SCORING POINTS INTERNATIONALLY MUST BE SUPPLEMENTED BY NATIONAL APPROACH ON THE GROUND--JEHAN PERERA

29 September 2014

The lack of unanimity within the UN Human Rights Council on the issue of the investigation into Sri Lanka continues. The government has continued to stick to its position that it will cooperate with the UN in general but not with the investigation into war crimes. The Indian government’s representative has queried how the investigation can go ahead without the cooperation of the Sri Lankan government. He has urged transparency in the investigation process noting that “The composition of the OHCHR investigation team, its work methodology and sources of funding have also not been shared with the Human Rights Council.” This Indian position is a strong criticism of the investigation as currently being adopted by the UN. The findings that come out of a process that is problematic will be liable to be challenged in the future.
Scoring Points Internationally Must Be Supplemented by National Approach on the Ground--jehan Perera by Thavam

Scots Have Voted! When Will Eelam Tamils Vote!!

By Rajasingham Jayadevan -September 29, 2014 

Rajasingham Jayadevan

The conduct and the outcome of the Scottish referendum for a separate state of Scotland has taught us many lessons. Beyond the outcome, peaceful campaign and management of the referendum are far reaching and is a lesson to be learnt by the pseudo democracies world over.

It is the will of the British parliament to accommodate a peaceful referendum for secession that must praised. The process was handled with mature sense throughout which is praiseworthy. There was no anti-Scot hate feelings let lose in the media or in the campaign. There was no police baton beating, not a bullet or tear gas being fired, there was no white vans or kidnaps or any form of physical violence. Instead all these were translated into responsible political debates and campaigns, paving the way for free and fair voting.

It was a very respectable campaign for a country that manages its affairs with an unwritten constitution. Respect for the views of the aggrieved, common-sense, mutual trust and to face the outcome with the broader shoulder were evident in the entire process of the referendum.

For the Scots, two issues were fundamental. Their Gaelic identity as a nation of people and their desire to govern themselves with their own fiscal strengths, as the heavily centralised financial control by the Westminster was an issue that were elementary to the campaign of the Scottish National Party (SNP).

The British media played a laudatory role to invoke mature debates on the Scottish separation. From the politicians and political pundits to ordinary civilians, all argued their views sensibly. When the first opinion poll gave a point lead to the ‘Yes’ vote, there was a sense of sadness amongst people in the South and it did not any way turn into highhanded anti-Scott/SNP tirades or animosities anywhere.

There was general fear that a ‘Yes’ vote will have serious consequences in political and economic sense for both the divide. The opinion poll in favour of the ‘Yes’ camp sent the initial shock wave through the financial market. If the ‘Yes’ vote had prevailed in the referendum, there would have been serious financial turmoil for the UK economy that could have led to unimaginable consequences.

Whilst I am writing this piece, one thought that overshadowed my thinking was why didn’t the tin-pot leaders of absurd democracies like Sri Lanka did not engage as spectators in the referendum process to understand the way a democracy should function on a very sensitive issue that involved parting of territorial sovereignty of a region.                                                                            Read More

India suspicious as Chinese submarine docks in Sri Lanka
The Chinese government, on its part, said the submarine had only made a replenishment stopover in Sri Lanka on way to the Gulf of Aden for escort and anti-piracy operations,


Rajat Pandit,TNN | Sep 28, 2014,

NEW DELHI: The docking of a Chinese submarine in Colombo on a long-range deployment patrol earlier this month is yet another indicator of the ever-increasing forays of the People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). 

The PLA-N is fast transforming from a "green-water" force used to operating close to its own shores into a potent "blue-water" force, one with "long legs". Though the Indian Navy has been tracking the increased activity of Chinese warships in the IOR, including submarines quietly on the prowl in the Bay of Bengal, this is a rare instance of a PLA-N submarine openly berthing in the region that India considers its "own strategic backyard". 

