last month that there had been no confirmed reports of civilian losses.
He emphasized that Norway’s aim was to operate within International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The minister went on to declare that it was wrong to assert IHL violated because of civilians losses unless something unacceptable took place during a conflict.
Responding to a query, diplomatic sources said that Minister Eide’s statement had exposed the hypocrisy of those attacking GoSL over so-called accountability issues. Sources said that the Norwegian admission of civilian deaths should be used to highlight the difficulties in conducting large scale military operations amidst the presence of civilians.
The NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) quoted Minister Eide as having said that it was almost unthinkable that high intensity air campaign directed at Libya could take place without mistakes and civilian losses. The Norwegian declined to rule out the possibility of Norwegian bombs killing civilians during the campaign. Norway fired about 10 per cent of bombs, which targeted Libya in one of the bloodiest campaigns, which ended with rebels backed by Western powers executing the ousted Libyan leader.
A Norway-funded evaluation of its failed peace initiatives in Sri Lanka, with the focus on the disastrous bid (2002-2009) blamed President Mahinda Rajapaksa for depending on military action at the expense of civilian interests.
Citing human rights organizations, which had contributed to the NYT report, Minister Eide said as the NATO had done nothing illegal there was no formal responsibility on the part of the organization to make an exact count of civilians killed.
Norway: Loss of civilian lives during military action not IHL violation
....continued....
The media also quoted Eide as having said the NATO was in the process of evaluating its efforts in Libya to find out whether there were lessons to be learnt. Claiming that there had been no demands to investigate each individual loss of civilian life, Eide asserted that civilian losses wouldn’t be one of the main points of the evaluation of the Norwegian effort. The minister said that the main point of their evaluation would be ‘target achievement’ during the campaign.
Sri Lankan sources pointed out that the Norwegian Minister had inadvertently revealed the poor state of intelligence available to NATO air forces in spite of having the most sophisticated surveillance equipment. "We should be grateful to the Minister for being frank in his assessment," a senior official said.
Minister Eide said NATO air missions, including some launched by Norway, had to be aborted due to given targets being something else than when the operations were planned.
Parliamentarian Eide explained that Norway was mostly concerned with achieving its Libyan targets. "That is how it is when you get a task from the UN. Here it was about destroying as much as possible of Gaddafi’s military power, with the least possible negative consequences for the civilian population. And we have been much better at achieving that target in Libya than during earlier campaigns," he was quoted as having said.
Commenting on the number of civilians killed as reported by the NYT, the Norwegian politician said the actual number of non-combatants killed due to NATO air action could be even higher.
"In an armed conflict people die and one has the responsibility to make sure that one reduces to an absolute minimum that it is the wrong people. But it is not so that an exposure that civilians have been killed is itself not a big scandal."
Hallelujah!
Finally Cardinal Malcom Ranjith has something positive and actually useful to say that could help Sri Lanka.
He should stick to this approach in the future as well.
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‘Running to international community not acceptable’: SL has inner strength to solve its problems - Cardinal
DailyNews.lk
LLRC report will help us to overcome differences:
Archbishop of Colombo Rev Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on Thursday said that Sri Lanka is capable of solving its own problems and attempts by some to run to the international community to solve problems is not acceptable.
“We can solve our own problems because we have religious, spiritual and the moral rectitude necessary in our own cultures to solve our problems by ourselves. We also have the necessary courage to do that because we are a people of courage,” he said.
He was of the view that the country has a golden opportunity to usher in a period of co-existence, harmony and peace among the different national and religious groups in this country.
The Cardinal was speaking at the State Christmas Festival held at Temple Trees on Thursday under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “These days we have had the release of the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) which is our own organization where our people were members, participated, where many people gave evidence from our own country. We can say the voice of our own people, those who have suffered the difficulties of the war have been recorded in this document,” he said.
The Archbishop said that the LLRC report is our own effort, the result of our own effort.
“We have to be happy about it. We don’t have to feel that it has to be the answer to all our questions. Still we can present it as a report that will help us to achieve or start work towards achieving peace in our country,” he added.
He added that the suggestions made by the LLRC also help the country understand the truth of certain dark corners of the conflict that have not been brought out so far. “It will help us to overcome our difficulties and our differences and it will make that process launched firmly for the future,” the Archbishop said.
“Let us take steps necessary in order not to create the mentality of we versus you but we all together. We would like to request His Excellency the President and the different political leaders of this country to work towards this. I would say that this will not be such a difficult problem if we all get together and work towards this,” he added.
He said that the country has faced challenges.
“The first challenge is how to unite our people removing all the causes of that conflict and ensuring that there is peace, harmony, equality and dignity for all peoples in this country,” he said.
The Archbishop also added that it was also part of that challenge to ensure that another conflict will not arise in the country. He also stressed the importance of overcoming selfishness whether it is manifested in the form of our love, for our language, our race or our religion.
“If we don’t do that, there will never be peace in our country. We also face the challenge of the international community not understanding us in this effort to achieve total peace in our country,” he added.
The Archbishop emphasized the necessity of erasing all differences and making all people in the country realize that they have all won the battle of peace.
Tamil Diaspora funds Terrorists.
Terrorists fund Amnesty International.
Amnesty International will now provide the purchased services and will WHITEWASH the Terrorists.
You scratch my back while I scratch yours, eh?
A fine kettle of fish ... when terrorist organization define human rights!!
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LTTE arm funds Amnesty Int’l
Nation.lk
December 25, 2011
The world’s self-proclaimed human rights watchdog – Amnesty International (AI), was now being bought over by the pro-LTTE organisations in Canada, reports from Toronto said. The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), an ardent supporter of the LTTE, has now completed collecting a first grant of US $50, 000 for AI. This grant has been confirmed by Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International in Canada. The pro-LTTE CTC kicked off collecting funds for AI from last September, organising a Canadian Tamil Walk-A-Thon at Thomson Memorial Park, Scarborough.
AI has been aware of how the pro-LTTE CTC plundered money from Canada’s Tamil population since 2005. Ignoring all such anti-human actions, AI is now accepting grants from the CTC, the report added.
In August 2006, nine Tamil Tiger supporters, including four from Canada, were arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US for attempting to buy Russian-made missiles and firearms for the LTTE, a group listed as a ‘terrorist’ organisation by the U.S. One of the Canadians, Sahilal “Sahil’ Sabaratnam, was described by the authorities as the financial mastermind of the operation. At the time, Sahilal Sabaratnam was listed as the Director, Communications, of the CTC.
Human Rights Watch has accused the LTTE of extorting money from Canada’s 250,000 strong Tamil population for years. Yet, the CTC has continued to deny such reports, effectively whitewashing the LTTE of its role in terrorising Canadian Tamils. According to well-known international terrorism analyst Professor Rohan Gunaratna, the CTC has also been identified as an LTTE front due to its links with the LTTE and its activities.
Meanwhile, the peace-loving Tamil people in Canada have urged AI not to accept grants that are made by way of collecting ransom by the CTC. They have told AI that the war in Sri Lanka was now over and peace was fast returning to normal. Therefore, the actions of the CTC through AI were likely to cause breach of the peace in Sri Lanka’s north and east, the report said.
AI is well known as one of the organisations that has been asking for a probe into the final phase of the war against the LTTE terrorists group but had made very little effort to express its opposition to killing of hundreds of civilians at a time by the LTTE bombs for more than three decades.
Right ... get the Tiger Nominated Agents (TNA) to join the NEW ALLIANCE also, and make a clean sweep of ALL ANTI-NATIONAL elements in the country.
Make it EASY for the PATRIOTS to TARGET them by hanging ONE TRAITOR BULLSEYE on the whole bloody gang!
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New political alliance in the formation in Sri Lanka
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 25, Colombo: A new political alliance targeting the future presidential and general election is in the making in Sri Lanka, the Sunday newspaper The Divaina revealed.
The newspaper said that a dialogue was underway for four months to create this political alliance.
Anti Ranil Wickremasinghe leaders of the United National Party (UNP), Somawansa Amarasinghe faction of the Marxist People's Liberation Front (JVP), Democratic People's Alliance and its leader Sarath Fonseka are to join this group, the newspaper reported quoting political sources.
A group of dissidents of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance has also expressed ambition to join the new alliance.
A number of leading businessman have pledged support to this alliance, The Divaina reported.
The alliance hopes to appoint organizers to all the electorates, and plans to field a presidential candidate as well.
However, the newspaper did not mention about the response of the major Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to this alliance.
Algerian Genocide soiling French knickers ... says Turkey!!
Amazing how all Neo-Colonialists have GENOCIDE hidden up their knickers ... ain't it?
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Genocide tit-for-tat: Turkey says France slaughtered Algerians
RT.om
December 22, 2011
Turkey has hit back at France, accusing it of committing genocide against Algerians, after French lawmakers passed a bill which makes the denial of the Armenian "holocaust" a crime. The Turkish PM described the bill as racist and anti-Muslim.
Turkey has gone far beyond conventional diplomatic and economic gestures in reacting to the move, insisting French actions during its colonial rule over Algeria and during the Algerian War amounted to genocide.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that "around 15 percent of the population of Algeria was massacred by the French, starting in 1945." He added that Algerians were “mercilessly martyred” and “burned en masse in ovens” by the French.
Erdogan believes that French President Nicholas Sarkozy is trying to raise more support ahead of elections by “promoting animosity against Turks and Muslims," as France has a large expatriate community of Armenians who are expected to welcome the new bill, should it be passed by the Senate.
Erdogan’s statement came on Friday, a day after the French lower house passed a bill that made it a crime to deny that the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915 constituted genocide. It will only become law if approved by the Senate, which blocked the law last time an attempt was made to introduce it.
On Thursday, Turkey suspended all political and economic ties with France, including military cooperation, and ordered its ambassador to return to Ankara for “consultations.” The country fiercely denies it took part in a genocide of Armenians during World War I, even though most historians agree that it did.
Meanwhile, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian thanked France for its support in voting through the bill.
"By passing a bill criminalizing the denial of the genocide, France has once again proven its commitment to general human values," Nalbandian said, as cited by Interfax.
My Comment on The appalling endemic poverty of the Indian masses and its little-explored religious roots.
by R Chandrasoma at LankaWeb.com
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I strongly disagree with Mr. Chandrasoma on one aspect of this article: That of lumping Buddhism with Hinduism, and holding Buddhism also responsible for the continuation of the caste system in India ... and elsewhere. On the contrary, the advent of Buddhism created a social upheaval in its day in India, confronting caste head-on and alleviating and uplifting the lower castes. In caused a veritable revolution in the minds of men.
