CHAPA නිදහස්

Judge Napolitano – Judging Freedom

Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel Sri Lanka, Solicitor in England and Wales, former Chairman consumer Affairs authority and President Ambassador’s forum in UK/SL

Cost of living

Cost of living is the cost incurred to an average family to make ends meet comfortably computed by the governments, trade and consumer organizations in various ways as index of the cost of living, and guides to the Cost of living by the governments, international organizations, international organization socializing on consumerism which is   steady rising world over but sky rocketing in Sri Lanka. Whilst steadily increasing the cost of in other developed parts of the world which is a common feather in the competitive market regime. Due to checks and balances in Sri Lanka it flows with no control leaving the trader to decide the prize of consumer items in the absence of a prize control system, as we had before the introduction nod curfew act no 9 of n2003 (CAA ACT) It is the cost of living standards of a family that is utilized to compute the rate of inflation which is a guide of the computation of cost of living based on price of basic necessities of a family unit or an individual. Identification of basic necessities   has become a difficult task today due to the complexity of the modern lifestyle is – still complicated in urban areas – as it is a relative term considering the needs/demands of the family and young to maintain the basic standards such as (even) the smart phone that has penetration over 110% in Sri Lanka still increasing with sophisticated modern additions is argued to be a necessity for a family. Tuition has become so widespread to the extent the students in remote areas too using smart phones in remote villages and it was shown students climbing mountains and trees for want of WIFI. Basic necessity which is considered to compute ‘’COL’’ cost of living index are basic needs of the average consumer  a relative term in the complex consumer society exposed to the world via the smart phones spread country over with  free exposure to the internet ‘WIFI’ and data available in abundance with a penetration high as mentioned before and  still increasing with effective social media and availability of ‘WiFi’ and data to the citizen quite easily. Basic necessity is a relative term when in the UK heating is a basic necessity to a family considering on international living conditions and standards.

Shortages and high prizes are so common

Prices of rice which is the staple food, coconut as important as rice as a part of the main meal, egg the cheapest contributor as the proteins to the children in when the prize of fish and meat are extremely expensive, state machinery  is helpless before the errant trader and the middle man extracting exorbitant  profits from consumer items freely in the absence of an effective mechanolatry, organizations and a consumer organization network to look after the consumer.

Solution to the current situation that effects all citizens

Everybody is going through difficulties due to the rise of cost living and the governance appear to be helpless, due to a lack of vision and a strategy to the current silent suffering of the citizen. The main legal instrument is the CAA act which is a deathless lion, with many other ager old ineffective legal structure in the inefficient system of governance with 1.5 million inefficient state sector which is grossly overstaffed, eating into a sizable portion of the gross income generated with great efforts, due to bribery, corruption and inefficiency, which directly contributes to the high cost of living. Trade is monitored and managed by jointly the state and private sector, consumerism as an intergyral part of the system.

Village life on consumerism

In the village life in Sri Lanka where villagers are the majority  basic needs could be food, shelter, clothing and source of income by cultivation or other means used to a simple life where elders lived the maximum lifespan at ease and happiness leading a ‘semi commune’ life sharing and assisting the needs in a most friendly way. Clean water is available free and fresh vegetables are in abundance generally given to neighbours when required with great pleasure. Average citizen aspires to lead a comfortable happy life anywhere with less pressure and burden on economic front with the family or alone to make ends meet with the limited income of the average citizen. Pressure  is less in the village as needs are limited for a simple life – yet complex in urban life with ambitions and needs are more. Consumer index computed by the government shows it far too high in Sri Lanka still increasing with the downward trend of the economy with less developments and no strategies to recover despite bribery and corruption is  spread like air in real life. Village is gradually transforming to a semi urban area as a result of modern technology and modern trends on consumerism.

Cost of Living

This is ever increasing worldwide. Bread is a stable food in UK where the price has risen from 10 pence to one pound today despite the ‘Bread Ordinance’ still in operation in UK , pint of milk in 1990 was 25 p rose to  42 p in 2020, which is inevitable and common to Sri Lanka too and world over while  salaries are increased proportionately   and safeguards for the poor given such as social security  strengthening   with the rise of cost of living in UK but not necessarily in countries with less resources and less developed. In  Sri Lanka rice  is the  major stable food which is monopolized by few dealers despite the existence of the Consumer Affairs Authority and Trade Ministry  –  the regulators of consumer items and services the price is fast increasing steadily with unbearding an colossal sums despite the maximum price determined  by section of 19 of the consumer affairs authority  act where the Minister by his powers have  gazetted the maximum price of named consumer items- the trader appear not to have any notice of. Cost of living is strongly felt in poor economies despite state assistance for needy which is generally insufficient for existence due to economic deprivation of the people and the governance. Cost of index (COLA) is computed by the respective countries worldwide as a measure of cost of living of a family unit , in order to  find solutions to help needy citizens as cost of living is a hot topic anywhere which is difficult to fight back. Fighting cost of living can not be effectively controlled by the state alone as it is a complicated process to be jointly operated by the consumer (citizen) state ( regulator) trader ( to be reasonable for the good of everybody) and organized consumer movement that includes media that is effectively functioning in the United Kingdom USA , EU and the West where consumer activism ( consumerism) is effective and operation at the highest ebb. In UK ‘’DTI’’ department of trade and industry and the organization WHICH playing a main role with the media and community to ease the consumer of the pressure of high prizing of consumer items and services to be provided at a reasonable price. Consumer they say is  powerful like a king when organized but unfortunately  it is not so in Sri Lanka an less developed nation whilst there exists a  organized and powerful network of consumer movements in the west. Consumer movement with the citizen with reasonable  trader monitored by state and self-regulated competition law and practice is the ideal combination for a successful consumerism regime to satisfy the consumer and promote trade and relations with the necessary parties namely the trader, consumer, many factures and the regulator. Cost of living is felt by the citizen and has become the hot topic in media social and well as traditional and international and considers the main enemy of the nation as it bites every citizen who are consumers at every stage of life. Despite the bread ordinance and the guaranteed prizes and weight  of bread supermarkets sell bread with exorbitant prizes , when the average citizen is used to supermarket culture and to live on loans by credit cards with interest in a debt ridden society following the west.

Law and Practice

The main legislation in Sri Lanka on consumerism is the Consumer Affairs Authority act no 9 of 2003 which is outdated ineffective and requires drastic changes to meet the demands of the consumer and consumerism today including fighting cost of living as a priority when the prices of consumer items and services are increasing with no control or monitoring due to o reasons of inefficiency, lack of vision knowledge and leadership, and mainly the deficiencies if outdated legislation and practices on consumerism.. The other legislation and the institutions connected are the Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Health, Standard   of Bureau, Local bodies and many more organizations  and government institutions headed by the CAA as the main regulator in the process which appear to be ineffective without a proper vision leadership and effective legislative mechanism to cater the demands and needs of the consumer aggrieved by errant traders, inductivists and  ineffective regulatory procedure expected to be performed by the CAA and the connected statutory bodies and activist organizations. What we consume daily as cooked and uncooked food, vegetables, fruits, fast food and aerated waters including bottled water are mostly of substandard contaminated and it is no exaggeration  to say many are semi poisonous that goes undetected freely consumed by the citizen – a great pity – at the cost of the health of the nation especially the younger generation awaiting to take nation forward.  There is many more legislation ineffective and even unknown to the society gradually transforming to a sick nation. Whilst CAA and connected legislation is base don consumer law the civil law applies in civil courts and civil suits on commerce and litigation with special courts of commercial matters but not on competition law and arbitration too plays a main role in commerce and trade connected to consumerism. Let us discuss the remedy at the latter part of this article. Law and practice are apart as in practice consumer is at the receiving end aggrieved by the errant traders and ineffective regulators due to non implantation  of the legislation and regulations properly and effectively.

Complicated Urban Life

Urban life the needs are more and consumer goods have to be purchased at the price with 6the limited income and needs too are more due to additional unavoidable commitments. Citizen is expected to maintain standards according to the position of the society and the expenditure accordingly for the consumer items purchased. In consumerism there are important players namely the trader, industrialist, consumer and the regulator taking their parts and responsibilities in the life of the citizen in relating and determination of the cost of living  that is the living cost of a unit or an individual consuming items and services at a price decided and regulated by the trader and manufacturer subject to the supervision of the state under the rules and regulations formulate to regulate prices of consume items in the interest of the consumer generally in the receiving end with the strength and the monopoly of the trader. This is the scenario on international definitions and in Sri Lanka the main regulator acting on behalf of the state is the Consumer Affairs Authority formulated by act no 9 of 2003 which has not amended  despite many needs to serve  to cater the needs of the current digital age with modern platforms and when  consumerism  changing at a  rapid  rate and a phase. In the free economy the trader has independence to sell at a price indicated in the consumer item expecting to sell items of reasonable quality at a reasonable price. Citizen is steadily chosen the urban life for reasons left to themselves and  the family unit is pressed with needs on educating the members of the family, Cost of living is mostly felt be the urban population depending on the consumer items available at the price they nominate in the absence of a price control regime when the main three acts in operation under English law including the price control  act was abolished at the introduction of CAA 5on year 2003 transferring the legal basis of consumerism completed transformed to Regula ration of in place of price control and related legislation introduced by British which is still 3carrying on in UK successfully with the Department of Trade and industry and powerful consumer activism backed by the magazine WHICH a powerful consumer weapon. Due to modern technology the village too trends to commercialise with an impact of uniformity of applicability cost of living with a uniform trend.

Prices of Consumer Items

Prices of consumer items are steadily rising as happening worldwide in a rapid rate in Sri Lanka due to the economic downturn, economic deprivation, mismanagement, corruption bribery and so many factors  while the citizen accuse the state machinery and the trader for the souring of prices to  the highest from rice, bead, coconut ,vegetables to all consumer items in the open market in the open economic conditions with inactive regularly powers and absence of price control mechanism. Price of the consumer items is decided and controlled by the trader and manufactory jointly and state policy, agriculture sector, economy effectiveness of the regulator are factors decided in the computation prices, pricing and the cost of living as a whole expected to be streamlined by competition yet not properly applied and implemented in Sri Lanka though CAA is provided for a mechanism and procedure. Starvation and malnutrition is supposed to be in the increase, with shortage of food items and medicines taking place the bribery, corruption, mismanagement, nepotism continues despite the promised changes for a better Sri Lanka – a sorry state indeed, to be considered seriously.

Fighting cost of living – the main enemy of the Nation and the way forward

It should be a collective effort by the consumer, trader, industrialist, and the regulator – the state to launch the fight  against the powerful enemy of the in the interest of all lest  all citizens-consumers are the losers to be  perished  as a failed nation where all suffers collectively due to the heavy and unborable cost of living. The fight is to be based on education and understanding of respective parts to be played by the parties concerned. Consumer as the aggrieve part must be thoroughly educated on their rights, duties, and the task as the aggrieved party who will be bestowed with general sympathy and powerful as the majority namely the ‘KING’ in the consumer world. This power sometime unknown to the consumer to utilize power given to them by law yet and community to be organized by consumer activism in the western countries assisted by the states and the civil legal systems and academic and professional writings. Smart and educated consumer is a necessity to beat the cost of living any situation when he carefully chooses the consumer articles at the affordable price of the required standard. Today the main issues on cost  of living has been eggs, coconut and rice which is the stable food of the nation. Rice issue is mismanaged and is in the hands of the leading monopolies with 97% the rice in the absence of the paddy board and inefficiency of the trade and agriculture Ministries unfortunately not making use of the available legal machinery and the network of the consumer organizations and  ever ready to cooperate with the governance on any process to being relief to the citizen. The governance is a miserable failure and CAA too is a failed institution   in the hands of the monopolies which are illegal under law an d practice at the cost of the citizen – consumer at the receiving end. This applies to all other consumer items and services with no proper control or supervision by the statutory and public institutions leaving the public open for exploitation, when there is a solution under the limited circumstance with limited legal structure and the network of systems and personnel expected to work round the clock countrywide.

Amend, Change, modify and replace if necessary, the existing outdated legislation and the practice

It is time to amend or introduce let legislation to meet the new digitized world when the citizen is ready to use modern and international platforms on e and digital commerce at the doorsteps of Artificial Intelligence era Sri Lanka has already approached. The regulator that is the CAA has to fight the fight against the corrupt and illegal regime of errant trader and illegal industrialists armed with consumer education in all levels and proposed consumer organizations as the cradle of the fighting mechanism. It is not rocket science.It needs strategy, planning educating and commitments with proper leadership from the top with proper knowledge an understanding. A joint effort with consumer, regulator, trader and consumer organizations will have to unite with proper strategy and understanding to work hard in their interests if the bomb ticking explode it is may be a difficult task to diffuse the situation easily as the day is not too late citizen will walk into the street to seek the redress when the trader is exploiting the citizen with no notice of the regulator and governance inactive and ineffective with no vision, legal framework or a plan of action with a proper leadership. It is time the consumer organizes themselves as in UK wo Brough the errant trades to kneel with the assistance of two powerful media when Sri Lanka is unfortunate to have a strong consumer movement to help the citizen in danger and suffering. The need is grave, great  at and imminent to introduce a new act on consumerism with provisions for Consumer Ombudsman, Consumer Courts, Provision for a strong network of consumer organizations, as an immediate need in addition to strengthening  the state machinery with a vision and a visionary leadership.    ( sarathdw28@gmail.com – Case for a Consumer Ombudsman  26.10.24 Lanka Web /  Protecting Consumer FT on 14.10.22/ Small Claim Courts to Protect Consumer  3.10.22 Lanka Web/ Egg and Poultry Crisis Telegraph  26.10.23)

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ වෙබ් අඩවියේ අධිකරණ අමාත්‍ය නීතිඥ හර්ෂණ නානායක්කාර මහතාගේ නම ඉදිරියෙන්ද ආචාර්ය උපාධියක් සඳහන්ව තිබී ඉවත් කරනු ලැබ ඇත.

සභානායක කාර්යාලය ඒවා තිබූ ලිපියක තොරතුරු අනුව පාර්ලිමේන්තු වෙබ් අඩවියේ නානායක්කාර මහතාගේ නම ඉදිරියේ එලෙස ආචාර්ය උපාධිය සඳහන් කර තිබිණැයි කියති.

කෙසේ වෙතත් හර්ෂන නානායක්කාර මහතා පෞද්ගලිකව ආචාර උපාධියක් ගැන සඳහන් කර ලිපියක් භාරදී නොතිබූ බව ආරංචි මාර්ග සඳහන් කරයි.

මේ අතර පාර්ලිමේන්තු වෙබ් අඩවියේ මන්ත්‍රීවරුන්ගේ විස්තර නිවැරදිව සටහන්ව තිබේදැයි පූර්ණ සොයාබැලීමක් කරන ලෙස පාර්ලිමේන්තු ප්‍රධානීන් එම වෙබ් අඩවිය බාර නිලධාරීන්ට දැනුම් දී ඇත.

මේ අනුව වෙබ් අඩවියේ වැරදි ලෙස සටහන්ව තිබූ තොරතුරු කිහිපයක් සංශෝධනය කර ඇතැයි දැනගන්නට ඇත.

– Lankadeepa

Courtesy The Week

Adani Ports opts out of DFC loan from the US, cutting American involvement in the development of the Colombo West International Terminal in Sri Lanka to counter Chinese influence

In a new development to the growing strain between the US and Indian industrialist Gautam Adani following his DOJ and SEC indictments last month, Adani Group announced that it would not seek American funding for its ongoing port project, the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), in Sri Lanka.

The port unit of the conglomerate led by Gautam Adani in a late regulatory filing announced that Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd plans to fund the Sri Lankan project with internal accruals” in line with its capital management strategy and that it had withdrawn its financing request from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) filed in 2023.

The DFC in 2023 had agreed to a USD 553 million loan, one year before the US department of justice (DOJ) indicted Gautam Adani and others on allegedly bribing Indian officials” and hiding it from American investors of Adani Green Energy. The SEC also brought out a statement specifically naming Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani in its civil complaint.

While Adani Group refuted allegations that they violations under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), they also confirmed the directors were charged on three counts in the criminal indictment” that comprised alleged securities fraud conspiracy, alleged wire fraud conspiracy, and alleged securities fraud” in the same announcement in the last week of November.

In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, UN Environment Programme’s former executive director Erik Solheim said, …only India can question him, not the US.”

Adani Ports was seeking the loan to aid the development, construction, and operation of a deep-water container terminal at the Port of Colombo in Sri Lanka, which is being developed by a consortium that includes itself, John Keells Holdings, and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). The loan was also in line with the US policy to counter a growing Chinese influence in the region.

ALSO READ | US indictment: Adani Green Energy denies FCPA violation but confirms criminal charges

From a maritime point of view, Colombo is a geopolitically important region, especially with the presence of China in the region. The US was actively trying to increase its influence in the region. However, it now would not come to fruition with this port project.

Not only did the DFC state that it was assessing the ramifications” of the latest allegations against Adani executives, but it also stalled the loan disbursement by asking for an agreement between Adani Ports and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. Adani Ports, which owns 51 per cent of the project, has now decided to proceed without the US loan under such conditions.

The closest international port in India, the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, is also operated by Adani Ports.

Courtesy The Island

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS Summit in Russia (Source: ING Website)

BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) has proposed ambitious financial reforms, including the creation of a common currency. The BRICS New Development Bank and regional development banks are seen as key players in promoting mutual trade and reducing reliance on the dollar. Proponents argue that a common BRICS currency, potentially backed by gold or other resource assets, could transform the global monetary system and strengthen economic ties within the bloc.

De-dollarisation refers to the reduced dominance of the US dollar in global transactions, tracked through its declining share in areas such as international reserves, cross-border lending, debt securities, derivatives, and payments. To accurately assess trends, currency shares are adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations.

BRICS+, an informal bloc of nations, consists of the core five members (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and four recent additions (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE), collectively representing 37% of global GDP (by PPP) and 44% of the world’s population. Numerous countries, including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Venezuela, have applied for membership, contributing an additional 5% of GDP and 8% of the global population. Saudi Arabia, producing 11% of the world’s oil, has been invited but has yet to respond.

The de-dollarisation process has notably benefited BRICS and other emerging market (EM) currencies. Over the past four years, BRICS currencies have increased their share of cross-border bank claims by 6 percentage points (pps) to 15%, while other EM currencies grew by 4 pps to 19%. In international debt securities, BRICS currencies gained 5 pps to 11%, with other non-core currencies rising 4 pps to 9%. On the broader external debt level, BRICS currencies show a consistent upward trend, currently accounting for 34%.

However, the feasibility of such a currency remains uncertain. Analysts highlight significant obstacles, including low liquidity in local currencies, the volatility of digital currencies, and the yuan’s restricted convertibility. Even within BRICS, there are divergent interests regarding the modalities of a common currency, reflecting broader geopolitical tensions.

