Tuesday, December 31, 2013

MP Mangala’s house robbed

MP Mangala’s house robbed-December 31, 2013

ByAshan Paranahewa

The residence of Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera located in Panadura, has been robbed by an unknown person last afternoon, the Police Media spokesman told Ceylon Today Online.

The police further stated that MP was not at his residence when the robbery occurred and that only the cook had been present.

The Panadura Police are conucting further investigations.

Six suspects who stole 20 motorbikes arrested

December 31, 2013

Six individuals have been arrested in the Tangalle area for allegedly stealing 20 motorbikes, the Police Media Unit told Ceylon Today Online.

The suspects have been identified as residents of Ranna, Angunakolapalassa.

Investigations revealed that the suspects had stolen 19 TVS bikes and a Loncin bike from Tangalle, Beliatta, Hambantota, Tissamaharama, Suriyawewa,Angunakolapalassa, Weeraketiya and Middeniya areas.

The goods have been taken under the police custody while the suspects are to be produced before the Tangalle Magistrate Court today. Tangalle Police are carrying out further investigations. (Ceylon Today Online)

Doctor who fixed hidden cameras in restrooms arrested

December 31, 2013

By Ashan Paranahewa.

A medical doctor who fixed several hidden cameras in restrooms of the Anuradhapura Hospital has been arrested by the Anuradhapura Police this afternoon.

The doctor has been caught with the cameras a week ago, and been arrested by the Anuradhapura Police based on a protest commenced by the medical Staff of the hospital today. The suspect is to be produced before the Anuradhapura Court today.

2014: A year of change for women in business?

December 31, 2013

On 10 December 2013, as the year was drawing to a close, something unprecedented happened at Henry Ford’s venerable General Motors (GM). Mary Barra took the wheel, as CEO, to become the most powerful woman in the US car industry.
Barra is one of a fast growing cadre of top female managers at GM; a quarter of its factory management are female. The cutting-edge technology electric vehicle program is driven by a woman. Barra has been described as ‘a coach, and that’s the sort of management style this company needs’ says David Cole of the Centre for Automotive Research.
She takes over from Dan Akerson, a former military man, who leaves on a high note. His new Chevrolet Impala has been cited as ‘the best saloon ever tested’ by the magazine Consumer Reports.
Will 2014 be different?

2014 a Year of Change for Women in Business by nelvely

War Criminals By Default

Alan Hart Salem-News.com-Dec-30-2013`

In my analysis the real tragedy is that something could have been done at a very early stage to stop the killing and destruction. What was needed was for President Obama to have a private conversation with President Putin along something like the following lines.

exohuman.com

(LONDON) - My last thought for 2013 is that for their failure to co-operate and coordinate to make the United Nations work to stop the slaughter and destruction in Syria, the leaders of the five permanent and controlling members of the Security Council - the U.S, Britain, France, Russia and China - are war criminals by default.

And I agree with an end of the year review comment by Basma Atassi for Al Jazeera. As more videos emerged of atrocities, “the international community’s inaction continued to give Syrians the message that their human worth is insignificant. The perpetrators (on all sides) have a free ride to kill and the victims have no place to go for justice.”

There are only two ways to run this world of ours.

One is in accordance with the rule of law and respect for the human and political rights of all people. In this way of managing Planet Earth, the governments of all nations, no exceptions (so including those of Israel and the U.S.), would be called and held to account by the Security Council and punished as necessary and appropriate when they demonstrated contempt for the rule of law and their various treaty obligations and other commitments.

The other way is in accordance with Jungle Law. For some years it has been my view that our leaders are taking us back to the jungle. What has been allowed to happen in Syria has only reinforced my fear on this account.

From the moment in April 2011 when the Syrian army was deployed to quell the uprising and fired on demonstrators across the country, it ought to have been obvious (I’m sure it was) to the governments of the major powers that the minority Alawite standard bearers, President Bashar al-Assad and his top military and other security people, would kill and kill and kill to stay in power and, if necessary, would die fighting rather than let go the levers of their power.