One of the PRINCIPAL DIFFERENCES of Buddhism from Hinduism is that one's present condition in life is not taken to be immutable, unchangeable, cast in stone. In fact, Buddhism arose in India IN REACTION to the caste-based inequities of Hinduism that Lord Buddha preached against. While Buddhism shares with Hinduism the belief that one's present condition is largely determined by a weighted cumulative sum of one's samsaric acts of both good and evil, Buddhism teaches that every individual can, and should, strive to understand the true nature of things, and work to change his condition in his ordinary life as well as in his journey through the samsara, and achieve Nirvana through his own efforts. The Lord Buddha taught that both the king and the untouchable are endowed with the intrinsic inalienable ability to achieve greatness of soul, and the goal of permanent enlightenment in equal measure.
We see the impact of this central Buddhist teaching and attitude in Buddhist countries in Asia today. On the whole, Buddhist countries have achieved a large measure of solcial equity and reduced or eliminated discrimination based upon caste. Sri Lanka is no exception.
The Buddhist mindset of the vast majority of citizens of Sri Lanka set the tone for social progress in Sri Lanka since the dawn of independence in 1948 when we the people wrested the power to fashion our social policies again. It is not by accident that while India ... with all of its much balleyhooed federal system of governance and state handouts based on caste that exacerbate communal divisions ... languishes in the iron grip of an enduring caste system, with its attendant de-facto denial of education, and unequal access to public resources (water, pasture, the law, jobs etc) ... Sri Lanka has forged ahead to reach a literacy and infant mortality equal that of developed countries, to empower and give equal de-facto status to women, to protect our children from abuse, to make justice accessible to all, to bring transportation and electricity to the meanest of rural homes, and to reduce landlessness and homelessness significantly. Where did these policies, and the motivation to implement them, spring from?
Ask then, why is there a yawning gap between the social equity enjoyed by the citizens of India and Sri Lanka, when we were two sister nations that achieved independence one year apart in 1947 and 1948 with equally decrepit social and economic systems geared to the well being of our colonial overlord, and steeped in closely related cultural systems?
Having studied the social and political evolution of these two countries since independence, I have come to a startling conclusion. The astonishing rise of social equity in Sri Lanka compared to that in India was propelled the Buddhist mindset of the vast majority, and by immersion in that Buddhist sea all, of Sri Lanka's citizens. This is the KEY DIFFERENCE that enabled successive governments of Sri Lanka to implement policies that improved the lot of the poorest and most vulnerable of its citizens, without Brahmins burning themselves in the streets in opposition as in India, with the broad support of MOST citizens of Sri Lanka ... even those who ... like my own parents ... lost property in the process.
My Comment on The appalling endemic poverty of the Indian masses and its little-explored religious roots.
by R Chandrasoma at LankaWeb.com
.......continued.....
The much maligned Sri Lankan Buddhist priest, to their eternal credit and my heartfelt gratitude, played a highly significant role, in making social equality happen in Sri Lanka. Conventional labeling of the Buddhist priests as high-born and having a vested interest in preserving the kula-heritage of their priestly ancestry ... is DEAD WRONG. On the contrary, they were at the forefront of urging the creation of a Dharmishta Rajyaya ... in the Asokan Buddhist mold ... and always taking a patriotic stand in defence of the nation.
In post Gandhian India, apart from Ambedkar who also accepted India's rich Buddhist heritage to solve his community's problems, and arguably today's Chief Minister Mayawati, most religious and political Indian leaders turned a blind eye to this seminal religious-caste problem that has hamstrung national progress. The social inequities in India have now grown to catastrophic proportions ... creating a vast Naxalite-Maoist rebel movement enveloping 850 million of India's approximately 1200 million people, and stretching across a wide swathe of India from Mumbai in the South West to Nagaland in the North East. Naxalites govern by night the land the government pretends to govern by day. Briefly, India has failed to assure social equity at the grass roots level, while Sri Lanka ... to most intents and purposes ... achieved it.
I credit the Buddhist mindset of the bulk of our people for that astonishing achievement, that has set the stage for transforming our motherland, this resplendent isle, into the New Wonder of Asia in the coming decade!
We OPPOSE a presidential pardon for Sarath Fonsenka, for that would compromise the safety of the nation and place all Sri Lankan citizens at risk.
However, if the President does pardon him, it should be CONDITIONAL.
Fonseka should be PERMANENTLY BANNED from engaging in POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, and in COLLABORATING in any form with any local or foreign bodies, private or governmental, on any subject that affects Sri Lanka's security and internal politics, and perhaps from going abroad for any reason.
It is not the survival of the leaders that is at stake here; it is the survival of Sri Lanka and its people.
Compassion for the vulnerable people of Sri Lanka MUST have PRECEDENCE OVER compassion for a treacherous general with unbounded greed for political power, and an unquenched desire for personal vengeance.
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Sri Lanka President to grant a special pardon to prisoners; Freedom for Fonseka anticipated
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka Presidential Secretariat sources say that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is considering a presidential pardon for special prisoners based on the good behavior.
Speculations are ripe that former Army Commander and defeated Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka who is jailed for two prison terms will also be considered for the presidential pardon which may be granted by January 01.
The President has reportedly directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Prison Reforms A. Dissanayaka and Prisons Commissioner C.W. Kodippili to submit a report regarding the eligible prisoners for the pardon.
Condemned and life sentenced prisoners are also to be considered for this pardon but the President has instructed not to be lenient to the drug peddlers.
A presidential pardon of this nature has not been granted since 2002 when President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga granted such amnesty.
A comment by Moshi to Asithri in http://defenceanalytics.blogspot.com/ made me write this.
සතර උදුරු දහසක් සිඳ රැකගත් හෙළ ජය වරුණේ
විසිර පැතිර වෙන්වී යන දිනෙක කෙදින දිවි ගමනේ
සසර අතර කවදා හෝ හමු වී යලි මිතුරන්නේ
තතර සටන් වැද මියැදෙමු කොතැනක හෝ රණ දෙරණේ
Dear Priyashantha,
Very Nice to hear from you after a long time! Visit us more frequently ... as your spirit moves.
As usual, your delightful poetry never fails to strum on my heart strings!
Yes indeed malli ... where ever we are, as long as we live ... we patriots who formed the phalanx to fight the enemies of our resplendent motherland yesterday, will reform our ranks should the call to duty sound again.
Have a Very Happy & Prosperous New Year in 2012!
May the Noble Triple Gem Bless and Protect you and yours.
Maintaining peace, security in the region: Lankan Forces playing pivotal role - Maldivian President
Sandasen MARASINGHE
DailyNews.lk
December 28, 2011
The Maldivian President Mohammed Nasheed said the Security Forces of Sri Lanka have a pivotal role to play in maintaining security and peace in the Asian region.
He was of the view that the Sri Lankan Forces cannot a rest even after ruthless terrorism was eradicated in the country.
The Maldivian President was speaking as the chief guest at the passing out of 194 Cadet Officers including a Maldivian at the Diyathalawa Military Academy yesterday.
He was participating in the commissioning parade of the officer cadets at the Sri Lanka Military Academy in Diyatalawa on the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Maldivian President stated that the Sri Lankan Security Forces have rendered a commendable service to establish peace and defence of the region by defeating terrorism under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Defence Secretary.
President Nasheed further stated that it was more important to continue with strengthening defence and establishing peace as “we are living in a conflict stricken region.”
He added that it was upon us to strengthen the defence and keep region’s peace.
He also stated that the role of the Sri Lankan Security Forces has drastically changed in the post conflict era and he witnessed they engage in massive nation-building projects as it was the need of the nation.
He added that Sri Lanka has achieved a remarkable development after the conflict and the security forces have made considerable contribution in it as he witnesses them by himself.
He also added specially in the North and East the people are getting their dividends of peace.
He said he saw massive infrastructure projects being implemented in those areas - building road network, bridges etc.
He also said that the Maldives congratulates Sri Lanka for her achievements after terrorism was defeated.
The Maldivian President further stated that the officer cadets commissioned had a major role in the forces’ attempt to build this nation which is a noble deed. He added that the excellent training received by the officer cadets will support to take up the challenge.
One hundred and ninety four officer cadets were commissioned including eight lady officer cadets. Out of the eight lady officers one was a Maldivian officer.
Priority should be given to the Construction of Expressways to serve the most highly populated, and economically most advantageous, areas of the nation.
From this perspective, the Colombo to CKandy Expressway should indeed be the second expressway.
Jayawewa, Sri Lanka!
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Construction of expressway from Sri Lankan capital to hill country to begin next year
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has informed the chief incumbents of the Buddhist Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters of Siyam sector as he paid a courtesy call yesterday that the construction work of the Colombo-Kandy expressway would begin next year.
The President had said that the Colombo-Kandy expressway would be constructed via Kurunegala instead of previous plans of constructing it via Rambukkana, the state-owned The Dinamina newspaper reported.
The new route will be more useful since it goes via Kurunegala and less expensive to construct.
The compensations needed for people displaced by the construction is less and the construction cost will also be low since the road goes via less mountainous areas, the President had explained.
He also pointed out that eight investors have come forward for the construction of the expressway.
Sri Lanka to begin public passenger services on expressway in January
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 29, Colombo: Sri Lankan highway authorities are ready to deploy passenger transport buses on its first expressway from January 01.
State-owned Sri Lanka Transport Board as well as two private companies from Anuradhapura and Galle are to deploy buses on the expressway.
Air-conditioned 42-seater private buses with seat belts are to charge Rs. 400 per one way journey between Colombo and Galle.
Sri Lanka Transport Board has also imported two luxury buses for the operations in the expressway. They are to start journey from Maharagama depot.
These express intercity buses will not stop at interchanges.
An official said that an alarm bell is installed in buses to stop the drivers passing the maximum speed limit of 100 kmph.
A special training was held yesterday in the expressway for the drivers of these buses.
As we have said before, Sarath Fonseka SHOULD NOT BE PARDONED.
If the President pardons him on compassionate medical grounds, it should be a CONDITIONAL PARDON that PROHIBITS him from ANY & ALL POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, COLLABORATION WITH LOCALS & FOREIGNERS on issues that affect Sri Lanka's national security, and TRAVEL ABROAD for any reason.
Violational of these conditions should carry STIFF PENALTIES.
