Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Referring to Sri Lanka’s worst-ever marine disaster associated with the Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl container vessel, Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) was not adhering to the instructions given by the Attorney General (AG).

Addressing a news briefing today (12), Dr. Rajapakshe said there had been dissent or different points of view between the MEPA and the AG about which the AG had raised serious concerns.

This scenario could be one of the reasons why this case has been dragging on for so long without any productive results. Hence, I had to get involved in the matter in order to ensure the smooth coordination between the MEPA and the Attorney General,” he pointed out.

The AG is the one who provides legal advice to the President. In that context, the MEPA cannot surpass the AG nor can it ignore his instructions. The MEPA is bound to obey the AG,” the Minister underscored.

Furthermore, he said the AG and MEPA are two crucial parties in this case that should work hand in hand to ensure justice is meted out to Sri Lanka.

Thus, the MEPA should comply with the instruction forwarded by the AG,” he added. (Sheain Fernandopulle)

Courtesy Adaderana

President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (May 12) pledged to modernize the country’s education sector to create a young generation equipped with knowledge and nourished with abilities within the next 10 years.

Pointing out that a cabinet committee has already been appointed for the modernization of education, the President also stated that he would work on immediate reforms.

He also pointed out that, had the money spent on corporations during the past 10 years been invested on education, Sri Lanka would now have the best education in Asia.

President Wickremesinghe stated this while attending the opening ceremony of Sri Lanka’s first skills and job exhibition Skills Expo 2023”, under the theme An ability for Life – A job for Ability”, at the BMICH, Colombo earlier today.

The exhibition is held at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike hall, at BMICH Premises on May 12, 13 and 14 from 9.00 am to 8.00 pm and is open to the public, free of charge.

The Sri Lanka Skills Expo 2023 exhibition will be a valuable opportunity for members and policy makers from many fields in Sri Lanka to exchange their ideas and enhance skills in those fields and it is expected that it will make a significant contribution to the economic development of the country.

The President inaugurated the Sri Lanka Skills Expo 2023, and did not forget to engage in friendly conversation with the public who were present at the exhibition.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe further commented;

First and foremost, I would like to commend everyone for organizing this exhibition. Looking back at last year, we had our doubts on whether such a training exhibition could be organized. In addition to the turbulent environment in this country, the country’s economy was collapsing. We have now resumed the effort of rebuilding the country’s economy.

I could have prepared a fresh budget to control our expenses. When I looked at the expenses of our country for the last 10 years, I noticed that we spent money on corporations while neglecting education. Had we given the money that was used for Sri Lankan Airlines, Electricity Board, and Petroleum Corporation to the education and health sector, we would be in a position to compete with the countries that have the best education systems in South Asia. Unfortunately, we did not do that, and now we have to pay the debt. I am trying my best to pay off this debt as soon as possible within the next 10 years.

I have decided that we will not allocate funds for similar projects in the future. There were several such programs, and we still have no idea what happened to that money.

We must first work to curb these expenses and reduce them. I understand that we cannot reduce the government’s expenses by saying that we will reduce them; we must grow the country’s economy rapidly.

I have restricted subsidies to education, health, social security, and housing. Additional funds may be provided for these areas.

Our country needs a strong educational system, and the most crucial aspect of this system is providing pupils with the necessary information. We live in a knowledge-based society, and if we can provide the necessary knowledge to everyone, the future development of our country will be confirmed.

Sri Lanka is a country that can create a knowledge-based economy, and therefore plans should be developed to provide knowledge. We also need plans to provide qualifications for jobs after providing school education. Today, many organizations are engaged in this activity.

Our educational system has not been upgraded as much as is required now. We are 10-15 years behind, and we must now reconsider and move forward. The government alone cannot provide the necessary training to impart this knowledge. The majority of such training and knowledge is obtained outside the government. We must collaborate with private and international organizations that have this knowledge.

This year, I consolidated the Ministry of Education under one minister to ensure appropriate implementation of this task. He must monitor the entire system and make appropriate arrangements. I have formed a special cabinet committee to oversee education, and we will start modernization of education from here. We are entering a new world.

Our educational system will transform within the next ten years because we must prepare education for an unknown future. A strong program is required for this, and it is my goal that the youth will be educated about this. We will establish a perfect society that is prepared with the required information and abilities for the future. Arrangements are being developed to supply the required funds beginning in 2024.”

Courtesy Adaderana

The Parliament of Sri Lanka has approved the appointment of a Select Committee to investigate matters relating to the damage caused by both the MT New Diamond and X-Press Pearl vessels.

The setting up of the 21-member Parliamentary Select Committee was approved in Parliament today (12 May).

Accordingly, the committee will be tasked with investigating and making suitable recommendations relating to the disasters caused by both international vessels which were gutted in separate fires within Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

On September 03, 2020, the MT New Diamond was engulfed in flames about 65km off the Sangamankanda Point on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.

An explosion of a boiler in the main engine room had led to this unfortunate turn of events, which resulted in the death of one crew member and a major oil spill.

The tanker was transporting 270,000 metric tons of crude oil from the port of Mina Al Ahmadi in Kuwait to the Indian port of Paradip at the time of the incident. It was also reported that 1,700 metric tons of diesel required for the use of the tanker were stored onboard.

On May 20, 2021, Sri Lanka witnessed what is considered one of the worst marine environmental disasters after the Singapore-flagged container ship vessel MV X-Press Pearl, only three months after being commissioned, caught fire some 16km off Colombo.

At the time of the incident, it was transporting at least 1,500 containers including 25 tonnes of nitric acid, other chemicals and low-density polyethylene pellets.

The fire that raged for nearly two weeks resulted in a massive spillage of damaged containers, microplastics, plastic pellets, chemicals and other harmful substances into the sea before the wreckage of the vessel sank on June 02, 2021 while being towed away to deeper waters.

It was revealed that the fire had been the result of a reaction of the chemicals being transported on the ship, from which 25 crew members were evacuated safely.

Senaka Weeraratna

Buddhism is the most endangered religion in the world. Buddhism has lost more territory and space worldwide to other religions in the last one thousand years, than any other World Religion. The encroachment of Buddhist territories still continues. The danger is there for everyone to see. Now the competitors are at the Gates of Buddhist Citadels e.g. Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The moment Buddhist nations take legitimate steps to protect their Buddhist Heritage and space, the Human Rights peddlers scream and protest from treetops backed by a compliant media, ever willing to serve the interest of those who wish to see Buddhism displaced from its traditional primacy. According to the critics of Buddhism, the loss of ground incrementally in the last one thousand years is in keeping with Buddhism’s manifest destiny.  

Buddhists by nature are passive and undemanding. This was clearly seen at the Global Buddhist Summit held in New Delhi recently. A lot of rhetoric on the lofty nature of Buddhism as the ideal religion of the future because of its emphasis on Ahimsa or Non – Violence. But at the same time on the ground level, nobody appears to have raised the issue that Buddhism was gradually losing ground. Buddhist Asia was much bigger in size and territory, say, in the year 1000 ( common era) than it is today. 

Let us ponder on the following points: 

1) Buddhism (and Hinduism ) have been unsuccessful in gaining official recognition as a Religion in 24 of 26 European Union (EU) countries. In the whole of Europe, only three countries have given official recognition to Buddhism in their Constitutions. They are Russia, Austria, and Belgium. This issue should have been raised at the Global Buddhist Summit and a Public Demand made via the final Declaration for the recognition of Buddhist Human Rights and Freedom of Worship (in an official sense) in Europe.   But unfortunately, nobody has taken up the issue of lack of reciprocity on the part of the EU in granting Official Recognition to Buddhism,  

2) Representatives of threatened Buddhist communities or threatened Buddhist countries were not given a platform to air their genuine grievances, 

3) Buddhism is the religion most friendly to all life forms.  It is an Animal Rights Religion par excellence (Norman Phelps).

 Buddhism explicitly includes animals in its moral universe. Buddhist rules of conduct—including the first precept, Do not kill”—apply to our treatment of animals as well as to our treatment of other human beings. Yet, a predominantly Buddhist country like Sri Lanka has failed to reform its animal welfare laws and consequently, the world’s most obsolete and archaic piece of legislation i.e., the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, No. 13 of 1907 (enacted by the British Raj) still governs the welfare of animals with a low Rs. 100 fine as the maximum punishment for an act of heinous cruelty committed on an animal. No deterrent effect with such an abysmal (immeasurably low ) fine. 

What is the reason for this shameful lapse? 

1) The lack of true believers in Buddhist precepts with a strong commitment to upholding Buddhist values in Sri Lanka’s Parliament through, say, the enactment of the Animal Welfare Bill (which should be a cause for concern for Buddhists everywhere) and

2) The sacrifice of the welfare of animals for collecting votes from non – Buddhist communities that see animals as edible and unworthy of statutory protection. The fact that there are hardly any Voices for Animals in the Parliament of Sri Lanka influential enough to push through this legislation has disgraced the country’s Buddhist underpinnings.   

Global Buddhist Summit Conferences must change tact from i.e., fellowship to solidarity and from propagation to defense. An endangered Religion can survive only if there is a workable and well-thought-out survival strategy to save it. What has the Buddhist world learned from the loss of Nalanda University in 1202? or from the transition of South Korea from being a predominantly Buddhist country in the 1950s to a non-Buddhist country in the 1990s?  

None or very little.

The next Global Buddhist Summit must be focused heavily on the Protection of Buddhism. For such a Global Summit additional categories of guests are required. Not necessarily archaeologists or preachers generally speaking, but lawyers, journalists, comparative religion and media experts, and filmmakers, among others. People who can articulate and respond to attacks on Buddhism and its practices in the media, score, and win debating points for Buddhism in both Print and Social Media. 

Unless Buddhists unite to protect space and territory and surmount planned hostility toward it, Buddhism may end up in the Museum (Maldives) or purely as a tourist attraction ( Central Asia), which has been the sad fate of Buddhism in several former Buddhist countries of Asia.

Senaka Weeraratna

By Dr Tilak S. Fernando

Although I managed (the author of the book) to systematically detail different epochs of economic development in ancient Ceylon, it is impossible to forecast, in detail, during the Sigiriya reign. It is because it is impossible to categorise Sigiriya’s economy into various sections. The King murdered his father and all his subjects, and the Buddhist clergy despised the King, thereby the King had become a political problem.  

 According to the chronicles, King Kasyapa collected wealth. He kept it in protected custody, but later, out of that fortune, he constructed a beautiful chamber out of gold and lived there as emperor Wesamuni. His wealth was considered by all the kings from the Anuradhapura era.

According to folk stories, once he (Kasyapa 1) ordered the killing of all cooks and horse keepers to be killed as his brother Mugalan would conceal his identity. During the Sigiriya epoch, creative designer trade, army, servants, and agriculture, which were vastly popular in the Anuradhapura era, also existed during the Sigiriya period.

Before Sigiriya’s reign commenced following Thammana and Upatissa towns as capitols, it is impossible to fathom that the security aspect of Sigiriya as a kingdom was chosen after a long spell from the Anuradhapura era. The argument that could be put forward in this regard was that the Sigiriya reign was the outcome of King Kasyapa 1 after murdering his father.

King’s unpopularity

King Kasyapa 1 became unpopular with his subjects and the Buddhist clergy after he ordered his father’s brutal killing. He was always fearful that his brother Mugalan would confront him at any moment as he gave orders to plaster his father into a brick wall. When he became the King, he instructed to kill all cooks and horse keepers.

Sigiriya had a social and economic collaboration. King Kasyapa 1 intended to make Sigiriya a prominent city. According to chronicles, Sigiriya was founded many decades after the Anuradhapura kingdom.