The diesel-electric Type 039 "Song-class" was at the Colombo International Container Terminal, which has been funded by China, from September 7 to 14. This was just ahead of Chinese President Xi Jingping's visit to Sri Lanka, which along with Maldives has shown enthusiasm for China's new Maritime Silk Route plan in the IOR. 

The Chinese government, on its part, said the submarine had only made a replenishment stopover in Sri Lanka on way to the Gulf of Aden for escort and anti-piracy operations, as was the "common practice" for navies around the world. 

READ ALSO: We are monitoring Chinese activity in Indian Ocean, Navy chief says


India-China face-off ends, troops pull back from Ladakh

But China is also testing the new Modi government's resolve both on the land boundaries, which clearly came through during the 16-day troop faceoff at Chumar in eastern Ladakh coinciding with Xi's visit here, as well as in the IOR, as earlier reported by TOI. 

China's forging of extensive maritime links with eastern Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia, among others, is primarily related to its need to protect its sea lanes for critical energy needs. But it's equally true that it's slowly but steadily amounting to a "strategic encirclement" of India. 

Acknowledging that the presence of Chinese warships is on the increase in the IOR, Navy chief Admiral Robin Dhowan this week said, "We continuously monitor them, see what are their deployments, and what challenges they can pose for us...IOR is our area of operations...Our warships, submarines and aircraft are always ready to face any challenge." 

That may well be true but insiders fear India's already stark military asymmetry with China only seems to be expanding all the time. India, for instance, has just 13 ageing diesel-electric submarines, only half of them operational at any given time, and a single nuclear-powered submarine, without any strategic missiles, on lease from Russia. 

China, in sharp contrast, has 51 conventional and five nuclear submarines. It is also going to soon induct another five advanced JIN-class nuclear submarines equipped with the new 7,400-km JL-2 missiles.

The lack of strategic planning in India, however, ensures that even though force-levels at the Eastern Naval Command at Vizag have shown some upgrade, the crucially-located Andaman and Nicobar Command continues to suffer from neglect. Strengthening of India's last military outpost at the 572-island archipelago would be an effective counter to China's strategic moves in the IOR.

A resounding cheer to the voters of Uva-Wellassa
Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Rajapaksa administration faced its harshest post-war reality-check administered by the villagers of Uva-Wellassa last week when it lost electoral strongholds in the Badulla District and only scraped through with proverbial inches to spare in regard to the leadership of the Uva Provincial Council itself.

A Resounding Cheer to the Voters of Uva-Wellassa by Thavam

Do Honest Judges Have No Place In The Judiciary? – Upul Jayasuriya

28/09/2014 

The following is an excerpt from the speech delivered by Upul Jaysuriya, President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) at the opening of the refurbished auditorium under the name of Dr. H. W. Jayawardene on September 27.

With the promulgation of the 1978 Constitution several new Judges were appointed directly from the unofficial Bar. They were men of stature and eminence. They stood up for judicial independence and the integrity of the profession.

Chief Justice Neville Samarakoon, Justice Mark Fernando, Justice ARB Amarasinghe and Justice Dheeraratna were a few of them.

Dr. H.W. Jayawardene may well have advised his brother, President J.R. Jayawardene in making these appointments. Those appointed were not cronies. They had the courage to stand up to their convictions and to conscientiously hold against the very Executive that appointed them and develop the Law on Fundamental Rights during its formative stages. These are the Judgments that face up to the embarrassment of some of the new appointees to the Judiciary. He was even responsible in recommending some worthy names — not silk worms– for silk.

H.W. Jayawardene respected moral values. His family members were shut out from politics. He was in a class of his own.

I will quote one incident concerning Chief Justice ParindaRanasinghe who devilled under Dr.Jayawardene.