Compassion should be reserved fro Sri Lanka's innocent vulnerable citizens, and not for treacherous, ambitious, and revengeful generals.
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Release Sarath Fonseka unconditionally says UNP; Warns Govt. against confining former Army Chief to house arrest
By Zacki Jabbar
Island.lk
December 28, 2011
The UNP yesterday called for the unconditional release of former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka from prison and warned the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime against confining him to house arrest, as an escape mechanism from the intense local and international pressure that it has had to face.
Ravi Karunanayake MP, addressing a news conference in Colombo said that they had been campaigning for the former army chief’s freedom for the last two years and would sustain it until justice was done.
"We do not want an Aung San Suu Kyi situation in Sri Lanka", he said adding that the government was under intense local and international pressure to release Fonseka, but it was looking for excuses to get out of a tight situation.
The MP said that the UNP had already nominated the Gangaramaya Chief Priest to discuss the modalities of the ex- army commander’s discharge from prison and it was futile for various persons to be duplicating that effort.
Asked about the talks DNA MP Tiran Alles had held with President Rajapaksa over the last two months, he said that it was the UNP’s efforts which had resulted in the government relenting and looking for an exit route.
Karunanayke said that there was no need for a person who was responsible for the LTTE’s defeat, to seek forgiveness on bended knees from the Rajapaksa’s for crimes he had not committed.
It was also absurd to ask a war hero to beg for pardon, when former LTTE leaders such as Karuna, K. Pathmanathan and Pillaiyan had been forgiven by the President, without any requests being made, he observed.
Diplomatic sources said that the American government had informed President Rajapaksa that according to a survey conducted by them, the vast majority of Sri Lankans wanted to see Fonseka as a free man and their wishes should be respected.
Karunanayake, also questioned the contradictory views that had been expressed by constituent members of the Rajapaksa regime with regard to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Report.
The JHU and the NFF had rejected the report, while spokesmen for the government have said that it could be implemented with certain reservations, he observed.
Spot on ... Mr. President!
President Rajapaksa also said regional autonomy was a slogan used by the terrorists and their apologists.
A better approach would be equality of opportunity, and the spread of democratic freedom and rights, together with speedy economic development of the north, in tandem with other regions of the country,” he said.
Please do not empower RACIST SEPARATIST WOLVES hiding in SHEEP'S CLOTHING!
Equal Sri Lankan Citizenship is Sufficient Franchise for any LAW ABIDING CITIZEN!
We Oppose RACIST APARTHEID COMMUNAL BANTUSTANS anywhere in Sri Lanka!
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For Sri Lanka, India comes first - President
DailyNews.lk
December 29, 2011
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he considers India first and others later.“As soon as I came to power, I went to India and got their support; after that, I did not have to bother about the UN, UK, US, and so on. In fact, we got help from the US by way of vital information about LTTE ships which made it possible to destroy them at sea,” he said in an interview with Deccan Chronicle in Colombo.
“As for China coming here with major infrastructure projects, I must tell you that every project that we gave the Chinese we first offered to India, including the big port project in Hambantota, but there was no response. Even the Colombo port expansion was advertised but only the Chinese came,” President Rajapaksa said. Asked whether the Tamil National Alliance’s (TNA) victory at the last Parliamentary election indicated the existence of a strong demand for autonomy in spite of the elimination of the LTTE in view of the claims by the Jaffna Chamber of Commerce (JCC) that the Tamil Diaspora will not invest in the country until there is a political solution, the President said: “These elections were held under the proportional representation system. There was also a substantial number that voted against the TNA. You must note that 54 percent of Tamils live outside the north and the east. The JCC is free to have its opinion, but there are Sri Lankan Tamils abroad who have shown interest in investing in the north.
We are keen on a sustainable political settlement. But it must have wide acceptance, especially in the context of the post-conflict situation.”
President Rajapaksa also said regional autonomy was a slogan used by the terrorists and their apologists. “The need is for strong unity in diversity, for which regional autonomy is not the only way. A better approach would be equality of opportunity, and the spread of democratic freedom and rights, together with speedy economic development of the north, in tandem with other regions of the country,” he said.
The President also said the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is a good approach to what has been a vexed problem because in a democracy it is Parliament that will ultimately have to agree to any solution. “Unfortunately, the TNA has not named its representatives to the PSC. They (TNA) have the same attitude as the LTTE. They demand impossible things - merger of the north and the east, land policy and Police. See what happened in your country when Rahul Gandhi was travelling in Uttar Pradesh. Chief minister Mayawati tried to get him arrested. Do you think I want to get arrested by these people (by giving the Tamils a police force)?,” he asked.
“The TNA seems to be driven by the Tamil diaspora, which does not want peace and political settlement, as they fear that their host countries might then send them back home. The TNA cannot represent the same separatist agenda of the LTTE, which will not find acceptance with the majority population. I want to work towards a solution but the TNA is not cooperating,” the President said.
For Sri Lanka, India comes first - President
.....continued.....
Brushing aside complaints that the North remains highly militarized and that over 100,000 troops policing about 300,000 people, the President said:
“There are more than 300,000 Tamils in the north. The military presence is not worked out in proportion to the population but the security needs of the region. The presence of the military in an area that has seen brutal armed conflict for nearly three decades does not amount to militarisation. “The military is playing a significant role in building infrastructure as the locals lack skills. Also, large sections of the north are yet to be de-mined. It is not true that school functions or library meetings and such activities require the permission of the military. But there could be cautious surveillance, knowing the nature of the defeated enemy. We are still getting hidden arms caches of the LTTE. The presence of the military will be phased out in keeping with security needs.” (Deccan Chronicle)
Although the UNP, being Anti-National as usual, is asking the UPFA to eliminate the 13th Amendment hoping the UPFA will run into opposition from FOREIGN POWERS, the elimination of the 13th Amendment from Sri Lanka's Constitution is EXACTLY what should be done!
The 13th Amendment was IMPOSED on Sri Lanka by India under the threat of permanent military occupation of Sri Lanka by Indian Troops.
That is, Sri Lanka was BLACKMAILED by India with a GUN AIMED AT Sri Lanka's HEAD to compromise on Sri Lanka's sovereignty and national security and integrity.
Agreements IMPOSED under threats are ILLEGAL under both National and International Laws.
For example, the partition of Czechoslovakia and annexation of the Sudetenland by Hitler's Germany, under the threat of military invasion, was ILLEGAL under international law. Upon the defeat of the axis powers in WWII, Czechoslovakia was resurrected within its original boundaries correcting the injury inflicted upon Czechoslovakia under the threat of invasion.
Similarly, the 13th Amendment IMPOSED BY FORCE upon Sri Lanka by India SHOULD BE REPUDIATED IN ITS ENTIRETY and deleted from Sri Lanka's Constitution.
The 13th Amendment creates communal sub-national political entities that will allow those entities to move towards permanent secession from Sri Lanka.
This should NEVER BE PERMITTED, just as Police and Land Powers should never be granted to any RACIST SEPARATIST community that supported a violent secessionist struggle only two years ago!
NEVER!
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‘Devolve police, land powers or scrap 13 A’: TNA’s India-backed demand justified
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
December 29, 2011
The UNP yesterday challenged the UPFA to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution if the SLFP-led coalition felt it couldn’t be fully implemented without jeopardizing security of the State. The main opposition party said the government shouldn’t expect the TNA to drop its just demand for police and land powers in line with the Constitution.
"There is no point in further discussing the issue with the TNA or any other political party. The government can easily use its two-thirds majority in Parliament to do away with the controversial amendment," UNP Deputy Secretary General Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, MP, said in a brief interview with The Island yesterday.
Asked whether the UNP, too, would extend its support for the abolition of the 13th Amendment, the Gampaha District MP emphasized the UPFA could do it on its own the way it abolished the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.
Unless the government was willing to devolve police and land powers there was absolutely no point in even discussing the 13th Amendment. It would be nothing but a joke to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to resolve the ethnic issue against the backdrop of UPFA’s decision not to implement the 13th Amendment in its entirety. The UNP wouldn’t fault the TNA for pushing for key powers, parliamentarian Jayawardena said.
The bottom line was that particular Amendment couldn’t be even called 13th Amendment if police and land powers were dropped, he said, accusing the government of playing politics with the national issue, though the LTTE was no longer a hindrance to achieve a lasting solution.
‘Devolve police, land powers or scrap 13 A’: TNA’s India-backed demand justified
.....continued.....
The former Rehabilitation Minister urged the government not to ignore a recent statement attributed to the official spokesperson of India’s External Affairs Ministry. While responding to Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report, the official had emphasized the pivotal importance of the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and even going beyond it, the he pointed out. That meant the TNA had the explicit support of the Government of India. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that India was speaking on behalf of those countries pushing the UPFA on the path of genuine devolution, the UNPer said.
The President of the UNP’s trade union arm, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, blamed the UPFA for the failure on its part to change its attitude in spite of eradicating the LTTE. Nothing could be as unfortunate as failing to capitalize on post-war stability to reach political consensus with those in the Opposition, particularly the TNA. Whatever the TNA’s relationship with the LTTE earlier, it shouldn’t be an obstacle to ongoing efforts aimed at reaching political consensus on the national issue.
Jayawardena said that the government couldn’t ignore the LLRC’s call for a political settlement on the basis of devolution without jeopardizing territorial integrity and unity of the country. The MP pointed out the absurdity in the JHU’s criticism of the LLRC pertaining to its position on the devolution of power. Addressing the media early this week, JHU heavyweight Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka alleged that the LLRC, headed by former Attorney General C. R. de Silva, had gone beyond its mandate.
Now that the LTTE had been eradiated there couldn’t be any other obstruction to devolution of power, the MP echoed the LLRC.
The UNP challenged the government to reveal its position on the LLRC’s recommendation without trying to divert attention by making a foolish attempt to blame the TNA for the impasse.
The MP commended the LLRC for recommending the re-establishment of independent commissions to run police and public service without further delay. The LLRC’s recommendation was evidence that it disapproved the scrapping of 17th Amendment, which provided for the establishment of independent commissions, de-politicizes key sectors.
The LLRC also faulted the government for moving so called urgent bills depriving people an opportunity to challenge them in Supreme Court, while calling for freedom of information. Dr. Jayawardena said that the government should make its position clear regarding key issues raised by the Commission.
SriLankan Air Taxi Service uses lakes and reservoirs spread throught Sri Lanka as landing strips.
We patriots blogging at DefenceWire had proposed such a service two years ago during the height of Eelam War IV!
Jayawewa!