 After so many centuries, Sigiriya is well known today. Maybe, the King made Sigiriya at the time a hideout for him. However, it was systematically done by building a palace for him with other buildings, water gardens, mirror walls, etc. As highlighted in the similar fashion mentioned in the previous episodes (such as in the Anuradhapura era), all of the kings’ income was received out of taxes of his subjects. The King Kasyapa ruled for eighteen years altogether.

Paying Penance

King Kasyapa 1 could have been more pious. One wonders how he managed to rule in the form of Dasaraja Dharmaya fashion (meaning – Charitability, Generosity, Straightforwardness, Humility, Innocence, Peacefulness, Anger, Calmness and Independence). It is debatable how the King became unpopular by giving orders to kill his father.

To forgive the sins for committing his father, he murdered, the King planted in front of his palace around the Sigiriya rock, a few hundred meters apart, parks containing mango trees. He gave instructions to build the Isurumumi Vihara. The King further constructed Buddhist temples andviharas. Although the King could not pardon himself for the murder of his father, it was believed that when his brother Mugalan came to take revenge on him, he may have confronted his brother with all his might. Still, when he was defeated, he cut his own throat to pay for his grave sin of committing to order his father to be plastered to a brick wall.

Frightening Era

The Sigiriya epoch was a frightening social era because people had to serve a king who killed his father. His thoughts were that his bother Mugalan would threaten his life. Prince Mugalan bringing a squad of people from India showed that Ceylon had international connections and that Ceylon earned global respect for Technology and industries during this era. It was because some technology was an excellent skill amongst ancient Ceylonese and still exists to date. The paintings on the rock remain unspoilt. It shows how advanced the Technology had been during Sigiriya’s epoch. The Sigiriya rock is 681 feet high. On top, there are three acres of land where King Kassapa 1 had built a palace and a few more buildings. On top of the rock were around 100 acres of walls recorded with extended drains. These were protected by two gates, one towards the north and one towards the west. A machine from the front Bridge operated a bridge. It shows how advanced was ancient Ceylon technology.                                                                                                                                                      

Ruined Equipment                             

There was some ruined equipment in the Colombo Museum, which belonged to the Sigiriya period. These belonged to the 5^th century and were the most modern paraphernalia compared with modern equipment. Among these were agricultural, household and war apparatus. Today England is famous for iron and steel but steel was founded in 1706, 12 years before the Sigiriya era.

Old Ceylonese skills, particularly water management, have been exposed recently from Sigiriya grounds—water management, which goes back to the 5^th century. Water could pump up to 681 up to the peak of the Sigiri rock using pipes made out of clay from a tank built by ancient technologists at the base of the Sigira rock. Archaeologists have unearthed a few furrows where clay earth was found out of which these pipes was made out of. Sigiri graffiti on ramparts and on top of the rock in the King’s palace reveals how the water supply was provided to the ponds etc. It showed how advanced the Ceylonese old engineers had been.      

tilakfernando@gamil.com                                                                                                     

Courtesy: The writer translated into English from the text of the late Prasad Milinda Siriwardena, Ceylon Economic Analysis between BC 543 to 1832

මතුගම සෙනෙවිරුවන්

         සියම් රට භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලා වඩම්මවා උපසම්පදා කර්මය මෙරට සිදු කර මේ වන විට වසර 270 ක් ගත ව වී තිබේ.මේ නිමිති කොට ගෙන සියම් දේශයෙන් සැපැමිණි භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලා සියක් නමක් පාද චාරිකාවේ යෙදී සිටිති. උන්වහන්සේලා ගේ මීළඟ අභිප්‍රාය වන්නේ සියම් දේශයෙන් වැඩම කළ උපාලි මහ තෙරුන්වහන්සේ ඇතුළු විසි එක් නම ප්‍රථමයෙන් විවේකව වැඩ සිටි ත්‍රිකුණාමල බෝගස් හතර පුණ්‍ය භූමියේ සැමරුම් උත්සවයක් සිදු කිරීමයි.මෙම කටයුත්තට මේ වන විට දෙමළ ජාතික සන්ධානයේ සාමාජිකයන් විරෝධතා දක්වමින් සිටිති.

          දෙදහස් පන්සීයක ලිඛිත ඉතිහාසයක් ඇති සිංහල රාජවාලියේ අසිරිමත්ම සිදු වීම වනුයේ මහින්දාගමනයට රාජ්‍ය අනුග්‍රහය හිමි වීමයි. ලක් බුදු සසුන පිහිටුවීම ත් එතැන් පටන් සිංහල නරපතියන් විසින් මෙම ශාසනය දිවි දෙවනි කොට ආරක්ෂා කරගැනීමට කටයුතු කිරීමත් නිසා ආසියාකරයේ ථෙරවාදී භික්ෂූන් ගේ කේන්ද්‍රස්ථානය ලෙසට ලංකාව පත් විය. වර්ෂ 1505 වන තෙක් නොයෙකුත් සතුරු ආක්‍රමණ හමුවුවේ වුවද අඛණ්ඩව අවිච්ඡින්නව පැවති සම්බුද්ධ ශාසනය  පරංගින් ලංකාවට  සැපත් වීමෙන් පසු බලවත් සේ දුර්වල විය. සිංහල කුමාරවරු සහ රදළයන් පර සමය ගැන්වීමද විහාරස්ථාන සුණු විසූණු කර දැමීම ද  මිෂනාරීන් විසින් ආගම පැතිරවීමෙන් ද ශාසනයට ලැබුණු රාජ්‍ය අනුග්‍රහය ක්‍රමානුකූලව ඉවත් විය. කෝට්ටේ යුගයේ අවසාන සමයේ සීතාවක රාජසිංහයන් ශිව සමයේ පිහිටීම නිසා භික්ෂූන් විශාල පිරිසක් ඝාතනයට ලක් විය. දළදා වහන්සේ පරංගින් ගෙන් බේරා ගැනීමට සපරගමුවේ දෙල්ගමුවට වැඩම වන්නට සිදු විය. මේ තත්වය මත හුදකලා වු භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලා වෙනුවෙන් වාර්ෂික උපසම්පදා කර්මය සිදු කිරීමේ බලවත් බාධා එල්ල වන්නට ඇත. පළමු වන විමල ධර්ම සූරිය රජු විසින් නව රාජධානියක් උඩරට ඇති කර ගත් පසු නැවත උපසම්පදාව පිහිටු වීමට කටයුතු කළද එය වැඩි කළක් නොපැවතියේ රටේ සතුරු ආක්‍රමණ බලවත් වූ හෙයිනි. අනතුරුව දෙවන විමලධර්ම සූරිය රජු ද රක්ඛංග දේශයෙන් උපසම්පදාව ලබා ගැනීමට දොඩම්වල මුදියනන්සේ ගේ නායකත්වයෙන් දූත කණ්ඩායමක් පිටත් කර හැරියහ. ඔවුනට දැන ගැන්මට හැකි වූයේ එහි උපසම්පදාව පවතින බව පමණකි.අනතුරුව විජයරාජසිංහ රාජ්‍ය කාලය තුල දොරණෑගම මුහන්දිරම් රාළ සහ මාතර රාළ ඇතූල කණ්ඩායමක් පිටත් කර හැරිය නමුදු නැව මුහුදු බත් වූයෙන් වෑයම අසාර්ථක විය..මේ කාලයේ ශාසනය ආරක්ෂා කරගනිමින් විහාරස්ථාන වල වැඩ වාසය කරන ලද්දේ ගණින්නාන්සේ නමින් දක්වන  පිරිසකි.

         කීර්ති ශ්‍රී රාජසිංහ රාජ්‍ය කාලයේ දී සිල්වත් සමාගම යනුවෙන් ප්‍රසිද්ධව සිටි භික්ෂූ පිරිසක් සැබෑ ධර්මය පිළීබඳ අවදියෙන් තැන තැන දේශනා පවත්වමින් සිටි සමයේ රජුගේ හිත දිනාගැනීමට සමත් විය. එහි ප්‍රධානත්වය ගත් වැලිවිට සරණංකර නම් භික්ෂුවක් නිලමේ වරු මෙහෙයවා සියම් දේශයෙන් උපසම්පදාව ගෙන ඒමට වෑයමක් දැරීය. විල්බාගෙදර රාළ පට්ටපොළ මොහොට්ටාල ඇල්ලෙපොළ මොහොට්ටාල  ආයිත්තා ලිද්දේ මුහන්දිරම් ඊරියගම මුහුන්දිරම් යන මේ පිරිස ත්‍රිකුණාමල වරායෙන් නැව් නැගී සියම් දේශයට පිටත්ව ගියහ. ඔවුහු  බලවත් පරිශ්‍රමයක් යොදා ලන්දෙසි නැවකින් සියමට ළඟ විය. සියමත් ලංකාවත් අතර දීර්ඝ කාලයක් තිස්සේ බලවත් සම්බන්ධයක් තිබුණි. සියම් කුමරුවෙකුට කීරවැල්ලේ පරපුරෙන් කුමාරියක පවා සරණ පාවා දුන් බව ජන ප්‍රවාදයේ සඳහන්ය. මෙකල සිටි සියම් රජු ශ්‍රද්ධාවන්තයෙකි. ඔහු මේ දූත පිරිස ආදරයෙන් පිළිගෙන නවාතැන් සලස්වා එරට වැදගත් සිද්ධස්ථානයක් වන සච්චබද්ධ පර්වතය පාමොත් ප්‍රභාත් විහාරය ඇතුළු සිද්ධස්ථාන කීපයක්ම වන්දනා කිරීමට අවස්ථාව සලසා දුන්නේය.

අනතුරුව සියම් රජු විසින් සපයා දුන්  නැව ගඟ දිගේ යාත්‍රාකොට  සියම් වරායට සේන්දු වූ නමුත් නැව දුර්වල විය.  නැවේ දුරුවලතා හේතු කොට ගෙන දූත පිරිසද සියම් භික්ෂුන්ද අධෛර්ය වූ බව පැවසෙයි. කෙසේ වුවත් විල්බාගෙදර රාළ ගේ අප්‍රතිහත ධෛර්ය නිසා ලන්දෙසීන් සමග කතිකා කොට යළි නැවක් ලබා ගත් නුමුදු එයද අබලන් විය. කෙසේ හෝ නැවතත් උත්සාහ වන්ත වී ලන්දේසීන් සතු මස්කාබෙල් නම් විශාල නැවකට ගොඩ වීමට ඔවුන්ට අවස්ථාව හිමි විය.       සියම් දේශයෙන් පිටත් වූ උපසම්පදා භිකෂූන් අතර සියම් උපාලිථෙර  ආර්ය මුණි ථෙර ඉන්ද්‍රසුවණ්න ථෙර ඇතූළු භික්ෂූන්වහන්සේලා විසිඑක් නමක් ද සාමණේරයන් වහන්සේලා හත් නමක්ද උපාසකයෙකුද විය.එසේම ප්‍රසුදන්ත මේස්ත්‍රී ඇතූළු ඇමතියන් පස් දෙනෙකුද මේ ගමනට එක් වී තිබුණි.මේ ගමන පිටත් වීමේ දී බලවත් ශ්‍රද්ධාවෙන් යුක්ත වූ සියම් රජු සතූටු කදුළු වැගිරවූ බව දැක්වෙයි. සියමෙන් පිටත් වූවන් අතර වූ  පට්ටිපොළ මොහොට්ටාල අතරමගදී  මරණයට පත් විය.ඉන්පසු සින්න පට්ටනමට පැමිණි කල්හි විහාල සුළි කුණාටුවක් නිසා නැවු ගණනාවකට අලාභ හානි විය. කෙසේ වෙතත් මේ කිසිම විපතික් අධෛර්ය නොවූ විල්බාගෙදර රළ ලන්දෙසි කොටුවට ගොස් නිරන්තරයෙන් සාකච්ඡා වට කීපයක් පවත්වා එකඟතාවකට පැමිණියේය. පෙර කී පරිදි මස්කාබෙල් නම් නැවෙන් පිටත් වීමට ප්‍රථම  විල්බා ගෙදර රාළ සීනයක් දුටුවේය. මේ සීනය තෙරුම් කර ගැනීමෙන් පසු ඔහු සතුටු වූයේ තමන්ගේ කාර්යය ඒකාන්ත වශයෙන් සඵල වන බව  ඒ සීනයෙන් පෙන්වා දුන් බැවිනි.  මේ කාලයේ මුහුදු ගමන් අතිශයින් භයංකර විය. වීහාල නෞකාවකට ඇරෙන්නට කුඩා යාග්‍රා සුළි කණාටු වලට ඔරෙත්තු නොදුන්නේය. ඒ නිසා ලන්දේසීන් සපයා දුන් විහාල නෞකාව ගමනට පිරිමැසුණේය.බෙතාවියෙන් පිටත් වූ දූත පිරිස නොයෙකුත් වරායන් වල නවත්වා  දීර්ඝ  මුහුදු ගමනකින් පසු වර්ෂ 1753 මැයි මසයේ 14 දින දී ත්‍රිකුණාමල වරායට සැපත් විය.