R.P.Wijesiri, the Member of Parliament for Kundasale was indicted in the High Court on charges of having committed Criminal Defamation on the Country’s then President J.R. Jayawardene, who was Dr.H.W. Jayawardena’s all-powerful brother. D.S.Wijesinghe appeared for the accused and took up a preliminary objection that the indictment should be quashed on the basis that the person who was alleged to have been defamed had not made a complaint to the Police and that the matter had not been referred to the conciliation board. The objection was overruled and R.P.Wijesiri was convicted in the High Court by High Court Judge Munamale. The matter came up finally in appeal before Justice Parinda Ranasinghe and two other judges in the Court of Appeal. The matter was gone in to with D.S.Wijesighe appearing for the Appellant Wijesiri. The Attorney General appeared for the State. The aggrieved party, President Jayawardene did not retain a private counsel. Justice Parinda Ranasinghe and two other Judges went into the matter in depth and detail and upheld the objections raised by Mr. Wijesiri’s Counsel D.S. Wijesinghe and acquitted the accused. This acquittal did not stand as a bar or a reason for the then executive to impeach Justice Parinda Ranasinghe.

“It is essential for each generation to share with successive generations, the experiences and the struggles of the past so as to preserve a constitutional democracy and the rule of law”

It was taken in good spirits as it should be and Justice Ranasinghe was given his due promotion to the Supreme Court and later appointed as Chief Justice. The beauty of it all was that neither the Attorney General nor even President Jayawardene, the aggrieved party,thought it fit to appeal against the order.

H.W Jayawardene, as probably his brother’s private legal advisor, was unmoved. That was the calibre of the man he was. That’s the quality of the training he gave his juniors.

This is in contrast to some of our experiences where the Judges who sat in Judgement in a matter that was filed by the 43rd Chief Justice and issued a writ quashing the Parliamentary Select Committee proceedings were frowned upon with the wrath of the Executive depriving two Judges of that Bench of their due promotions. The late Justice Sriskandarajah died with a broken heart. A well experienced and an honest and upright Judge, Justice Anil Gunaratne is being repeatedly overlooked for promotion.

I wish to ask this question from the Executive. Do honest judges have no place in the Judiciary? I hope that even at this late stage this grave error would be rectified and thus maintaining the dignity of the Judiciary. I hope the Leader of the Opposition would take due notice of these matters.

It is essential for each generation to share with successive generations, the experiences and the struggles of the past so as to preserve a constitutional democracy and the rule of law. It is an ever-greening process and Dr.Jayawardena’s role must encourage each one of us – Judges, Lawyers and Citizens– to play our little part in this never-ending battle.

In another instance during a BASL election Dr. Jayawardena promoted the name of H.L De Silvafor the Presidency. H.L. De Silva was no admirer of the ruling party, not even an admirer of the BASL membership and certainly not of President Jayawardene. Dr. Jayawardene persuaded a prospective candidate to step down as he thought that the shy and unassuming H.L De Silva would not be able to defeat his popular opponent. Mr. De Silva was elected BASL President with a resounding majority.
Dr. Jayawardene stood tall and way above petty issues as he treasured the dignity and the independence of the Bar and the judiciary.

The Supreme Court stands as a monument to the unique contribution he made to the Bench and the Bar, adding colour and lustre to Hulftsdorp. He obtained the assistance of Dr. ARB Amarasinghe and the two of them planned everything meticulously, including the minute details, even the beautiful paintings that hang on the walls of that magnificent edifice.

He was a rationalist with a razor-sharp intellect and yet he was full of compassion and sympathy for his kind — a lawyer par excellence. But his lawyering was only a means to an end. Law was never his main pursuit. His success as a lawyer acted as a springboard for enabling and empowering him to espouse causes dear to his heart, particularly the legal profession.

He was a beacon and a symbol of selfless courage and possessed a lion-heart, fearless and the resolve to stand up for what he considered to be right with no regard to personal consequences. Though he is no more with us, he still lives in the hearts and minds of the members of the legal profession and those in the judiciary and will be looked upon with admiration.