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Seaplane service to Sri Lanka's Castlereagh resumes
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 29, Colombo: SriLankan Air Taxi service landed a sea plane on the water surface of upcountry's picturesque Castlereagh Reservoir in Dick Oya yesterday afternoon after the service was interrupted due to the near-overflowing hydropower reservoir.
The seaplane carried a group of tourists from the hotels in the area to Koggala in the southern beach for sightseeing, reports from the area said.
Twin otter planes on straight floats with a seating capacity for 15 passengers will take off and land on identified lakes, lagoons and reservoirs.
In addition Castlereagh, SriLankan operates its seaplanes to and from Peliyagoda, Beira Lake, Koggala, Tissamaharama, Trincomalee, Dambulla, Bentota, Dickwella, Hambantota, Ampara, Victoria, Polgolla, Nuwara Eliya, and Arugam Bay.
Low Income Sri Lankan Consumers use 90kWh/mth of electric energy, while Low Income US Consumers use about 400kWh/mth.
A PV array of three 200Watt GRID-TIED PV panels with an effective solar insolation period of 7 hrs/day can produce 4.2 kWh/day, or 126 kWh/mth ... more than sufficient to completely eliminate the monthly electric bill of the consumer.
The Sri Lanka Government should subsidize rooftop PV arrays and provide low-interest loans for residential installations. The benefits of such a large scale program to the nation (reduction of fuel imports, reduction in environmental degradation from fossil power generation, job creation) and to the consumer (financial relief and increase in home value) are ENORMOUS.
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Sri Lanka's electricity tariff final decision by January 01
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 29, Colombo: Chairman of Public Utility Commission of Sri Lanka Jayatissa de costa says that the commission will submit proposals regarding the increase of electricity tariffs by January 1st.
The Commission is waiting for the written response of the Treasury regarding its readiness to bear any loss incurred by the Ceylon Electricity Board, the official said.
He further pointed out that the electricity tariff can be maintained without amendments for six months.
The Chairman further rejected reports that the cut off of 90 units per month for the concessionary rates will be reduced to 30 units. He said that 78% of the electricity consumers are in the low income group people who use less than 90 units per month.
Isolated incident or not, the perpetrators of this AWFUL CRIME should be arrested, prosecuted and punished to the FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, irrespective of their power and influence in the community.
What is of even more concern about this crime is the easy access by civilians to powerful assault rifles, and the disdain they exhibited for law and order in thinking they can get away with it.
The GOSL should take IMMEDIATE, FIRM & SUSTAINED ACTION ... just as they did in eradication LTTE terorists ... to restore RESPECT FOR THE LAW countrywide!
If this kind of horrific violence is allowed to continue, we can say GOODBYE to our national effort to become the New Wonder of Asia.
Attainment of Prosperity is CONTINGENT on ENFORCING & MAINTAINING Security & Respect for LAW & ORDER!
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Sri Lanka holidaymakers tell of horror slaying of Red Cross hero from Rochdale
By Yakub Qureshi
December 30, 2011
Tourists have described the terrifying moments before a Red Cross worker was killed at a paradise resort.
Prosthetic expert Khuram Shaikh, from Milnrow, Rochdale, gave hope to men, women and children who lost their limbs in the world’s deadliest countries.
But he was killed on a Sri Lankan beach resort after taking a break from his duties in the conflict-hit Middle East.
Eyewitnesses have told us how the 32-year-old aid worker was randomly targeted after he became caught up in a bar brawl at a hotel in Tangalle.
Mr Shaikh, a rehabilitation manager working with the International Red Cross in Gaza, had been on a holiday with colleague Victoria Alexandrova, who was also badly injured in the attack.
Canadian holidaymaker Dixie Klaibert was staying at the Nature Tangalle hotel with family.
Speaking from India, she told us how a ‘bar brawl’ involving local men broke out at a Christmas Eve party at a hotel, attended by guests, hotel staff and locals.
She said: "We started screaming for them to stop, but they picked up chairs and started smashing them over the man on the floor.
"I glanced back to see a man with a gun walking behind us towards the bonfire.
"It looked like an AK-47 or a machine gun, so my sister and I started screaming that there was a gun, at which point we dropped everything and got out of there.
"As we were walking back to our room we heard the gunshots, and ran."
Ms Klaibert was staying at the beach hotel with husband Chris Stooksbury, sister Daisy Klaibert and her sister’s boyfriend Orion Foster.
Mr Foster, a commercial diver, described how Mr Shaikh was attacked by a group of men and appeared to be struck with a broken bottle.
He said: "He was walking and hunched over hugging himself. Things were being thrown at him and he was being beaten while he was walking.
"He made it to end of the pool area where they caught up to him.
"Three guys were bearing down on him and then attacked him. This is where I believe he was again wounded severely by the broken bottle and they slashed his throat.
"He only made it another 15 feet where he collapsed and did not get back up."
The terrified group hid in their room while they desperately phoned for aid and waited 45 minutes before police arrived at the scene.
Sri Lanka holidaymakers tell of horror slaying of Red Cross hero from Rochdale
......continued.....
Ms Alexandrovna, 23, a Russian citizen, was also savagely attacked, has now been transferred to a private hospital in the country’s largest city Colombo.
Reports from the Sri Lanka media state that the southern tourist town is now all but deserted after foreign visitors fled.
Local police say they are still probing the attack in the early hours of Christmas day.
A post-mortem examination showed Mr Shaikh had been attacked by a sharp weapon and shot.
Six people are now in custody, including a local politician named as Sampath Vidanapathirana, who surrendered himself to officers a day after the shooting.
But Ms Klaibert, a former investment bank worker based in London, said she feared that local people would be too frightened to give evidence about the attack.
She added: "Police arrived and left, but nobody said anything to any of the hotel guests.
"Given that a local politician involved is terrifying and a number of people appeared to have access to firearms, I would think local people would be extremely scared about speaking out."
Mr Shaikh, who had worked for the International Red Cross since 2009, also served in North Korea.
His heartbroken family described the Salford University graduate as ‘courageous’ and someone ‘who lived to help others’.
Sri Lankan government promises a transparent investigation into the murder of British tourist
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 30, Colombo: Deputy Economic Development Minister of Sri Lanka Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena says the investigation in to the murder of the British tourist in Tangalle would be carried out efficiently and transparently in an unbiased manner.
Abeywardena noted that the British High Commission in Sri Lanka and the Russian Embassy has expressed satisfaction in the legal steps taken by the government with regard to the incident.
The Deputy Minister said the wrong doers would be severely dealt with and special privileges would not be offered to any person involved in the crime.
According to Abeywardena, the governing United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Secretary Susil Premajayantha is to also take disciplinary action against the governing party politician who is a suspect in the murder investigation.
"The government does not have any challenge from the opposition since it has fallen apart. We have problems from our own people as a result," he has said.
Khuram Shaikh Zaman, 32, a British tourist from Manchester died on Christmas Eve after he and his colleague, 23-year old Russian national Victoria Alexandrovna were attacked by a gang allegedly led by the ruling party Chairman of the Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha.
ආනන්ද ඇතුළු පවුලේ සැම,
සාමය, සතුට, සුව සම්පත සහ සෞභාග්ය සපිරි සිරි සුභ නව වසරක් වේවා!
ප්රියශාන්ත ඇතුළු පවුලේ සැම.
Family of elusive dissident Marxist party leader detained at Sri Lanka Airport
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 02, Colombo: Airport authorities have detained the family of the elusive leader of Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) dissidents, Premakumar Gunaratnam alias Kumar Mahaththaya at the Katunayake International Airport this morning.
Kumar's wife and two children had been detained by the authorities when they had arrived to board a flight to Australia via Singapore.
Police Spokesperson SP Ajith Rohana said a 47-year-old woman and two children were detained for questioning.
It was later revealed that the persons detained were the wife and two children of the former JVP leader turned dissident Kumar.
Kumar's wife, Dr. Champa Somartane and the two children who are Australian citizens had arrived in the country during the holiday period and were trying to return to Australia when they were detained.
Sources from the JVP dissidents group told ColomboPage that they were not aware of the reason for detaining the family members.
However, it has been reported that the persons detained are being questioned under the Immigration and Emigration Act and are being queried about Kumar's whereabouts.
Why doesn't Anoma want her husband released from prison?
Does this loving wife value her new found "freedom" more?
OMG!
.............
Jailed former Army Commander of Sri Lanka will not be pardoned
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 01, Colombo: Anoma Fonseka, the wife of imprisoned ex-Army Commander of Sri Lanka, Sarath Fonseka said that there was no truth in certain media reports that the ex-Army chief would be freed today (Jan. 01).
Speaking to weekend Ravaya newspaper, Mrs.Fonseka reiterated that there would be no apology made on behalf of her husband, since he had committed no wrong.
She also said that no direct proposal has been made to the family of imprisoned former Army commander that they should seek a presidential pardon on behalf of him.
However, she admitted that there were indirect suggestions that she should request President Mahinda Rajapaksa to pardon her husband.
The Tiger Nominasted Agents of the TNA now openly disclose their TREASONOUS NATURE ... again ... inviting the foreign "Diplomatic Community" to interfere in Sri Lanka's internal matters.
These RACIST SEPARATISTS were NEVER PROSECUTED for their support of LTTE terrorism and TREASONOUS COLLABORATION with Foreign Powers to divide Sri Lanka in two.
FAILURE TO PUNISH TREACHERY BEGETS MORE TREACHERY!
Eliminate the 13th Amendment IMPOSED on SRi Lanka by India under the threat of PERMANENT MILITARY OCCUPATION!
NEVER DEVOLVE Police & Land Powers to Sri Lanka's UNREPENTANT DEFEATED ENEMIES of Yesterday.
Create NO RACIST APARTHIEID BANTUSTANS anywhere in Sri Lanka.
Equal Citizenship with ONE PERSON ONE VOTE to Elect Members of Parliament, irrespective of race, religion, language, caste, sex or wealth is SUFFICIENT FRANCHISE for any LAW ABIDING citizen of a any democratic nation.
Arrest, Prosecute, Convict and Punish these RACIST COMMUNAL TRAITORS!
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Tamil alliance of Sri Lanka seeks support from diplomatic community on power devolution
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka's major Tamil political party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is to meet with representatives of the diplomatic community in Colombo to explain the parity's stance with regard to land and police powers to the provinces.
The TNA members are to meet with the diplomats to brief them on the progress made at the talks between the government and the party.
TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran told ColomboPage that representatives from the party would meet with members of the diplomatic community to discuss the measures taken by the government with regard to finding a political solution to the ethnic issue.
He said the party would emphasize the need to allocate land and police powers to the provinces as outlined in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
According to Premachandran, the TNA would campaign for support from the diplomatic community to impress upon the government the need to allocate lands and police powers to the provinces.
When asked as to when the TNA members would meet with members from the diplomatic community, he said dates would be fixed when all the TNA MPs who are in their constituencies return to Colombo.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has recently said that the government will not grant land and police powers to provincial councils as sought by the TNA in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The government, however, said that it will reconsider devolving land powers to the provinces.
Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, who leads the government delegation for talks with the TNA has told BBC that the government is "always prepared to discuss land and police powers as well as the re merger of the north and east."
The Minister has denied that Sri Lankan government was under any pressure from India to devolve land and police powers as to the provinces according to the 13 amendment to the Constitution.
Tough and Impartial Enforcement of LAW & ORDER, and inculcation of RESPECT FOR THe LAW, should be among the HIGHEST PRIORITIES of Sri Lanka.
Failure to do so will place OUR DREAM of becoming the New Wonder of Asia beyond Sri Lanka's reach!
GOSL, ACT NOW!
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28 pc increase in violent incidents
By Don Asoka Wijewardena
January 1, 2012
An upward trend of 28 per cent increase of accidents compared to the previous 31st night was reported by the Colombo National hospital for the thirty-six hours ended 7.00 a.m. yesterday. The Colombo National hospital Accident Unit had received 479 accident victims and 164 cases were admitted for further treatment. Of the total of 479 cases 149 were victims of road traffic accidents. Seventy-four victims were due to low level falls, 16due to fall from height, 74 victims were due to low level falls and ninety cases were the result of driving under the influence of liquor. Violent incidents were responsible for 41 admissions while fire-cracker injuries accounted for 12 victims, the Accident Unit said.
Accident Ward Head Nurse Ms. Pushpa Ramani Ramyalatha told The Island that accidents of various nature had occurred during the last thirty-six hours. It was a 28 per cent increase in comparison to total accidents reported on the night of December 31 2010. About hundred and sixty four accident victims had to be admitted because they had sustained serious injuries.
She pointed out that accident victims from fire-crackers were less than the previous year, but accident victims who sustained injuries from driving under the influence of liquor, road traffic accidents, violence and low level falls had seen an upward trend. The Accident Unit was ready to receive any kind of accident victims.
Yes, indeed ... China has been a true friend of Sri Lanka through the ages.
Never MORE SO than NOW!
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Sri Lanka's PM commends China for strong support
By Che Hongliang
COLOMBO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne said Sri Lanka appreciates China's long-standing support and his government will further developing its relations with China.
Sri Lanka sees China as a close friend and will work with China to strengthen the bilateral ties in all areas, Jayaratne made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua at his official residence recently.
Jayaratne recalled the long relations between Sri Lanka and China that began over a thousand years ago with the arrival of Chinese monk Fa Xian.
He said Sri Lanka is one of the first countries supporting China's UN membership. He said China and Sri Lanka signed the historic Rubber-Rice Pact in 1952 bringing many benefits to the peoples of the two nations, and the two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1957 and the bilateral ties have developed steadily since then.
Jayaratne said he had accompanied former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike to visit China decades ago and met Chairman Mao Zedong. During the visit, China promised to help build an International Conference Center in Sri Lanka.
The prime minister said the International Conference Center, namely Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall together with the recently opened National Performing Art Theater in Colombo have stood as a symbol of the friendship between China and Sri Lanka.
The on-going projects assisted by China, including Norochcholai Coal-Powered Power Project, Hambantota Port, Maththala Airport and highways in the south would give a boost to Sri Lanka's economy, said Jayaratne.
He said that China has always supported Sri Lanka, especially on the issues related to the question of Sri Lanka's Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity. The Sri Lankan leadership has always appreciated China's steadfast support on issues of their concern.
"We are very grateful to China for always standing beside Sri Lanka, especially during times when the west was criticizing the government for ending a three decade war. China is Sri Lanka's largest benefactor supporting many infrastructure programs that are crucial for our development," he said.
Jayaratne said the year 2012 is coming, he wrote an inscription wishing the Chinese people a happy and prosperous new year.
As for Sri Lanka, the DIVIDE & RULE crowd prescribe "Ethnicity-Based-Federalist" POISON PILLS for NEPAL, to assure the eventual DISINTEGRATION & CARVING UP of that nation.
If Nepal wants to survive as ONE nation, it MUST REJECT FEDERAL SOLUTIONS, based on Ethnicity or any other communal basis!
Ethnicity based regional devolution will only create MORE SPECIAL INTERESTS without a Strong Centeral Government to serve as a check on centrifugal forces fostered by Nepal's enemies.
Ethnicity based federalism will pit Nepal's people against one another exacerbating their pesonal interests over the national interest, and create personal fiefdoms for a new breed of would-be despots.
ONE Nation of ONE People sharing ONE Destiny should be Nepal's Goal.
Likewise for Sri Lanka.
..........
Ethnicity based Nepal Federal order will disintegrate nation eventually
TelegraphNepal.com
January 01, 2012
Nepal’s Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s political advisor Devendra Poudel ‘Sunil’ is of the view that the ethnicity based federal order will eventually lead the nation to several splits.
Sunil’s views are in sharp contradiction to the party structured line.
Whether Prime Minister Baburam also subscribes to the same opinion becomes thus pertinent.
However, it has been freshly reported by the media that Sunil is not at all happy with the functioning of Prime Minister Baburam.
Thus Sunil’s views may have come as a mark of his inner frustration. Human weakness.
Addressing a program in the capital, January 1, 2012, Sunil added, “The Maoists Party fought to end oppression and thus the federal order should be based on doing away with the present oppressive system.”
“It would be a disaster if the country adopted ethnicity based federalism,” he suggested.
Similarly, General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel of United Marxist Leninist Party toed a line similar to Sunil.
“The debate is not whether we need federalism. The debate should focus on what sort of federal order do we want. However, ethnicity based federalism will push the country to a disaster”, added Pokharel.
Chitra Lekha Yadav of Nepali Congress-the intelligent of all the speakers at the program it seemed, said that the fault lay with the political parties because they were the ones who initially pushed the idea of ethnicity and communalism in the country. The parties must accept the fault they have committed, Ms. Yadav advised.
AMAZING MIND-BOGGLING REALIZATION!
What has THE Major Opposition Party of Sri Lanka been so far, if not a "People's Movement"?
A "Movement" by foreign NGOs, of foreign NGOs, for foreign NGOs, Perhaps?
Rejection by the "People" of the UNP does not mean that the UNP has not been trying to mobilize those "People" all these years as they led the nation toward disintegration.
It is just that they have now been stripped BARE of their sheep's clothing and stands NAKED, EXPOSED and REJECTED by the "People" for they truly are: An Anti-National, Unpatriotic Party Serving the Enemies of the People of Sri Lanka.
Until those Anti-National Policies change DEMONSTRABLY, the ass-licking of foreign powers ends, and the UNP revives its early patriotic heritage of ACTING SOLELY IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST, it will not win the Hearts and Minds of the Patriotic People of Sri Lanka.
It is really as simple at that, for now the People of Sri Lanka have seen how a Patriotic Government can ENSURE THEIR COLLECTIVE SECURITY, and usher in a NEW ERA of UNPRECEDENTED PROSPERITY for ALL.
Can the UNP, riddled with Anti-National Elements pulling in all directions, rise to the challenge?
Only When Hell Boils Over!
...............
Sri Lanka major opposition to form a people's movement against government
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka's major opposition United National Party (UNP) has decided to launch a broader people's movement against the government.
The campaign is named as the 'People's Movement Against Illegality'. The UNP expects to launch the programme within the next three weeks, a party spokesman said.
UNP has decided to hold protest demonstrations and rallies island wide organized by the new movement.
The party would also seek the support of the other parties, groups and individuals as well for the movement, the party spokesman said.
A special awareness programme on the new programme will be held on January 9, 10 and 11 in Colombo to enlighten the UNP MPs, Provincial Councilors and the Local Government members.
“PERSONALISED” TIGER STAMPS, NOT IN ANY WAY OFFICIAL; LA POSTE APOLOGISES FOR MISTAKE
LankaWeb.com
January 3rd, 2012
MEDIA RELEASE-Embassy of Sri Lanka Paris
With regard to stamps originating in France, bearing various symbols representing the LTTE, a terrorist organization listed as such by the EU, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Paris wishes to make the following statement:
The Embassy of Sri Lanka has been in communication with La Poste which is the issuing authority for official stamps, with regard to the matter of stamps bearing the symbols of an organization which was responsible for many atrocities that are well known by the world community.
The Embassy wishes to inform the Sri Lankan public that it has received a communication from La Poste which informs us that one of their services includes the possibility for the public to create customized or personalized stamps with the option of choosing and uploading freely the image they expect to see. This facility is administered by 3 designated agents who receive over 2000 requests per week. These agents are required to put in place the necessary means for the verification of the images sent to their service by the clients/customers.
La Poste accepts that a collection of “stamps with inappropriate visuals” associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, an association classified by the EEC as a terrorist group, had been printed “by mistake”.
La Poste has apologized for this error on behalf of Phil@poste, the entity engaged in the overall administration of the online service.
It further “confirms that these personalized stamps are not in any way a part of the official French philatelic programme” and gives its assurance that no other stamp will be undertaken by their services “with these visuals and for this association”.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka has initiated a process of further representations to the relevant authorities at the highest level about these stamps, which prima facie violate the terms and conditions that have to be met in order to be produced, one of which is that no weapon of any sort should be reproduced. This Embassy also intends to make the case that the systems and controls in place to prevent further occurrences of this sort should be adequate and be sufficiently monitored.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Paris
3rd January 2012
Embassy of Sri Lanka
in France
16, rue Spontini
75016 Paris
France
Sri Lanka to build the tallest tower in South Asia
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 03, Colombo: Sri Lanka will sign an agreement with China today to construct a 350-meter high tower building in the heart of its capital Colombo, the government announced.
The Lotus Tower Building and the Leisure Garden will be the tallest tower in South Asia and the 19th tallest tower in the world.
The Sri Lankan cabinet recently approved the construction of this tower in a seven and half-acre land belonging to the Urban Development Authority at D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha.