Strategic Choices and Global Dynamics

The rise of the BRICS alliance, coupled with recent trends towards de-dollarization, has placed India at the centre of a complex geopolitical and economic debate. As emerging economies seek alternatives to the US dollar, India faces a conundrum: whether to align with the BRICS’ de-dollarization efforts or prioritize its strategic partnerships with the West, particularly the United States. This essay critically examines India’s position, the broader implications of de-dollarization, and the strategic choices facing New Delhi in the shifting global economic landscape.

Strategic Implications for India and Global Power Dynamics

The de-dollarization debate within BRICS highlights the broader reconfiguration of global power dynamics. China’s push for financial reforms and its emphasis on integration of integrations” within BRICS aim to reshape the international monetary system. However, this vision often clashes with India’s aspirations to lead the Global South and maintain strategic autonomy.

India’s dual alignment strategy—engaging with BRICS while deepening ties with the G7 and the Quad—illustrates its attempt to balance competing interests. However, China’s growing influence within BRICS poses a direct challenge to India’s regional and global ambitions. The lack of clarity in India’s foreign policy, particularly regarding its relationship with Moscow and alignment with Western powers, complicates its strategic calculus.

India’s Position on De-Dollarization: Pragmatism Over Ideology

India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, recently articulated New Delhi’s cautious stance on de-dollarization at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He emphasized that India has not actively targeted the dollar as part of its economic strategy, underscoring a pragmatic approach to maintaining economic stability while exploring alternatives. India’s decision reflects its broader foreign policy objectives: fostering economic growth, maintaining regional stability, and asserting leadership in the Global South.

However, India’s position is challenged by the endorsement of de-dollarization by other BRICS members, particularly China and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have aggressively pursued alternatives to the dollar, framing it as a geopolitical strategy to counter US hegemony. While their motivations align with broader BRICS goals, India recognizes the risks of such a shift, particularly given its reliance on dollar-denominated trade and investments.

India’s Strategic Path

Experts have advised that India must adopt a multifaceted approach which include, strengthening economic resilience, prioritize economic policies that enhance trade diversification and reduce vulnerabilities to external shocks. Promoting regional cooperation: India can play a leadership role in fostering regional financial autonomy within South Asia and the Indo-Pacific, aligning with countries like Japan and Australia to counterbalance China’s influence. Engaging constructively with BRICS: While remaining cautious about China’s dominance. Leveraging multilateral platforms: India’s active participation in the G20, Quad, and other multilateral forums can strengthen its global standing and counterbalance the influence of authoritarian regimes within BRICS. And focusing on currency stability, means recognizing the continued importance of the dollar, India should avoid premature shifts to alternative currencies that could destabilize its economy.

The Expansion of BRICS and India’s Economic Concerns

The 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan marked a significant moment with the inclusion of new members—Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. While proponents argue that the expansion strengthens BRICS’ influence, skeptics, including many in India, highlight the challenges it poses.

Firstly, the economic benefits of BRICS membership remain uneven. For instance, while India has pursued bilateral projects, like the Chabahar Port development, these initiatives are not directly tied to BRICS. Moreover, China’s economic dominance within the bloc has led to concerns about its disproportionate influence. China’s trade aggression and its strategic use of the BRICS platform to advance its agenda undermine the cooperative spirit that BRICS ostensibly represents.

Secondly, the inclusion of countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran complicates consensus-building within BRICS. The European Union has expressed concerns that the expanded bloc could disrupt the Bretton Woods order and complicate international decision-making, particularly on issues like the Ukraine war.

De-Dollarization and the US Factor

The push for de-dollarization is not just an internal BRICS debate but also a response to perceived vulnerabilities in the US financial system. The US dollar’s dominance has been challenged by rising debt levels and declining foreign-held reserves, which have fallen from 33% in 2015 to 22% in 2023. These trends raise questions about the long-term stability of the dollar as a global reserve currency.

The return of Donald Trump as US President in 2024 adds another layer of complexity. His protectionist policies, including threats of 100% tariffs on countries decoupling from the dollar, could have severe economic repercussions for India, particularly in sectors like tea and rice exports.

A study by the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center confirms that the U.S. dollar remains the dominant global reserve currency, with neither the euro nor BRICS nations making significant progress in reducing global reliance on it. The Dollar Dominance Monitor underscores the dollar’s continued leadership in foreign reserve holdings, trade invoicing, and currency transactions, securing its primacy for the foreseeable future. The dollar’s strength is attributed to the robust U.S. economy, tighter monetary policy, and heightened geopolitical risks. While Western sanctions on Russia have spurred BRICS to explore alternative currency systems, their de-dollarization efforts have seen little success.

Impact on Seri Lanka

Sri Lanka stands to benefit significantly from alternative trade systems, such as a common currency or a barter system independent of the US dollar, especially with key partners like India, China, Russia, and Iran. Such mechanisms, potentially based on purchasing power parity, could alleviate the country’s dollar shortages and ease its economic struggles.

However, China’s growing influence within BRICS raises concerns about Sri Lanka’s ability to balance relations with both BRICS nations and Western allies, given its reliance on favourable trade agreements with the EU and the US. While closer ties with BRICS, especially China, could strengthen economic security, Sri Lanka risks diminished Western influence, aligning with China’s strategic goals.

At the recent BRICS summit, Sri Lanka emphasized the importance of fairness, justice, and respect for sovereignty, calling for a balanced global system where all nations have equitable opportunities. The country’s non-aligned foreign policy adds complexity, as joining BRICS+ may be perceived as favouring one bloc over others. Nonetheless, BRICS members and potential entrants are largely non-aligned, suggesting that Sri Lanka’s foreign policy stance could remain intact while seeking economic and geopolitical security.

(The writer, a senior Chartered Accountant and professional banker, is Professor at SLIIT University, Malabe. He is also the author of the Doing Social Research and Publishing Results”, a Springer publication (Singapore), and Samaja Gaveshakaya (in Sinhala). The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the institution he works for. He can be contacted at saliya.a@slit.lk and www.researcher.com)

Ceylon News Global

Story by Harry Fletcher Courtesy msn news

Vegetarians, we’re afraid we’ve got some news that you’re probably not going to like…

Plants emit sounds, akin to ‘screams’, when they’re distressed, according to a new study.

They allegedly produce clicking noises that humans can’t hear without the use of scientific equipment, research has found.

The research, which was published in Cell back in 2023, showed that plants produce these noises in times of acute distress.

Lilach Hadany is an evolutionary biologist at Tel Aviv University. Hadany said: “Even in a quiet field, there are actually sounds that we don’t hear, and those sounds carry information. There are animals that can hear these sounds, so there is the possibility that a lot of acoustic interaction is occurring.”

“Plants interact with insects and other animals all the time, and many of these organisms use sound for communication, so it would be very suboptimal for plants to not use sound at all.”

(iStock)© Provided by Indy 100

The findings show that plants which are distressed have incredibly high-pitched popping noises, while unstressed plants do not emit noises. The study’s definition of distressed included plants that were having their stems cut or were dehydrated.

However, it’s not yet clear how the plants produce the noises.“Now that we know that plants do emit sounds, the next question is – ‘who might be listening?'” Hadany said.

“We are currently investigating the responses of other organisms, both animals and plants, to these sounds, and we’re also exploring our ability to identify and interpret the sounds in completely natural environments.”

It comes after a new study suggested that western, industrial diets may be changing the way humans digest plants.

As modern diets lack fibre the way our bodies break down cellulose, found in fruits and vegetables, is changing.

This article was first published on April 2, 2024

C. Wijeyawickrema, LL.B., Ph.D.

< මින් ඉදිරියට ජාතිවාදයට හා ආගමික අන්තවාදයට ඉඩ දෙන්නේ නෑ> යනුවෙන් ලංකාවේ ජනාධිපති AKD විසින් කල <රාජාසන කතාව> පිළිඹඳව විමර්ශනයක් ඔහුගේ පක්ෂයේ මන්ත්‍රීන් 159 දෙනාට ඉදිරිපත් කිරීම මෙම රචනා මාලාවේ අරමුණය.

අර්ථ නිරූපණ:

ජාතිවාදය

තම ජනවර්ගය යම් මැවුම්කරුවෙකුගෙන් ආශිර්වාද ලැබුණු ලෝකයේ ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨම මිනිස් කොට්ඨාශය යයි විශ්වාස කරමින්, සෙසු ජන කොටස් පහත් යයි හෙලාදකිමින්, ඔවුන් තම වසඟයට, ආධිපත්‍යය යටතට ගෙන මර්ධනය කිරීමට උපක්‍රමශීලී ලෙස ක්‍රියාකිරීම (හිට්ලර්වාදය; චීන පිරිමින්ට ගොදුරුවන ටිබැට් ස්ත්‍රීන්).

ජාතිකවාදය

යම් නිශ්චිත භූමි ප්‍රදේශයක තමන්ටම ආවේනිකවූ ජීවනක්‍රමයක් (සභ්‍යත්වයක්, civilization) ගොඩනඟා ගත් ජන වර්ගයක් විසින්, පෙනෙන හා නොපෙනෙන හතුරු බලවේග වලින් එය රැක ගැනීමට උත්සාහකිරීම (සිංහල බෞද්ධ ශිෂ්ටාචාරය).

ආගමික අන්තවාදය

යම් සර්වබලධාරී දෙවිකෙනෙක් සිය පණිවුඩකරුගේ මාර්ගයෙන් ලබාදී පොතක (බයිබලය/කෝරාණය) කොපිකර තිබෙනවා යයි කියන ඇතැම් වචන අවස්ථානුකූලව දේශපාලනමය වශයෙන් අර්ථකථනය කරමින්, ලෝකයේ වෙනත් ලබ්ධිකයින් (මිථ්‍යාදෘෂ්ටිකයින්), දෙවියන්ගේ නාමයෙන්, සිය ආගමික ඇදහිල්ලට බලෙන් හෝ අල්ලස් මඟින් (unethical conversion) හරවා ගැනීම (ක්‍රිස්තියානි/ඉස්ලාම් දේවවාද දෙක).

නිරාගමික වාදයත් ආගමික අන්තවාදයක්ද?

ජය මංගල ගාථා ( සිංහල?) සංස්කෘතික සම්ප්‍රදායක්ද? බෞද්ධ සූත්‍රයක්ද?

බෙදුම්වාදය

(බෙදුම්වාදය සම්බන්ධයෙන් කෙටි නිර්වචනයක් දීමට සැදීම නිෂ්ඵල ක්‍රියාවකි. ජනාධිපති AKD ද ඒ ගැන නිහඬව සිටියේ ඒ නිසාම වියයුතුය). ජාතිවාදය හා බෙදුම්වාදය යනු එකම කාසියේ දෙපැත්තය. හරියටම කියනවා නම් ජාතිවාදය යනු බෙදුම්වාදයේ ඉණිමඟය. ක්‍රිස්තියානි සුද්දන්ගේ යටත් විජිත පාලන ක්‍රමයේ මූලික උපක්‍රමයක්වූ යටත් විජිතයේ ජනයා ආගම, භාෂාව, කුලය අනුව බෙදා පාලනය කිරීම (divide and rule) හේතුවෙන්, ඒ වනතෙක් සහජීවනයෙන් ජීවත්වූ ජනවර්ග තම තමන්ට වෙනම රටක්, ස්වයංපාලනයක් ලබාගත හැකිනම් යෙහෙකිය යන මනෝභාවයකට තල්ලුවේ. ලංකා කොලනියේ මැනිං ආණ්ඩුකාරයා (1921-24) මෙසේ උල්පන්දම් දුන් අයෙකුට ලෝකයේ හොඳම උදාහරණයකි.

https://ir.lib.pdn.ac.lk/items/fea2a1cc-ab8a-4a3e-9765-8dc1292499cd

මෙය සිදුවන්නේ එක රටක එක අගමැති කෙනෙක් වෙනුවට, වෙනම ජනවර්ගයක් වශයෙන් වෙනම රටක් කඩාගත්තොත්  වෙනම අගමැති කෙනෙක් ලබාගත  හැකිය යන අකාරයේ අරමුණ මත ඒ ජනවර්ගයේ (ජාතියේ ) දේශපාලකයින් සිය ජනවර්ගය (ජාතිය) උසිගැන්වීම හරහාය. නූතන ලෝකයේ රටවල් කැඩීමේ ව්‍යාපාරය සිදුවන්නේ පරණ යටත් විජිත පාලකයින් මානව හිමිකම් රැකදීම නම් කඩතුරාවට සැඟවී සිය භූදේශපාලන–ආර්ථික අරමුණු සඳහාය. තමන් විසින්ම ඇතිකල ජනවාර්ගික ගැටුම් සඳහා ඔවුන් විසින් ඉදිරිපත් කරණ විසඳුම් සූත්‍ර අතරින් අවසාන තුරුම්පුව වන්නේ රෙස්පොන්සි බිලිටි ටු ප්‍රොටෙක් යන ආයුධයය (R2P). ඇමෙරිකන් ජනාධිපති බිල් ක්ලින්ටන් විසින් වරක් පැවසූ පරිදි ලෝකයේ සෑම ජනවර්ගයකටම (ජාතියකටම) වෙනම රටක් දෙනවා නම් ලෝක සිතියමේ රටවල් 5000ක් වත් සටහන් වන්නේය. මෙය එසේ සිදුනොවන්නේ බලවත් රටවල් වෙනම රටවල් කඩාදීමට මැදිහත්වන්නේ ඉන් ඔවුන්ට ලබාගත හැකි වාසිය නිසා පමණක් වීමය.

ලෝකයේ රටවල් කැබලිකිරීමේ ව්‍යාපාරයට බලපාන සංසිද්ධි කොටස් දෙකක් පහතින් දැක්වේ.

The reasons for the frequency of attempts to secede are complex, but there are two recent developments that make the prospect of state-breaking more promising: [1] improvement in national security and [2] liberalization of trade. As the fear of forcible annexation diminishes and trade barriers fall, smaller states become feasible, and independent statehood looks more feasible for regions within states. Second, in roughly the same time period, the idea that there is a strong case for some form of self-government for groups presently contained within states has gained ground. Once one begins to take seriously the case for special group rights for minorities—especially if these include rights of self-government—it is difficult to avoid the question of whether some such groups may be entitled to full independence.

https://plato.stanford.edu/archIves/sum2020/entries/secession/

හැඳින්වීම

නවක මන්ත්‍රී දිලිත් ජයවීර හැරුණු විට අනිත් විපක්ෂ මන්ත්‍රීන් සියළු දෙනාමවාගේ අවලංගු කාසි හෙවත් චන්දදායකයින් විසින් පරදවා අළුයම් ලූ කෙළපිඬක්සේ ඉවත දැමිය යුතුව තිබුණු රොඩු ටිකක් පමණක්ම බව පසුගිය දින දෙක තුනේ ඔවුන්ගේ අන්දමන්දවූ හැසිරීමෙනුත් හොඳින්ම පැහැදිලි විය.

කෙසේ වෙතත් ඇමතිලාද ඇතුළු ආණ්ඩුවේ මන්ත්‍රීන් 159, කතාකල යුතු වෙනත් දැවෙන ප්‍රශ්ණ ඕනෑ තරම් තිබියදී, AKD අනුව යමින් ජාතිවාදී සින්දුව මුව හමකට තලන ගොවියා මෙන් වැමෑරුවේය. ජාතිවාදීන් කවුද, ආගමික අන්තවාදීන් කවුද යයි නම් වශයෙන්ම සඳහන් නොකරමින් ඔවුන් විසින් දැන හෝ නොදැන කරණ මේ <වනා වෙඩිතැබීමෙන්>  ගම්‍ය වන්නේ ඔවුන්ගේ ඉලක්කය පොදුවේ සිංහල බෞද්ධ සමාජය යන්නය.

එසේ සිතෙන්නේ, මැතිවරණ සිතියම රතුපාටින් වැසී ගියා, ජාතික සමඟිය පැතුරුණා, උතුර–දකුණ යාවුනා, ඉල්ලුවාටත් වඩ බලයක් දුන්නා යයි කීමම පමණක් නොවේ. ගෝටාභයට දුන් චන්ද ගෙඩියපිටින්ම ඔවුන්ට ලැබුණ බව හෝ ප්‍රභාකරන් තමන්ගේ දෙවියා කියන මන්ත්‍රීට මතවාදී අභියෝගයක් කිරීමට හෝ ඔවුන්ට අමතක විය.

චන්ද්‍රිකා මැතිණියගේ නීලන්–ජීඑල්– ජයම්පති රට කැබලිකිරීමේ 1995-2000 පැකේජ් ඩීල් ජරමරය නැවත මිනීවලෙන් ගොඩ ගැනීමක් වැනිවූ රනිල්–සුමන්තිරන්–ජයම්පතිගේ 2018-19 ඔරුමිත්තනාඩු පාරේ යාම සිය චන්ද ප්‍රකාශනයේ සඳහන් කර තිබීම, හා 13-A පලාත් සභා මර උගුල දැන් දෙමල ජනයාගේ අයිතියක් වී ඇති බවත්, ලංකාව සිංහල බෞද්ධ ජනයාට ලෝකයේ ඇති එකම (කුඩා) ඉඩම් කැබැල්ල නොවේද යන ඓතිහාසික සත්‍යය අමතක කර දමමින්, එය මේ වනවිට බහු ජාතික–බහු ආගමික සමාජයක් වී ඇති බවත් යනුවෙන් AKD විසින් ඇමෙරිකාවේදී කල ප්‍රකාශද ආණ්ඩුවේ මෙම හැසිරීම පිටුපසින් හොල්මන් කරන්නේය.

යාපනේ චේ ගුවේරා හෙවත් අරුන් සිද්ධාර්ථ්

මන්ත්‍රීවරුන්ගේ මේ ජාතිවාදයට විරුද්ධ කතාවේ සැඟවුණ පණිවුඩය වනාහි සිංහල බෞද්ධයයි කියාගත් දේශපාලකයින් විසින් <බුද්ධාගමේ> නාමයෙන් යම් පන්සල් රවටා සිය පුද්ගලික වාසිය සඳහා කරණ ලද පව් (අපරාධ වලට) අසරණ සිංහල බෞද්ධ සමාජයට පොදුවේ දොස් පැවරීම ය. 1931 දී සිටම කරණ ලද මෙම අවභාවිතාවට විරුද්ධව එතෙක් අසරණව සිටි සිංහල බෞද්ධ ජනතාව ඔවුන් හැමදෙනාවම පරදවා AKD පක්ෂයට බලය ලබාදුන්නේ AKD විසින් වෛරය වෙනුවට මෛත්‍රීය තෝරාගත් නිසාය. මෙය අමතක කර එක දිස්ත්‍රික්කයක් හැර මුළු රටම රතුපාටින් වැසුණා යයි උදන් අණමින්, රටේ <ජනවාර්ගික ගැටළුව> සිංහල බෞද්ධයින් විසින් කල වරදක්සේ ඇඟවීම බෙදුම්වාදී දෙමළ කොටස්, ඇමෙරිකන් තානාපති හා මෝඩිව සතුටුකිරිමේ උත්සාහයක් විය හැකිය.

