SL ‘special agents’ ransack human rights activist's apartment in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 December 2011, 02:25 GMT]
Sri Lankan investigation officers claiming to be from the ‘Special Unit’ on Wednesday evening ransacked an apartment where a Tamil human rights activist from the East was residing in Colombo. The agents clad in civil and uniform entered the room of the human rights activist around 10:00 p.m. and took away documents and files without mentioning the intention of the action and without providing any list of what they have taken from the apartment, informed sources said. The Human Rights activist, who was formerly a progamme officer of a Belgium-based international organisation, was living in the apartment with his Sinhala room mate. The Sinhala friend was taken away by the investigating officers, detained for almost 20 hours and harrassed, informed NGO sources in Colombo told TamilNet Thursday.

The ‘Special Units’ attached to Sri Lankan Defence Ministry think that data on human rights abuses in the island is being collected through current or former personnel attached to the international organisations, a Sinhala Human Rights activist in Colombo told TamilNet.
Colombo government deploys various techniques to limit the access of certain international NGOs, while the employees from the island, are harrassed by ransack actions and other forms of intimidations, the activist said while alerting journalists in Colombo and diplomats attached to various missions in Colombo on the recent incident.
The released Sinhalese room-mate has declined to talk to media.

'Attempted rape' of Swedish tourist

30 December, 2011

The school children have allegedly harassed tourists swimming in Negombo sea

A group of school children in a tourist resort in Sri Lanka have been arrested over an alleged attempted rape of a Swedish tourist.

The five teenagers who attended the same school were produced before court on Friday.

The tourist, who is a school teacher, has requested the court to warn the school children, who were badly drunk as they harassed the tourist in Negombo, and release them.

Journalist Prasad Purnimal Jayamanne said the authorities near the resort where the incident happened refused to reveal any details saying it would badly affect the tourist industry in the area.

But the tour guides in the resort maintain a different view.

They say similar incidents occur regularly and put the blame on the police.

"Tourists are continuously targeted by the youngsters," they told BBC Sandeshaya.

 

Principals, teachers want A/L results revised

  FRIDAY, 30 DECEMBER 2011  

Ten education sector trade unions including principals and teachers charged that the formula used to calculate the GCE A/L Z-score was flawed and therefore urged the government to revise the results and issue it afresh.
 
Association of Educational Professionals General Secretary Wasantha Darmasiri told a news conference that there were several errors in the way the Z-score was calculated. 

“There has been no explanation as to how the old and new syllabuses were combined and the way in which it was calculated,” Mr. Darmasiri said. 
 
He displayed a formula sheet and said the number of children who sat the examination, the marks obtained the number of exams they sat for and other details were all vital in preparing the Z score.  He said there was no transparency in how the Z-score was prepared and the mistake was visible.
 
“Even if the Education Ministry says these results are accurate, the people do not have any confidence in them. Therefore the Examination Department has to revise the results,” he said. 
 
The unions vowed to take countrywide trade union action against the Education Ministry’s refusal to revise the A/L results.

The unions also charged that Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena had not taken responsibility for the grave blunders in the A/L results and should resign from his portfolio immediately. (Olindhi Jayasundere)FRIDAY, 30 DECEMBER 2011

Whither SL and laws ! 21 UPFA local body members take refuge in Chairman’s residence fearing Gota’s white Van!

(Lanka-e-News-30.Dec.2011,11.30PM) 21 UPFA members of the Local body of Kelaniya and the Municipal council of Peliyagoda have assembled at the house of the Chairman of the Kelaniya polka body in fear of their lives, according to reports reaching Lanka e news.

It is with regret that it has to be reported that these members are those who are fated to be victims of the notorious white Van abductions under the despotic law enforcement in the country. Of these 21 members, 15 are of the Kelaniya local Govt. body and the other six are of the Municipal Council, Kiribathgoda. Intriguingly , every one of them is a supporter of the most notorious Minister Mervyn the vermin, and the white Van is trailing behind most of these members , it is learnt. 

Following the mystery surrounded murder recently of Minuwangoda local body member Dinesh Chandrasiri , this group of UPFA members are living in fear .

The members of the group are scared to go out alone. Yesterday , when seven of them were traveling together in a Van to pump fuel for the vehicle at Somapala filling station , a white van suspected to be loaded with army in civil clothes and with weapons had tried to cross the path of the vehicle of the members , but , these members have managed to make a narrow escape in their vehicle.