Dr. H.W. Jayawardene, what a man you were. The references above encapsulate my small tribute to a great lawyer, a leader and a visionary of the bar and an incomparable builder like his forefathers who contributed immeasurably to legal learning, ethics and values. But above all,as a legal luminary, who displayed indomitable courage in fighting for his beliefs and convictions ignoring all consequences to his personal fortunes. We will continue to remember him as a great warrior,a prince of the Bar and a knight in shining armour of the law.

De Facto CJ Pieris Continues To Engage In Unethical Activities

September 29, 2014

Colombo Telegraph reliably learns that De Facto Chief Justice Mohan Pieris, despite stepping down from the three judge bench hearing the Golden Key case has not abadoned his sinister plans to take over the assets of the employees of the company in an unethical manner.

De facto Chief Justice Mohan Pieris

According to sources, Pieris has appointed two new judges who he holds in confidence – Eva Wanasundaraand Buwaneka Aluwihare to the case, turning the three-judge bench into a five-judge bench when the three judges who were already hearing the case refused to partake in his unethical actions.

When concerns were raised regarding Pieris being a member of the three-judge bench hearing the Golden Key case, he stepped down and the new bench completed the case while reserving the judgement. At this point, Pieris had approached the three judges with his prepared draft judgement to influence them into delivering it.

However all three of them had declined it, expressing their objection on having to serve a CJ who engages in such unethical practices, which they had pointed out was an impeachable offense.

However, following the objections raised by the three judges, Pieris had obtained the assistance of Chocksy Jr. to file a motion requesting for the Golden Key case to be referred to a five-judge bench even before the order was delivered.

Thereafter, he had instructed the Supreme Court registrar to personally collect the original file from Justice Sripavan and had constituted a new bench including his two trusted judges. It has been noted that Eva has not disclosed some of the decisions that would be made and she herself would most likely face similar objections from the lawyers.

Colombo Telegraph learns that the two judges who were newly appointed to the case have consented to ‘copy paste’ Pieris’s draft judgement word for word.

In July, Pieris informed court that he received an anonymous letter that stated it was unethical for him to remain on the three-judge bench hearing the Golden Key depositors case was  as he was the former Chairman of the Seylan Bank and since he was the case was filed in 2009.

Myanmar, Sri Lanka Buddhist hard-liners join hands

By Associated Press-PUBLISHED: 06:46 GMT, 29 September 2014

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A hard-line Buddhist monk from Myanmar known for his anti-Muslim stance said his movement would join hands with a like-minded Sri Lankan group to "protect" Buddhists, whom he called an endangered world minority.

Ashin Wirathu, leader of 969, a fundamentalist movement, was a special invitee Sunday at a rally of Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Power Force, a Sri Lankan group accused of instigating deadly violence against the country's minority Muslims in June.

Joining 969 could further boost an already soaring support base for Bodu Bala Sena, an ultranationalist group that has enlisted thousands of youth and Buddhist monks in just two years of existence. This, in turn, could exacerbate mistrust and tensions between Sri Lanka's majority Sinhalese-Buddhists and its Muslims.

Myanmar's hard-line Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu greets the gathering at a convention organized by Sri Lanka's Bodu Bala Sena or Forces of Buddhist Power in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014.Wirathu, known for his anti-Muslim stance, says his movement will join hands with a like-minded Sri Lankan group to protect Buddhists, whom he calls a "threatened" world minority.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Politically, President Mahinda Rajapaksa's credibility among Muslims stands to erode further after his government allowed Wirathu to visit Sri Lanka despite opposition from Muslim groups, including his own allies. Rajapaksa is already under criticism for not taking action against Buddhist monks whose inflammatory speeches are blamed for anti-Muslim violence in June that killed two people and wounded dozens, and saw many shops and homes set on fire in three western towns.

Three local body guards accompanied Wirathu as he walked onstage for his speech Sunday at a packed indoor stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital.

"Buddhists are a world minority. If we don't protect this small group, remember, it will be the end of the Buddhists," Wirathu said. "To achieve this ... my 969 organization will work hand in hand with Sri Lanka's Bodu Bala Sena."