එසේ නැත්නම් ගෝල්පේස් ජරමරය කාලයේ මුස්ලිම් ස්ත්‍රියක් හාමුදුරුකෙනෙකුට කුඩයක් ඉහලාගෙන සිටීම ජාතික සමඟියට උදාහරණයක් ලෙස මාධ්‍යකාරයින් විසින්උලුප්පා දැම්මා වැනිය. ගෝල්පේස් කුමණ්ත්‍රණය රනිල්, ශානිඛ්‍යයන් කොළුගැටයා, දෙමළ ඊළම්කාරයින් (අලිරාජා/රංජන්), ඇමෙරිකන් තානාපති යනාදී දේශීය හා විදේශීය ඩොලර් ගනුදෙණුවක් බව ඒකාලයේ දීම මට නම් පෙනී ගියේය, එය වාර්තා කලේය. (ගෝල්පේස් අරගලය: රට කැබලි නොකර සිස්ටම් චේන්ජ් කිරීම, 2022). සිතියම රතුපාටවීම කෙසේ සිදුවීද යන්න පරිස්සමෙන් විමසා බැලිය යුතු සංසිද්ධියකි. උදාහරණයක් වශයෙන් යාපනේ චේ ගුවේරා හෙවත් අරුන් සිද්ධාර්ථ්ගේ භූමිකාව අමතක කල හැකිද? ඔහු යාපනේ කුලහීනයයි පීඩාවිඳින ජනයා අම්බෙඩ්කාර් මාවතේ ගෙනයමින් ඔවුන්ව අවදි කරමින් සිටී. මෙය උතුරේ පෙඩරල්–ඊළම් පිරිසටත්, විදේශ ඊළම් නඩවලටත්, යාපනේ ඉන්දියන් තානාපති කාර්යාලයට හා රෝ ඔත්තු සේවයටත් බලවත් අභියෝගයක් වී ඇත.

සිංහල බෞද්ධයයි කියා ගනිමින් අගමැති, ජනාධිපතිලාවූ පංචස්කන්ධ දෙමළ ජනවාර්ගික ප්‍රශ්ණය බෞද්ධ රාජ්‍යපාලන ප්‍රතිපත්තිවලට පටහැනි ලෙස හුදෙක් සිය පුද්ගලික දේශපාලන වාසිය සඳහා උපයෝගී කරගැනීම නිසා ඇතිවූ අහිතකර ආනිසංස වලට, මේ රට ගොඩනැගූ සිංහල බෞද්ධ ශිෂ්ටාචාරය පලිද?

දැණුම හා දැකුම

ජනාධිපතිතුමාත්, මන්ත්‍රීලා 159 ත් ලෝභ-ද්වේෂ-මෝහයෙන් පිරි පංචස්කන්ධය. ඔවුන් දරණ අදහස් ඔවුන්ගේ දැනුමේ හා දැකුමේ පිළිඹිබුවකි. යමෙකුගේ දැණුමට බලපාන්නේ කුඩා කාලයේ සිට ඔහුට/ඇයට ලැබෙන අත්දැකීම් හා තොරතුරුය (information). මෙම තොරතුරු දැණුම (knowledge) බවට පෙරළා ගැනීමේදී යමෙකුගේ පවුල් සමාජ පරිසරය, IQ (DNA) මඟින් යම් බලපෑමක් කරණවා නිසැකය. තවද ලැබෙන තොරතුරු ප්‍රමාණය හා ඒවායේ ගුණාත්මක භාවයද වැදගත්ය (quantity and quality).

උදාහරණයක් වශයෙන් පහතින් උපුටා දැක්වෙන කියමන් ගැන සිතා බලන්න.

1. දෙමළ ප්‍රශ්ණයට විසඳුම ඔවුන් ඉල්ලන දේ ඔවුන්ට දීමයි – නිර්මාල් රංජිත් දේවසිරි

2. ඉන්දියාවට පාලමක් දැමීමේ ඇති වරද කුමක්ද? – ශ්‍රීලාල් ලක්තිලක

3. ලංකාව ඉන්දියාවේ කොටසක් – හරීන් ප්‍රනාන්දු

4. මීතොටමුල්ලේ කුණු කන්ද ජේතවනාරාමය ලඟට ගෙනිහින් දාන්න– සමනලී  ෆොන්සේකා

5. යුද්ධ කරන්නේ මොන ලබ්බෙන්ද (MR)? – තමුසෙ තියෙන ලබ්බෙන් කරනව – සෝමවංශ අමරසිංහ

6. කොළඹ සිංහල ආණ්ඩු දෙමළ ජනයා සමූල ඝාතනය කලා/කරණවා–විග්නේෂ්වරන්

7. SJVC විසින් දෙමළ රාජ්‍ය පක්ෂය ඇරඹුවේ 1949 ඉන්දියන් දෙමළ පුරවැසි පණත නිසාය – ජනාධිපති AKD

8. අපි අනුගමනය කරන්නේ මාක්වාදී ප්‍රතිපත්තියි – ඇමති ලාල් කාන්ත

9. තවත් බාර් පර්මිට් 300 ක් දෙන්නයි හිටියේ – රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ

10. පලාත් සභා වලට යළි ඔක්ෂිජන් නොදීම ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍ර විරෝධී ක්‍රියාවකි– රොහාන් සමරජීව (Daily Mirror, Dec. 9, 2024)

ඉහත සඳහන් කියමන් මෙන් නොව, <අපි ගමට අධිකරණ බලය දෙනවා, අපිට කොට්ඨාශ ශාඛා සමිති 13,000 ක් තිබෙනවා-ගම්වැසියන් මේ සමිතිවලට සහභාගීකරගෙන ගම හදනවා> යන ආණ්ඩුවේ ඇමතිලාගේ ප්‍රකාශ දෙක දේශපාලන පක්ෂයක තනි පාලනයක් සඳහා වන ප්ලෑනක් නොව, මුතු බෙල්ලාගේ ශරීරයට ඇතුළුවූ වැලි කැටයක්සේ බෞද්ධ රාජ්‍ය ප්‍රතිපත්ති හා සම්මුතිවාදය මඟින් ආවරණය කරගතහොත් රටට ශුභදායි අනාගතයක් උදාකරගත හැකිවන්නේය

දයාන් හා මංගල

මෙහි ඉහතින් දැක්වෙන්නේ ලංකාවේ සියගණන් පංචස්කන්ධ විසින් කියන අදහස් අතරින් කීපයකි. මින් නිර්මාල් රංජිත් දේවසිරි යනු දරිත්‍රතාවය හා සමහර විට ගමේ කුලපීඩනයද නිසා කුඩා අවධියේ සිටම jvp පන්ති පහට ගිය අයෙකුගේ ප්‍රකාශයකි. සිය බ්ලොග් එක මඟින් මේ දිනවල ඔහු තටම තටමා කරන්නේ නොයෙක් පණ්ඩිත කතා ඉදිරිපත් කරමින් AKD ලාව නොමඟ යැවීමය.

සහරාන් සැමරීමට ඉඩ දෙමුද?

මෙහි සඳහන් නොවන දයාන් ජයතිලක 2009 දී ජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂට ඉංගිරිස් ලණු දී ජීනීවා වලට ගොස් යුද ජයග්‍රහණය පාවාදුන් ක්‍රිස්තියානි, මාක්ස්වාදී හා 13 ප්ලස් මතයේ පප්පාය. ඔහුව තනතුරෙන් ඉවත් කරණවිට ඔහු රටට කල හානිය කර අවසානය. ඔහුට අනුව ඔහු ප්‍රොමෝට් කල උතුරේ මහඇමති අපේක්ෂක විග්නේෂ්වරන් මධ්‍යස්ථ දමිල දෙවියෙක් විය! ඔහු වර්ධරාජා පෙරුමාල්ගේ කැබිනට් එකේ සිට ප්‍රේමදාසට භයෙන් කලින්ම රටින් පැනගෙන පසුව ප්‍රේමදාගෙන් සමාව ගෙන ඔහුට බැලමෙහෙවර කල අයෙකි. මංගල සමරවීර යනු චන්ද්‍රිකාගේ සමයේ සුදු නෙළුම් ජාවාරමක් කල පසුව මෛත්‍රීපාල-රනිල් යහපාලන නඩය යටතේ සිංහල බෞද්ධයින්ගේ පැත්තෙන් බලනවිට රට ජාතිය පාවාදුන් ජාති භ්‍රෂ්ටයෙකි. ඔහු සමන්තා පවර්ගේ හා ඇමෙරිකන් රාජ්‍ය ලේකම් ජෝන් කෙරීගේ සුවච කීකරු බලුපැටියෙක් විය.

ඉතිහාසය හා භූගෝල විද්‍යාව නොදැනීම

මේ සියල්ලටම වඩා දැන් වැදගත් වන්නේ ඉහත අංක 7 හා 8 යටතේ අනුර කුමාර හා ලාල් කාන්ත යන දෙන්නා ප්‍රදර්ශණය කරණ ඔවුන්ගේ දැණුම හා දැකුමේ දුබලතාවයය. දැකුමට බලපාන්නේ යමෙකුගේ දැණුමය. ඉතා කෙටියෙන් කියතොත් චෙල්වනායගම් දෙමළ පෙඩරල් පක්ෂය ආරම්භකලේ ඉන්දියන් පකිස්ථාන් පුරවැසි පණත නිසාම නොවේ. දෙමළ පක්ෂ කතාව 1921/23 කාලයේ සිට ආරම්භ වූවකි. අනික නම් 1949 පණතට පක්ෂව සමහර දෙමළ මන්ත්‍රීන්ද චන්දය දුන් බවය.

ලාල් කාන්තගේ අනවශ්‍ය ප්‍රකාශ අහක යන නයි අල්ලා ගැනීමකි. අද ලෝකයේ කොහේවත් මාක්ස්වාදී ආණ්ඩු නැත. ඇත්තේ ඒකාධිපති සමාජවාදය නම් ඇස්බන්ඳුමය. බුදු දහමේ මධ්‍යම ප්‍රතිපදාව අනුව රටක් පාලනය කිරීමේ අවශ්‍යතාවය දිනපතාමවාගේ ලෝක දේශපාලන අර්බුද ඉදිරියේ ඔප්පුවෙමින් පවතී. උදාහරණයක් වශයෙන් ඇමෙරිකාවේ ඩොනල්ඩ් ට්‍රම්ප් යටතේ ඇතිවීමට යන සමාජ අර්බුදය 1978 සිට ලංකාවේ සිදුවු විනාශයට සමානය. වෛරය වෙනුවට මෛත්‍රීය යනු හැමෝම ඉල්ලන ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදය හෙවත් සියළු සත්වයෝ නිදුක් නිරෝගී සුවපත්වේවා යන බෞද්ධ සංකල්පය නොවේද? සේපාල් අමරසිංහ, සන්නස්ගල වැන්නන් විසින් අගය කරණ ඕමාර් කයියම් දිවි පැවැත්ම රටකට සන්තුෂ්ටිය ගේනවාද? ක්ලබ් වසන්ත, ගම්පහ මහානාම ගැන හිතන්න.

Part II

ලංකාව දකුණු ආසියාවේ පලස්තීනයක් නොකර, සිංහල, දෙමළ, මුස්ලිම් ජනයාට අනාගතයේ තෘප්තිමත් ජීවිතයක් ලඟාකර දිය හැකි මාර්ගයක් තිබේ. එය කුමක්ද?

ජොනතන් මෑන්ස් විසින්

2024 නොවැම්බර් 10 වැනි දින පළ කරන ලදී

ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදලේ න්‍යාය පත්‍රය සම්පූර්ණ කිරීම සඳහා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ AKD පාලනය ලබා දෙන ප්‍රතිඵලයක් වේදිකාගත කිරීමට යාන්ක් ඩොලර් මිලියන ගණන් විසි කරන බව ප්‍රසිද්ධ රහසකි.

පසුගියදා නිමාවට පත් වූ ජනාධිපතිවරණයේ කුතුහලය දනවන සංසිද්ධියක් – එළැඹෙන මහ මැතිවරණයට සම්බන්ධ සිදුවීම් වලදී අද ද පවතින සංසිද්ධියක් – එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය විසින් ඉටු කරන ලද සෙවනැලි භූමිකාවයි. දිගින් දිගටම මහජන ඇසේ රැඳී සිටින අතරම, පක්ෂය හුදු ප්‍රේක්ෂකයෙකු මෙන් සිදුවෙමින් පවතින දේශපාලන ක්‍රියාකාරකම්වල මායිම් මත හිතාමතාම ක්‍රියාත්මක වන බව පෙනේ.

AKD ගේ ප්‍රචාරක පෝස්ටර් ‘විජය ප්‍රින්ටර්ස්’ හි මුද්‍රණය කළ බවට වූ පුවත සහ එජාපය ඔවුන්ගේ අරමුදල්වලින් කොටසක් ජවිපෙ ව්‍යාපාරයට හරවා යවන බවට එල්ල වන චෝදනා සමඟ මෙම නිරීක්‍ෂණය සම්බන්ධ වන්නේ කෙසේද?

කොළඹ සාමාන්‍යයෙන් එජාපයේ තණතිල්ල ලෙස සැලකේ, කළු සුද්දා (කළු-සුද්දා) මානසිකත්වයේ ළිං වසන්තය; Malcolm X විසින් විස්තර කරන ලද ‘House-Negro’ මානසිකත්වය ‘Field-Negro’ විසින් බෙදා නොගන්නා මානසිකත්වය මෙයයි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ, ‘කොලොම්බියානුවන්’ යාන්ක්වරුන්ගේ ස්වයං-පත් කරන ලද මේජර්-ඩොමෝ ලෙස හැසිරේ.

එහෙත් පුදුමයට කරුණක් නම්, ‘කොලොම්බියානුවන්ගේ’ උත්සව, රැස්වීම්, පිළිගැනීම් සහ සමාජ මාධ්‍ය වේදිකාවල, මේ දිනවල දෙන පණිවිඩය ඉතා පැහැදිලි ය; AKD සඳහා ඡන්දය දෙන්න.

මෙම ප්‍රොට්‍රෙප්ටික් ‘කොලොම්බියානුවන්ගේ’ ප්‍රධාන-ඩොමෝ රූපය සමඟ සමපාත වන්නේ කෙසේද?

තාර්කිකව, පෙර විය යුතු ප්‍රශ්නය නම්, ‘සිංහාසනය මත AKD ස්ථාපනය කිරීමෙන් යාන්ක් බලාපොරොත්තු වන්නේ කුමක්ද?

යාන්ක්වරු මේ වන විට ශ්‍රී ලංකාව අල්ලා ගැනීම තහවුරු කිරීමේ ක්‍රියාවලියක යෙදී සිටිති.

ගූ-ගෝඨා රටේ සුරක්ෂිතාගාරය නැති කිරීමට ඇදහිය නොහැකි ක්‍රියාමාර්ග ගෙන, ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල රට තුළට කැඳවා, පසුව, නීති විරෝධී ලෙස මවාපෑමට බලය පැවරුවේය.

ඉන් පසුව, මවාපෑම්කරු යෂ්ටිය අතට ගෙන, yankee-IMF සමඟ රහසිගතව යටත් වීමේ ගිවිසුමක් අත්සන් කළේය.

විශ්වාසදායක ලෙස වාර්තා කර ඇති පරිදි, යටත් වීමේ කොන්දේසි 146 + ප්ලස් අතරට MCC ඉඩම් අත්පත් කර ගැනීම, රජයේ වත්කම් පෞද්ගලීකරණය කිරීම, පළාත්වලට දේශපාලන සහ පොලිස් බලතල ලබා දෙමින් නව ව්‍යවස්ථාවක් සැකසීම, වත්මන් ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ ප්‍රමුඛත්වය සහ රාජ්‍ය ආරක්ෂාව ලබා දෙන 9 වැනි වගන්තිය අහෝසි කිරීම ඇතුළත් වේ. බුද්ධාගමට, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ භූමි ප්‍රමාණය ඉන්දියාව, චීනය සහ යාන්ක් අතර එකඟ වූ පරිදි බෙදා 2012, TCO-CBO අතර අක්කර මිලියන 1.2ක yankee මිලිටරිගත කොරිඩෝවක් ස්ථාපිත කිරීම, එය භූගෝලීය වශයෙන් දිවයින දෙකට බෙදීම, උතුරු සහ නැගෙනහිර පළාත්වල භූමි ප්‍රදේශ ඉන්දියාවට ඈඳා ගැනීමට අවසර දීම, විධායක බලය ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමේ තනි බලය ව්‍යවස්ථාදායකයට පැවරීම.

ව්‍යවස්ථා විරෝධී යැයි ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් කලින් තීරණය කරන ලද MCC ඉඩම් අත්පත් කර ගැනීම නීති විරෝධී ලෙස ‘නීත්‍යානුකූල’ කරමින් මවාපෙන්වන්නාගේ නීති සම්මත කර ඇත.

යටත් වීමේ රහස් කොන්දේසි කිහිපයක් බලාත්මක කිරීමට පෙරේතකයා සමත් විය.

MCC කොරිඩෝවෙන් මිලියන 4 ක සරණාගතයින් ඉවත් කර පදිංචි කිරීම, වැටුප් හා රැකියා කොන්දේසි වලට අදාළ නීති වෙනස් කිරීම, රජයේ වත්කම් පෞද්ගලීකරණය කිරීම වැනි ඉතිරිව ඇති ‘අඩවීමේ කොන්දේසි‘ ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීම මවාපෑමට දුෂ්කර කාර්යයක් වනු ඇත. MCC සිතියමේ දක්වා ඇති කුඩා ජනාවාස ප්‍රදේශවලට, මුලින් ඉල්ලා සිටි ප්‍රදේශ ඇතුළුව පළාත්වලට ඉඩම් සහ පොලිස් බලතල බෙදා හැරීම බෙදුම්වාදී–ත්‍රස්තවාදීන්, බුද්ධාගම එහි ප්‍රධාන භූමිකාවෙන් තුරන් කර, රට, යැංකි – කොරිඩෝවට උතුරින්, ඉන්දියාවට ඈඳා ගැනීමට ඉඩ සලසමින්, යංකි කොරිඩෝව දිගේ උතුරු–දකුණු කැපුමක් මත රට බෙදීම කිහිපයක් නම් කළ හැකිය.

 AKD විසින් තෝරා ගන්නා ලද කණ්ඩායම මවාපෑමට ලැජ්ජාවට පත් වනු ඇත.

• AKD හි ප්‍රධාන ආර්ථික උපදේශකයා වන්නේ yankee රජය සඳහා ගෝලීය කොන්ත්‍රාත්තු කරන yankee සමාගම වන Ernst and Young (ආසන්න වශයෙන් අවුරුදු 25) හි ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ හවුල්කරුවෙකු වන හුලංගමුව ය; මෙම සංවිධානය වංචාවකට පැටලී ඇති අතර උසාවියෙන් පිටත සමථයකට පත් වී ඇත, එක් අවස්ථාවක ඩොලර් මිලියන 100 ක දඩයක් ගෙවා ඇත. CCC (Ceylon Chamber of Commerce) යනු AMCHAM හි හඬ පෙට්ටිය වන අතර ඔවුන් විසින් අරමුදල් සපයන මෙම සංවිධානය සමඟ ගනුදෙනු කිරීමට යාන්ක්වරු පහසු වෙති. හුලංගමුව CCC හි වත්මන් සභාපතිවරයා වේ.