In my analysis the real tragedy is that something could have been done at a very early stage to stop the killing and destruction. What was needed was for President Obama to have a private conversation with President Putin along something like the following lines.

“It’s not in any of our interests that this conflict be allowed to escalate and spread.What’s your price for using your influence to require Assad to step down and make way for elections? I understand, of course, that you’ll only be able to use your influence to this effect if there is a firm and absolute guarantee that after elections the wellbeing and security of the minority Alawite population will be assured. There must be no recriminations and revenge for decades of police state rule by the Ba-ath Party of Assad father and son. I give you my word that the United States, through the Security Council, will play its necessary role in making good this guarantee... And one more thing, Vladimir. I also give you my word that the U.S. will not seek to make use of regime change in Syria as a means of trying to have Russia kicked out of Tartus, the only Mediterranean naval base for your Black Sea Fleet.”

If Obama had been wise enough to take such an initiative, I think it much more likely than not that he would have got a positive response from Putin.

It’s worth noting that after the G20 Summit in Mexico in October 2012, British Prime Minister David Cameron claimed that during the meeting President Putin had shifted his position and wanted Bashar al-Assad out of power. Cameron said: “There remain differences over sequencing and the shape of how the transition takes place, but it is welcome that President Putin has been explicit that he does not want Assad remaining in charge in Syria.

What we need next is agreement on a transitional leadership which can move Syria to a democratic future that protects the rights of all its communities.” Probably Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was partly right when he said that Cameron’s statement about Putin’s position was “not corresponding to reality.” But Putin did say,“It is important after regime change, if it happens, and it must happen only by constitutional means, that peace comes to the country and bloodshed stops.”The reality as it seemed to me at the time, and which Cameron put his own spin on, was that Putin had indicated that he could live with regime change in Syria if it happened by constitutional means. And that’s why I think it was much more likely than not that Obama would have got a positive response from Putin at a very early point in the conflict if he had had the wisdom to make his case along the lines I suggested above.

A question arising is why didn’t Obama take such an initiative to protect the best interests of all concerned? My guess is that it was more than a lack of wisdom and global leadership on his part. For far too long he was listening to those (Zionism’s verbal hit men in particular) who were telling him that regime change in Syria, assisted as required by American military force and therefore on American-and-Israeli terms, was a necessary step on the road to regime change in Iran.

Today I think it can be said without fear of contradiction that Putin is as alarmed as his Western counterparts by the prospect of Jihadists of various kinds establishing a safe haven and engine room in Syria. I also think Lavrov was correct when he recently indicated, by obvious implication, that behind closed doors American and Western European leaders are beginning to understand that they may now need Assad and his ruthless war machine if the forces of violent Islamic fundamentalism are to be prevented from having a permanent base in Syria from which to create regional and even global havoc.

The next test of what if anything is left of Obama’s credibility as a leader who can bring positive influence to bear on events in Syria is fast approaching. With a Geneva meeting to chart the way to ending the conflict scheduled for 22 January, he has to decide whether or not Iran should be a party to the talks. Russia and Lakhdar Brahimi, the very experienced UN Special Envoy to Syria and chief mediator, insist that Iran must be represented to improve the prospects of the Geneva talks being something less than a complete failure. I agree.

The Zionist lobby and its stooges in Congress, plus Israel’s Arab state allies of convenience in the Gulf led by Saudi Arabia, are opposed to Iran’s participation in the Geneva talks. Will Obama have the will and the courage to defy them?