The Director General of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Anusha Pelpita said that the tower will make a special impact on Sri Lanka's Communication and Information Technology Sector.
The multi-faceted tower will provide facilities for 50 television services, 50 broadcasting services and ten telecommunication providers.
The 11-storied structure will have a revolving restaurant on the fourth floor. A lotus flower segment that will have seven floors will be erected from the fifth floor. A reception hall with capacity of 1000 persons will be housed on the third floor.
The construction of the lotus tower is to be completed in 30 months at a cost of US$ 100 million and it will be funded by EXIM Bank of the People's Republic of China.
Until EFFECTIVE & TIMELY action is taken against Powerful Politicians who presume to be above the law, protect criminals, and browbeat the police ... this anti-crime drive will not succeed.
Evidence gathering with CCTV is good, but eradication of the climate of impunity and ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW is what needs greater attention.
PUNISH all CRIMINALS SEVERELY without regard to who they are.
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Novel anti-crime drive in New Year
By YASARATNE GAMAGE
DailyNews.lk
January 03, 2012
The CCTV camera system is to be modernized by introducing a programme for automated facial recognition and automated number plate recognition to curtail illegal activities in Colombo, according to the IGP’s plans for 2012.
The IGP has proposed many strategies for the New Year with the aim of giving a more people friendly service by the Police.
In a special press release issued by PPR unit the IGP says that more prominence would be given to controlling crimes by organized groups while being vigilant to minimize and curtail crimes in general.
The Special Task Force, Police Anti Narcotics Bureau and provincial Police officers will be deployed to expand the raids carried out to nab drug dealers and smugglers, including mass scale drug dealers.
As accidents cause a large number of sudden deaths and disable many, the Police will be strict on drunk, reckless and those who
drive over the permitted speed limit, in order to minimize road accidents.
The communication system will be upgraded to connect every police station through the internet and people will be notified of important messages via internet.
The Police College will be modernized with all facilities to produce skilled and talented policemen.
All transfers and promotions will be carried out according to a new process in line with state service commission. The spot fines issued for minor traffic offences will be payable via SMS. Special attention will be paid on welfare of police personnel.
In addition to HDPE sewer and water pipes, Sierra should manufacture Plastic Electrical Conduit Pipe and Fittings locally for local and export markets.
Plastic Electrical Conduits and Fittings are critical products needed to serve Sri Lanka's rapidly growing industrial electrification, communications, information technology, and energy sectors.
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Pipe Output
By Jayantha Kovilagodage
LankaBusinessOnline.com
January 03, 2012
Sri Lanka's Sierra pipe maker to start production in April.
Jan 03, 2012 (LBO) - The first batch of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipes produced by a new factory set up by Sierra Cables PLC will start rolling out by April 2012, an official said.
The 165 million rupee factory is located in Gal Warusawe, in Athurugiriya, chairman Priyantha Perera said.
It will start producing HDPE (high density polyethelene) pipes in 2013, in the second phase of development of the factory.
The HDPE pipes can be used for sewerage and drinking water.
Sierra Cables has a 70 percent stake in the pipe making unit, Sierra Industries (Pvt) Ltd.
Sri Lankan brand "Lankamati" rice a future export with Worldwide Recognition?
Choose a FRAGRANT LONG-GRAINED RICE variety better than Indian Basmati rice to be sold at a premium price.
Let us MAKE IT HAPPEN!
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Fruit and vegetable exports to top US $ 4,000 m
By Indunil HEWAGE
January 03, 2012
The value of vegetables and fruit exports will go up from the present Rs 3,000 million to Rs 4,000 million per annum by end 2012 . There is an increased demand for quality Sri Lankan fruits and vegetable products from Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, Bahrain, Maldives and Saudi Arabia.
High demand for Lankan fruits and vegetables.
Sri Lankan fruits that are in demand are pineapples, passion fruit, red lady papaya, fresh dragon fruit, rambuttan, avocado among others. The major competitors in the global fruit and vegetable industry are Brazil, South Africa and Thailand.
However quarantine barriers and unfavourable weather are the pressing challenges faced by the respective exporters.
“Priority must be given to increase the contribution of agricultural sector to the GDP at least up to 30-35% from the present 16% growth rate . To achieve the anticipated US $ 20 billion total export revenue mark by 2020, Sri Lanka would have to set up orchard cultivation which would definitely increase the productivity of the lands by producing high yield per acre. Solutions must be found to various issues such as non availability of sufficient high yielding planting materials and it is imperative to collaborating with technology research institutions in the world, particularly with the east,” Chamber of Exporters Immediate Past President Sarath de Silva said. The added value percentage of agricultural sector in Sri Lanka stands at 90 and garment and high end garments records eight and fifteen respectively.
This clearly shows the industry ability to contribute to the overall economy.
“It is another positive point that Sri Lanka is proposed to be a rice exporting economy. This is a positive step in a changing global environment with global weather calamities. But, the Quarantine Dept and the Agriculture Ministry should facilitate the private sector, without imposing undue pressure, to import of suitable glutinous, long grained paddy seeds until we multiply it ourselves so that we could replace the Basmati and the Thai fragrant rice and introduce, to the world, a new brand called Lankamathi.
Affiliated to this should be the approval of soil enhancing and organic or balanced material, to achieve higher yields, so that the Northwest and Ampara districts which are considered rice bowls of Sri Lanka, will produce rice suitable and palatable to the whole world,” Silva said.
Priority is given for self-sufficiency in food production and import substitution in green gram, ulundu, black gram, peanuts, sesame and maize, by increasing the cess on imports. The increase of cess on red chillie and curry powder, will encourage Sri Lanka to get into local production.
indunil.hewage@gmail.com
France apologises to Sri Lanka over Tamil Tiger stamps
By Tony Cross
RFI.fr
January 04, 2012
France has been forced to apologise to the Sri Lankan government after its post office issued “personalised” stamps supporting the armed separatist Tamil Tiger group, which is banned in France.
Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister GL Peiris summoned French ambassador Christine Robichon on Tuesday to protest after local media revealed that stamps calling for Tamil Eelam – an independent Tamil homeland – had been arriving from France.
Tamils in Paris after the war
WikiMedia Commons
According to the Sri Lankan government, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrilla group, which the Sri Lankan government defeated after a long war in 2009, was instructing its supporters to use the stamps to raise funds and show support for its cause.
A furious Peiris pointed out that the European Union has classified the LTTE as a terrorist group, as has the US, and expressed “acute concern” that four sets of a total of 360 stamps had been printed by the French post office, La Poste.
They include images of slain LTTE leader Velipullai Prabhakaran and the movement's logo.
The stamps were produced by La Poste’s Phil@poste service, which invites subscribers to upload images to be printed on custom-made stamps.
La Poste has admitted that “stamps with inappropriate visuals” had been issued “by mistake”, according to a statement by the French embassy in Sri Lanka, and has undertaken not to produce any more stamps for the group that had commissioned them.
Three “designated agents” – presumably little-versed in international politics – are charged with checking the suitability of about 2,000 images a week, it said.
Contacted by RFI, La Poste’s press office appeared unaware of the incident but admitted that it could have taken place since the employees are more used to keeping an eye out for nudity than for guerrilla fighters.
Sri Lanka’s Paris embassy called for the monitoring service should be beefed up to ensure that its terms and conditions, “one of which is that no weapon of any sort should be reproduced”, be enforced - a call that may give some small hope to a few of France's four million jobseekers.
Private company to develop the Sri Lanka's renewable energy industry
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka Minister of Power and Energy Champika Ranawaka today opened the office of the Sri Lanka Energies Private Limited, a subsidiary of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) in Colombo.
Sri Lanka Energies Private Limited is assigned to work towards developing the country's renewable energy industry.
It will work with the government and the private sector to increase renewable energy production in the country.
The company is to undertake redevelopment of 130 mini-hydro projects which are either underdeveloped or have been abandoned due to various reasons. They have the capacity to generate 250 MW of electricity.
Sri Lankan Hospitals to go paperless
By Clarice Africa
FutureGov.asia
January 4, 2012
For the very first time in Sri Lanka, doctors in government hospitals will be able view a patient’s comprehensive medical records on their computer screen, all thanks to the newly developed Hospital Health Information Management System (HHIMS).
The HHIMS is a joint collaborative effort between the ICT agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and the Ministry of Health. The initiative stemmed from the Government’s thrust to significantly improve service delivery to the citizens by using ICT.
According to Wasantha Deshapriya, ICTA Re-engineering Government Programme Director, the software has been tested in five hospitals – Karavanella, Mawanella, Endegoda, Kitugala, and Deriyanagala – in the Kegalle District for over six months. At present, it is now ready to be installed in other Government hospitals island-wide.
The Hospital Health Information Management System, is a free open source software that will enable doctors make accurate and well-informed diagnosis on their patients
By simply having a registration number, the hospital staff will dispense medication and carry out tests as per the doctor’s ‘prescription’ which is documented on the electronic patient record available to them on their computer screens.
“This user-friendly software enables accurate diagnosis and will be crucial in helping government hospitals go paperless. In addition, it also facilitates the production of many routine but essential hospital reports thus saving time and much paperwork. A positive indirect effect of the system is that the medical staff has more time to attend to their patients,” Deshapriya said.
Long awaited Population Census in March, 2012!
Prevented by Armed Separatists dividing the nation, finally the Census for the REUNIFIED nation can be conducted.
Jayawewa, Sri Lanka!
.............
Sri Lanka to conduct population census in March
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka will conduct its first island wide census in 30 years on March 20th, the government announced on Wednesday.
The 14th population and housing census of the country will be carried out in four stages. The first and second stages related to mapping of the grama niladari divisions and census on housing have already been completed.
According to the Department of Census and Statistics, the information gathering on people and their residences will be conducted from 27th February until 19th of March. The two days of March 20th and 21st have been set aside to make corrections related to deaths and births.
Enumeration of homeless people will be carried out on the 19th of March. A revision round of enumeration will also be conducted.
Nearly 100,000 supervisors and 80,000 enumerators will take part in the census. They will collect data on economic status of people, occupation, fertility, migration patterns, residence and supply of electricity, among others, the Director General of the Census and statistics Department Ms. Suranjana Vidyarathne said addressing media today.
She appealed to the people to assist the census officers by providing the information they request.
Authorities emphasized that the reliability and accuracy of statistical data will depend entirely on the accuracy of the information provided by the general public.
The last nationwide census in Sri Lanka was conducted in 1981.