Sri Lankan Muslim groups urged the government not to allow Wirathu to visit the country, warning it could lead to religious tensions. However, in his speech, Wirathu thanked Rajapaksa for granting him a visa despite "attempts of sabotage by extremists."

Muslim leaders were not immediately reachable for comment.

Bodu Bala Sena accuses Sri Lanka's Muslims, who comprise about 10 percent of the population, of trying to take over the country by having more children, marrying Sinhalese-Buddhist women and taking over businesses. Buddhists account for more than 70 percent of the country's 20 million people.

Wirathu's 969 started on the fringes of society, but now boasts supporters nationwide in Myanmar.

Hundreds of people died in 2012 sectarian violence in Myanmar, with about 140,000, mostly Muslims, forced from their homes. Buddhist monks were accused of instigating and sometimes actively participating in the violence.

Sri Lankan Buddhist monks listen to Myanmar's hard-line Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu at a convention organized by Sri Lanka's Bodu Bala Sena or Forces of Buddhist Power in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014.Wirathu, known for his anti-Muslim stance, says his movement will join hands with a like-minded Sri Lankan group to protect Buddhists, whom he calls a "threatened" world minority.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lankan Buddhist monks listen to Myanmar's hard-line Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu speak at a convention organized by Sri Lanka's Bodu Bala Sena or Forces of Buddhist Power in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014.Wirathu, known for his anti-Muslim stance, says his movement will join hands with a like-minded Sri Lankan group to protect Buddhists, whom he calls a "threatened" world minority.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Myanmar monk stirs trouble in Lanka

Qadijah Irshad / 28 September 2014

The BBS confirmed that the Burmese monk, who was behind the 2013 Rohingya riots, would be addressing the summit on Sunday. 

Several Sri Lankan Muslims organisations and parliamentarians have expressed concern over the invitation of the Burmese monk Ashin Wirathu who has been dubbed the “Butcher of Burmese Muslims” to a Buddhist summit to be held in Colombo on Sunday.

Monk Wirathu, who arrived at the Bandaranayake International Airport in the early hours of Saturday, was received by a delegation of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS).  Wirathu’s special reception was led by Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara, the BBS general secretary who has been responsible for inciting hate campaigns against Muslims during the past three years.

The BBS confirmed that the Burmese monk, who was behind the 2013 Rohingya riots, would be addressing the summit on Sunday.

“Monk Wirathu is our special guest and he will be addressing the conference,” BBS spokesman Dilantha Withanage told Khaleej Times.

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa not to grant visa to the Burmese monk as his presence and speech at the conference on Sunday “may incite further violence against the Muslims.”

Muslim parliamentarians have also objected to the monk’s visit to Sri Lanka following a spate of anti-Muslim attacks initiated by Buddhist monks in the recent past.

“The arrival of monk Wirathu who instigated massacre of Rohingya Muslims has struck  fear in the Muslim community. Authorities should not have allowed it, particularly at a point when the Buddhists and the Muslims of this country are trying to reconcile,” said a statement issued by parliamentarian S. H. M. Harees. In June, an anti-Muslim hate campaign led by the BBS monk Gnanasara, destroyed an entire Muslim town in Aluthgama, where rioting Buddhist mobs killed nine people, injured 80 and left more than 10,000 homeless after burning down homes and businesses.

According to the BBS spokesman, the organisation will be presenting a policy framework for establishing a Sinhala Buddhist state during the Sunday’s summit, which is expected to have the participation of over 4,000 Buddhist monks.

The BBS, which is seen as an extremist Buddhist organisation even among most of the country’s 70 per cent Buddhists, has been calling for a Buddhist only state.

Announcing the conference on local television,  Gnanasara called the day of the summit a “decisive day” for Sri Lanka.

“September 28 is a decisive day for this country when the future of Sri Lanka will be decided ,” said the BBS monk who has been arrested for delivering hate speeches and inciting violence against Muslims.