On Foreign Investments And Exports: Is It the Therapy For Sri Lanka’s Underdevelopment? – III

By Dhanusha Pathirana –December 31, 2013

Dhanusha Pathirana

Calibration of the Industrial Structure to enable the Absorption of Spatially Immobile Rural Labour Surplus

The structure of labour supply discussed in section II in the context of the Sri Lankan economy was also largely the inner dynamic of the organisation of labour, shared by the three model economies under review; namely Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. The strategy adopted by these economies to absorb the spatially immobile rural labour surplus to manufacturing industry was to expand small scale industries in rural areas through a system of subcontracting with vertical inter-firm linkages making it possible for a smooth transfer of labour from agriculture to industry without a geographical shift in the labour force. This exceptional technique adopted by the East Asian states to transfer rural labour surplus from agriculture to industry solved the problem of sectoral and geographical immobility of rural labour and was achieved without a fall in the output of agriculture (see Ranis and Fei, Japanese Agricultural Development’, 1967). The process was mediated by establishing subcontracting linkages between large-scale firms situated in towns engaged in capital intensive assembly work and SMEs based in rural areas absorbing the labour surplus of agriculture to produce the component parts required by the large-scale enterprises. The production of the component parts in the lights of automotive parts and components, machinery, electrical equipment, computers, computer parts and accessories, metalworking was farmed out to a rural network of small and medium scale industries by the large scale assembly firms situated in the towns.

The central phenomenon to be noted in this regard is that the production of advanced, semi-advanced and simple component parts under the small scale production framework was made possible by the breaking up of the production process of a particular product into multitude of simpler production processes. This is quite the antithetical form of factor organisation in relation to the centralized industrial networks found in advanced Western economies. This means to say that the key organisational feature in East Asian industrial development is that the production of a particular good was divided into multitude of products and into mutually independent production process to simplify the production process. This on one hand allowed the production of advanced parts and components based on the small and medium scale organisation of the production network and on the other hand, enabled the transfer of rural labour surplus that is spatially immobile, from agriculture to industry. This further division of the production process of a particular component part into several production processes hence, enabled the penetration of industrial production into rural areas. It enabled the production to be carried out based on small scale production units, which in turn made it possible to absorb the rural labour surplus that was spatially immobile and geographically dispersed in an uneven manner within the rural limits. The spatial immobility of the rural labour surplus is stemming from the particular nature of labour deployment in East Asia’s predominantly paddy based agriculture, as discussed earlier in section II with respect to Sri Lanka.

There Was Genocide In Biafra

A Review of Chinua Achebe’s Memoire

by Osita Ebiem

(December 31, 2013 – New York City – Sri Lanka Guardian) Biafran - Nigeria war ended forty three years ago. The war was fought between 1967 and 1970. The ethnic/religious cleansing or genocide against the Igbo that necessitated the war took place from 1966 to July 1967 when the actual war began. Chinua Achebe in his characteristic sincere and honest narration clearly stated in this long awaited book that it is because there was genocide against the Igbo people then there became a country Biafra. It must have been extremely difficult on Achebe to maintain a balanced position since he was personally involved on the Biafran side but because he is an expert, he succeeded in writing an objective account of what happened. Because Achebe’s There Was A Country is written so lucidly and honestly it should be taught in schools for the benefit of generations who did not witness the war.

Achebe in very plain language calls out those who were behind the crimes against humanity on his people, the Biafrans. It is particularly in this area that Achebe’s critics come heavily on him. The parts played by Obafemi Awolowo, Yakubu Gowon and Harold Wilson during the war in deliberately starving to death Biafran children and their parents are just plain enough for all to see. In this aspect of mentioning those who did or did not do anything in Biafra, Achebe is careful and, like he anticipated the criticisms of the Awoists (Awolowo fans), he only recounts by citing copiously statements and verifiable evidences that clearly indict these men. More than three million (20% of the population) of Biafrans, mostly civilians were killed in the space of two and half years. Achebe’s critics would have worth any consideration if they had come up with any credible counter arguments rather than simply trying to shout down their presumed opponent only because they do not like the sound of his voice since what he is saying makes them uncomfortable.

In the past many months since the book came out, it has succeeded in refocusing the world’s attention on the genocide that took place in Biafra. In all, Chinua Achebe’s There Was A Country is an important book by an important and credible witness. And for a better and a more just world, Achebe’s account in this book should be taken seriously.