It is interesting to note that Amal Rodrigo, the co ordinating Secretary of Minister Mervyn Silva was abducted a few days ago at PitaKotte . Although it was reported that he was released a few hours later , he had been detained at an unknown destination for 8 days and interrogated. These UPFA members who are now in fear of their lives say they are frightened that the detainee could have given their names and places of abode .

When Mervyn Silva who has left for Dubai had been communicated over the phone on these events, he had advised in his characteristic hooligan style’ get hold of those fellows who come in the white Van , and thrash them’. The UPFA members of the councils have then inquired , how is it possible to attack the armed group? When attempts were made to inform Basil Rajapakse , they had been told he is abroad. 

These members who are gripped by fear claim that they have not committed any wrong , and if they have , to bring them before the laws of the country legally , and they are prepared at any time to submit to the rule of law. These members who are in fear that they may also fall victim like the Minuwangoda member who was abducted and died mysteriously , have assembled at the Kelaniya Local body Chairman’s house.

If the Presidential advisor Bhartatha Lakshman can be killed in broad daylight and on the highway in public l , these members are fearing their getting killed is no big deal in this country where anarchy is the order of the order.

We wish to recall that Lanka e news reported on the white Van abductions and those behind it under the caption ‘Here are the full details of the white Van criminal abductors..’ on the 23rd of November

‘Devolve police, land powers or scrap 13 A’ TNA’s India-backed demand justified

December 29, 2011

By Shamindra Ferdinando

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.

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.

SRI LANKA: The New Year Wish List- 2012

December 30, 2011

All Sri Lankans will wish that the coming year will not be like the last one and, in fact, that it be different from previous years also, years in which deep insecurity has been prevailing due to the failure of the political system, resulting in serious problems in the legal system. People reduced to powerlessness will want to regain their powers, those which should exist within a democracy rooted on a rule of law system. We fervently hope that their dream to move out of repression will come to be realized in this new year.

We hope that the deepest wish of all Sri Lankans, which is to see the abolition of the 1978 constitution, will be realized this year, thus paving the way for the following benefits for all the people:    Full Story>>>

Sri Lanka 'wheelchair tax' condemned by UK charity

30 December 2011

The wheelchairs are for Tamil people injured in the war

The head of a UK charity that sent a consignment of wheelchairs to Sri Lanka has condemned the decision to impose customs duties of over $8,000 (£5,180).

Peter Thompson, of the Yorkshire-based PhysioNet charity, said the shipment for Tamil war victims also took more than three months to clear customs.

The Sri Lankan authorities said the delay was because paperwork for the shipment was not properly completed.

They said all shipments arriving in Colombo are subject to duty payments.

But Mr Thompson said the $8,000 (1m Sri Lankan rupees) that had to be paid in customs duties and port storage fees was unacceptable.

He argued that the delay in clearing the shipment - which contained 322 wheelchairs and other mobility items for disabled Tamil war victims - meant that the bill had to be paid before it was allowed to be transported to the north of the country.

The shipment was sent by PhysioNet in conjunction with a Sri Lankan Tamil charity based in the UK and the Roman Catholic church; together they met all of the costs of getting the consignment to Sri Lanka.

"But problems arose in Colombo when it took three months to clear the docks," Mr Thompson told the BBC.

"This is a record for the longest time one of our shipments has languished on the docks of a recipient country - and that includes some of the most corrupt and inefficient countries in Africa."

Mr Thompson said the Sri Lankan authorities appeared to put up obstacles every step of the way to prevent the shipment from being speedily delivered.

"Only following endless paperwork and the payment of $8,000 was the container released and allowed to be transported to the north of the country," he said.

"During the three months it took for these problems to be resolved, the demurrage charges were building up substantially in Colombo.

"It's difficult to conclude that this is anything other than a glaring example of the Sri Lankan authorities victimising the Tamil community."

The Sri Lankan government in May 2009 defeated Tamil Tigers rebels fighting for independence in the north and east of the country after a bitterly-fought war spanning two decades.

Mr Thompson said his charity hoped to send another shipment to Sri Lanka next year, "but only if there are some assurances that this unhappy experience will not be repeated".

A spokesman for the port authority in Colombo that handled the consignment said all imports - including those brought in for charitable purposes - are subject to import duties.

He said the delay in clearing the wheelchairs was because various government ministries had to give their permission before shipments to the north were allowed to go ahead.