·        ආරක්ෂක විනිමය කොමිෂන් සභාවේ සභාපති දිසාබණ්ඩාර චෙවෙන්නිං විද්‍යාඥයෙකි.

·         ආයෝජන මණ්ඩලයේ සභාපති අර්ජුන හේරත්; ඔහු වංචනික ‘අර්නස්ට් ඇන්ඩ් යං’ හි ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ හවුල්කරුවෙක් ද විය.

·        •UGC සභාපති යනු yank Fullbright නිෂ්පාදනයකි.

·        මවාපෑම්කරුගේ විශ්වාසවන්ත ගෝලයන් වන මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ සෙනෙවිරත්න සහ ‘බැඳුම්කර’ නඩුවේ මහ බැංකුවේ සැකකරුවන් වන වීරසිංහ සතුටින් ඉදිරියට යති.

CCC හි හිටපු සභාපතිවරයෙකු සහ ආන්දෝලනාත්මක කීල්ස් මණ්ඩලයේ අධ්‍යක්ෂවරයෙකු වන විජයසූරිය AKD හි ‘ඩිජිටල්’ උපදේශක වේ.

MCC ‘ප්‍රදානය’ සැලසුම් කිරීමේදී CCC යෑන්ක් සමඟ කටයුතු කළේය.

එබැවින් 2019 දී විජේසූරිය මවාපෑමට (එවකට අගමැති) ට ලියා MCC ව්‍යාපෘතියේ තත්වය ගැන ඔහුගෙන් විමසීම පුදුම සහගතය, මන්ද ඔවුන් MCC හි වැඩ කළේ CCC හි ඔහුගේ උප සභාපති අධීක්ෂණය යටතේ බැවිනි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ MCC හි නේවාසික රට අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජෙනර් එඩෙල්මන් සුදුසු පිළිතුරක් ලබා දුන්නේය. මෙම ප්‍රදානය සැලසුම් කිරීමේදී ලංකා වාණිජ මණ්ඩලය MCC සමඟ එක්ව කටයුතු කළේය. එම ක්‍රියාවලියට සහභාගී වීම පිළිබඳව අපි වාණිජ මණ්ඩලයට ස්තූතිවන්ත වන්නෙමු. වාණිජ මණ්ඩලයේ ප්‍රධාන ආර්ථික විද්‍යාඥයා ප්‍රදානය සංවර්ධනය කළ කණ්ඩායමේ කොටසක් විය. 2017 දී රජය නිශ්චිත යෝජනාවක් ඉදිරිපත් කළේය. 2018 වසර පුරාවට ශ්‍රී ලාංකිකයන් කණ්ඩායමක් වොෂින්ටනයට ගොස් සාකච්ඡා මෙහෙයවීය භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ ලේකම්වරයා සහ සියලුම ප්‍රධාන ලේකම්වරුන් සහ නීතිපතිවරයා ඇතුළත් විය.

https://archives1.dailynews.lk/2019/08/30/finance/195506/mcc-grant-based-sri-lankan-formulated-development-proposals

ඩොලර් මිලියන ප්‍රශ්නය වන්නේ 2018 දී ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ජනතාවගේ මුදල් වියදම් කර ඇමරිකාවේ සංචාරය කළ, නැග්ගා, වයින් ගත් ලේකම්වරුන් සහ නීතිපතිවරයා කවුද යන්නයි.

මවාපෑමට කළ නොහැකි දේ AKD ට කිරීමට යාන්ක්වරුන්ට අවශ්‍ය බව පැහැදිලිය. ඒ.කේ.ඩීට ‘ගාර්මේ’ රනිල් කියලා කියන්නේ නිකම්ම නෙවෙයි.

ජාමූඅ සමඟ AKD හි සැලසුම් ගැන NPP හි JVP කාඩරයන් තවමත් නොදැන සිටිති. යාන්ක්වරු AKD ගේ කාර්ය සාධනය සමඟ ඔවුන්ගේ දැඩි සතුට ප්‍රකාශ කර ඇත.

මෙම ක්‍රියාමාර්ග සිදුවන අතරවාරයේ වෘත්තීය සමිති විසින් ජාතිය අකර්මන්‍ය නොකරන බවට ජවිපෙ කාරයින් මුලදී සහතික වනු ඇත.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, සැබෑ JVP කාඩර්වරුන්ට සැබෑ යථාර්ථය පහර දුන් විට, ඔවුන් ප්‍රතිචාර දක්වනු ඇති අතර, ඔවුන් සහ AKD බිම හෙළීමට යැංකි ‘පැසිෆික් විධානය’ සූදානම් වනු ඇත.

JVP කාරයෝ නායකයන් නැති වී පාරට බහින්න හදනවා. ඔවුන් 1971 සහ 1989 දී කළ මෝඩකම්වලින් වැළකිය යුතුය.

NPP එකේ හරිනි JVP කාරයෝ නැතුව වැඩ බාරගන්න ලෑස්තියි.

AKD ඔහුගේ කතාවලදී, විපක්ෂයක් නොමැතිකම සඳහා, රැකියාව අවසන් වන තුරු බලය අත් නොහැරීම සඳහා පාර කපා ඇත. කොටින්ම ඒකාධිපති පාලනයක්; JR ගේ ‘ඡන්ද සිතියම පෙරළීම’ සිහිගන්වයි. කවුරුත් ඒ ගැන කතා කරලා නැහැ.

හරිනිට සහ එන්පීපී කාඩරයන්ට යුධමය වශයෙන් ආධාර කිරීමට සිදු විය හැක. ACSA සහ SOFA ගිවිසුම් හොඳින් ක්‍රියාත්මක වන අතර යාන්ක් මිලිටරි කොන්ත්‍රාත්කරුවන්ට ආරුගම්බේ හෝ බේරුවල වේවා ඕනෑම ජාතිකයෙකු ඇතුළත් විය හැකිය.

AKD හට සමතා පවර් සහ ඉන්දු–පැසිෆික් නාවික බලඇණියේ අද්මිරාල් විසින් කාලෝචිත ප්‍රතිචාර ලබා දෙන ලදී.

AKD ඔහුගේ කාර්යය ඉටු කළ පසු, මවාපෑම්කරු සහ එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂ කොටස් සෙවනැල්ලෙන් ඉවත් වනු ඇත.

විධායක බලය ව්‍යවස්ථාදායකයට පැවරුවහොත්, විධායකය තෝරා ගැනීමේ ජනතා බලය – දැනට ජනාධිපතිවරණයකදී ප්‍රකාශිත – දියාරු වන අතර, දූෂණයෙන් රට පාලනය කිරීමට යක්කුන්ට පහසුවෙන්ම හැකි වනු ඇත.

ඔහුගේ ක්‍රියාවන් සහ වචන අනුව විනිශ්චය කිරීම AKD රාජ්‍යය විසුරුවා හැරීමට නැඹුරු වී ඇත. එතුමාට දෙන ඡන්දයක් යන් සඳහා ඡන්දයක් වන අතර එජාපයේ ඉදිරි ගමනයි. ජාතික කැමැත්ත ඇවිස්සිලා කාටවත් බහුතර බලයක් ලබා නොදීමට ජනතාව සමත් වුණා. ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල අතහැර දමා ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල වෙනුවෙන් පනවා ඇති සියලුම නීති විරෝධී නීති අවලංගු කරන පාර්ශ්වයක් එම ස්ථානයට පැමිණෙන තෙක් එම උපාය මාර්ගයම අනුගමනය කරන්න.

ඔබේ අංකයට ගොස් ඔබේ ඡන්දය නරක් කරන්න. ඔබ යන්කී ශාපයට එරෙහි ශ්‍රී ලංකා විරෝධයේ කොටසක් බව පෙන්වන්න.

https://www.newsfirst.lk/2021/01/20/mcc-in-sri-lanka-letters-sent-without-ags-approva https://economynext.com/ceylon-chamber-commends-isb-restructure-https://island.lk/union-bank-partners-with-usaid-ceylon-chamber-of-commerce-to-empower-smes-  ගෝලීය වර්ධනය සඳහා

https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=101549

https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=101715

https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2011/05/162881.htm;

https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2010/05/142178.htm

https://www.sundaytimes.lk/160221/business-times/hong-kong-based-law-firm-to-draft-and-revise-sri-lankas-fiscal-and-monetary-laws-183485.html

https://pathfinderfoundation.org/

https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2011/05/162881.htm

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204886304574308753825396372.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/world/asia/22iht-notebook.1.20349992.html

https://thediplomat.com/2016/04/did-hillary-clintons-pivot-to-asia-work/

https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2011/10/175215.htm

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44312024

https://archives1.dailynews.lk/2019/08/30/finance/195506/mcc-grant-based-sri-lankan-formulated-development-proposals

පිළිතුරක් දෙන්න

හිලරි ක්ලින්ටන් ජනාධිපතිනිය යටතේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ උභතෝකෝටික ප්‍රශ්නය

Sri Lanka’s Dilemma under Hillary Clinton presidency

දයා ගමගේ විසිනි – ඒෂියන් ට්‍රිබියුන් විදේශ කටයුතු සටහන – අනුග්‍රහය Asian Tribune – Washington, D.C. 12 October (Asiantribune.com): 2009 මැයි 18 වැනි දින ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ දෙමළ කොටින්ගේ සම්පූර්ණ පරාජයට සති දෙකකට පෙර එක්සත් ජනපද රාජ්‍ය ලේකම් හිලරි ක්ලින්ටන් බල කරමින් සිටියේය. IMF සහ එක්සත් ජනපද භාණ්ඩාගාර දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ කැබිනට් කාර්යාලය අත්හිටුවීමට අත … දිගටම කරගෙන යන්න හිලරි ක්ලින්ටන් ජනාධිපතිනිය යටතේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ උභතෝකෝටික කියවීම

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Rohan P

The S.R. Kottegoda Oration. Rohan Pethiyagoda reviews the many forms of corruption in Sri Lanka and puts this terrible practice in context.

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

හාල් සහ පොල් මිල ඉහළ යාම සම්බන්ධයෙන් ආණ්ඩුව ජනතාවට ජනකාන්තවාදී බොරු ප්‍රකාශ කරන බවට එක්සත් ජනරජ පෙරමුණේ නායක, හිටපු අමාත්‍ය පාඨලී චම්පික රණවක මහතා චෝදනා කරයි.

සහල්, පොල් ඇතුළු අත්‍යවශ්‍ය ආහාර සුරක්ෂිතතාව පිළිබඳ එක්සත් ජනරජ පෙරමුණ පැවැත්වූ මාධ්‍ය හමුවකදී ඒ මහතා පෙන්වා දුන්නේ ආණ්ඩුව බලයට පත්වීමට පෙර හාල් මෝල් හිමියන්ට එරෙහිව දැඩි ප්‍රකාශ කළ නමුත්, බලයට පත්වීමෙන් පසු ඔවුන් සමඟ එකඟතාවකට පැමිණ හාල් මිල ඉහළ දැමීමට කටයුතු කළ බවයි.

ජනාධිපතිතුමා මේසෙට තට්ටු කරලා තමන්ට හිතු ගානකින් හාල් මෝල් හිමියන්ට එකඟ වෙන ගානකින් හාල් මිල වැඩි කරන්න නම් මොකක්ද ඒ ජනාධිපති ධූරයේ තත්ත්වය?”

වී කිලෝ 100කින් නිපදවිය හැකි හාල් ප්‍රමාණය සම්බන්ධයෙන් විවිධ පාර්ශව විවිධ මත පළ කළද, ලංකාවේ හාල් හිඟයක් නොමැති බව ද, රණවක මහතා පෙන්වා දෙයි.

මහ මෝල් හිමියන් කියනවා වී කිලෝ සීයකින් හාල් කිලෝ හැට දෙකයි දශම පහයි හදන්න පුළුවන් කියලා. කෘෂිකර්ම අමාත්‍යාංශය කියනවා වී කිලෝ සීයකින් හාල් කිලෝ හැට අටක් හදන්න පුළුවන් කියලා. පේරාදෙණිය විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයේ පර්යේෂණාගාරයේ ඉන්න මාරඹේ මැතිතුමා ඇතුළු අය කියනවා නෑ හැත්ත දෙකක් පුළුවන් කියලා. කුඩා මෝල් හිමියෝ කියනවා පනස් දෙකයි පුළුවන් කියලා. ඇත්තටම මේ පවරගත්ත, පනස් දෙක ගත්තත්, හැට දෙක ගත්තත්, හැට අට ගත්තත්, හැත්තෑ දෙක ගත්තත් ලංකාවේ හාල් හිඟයක් නැහැ. මේ සංඛ්‍යා ලේඛන දිහා බැලුවහම. එහෙනම් මොකක්ද මේ වෙලා තියෙන්නේ? ඉතාම පැහැදිලියි මේ බෙදා හැරීම සහ සහල් තොග පවත්වා ගැනීම පිළිබඳව විධිමත් දැනුමක් වෙළඳ ඇමතිට හෝ කෘෂිකර්ම ඇමතිට හෝ ජනාධිපතිට හෝ ඒ අදාළ ආයතන වලට නෑ.”

හාල් මිල පාලනය කිරීමේ වගකීම වෙළඳ අමාත්‍ය වසන්ත සමරසිංහ මහතාට පැවරී ඇති බවත්, එම වගකීම ඔහු නිසි ලෙස ඉටු කරනු ඇතැයි තමන් බලාපොරොත්තු වන බවත් රණවක මහතා ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

වසන්ත සමරසිංහ මැතිතුමා වාණිජ ඇමති හැටියට දිවුරුම් දෙද්දී එතුමාගේ ගැසට් නිවේදනයේ, එතුමා බලයට පත් කරපු ගැසට් නිවේදනයේ, බොහොම පැහැදිලිව තියෙනවා. එතකොට මේ මේ ගැසට් නිවේදනයට අනුව තමයි, මේ නිල ලියවිල්ලට අනුව තමයි එතුමාට මේ බලය ලැබිලා තියෙන්නේ. අලි ගම් වැදිලා මේ විනාශ වෙනවා. මාෆියාකාරයෝ හාල් හංගං ඉන්නවා වගේ උත්තර දෙන්න බෑ. මේක තමයි ඔහුගේ වගකීම. ඒ නිසා ඒ වගකීම ඔහු ඉටු කරනවා ඇතියි කියලා අපි බලාපොරොත්තු වෙනවා.”

ආහාර ද්‍රව්‍ය ආනයනයේදී සිදුවන වංචා සහ හොරකම් පිළිබඳව ද රණවක මහතා ආණ්ඩුවට චෝදනා කළේය.

ලංකාවට අදටත් ගෙන්නන ප්‍රධාන ආහාර ද්‍රව්‍ය වල ඒ රේගු දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ සහ දේශීය ආදායම් දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ බලපත්‍රවල විශේෂයෙන්ම අර තාවකාලික බලපත්‍ර වලින් තමයි සීයට හැට පහක් වෙන්නේ. ඒකෙන් රටට කිසිම ආදායමක් දෙන්නෑ. අන්න ඒ හොර කවුළුව මේ රජය විවෘත කරලා තියෙනවා නැවතත්. මේ රජය හොර කවුළුව විවෘත කරලා තියෙනවා.”

මෙම තත්ත්වය පාලනය කිරීම සඳහා විධිමත් ක්‍රියාමාර්ගයක් ගන්නා ලෙසත්, ජනතාව ගැන සිතා කටයුතු කරන ලෙසත් රණවක මහතා ආණ්ඩුවෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටියි.

මෙහිදී මාධ්‍යවේදීන් විසින් අසන ලද ප්‍රශ්නවලට පාඨලී චම්පික රණවක මහතා ලබා දුන් පිළිතුරු මෙසේ ය.

ප්‍රශ්නය: දැන් අපිට පේන දෙයක් තමයි මේ වෙළඳපොලේ භාණ්ඩ මිල ඉහළ යනකොට ඒක පිටිපස්සෙන් තමයි මේ ගණන් උස්සගෙන එන්නේ. එතකොට රජයක් පාරිභෝගිකයා ගිහිල්ලා රජය එක්ක කතා කරලා තමන්ගේ දුක් ගැනවිල්ල කිව්වට අන්තිම ප්‍රතිඵලය තමයි පාරිභෝගිකයාට කීයක් හරි වැඩි වෙලා එන එක. ඒ කියන්නේ මේ මිල එන්නේ හිඟය සමග තමයි. එතකොට මේ හිඟය ඇති වුණහම මේකේ පහසුව වෙන්නේ හැමදාම පාරිභෝගිකයාට නෙමෙයි. ව්‍යාපාරිකයාට කියන එකනේ කියන්නේ.

පිළිතුර: ඔව්, දැන් ඇත්තටම මේ ප්‍රශ්න සම්බන්ධයෙන් නිසි දත්ත තියෙනවා නම් කොහේද මේ වී තොග, පොල් තොග තියෙන්නේ කියන එක පිළිබඳව හා අස්වැන්න, දත්ත තියෙනවා නම් ඒක සොයාගෙන ඒකට පිළියම් යෙදීම තමයි රජයක් කළ යුත්තේ. ලොකු ළූණු ප්‍රශ්නය මතු වෙච්ච වෙලාවේ මේ ලොකු ලූණු වලින් අසීමාන්තික ලාභයක් ලබනවා. අනෙකුත් ආහාර ද්‍රව්‍යවල අසීමාන්තික ලාභයක් දරනවා කියලා. අපි කොහොමද ඒ ප්‍රශ්නේ විසඳුවේ? වරායට ගියා කීයද කියලා බැලුවොත්, තොග වෙළෙන්දන්ගේ කීයද කියලා බැලුවොත්, සිල්ලර වෙළෙන්දගේ කීයටද කියලා බැලුවොත්, අතරමැදියාගේ කීයක්ද කියලා බැලුවා. ඒක ජනතාවට හෙළිදරව් කළා. ඒ කාලේ හැම සතියකම මගේ ෆේස්බුක් පිටුවේ අත්‍යවශ්‍ය ආහාර ද්‍රව්‍යවල මිල සටහන් කළා. ඒකෙන් විශාල වශයෙන් පාලනයක් ඇති වුණා. ඒ අපි ආණ්ඩුවේ ඉඳලා නෙමෙයි. ඒ අපි විපක්ෂයේ ඉඳන් කළේ. එතකොට මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් ව්‍යාජ හේතු ඉදිරිපත් කරන්නැතුව ප්‍රශ්න අවබෝධ කරගැනීමේ දැනුම් මට්ටමක ඉන්නවා නම් මේ පාරිභෝගිකයාට මේක දාන එක වැරදියි. මොකද පාරිභෝගිකයාගේ ආදායම් පසුගිය අවුරුදු තුනේම වැඩි වෙලා නැහැ. එකම ආදායම. හැබැයි සෑම දේකම මිල ගණන් දැන් උද්ධමනයක් නැහැ. අවධමනයක් තියෙනවයි කිව්වට මහ බැංකුව සෑම දේකම මිල ගණන් තුන් ගුණයකින් වැඩිවෙලා තියෙනවා. මේ අද දෙසිය තිහට යන හාල් රුපියල් අසූවයි මීට අවුරුදු තුනකට කලින්. එතකොට ඒ නිසා අපි මහජනයා විඳින දුක ගැන අවබෝධයකින් යුතුව කටයුතු කරනවා මිසක් ජනකාන්තවාදී දේවල් කිරීමෙන් මේක වෙන්නෑ. අර ගෝඨාභය මහත්තයත් කරන්න ගිය ටික ඔය ටිකම තමයි හමුදාව දාගෙන ඒ ටික දැන් මේ නිලධාරීන් දාගෙන කරන්න ගියහමත් ඔය ප්‍රතිඵලයම තමයි එන්නේ.