          මේ කාලයේ  මහ අදිකාරම් ධූරය දැරූවේ ඇහැලේ පොළ අදිකාරම්ය. නැව නිරුපද්‍රිතව ත්‍රිකුණාමලයට ගොඩ බට බව ආරංචි වූ කීර්ති ශ්‍රී රාජසිංහයන් ඇහැලේ පොළ අදිකාරම ප්‍රමුඛ ඉහළ නිළධාරින් පිරිසක් ත්‍රිකුණාමලයට පිටත් කර හැරීය. ඔවුහු එහි පැමිණ නැවේ සිටි භික්ෂුන් ඇතුළු සිංහල දූත පිරිස පොරොත්තුව බලා සිටියහ. නැවෙන් ගොඩ බට භික්ෂුන් වහන්සේලා සන්සුන් ගමනින් ත්‍රිකුණාමලය වරාය අසල සිට ඉතා නුදුරු ව තිබූ වන ගොමුවකින් ගැවසී ගත් නමුත් එළි පෙහෙළි වූ තිබූ රම්‍ය භූමියකට සැපත් විය. තාවකාලික ව කූඩාරම් ගසා  ඒ ස්ථානයේ භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලාට විවේක ගැනීමට සලස්වා තිබුණි. සියම් උපාලි ථෙර ඇතළු විසි එක් නමද රාජ්‍ය දූත පිරිසද ඉතාමත් ගෞරවයෙන් පිළිගත් අහැලේපොළ මහ අදිකාරම දාන මනාදියෙන්ද රස මසුවුලෙන්ද සතප්පවා භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලාගෙන් ආශිර්වාද ලබා ගත්හ. මේ අවස්ථාවේ දී මෙම පුණ්‍ය භූමිය වටා බෝධීන් වහන්සේලා සතර නමක් රෝපණය කර අතැයි දැක්වේ.අනතුරුව මේ භික්ෂූහු පා ගමනින්ම සෙංකඩගල මහනුවර බලා පිටත් වූහ.සියම් මහ රජු විසින් ලබා දුන් ධර්ම ග්‍රන්ථ හිස උඩ තබා මහත් ගෞරවයෙන් වඩම්මන ලදහ.තෑගි භෝග දළදා වහන්සේට පූජා දි සත්කාර ඇතූළු සියල්ලම මෙසේ ගෙන යන ලදහ. ඒ ගමන් අතරමග විවේක  ගැනීමටද නවාතැන් සපයා දීමටද ඇරණු පිරිසක් ඒ වින විටද සූදානම් කර තිබුණි.සතිදෙකතුනකින්  පසු මහනුවර මල්වතු මහා විහාරයට පැමීණි භික්ෂූන් වහ්නසේලා එහි නවාතැන් ගත්හ.රාජ්‍ය දූත පිරිස බෝගම්බර නවාතැන් ගත්හ. ඉන්පසු ඇසළ මාසයේ දී සිංහල භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලා ගේ උපසම්පදා කටයුතු ආරම්භ කළ බව දැක්වෙයි.

        2023 මෙම වර්ෂය වන විට සියම් උපසම්පදාව ගෙනවුත් වර්ෂ 270 ක් සපිරෙයි. ඒ වෙනුවෙන් සියම් දේශයෙන් පැමිණි භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලා පිරිසක් මේ වන විට දිවයිනේ රැඳී සිටිති. නොයෙකුත් සිද්ධස්ථාන වැඳපුදා ගනිමින් පාද චාරිකාවේ යෙදී සිටිති.

එදා 1753 දී ත්‍රිකුණාමල වරායට ගොඩ බැස පළමුවෙන්ම නවාතැන් ගත් ස්ථානයට සපැමිණ එතැන ධර්ම දේශනා කොට පා ගමනින් මහනුවර බලා ගමන් කිරීම උන් වහන්සේලාගේ අභිප්‍රාය වෙයි. සම්බුද්ද ශාසනයට මෙතරම් වැදගත් කමක් උසුලන ත්‍රිකුණාමල විවේක ස්ථානය අද හඳුන්වන්නේ බෝගස් හතර පුරාවිද්‍යා ස්ථානය යනුවෙනි. 2009 වර්ෂයේ  මාර්තු මස 13 වන දින දී මෙම පුණ්‍ය භූමියෙහි වැදගත් කම සලකා  1593 අංකය යටතේ ගැසට් පත්‍රයකින් පුරාවිද්‍යා රක්ෂිතයක් කර ඇත.ඒ නිසා මෙම වගකීම හිමි පුරාවිද්‍යා දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවට දන්වා මෙම සංවිධාන කටයුතු ආරම්භ කර ඇත. ත්‍රිකුණාමල දිසාපතිවරයා ඇතූළු රාජ්‍ය නිළධාරීන් ගේ මූලිකත්වය යටතේ මෙම කටයුතු සඳහා අවසර ලබා ගැනීමට ත්‍රිකුණාමල පුරාවිද්‍යා සහකාර අධ්‍යක්ෂ වරිය වන නිරූපා ප්‍රිදර්ශනී මහත්මියගේ මාර්ගයෙන් අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල් වෙත දන්වා යවා තිබේ. අවසර ලබා දී ඇති නමුදු මේ වනතෙක් බුද්ධ ශාසන අමාත්‍යංශයේ පූර්ණ මැදිහත් වීම ලබා ගෙන නොමැති බව වාර්තා වෙයි.එළඹෙන මැයි 14 දින අස්ගිරි මහා විහාරයේ අනුනායක පූජ්‍ය වේඬරුවේ උපාලි ස්වාමීන් වහන්සේගේ මූලිකත්වයෙන් සිදු වන මෙම සැමරීමේ උත්සවයට මේ වන විට පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී ආර්.සම්බන්ධන් මහතා ඇතුළු දෙමළ දේශපාලනඥයන්ද අන්තවාදීන් පිරිසක්ද විරෝධය පළ කරමින් සිටී. ආර්. සම්බන්ධන් ලා ත්‍රිකුණාමල කොටුවේ තිබෙන බුදු පිළිමයටත් වෛර කරන පිරිසකි. නැගෙනහිර සහ උතුරේ බෞද්ධ සිද්ධස්ථාන නොපැවතිය යුතු යැයි ඔවුහු ප්‍රකාශ කරති.ඒ අතර බෞද්ධ ස්මාරක කඩා දමමින් ශිව ලිංග තබා ගෙන යති.වසර දෙදහස් පන්සීයක ඉතිහාසය තුළ පැවති සම්බුද්ධ ශාසනික අයිතිය සුරක්ෂිත කිරීමට බාධාවකින් තොරව උත්සව පැවැත්වීමට ඇති අයිතිය අද බෞද්ධයන්ගෙන් පැහැර ගෙන තිබේ.මෙම සිද්දිය එයට හොඳ උදාහරණයකි.

මතුගම සෙනෙවිරුවන්

Prime Minister’s Media Unit

A delegation of Vietnam Buddhist handed over a consignment of medicine to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees today (May 11).

This donation was symbolically handed over to the Prime Minister by Most Venerable Thich Vien Minh, Vice Supreme Patriarch of the Council of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. Thereafter, the Prime Minister handed over this consignment of medicine worth US$ 20,000 to Secretary to the Health Ministry Janaka Chandraguptha.

Most Ven Thich Vien Minh said that Vietnamese Buddhists have a special respect for Sri Lanka as this country supported the long-drawn freedom struggle of Vietnam. Vietnam Ambassador Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy said Sri Lanka has close relationship with Vietnam even before the country won freedom.

The Prime Minister said that people of Sri Lanka highly admired the great leadership of Ho Chi Minh, the leader of freedom struggle and the first President of the independent Vietnam and added that Sri Lanka was among the first few countries to established diplomatic relations when Vietnam became free.

A group of lading Buddhist Monks and Buddhist leaders from Vietnam, Parliamentarian Yadamini Gunawardena, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Health Secretary Janaka Chandragupta and other officials were present on this occasion.

By Dr Tilak S.  Fernando

In the sixteenth, Ceylon was divided into three regions: Kotte, Up-Country and ‘Yapa’. Of course, the principal and the wealthiest was Kotte. Agriculture (Paddy growing) was the main crop. Still, within the Kotte area, tea, rubber, coconut, Cinnamon, areca nut, and precious stones, including elephants, were sourced from other regions. The King’s income was an important factor in terms of security.

Once, King Buwanekabahu protected his reign from enemy attacks from the Portuguese by signing an accord by offering a bribe of a considerable amount of money (Kurunduwahara three hundred) to obtain war equipment,

Tax depended on each profession, such as Kinnara Badda, Raja Badda, Kottal Badda, Kottal Badda et al. During the 13th Century in Kotte, officials who collected such taxes were called Vidanes. Their duties were to approach those who had to pay taxes to the royalty, and the collected taxes were sent to appropriate sections.

Folks, Their Occupation and Social Status

Villages produced everything required for themselves, which is known as self-sufficiency. The town had connections with other villages to a certain extent. However, there needed to be unity in an economic pattern in villages.

The drummer

The King’s wish was always carried out. Usually, the drummer spread messages to announce that the King wanted his subjects for certain services, such as road building, work on waterways etc. The King was responsible for calling individuals who had to pay taxes to the royalty and explaining how the appropriate tax was calculated. Vidane sent all collected taxes to the relevant section in the Majesty’s section.

Kotte’s epoch was self-sufficient, believing that whatever village/town was minimal. There was no economic unity during this epoch.

The King was powerful enough to call on his subjects at any moment. As a regular practice, the King used his authority to send drummers to collect people when necessary for public works such as war affairs, repairs or construction of waterways.

 In Ceylon, during the middle of the 15th Century total population was 500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand), and a person’s lifetime was limited to 35 years. Infant death rate and deaths of pregnant women during childbirth seemed excessive due to the spreading of pandemics.

During this period, it indicated that paddy cultivation was given a prominent place. According to a classical poem by Hansa Sandesaya, there were 12,000 paddy fields at various locations. And ponds full of coconuts, mangoes and other fruits were grown for beauty.