Sri Lanka books 8.5 percent slump in 2011

Fri Dec 30, 2011 

* Had been top Asian bourse in 2009, 2010
    * Net foreign outflow down from 26.4 bln rupees to 19.1 bln

    COLOMBO, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's main share
index shed 8.5 percent in 2011, falling from its perch as Asia's
best performer in the previous two years, as it closed weaker on
Friday in thin trade. 
    The island nation saw foreign outflow of 19.1 billion Sri
Lanka rupees ($168 million) in 2011, compared with last year's
record high 26.4 billion.  
    The market was Asia's best performer in 2009 and 2010 mainly
due to heavy local retail buying, as the country emerged from a
25-year war.  
    This year, the Colombo bourse was Asia's 10th-best performer
with an annual loss of 8.46 percent. It held top spot in the
region until June.  
    "We are optimistic in 2012 as interest rates are still low,"
said Hussain Gani, CEO at TKS Securities. "Even if rates go up
by 200 basis points, it (the market) will be attractive." 
    The central bank has kept monetary policy rates at more than
six-year lows since January.  
    On Friday, the main share index closed down 0.25
percent, or 14.96 points, at 6,074.42.  
    The index hit a record high on February 15, but has since
fallen 22.8 percent due to a credit curb move by Sri Lanka's
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 
    In the fourth quarter, the resignation of two top SEC
officials, an asset takeover bill, a 3 percent devaluation, and
inconsistent investment policies dampened the market.  
    On Friday, the market saw net foreign selling of 85.3
million rupees, mainly due to offshore investors selling
Commercial bank of Ceylon PLC after chairman MJC
Amarasuriya resigned.  
    Offshore outflow in the four sessions through Friday was 1.2
billion rupees, with more than 90 percent of that generated by
Commercial Bank, traders said.    
    The day's turnover was 525.7 million rupees, far below this
year's average of 2.3 billion. 
    Last month, brokers, who complained tougher regulation was
hurting stock market prices, met President Mahinda Rajapaksa to
urge him to intervene in his capacity as finance minister to
revive the slumping bourse.         
    The rupee closed flat at 113.89/90 to the dollar for
a 27th straight session, with the central bank selling around
$25 million to defend it, dealers said.             
    The bank has spent around $690 million to keep the exchange
rate steady since a 3 percent devaluation on Nov. 21. It spent a
net $1.36 billion in the first nine months of the year to keep
depreciation pressure at bay.    
  ($1 = 113.9 Sri Lanka rupees) 

Sinhala Silva’s LLRC report helps MR out of War Crimes for Now

By: Dr C P Thiagarajah

The 400 odd page report of the Sinhala chairman Silva’s, Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), was tabled by the Government of Sri Lanka in its Parliament on 16 December after many days of its much delayed release. The main aim of the majority Sinhala dominated government is to buy more time to heal the wrath of the human rights organisations and the UN that had been demanding an international inquiry into war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide of nearly 40000 ethnic Tamils following the release of the UN Expert Panel Report on Sri-Lanka war.

When the Silva commission was appointed about 18 months ago many HR organisations, humanists and the Tamils in Sri-Lanka and the Diaspora expressed dissatisfaction over the perpetrators of war crimes appointing a commission to investigate their own criminal actions. This action smacks of credibility as pointed by US ambassador in Colombo, Ms Patricia Butenis. She said in a diplomatic cable sent on 15 January last year (2010) that President Rajapaksa and the former army commander, Sarath Fonseka, were largely responsible for the war crimes. She went on “There seemed little hope of accountability given that there were no examples of a regime investigating its own troops for war crimes”. "In Sri Lanka this is further complicated by the fact that responsibility for many alleged crimes rests with the country's senior civilian and military leadership, including President Rajapaksa and his brothers and ex military commander Gen Fonseka,"     Fill Story>>>

SRI LANKA: Making LLRC Report Meaningful - Update No. 213

30-Dec-2011

Col. R. Hariharan

The Rajapaksa government should be happy with the report of the Commission of Inquiry on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation (LLRC) presented to the Sri Lankan parliament on December 16, 2011 as it has not pinpointed responsibility on anyone (other than political and systemic weaknesses and the LTTE) for the mess Sri Lanka finds itself after the Eelam War.

The report provides badly needed breathing space for the government, as the Commission  has done a fairly good job if one goes by the President’s mandate given to it. The well written report analyses in detail the reasons for past and present discontent of Tamils and has drawn the government attention to a number issues that had triggered Tamil insurgency.

The LLRC report is constructive and covers almost all issues that relate to aberrations in governance, lack of transparency and the need to take speedy action on restoring confidence among Tamil minority. However, the LLRC has tripped on allegations of war crimes and killing of civilians by the army during the last stages of Eelam war.    Fulll Story>>>