ප්‍රශ්නය: දැන් ඔබතුමා කිව්වා ජනාධිපතිවරණයට ඉස්සෙල්ලා නාඩු හාල් තිබ්බා එකසිය අනූවට කියලා. නමුත් මේක උස්සලා දුන්නට පස්සේ ආයි බහින්නේ නැහැ.

පිළිතුර: නැහැ ඒක තමයි ඉතින් ඒකට හේතුව මේ මම පෙන්නලා දුන්නනේ. රටේ හාල් හිඟයක් නැහැ ලබන පෙබරවාරි වෙනකන්. එහෙම ප්‍රශ්නයක් නැහැ. අස්වැන්න ලබන පෙබරවාරි වලින් පස්සේ එකක් එන්න පුළුවන්. මොකද මහ කන්නයේ අස්වැන්න අඩුවීම නිසා. මහ කන්නයේ අස්වැන්න නිසා වෙන්න පුළුවන්. එහෙම ප්‍රශ්නයක් නැහැ. මෙතන වෙන ප්‍රශ්නයක් තියෙන්නේ. මේ සැපයුම් ජාලයේ වෙන ගැටලුවක් තියෙන්නේ. ඒකට අපි උත්තර දෙන්න ඕනේ. ඒක නැතුව ගොවියට තුවක්කු දෙනවා, රිලව් මරන්න, දඬු ලේන්නු මරන්න, අලි මරන්න, ඉත්තෑවෝ මරන්න කියලා නිකන් මිනිස්සු චූන් කරලා වැඩක් නැහැ. ඇත්ත. මේ සත්තු විසින් විශාල විනාශයක් කරනවා. ලාල්කාන්ත මහත්තයා මතක තියාගන්න ඕනේ. ඔහු කෘෂිකර්ම ඇමති වෙලා ඉන්නේ, රටේ නීතියට අනුව. රටේ වෘක්ෂලතා වනජීවී පනත තියෙනවා. ඒ පනතට අනුව ආරක්ෂිත සතුන් කියලා ජාතියක් ඉන්නවා. ඒ වගේම අනාරක්ෂිත කට්ටියක් ඉන්නවා. එතකොට ඒ පනතට අනුකූලව මේ ඔහුට බැහැ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ කතාවක් පවත්වලා අපි මේ අයිතිය දෙනවයි කියලා කියන්න. එහෙනම් අර පනතට අනුව ඔහු කටයුතු කරන්න ඕනේ. මම ඔහුට කියනවා පුළුවන් නම් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවෙන් එළියේ කියන්න ඔය කටයුත්ත කියලා. ඔහු එතකොට නීතිය කඩ කළා වෙනවා. එතකොට ඔහුට වෙනවා ඒ අනුව වනජීවී පනත අනුව නඩු භාරයකට මුහුණ දෙන්න. ඒ නිසා තමයි මේ පාර්ලිමේන්තුව ඇතුළට ගිහිල්ලා මේ වාගාඩම්බර ප්‍රකාශ කරන්නේ. ඉතින් දැන් ඔහු කළ යුත්තේ මොකක්ද? ඇත්තටම දඬු ලේන්නු, එහෙම නැත්නම් ඉත්තෑවෝ, එහෙම නැත්නම් රිලව් වැඩිවෙලා තියෙනවා නම් ඔහු කළ යුත්තේ මොකක්ද? වනජීවී නියම පිරිස ගෙන්නලා, පරිසරවේදිනුත් ගෙන්නලා, ගොවියොත් ගෙන්නලා, මේ ආරක්ෂිතයි කියන සත්තු ඕනෑවට වඩා වැඩිලා තියෙනවද? දැන් ඒගොල්ලෝ ආක්‍රමණශීලී වෙලා තියෙනවද කියලා. යම් දත්ත පද්ධතියක් අරගෙන, ඒ දත්ත පද්ධතියට අනුව ක්‍රියා කරන්න. දැන් උදාහරණයක් හැටියට ඔබට මතක ඇති, මම පරිසර ඇමති කාලේ හුඟක් දෙනෙක් කිව්වා, අලි වඳ වෙන්න යන්නේ කියලා. අපි කළා සමීක්ෂණයක්. සමීක්ෂණයක් කළහම පේනවා අලි වඳ වෙලා නැහැ කියලා. 1993 ඉඳන් 2008 වෙනකොට අලි ජනගහනය දෙගුණ වෙලා කියලා. එතකොට ඔය වගේ කතා ඕන තරම් කියන්න පුළුවන්. විද්‍යාත්මක ක්‍රියාදාමයකට එළඹෙන්න. එහෙම නැතුව මේ අර ඡන්දෙට කලින් කළා වගේ ජනකාන්තවාදී පම්පෝරි ගහන එක කරුණාකරලා නවත්තලා එන්න. නැත්නම් නීතිය කඩ කළා වෙනවා.

– Media unit

Ceylon News Global

දූෂනයට එරෙහි ව පසුගිය කාලේ කෑගසපු මහත්තයෙක් නේද මේ සියඹලාපිටිය.අපේ රටට අබ සරනයි

Saliya T

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka today clarified that Pastor Jerome Fernando was not a Bishop of the Catholic Church, and therefore the members of its church should not be deceived. 

Jerome Fernando, who has no official apostolic succession in the Catholic church, is not a Catholic Bishop, hence we request our Catholic faithful not to be deceived by such information,” a statement signed by Bishops Conference Secretary General Rev J. D. Anthony Jayakody said.

Catholic Bishop is a continuation of the successors of Jesus’s apostles. Every Catholic Bishop is one of the direct successors of eleven apostles, except for Apostle Peter who is the head of the apostles. The director successor of St. Peter is the Pope,” the statement added.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Pic – BBC

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Out of multiple strategies implemented by JVP/NPP leadership in order to secure victory at the last Presidential and General elections, hatred politics and gamut of crucial pledges given to the people have played a predominant role to change the mindset of the mass scale of people in favour of JVP/NPP. 

In a nutshell, hatred politics means rousing of antipathy and antagonistic feelings among the masses by one fraction of politicians against another faction of politicians or traditionally by Opposition in Parliament against the ruling party by disseminating of malicious allegations on corruptions, frauds, bribery, money laundering, violation of human rights, killings, abuse of power etc. Remember, the prime objective of hatred politics is nothing but rousing of anger by one against the other to gain political mileage and capturing governmental power. Hatred politics is completely different from democratic politics. It is not in consistent with one of the cardinal principles of constructive criticism and peaceful co-existence in parliamentary democracy.

Urging Public to Treat all as Roughs

AKD has repeatedly pronounced at the last parliamentary election campaign that Politicians who occupied parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers in various capacities which implies MP, Minister, Deputy Minister, State Minister, Prime Minister, and Executive President as well  under previous regimes from Mahinda Rajapakse to Wickremasinghe are to be treated as collective of roughs, thieves, corrupt and dishonest personalities, who did nothing but soliciting of bribes, underhand commission, plundering of public funds and spending of luxurious life whilst drifting  out masses of this country to the miserable stage of dire poverty and starvation”. He urged masses to flush out those rotten stuff, en bloc from parliament and fill it with JVP/NPP candidates whose integrity, honesty, competency and suitability required for the post they contest are beyond reproach when compared to the rotten collective of personalities above referred to.

These are highly prejudiced and provocative statements which reflect nothing but hatred politics.

He had recalled the memory of the masses on gamut of allegations levelled against those politicians whom he has classified as rotten stuff, and provoked the masses to abstain from casting their votes in favour of them.

While being head of the nation, categorising candidates at the election campaigns in that manner just prior to the election in front of general public seemed to be an undue influence on the exercise of franchise by people, judiciously on the one hand and it is tantamount to misdirecting of people to vote in favour of JVP /NPP candidates and abstain from voting for rest of the candidates on the other hand.

Accusing All in Public 

In order to substantiate his categorisation of candidates as above referred to, he had cited allegations levelled against those candidates openly in public. It is unfair to condemn point blank any person or group of persons as offenders based on allegations alone due to the fact that most of the allegations on corruptions, bribery, unjust enrichments, defrauding of public funds etc. have been based on fabricated stories with the prime objective of tarnishing their image or assassinating their characters in order to gain a political mileage by one party against another party. Most of the allegations levelled against Rajapakse regime and the allegation on Central Bank scam levelled against Ranil Wickremasinghe are still pending as unproved allegations.  All successive governments from Rajapakse regime up to Wickremasinghe government have been continued to trigger package of allegations against predecessor governments, but intentionally ignored to prove those allegations before Court of Law due to the fact that most of them have been based on fabricated stories and lack of credible evidence to prove them, as well as, they are being kept at AG’s Department or CID in order to use them against political rivals as and when required.

It may be noted that Article 05 in Chapter 03 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka under the caption Fundamental Rights” states ‘every person shall be presumed innocent until he is proved guilty (by Court of Law)’. It is a fact that majority of rural and urban folk are ignorant of the legal impact of the word allegation. Most of them are inclined to believe those allegations are offences actually committed by alleged parties.

In that context, unproved allegations based on fabricated stories have been used as an effective strategy by shrewd politicians to provoke the anger of the masses against their political rivals.

Although AKD had condemned almost all politicians who occupied parliament under previous regimes are corrupt collective of personalities, he cannot simply ignore certain distinguished performance of some political leaders of past regimes such as eradication of LTTE terrorism, effective control of Covid-19 pandemic, resolution of fuel, gas, medicine, and forex crisis and the rescue the country from bankruptcy etc.  In spite of his claims at the last election campaign that candidates who contested election from NPP are absolutely clean, honest and uncorrupt characters, it is a fact that past performance of some JVP activists have been involved with some violent course of actions to grab governmental power by means of paralysing Sri Lanka’s economy, sabotage of industrial peace, confrontation with law and order of the country, causing rigorous hardships to the general public, carrying out chains of political strikes and street protest etc.   

In addition to the hatred politics, pledges given to the people at the election campaign have played a vital role for the victory of JVP/NPP.

The necessity of a ‘system change’ seemed to be one of the pivotal pledges given by NPP leader at the Presidential as well as parliamentary election campaigns. The ‘system change’ was the principal motto of ‘Aragalaya’ in which JVP had played a prominent role. It is presumed what JVP/NPP leadership has portrayed as ‘system change’ is nothing but a change in the existing political system of parliamentary democracy and the political culture that emerged there. The tactic adopted by JVP from its inception including two insurrections to capture governmental power by the bullet instead of ballot has been changed by the leadership of NPP by entering into the existing political system of parliamentary democracy through franchise and elections. Those who hail democracy should appreciate AKD for the change of system practiced within JVP although he came to the forefront in politics pledging for a ‘system change” in the existing political system based on parliamentary democracy. In that context pledging for a ‘system change’ reflects its duality and lack of feasibility. In that context ‘system change’ seems to be a political slogan used by activities of ‘Aragalaya’ and JVP to cover their activities in the process of power struggle. 

Any change in the corrupt political culture is also considered as part and parcel of ‘system change’.  Hatred politics is considered another facet of corrupt political culture. In that context it seems JVP/NPP has adopted corrupt political culture by practicing hatred politics at the last Presidential and parliamentary elections, instead of rejecting it, based on their principle ‘system change’.

Follow the Pledges to People

Although prime requisite needed to fulfill the pledges given to the people at the election campaigns has already been secured consequent to the massive victory gain at the elections, there are some pre-requisites that needed to be fulfilled to implement most important and crucial pledges as follows.

(a) Concurrence of the IMF should be obtained in advance to adjust term and conditions of IMF agreement in order to reduce taxes, to be shared tax burden on equitable basis and thereby to reduce the burden of cost of living imposed on masses

(b) To generate appropriate financial strength needed to give effect the overall package of relief to the masses as per pledges given at the elections.

(c) To convert the present status of the economy to export oriented economy in order to meet the financial capacity needed for repayment of debts after the moratorium commencing from year 2028.

(d) To establish genuine commitment and dedication for replacement of the Constitution with a new one and abolition of Executive Presidency as per vibrant pledge given in this regard at the last elections.

The responsibility on the part of people in that regard has already been fulfilled by securing a thundering majority in his favour at the last Parliamentary election. In that context it is not possible for AKD to find excuses for any failure or delay on his part to fulfill the pledges given to the people at the last election campaigns. It is a fact that AKD needs sufficient time and appropriate planning to accomplish at lease some vital pledges pertaining to the substantial relief to be given to the desperate masses. In that context there is a limit to resort to ‘wait and see’ tactic which is usually put into practice by shrewd politicians in the past.

In the event of failure or unbearable delay on the part of the government to give effect the pledges given to the people, hatred politics or passing the buck to the IMF will not be able to bail out the government from antagonistic reaction of the people.

The writer is a former Executive Director at BOI, HRM Consultant on Fiscal Reform Program ADB – covering Sri Lanka Customs, Excise Department and Inland Revenue Department, a former Lecturer and Management Consultant.

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

ගුරු පත්වීම් ඉල්ලා පාසල් සංවර්ධන නිලධාරීන් පිරිසක් පසුගිය 2 වැනිදා බත්තරමුල්ල ඉසුරුපාය අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍යාංශය ඉදිරිපිට පැවැත්වූ විරෝධතාවේදී තියුණු ආයුධයකින් කපා පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් තිදෙනකුට තුවාල සිදුකළැයි කියන පුද්ගලයා යුද හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ නිලධාරියකු බවට මෙතෙක් සිදුකළ විමර්ශනවලදී අනාවරණය වී ඇතැයි තලංගම පොලිසිය කඩුවෙල මහෙස්ත්‍රාත් අධිකරණයට ඊයේ (10දා) දැනුම් දුන්නේය.

එම පුද්ගලයා සම්බන්ධයෙන් වහාම විධිමත් පරීක්ෂණයක් පවත්වා විමර්ශනවල ප්‍රගතිය තම අධිකරණයට වාර්තා කරන ලෙසට පොලිසියට නියෝග කළ කඩුවෙල මහෙස්ත්‍රාත් චාගිමා විජේබණ්ඩාර මහත්මිය පොලිස් රාජකාරියට බාධා කිරීම ඇතුළු චෝදනා යටතේ රක්ෂිත බන්ධනාගාරගත කර සිටි පාසල් සංවර්ධන නිලධාරින් සිවු දෙනා රුපියල් ලක්ෂය බැගින් වූ ශරීර ඇප මත මුදාහැරීමට ද නියෝග කළාය.

එකී උද්ඝෝෂණය පැවැත්වෙන අතරතුරදි විරෝධතාකරුවන් ප්‍රධාන මාර්ගයෙන් ඉවත් කිරීමට උත්සාහ කළ පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් තිදෙනකුට කැපුම් තුවාල සිදුවී තිබූ අතර එකී කැපුම් තුවාල සිදුකළ පුද්ගලයා හඳුනාගත් උද්ඝෝෂකයන් තියුණු ආයුධයක් සමගම ඔහුව ග්‍රහණයට ගෙන පොලිසියට භාරදී තිබිණි. එම පුද්ගලයාගෙන් ප්‍රකාශයක් සටහන් කිරීමට පියවර ගත් බවද පොලිසිය අධිකරණයට දැනුම් දුන්නේය. නිල් පැහැති කමිසයකින් සැරසී සිටි එම පුද්ගලයා එදින උදෑසන සිටම පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් සමග පැමිණ සිටි අයකු බවත් සිය සේවාදායකයා එකී අපරාධය සිදුකළ බවට ඒත්තු ගැන්වීම සඳහා එම පුද්ගලයා පොලිස් නිලධාරීන්ට කැපුම් තුවාල සිදුකර ඇති බව පෙනී යන බවත් සැකකාර සංවර්ධන නිලධාරීන් වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී සිටි නීතිඥවරු අධිකරණයට පැවැසූහ.

එම පුද්ගලයා මේ දක්වා සැකකරුවකු ලෙස නම් කිරීමට පොලිසිය පියවර ගෙන නොමැති බවද පෙන්වා දුන් විත්තියේ නීතිඥවරු සිය සේවාදායකයා ඇපමත මුදාහරින ලෙසට හඳුනාගැනීමේ පෙරෙට්ටුවෙන් අනතුරුව මහෙස්ත්‍රාත්වරියගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටියහ.

නීතිඥ ශාන් රණසූරිය, දසුන් නාගස්හේන, කමල් විජේසිරි යන මහත්වරුන් ඇතුළු නීතිඥ මණ්ඩලයක් සමග ජනාධිපති නීතිඥ විජයදාස රාජපක්ෂ මහතා සැකකාර පාසල් සංවර්ධන නිලධාරීන් වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී සිටියේය. හඳුනා ගැනීමේ පෙරෙට්ටුව සංවිධානය කර ඇත්තේ ද පොලිසිය බවත් එහි සාක්ෂිකරුවන් ලෙස ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇත්තේද පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් පිරිසක් බවත් පවසමින් හඳුනාගැනීමේ පෙරෙට්ටුව සම්බන්ධයෙන් මූලික විරෝධතාවක් ඉදිරිපත් කළ විත්තියේ නීතිඥවරුන් එකී හඳුනාගැනීමේ පෙරෙට්ටුව සම්බන්ධයෙන් විත්ති පාර්ශ්වයට කිසිදු විශ්වාසයක් නොමැති බවද අධිකරණයට පෙන්වා දුන්නේය.

ඒ.ජේ.ඒ. අබේනායක
– Divaina

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

පාරලිමේන්තු මන්ත‍්‍රී චාමර සම්පත්ට තියෙන අවංක කම කතානායක අශෝක රන්වලට නැතැයි හිටපු පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත‍්‍රී චම්පික රණවක මහතා පවසයි.

කොළඹ පැවති මාධ්‍ය හමුවකදී ඒ මහතා මෙම අදහස් පල කලේය.