 When the King donated land for devalaya” /Kovil, the official was known as ‘gamladda’, and the grounds were named ‘ Muttthetuwa’. That official was able to seek assistance to do agriculture from  Neighbours. Kotte King Parakramabahu VI, at the early stages of his reign, converted Vijaya Ba Pirivena into a University.

Trade & Technology.

Whatever was necessary for articles, such as building construction, cattle management, and the jewellery industry, thrived during this era.

In the 15^th Century, Cinnamon became the main export product. During the Kotte Reign, King Bunekabahu VI sent a shipload of Cinnamon to India. One Rayan Malaawnayek tried to interfere with the Cinnamon, which caused a battle, as the old history books indicated

Some Ceylonese spices were also seen when Arabian traders were involved in European transactions.

In this Century, there were several agreements with China. History also revealed that Muslims in the coastal area had become busy trading from ferry boats.

During the Kotte reign, traders had gone into the country and collected luxury goods such as Ivory. Whatever was said and done, the Kotte era was considered a golden era out of all kingdoms in the country.

tilakfernando@gmail.com

( The writer translated the late Prasad Milinda Siriwaradena text on- Ceylon Economic Analysis from Sinhala to English between BC 543 and 1832).

Dr. Shakuntala Bhabani Kolkata India

The sixth international Indian Ocean Conference is set to begin in Bangladesh capital city Dhaka from May 12 which will be attended by about 150 delegates, including high-level representatives from 25 countries.

The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Peace, Prosperity and Partnership for a Resilient Future’ due to the post-Covid situation and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the conference. She will also host a dinner in honour of the guests who will participate in the conference.

Speaking about the two-day conference, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh AK Abdul Momen said that the event was mainly organised for the coastal countries of the Indian Ocean, but in the changing global context, various important and relevant issues are expected to be discussed.

The Mauritius president, Maldives vice-president and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are among the dignitaries who will attend the conference. “Foreign Ministers of Bhutan, Nepal, Bahrain and Singapore alongside the ministerial representatives of Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Madagascar will also participate in the conference,” Momen said.

AK Abdul Momen told reporters that around 150 foreign guests will participate in the conference including representatives from D8, Saarc and BIMSTEC.

The participating ministers will also visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road 32 to pay respect to Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The conference is being organised by the India Foundation in association with the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bangladesh minister said that by organising this conference, it is expected that the partnership with the countries along the Indian Ocean will be strengthened in the regional political sphere with Bangladesh.

Bangladesh foreign minister also said that from the discussion of this conference, the participating countries will get an idea of what kind of steps they will take in the future in view of the ongoing global events, and it will be helpful for Bangladesh to take necessary decisions to deal with various crisis situations and overcome them.

The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) was started in 2016 and in the last six years it has emerged as the “flagship consultative forum” for countries in the region over regional affairs.

The conference endeavours to bring critical states and principal maritime partners of the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).

However, 6th Indian Ocean Conference in Bangladesh, most importantly, are taking place at a time when Bangladesh government has recently set an ‘Indo-Pacific Outlook’ officially. the overarching goal of Bangladesh’s recent Indo-Pacific Outlook is to enhance country’s ties with the USA and West, India for engagement in this region, accelerates economic growth, and addresses common issues shared by the other nations. Despite Indo-Pacific Strategy’s widespread support, some countries have claimed that it’s only likely to serve to escalate regional instability, slow China’s growth and Bangladesh’s lean towards the US. Bangladesh is hesitant to take any sides in the conflict between the US and its allied countries and China. For instance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh had announced a fresh Indo-Pacific Outlook to highlight Bangladesh’s geopolitical standpoint on the region as well as its objectives to move forward as a nonalignment foreign policy. In other words, Bangladesh will likely to clarify on its own stance in the Indo-Pacific region through Indo-Pacific Outlook to take the position of regional leader, rather joining any political bloc. In this way, India-US-Bangladesh relations would reach a new level. Bangladesh could gain trust from the Indian government because India is an active member of the Indo-Pacific alliance. Bangladesh, on the other hand, is handling the Chinese predicament intelligently because its goal is to engage structurally rather than militarily. Chinese ambassador to Dhaka has already stated that Many of Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific outlook concepts are similar to China’s.

Bangladesh essentially sets an example for the other littoral nations by outlining its Indo-Pacific orientation. Bangladesh-like nations can adopt the method because it is so well-balanced.  It aims to strengthening regional economic cooperation, guaranteeing the security of maritime commerce, combating climate change, investment opportunities and introducing new strategic alliances with other countries. Through upholding norms of international order, the freedom of trade and commerce, prosperity and the sovereign equality of all countries, their outlook aims to help advance the goal of an open, free and fair Indo-Pacific region. In addition, Bangladesh aspires to boost economy through increasing investment and trade; particularly in the areas of public investment and technological networking.

The world has dramatically changed in the past few years. When the block was formed, regional and global political landscape was relatively peaceful and harmonious. China, USA, India, Russia and European Union had minimal conflict of interests. It was a time when multipolarity enjoyed a positive vibe in international relations despite their underlying competition. Today, the world has gradually become polarized and divided on issues of power, resources, and hegemony. The Quad-China confrontation and Ukraine War has been the ultimate test of strategic visions that the West has against China and Russia.

Against this backdrop, India has been promoting the idea of ‘net security provider’ in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. Again, the geopolitics of Indian Ocean region is now brewing through new strategic and security initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS), Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and Australia, UK and US (AUKUS) let by the USA and its allies. Besides, India also announced SAGAR vision (Security and Growth for all in the Region, India and its Neighborhood).

The alliance has recently been reactivated by the rise in smuggling, arms trade, and human trafficking in the Indian Ocean Region. Maritime Safety and Security, Countering Terrorism and Radicalization, Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organized Crime, Cyber Security, Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Technology, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. Maritime security and countering terrorism and other crimes in the Indian Ocean have emerged as a focus area for India as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy and the doctrine of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).

The main task of this grouping will be to maintain security in the sea area and stop human trafficking and smuggling. The members of the alliance may also work on providing mutual humanitarian assistance. To this end, they will provide mutual training to their Navies and Coast Guards for the next one year. Member States should conduct Naval exercises that would be a milestone for the IOR.

The gains that Bangladesh can expect from its participation are strengthening bilateral relations with member states. Bangladesh must reassess the evolving strategic dynamics of South Asia, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean region. Particularly, conflicting approaches and strategies of China and India and the US are critical considering Bangladesh’s Three-way balancing. But all states should work together to combat non traditional security threat.

The Indian Ocean gets its strategic significance for various reasons. It was a great maritime route for Asian, European and African States for many years. The Indian Ocean has been considered as a hub of the maritime connectivity project. China’s ‘String of Pearls’ and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project and India’s International North South Transport Project (INSTP) go through this Ocean. Even the US Government has transformed its strategy from the Asia Pacific to the Indo Pacific to include the Indian Ocean. The Japan and India proposed ‘Cotton Route’ is also a big issue that can be taken into consideration. Japan-India-Bangladesh strategic troika is also a consideration in recent times.

But there are some problems too. Transnational crimes such as illegal narcotics trade, weapons and human trafficking issues, piracy, armed robbery, drug smuggling, illegal fishing, terrorism, environmental degradation issues are some issues. The Indian Ocean has been used as a safe passage by some evil players. States on the Indian Ocean face these serious challenges every day.

Illegal drug trafficking from India and Afghanistan, Iran through the Indian Ocean route is known to all. According to some sources, the UNODC has estimated that 54 per cent of the heroin in India is produced domestically, while 45 per cent originates from Afghanistan. India is particularly vulnerable to the Southern route due to its Western border with Pakistan. Near this border, in the Western Indian States of Punjab and Haryana, is where many of the heroin seizures occur. In 2012, 105 kg of drugs were seized, which had been trafficked from Pakistan along rail routes. In 2013 alone, the Indian Narcotics Control Bureau reported seizures totaling 4,609 kg. Data collected through seizures by various authorities has confirmed India as a transit country for Southeast Asia, West Africa and North America.

Bangladesh also faces significant problems due to the drug trade through the Indian Ocean and India. The country suffers from illicit drug use among its population, such as in Dhaka where there are an estimated 2.5 million people using drugs. India is a large provider of heroin to the Bangladeshi market, and it is trafficked over the Western and Eastern borders. However, it is unclear whether the heroin originates from Afghanistan or India, as this data has not been sufficiently collected.

Both India and Bangladesh are becoming ever more dependent on maritime trade, with these states importing goods worth over US$ 52 million and US$ 447 million respectively. Therefore, to function effectively they require an absence of maritime crime in order for trade to be uninterrupted, and for their economies to thrive.

Bangladesh faces piracy, illegal fishing and human trafficking in the Bay of Bengal. Although the Bangladeshi Navy and the Coast Guard are very active in the region, the perpetrators are very clever. The Rohingya crisis worsened the situation. Various gangs are involved in human trafficking. Bangladeshis are trafficked to Malaysia, Thailand and North Africa to Greece and Italy (Europe) through the marine route via the Mediterranean Sea.

Marine resources

Many fishermen from Myanmar and India are involved in illegal fishing in the jurisdictional area under Bangladesh. So, Bangladesh faces economic losses in terms of marine resources. Some armed groups kidnap Bangladeshi fishermen for ransom. Basically, fishing in the Sundarbans region has become very dangerous.

Sri Lanka has also faced an increase in heroin use within the country, as well as becoming a transit country for trafficking destined for other places. Much of the heroin entering Sri Lanka arrives on fishing boats or by air, often coming through India or Pakistan. The numbers of seizures which Sri Lankan authorities have conducted remains relatively small, meaning that the data collected is not always reliable. Smugglers in Sri Lanka have come from a variety of countries, including Pakistan, India, Iran and the Maldives.

Environmental degradation in the sea is common now. Climate Change and the rise in sea levels are among other issues. The transnational terrorist threat is seen as a serious threat.

Bangladesh focuses on the Blue Economy. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina inaugurated the third Ministerial Conference titled Promoting Sustainable Blue Economy — making the best use of opportunities from the Indian Ocean” of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) at the Inter-Continental Dhaka in 2019. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India can work together in this regard. All these states are members of some regional platforms such as BIMSTEC and SAARC.

Not only Bangladesh, countries like India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and all States across the Indian Ocean face the same problems. In the disaster period, regional cooperation is much needed. In the past, regional countries helped each other through various operations during disasters.

Now Bangladesh as a host country has got a regional platform to address these problems. To ensure better maritime security, all regional countries should work together to tackle the problems. India and Sri Lanka have given their full support to this alliance. They have promised to hold bilateral or joint military exercises with each of the countries in the alliance. This such a platform. Bangladesh expects cooperation from the other stakeholders and wants to help others to face the challenges.

Thus, there are some opportunities for Bangladesh and also other partners to focus on countering terrorism and extremism, transnational crimes such as narcotics, weapons and human trafficking, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and protecting the maritime environment.

By Dr Tilak S. Fernando

Following a meeting former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama had with his counterpart Bernard Brice Kouchner in Paris, in 2009, with other senior French officials, on a three-day tour to Paris, it was agreed to accommodate job opportunities for migrants from Sri Lanka in France. It mainly dealt with professionals, skilled workers, and IT and natural science students. It was also proposed that a protocol be signed between the Governments of Sri Lanka and France in this connection, as per Dhamith de Silva in Paris, who has contacts with the IMO (the International Organisation for Migration and part of the United Nations) as the. IMO has connections with 175 member states and a presence in over 100 countries.)