8 people killed in violence in China’s Xinjiang region

By Jethro Mullen and Kevin Wang, CNN-Mon December 30, 2013
(CNN) — Police shot and killed eight people who attacked a police station in Xinjiang, a restive region in northwestern China, authorities said Monday.

Nine people armed with knives threw explosives at the building and set police cars on fire, the Xinjiang government said on its official news website. One of the people was taken into custody, the statement said, describing the attackers as “thugs.”

The violence took place around 6:30 a.m. in Yarkant County in western Xinjiang and is under investigation, authorities said.

It’s the latest outbreak of deadly unrest in Xinjiang, a large, resource-rich region that is home to the Uyghurs, a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Muslim ethnic group.

Earlier this month, a clash in the region left 14 Uyghurs and two police officers dead, authorities said. Chinese officials said the two police officers came under attack as they were trying to apprehend suspects.

The arrival in Xinjiang of waves of Han Chinese people over the decades has fueled tensions with the Uyghurs. Chinese authorities have cracked down heavily on violence involving Uyghurs, deepening resentment.

The government statement about Monday’s clash didn’t specify the ethnicity of the people who fought with police.

The details of violent encounters in Xinjiang often remain murky. Uyghur diaspora groups, like the World Uyghur Congress, have criticized the Chinese government for the lack of transparency over such events.

Chinese authorities have blamed Uyghurs for a vehicle attack in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in October that killed five people — including the three in the vehicle — and wounded 40 others.

Xinjiang’s worst violence in decades took place in July 2009, when rioting in the capital, Urumqi, between Uyghurs and Han Chinese killed some 200 people and injured 1,700. That unrest was followed by a crackdown by security forces.

PTSD: And the Other Ultimate Sacrifices

Dr. Phil Leveque, Professor of Pharmacology Salem-News.com-Dec-30-2013

Is there any limit to what Veterans must endure? Where is the "support for troops" now?

Dr. Phil Leveque, PTSD sufferer/survivor.
Photo by Bonnie King

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - I have nothing but honor and utmost respect for the 300,000 of my fellow dogfaces in WWII who were killed so that I could write these stories honoring them.

I was committed to combat late in WWII, but many in my company and my battalion whom I knew well were killed, many just in front of me. It is an eerie feeling just to remember “there but by the grace of God, go I”. This happened too often when I was in a combat zone but for only about three months. I even get those feelings today, 68 years later. This is PTSD.

My title may be strange to some people, but there are things worse than death which my fellow Combat Infantrymen are suffering today.

The VA treatment of injured veterans, especially those who have PTSD, makes me wonder if the V-A stands for Veterans-Assassination, or Veterans-Abomination; both of which seem applicable at the present time.

The VA is killing more veterans than died in combat, by bad drug treatment, or no treatment at all.

The Army Infantry and the Marines brainwash their men to be psychopathic killers, then order them to “go kill your enemies”. This was a severe shock to most of the men but the concept was regularly beat into their heads. If we didn’t do as we were ordered, we might be sent to be a point man, leading an attack, a Scout going out to seek trouble or a Forward Observer, like a goat in a tiger trap. All these three were frequently suicide missions.

And for many, that was the result. I know --- I was there, many times.

What I’m really getting to is/are the deplorable medical services mostly denied to Veterans/PTSD victims who usually are subjected to the deny-deny-deny till the veterans do die.

Right now, there are at least 1 million PTSD Veterans in this category who have really been thrown into the ash can with no medical support whatsoever.

In addition to this mistreatment, or part of the group (million veterans) are at least 200,000 maybe more who are homeless, or living under bridges, or sleeping on the sidewalk someplace in ragged clothes.

As a result of this denial of medical care, we have the Veteran PTSD victims turning to alcohol which they were taught to do in basic training. And tobacco addiction, which they learned at the same time, or illegal drugs like cocaine or meth, which allows them to escape their miserable existence for even a few hours.