“As the Sinhalese majority, as the rightful owners of this country, we too will demand for our pound of flesh on September 28,” he said.

qadijah@khaleejtimes.com

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Butchers Of The Muslims Get Together

By Hilmy Ahamed -September 29, 2014 

Hilmy Ahamed

The Butcher Of Rohinga Muslims Participates In A Buddhist Convection In Sri Lanka

The nail on the coffin was driven for co-existence and peace amongst the Muslims and Buddhist community in Sri Lanka, with the arrival of Ven. Ashin Wirathu, the leader of the dreaded 969 movement in Myanmar for the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS).

Ven. Ashin Wirathu is the architect of the hate and campaign of violence by Buddhist extremist against the innocent Rohinga Muslims. These Buddhist extremists, at the instigation of Ven. Ashin Wirathu have slaughtered thousands of innocent Muslim women, children and men.

Time Magazine, in June 2013 branded Ven. Ashin Wirathu as “the face of Buddhist Terror”, with a cover page story of atrocities perpetuated by this terrorist in robes. He is also known as the butcher of Burmese Muslims. Some have even likened his 959 movement, to a Myanmar form of neo Nazism group,.

Ven. Ashin Wirathu’s arrival in Sri Lanka was at the invitation of the Secretary General of the Bodu Bala Sena, Ven. Galagode Aththe Gnanasara Thero, who visited Myanmar in March 2014 and personally invited him to visit Sri Lanka.

The nexus between the BBS and 969 movement is seen by the Muslim community as the biggest threat to their peace.

Photo courtesy – Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Sri Lanka Facebook page        Read More

RUNUP to the Presidential Nomination 2015: Senior Public officials already engaged in presidential campaign – How bad with things turn? -CaFFE

(Lanka-e-News- 29.Sep.2014, 7.30PM) Last week (September 25th) the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) opened its first operational office for the Presidential Election - 2015.  This office at Gregory’s Road, Colombo 07 was declared open by Minister of Economic Development Hon. Basil Rajapaksa and a large number of senior public servants were present at the event.

Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development Dr. Nihal Jayatilleke, Chairman of the National Delimitation Commission Jayalath Ravi Dissanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology GotabayaJayaratna, Secretary to the Ministry of Ports  and Highways RWR Premasiri, Secretary to the Ministry of Industries and Commerce AnuraSiriwardane, Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media and Information CharithaHerath,  and the Governor of the Central Bank AjithNivaard Cabral were among senior public servants who attended this event.

However the establishment code of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) prohibits certain officers from engaging in political activity as such involvement is considered unethical and since these officials play a key role in the electoral process, creates an unfair playing filed.  The presence of these distinguished public officers at the opening of an election office for President Rajapaksa shows that they are politically biased and this in turn creates an impression among the public that an election guided by such men will not be free and fair. In addition this type of activity encourages other government servants to actively engage in politics.

In recently held Uva Provincial Council election we saw senior state officials actively engaged in campaigning for the ruling UPFA.  Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development Dr. Jayatilleke played a key role in sidestepping the Commissioner of Elections’ directives on the distribution of ‘drought aid’ in Moneragala and misleading the court regarding the same matter. Actions of such public officers had a direct impact on the Uva elections and we can but wonder the extent of his and other secretaries to the ministries possible involvement in the 2015 presidential elections.

CaFFE is also deeply distressed by the presence of Chairman of the National Delimitation Commission Jayalath Ravi Dissanayake at this meeting as he is responsible for drawing the electoral map for future elections. If he is seen attending events to promote politicians, serious doubts will be cast on how impartial decisions taken by his commission is. This in turn will adversely affect the people’s confidence in elections and electoral process.

Charitha Herath is the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media and Information, an institution that controls state media. Although state media has always been used by successive governments for election propaganda, the misuse of these institutions has increased under Herath.

Meanwhile Ajith Nivaard Cabral has been promoting the current administration since he assumed duties and this marked biasedness has often made opponents of the government to cast doubts on the reports.