Luncheon at the cost of IOM.

Yadmani of the IOM said a lunch was organised for the Sri Lankan delegation and IOM on Monday, 16 March 2009. The IOM France had been working with the Sri Lankan all panels from the beginning when they visited France. Mr Dhamith de Silva was also at lunch, and Mrs Himali Arunatilake (Ambassador at the time to Geneva) represented the Sri Lankan delegation that visited France.

Mr Sunil Sirisena led the Sri Lanka panel. They were informed to prepare an agreement in Colombo, and the French Minister would accompany them to sign it.

Dhamith De Silva followed it up with another email on October 2022. It read: Dear Shantha, I am forwarding the mail sent to Himali Arunatilake by Marika Seke Maraki sent on 13 March 2009 stating that IOM will give a working lunch on 16 March at the restaurant l’Européen.

Dhamith De Silva also mentioned that they had worked hard to see this project efficaciously. IOM had a working lunch with the Sri Lankan delegation (Mr Sunil Sirisena and others) on 16 March 2009, hosted by IOM France. This meeting was crucial for the panel as they met the French officials the next day. The email was copied to Forster Florian and Seye Maraki, Envoyé le Vendrand, and it contained, as discussed on the phone a few days ago. I confirm that IOM is inviting you for a working lunch on Monday, 16 March 2009, at the restaurant l’Européen, Paris. The booking was under IOM’s name. Apart from being a Sri Lankan delegation member, Dhamith De Silva would also be present at lunch.”

Dhamith de Silva visited Sri Lanka on 7 March 2023. He emailed the Ambassador’s secretary informing her that ‘Mr Dhamith de Siva would like to meet the Ambassador and brief him about the Agreement to be signed with France on Sri Lanka (bilateral Agreement) on the ‘re-admission agreement’ by the EU and Sri Lanka.’ He also mentioned that he previously reported to the former French Ambassadors in Sri Lanka and a few Sri Lankan Ambassadors in Paris. He has also briefed the former Ambassadors of France to Sri Lanka, Madam Christine Robichon, Mr Jean Marin Schuh and the Deputy Ambassadors Mark Lamy and Isabelle Miscot. On the verge of leaving Sri Lanka, he said he could not meet with the Ambassador because he left Sri Lanka suddenly on 8 March 2023. On 18 February 2023, EU-Sri Lanka Joint Readmission Committee met in Colombo. It revealed that Sri Lanka could still go for a bilateral agreement with France to help the labour migration to France and the Sri Lankan students to study in France free of charge.

Categorically unfortunate situation.

It is an unfortunate situation that when an EU country ( France) extends its arm to give a helping hand to Sri Lankans, including those who are illegally resident in France, and students to get free education, it is abandoned by the bureaucratic bungling of those who were in power for the past 12 years, from 2009. To this end, four Ministers had to work together – the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Public Security, the Minister of Foreign Employment and the Ministry of Education. The Foreign Ministry’s legal department apparently restricted it by neglecting to prepare the Agreement when the French were ready to sign; an Executing order should come from the top in Sri Lanka.

It was alleged that restrictions had come up by the Foreign Ministry’s legal department, where they needed help to prepare an agreement when the French were ready to sign. If more facts are required, don’t hesitate to contact Mr Damith Silva at +33. 870. 815. 615. 946 or email him at Dhamith De Silva <dhamithdesilva@yahoo.com>.

Regarding illegal Sri Lankan immigrants in France, Foreign Minister Bogollagama said in 2009 that it was estimated that about 120,000 Sri Lankans lived in France (mostly Tamil), and many enjoy refugee status. He said it has also been suggested that up to 30,000 of those would fall into the illegal category in 2009.

Damith de Silva says he must inform the concerned authorities why this agreement has yet to be signed since 2009. He says he holds French and Sri Lankan dual nationality and has lived in France for the last 41 years.

EC ACT

European Council Decision (2005/372/EC) of 3 March 2005 concerning the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on the re-admission of persons residing without authorisation is approved by the decision.

Summary of the EC ACT.

At the time of entry, a person should hold a valid visa or residence authorisation issued by Sri Lanka or entered the territory of the Member State (France).”

The Agreement is without prejudice to the rights, obligations and responsibilities of the Community, the Member State France and Sri Lanka arising from international law and, in particular, from any applicable International Convention or Agreement to which they are Parties.”

The Agreement applies to the territory where the Treaty establishing the European Community is applicable (except the Kingdom of Denmark) and Sri Lanka.

The Contracting Parties will ratify or approve the Agreement under their respective procedures.”

tilakfernnado@gmail.com

ri Lankan Migrant workers & Students are Lucky! But….? – By Dr Tilak S. Fernando

Lanka Lead News

වව්නියාව දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ නැදුන්කර්නි ප්‍රදේශයේ නයිනමඩු රක්ෂිත භූමිය තුළ පිහිටා ඇති වඩුන්නාගල බෞද්ධ පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමියේ පුරාවිද්‍යාත්මක සාක්ෂි විනාශකරමින් එම ස්ථානයේ හින්දු ශිවලිංගයක් තැන්පත් කිරීමේ ආන්දෝලනාත්මක සිදුවීම පිටුපස ඇති සත්‍ය කතාව සොයා පසුගිය දා ‘අනාගතය අපි‘ සංවිධානයේ ගවේෂණයක් සිදුවිය.

මෙම ගවේෂණයේදී අදාළ ස්ථානය පිළිබඳව ඉපැරණි බෞද්ධ පුරාවිද්‍යා සාධක රැසක් හමු වූ බවත්, වඩුන්නාගල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය සතු ඓතිහාසික බෞද්ධ පදනම එම සාක්ෂි හරහා හෙළිවන බවත් එම සංවිධානයේ ඉසුරු ප්‍රසංග මහතා පවසයි.

මෙම ස්ථානයේ ඓතිහාසික පසුබිම ක්‍රි.පූ. 2 වැනි සියවස දක්වා දිවෙන බව H.C.P බෙල් මහතා හා සෙනරත් පරණවිතාන මහතා හෙළිකර ඇති බවද, පුරාවිද්‍යා චක්‍රවර්ති එල්ලාවල මේධානන්ද හිමියන්ද මෙහි බෞද්ධ උරුමය පැවසෙන සාක්ෂි බොහෝමයක් සොයාගෙන ඇති බවද, ඉසුරු ප්‍රසංග මහතා පෙන්වා දෙයි.

වර්තමානයේ උතුරු හා නැගෙනහිර පළාත්වල සිදුවෙමින් පවතින බෞද්ධ පුරාවිද්‍යාත්මක උරුමයන් සංහාරය කිරීම හුදු ආගමික ගැටුමක් නොවන බවත්, මෙය උතුරේ දෙමළ දේශපාලකයන්ගේ දේශපාලන වුවමනාවක් මත සිදුකරමින් පවතින ක්‍රියාවලියක් බවත් මෙම ගවේෂණයේ දී පැහැදිලි වූ බවත් ඒ මහතා පවසයි.

සවිස්තරාත්මක වීඩියෝව නරඹන්න…

https://www.facebook.com/watch/anagathaya.api.srilanka/

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

MP Namal Rajapaksa today said that more details will surface shortly on who the Foreign Party was who backed the Aragalaya and presently Sri Lanka had a President and cabinet appointed by the Aragalaya. 

“Not just us, even the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna who were party to the Aragalaya, are now stating that a foreign mission had a role to play in the Aragalaya,” Namal said.

“Even a fellow parliamentarian who was with us has written a book exposing the details,” he added.

He further said that the JVP was part of the Aragalaya so if they themselves are now divulging that some foreign missions were behind the Aragalaya, then more details will surface soon. 

“Right now we have a government which has been appointed by the Aragalaya. It is because of the Aragalaya that Ranil Wickremesinghe has become a President and this cabinet has also been appointed because of it,” Namal said. 

Courtesy Adaderana

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka is working closely with several Ministries and relevant authorities to develop a project to mainstream e-mobility through the conversion of 500,000 Tuk-Tuks to electric vehicles (EVs) or e-Tuk- Tuks over a 5-year period.

In a statement issued in this regard, the UNDP stated that the project aims to support the conversion of petrol three-wheelers to electric three-wheelers as a means for enhancing mobility as a driver of low-carbon, inclusive, equitable development pathways within Sri Lanka. 

Sri Lanka, like many other global nations, is working towards adopting greener and cleaner approaches for a more sustainable and resilient future.  With the prevailing socio-economic crisis in the island, a shift towards adopting sustainable mobility approaches has been identified as a necessity for a green recovery process”, the statement read.

The proposed three-phased project consists of an incubation phase, a demonstration phase and an acceleration phase. 

The incubation phase will test the conversion process, the demonstration phase will support conversions and the acceleration phase will use market forces for conversion through concessional financing and infrastructure development.

Speaking at a project launch briefing held today (11 May), Minister of Transport and Highways Bandula Gunawardena stated, This pilot project will serve as a platform to launch electric three wheelers in the country. 

Electric three wheelers will not only benefit individual operators but also contribute to spring boarding the country’s economic recovery process.’’

Highlighting the UNDP’s role in the pilot project, Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka stated, This pilot project is a part of UNDP’s Green Development Portfolio which is currently being developed.  This portfolio aims to build solutions and support Sri Lanka’s development in catalyzing low-carbon, green, and inclusive development within which sustainable transportation and e-mobility play a key role.  Through this pilot project UNDP will support the Government to establish a viable system which can be scaled up and will prioritize marginalised groups, including women and persons with disabilities while keeping equality and equity at the core of our work.”

The incubation phase will support the conversion of 200 petrol three-wheelers to electric three- wheelers. 

Accordingly, tuk-tuks not older than 10 years from the date of manufacture, and those with a petrol 4-stroke three-wheeler will be eligible, while parties from Makumbura and Pettah will also be eligible, priority will be given to applicants whose livelihood is dependent on a single three-wheeler, and preferential selections are given to women owners/ operators and persons with disabilities.

Nishantha Anurudda Weerasinghe, Commissioner General of Motor Traffic noted the importance of the project and the role of DMT in promoting e- Mobility in Sri Lanka, stating ‘‘DMT has established a system for the registration of electric three wheelers in Sri Lanka. We have also developed specifications for electric three wheelers with the support of UNDP. We believe that this intervention will encourage petrol three-wheel owners to come forward and convert their three wheelers to electric three wheelers’’

The strict selection criteria is expected to minimise the risk of failure due to technical issues, the risk of delay in conversions due to limited capacity and will test the performance of different technologies available in the market-opportunity for project stakeholders to test the market for energy efficiency (km/kWh), actual range per charge and functionality of safety features. The findings from the incubation phase will then be used in designing the demonstration phase.

Taking into consideration the above aspects, Pettah and Makumbura have been identified as viable locations for the initial conversion pilot in the Western Province. Thus, it has been decided that 100 petrol three-wheelers will be converted to electric three-wheelers from each location. 

During the pilot phase, UNDP will cover the full cost of conversion to electric three-wheeler and through this aims to support the revival of micro level/informal sector economic activities to inject much needed currency into the local economy. 

Courtesy Hiru News

Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said Sri Lanka’s public bank deposits and stability of the banking system will be safeguarded in any reorganization of domestic debt.

Governor Weerasinghe told a public forum, There is speculation about the stability of public deposits and banking system stability.

A key objective of the central bank is maintaining financial sector stability.

Sri Lanka has to at least extend the maturity of some domestic debt to meet International Monetary Fund annual financing ceiling in 2027-2032, which have to be brought down to about 13 percent from gross domestic product from the current 30 percent.