Another part of the ultimate sacrifices is being in jail or prison, usually for the use of illegal or lethal drugs mentioned above.

Many veterans die from taking the medications given them by the VA, prescription drugs kill about 106,000 patients per year, many are PTSD Veteran victims.

Along with this are about 80,000 deaths by alcohol. Most are veterans.
Tobacco kills about 435,000 a year. Most of these also are Veterans.

There are other ramifications about PTSD. Statistics indicate that PTSD causes an increase in divorce. But also, that divorce cause PTSD. This ends up with shattered families so that Veterans PTSD affects families and children.

The overall adverse effect of PTSD goes far beyond the combat soldiers or Marines who are the most effected by PTSD and its sequels.

Others also get PTSD, and I am not diminishing that fact. I am only writing about what I know best.

Psychotherapy by whoever has been a very expensive bust. But I will admit that it possibly works for the lower grades of PTSD. For the more extreme cases, pharmacotherapy especially with Cannabis/Marijuana type drugs has been found to be the best and many PTSD Veterans have discovered this.

Cannabis is a complete substitute for the body’s own endocannabinoid anandamide which is sucreeted by the body in stressful situations.

It is always there in small amounts. When the body is over-stressed with PTSD, the body cannot overcome this stress by itself.

In the Israeli and Canadian Armies, Cannabis is freely given to soldiers who have suffered combat terrors which gives the essence of battle, is also used freely for the sequels of battle --- PTSD.

Despite many publications supporting the concept of Cannabis/Marijuana as the best medicine to treat combat terrors and PTSD, the US Government and the VA assassination teams still refuse to allow combat veterans to use this medicine.

The results I have given above.

These are:

Alcoholism
Suicide
Murders
Divorce
Drug addiction
Tobacco death
Spousal abuse
Child abuse
Jailing
Penitentiaries
Auto accidents
Homelessness
There are probably many more.

Monday, December 30, 2013

YOUTH STAGES ABDUCTION TO GAIN ASYLUM IN AUSTRALIA

December 29, 2013

A 22-year-old youth has been arrested in Mullaitivu for allegedly misleading police by staging his own abduction, with the intention of seeking asylum in Australia.

The youth’s father had lodged a complaint with Point Pedro Police on December 26 alleging that his son had been abducted by an unknown group.

Following investigations conducted into the complaint, police found the youth hiding at the residence of a friend in Mullaitivu.

He was arrested and interrogated, upon which it was uncovered that he had ridden the bus to his friend’s home on December 26 and that a false complaint was made through his father, in order to portray a threat to his life, with the intention of seeking asylum in Australia.

Point Pedro Police is conducting further investigations, Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said.

Gota Becomes Dog Abductor: Inside Story Of The Cruel Massacre Of Dogs In Sri Lanka

December 29, 2013
Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development

Several months prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was held in November 2013 in Colombo, a massive operation to make the city of Colombo look clean and attractive for the event, was implemented by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development.

Part of this operation was to remove nearly 300 homeless dogs from the streets, and house them in temporary shelters. The organisation for Animal Rights and Welfare ‘Ahinsa Sri Lanka’ was told by the Colombo Municipality, that the dogs will be released in the areas they were taken from, soon after CHOGM ended.

This assurance was made public, through newspapers and websites prior to CHOGM. But at the latest news conference held in this regard, Animal Rights Activist and the Chairperson of the Animal Welfare Trust Iranganie de Silva,( wife of Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva) disclosed, that these dogs numbering 280, had been taken in vehicles belonging to the Armed Forces to Halavatha. ” we can assume that the dogs were killed as they have disappeared from the Dematagoda slaughterhouse without any trace and there was no transparency on the part of the CMC on what they did to the dogs” she said. Read More

2013 Top 20: Our Most Popular Posts of the Year

Photo courtesy Vikalpa

by Groundviews
- on 12/29/2013

The 20 most read posts on Groundviews over the course of 2013. Numbers in italics indicate pageviews since the article was published, accurate at the time of publication.