Navy unearths large stock of weapons
By Ridma DISSANAYAKE
DailyNews.lk
January 4, 2012
A large stock of weapons, explosives and other war like equipment buried by fleeing LTTE terrorists was unearthed by Naval troops in Narantanai West in Kayts on January 1, attached to the Northern Naval Command, following information they received, Navy Spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasooriya told the Daily News yesterday.
The stock was consists of one 60 mm mortar launcher,one 60 mm mortar cleaning rod with brush,five T56 weapons, four T81 weapons,484 7.6254mm ammunitions, 769 7.6239mm ammunitions, 12 7.6239mm ammunition boxes, six T81 magazines, 30 T51 magazines and two communication sets, he further said.
If this cache of FAKE EVIDENCE cannot be released by the UN for 20 years, then the UN should also SHELVE its Fake War Crimes Allegations against the GOSL for ... you guessed it ... 20 years.
No "Crime" can be Prosecuted without "Evidence".
Can't hide the "Evidence" and Allege "War Crimes".
Can't have it BOTH WAYS, dear NEOCOLONIALIST-PUPPET United Nations!
...........
Alleged war crimes:SL wants UN to lift embargo on evidence
By Shamindra Ferdinando
January 3, 2012
The government expects the UN to lift an unprecedented 20-year embargo on both written and oral material in its hands pertaining to alleged war crimes committed by GoSL troops and the LTTE to help domestic investigations into complaints.
Authoritative sources told The Island that those sceptical of a domestic investigation process as recommended by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) should make available whatever evidence in their possession to facilitate inquiries.
A UN imposed embargo shouldn’t be an obstacle to Sri Lanka’s inquiry, ministerial sources said.
Responding to a query, a senior official said that those wanting to haul up Sri Lanka’s political and military leaders before an international war crimes tribunal should make use of the opportunity and make available information they claim to possess. In fact, such a move could strengthen their case against the GoSL.
The Report of the UNSG’s Panel of Experts (PoE) on Accountability in Sri Lanka declared that written and oral material wouldn’t be accessible for a 20-year period.
The PoE emphasised that nearly all of its records had been categorised as strictly confidential with additional protections regarding future use in some cases.
The PoE comprised Marzuki Darusman, Steven R. Ratner and Yasmin Sooka.
Military sources said that the UN should tell the GoSL whether the embargo on evidence applied in the event Sri Lanka faced charges before an international tribunal. Against the backdrop of the International Crisis Group (ICG) demanding the establishment of an independent international investigation in 2012, it would be pertinent to ask all those wanting to punish Sri Lanka when evidence in the hands of the UN would be made available, sources said.
The PoE is on record as having said that it has received over 4,000 submissions from 2,300 persons.
Success of a local or international inquiry would largely depend on the availability of the required evidence, both written and oral, received by those conducting a particular probe, government sources said referring to the UK’s Iraq war Inquiry. The investigation team is on record as having said that it needs time till summer this year as it had to negotiate the declassification of a significant volume of currently classified material with the government to enable this to be quoted in, or published alongside, the Inquiry’s report.
My Comment at LankaWeb on "Danger Signs We Ignored for 105 Years are Ominously Back on the Horizon" by Kumar Moses at LankaWeb.com:
...........
Well said, Kumar Moses!
A nicely researched article with the correct conclusion, to wit, ETHNIC INTEGRATION with settlement of other communities in the North & East to create a uniform demographic distribution is the ONLY SOLUTION. The GOSL should implement ethnic integration without delay. Fostering intercommunity empathy and harmony by making racial discrimination impossible through settlement and demographic homogenization is the key to a secure future for Sri Lanka.
Geoff:
I disagree that eliminating the Sinhala caste system, while allowing the Tamil caste system to continue unabated would have been the right thing to do. We have to be consistent in our policies against discrimination of ALL types, irrespective of whether it is based on ethnicity, religion, caste, sex or wealth. That CONSISTENCY is critical to defending the human rights basis of our policies against Tamil Racism and Devolution of Power on communal bases to former Separatists, geared to transforming Sri Lanka into a discrimination free society.
Allowing Vellala people to blithely continue their discrimination against other Tamils in the hope that they will develop an enduring friendship for Sinhala people on a non-competing basis is a FALSE HOPE.
Moreover, it is downright MORALLY & ETHICALLY WRONG. Once high-caste Tamil discrimination consolidates power, and they feel secure of their position in Tamil society, THEY WILL TURN ON THE SINHALESE, because of the underlying discriminatory ATTITUDES are common to both casteism and racism: that inherited communal attributes and wealth are more important than our intrinsic abilities as individuals and our shared humanity.
The opposition of the great majority of Sri Lankans to discrimination on the basis of race, religion, caste, language, sex or wealth is what makes Sri Lanka stand out in the otherwise culturally related group of South Asian nations. It is that which has laid a solid foundation in Sri Lanka for our hope of becoming the New Wonder of Asia.
I call this the Buddhist Mindset of the vast majority of Sri Lankans (either directly by practicing Buddhism or by being immersed in a culturally Buddhist society); it has allowed Sri Lanka to attain the highest Human Development Index in the region. In this context, it is appropriate to refer you to My Comment on “The appalling endemic poverty of the Indian masses and its little-explored religious roots" by R Chandrasoma at LankaWeb.com.
Whatever jaundiced people of any community may think, caste discrimination within all communities of Sri Lanka must be eradicated irrespective of what SHORT TERM benefits may accrue by selectively ignoring caste discrimination for political gain. Attaining the goal of the New Wonder of Asia, and assuring a secure and satisfying life to our future generations of all communities HINGES on developing a discrimination free society. If Tamil Racism and Tamil Caste Discrimination stands in the way, it MUST BE STAMPED OUT without hesitation.
Tamil Nadu Witches Chant of Attacks on Indian Fishermen by SL Navy is DISMISSED as FALSE FABRICATIONS by the Govt of India.
FOILED AGAIN ... but the Tamil Nadu Racists Continue their Chant:
Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
In the poisoned allegations throw
Attacked ... we are attacked grievously ... they crow
Lying and cheating demagogues gone crazy
To drive one's nation into a fighting frenzy
Racist venom to turn the screw
Boil thou first to prepare the poisonous brew!
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
........
Attack on fishermen is mere allegations: Centre
By Mohamed Imranullah S.
TheHindu.com
MADURAI
January 7, 2012
The Centre has dismissed claims of recent attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy as mere allegations sans any proof.
Nevertheless, it has told the island nation that there can be no justification for the use of force against Indian fishermen even though almost all instances of alleged harassment of the fishermen seem to have occurred in the Sri Lankan waters.
Deepak Mittal, Director, BSM (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives) Division, Ministry of External Affairs, made the submission in a counter affidavit filed in reply to a couple of contempt of court applications filed in the Madras High Court Bench here against the Union Cabinet Secretary, National Security Advisor, Defence Secretary, External Affairs Secretary and Deputy Director-General of Indian Coast Guard.
Pointing out that the fishermen communities on either side of the Palk Bay were Tamils, Mr. Mittal said the problems faced by fishermen in both countries emanated from their fishing vessels straying into each other's waters. The Sri Lankan authorities had claimed that a very large number of Indian fishing vessels entered their waters regularly.
Hence, it had been agreed to convene a meeting of the India–Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fisheries (ISJWGF) as early as possible besides resuming dialogue between representatives of fishermen's associations of both countries to understand each other's problems better and to arrive at a workable solution to the issues involved.
Discussions were also under way on signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Development and Cooperation in the field of Fisheries with the Sri Lankan government. These discussions gain significance in the light of a drop of around 90 per cent in the number of Indian fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy ever since the issuance of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Statement on Fishing on October 26, 2008.
The statement issued during the visit of Basil Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament and Senior Advisor to the Sri Lankan President, reflected practical arrangements put in place to deal with bona fide fishermen crossing the IMBL. It was agreed that there would be no firing on fishing vessels and that Indian fishing vessels would not tread into sensitive areas designated by the Sri Lankan government.
Attack on fishermen is mere allegations: Centre
....continued....
Further stating that the Tamil Nadu government had issued a Government Order on July 10, 2000 notifying that the crossing of the IMBL would constitute an offence and attract fine, Mr. Mittal said the Centre was working with the State government in order to sensitise the Indian fishermen on the need to respect the IMBL and not stray into Sri Lankan waters in the interest of their own safety and security.
The present contempt applications were filed by a lawyer B. Stalin alleging disobedience of an interim order passed by the court on October 14, in a public interest litigation petition filed by him, to provide sufficient number of Coast Guard vessels on the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and to ensure that the Indian fishermen were not subjected to atrocities by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Denying disobedience of court orders, the Director said the IMBL in the Palk Bay was regularly monitored round the clock by one ship, two Interceptor Boats (IB), two Air Cushion Vehicles (ACV) and two Interceptor Crafts (IC). There was also regular air surveillance by a Coast Guard aircraft. Besides, the Indian Navy had deployed a ship round the clock besides carrying out air surveillance.
After the interim orders, the Coast Guard diverted one more ship from the IMBL off West Bengal Coast to the Palk Bay. This was in addition to tasking of additional ACVs, IBs and ICs though the general weather conditions in Palk Bay were not conducive for these vessels. The Coast Guard station at Mandapam had been deploying these small vessels during sustainable sea conditions.
The counter affidavit also stated that the Coast Guard had placed additional assets in Palk Bay by diverting them from other areas though such diversion affected security surveillance along the East coast of the country. A Division Bench of Justices Chitra Venkataraman and R. Karuppiah on Friday adjourned the hearing of the contempt applications as well as the main PIL petition to January 11.
Whatever jig the TNA dances wherever, the position of Sri Lanka is CLEAR:
No DEVOLUTION OF POWER to regions based on communal bases.
NO Police & Land Powers to Provinces .. PERIOD!
Racist Separatists now sek to gain in peace by subterfuge the Eelam they sought to gain by murderous war.
Our Short & Sweet Answer: NEVER!
............
Govt boycotts ANC centenary
* Protest against participation of Global Tamil Forum
By Our Diplomatic Correspondent
SundayTimes.lk
January 7, 2011
Sri Lanka has refused to accept an invitation from South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) to attend today's centenary celebrations attended by some 40 heads of state or government. The reason -- a delegation from the London-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) also has been invited for the same event. Giving it official status and placing it on par with a government delegation, an External Affairs Ministry source said yesterday was not acceptable. Otherwise External Affairs MinisterG.L. Peiris was to represent Sri Lanka at the event.