Sri Lanka banks have said they have received assurances on the effect of any debt re-structuring.

Courtesy Hiru News

An International Monetary Fund team will Sri Lanka from May 11 to 23, with its Asia Pacific Department Chief Krishna Srinivasan also joining from May 12 to 15.

The IMF said the visit will be part of regular consultations ahead of the first review mission later this year.

The IMF’s first review is due in September based on June 2023 data.

Courtesy The Daily News

Sri Lanka’s political story has never been short of twists and turns, especially since last year when a leader elected with a resounding majority, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, resigned paving the way for a nominated Parliamentarian, Ranil Wickremesinghe, to replace him. That drama is now set to continue.

There was some quiet on the political front last week as the nation celebrated Vesak. These were the first fully fledged Vesak celebrations in five years. Celebrations in 2019 were dampened by the Easter attacks, in the next two years due to the pandemic and last year due to the economic crisis.

Another reason for the lull in political activity was the absence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe who was away in Britain, attending the coronation of King Charles the Third. Being of a similar age, both the President and the King had to wait for several decades before reaching the pinnacle of power.

Despite the slow pace of political activity last week, there has been renewed interest in the possibility of elections. The polls that are being considered are the Presidential Elections that have to be held by October 2024 which, as per current constitutional provisions, cannot be expedited to an earlier date.

Setting the date for Presidential Elections and General Elections are the prerogative of the Executive President, under the terms of the Constitution. That they would do so at a time that would be to their advantage is an accepted norm. This is what President Wickremesinghe is reportedly keen to pursue.

Two former Presidents have exercised this privilege. In 1999, then President Chandrika Kumaratunga called Presidential Elections a year early, contested and won. In 2010, then President Mahinda Rajapaksa did the same. Rajapaksa tried to repeat the feat in 2015 but lost to Maithripala Sirisena.

Call for early elections

Those Presidential Polls were called early Under Article 31 of the Constitution. This allows the President to call for an early election. That too is allowed only after a four-year period of the first term of office and only if the incumbent President is standing for re-election for a second term of office.

However, the Constitution also decrees that these provisions apply only to an elected President. This is through a caveat to Article 31 which states that a person elected as President by Parliament to serve the remainder of the term of another, is not entitled to exercise the right to an early election.

President Wickremesinghe belongs to this category and constitutionally, as of now, he would not be able to call an election earlier than October 2024, so a new President could be in office by November 2024, when the President’s current term of office ends. This has created a constitutional conundrum.

The matter has been raised and discussed at the highest levels of Government. There is a school of thought that President Wickremesinghe’s popularity is on the rise and that the prospects of being elected at a Presidential Poll are best if the election is held early rather than in October 2024.

This is due to several reasons. The first is the public perception of the President as the person who ensured a smooth transition of power following the tumultuous last days of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Presidency. He is credited with restoring the rule of law after a few days of near anarchy last July.

Then, the President is also perceived as bringing some balance to the economy. The last days of Rajapaksa’s rule were identified with queues for gas and fuel and power cuts. The economy has not made a complete recovery yet but such shortages are no longer seen and there is a sense of stability.

There is also an acknowledgement among the masses that President Wickremesinghe stepped into the breach with no conditions attached when Rajapaksa resigned. The astute politician in him may have seen an opportunity but nevertheless, it was a gamble that other politicians feared to take at that time.

Amidst all these reasons why an early Presidential Poll will be best for President Wickremesinghe, is arguably another compelling factor. That is the disarray the collective Opposition and even the President’s partner in Government, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), finds itself in at present.

At the beginning of this year, there was some tangible momentum in favour of the Opposition, most notably the main Opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), now in its latest incarnation as the more inclusive National Peoples’ Power (NPP).

As the date first announced for the Local Government elections, March 9, drew near, that momentum was seized mostly by the NPP. It conducted rallies criss-crossing the country and attracted large and enthusiastic crowds. Its leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake was spoken of as presidential material.

The elections never eventuated. The Government has cited a lack of finances to conduct the poll. Several attempts by Opposition parties to compel the Elections Commission to hold the election through court orders have ended in a stalemate. They have now been postponed indefinitely.

Opposition parties have been critical of this approach by the Government and the President who are accused of stifling democracy. What the Opposition has found to their consternation is that, with the indefinite postponement of the polls, the support they enjoyed has now dissipated and disappeared.

The other factor that is to President Wickremesinghe’s advantage is the absence of a leader of national stature who can mount a challenge to the President. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is not eligible to contest. Former President Maithripala Sirisena is under a cloud due to the Easter attacks.

That narrows down potential serious contenders to Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa and NPP Leader Dissanayake. Premadasa’s leadership credentials are being seriously questioned after he refused Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s offer of the premiership and following internal divisions in the SJB.

Premadasa is reportedly facing the prospect of a revolt in his own party. There are reports that a faction would soon join the President by accepting Cabinet portfolios. Even if this group does not constitute a majority of the SJB, it would significantly dent Premadasa’s image as a strong leader.

There have even been suggestions that, if President Wickremesinghe succeeds in wooing a sizeable number of SJB MPs to join the Government, Premadasa would have no choice but to acquiesce to joining the Government as a party or risk being left with a handful of MPs who remain loyal to him.

The NPP has a different problem to contend with. It spent much time, resources and finances on the Local Government election campaign, hoping it can win and thereby generate the momentum that would carry it to victory at the next Presidential and General Elections. That has been all in vain now.

The NPP realises that it cannot indefinitely sustain a campaign for an election that will not be held in the near future. It is struggling to restore public confidence in the party as economic hardships recede. As a result, Anura Kumara Dissanayake is no longer the political hero he was a few months ago.

support for President

It is no secret that some Cabinet Ministers see their political futures being better under President Wickremesinghe rather than with a SLPP candidate because the party’s popularity is not at its peak. Among them, some have openly indicated their support for the President to be a ‘common’ candidate.

The SLPP leadership group- consisting of the Rajapaksa family- has been silent on the issue. Among potential nominees, Basil Rajapaksa would have to renounce his United States citizenship to contest. It is doubtful whether Namal Rajapaksa wants to stake a claim when his party is not so popular.

For all these inducements for President Wickremesinghe to call for an early Presidential Election, he still has to overcome the constitutional hurdle cited earlier. That can only be achieved by an amendment to the Constitution for which he would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

Chances are that the President will throw down the gauntlet at the Opposition which has been stridently complaining about the postponement of Local Elections. He could present a constitutional amendment and request that they support it because it would bring early Presidential Polls, no less.

This political drama will resume after the President returns to the country. A first step, reports suggest is the replacement of Governors in several provinces, where provincial councils are non-functional. Slowly but steadily, it appears that the stage is being set for 2023 to become an election year.

Courtesy The Daily News

New investment laws to help FDI inflow

Special Overseeing Committee established on President’s advice

The Government has decided to put in place a mechanism of providing investment approvals to foreign investors as soon as they arrive in the country enabling them to fast track the implementation of the project.

Investment Promotion State Minister Dilum Amunugama said a mechanism will soon be introduced to complete the investment  approval process in seven days. The Minister said that this process currently takes days, weeks or sometimes months.

The State Minister made this disclosure while explaining the changes and future plans for investment promotion activities on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka which falls on May 19.

Amunugama said that the Special Overseeing Committee, established on the advice of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to attract investment, has already taken steps to give investment approvals quickly. Accordingly, the work is being done through the committees made up of the executive level officials of the government institutions that need to get approvals to start any foreign investment project.

It has been successful so far, and it will be possible to give approvals in an even more efficient and friendly manner under the new investment law,” he said.

He added that the government is taking steps to prepare a new investment law that is compatible with Sri Lanka’s future needs and global investment laws under the World Bank assistance. A special committee has also been formed for that purpose. A 60% of the work of the special committee that was appointed to clarify how to make amendments to the existing rules and regulations to bring investments quickly has already been completed.

කැලණිය විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයේ ආර්ථික විද්‍යා අධ්‍යයනාංශයේ හිටපු ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ මහාචාර්ය සුනන්ද මද්දුමබණ්ඩාර උපුටාගැණීම ලංකාදීප

වෙසක් දින මුහුණු පොතේ තැබූ සටහනක මෙසේ සඳහන් වී තිබුණි. ˝ ‘‘අද පාරවල් ඇහිරිල තිබුණෙ දන්සැල් නිසාමත් නෙවෙයි, ඒවට ආපු තඩි කාර්වලින්.’’˝ අල් ජසීරා හෝ බීබීසී මාධ්‍යවේදියකු  මෙම තත්ත්වය දුටුවේ නම් ඔවුන් තම නාලිකාවලට යවන වාර්තා මෙයට වඩා බොහෝ වෙනස් වනු ඇත.

දන්සැල් අසල වටිනා වාහන නවතා පුද්ගලයන් පෝලිම් ගැසී සිටිනු දැක ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඉහළ ධනපතීන් පවා ආහාර නැතිව පෝලිම්වල සිටින බව ප්‍රකාශ වන ආකාරයේ වාර්තා පළ කරන්නට ඉඩ තිබුණි. එසේ නැත්නම් මෙවර ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ දන්සැල් අසල ඉතිහාසයේ කවරදාකවත් නොතිබූ ආකාරයේ දිගු පෝලිම් පවතින බව වාර්තා කරන්නට ද ඉඩ තිබුණි.

කෝවිඩ් කාලයේ දී සහ බංකොළොත්භාවය ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කිරීමෙන් පසු කාලයේ දී සමහර ජාත්‍යන්තර මාධ්‍ය ආයතන ශ්‍රී ලංකාව පිළිබඳව වාර්තා කළේ ඒ ආකාරයෙනි.  ඔවුන් ආසා කළේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ජනතාව පසුගිය වසර කිහිපය තුළ ආහාර, ඇඳුම් පැළඳුම්, විදුලිබල, ඉන්ධන සහ ගෑස් සම්බන්ධයෙන් මහා අර්බුදයකට මුහුණ දී තවමත් ඒවා විසඳාගත නොහැකිව පීඩාවට පත්ව සිටින බව ලොවට පෙන්වන්නටය. 

සමහර මාධ්‍යවේදීන් මෙන්ම දේශපාලනඥයෝ ද එකල ශ්‍රී ලංකාව මරණ බිය, රෝග බිය සහ ආහාර බිය යන තුන් බියකට මුහුණ දී සිටින බව ප්‍රකාශ කළහ. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඉන්ධන සහ ගෑස් පෝලිම් ද කුඩා දරුවන් වඩාගෙන එම පෝලිම්වල සිටින මවුවරුන් ද ඉන්ධන පෝලිම්වල මරණයට පත්වන පුද්ගලයන් ද පිළිබඳව තොරතුරුවලින් ලෝක ජනමාධ්‍ය පිරී තිබුණි. ගෝල්ෆේස් අරගල භූමියේ තම අසහනය ප්‍රකාශ කරන විවිධාකාරයේ විරෝධතා ඒවායින්  නිරන්තරයෙන් දැක ගැනීමට හැකි විය.

කෝවිඩ් සහ අරගල සමයේ විසාලා මහනුවර මෙන් පැවැති ශ්‍රී ලංකාව මෙවර වෙසක් දින වන විට තැන තැන දන්සැල් ද  තැන තැන තොරණ ද තැන තැන ඉදි කර ඇති වෙසක් කලාපවලින් ද පිරී ගොස් තිබුණි. වසර කිහිපයකට පසු ලක්ෂ සංඛ්‍යාත බැතිමතුන් පිරිසකගෙන් පිරී ගිය සිරිපා සමය වෙසක් දා අවසන් වූයේ අවසන් දිනට ද රැස් වූ ලක්ෂ සංඛ්‍යාත පිරිසක් මැද්දේය. දළඳා මැදුරට, අටමස්ථානයට පමණක් නොව අලු‍තින් ඉදිකළ කූරගලට ද ලක්ෂ සංඛ්‍යාත ජනතාවක් නිදහසේ ඇදී එන ආකාරය බොහෝ දෙනකුට දැක ගැනීමට හැකි වූයේ යැයි සිතමි.