පළපුරුදු කියන එකේ ඉන්න හැම මිනිහම හොරු කියලනේ කිව්වේ. හැම මිනිහම බොරුකාරයෝ කියලනේ කිව්වේ. හැම මිනිහම අශිෂ්ටයි කියලනේ කිව්වේ. එහෙම කියලනේ මේ බලයට ආවේ ශිෂ්ට සම්පන්න රජයක් ආණ්ඩුවක් හදනවා කියලා. අද කතානායකගේ ප්‍රශ්නෙන් මොකක්ද පෙන්නලා තියෙන්නේ? මොකක්ද කිව්වේ? කතානායකතුමා කිව්වේ ඔහුට ආචාර්ය උපාධියක් තියෙනවා කියලා වසේඩා කියලා විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයක ජපානයේ. දැන් පෙන්නලා තියෙනවා එහෙම උපාධියක් තියා ඔහු කවදාක්වත් ඒකෙ ශිෂ්‍යයෙක්වත් වෙලා ඉඳලා නැහැ කියලා. දැන් කවුද ඔහු එතකොට? ඔහු මේක කියලා නේද ගම්පහ දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ ඡන්දේ ඉල්ලුවේ? ඊළඟට ඔහු මොරටු විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයේ රසායන ඉංජිනේරු විද්‍යා උපාධිධාරියෙක් කියලා කිව්වා. මම දන්නවා ඔහුව. මම තෙල් සංස්ථාව පාලනය කළා. මම දන්නවා ඔහු කාර්මික නිලධාරියෙක්. ඔහු මේ ආධුනිකත්ව මණ්ඩලයෙන් ආපු කෙනෙක්. ඉතින් මොකක්ද මේ?

නාමල් රාජපක්ෂගේ උපාධියට හිනා වෙච්ච ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණ, මර්වින් සිල්වාගේ ආචාර්ය උපාධියට හිනා වෙච්ච ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණ, චාමර සම්පත්ගේ බදුල්ලේ දෙකේ පන්තියට ගියා කියලා හිනා වෙච්ච අය, චාමර සම්පත් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේදී කිව්වා අඩුගානේ මට උගත්කමක් නැහැ. මට ඉංග්‍රීසි බැහැ. මම සාමාන්‍ය වඩේ විකුණපු මිනිහෙක් කියලා කිව්වා. ඒ අවංකකම තියෙනවද මේ රන්වලට? චාමර සම්පත් ඒ ටික කියලා තමයි බදුල්ලෙන් ඡන්දේ ආවේ. මෙයා මොකක්ද ඇවිල්ලා තියෙන්නේ? මේ චාමර සම්පත්ලට බැන්නට චාමර සම්පත්ලා දෙකේ පන්තියට චාමරයා ගියේ කිව්වට චාමර සම්පත් වලටත් වඩා තක්කඩි පහත් පිරිසක් නේද? මතක තියාගන්න, මේ ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණට ඡන්දේ දීපු මිනිස්සු බහුතරයක් නාගරික, උගත් මිනිස්සු ඡන්දේ දුන්නේ ඔය හාල් පොල් ප්‍රශ්න විසඳනවා කියලා හිතලම නෙමෙයි. ශිෂ්ට සම්පන්න රටක් ඇති කරයි. බොරු නොකියයි කියලා. දැනටමත් පරක්කු වැඩියි. රන්වල ක්‍රියාවලියෙන් පෙන්නලා තියෙනවා පරණ තක්කඩිකම් ඒ විදිහටම සිද්ධ වේගෙන යන බව. මොකද හේතුව, මේ අය ඇතිවෙන්න හිනාවෙලා තියෙනවා අනිත් අයගේ දේවල් වලට.

ප්‍රශ්නය: ඔබතුමා ඉන්න කාලේ, ඛනිජ තෙල් සංස්ථා ඔහු සම්බන්ධයෙන් වෙනත් නඩුවක් තියෙනවයි කියලා කිව්වද?

පිළිතුර: නැහැ. මම දන්නෑ. ඔහු ගැන ඔහු වෘත්තීය සමිති නායකයෙක් හැටියට තමයි මම ඔහුව හඳුනන්නේ. නමුත් දැන් ඔහුට කාලයක් දුන්නනේ දැන් සති ගානක් ඔහුගේ ආචාර්ය උපාධිය ඔප්පු කරන්න. මොරටු විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයේ ඔහු උපාධිධාරියෙක්ද නැද්ද කියන එක වෙබ් අඩවියේ බලන්න පුළුවන්නේ. එහෙම වෙබ් අඩවියේ ඔහුගේ නමක් නැහැ. ඉතින් ඒ නිසා මේවා මේ අතේ පැලවෙන ඒවා. ප්‍රශ්නේ මේකයි. අපගේ පරිපාලන රෙගුලාසි අනුව රාජ්‍ය සේවකයා කරනවා. මන්ත්‍රීවරයා රාජ්‍ය සේවකයෙක්. රාජ්‍ය සේවකයෙක් තමන්ගේ වැරදි සහතික පෙන්නලා ආවනම් අනුව මේ වෙලාවේ වැඩ තහනම් කරලා එළියට දාලා. ව්‍යාජ සහතික ඉදිරිපත් කිරීම පිළිබඳ අපරාධ නඩු පැනෙව්වට පස්සේ කීයද ගාන? අවුරුදු හතයි හිර දඬුවම”

Dasatha News

https://youtu.be/WVPPgsOobEM

Madyawediya

Madyawediya

Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr) 2066 Kings Grove Crescent . Ottawa . Ontario ,  K1J 6G1 .Canada

12 December 2024

OPEN LETTER

Rt. Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Leader of the National People’s Power (NPP)

President of Sri Lanka

.President’s Secretariat

Colombo 1

Sri Lanka

Dear President Dissanayake:

 It’s with utmost honesty that I say Congratulations”

that Sri Lankans of all colours voted you in to

take over the reins and govern Sri Lanka for all its peoples,

of colour and creed.   Jayawewa…Jayawewa…Jayawewa.

While congratulating, I also want you to be aware of the Greeks

who will come to you Bearing Gifts.  Be Careful as you are precious

to the people at home and abroad, like myself who left Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

on 3 December 1956, and still call Sri Lanka MY HOME.  And a member

of the small Voluntary army platoon fighting from the trenches in Canada to uphold the good name of our Mother Lanka from the nasty, lying Tamils

since August 4, 1983.

Your win underscores in red that Sri Lanka has entered a new chapter

 in its history with the tectonic shifts that its peoples have gifted you with  –

159 seats out of 225 in Parliament.  And it is for you to exercise that gift

Judiciously to make your beautiful island prosper, destroying in particular the 20% parliamentary Kappan Culture which has become your island’s political and business culture, and ethnic divisive politics. With your visionary leadership

 it is doable to wipe out that disgusting, disingenuous culture.

President Anura I was a bit taken back when I read that the

2.

Canadian Tamil Congress congratulates AKD on electoral victory asks for a new Constitution”  I was surprised! What roguish uncouth nonsense, as it was merely a Chelva-Ponnambalam’s kanji-washed reflection of the past, I said

under my breath.  They enjoyed themselves as the 10% privileged minority-Tamils” for 131 colonial years, compared to the 75% wronged majority Sinhalese”.  I pray, let’s not have this stupidity again. Here are the reasons:

President Anura: I thought when the CTC Tamils flew out of their Jaffna-Kilinochchi, Vaddukoddai-Velvettithurai Koha nests in the North, when Canada opened its floodgates in July 1983, almost inviting the separatists running away-Tamils, on a lie saying that they were being persecuted and discriminated, and we are your future Bloc voters”. 

I thought they left for good in search of their fortunes in a glossy Tourist Brochure land of green  pastures, and golden-fields of wind-swaying Summer corn-fields.   And these Tamils thought that the Canadian roads were paved in gold so they came claiming to be refugees, in the hundreds, in the thousands.

 If indeed it was so, they should concentrate their energies to make 

Canada their adopted Home-sweet-home – and make the City of 

 Markham, their City of EeelamMakkam;  their Godfather Mayor Patrick

 Brown’s Brampton, their Eelam City of Bramp-tons of Lies,  and the City 

 of Scarborough, their Eelam City of Tamil-Tiger Scars-Borrow, in the

 Greater Toronto Area.  President Anura, that is where thousands and

  thousands of Tamils have made their Home- in their KandaEelam.    They 

  got their new country, where a lucky few have become millionaires within a 

  few years which they couldn’t have dreamt of becoming in a lifetime back

  in Sri Lanka.

  Like the a young 24-year old Tamil whom I had to deal with in1992 when I was

  employed by President Premadasa, at the Sri Lankan High Commission in 

  Ottawa as a (Head-hunted) Senior Staff Officer (not a Machan Diplomat as I

  never knew President Premadasa) to look after the Communications-Desk  

 3.

 which needed major surgery for donkey’s years.  It was the pits.  I was also asked by High Commissioner Walter Rupesinghe to help him by backing up  

other areas like interviewing applicants for Passports when K.B. Fernando, First Secretary (career diplomat) was not available. Trade and Pension files which had gone into three months-arrears and he was receiving letters from lawyers for their Tamil clients demanding they be paid the arrears immediately.  High Commissioner Walter Rupesinghe who was appointed by President Premadasa, and I worked as a team like a charm.  

A 24-year old Tamil refugee came with his uncle to apply for his third passport in three months. He claimed he lost his other two in two consecutive months.

How much did they go for, was it 20 or 25 thousand?” 25-Thousand , Sir.”   We were talking in Canadian dollars. His Uncle butted in.

Sir, I think he misunderstood your question”.

Not at all.  He is smart…smart enough to sell Sri  Lankan Government Passports, which he was the temporary custodian of Sri Lankan Government property.  With those sales, this 24-year member of your family converting these Canadian dollars into rupees,  you now have a 24-year old millionaire in your family.

Sorry,  I cannot issue him another passport to make him a multi-millionaire, unless I get a directive from the Controller of Immigration in Colombo.  I will telex him and you will have an answer in two days.  Phone me in two days and I will tell you what the Controller of Immigration has decided.”

This young 24-year old Tamil-millionaire who had flown out of a Valvettithurai Koha’s nest in a Toddy-palm tree was penalized.  I was asked not to issue him a passport for six-months.

 President Anura: There is no doubt that you will be Judge and Jury of  these  CTC Tamils who have the gall and temerity to think that you are a PUPPET-ON-A-STRING.

4.

That they could manipulate You to satisfy themselves and revert to their 131 Colonial Years of being the Privileged minority,  and cunning by wanting a Constitution as  proposed in 1948,  by Chelvanayakam and Ponnambalam so that the 10%  Privileged Tamil minority could Govern the 75%   Wronged Sinhalese majority at some point!.”  And of course, the puppet strings were too long, 8,707miles in fact, from Toronto to Colombo,  a suicidal length to pull over the hills and valleys, drumlins and mountains, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.  Thanks to Lord Soulbury who saw their Tamil cunning and put a stop to that insipid divisive Constitutional rot.

President Anura, let them know in simple English or Tamil (in case you 

are fluent in) to forget it as you have to satisfy the Tamils who voted for you 

who did not fly away from their Koha’s nests in the North, who understood Your thesis of democracy of coexistence and introduced its elements for national harmony as your election mandate.

But I pray, President Anura, that in your proposed new Constitution, that the unity and territorial integrity of your island nation that was protected and preserved for posterity by your valiant Security Forces,

‘Who lost their brothers and sisters in khaki and blue serge should never, ever be compromised…. Never. There was a reason why they shed blood and lost their arms and limbs and some, like my Hero Hasalaka Veeraya sacrificed his young life.

 And your democratic thesis called for sharing Sri Lanka’s rich-land of

 red-kabook earth from North to South and from East to West by all ethnic 

 communities. Where from the planted Seeds-of-Fortune grew Colombo’s 

 Millionaire’s Business Row, the Main Street in Pettah,  where every third 

 shop had a Tamil Family Lingam name -such as SivaLingam Spices; 

 JyothiLingam Jewellers; RajaLingam Pharmacy; AmirthaLingam Notary Public; 

 PanchaLingam Thosai Boutique;  GaneshaLingam SariEmporium; and that your Democratic People’s Power, Sri Lanka will provide spaces for a reciprocal 

5.

Millionaire’s  Business Row along the Main Street of Jaffna with Sinhala Family Sinha names like; JayaSinha Doctor; WeeraSinha Kopi Kade; DhanuSinha 

Pharmacy;  SamaraSinha Taylors; AmaraSinha Diamond Jewellers; WickramaSinha SinhalaCurry Hut; EdiriSinha Bakers; BulathSinhaTemple flower Stall, and so forth.  There shouldn’t be any if’s and but’s, that is how it will be your formula for reconciliation and not for a case for a RE-CON-SILLY-A-SHUN.

The CTC Tamils ought to know that your knife cuts both ways and not one way, and that their knives should cut both ways too, to realize the dream of coexistence.  And I hope that you will not bend your back to say Sorry” for our past divisive sins of Sinhala politicians and politics until the cunning Tamils introduce the word Sorry” to their lexicon and say Sorry”  for the sins of Tamil ‘Homeland’ politics, as they are not innocent babes in the Vaddukoddai woods in this coexistence drama.

President Anura,  I am ready to join your National People’s Power choir

to sing your Anthem:

This land is my land 

as much as this land is your land,

from Valvettithurai in the North

to DondraHead in the South

          from the green tea gardens

          grown with Mahaweli waters

to the Elephant Pass salterns

         and swaying toddy palm trees, 

this land is made for You and Me….”:

President Anura, if the present is a creation by the blue-prints of the past, then let me remind you what the past did was to hand over to you, on November 14, 2024 the keys to the doors of Sri Lanka’s sanctuary of Ethnic harmony. I understand that the task will be Himalayan,  but it is doable with a visionary like You leading.

6.

But the fact is a super-majority of Sri Lankans in the island believed in you. That’s what matters and not what the Canadian-Tamils who flew away want, most of whom will never want to live in Sri Lanka again, other than  visiting  their cancer-stricken Mums and Dads every October, November, December and January each year.

This strange phenomena it’s only theTamil parents in Sri Lanka that contract the Cancer pandemic virus. During 1990-91-92 and 93, they all came to the High Commission in Ottawa with telegrams from home  wanting a travel document. All what the telegrams said was. MOTHER VERY SICK WITH CANCER COME HOME IMMEDIATELY;  FATHER HAS FEW DAYS TO LIVE WITH CANCER COME HOME IMMEDIATELY. 

In 1992, 2637 Tamils came to the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa, with telegrams wanting travel documents to take off immediately to be with one of their parents who was dying of cancer;

In  1993, 1428 Tamil parents timed their  Cancer sickness during their sons and

daughters Christmas Holiday season and applied for a travel document to be with the dying parent between October, November and December.  Although it’s a cruel pandemic, the God of Sickness has been considerate to inflict cancer on the parents when their refugee children would be able to travel to Sri Lanka during their Christmas holidays without any hassle from work.  That’s how the cookie crumbled.

 So on humanitarian grounds temporary travel documents were issued.

The key to the doors of the sanctuary on ethnic-harmony of the present peoples of Sri Lanka were given to You and NOT to Ranil nor Sajith.

Be humble and accept the keys with gratitude. 

Let me whisper a secret to you, President Anura. Unknown to you, You

have become the jewel on the crown of every Farmer and Fisher folk and 

their families in the border-villages of the North and East who were terrorized by the Tamil Eelam terrorists, the kith and kin of the CTC, who are domiciled almost 8,000 miles away who want a new Constitution for Sri Lanka.  I suspect it’s a cunning Chelva-Ponna trap. 

7.

Open Sri Lanka’s  unitary Sanctuary State with the keys, given to you by the masses, based on equality, inclusion, peace and harmony,.and take a gentle walk down its path of honesty and sanity, sans the previous Governments Kappan Culture.   May you walk gently through your world of ethnic-harmony you are creating, and let the soles of your feet kiss Mother Lanka’s Earth in reverence, and breathe its fragrance and feel its  beauty every minute of your life from this very moment on.

         Sadhu…sadhu…sadhu.

*President Anura  if your present was created by the past of sordid ethnic cleansing by Tamil Intimidation and Murderous-Thuggery, it was between 1971 and 1981, a thorough and vicious ethnic cleansing of the Jaffna Peninsula that was carried out by extremists Tamils, kicked-out 27,000 Sinhalese by killing and terrorizing them. These Sinhalese people had lived there for generations.  Invite them back and let them continue with their lives closing the hiatus of their temporary rejection and ejection from their generational-homes of hundreds of years by these marchetti twirling, and AK47 bullet popping separatist Northern-Tamils.Those sordid acts have no place in Sri Lanka any more…. 

         Sadhu…Hallelujah…Haro Hara….Allah!.

PRESIDENT ANURA:   SO THESE NORTHERN  SEPARATIST TAMILS CLEANSED CLAIMING THEIR SUPPOSED  EELAM NORTH, AND THEN RAN AND FLEW AWAY TO ANOTHER LAND.  I HAVE DIFFICULTY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR LOGIC!

The eventful past of Sri Lanka was in the 1970s onwards that the Tamil separatists cleansed their North saying  that it was theirs.  That was gunny

bags full of mouldy  Hocus-pocus punnakku cattle fodder.

**The Gal Oya colonisation scheme was a contention of the Tamils saying that it was prominently in Tamil areas.  I say to you, President  Anura, its buckets full of Vaddukoddai Hogs-wash.

8.

          President Anura,  you should roll back to the pre-Gal Oya development 

          areas of these colonization schemes to unravel the charge of these

          Hallucinating  separatist-Tamils, and tell them phooey You!” 

          You know that the Gal- Oya project was the innovation of our first Prime 

           Minister of Sri ’Lanka after Independence, the Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake.

         The 62-miles long Gal Oya rising from the Badulla range in the

Central Province was dammed in 1949 for the welfare and prosperity of all Sri Lankans….I repeat for all Sri Lankans   The repository of water after 

damming formed the life blood of the peasant farmers of the historical region of Digamadulla.

Prior to this project,the separatist Tamils would like us to believe that it was predominantly a Tamil area”. But the truth is that on either side of the Gal Oya grew relentless jungle,  The actual denizens were a few Veddhas, blood sucking mosquitoes and wild animals.

It was recalled by a few of the older Veddhas during my visit to Dambana on 3rd January 2003, how once-upon-a-time they, as kids, joined the old-folk to trek a few miles along the jungle trail to visit the dam site overlooking the Iginiyagala Rock which stood as a giant sentinel.

Those days only footpaths and animal tracks criss-crossed that vast amphitheatre which was entwined by dense jungle and they were mindful of the wild animals  that lived there. I wonder where the heck were these Tamils as the Vedda kids didn’t see any of them…not even one of their ghosts in Halloween costumes  No one but publicists for the Eelam days would come to the egregious nonsense such as this.

The Gal Oya project refers to the process by which largely unoccupied and unutilized land belonging to the state owned by all peoples, the elephants,

the sloth-bears, the leopards, the monkeys, the deer, jackals and mosquitoes.

9.

The separatist Tamils, who flew out of their Toddy-palms  koha nests, will claim that…” it is our land.”  What piffle President Anura….that’s loads of scorching sun dried Vaddukoddai cow-dung patties.