CaFFE believes that senior government officials must not openly engage in political activity, not only because of the legality and morality but also because the negative impact it has on people’s faith in elections. We kindly request the above mentioned senior officials to refrain from participating activities to promote a candidate or a party and urge government servants to safeguard the honour of their stations by acting in an impartial manner.

Sri Lanka hikes defense spending to record high

A Sri Lankan broom vendor sells his wares as he walks down a street in Colombo. (AFP)

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE-Friday 26 September 2014

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka raised defense spending to record levels for a second straight year despite pressure to scale down its military after ending decades of ethnic war, official figures showed.
The government allocated 285 billion rupees ($2.22 billion) for the defense ministry in calendar 2015, up 12.25 percent from this year, according to the appropriation bill tabled in parliament.

There was no immediate comment from the government on its record defense spending to maintain a large security force more than five years after President Mahinda Rajapakse’s troops crushed separatist Tamil rebels.

Colombo is under international pressure to reduce its military presence in the island’s former war zones and take troops away from civilian duties.

However, official sources said a three-year spending plan of the government envisaged even more increases in national security spending to over 370 billion rupees ($2.89 billion) by 2017.
Security forces in May 2009 declared an end to 37 years of ethnic war which had claimed at least 100,000 lives, according to UN estimates.

Defense spending accounts for 16.6 percent of the government’s projected revenue for 2015, according to official figures.

Sri Lanka’s economy recorded more than eight percent growth in the first two full years after the end of the fighting, but is expected to grow at a slightly slower 7.8 percent this year.

Rajapakse, who holds both the finance and defense portfolios, is due to unveil the full 2015 budget in November, when he is expected to announce revenue proposals to meet state expenses.

Mahindavādaya, Mahinda-Vadaya And Wirathu-Āgamanaya

(Mahinda-Ideology, Mahinda-Affliction and the Arrival of Wirathu)

| by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“The government has turned us into orphans in our own motherland.”

Boralesgamuwa farmers affected by the Weras-Ganga Project (Lankadeepa – 24.9.2014)

( September 29, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s latest beautification project, the Weras-Ganga Development, with walkways and a food court, was declared open with much fanfare this month. Jackson Anthony, dramatist turn sycophant, used the occasion to proclaim that the time has come to upgrade Mahinda Chinthanaya (Mahinda Thought) to Mahindavādaya (Mahindaism – Mahinda Ideology) .

Mahindavādaya, Mahinda-Vadaya and Wirathu-Āgamanaya by Thavam

The Pursuit And Prosecution Of Those Guilty Of Crimes Against The Nation

By Emil van der Poorten -September 29, 2014

Emil van der Poorten

Among the web comments on a piece I did for Colombo Telegraph titled, “Joining the stampede“ was one from “Don Quixote” calling for listing, pursuit and prosecution of those guilty of crimes against the nation, with the lists being compiled from now.

I was intrigued by the suggestion for the primary reason that it brought to mind the work that Simon Wiesenthal did after the end of World War II and until his death in 2005 at the ripe old age of 97.  That crusade had, as probably its most publicized success, the spiriting out of South America, trial and execution of Adolf Eichmann who was guilty of crimes against humanity that were without precedent.

The closest and probably most unfortunate exercise in Sri Lanka similar to what is being suggested was the law and the tribunal created specifically to punish those accused in the abortive coup of the nineteen-sixties by Felix Dias Bandaranaike. The fact that, ultimately, all the accused were released had less to do with justice being served than the rejection of Felix’s attempt to wreak vengeance on the conspirators whom he saw as the enemies of the Sirimavo Dias Bandaranaike government in which he was one of the leading lights.  It was one of those rare instances where the malice that drives legislation proposed by an eminence grise, such as Felix was, came unstuck.

What is appealing about Don Quixote’s suggestion on the Colombo Telegraph is the fact that it is commonsensical, to say the least, and will certainly serve the justice that needs to return to Sri Lanka.

Read More