අවුරුදු හතරකට පසු මහජනතාවට මෙවර සිංහල හින්දු අලු‍ත් අවුරුද්ද සැමරීමට ඉඩ ලැබුණි. ඒ ආකාරයටම සම්බුදු තෙමඟු‍ල සමරන ආකාරය ද දැක ගැනීමට හැකි විය. වෙසක් මස තරුණ ජෝඩු විශාල පිරිසක් ඔවුන්ගේ විවාහ උත්සව පවත්වා යුග දිවියට සැපත් වන ආකාරය දැක ගැනීමට ද ඉඩ ලැබුණේ යැයි සිතමි. වෙසක් මාසයේ මෙවැනි හෘදයාංගම සිදුවීම් රැසක්  පිළිබඳව අසන්නට ද කතා කරන්නටද  ඉඩ ලැබුණි. 

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව නැවත ඉපදුනු බවක් දැන් පෙන්නුම් කරන්නේ යැයි කීමට මම උත්සාහ නොකරමි. එසේ වුවද අරගලය අවසන් කර ජනපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහයන් විසින් රට යථා තත්ත්වයට පත් නොකරන්නට අපට තුන් බියකට වඩා වැඩි බියකට වුවද මුහුණ දී කල් ගත කිරීමට සිදු වන වටාපිටාවක් තවමත් පවතින්නට ඉඩ තිබුණි. එදා තිබූ තත්ත්වය වෙනස් වී අලු‍ත් අවුරුද්ද සහ වෙසක් සැමරීමට හැකි වීම ආශ්චර්යයක් සේ සිතීමට හේතුවක් නැතැයි තවත් සමහරුන් ප්‍රකාශ කිරීමට ද ඉඩ තිබේ. 

වෙසක් දින නේක වර්ණ විසිතුරු දසුන් මවා පෑ නෙලු‍ම් කුලුනට ගොඩවූ පිරිස 12,204ක් විය. ඒ අතර විදේශිකයන් 76 දෙනෙක්ද වූහ. එය මහජන ප්‍රදර්ශනය සඳහා සැප්තැම්බර් මාසයේදී විවෘතව තැබීමෙන් පසු මේ දක්වා නරඹා ඇති සංචාරක පිරිස 8,15,982ක් වන අතර ඔවුන්ගෙන් 13,057ක් විදේශිකයෝ වෙති. මෙවර වෙසක් දින, එක් දිනකට පැමිණි ඉහළම සංචාරකයන්ගේ සංඛ්‍යාව වාර්තා කළේය.

˝වසර හතරක පමණ කාලයක් විවිධ සමාජීය හේතූ මත වෙසක් උත්සවය උත්කර්ෂවත් ලෙස පැවැත්වීමට නොහැකිවීම නිසා වෙසක් මහෝත්සවය පිළිබඳ මතකය බාල පරපුරෙන් ගිලිහී ගියා. මෙවර ජාතික වෙසක් මහෝත්සවය උත්කර්ෂවත් ලෙස පැවැත්වීමෙන් බාල පරම්පරාවේ විශාල මානසික පෙරළියක් ඇති කිරීමට හේතු වෙනවා”. ˝ ජාතික වෙසක් උත්සවය විවෘත කරමින් අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන මහතා කළ ප්‍රකාශය සිදුවන වෙනස්කම් අවබෝධ කර ගැනීම සඳහා ඉතා වැදගත් වනු ඇත.

රට වෙනස් වී නැත. තවමත් වෙසක් සැමරුම පිළිබඳ මතක වියැකී ගොස් නැත. බයිසිකල්වල කණ්ඩායම් සැදී වෙසක් බලන තරුණ පිරිස් ද විවෘත රථවල පවුල් පිටින් වෙසක් බලන්නට යන පිරිස් ද යතුරු පැදි කණ්ඩායම් ලෙස වෙසක් බලන පිරිස් ද නැවත කරළියට පැමිණ ඇත. 

හැමදාම දොස් නැගුවත් ඔලු‍බක්කා අතුරුදහන් වී නැත. දන්සැල් ඉදිරියේ කොඩි වනා ආරාධනා කරන්නන්ගෙන් මාර්ග හිස් වී නැත.  භක්ති ගී කණ්ඩායම් ද නැවත වීදි සැරිසරයි. වෙසක් කූඩු තරග, භක්ති ගීත, මහ තොරණ සියල්ල අතීතයේ පැවැති ලෙසම නැවත පැමිණ ඇත. මේ සියල්ල තුළ පැහැදිලි වන්නේ කෝවිඩ් ආර්ථික අර්බුදය සහ අරගලය හේතුවෙන් කලක් නිශ්චලව, නිහඬව සහ ආර්ථික වශයෙන් මරණාසන්නව පැවැති ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ක්‍රමයෙන් යථා තත්ත්වයට පත්වෙමින් ඇති බවය.

සිංහල හින්දු අවුරුද්දට වඩා හොඳින් වෙසක් පැවැත්වුණි. වෙසක්වලට වඩා හොඳින් පොසොන් පැවැත්වෙනු ඇත. අනෙකුත් ආගමික උත්සව ද ජාතික හා සංස්කෘතික උත්සව ද ඒ ආකාරයටම පැවැති තත්ත්වයට සමාන වන අයුරින් යළිත් පැවැත්වීමට හැකි වන යුගයක් උදාවනු ඇත. 

වෙසක් උත්සවය ජාත්‍යන්තර මට්ටමින් සමරනු ලබන, එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ සංවිධානය විසින් ජාත්‍යන්තර දිනයක් වශයෙන් ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කරනු ලැබ ඇති දිනයකි. එසේ වුවද පසුගිය වසර හතර තුළ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට පමණක් නොව වෙසක් සමරන අනෙක් බොහෝ රටවලට ද ඒ සඳහා අවස්ථාවක් ලැබී නොතිබුණැයි සිතමි. පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරයේ සිට අරගලය යැයි හඳුන්වන ව්‍යාපාරය අවසන් වන තුරුම රට තුළ දක්නට ලැබුණේ අවිනිශ්චිත, අඳුරු සහ අර්බුදකාරී කාල පරිච්ඡේදයකි.

භෞතික වශයෙන් භුක්ති විඳින දේවල  හිඟය පමණක් නොව කෝවිඩ් වැනි වසංගත නිසා ඇති වූ කම්පනය ද මහජනතාවගේ සාමකාමී දිවි පෙවෙතට විශාල තර්ජනයක් එල්ල කළේය. එහෙත් අද තත්ත්වය සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම  වෙනස් වී ඇති අතර ජීවිතය පිළිබඳ බලාපොරොත්තු තැබීමටත් තම දූ දරුවන්ගේ අනාගතය පිළිබඳ අපේක්ෂා රැඳවීමටත් මහජනතාවට හැකි වී තිබේ. වෙසඟේ අසිරිය ජනතාවගේ සිත් සතන්වලට දැනෙන ආකාරයෙන් සැමරීමට හැකි වී තිබෙන්නේ ඒ නිසාය. 

සංස්කෘතික සහ සමාජීය පැවැත්ම කොරෝනාවලින් පසු ප්‍රථම වතාවට යථා තත්ත්වයට පත් කර ගැනීමට දැන් අවස්ථාව සැලසී තිබේ.  උද්ධමන වේගය පහළ වැටීම, ඩොලරයේ අගය අඩු වීම, ප්‍රේෂණ වැඩි වීම, ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල විසින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට ණය පහසුකම් ලබා දීම මේ ආකාරයේ පරිවර්තනයක් ඇති කිරීම සඳහා උපස්ථම්භක වී තිබේ. රජය සමඟ මන්ත්‍රීවරු සැලකිය යුතු පිරිසක් එකතු වනු ඇති බවට තොරතුරු ප්‍රචාරය වී තිබුණි. එසේම ජාතික ආණ්ඩුවක් ඇති කිරීම පිළිබඳව ද යම් යම් සංවාද ඇති වී තිබුණි.

ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල පිළිබඳව පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ පැවැති විවාදයෙන් පසු ගිවිසුමට විරුද්ධව ඡන්දය දීමෙන් වැළකීමට ප්‍රධාන විපක්ෂය තීරණය කර තිබුණි. ශ්‍රී ලාංකික සමාජය තුළ අද පවත්නා ගැටලු‍ විසඳා ගැනීම සඳහා සියලු‍ දෙනාම එකතු වී කටයුතු කිරීම ඉතා වැදගත් වනු ඇත.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව සහ වෙනත් රටවල වෙසක් සමරද්දී ලොව බොහෝ දෙනකුගේ අවධානය යොමුව තිබුණේ බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ තුන්වන චාල්ස් රජුගේ අභිෂේක මංගල්‍යය දෙසය. චාල්ස් රජුගේ අභිෂේක මංගල්‍යයට සහභාගී වන අතර පොදු රාජ්‍ය මණ්ඩලයේ රාජ්‍ය නායක සමුළුවට ද සහභාගී වූ ජනාධිපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා  සමුළුව අමතමින් තරුණ සහභාගීත්වය දිරිමත් කරන අධ්‍යාපන ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණ සඳහා පොදුරාජ්‍ය මණ්ඩලය වඩා පුළුල් කාර්යභාරයක් ඉටු කළ  යුතු බව ප්‍රකාශ කළේය. එසේම ඩිජිටල්කරණය ඔස්සේ සබඳතා ශක්තිමත් කිරීමට කටයුතු කළ යුතුව ඇතැයි ද ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

පොදු රාජ්‍ය මණ්ඩලීය නායක සමුළුවට සමගාමීව පැවැති Fireside Chat සමග එකතු වූ මහාචාර්ය මෛත්‍රී වික්‍රමසිංහ මහත්මිය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට සහ ජාත්‍යන්තරයට අදාළව කරුණු කිහිපයක් පිළිබඳවම අදහස් ඉදිරිපත් කර සාකච්ඡාවල නිරත වූ බව මාධ්‍ය විසින් වාර්තා කර තිබුණි. 

රට පුරා සම්බුදු තෙමඟු‍ල අතිඋත්කර්ෂවත් අන්දමින් සැමරෙද්දී ඒ සඳහා මග පෑදූ ජනාධිපතිවරයා තුන්වැනි චාල්ස් රජුගේ මෞලි මංගල්‍යයට සහභාගී වූ අතරම පොදු රාජ්‍ය මණ්ඩල කටයුතුවලට අදාළව සාකච්ඡාවලට සහභාගීවීමට ද ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට අදාළ බොහෝ කරුණු සම්බන්ධව තවත් රටවල රාජ්‍ය නායකයන් සමඟ ද්වීපාර්ශ්වීය සාකච්ඡා පැවැත්වීමට ද හැකි විය. රට අභ්‍යන්තරයේ ඇතිව තිබූ වෙනස තුළින් ගොඩනැගුණු සාමකාමී තත්ත්වය නිසා එවැනි ස්ථාවරත්වයක් ඇති වී තිබේ.