          PRESIDENT ANURA: SO THESE NORTHERN SEPARATIST TAMILS

          CLEANSED THE NORTH FROM OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS SAYING

             THAT IT WAS THEIR EELAM.  BUT THEN RAN AND FLEW AWAY TO

   ANOTHER LAND 8000 MILES AWAY.  I HAVE DIFFICULTY TO 

   UNDERSTAND THEIR LOGIC!

   President Anura, the Murderous -Thuggish-kanjiwashing of other 

   non-Tamils continued unabated in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.The past we

   cannot forget, as we know it well, of the Tamil cleansing process in the 

   North, when their brethren in the South were intermarrying, sharing a 

   plate of rice and curry as members of a harmonious unitary Fairy Tale

   state., living Happily ever After!

         ***On 13th August 1977, Tamil extremists attacked the Government 

         buildings in Jaffna and Sinhalese owned shops, 

        There were around 400 Sinhalese lecturers and undergraduates at the

        Jaffna University.  The Vice Chancellor on hearing of the anti-Sinhalese

        disturbances closed the University.  While the Tamil students went to their 

        homes, the Sinhalse students had no place to go. The staff decided to move

        them to the 3rd Floor of the Main Building.  While some Tamil staff went to 

        their homes a few who had a conscience stayed back to protect the 

        Sinhalese colleagues and students.  I take  my hat off to them. That act 

        needed guts and courage, and they had it in loads in fishing trawlers.

       Around 2 o’clock in the afternoon an armed gang of Tamil Tigers, the

      buddies of the CTC, and soul-mates of Patrick Brown, the Mayor of Brampton

      in Canada, forged their way into the Main building.   The Tamil Lecturers 

      again didn’t  allow them to go up to the third floor. By then, a Tamil professor

     had informed the Government Agent of the situation.

      10.

      By 5 o’clock the Government Agent brought food for the Sinhalese lecturers 

      and undergraduates since they hadn’t eaten since morning.  By 7:00 in the 

      evening the GA had arranged for the army and police escorts to transport the 

      400 Sinhalese in buses and driven South in Jaffna’s ugly dark, in a storm of 

      pelting meteorites of rocks and stones, as they laid shivering on the floor with 

     fright.

       And so, President Anura, these Tamils think they had cleansed the Jaffna

      Peninsula of the Sinhalese through unconscionable thuggery and they now 

      owned the Peninsula.  And so these Tamils were spoiling for a fight with the 

      Government armed forces who were trained to safeguard the island’s 

      Territory from marauding armies like the separatist- Tamils who wanted to 

       dissect the island into two to have their own mono-ethnic, separate, racist  

      Tamil state, Eelam. It took the Sri Lankan armed forces 30-bloody years

       to whip their behinds and forced-watch them fly 8000 miles like crying

        man-and women-babies seeking refuge in Canada.

       PRESIDENT ANURA, THE NORTHERN SEPARATIST’S LOGIC IS 

       ASININE. SAW 100,000 INNOCENT PEOPLE KILLED INCLUDING

      THEIR TAMIL CHILD SOLDIERS. WHEN THEY WERE WHIPPED,

      THEY RAN AND FLEW AWAY TO A FOREIGN LAND 8000 MILES AWAY 

      WHEN THEY COULD HAVE HAD REFUGE JUST 18 MILES AWAY IN 

      INDIA THEIR MOTHER COUNTRY ACROSS THE PALK STRAIT. 

       President Anura, and so the ethnic cleansing continued in the North, and

       this time the Tamil ethnic cleansing consecrated Uganda’s Idi Amin as a

       Saint, for giving the Indian-Ugandans three months to leave Uganda where 

       they had made their homes for thousands of years

       ****The mass forcible expulsion of the Muslims in the North and East of 

       Sri Lanka by the separatist Tamil Tiger terrorists in October 1990, started

       with the expulsion of Muslims of Chavacathcheri on 15 October.  They were

       given 24-hour to Get out..  It was a cruel, inhuman and a beastly episode of 

       the Tamil-Muslim relations of Sri Lanka.  Uprooting a people at gunpoint

       from their habitat of scores of thousands of years ago.

      11.

       President Anura, with our past of the Tamil separatist ethnically cleansing 

       the North, to claim that the North of the island belongs to them, my Crystal 

       Ball reading says, Go,tell your new President Anura, to be aware of

       the new minted Tamil-Greeks who will be coming bearing gifts.

       Tell the new President that the power should be decentralized and not

       devolved from the centre to the periphery.  We don’t need another 

       episode to colour Mother Lanka’s kabook and charnockite earth red 

       with Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim blood.”

       President Anura, I will relate to you a strange but a ‘feel good’

      incident that Honoured us Sinhalese as an honest community of Sri 

      Lankans in Canada.

 Let me take you back to the morning of December 5, 1994.  I had just

 finished breakfast and the phone rang. A French accented English speaking

 voice spoke.

 May I please speak with Mr. Asoka Weerasinghe?”

 You are speaking to him”, I said

 I got some sad news and I am seeking your help.”

 What is it?  If I am in a position to help you, I will certainly

  give you a hand.”

  He introduced himself saying that he is a lawyer in Montreal.

  Your good Tamil friend Vinod Ponniah (not real name) the former

   Virologist at Montreal General had a severe heart attack having breakfast

   in a Restaurant with His retired colleagues and died on the spot.  

   I am his lawyer and he has  named you as the executor of his Will.”   I 

   choked and nearly dropped off the chair.

   Why me.  I am a Sinhalese and he had many, many Tamil friends,  In

   fact , he spends every Christmas with a Tamil family in Ottawa.”

    (Vinod was a bachelor,  born at Thattaparai Camp in Tamil Nadu,South 

     India. His Dad was the resident Medical Officer . He was born in 1925

    and an old boy of Kingswood College in Kandy.)

 12.

  I know..I know Mr. Weerasinghe.  We discussed this aspect at length,

He had loads of money and does not seem to have enjoyed life.  He said,
I can only trust Asoka Weerasinghe, a Sinhalse Buddhist,  and not a single

Tamil to disperse my money among my close family.   I know, Asoka is an honest man and the only person that I can trust my life with in Canada.” 

Mr. Weerasinghe, this is an amazing honour. I think it is only fair that you honour him as a true friend with his spirited and heart warming request.”

I saw my wife Jeannie listening to the conversation an addressed me, Asoka,

You should honour Vinod’s request.  You cannot let him down.  Come on Asoka,  You have my blessings.”

So I did.  He had left behind a fortune.  The money was distributed equally among his two sisters. We traced them in Tamil Nadu in India, and traced His nephew in Colombo, and he helped us to find his other nephew in Australia and niece in Surrey, England.

His ashes  were sent to Sri Lanka in an urn as requested by his nephew  in Colombo, to be buried in Kanatta, Colombo.

President Anura Dissanayake.  You might want to know whether I have good memories working for the Sri Lanka Government.

Here is my honest opinion. They have been bitter-sweet memories

I am an old Nalandian,   Never worked in Sri Lanka.  My work ethics and discipline in Communications were acquired in London, England,  and Ottawa, Canada.

My Director of Communications  (Deputy High Commissioner) at the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa (1989-94) started on the wrong footing.  This  was

 13.

embarrassing and annoying.  It was unfortunate.  The Foreign Ministry laid the 

blue-print to sabotage my work who happened to be a  diplomat” from outside their  well guarded Diplomatic kraal”…And so it happened.  But they certainly got the wrong guy for that unethical mitigation of my competence. They got it wrong because I am honest and a hard worker. 

The letter signed With regards, Yours sincerely, Bull” on a  High Commission of The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (letter-head) dated May 26, 1989 was hand carried to my home which said –”Dear Asoka: Further to our telephone conversation yesterday.  I am pleased to enclose herewith a copy of telex message received from the Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombo, appointing you as Deputy High Commissioner of the Mission with effect from June 01, 1989.  The formal letter of appointment will be given to you after I receive same from Colombo…….”

Here is where things went wrong.  The formal letter mentioned that my title would be a Clerk, (SABOTAGE) and that I will not be allocated an entertainment allowance and rental allowance as promised.  By abrogating the gentleman’s agreement with President Premadasa”, my pay that I was earning a month as a Canadian Federal Government employee dropped by Cdn$2,200 a month.  I was heading for bankruptcy.

By then I had resigned from the Federal Government as an IS6 after 20-years of service to help President Premadasa (whom I Had never met or spoken to in my life) who quoted correctly that the Communications portfolio at the Ottawa Mission needed some changes to make it effective in the International political arena.  I tend to believe it was Minister Ranjan Wijeratna and  Minister A.J. Ranasinghe who might have thought that I was the suitable person to handle the job and recommended me to  President Premadasa.

I phoned Bernard Thilakaratna, Secretary to Foreign Affairs and this is how

the dialogue went,

Bernard, I received your letter of appointment and you insulted me, and I won’t take it lightly.  I who left a job in the Canadian Federal Government to help President Premadasa and your Ministry after being the Head of 

14.

Thematic Research at the National Museums Corporation in Canada, and supervised 20 multi-disciplined Research scientists in Zoology, Botany, Geology, Ethnology, Archaeology and History and worked on a 6 million dollar project you reduced me to a Clerk in your Ministry.  What’s all this?  Who the hell are you guys and girls at the Ministry think you are to downgrade me to be a clerk to them…Tell me Bernard,,,who the hell are your guys and girls, I want to know.  You owe me an apology!

Give me a break and don’t be such a God damn Fool. Let’s get President Premadasa on this.  Bernard, you have not answered my question, Who the hell are you guys and girls who think you are Tin-Gods and Goddesses to downgrade me in my career?”

By then my appointment was questioned in Parliament by Minister C.V.Gunaratna and defended by Minister John Amaratunga.  It’s all in the Hansard.

President Anura, I could have turned my back on Sri Lanka, but I didn’t.

I was the one on August 4, 1983, with a young Thomian, Asoka Yapa, a gutsy,

talented youngster with a straight spine of steel who picked up our Mother Lanka  who was floored and kicked, bludgeoned, bloodied and spat at with lies by Tamil separatists in every media outlet for 12 days, when we went on National TV on 6 o’clock news.  We were the 8th Sinhalese who were contacted by Television journalists to inform the public the flip side of the Tamil separatist issue.  The other Senior Sinhalese in this community had refused to be interviewed.  And that is me, Asoka Weerasinghe, who would never run away from a crisis. President Anura, Asoka Yapa was my surrogate younger brother who would have been an excellent spokesperson-Diplomat in Ottawa during the time of the ethnic crisis in the 1980s and 90s.  But you all did not seek his services.  Pity. That was foolish!

I thought I was taking on the Canadian Snow Tigers to genuinely uphold the dignity of my Mother Lanka, but I was wrong.,  I not only had to take on the Snow Tigers Head-on, but I also had to take on Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry,  and half 

15.

of the Sinhalese community in Ottawa who had difficulty to see my name printed 

under letters to the Editor of national newspapers, and being interviewed on the crisis on 6 o’clock evening TV news, and not the Sri Lanka High Commissioner, Retired Commander of the Sr iLanka Army, Tissa”Bull”Weeratunga. He was reduced to a  lame-duck by the Tamil separatists. His attack was led by the Roman Catholic Tamil priest Philip Ratnapala garbed in a black cossack and a starched white collar looking towards heaven- the man-of-cloth  That was a tough scenario.

Here’s the discipline that I introduced in the workings on Communications at the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa which were the pits. 

     1.  I requested a typewriter from the Chief Clerk saying that I need one as it is my work-horse and not that I wanted to insult the in-house-stenographer.  I typed my individual letters responding to Amnesty International Lobbyists: 

 235 (1989); 649 (1990); 1223 (1991); 872 (1992); 426 (1993);

257 (1994) = 3,662 letters.

64 letters to Editors of newspapers demanding our right of reply to news items

on Sri Lanka.  Had 56 published on behalf of the High Commissioner. 

     2  .As Diplomatic Public Relations etiquette, I always met my clients sharp at the appointed time; and not one or two hours late and not apologise for that unforgivable diplomatic courtesy (The worst offender,was a First Secretary,a career diplomat);

     3.  .A response to a letter that I receive goes out within three working days, and not 10 days or never;

     4.   A  letter to the Editor of a newspaper on a news item on Sri Lanka goes

out within 36-hours after it appears on behalf of the High Commissioner (I had  56 letters published of a possible 64), in news papers across Canada;

       K.B. Fernando,First Secretary and a Senior career Diplomat, one day told me that it was not necessary to respond to every news item that appears in newspapers on Sri Lanka”  Why not?”, I asked. There is no need to open a dialogue with the Tamils”

    16.

   Come on K.B. that’s exactly what I want is a window to prove that it is a half-truth or a lie. You know me by now, that I am no wimp. I can handle it, you don’t have to worry about it. That is why I was hired by President Premadasa!”

     5.   I was invited by 13 Principals of Primary and  Middle schools in the Capital Region to be a visiting Geography teacher – a show and tell on Sri Lanka.  I requested from the Foreign Ministry 13 large Sri Lanka flags to present to the Principals after my teaching sessions so that they could hang them on Commonwealth Day.  That request was ignored (Sabotage).  I got my sister Sybil, a teacher at Musaeus College to do me that favour.  Go to Laksala, buy me 13 large Sri Lanka flags and send them to me.   She did.  And they were presented to the Principals after describing the colours and symbols in the flag.  Especially  the two coloured stripes  representing the two Tamil and Muslim minority communities of the island.   That was important in my discussions

to counter the comments of discrimination of minority communities in Sri Lanka

    6.    I gave six public lectures pertaining to Sri Lanka like Sri Lanka Healing

Masks: The Delicious Nightmares” at Canadian Museum of Civilization;  Buddhist spirituality in Meditation” at Sai Baba 20th Anniversary Celebration, etc.

I had worked under five employers in my working career, and the worst was at the Sri Lanka Government’s High Commission in Ottawa..  I had two supervisors -H.C. Walter Rupesinghe and H.C. Walter Fernando.  Both were non-career diplomats and Good administrators.  Since I was appointed by President Premadasa, I reported almost all the lack of cooperations by the Foreign Ministry personnel, and of other Departments to him.   I claimed my right to report to him as I gave up a  lucrative, well paid 20-year career in Communications in the  Federal Departments in Canada, to help President Premadasa when he asked for the favour from me..

I always asked him to light a stick of dynamite under the chair of anyone who was not cooperating (Sabotage), and holding back my progress.  He was visibly

angry and I had three letters of apology while in Colombo and on my return

17.

there were three letters of apology from the Higher-ups in Departments on my desk.

 I felt embarrassed not being able to reciprocate the courtesy invitations on my job, since I was not provided an entertainment allowance.  Here’s what I was faced with due to the Foreign Ministry’ SABOTAGE”: cussedness:

Dr. Sharma of the Indian High Commission invited me for lunch at the

Chateau Laurier in Ottawa.  During lunch he tells me, ‘Every time we opened the Ottawa Citizen we read a letter from you for your High Commissioner defending Sri Lanka’s position on the Tamil Eelam crisis. How do you manage it as we have difficulty even getting one letter published.” 

So I walked him through how to do it.  I never reciprocated his diplomatic courtesy to invite him for a meal since I was not given the luxury of an entertainment allowance. It was embarrassing but that is how the cookie crumbled.;

 Mr. Mukundan of the Malaysian High Commission invited me for lunch at the top Indian Restaurant Haveli in Ottawa.  During lunch he tells me,

Asoka, I enjoy watching your TV productions of ‘Songs of Sri Lanka’ on the McLeans Community Channel. You are the only Mission that does it.  I’d love to do it for Malaysia too.  Is it difficult?”

So I walked him through the production stages-Story line –  storyboarding -recording in the Studio – and Editing with the help of their Producer  Sayeed Khan.  I can help you.Oh my God, I don’t think that I have the talent like yours to do it.  I won’t even try to do it.”

It was embarrassing that I couldn’t reciprocate his Diplomatic courtesy as I was not given an entertainment allowance as promised.  That is how the cookie crumbled.

Every time I had a meeting with the Canadian Security officers on their invitation at a private restaurant, they paid for my cup of tea and cookies.  When they wanted to have regular Breakfast meetings, I told them,”Sorry gentlemen, this is not going to work as I am not on an entertainment 

18.

allowance.” Don’t worry, Asoka, we need these meetings and we will pick up your tab.”  So they paid for 39 of my breakfasts.  That was 

embarrassing, a Third World pauper country diplomacy.. So be it.  President Anura, that is how the cookies crumbled due to the Sabotage”: cussedness of the Foreign Ministry..  There is a lesson to be learnt  from my appointment by your Foreign Minister.

***My experience in Communications paid well for the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa which never happened before.

Two students from a High School in British Columbia visited H.C.

Walter Rupesinghe to get a hearing about Sri Lanka as they had been  assigned Sri Lanka to represent it at the Junior Commonwealth Forum in Ottawa,  After spending some time with him, HC W.R handed them to me to provide them with Sri Lanka Tourist brochures,  During our conversation I asked the Teacher whether he liked me to coach his students:   Their eyes lit up and he wanted me to.  They took back the Best Country Presentation Trophy to British Columbia,  To thank me they invited me for dinner at the Chateau Laurier.  They had the trophy on the dining table during dinner.

*** A British female (G.D. initials) Master’s student at Norman Paterson

School of International Affairs (Carleton University) met H C. Walter Rupesinghe as she had intentions to adopt Sri Lanka as her country specific Special study for her Masters degree.  HC  WR passed her on to me after their meeting.

While discussing I asked her whether she would like me to help her with

her thesis. She was overjoyed. Give me abstracts of your chapters, and I will give you information and my writing to help you.” That’s what happened.

At a Seminar which gave her an A++ mark, she started the seminar by saying…”I am Walter Rupesinghe, the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in  Canada…..”  She played the recorded tape to High Commissioner.  He was astounded,and asked me Asoka, how did you manage this?”

19.

I mentioned both these efforts to President Premadasa and he was extremely happy with my efforts to promote the good name of Sri Lanka.

Let me conclude my case history, which President Premadasa knew at length.

He showed his anger and I told him, Sir, move these people who had the habit of sabotaging my work for you.  This is not good Sir,  and unhealthy to administer Your country.  I made an honest effort to help you.”  

I know…and I appreciate it very much,” he said.

President Anura, by the end of the first year, President Premadasa addressed me every time we spoke with affection as, Kohomathe Ape Asoka?”  I believe it was an extract from a Sunil Santha lyric.”

President Anura, this has been a long narrative, but I hope it would have some value to your Minister of Foreign Affairs.  This narrative goes back

almost 30-years and from an employee who learnt his discipline and Do’s and Don’ts in Communications in England and Canada and not in Sri Lanka.  And there has to be a difference.

To conclude I call  upon the Triple Gem to Bless you and Protect You.

Please take good care of yourself, as I mentioned to you earlier, unknown to you, you are the jewel in every poor person’s crown, and Sri Lanka not being dissected ethnically into two.

Theruwan saranai.

SIncerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr)

Concerned Citizens

The Hon’ble President of Sri Lanka

Anura Kumara Dissanayake

presidential Secretariat,

Galle Face, Colombo 01,

Sri Lanka

Open letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake –Regarding the Debt Restructure Agreements with the IMF,Official Creditor Committee and Ad Hoc Groups of Bondholders

Dear Mr President,

This is written out of deep concern regarding the debt restructure agreements with the IMF, Official Creditor Committee (OCC) and ad hoc groups of bondholders which should NOT be signed without full review and DUE DILIGENCE by the new NPP government that was elected by the people of Sri Lanka to deliver debt justice and restore economic sovereignty. 

Also proposed here is a short strategic way forward for the new NPP government which should seek time to review the draft agreements rather than rush to sign agreements drafted by the previous corrupt Ranil Rajapakse regime, which is primarily responsible for the Odious debt trap and first ever Sovereign Default of Sri Lanka in 2022.

The NPP government owes to the people of Sri Lanka who have placed their trust in it to perform a proper review and DUE DILIGENCE with help of national experts. Due diligence performed in business transactions to ensure that no harm would be caused to the county due to these agreements.

Especially given its massive peoples Mandate, NPP must tell the IMF and bondholders that it needs 3 months to conduct due diligence as it has only just appointed a new Cabinet. This, especially since the IMF claims to be interested in good governance, transparency and fighting corruption it should not force agreements drafted by the previous.

Also, as the bondholders have supposedly waited 2 years already, they can wait a few more months in the interest of greater transparency and accountability for the people of Sri Lanka, who are saddled with their Odious Debt.

Meanwhile, the names of bondholders who stand to benefit from the debt restructure should be released and their identities reveals in the interest of accountability and to fight corruption.

Sri Lanka’s economy is resilient, solvent and will not crash because the new Government seeks 2-3 months to perform Due diligence and an audit of the agreements– in the interest of the citizens. Anyone who says otherwise, is lying and doing Economic Gaslighting. Indeed, even the IMF team leader Peter Breuer recently commented on the resilience’ of the country. Indeed, Sri Lanka is the wealthiest county of South Asia in terms of purchasing power parity per capita  (PPP) which is the metric that matters.

Hence, in the interest of debt justice for Sri Lanka and fighting corruption in the bond business, the NPP would do well to inform the IMF and ISBs and Official Creditor Committee etc. that it needs 3 months to perform DUE DILIGENCE and review the agreements before signing.

These are legally binding agreements that cannot be easily reverse, and have long term implications for the country. Already the JVP has said that they are forced to follow  Ranil Rajapakse’s agreements with IMF.  Hence, the JVP should not sign even more agreements drafted by Ranil Rajapakse regime without performing due diligence.

Such an approach would only deepen the debt trap and LAWFARE that is being waged on Sri Lanka in the form of debt restructuring agreements that are booby traps designed by Lazard, and Clifford Chance. These particularly include Macro-economy linked bonds – a supposedly new instrument for debt restructure — which should be scrapped. The NPP government owes this to the people of Sri Lanka who elected the NPP with such a huge mandate. Also, seek assistance from India, China and BRICS and NDB etc. if and when needed.

• THE NPP government in whom the people have placed a great deal of trust must NOT rush to sign agreements drafted by a previous corrupt regime without DUE DILIGENCE and proper review. The IMF and ISB’s cannot and should not pressure a new government to sign deals made by a previous regime accused of corruption without Due Diligence.
• Hence, NPP government must tell the IMF and bondholders that as a new government pledged to fight corruption, the new Cabinet needs 3 months to study the agreements and where necessary offer alternatives.
• Since bond holders claim to have waited 2 years, they should be able to wait another 2 -3 months! DUE DILIGENCE is expected of any new responsible government and since the IMF claims to be fighting corruption they should be the first to agree to extending the time for a new government to review of the DRAFT agreements made by the previous Corrupt Ranil Rajapakse Government as part of ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF SRI LANKA WHO ELECTED THE NPP TO ENSURE DEBT JUSTICE.
• Debt restructuring is NOT rocket science, but it has been made to sound like it by the International Sovereign bond holders (ISBs) and their representatives Lazard and Clifford Chance.
• These Economic Hit men, Lazard and Clifford Chance have rather designed a debt restructuring operation which is highly complex to mask its fundamentally unethical and corrupt nature as it will result in working people of Sri Lanka being squeezed and even losing much of their retirement EPF pension funds to pay some of the world’s richest people.
• The new NPP government that got a huge mandate from the people of the country to fight corruption and ensure debt justice in recent elections must tell the IMF and the ISBs that as a RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT who owes it to their constituency to do DUE DILIGENCE, they need 3 months to review the agreements and do DUE DILIGENCE, especially since the previous Ranil Rajapakse regime/s were corrupt and responsible for the International Sovereign bond debt trap.
• Sri Lanka should NOT RUSH TO EXIT THE SOVEREIGN DEFAULT AT THIS TIME in order to service predatory creditors.  Indeed, because it is in Default and not being forced to service Odious debt of Bondholders the economy is doing OK precisely because of the default and the people are not being forced to borrow from the same predatory lenders, BlackRock being the main one, to pay them back as the IMF wants.
• Sri Lanka is resilient and solvent and can run on its annual income to settle expenditures and balance the budget at this time. It remains South Asia’s wealthiest country aside from the Maldives. What is needed is significant Odious Debt Cancellation, with haircuts on principle and interest, rather than the proposed Macro-economy linked bonds to pay off predatory ISBs.
• MLB agreements which are designed to deepen the debt trap and extend the IMF-ISB bailout business, eroding economic sovereignty and core principles of debt justice. They should be thoroughly reviewed.
• However, servicing the Odious Debt under the current agreements would cause great hardship to the people who will be squeezed and whose EPF Pension Funds are being taken. The current terms mean there will soon be another default as many national economists have pointed out. Hence, NPP govt must tread slowly and carefully, conduct a Due Diligence review to ensure these agreements are not harmful to the county, and must seek assistance from INDIA, CHINA, BRICS and other bi-lateral and multilateral donors, etc. as and when needed.
• Whatever gains are made anywhere else in enhanced income from ECONOMIC GROWHT or INDUSTRY or tourism would be wasted in any case due to the current inequitable debt restructure deal made by the corrupt Ranil Rajapakse regime, whereby the county needs to keep paying huge amounts to creditors.
• NPP must URGENTLY get a team of good SL economists and International Relations Experts to reach out to India, China BRICS Bank etc for help if borrowing is needed. Also set up a local team with people like Dr. Howard Nicholas, Nishan De Mel to review the IMF and ISB agreements

Also, check out Harsha de Silva’s proposals for an alternative DEBT SUSTAINABLITY ANALYSIS too to see if it is useful.

Also a proper National legal team to deal with the Hamilton Reserve Bank case which is LAWFARE as in WARFARE

Thank you

Yours sincerely

Concerned Citizens

CIA & Turkey bribed the Syrian Generals to give it away.

LankaPropertyWeb

LankaPropertyWeb, Sri Lanka’s premier real estate portal, proudly announces the recognition of our top Platinum agents for their exceptional service, dedication, and outstanding service, which have uplifted the industry. This initiative honors distinguished agents who have consistently demonstrated dedication, exceptional standards, and excellence, playing a pivotal role in making LankaPropertyWeb the leading real estate portal in the country.

These agents have been advertising with us for over 6 years and possess extensive experience in the market. They are among the most respected and knowledgeable professionals, dedicated to serving their customers while upholding the values and ethics of the profession.

The inaugural award was presented to Mr. Bimsara Gamage of Bimsara Real Estate, a distinguished professional who has dedicated 18 years to the real estate industry. Their exceptional commitment, extensive experience, and unwavering dedication have set a benchmark for excellence in the field. We are proud to celebrate their remarkable contributions and the significant impact they have made on both the industry and their clients.

Daham Gunaratna, the Managing Director of LankaPropertyWeb, emphasized the profound significance of recognizing these exceptional agents. He said, This initiative transcends mere accolades; it recognizes the services that these agents have provided for fostering trust and reliability in an industry that lacks regulatory oversight. Recognizing these agents is not just a form of acknowledgment; it embodies our commitment to cultivating a collective pursuit of excellence. It’s a celebration of a spectacular collective of professionals that excels in every facet of real estate, from deep market knowledge to strategic thinking and unwavering commitment to client satisfaction.”

In addition to the recognition, LankaPropertyWeb will be sharing the unique and inspiring life stories of these top agents. These stories will highlight their journeys, achievements, and the challenges they have overcome, serving as a source of inspiration for others in the industry.

Our recognition of these agents stands as a testament to LankaPropertyWeb’s commitment to nurturing exceptional talent in the real estate industry, ensuring that the most outstanding professionals represent the brand in the dynamic and evolving real estate landscape of Sri Lanka. By honoring these agents, we are reaffirming our commitment to excellence and our belief in the importance of recognizing and celebrating outstanding service and dedication.

As we celebrate the achievements of our Platinum agents, we also look forward to the future with optimism and excitement. Their stories are a testament to the potential for growth and success within the real estate industry. By sharing their journeys, we aim to inspire the next generation of real estate professionals who will continue building a legacy of excellence for the industry.

Pathfinder Foundation

Pathfinder Foundation hosted a delegation of researchers from the Academy of Military Sciences (AMS) representing the Institute of Military Legal System Studies (IMLSS), Beijing, at the Riverpoint, headquarters of the Pathfinder Foundation at Peliyagoda and engaged in a constructive discussion on opportunities for collaboration between China and Sri Lanka. AMS is the highest level research institute of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

The Chinese delegation included Research Fellows Sr. Col. YANG Zhen, Sr. Col. WANG Yongqiang, Sr. Col. MA Hongwei and Researchers Ms. LI Boyang and Dr. WANG Zheng.  Prior to the current visit, Major General LIU Renxian, Political Commissar of the same institute, met with the Pathfinder team in November 2019. The objective of the visit was to renew its relationship whilst exchanging views on subjects of common interest to foster cooperation between the Pathfinder Foundation and the Academy of Military Sciences.

Both sides showed keen interest in exploring important topics during the meeting, including China-Sri Lanka relations in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the comparison of security establishments and military legal systems of the two nations and the approach to creating and operating a successful think-tank such as Pathfinder Foundation.

Chairman of PF, Bernard Goonetilleke, laid in context the Foundation’s work on policy advocacy on economic affairs and its engagement in bilateral economic and political relations with countries around the globe, contributing to better relationships through its track 1.5 initiatives, irrespective of the status of state-to-state relations that tend to change from time to time.  He highlighted the Foundation’s advocacy work through its research and publications The State of the Economy” during the Covid-19 pandemic, Recommendations for Debt Restructuring and Bridge Financing for Humanitarian Purposes” during the economic crisis and the tripartite study for cooperation between Sri Lanka, India and Japan last year.  The Foundation’s focus on Indian Ocean-related matters, including security issues and China’s interest in the Indian Ocean, was also discussed.

Both sides expressed interest in pursuing their relations through joint publications and collaborative initiatives on important areas beneficial to China and Sri Lanka.

Mike Whitney  Courtesy The UNZ Review

The black flag of Salafist Islam has been raised over Damascus. ISIS/Al Qaeda has won…. The same terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. Whom we waged war against in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. Losing thousands of our servicemen and women. Costing trillions of dollars. They won. And we helped them. America stands for nothing. … Scott Ritter@RealScottRitter

General Mike Flynn, the former head of the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), warned his colleagues in the Obama administration, that supporting terrorist groups to prosecute proxy wars on Washington’s behalf, was a risky business that would eventually backfire leading to the establishment of ‘a Salafist principality in Syria.’ That warning has now become a reality.

Of the 50-or-so mainstream articles on the fall of the Syrian government, not one bothered to mention the fact that the Sunni militia that toppled Bashar al-Assad is currently on the US State Department’s list of terrorist organizations. Nor did they mention that the same jihadist group is on the United Nations list of terrorist organizations. Nor did they mention that the leader of the group—Abu Mohammad al-Jolani—has a $10 million bounty on his head offered by the US government. None of this information was reported to the public because the media does not want the American people to know that Washington just helped install a terrorist regime at the center of the Middle East. But that’s what’s really going on.

And it’s even worse than it looks because, ultimately, the 13-year-old Syrian campaign is not really aimed at Syria, but Iran. Syria is just the last obstacle on the path to Tehran, but Tehran is the icing on the cake. Crush Iran and Israel takes the ‘top spot’ in the Middle East; it becomes the regional hegemon overnight. Meanwhile—Uncle Sam gains access to the pipeline corridors it has sought for over 2 decades, corridors that will transport natural gas from Qatar to the Mediterranean and then onward to markets in Europe. The gas will be provided by a US puppet, extracted by western oil companies, sold in US Dollars, and used to maintain a stranglehold on European politics. At the same time, all other competitors will be either sanctioned, sabotaged or excluded entirely. (Nordstream)

Most people are unaware of how pipeline politics have shaped events in Syria making the country a target for US aggression. But from 1949 until today, US intelligence services have tried repeatedly to topple the leader of the Syrian government in order to oversee and control a Trans-Arabian Pipeline intended to connect the oil fields of Saudi Arabia to the ports of Lebanon via Syria.” Robert F Kennedy summed it up in a brilliant article he wrote more than a decade ago:

The CIA began its active meddling in Syria in 1949—barely a year after the agency’s creation. Syrian patriots had declared war on the Nazis, expelled their Vichy French colonial rulers and crafted a fragile secularist democracy based on the American model. But in March 1949, Syria’s democratically elected president, Shukri-al-Quwatli, hesitated to approve the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, an American project intended to connect the oil fields of Saudi Arabia to the ports of Lebanon via Syria. In his book, Legacy of Ashes, CIA historian Tim Weiner recounts that i n retaliation for Al-Quwatli’s lack of enthusiasm for the U.S. pipeline, the CIA engineered a coup replacing al-Quwatli with the CIA’s handpicked dictator, a convicted swindler named Husni al-Za’im. Al-Za’im barely had time to dissolve parliament and approve the American pipeline before his countrymen deposed him, four and a half months into his regime. Why the Arabs Don’t Want Us in Syria, Robert Kennedy, Politico

Washington’s long history of covert action against Syria is well documented in Kennedy’s piece which also pinpoints the precise moment when the US decided it would do ‘whatever it takes’ to topple the regime and replace it with a compliant flunky. Here’s Kennedy:

… our war against Bashar Assad did not begin with the peaceful civil protests of the Arab Spring in 2011. Instead it began in 2000, when Qatar proposed to construct a $10 billion, 1,500 kilometer pipeline through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Turkey. Qatar shares with Iran the South Pars/North Dome gas field, the world’s richest natural gas repository. The international trade embargo until recently prohibited Iran from selling gas abroad. Meanwhile, Qatar’s gas can reach European markets only if it is liquefied and shipped by sea, a route that restricts volume and dramatically raises costs. The proposed pipeline would have linked Qatar directly to European energy markets via distribution terminals in Turkey, which would pocket rich transit fees. The Qatar/Turkey pipeline would give the Sunni kingdoms of the Persian Gulf decisive domination of world natural gas markets and strengthen Qatar, America’s closest ally in the Arab world. Qatar hosts two massive American military bases and the U.S. Central Command’s Mideast headquarters. Why the Arabs Don’t Want Us in Syria, Robert Kennedy, Politico

This helps to explain why Syria factors so largely in US geopolitical plans to control critical resources as a way to preserve the dominance of the dollar and to contain China’s explosive economic growth. The US is determined to control the vast resources of the Middle East to maintain its privileged position in the global order. Here’s more:

Assad further enraged the Gulf’s Sunni monarchs by endorsing a Russian-approved Islamic pipeline” running from Iran’s side of the gas field through Syria and to the ports of Lebanon. The Islamic pipeline would make Shiite Iran, not Sunni Qatar, the principal supplier to the European energy market and dramatically increase Tehran’s influence in the Middle East and the world. Israel also was understandably determined to derail the Islamic pipeline, which would enrich Iran and Syria and presumably strengthen their proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas.

Secret cables and reports by the U.S., Saudi and Israeli intelligence agencies indicate that the moment Assad rejected the Qatari pipeline, military and intelligence planners quickly arrived at the consensus that fomenting a Sunni uprising in Syria to overthrow the uncooperative Bashar Assad was a feasible path to achieving the shared objective of completing the Qatar/Turkey gas link. In 2009, according to WikiLeaks, soon after Bashar Assad rejected the Qatar pipeline, the CIA began funding opposition groups in Syria. It is important to note that this was well before the Arab Spring-engendered uprising against Assad. Why the Arabs Don’t Want Us in Syria, Robert Kennedy, Politico

So, once Assad agreed to the Islamic pipeline”, his goose was cooked. Washington was never going to let that happen. As we said earlier, Washington is fully committed to controlling critical resources in the Middle East as a way to contain China and maintain its increasingly tenuous grip on global power. The Abraham Accords also factor into this geopolitical strategy by normalizing relations between Israel and its Islamic neighbors (primarily Saudi Arabia) in order to create an economic corridor that allows for the rapid transport of manufactured goods from India to Europe. Washington sees economic integration in the region as the principle means for preserving its global primacy. That doesn’t mean that Israel’s ambitions to dominate the Middle East wasn’t the driving force behind the war in Syria and the ousting of Assad. It was, but there were other considerations as well, geopolitical considerations.

So, you can see why the US wanted to install a government that was more receptive to Washington’s interests. What’s hard to understand, however, is how this is all supposed to work. Assad is gone and al Qaida won. We know that. Now what?

I can’t imagine that any of the young men who have spent the last decade of their lives galivanting around the dessert in 4x4s blasting anything that moves, know a lot about running a government. So, who’s going to run the agencies, pay the workers and perform the mundane clerical tasks that that are expected of every government? Who’s going to run the schools, fix the roads, and police the streets? Of course, maybe Mr. al-Jawlani has talents we don’t know about and will miraculously rise to the occasion making sure the agencies are fully staffed and the trains run on time, but that seems extremely unlikely. What is more probable is that the architects of this dreadful fiasco plan to run the country and its flailing economy into the ground, greatly intensifying the suffering of ordinary working people, increasing the public dissatisfaction until an attempt is made to violently overthrow the new regime.

We could be wrong. There is a remote chance that the Sunni militants in HTS will address the needs of the people and lead them to a prosperous and secure future. But we all know that is not going to happen. This regime is merely a tool in the hands of foreign interests who want to seize as much of Syria’s natural wealth as possible while eliminating a potential threat to Israel’s relentless expansion. In short, the neocon powerbrokers who fomented this evil strategy did so without the slightest regard for the safety or well-being of any of the 23 million people who currently call Syria home. Their lives just don’t matter.

What does matter (to Tel Aviv and Washington) is having a proxy army that is willing to do its bidding in an upcoming war with Iran. That matters. And that is why the US and Turkey use contract” soldiers who will do what they are told in exchange for the lavish salaries they receive. HTS is paid for its services, and those services are going to involve the launching of attacks on Iran and Hezbollah. So, this is NOT an experiment in new forms of governance. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham doesn’t have the slightest interest in running the government. Syria is merely a base of operations for launching attacks on Iran and Hezbollah. That’s it. That’s what they’re paid to do, make war.

It’s all about geography, gas, USD and Israel. And of those four, Israel looms largest.

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