A four member TNA delegation arrived in South Africa to take part in the centenary celebrations of the ruling African National Congress. TNA leader, R. Sampanthan, M.A. Sumanthiran, Selvam Adaikalanathan and Suresh Premachandran soon after their arrival.
Already in South Africa for the centenary celebrations is a GTF delegation led by its President, Rev. Dr. S.J. Emmanuel. Also taking part in the same event is a four member delegation from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) comprising Rajavarothayam Sampanthan (leader), M.A. Sumanthiran, Selvam Adaikalanathan and Suresh Premachandran. Both the TNA and GTF were also to hold talks on the sidelines of the centenary event.
The TNA move has angered President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He told his ministers during last Wednesday's weekly Cabinet meeting that the TNA was resorting to delaying tactics without engaging the government to work out a political package. He said the TNA had not nominated its representatives for a Parliamentary Select Committee and this was causing considerable difficulty. The government's dialogue with the TNA is to be a priority subject when Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna visits Colombo on January 16.
The ANC centenary celebrations will begin at the founding place of the Congress 100 years ago in Waalhoek in Bloemfontein. It will be held at the Free State Auditorium where President Jacob Zuma will make a centenary statement at a ceremony to be attended by 120,000 participants.
Empower Sri Lankan Tamils Economically & Set up industrial training and engineering institutions in the North & East of Sri Lanka by India ... TO WHAT END?
For "economic integration of the markets in these areas with that of Tamil Nadu"!!!!
Therefore,
1. India now has the RIGHT to "Set up Training & Engineering Institutions in Sri Lanka" ... not by INVITATION by the GOSL but by a UNILATERAL DECISION of its own.
2. Integration of the North & East of Sri Lanka into Tamil Nadu ... economically first, politically second, territorially next? ... is the OBJECTIVE.
Sounds very much like ANNEXATION of the NORTH & EAST of Sri Lanka into Tamil Nadu to me.
The GOSL should take note of the IMPENDING LOSS OF SOVEREIGNTY of Sri Lanka being PLOTTED by Indian Tamils ... and take action IMMEDIATELY to ERECT IMMIGRATION, TRAVEL, CUSTOMS, ECONOMIC & SECURITY BARRIERS to these plots to TAKEOVER Sri Lanka.
EELAM economically by the BACK DOOR is as bad as EELAM militarily by the FRONT DOOR!
It is NOT FOR THIS our Brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Police ... the sons & daughters of Sri Lankan CITIZENS .... FOUGHT and DIED to preserve the MOTHERLAND!
..............
“Rethink policy to empower Sri Lankan Tamils economically”
TheHindu.com
January 09, 2011
G. Parthasarathy, former diplomat delivering a lecture in Chennai on Sunday.
Set up industrial training and engineering institutions: G. Parthasarathy
In the present-day world where politics is invariably trumped by economics, India has to have a drastic rethinking of its policy in favour of economically empowering the Tamils in Sri Lanka as a sustainable solution for their rehabilitation, former diplomat G. Parthasarathy said on Sunday.
In a lecture on ‘Personal Recollections of Relations with Sri Lanka — the IPKF and Beyond,' hosted by The South India Heritage Programme, Mr. Parthasarathy said while politics was important for the international pressure on Sri Lanka to keep its commitments, it was eventually the economic empowerment of the Tamils that would make them wealthy and influential.
An alumnus of the College of Engineering, Guindy, Mr. Parthasarathy suggested setting up industrial training and engineering institutions in the North and East of Sri Lanka that would, within a generation, result in the economic integration of the markets in these areas with that of Tamil Nadu—something that Sri Lanka could be persuaded to see as not beneficial merely for Tamils but for the greater common good.
“There has to be a basic rethink in Delhi to see in economic terms our neighbours as an extension of the Indian market,” he said. Such a rethink was hardly out of place against the backdrop of the bilateral FTA and the move towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, he said.
“Rethink policy to empower Sri Lankan Tamils economically”
.............
The former diplomat provided an overview of the 1987 India-Sri Lanka Agreement, the tumultuous stand-off between the Sri Lankan Army and the militant LTTE, the dilemma of the Indian Peace Keeping Force —under pressure from every quarter trying to maintain peace without getting involved in a civil war-like scenario and the escalation of the situation into a bloody no-holds barred battle in which “every side is guilty of excess” and “the psyche of which was such that people went haywire.”
‘Tough outfit'
While Mr. Parthasarathy paid tributes to the LTTE as an outfit that was “tough, motivated and ruthlessly singular” in pursuit of its objectives—“the word of the leader was law to which even human life was secondary”—his assessment was that the LTTE's bravery was not tempered with the wisdom that a guerrilla outfit never fights a conventional battle.
The outfit's disastrous mistake was in engaging in a conventional warfare against a conventional Army.
On why the line of thought about condemning Sri Lanka for human rights violations should be abandoned, Mr. Parthasarathy reasoned that while the Europeans might support India, the US was wavering while Beijing and the Islamic world —or for that matter the Asian bloc which holds sovereignty supreme —would vote against us.
Recalling an incident when he was instructed by the PMO to call on then Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, who was convalescing at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Mr. Parthasarathy found it remarkable that MGR was even during hospitalisation up to speed on developments in Tamil Nadu and quite self-assured about handling the situation.
Anecdote
He also shared an anecdote about Murasoli Maran asking him when LTTE supremo Prabhakaran would do a Yasser Arafat after the Palestinian leader had declared that he recognised Israel's right to exist in peace and security.
My Comment at LankaWeb.com
Re: Economic Integration of North & East of Sri Lanka into Tamil Nadu
Those who might say "what harm is there in economic integration" ... the PROBLEM is that:
While Sri Plankans and the GOSL are working to INTEGRATE the Sri Lankan Tamils into Sri Lanka and its Economy to promote our National Interest ....
Indian Tamils are working to INTEGRATE Sri Lankan Tamils into Tamil Nadu (not necessarily India) and the Tamil Nadu Economy to promote Tamil interests.
While we are trying to weld all people of Sri Lanka into ONE IDENTITY of a Sri Lankan People,
Indian Tamils and Eelamists are trying to into consolidate all Tamils into a Greater Tamil Nation.
If this CONTINUES UNCHECKED,the end result will be ... a GREATER Tamil Nadu and a DISINTEGRATED Sri Lanka.
That was PRECISELY the GOAL of late unlamented Sun God of the Eelamists .... Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Eelamists are devious:
Then, even as they practiced murderous terrorist warfare ... they presented themselves as "human rights" victims to the world.
Now, even as they pose as a "discriminated against" loyal minority only demanding redress of their manufactured non-existent "grievances," and "rights" other Sri Lankan communities do not enjoy, they are pursuing their RACIST SEPARATIST goals by economic union with ... not the rest of Sri Lanka ... but Tamil Nadu. In this quest India is merely a PAWN to be sacrificed and manipulated to attain their Tamil National Goals.
What then is THE SOLUTION to this PERPETUAL PROBLEM Tamil Nationalists create byleveraging the very small national minority of Sri Lankan Tamil residents of the North & East?
THE SOLUTION is OBVIOUS: DEMOLISH THE MAJORITY STATUS OF TAMILS in the North & East through SETTLEMENT of other communities in the North & East. and pursue a national policy of ETHNIC INTEGRATION to create a demographically homogeneous population.
Until that happens, the Sri Lanka Defense Forces should be stationed at INCREASED PREPONDERANT STRENGTH in the North & East and should ASSIST in Ethnic Integration. The Security and Integrity of Sri Lanka is still at GREAT RISK, and where the risk is great EVERY nation ... throughout the world ... stations its defence forces.
Just as Allied Troops occupied the Axis countries after World War II for many decades ... continuing to the present time .. to preserve international peace, let the SLDF remain in great strength in the North & East .... and elsewhere in Sri Lanka ... to preserve Sri Lanka's peace ... until the job of National Integration into ONE Nation, of ONE People sharing ONE Destiny is COMPLETELY DONE.
Let the Tamils enjoy ALL the RIGHTS enjoyed by EVERY Sri Lankan, and EVERY RIGHT enjoyed by ALL Sri Lankans, but give not ONE IOTA MORE, nor ONE IOTA LESS, to ANY person on the basis of his/her ethnicity.
Hello boys, we are still here. Check out our new blog post.
http://ellalanforce.blogspot.com/2012/01/sri-lankan-patriots-in-france-force.html
Modayas will always be modayas.
Irrespective of what the "Tamil People Want", the re-merger of the North and East, and devolution of Land & Police Powers to the Provinces is NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS of Sri Lanka and the great majority of its people.
That would only grant to a SMALL MINORITY OF Deafeated Tamil Separatists in PEACE what they FAILED TO WIN through MURDEROUS TERRORISM & WAR.
On the Contrary, the 13-th Amendment, ILLEGALLY IMPOSED on Sri Lanka by India under the THREAT OF PERMANENT MILITARY OCCUPATION, should be DELETED from the CONSTITUTION, the Provincial Council System ELIMINATED, and the largest Administrative Regions REDUCED IN SIZE to DISTRICTS only.
The PROVINCES are TOO LARGE relative the nation, and POSE potentially insurmountable SEPARATIST THREATS to the Central Government.
Our goal should be ONE Nation of ONE People sharing ONE National Destiny, and not the DIVISION of the nation into separate APARTHEID Bantustans to please RACIST Separatists planning UNION with Tamil Nadu in India.
NEVER!
.............
TNA demands are not those of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka - Minister
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 12, Colombo: Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka Tissa Karalliyadde says the powers demanded by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would not address issues faced by the Tamil people in the country.
Karalliyadde has said the TNA was seeking powers to the Northern Provincial Council that have not been given to any other provincial council in the country.
Speaking during a tour in Jaffna in the North, the Minister has noted that it was important to understand the normal lives of the Tamil people in the North and act accordingly to address their problems.
According to Karalliyadde, there was no point in being set on one ideology and keep demanding for it without addressing the practical issues.
He has noted that the TNA should understand the real needs of the Tamil people and work towards winning them.
"There is no consensus in the talks because the TNA demands are not what the Tamil people need," Karalliyadde has emphasized.
Some senior members of the government say the TNA is making impossible demands to make it difficult for the government to continue the talks but the government is keeping options open to resolve the problems of the north and east by discussions.
The two main demands of TNA, the re-merger of North and East and land and police powers to the provinces, were also the demands of the Tamil terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), political observers point out.
Bloggers,
Please shift over to the new article I have posted. Thx.
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