ඒ නිසාම එදා ඉන්ධන පෝලිම්වල දකින්නට ලැබුණු තඩි සහ පොඩි වාහන අද වෙසක් දන්සැල් අසල තිබෙනු දකින්නට ලංකාවාසී ජනතාවට හැකි වී ඇතැයි සිතමි. මගේ මුහුණු පොතේ මිතුරු ලයිස්තුවේ සිටින කෙනකු අර්බුද අවස්ථාවේදී තැබූ සටහනක් මගේ මතකයට නැගේ. ඉන් එකක මෙසේ සඳහන්ව තිබුණි. ˝ මේ තෙල් පෝලිම්වල පිච්චෙන්නෙ අපේ ජීවිත කා‍ලයෙන් කොටසක්. මේව අපට කවදාවත් ආපහු ගන්න බැහැ.  මම ඊයේ ඉඳන් තෙල් පෝලිමේ.

මට ඉස්සරහ වාහන හාරසීයක් විතර තියෙනව. මේ මම ඉන්ධන පෝලිමකට ආ පළමු වතාව. රෑ තිස්සේ මදුරු ප්‍රහාර. දැන් වෙලාව 4.30යි” එදා මහජනතාවට දැනුණු පීඩනය සහ කම්පනය මේ වෙසඟ දිනය වන විට වෙනස් වී ඇති බව දන්සල් ගැන සටහන් තබන අයට මෙන් තෙල් පෝලිම්වල මෙන්ම අනෙක් පෝලිම්වල රැඳී සිටි සහ පීඩාවට පත්වූ සුවහසක් මහජනතාවට ද වැටහෙනු ඇතැයි සිතමි.

කැලණිය විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයේ ආර්ථික විද්‍යා අධ්‍යයනාංශයේ හිටපු ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ මහාචාර්ය සුනන්ද මද්දුමබණ්ඩාර

By Dr Tilak S. Fernando

During this period of Kingdom, Ceylon was divided into three regions: Rohana (Matara), Southern and Raja Rata (Up county). In the early part of this kingdom, disputes, conspiracies or threats of fear of war existed. Therefore, it caused many problems towards the progress of the country. At times all three regions’ economy was spent on war compulsions.

When considering how those Kings of the Polonnaruwa era took care of Ceylon’s interest by making a liberal nation towards the early part of the kingdom, especially King Parakramabahu did not allow any foreign invasion to occur. He built several fortresses at strategic locations in his kingdom.

King Parakramabahu was keen on increasing agricultural production by growing much land for paddy cultivation and promoting several irrigation channels. It revealed the King’s ambition and popular saying: ‘Do not allow a single drop of water go to the ocean.’ Thereby, his kingdom became the most powerful kingdom out of all the other domains in Ceylon.

When he was just Prince, he had four ambitions or dreams in his mind, and once he became the King of Ceylon, he fulfilled his dreams in no time. This was mentioned in Pali Language in chronicles or (wansa kataha), as follows:

1. To make his subjects completely contented.
2. To make Buddhism a stable position.
3. To protect Chronicles.
4. To feed beggars.

It is also mentioned that those who gained state patronage were rewarded according to their suitability and talent. King Parakramabahu had given huge almsgiving and offered his subjects and various favours to his people, in line with ancient customs and traditions involved in Buddhistic affairs. It was tattooed in a Polonnaruwa Gal Vihara in anancient manuscript. Apart from those, it was mentioned that the King performed ‘dansalas’(free food and drink to passers-by) in every corner of his reign, including the Buddhist clergy, Brahmins and the poor or beggars.

As the chronicles mention, King Parakramabahu erected a massive hall and employed doctors and nurses. The King visited the Buddhist viharas without fail in every Poya. There are 4 Poya” in a month (known as Pura Atawake–Pasalowawaka, Atawake and Amawake).

Similarly, it is possible to think that the King’s sole income came from taxes. The King gave orders to tax collectors in every district not to abuse or threaten his subjects but at the same time not to take any short money from taxes. It was mentioned in the Theravada chronicles (Nikaya Sangrahaya). Parakramabahu 1 divided his reign into 15 ‘Padavies (areas) and deforestation of Land in the Anuradhapura District of the North Central Province of Ceylon. To fit into such orders, the King formed the following departments.

1. Preparation of Records- Eight Departments (Viyapahh Path 8).
2. Treasury – 4 departments (Sathara Mudala).
3. Department of Transport (Ata Wadige).
4. Divided Elephant Welfare Department into eight.          
5.  A decentralisation was done with inland boards and eighty-four counties

It was also mentioned that during the Parakramabahu 1, what the villagers paid as the tax was utilised to pay day-to-day expenses of the Palace, all royal expenses, but did not include the king’s personal expenses. King Nissankamalla, out of such taxes, managed to reduce taxes to civil servants.

An overhaul of the administration strategies was done. It was stated in the chronicles that there were two officials in charge of the Royal Administration. between these two officials, one officer was apparently responsible for war affairs, and the other was not in an official position. He had several accountants (Ganakamaluwa)under him. Two accountants were in charge of the royal money and shared the responsibility. They were dealing with expensive commodities such as precious stones, alloy stuff, oils and valuable land, collecting taxes and were responsible to the treasury officials.

After Parakramabahu 1,followed other Royals’. Their opinion was that the taxation by the previous kings was unfair to the people. As a result, the king gave a tax moratorium for five years to bring relief to their subjects. It was reordered in the ancient inscriptions that they were just kings and had advised treasury officials not to involve in bribery and corruption but to make the country prosperous.

People, their vocation and society.However

During this epoch, the southern province was adopted in the 12th century, It was mentioned that the country was divided into twelve regions” and was split into eighty-four segments (countries” or counties). Therefore, each local region would have seven areas. Each part (mandala) was in charge of one person known as Rattia.

King Parakramabahu was the Southern province’s king before becoming the King of Polonnaruwa. Once he became the King, many administrative changes took place. The public life of people’s life concentrated on lakes, Buddhist temples, Dageba (stupa) and paddy cultivation. During the Pollanaru era, there were no drastic changes because of the king’s choice of ruling in the ‘middle path,’ People did not interfere but were loyal to the royalty.

It is the duty of the King to rule to safeguard every citizen’s right, and people accept it. When the cultivated land is increased, the amount of tax too proportionately increases. How King Parakramabahu devoted his efforts to agriculture shows that he collected more tax from the paddy fields in the Sothern Province. As a result, he managed to show elude any fears of starvation, and the country became self-sufficient. During the Polonnaruwa era, people could buy extra land as they were self-sufficient.

During this epoch, there is no record of the Kings owning every land that freely existed. On historical records, every land consisted of valuable precious stones and the Kings appointed a special administrative officer to collect such tax.

During the Polonnaruwa era, an intelligent and optimistic king (Parakramabahu) looked after the welfare of the socially rich people, and the social standards were the most. Systematic agriculture made the country self-sufficient. Agriculture and other social areas such as health, education, housing and royal patronage existed to bring about the common man’s problems. Once King Parakramabahu became king, he offered alms to the clergy, Bamunas, beggars and pedestrians. The King built massive sick bays are recorded in the chronicles.

During the Parakramabahu era, the King reconstructed what was ruined by Solei’s invasion of Anuradhapura’s reign through a Minister. During this period, many industries existed, and as a result, people lived happily.

In this era, professions such as medicine, spirituality, and magic prominently existed—similarly precious stone industry, pillows, mats and mattresses were prominent. One of Parakramabahu’s enemies, King Gajabu’s soldiers (Kalawapiye), to favour Prince Parakramabahu, offered expensive presents such as various precious stones and a massive elephant to Kalwapiye’s assistants.

The first Indian emperor’s time, Ceylon was considered part of Solei’s reign, and during Solei’s invasion, there was much damage to Ceylon. Is it possible to take Ceylonese’s expensive items to their Solei reign? Considering this fact, it is possible to wonder whether the entire country fell into Solie’s.  King Parakramabahu, together with Lankapura soldiers, formed a battalion. He beheaded one Kulsekera and made the king of Pandu sit on his throne, and returned to Ceylon was mentioned in old Ceylon history. Subsequently, this soldier formed a fortress in Thundukala in India and brought a substantial number of Indians as prisoners and made use of them to construct the big stupa in Anuradhapura.

tilakfernando@gmail.com

Courtesy: The writer translated into English from Sinhala from the Book by the late Prasad Milinda on Financial Analysis between BC 543 – 1832 (only sections of the book is concentrated to fit into publication).

By Dr Tilak S. Fernando

When ancient Ceylonese trade, industries and technology were discussed, the irrigation network was the first thing that came to mind—the old technology and self-determination. During the Polonnaruwa era, irrigation networks were prominent and considered a meritorious deed according to the Sinhala culture and tradition. When a massive lake was to be constructed, Sri Lankans always sought foreigners’ assistance (in the present circumstances), including modern equipment and their knowledge. But our forefathers constructed huge lakes with slopes up to one inch to a mile gradient with their expertise and technology in society. It meant that local industries should have existed. It is also recorded that technology to build bridges existed in the Polonnaruwa era. Our forefathers’ ability and determination make us really proud.

Old Ceylonese considered the Lake building and construction of stupas (Dagabas) as a meritorious right according to the ancient customs that existed in society. Finding a royal who did not construct a stupa was impossible. According to ancient inscriptions, the lake was the responsibility of a particular village headman and the accurate water distribution of water to the paddy fields. All repairs were to be done by villagers by Royal command.

Industries

Several talented people knew to improve industries such as the ‘gold’, precious stones, health, hide, and iron industries during the Polonnaruwa era. During the Parakramabahu era, it was recorded that even apparel was exported, and the King himself did wear locally made clothes. It was a good illustration that the apparel industry had advanced technology. It is also mentioned in the chronicles that King Parakramabahu donated cushions, pillows, mats and carpets that were the products of national handloom manufactured locally. Also, the King distributed yellow money (notes -Adikina) with his name tattooed everywhere and circulated in the country. Therefore, it shows that local industries should have existed. It is also recorded that technology to build bridges existed in the Polonnaruwa era. When King Parakramabahu, during the war with Gagaba, had to send soldiers to Anuradhapura Gariba District. He had to build a bridge across Kala Oya. and send all military ware across the newly built bridge.

History will reveal that the building construction industry became prominent during the Polonnaruwa era. Ancient ruins that exist today confirm that these ‘Watadageya’ (circular Monument), statue room, ‘Hetadageya,’ Siva Kovil, Kings Palace, and Nissanka Latha a hall took a prominent place. According to Mahavamsa, King Parakramabahu’s Palace was huge, with seven floors and ten stores. To reach one of the stores, there were escalators. At the base, there were Sandakapahanas, and on top, decorated with two lions made of stone. To see King’s subjects, there existed a hall named Waishaya Buranga. It consisted of three circular buildings. Around the staircase was a series of pictures of elephants and photographs of officers made of stone. At the centre was a stage decorated with traditional two-lion pictures.

Many industries were constructed in the Polonnaruwa era according to various seasons of the year. The following is a list of ponds: Deepa, Visraka, Tilaka Nandana, Manohara, Poorna Wardena, Pali Potha, Uthuru Thuru, Keelakarrana, Mahamevna, Raja Nara, Vanarakarana, Nirmithapura, Sansara Pala, Soma Nara, Vaarukarata, Panda Wavana, Chitra Latha Wana, Nayanussarana, Pandasaha Bara, Paaru Yana, Yann Kodi Kana, Pala Vaiwaree and Rameshwara Uyana.

Some of the small-scale canals (Weva) King Parakramabahu constructed as follows:

Magala, Situ, Yakun Thaku, Panda, Amba, Vasa, Giriba, Patala, Chandikkulama, Monara, Sadiya Gam, Thilagul, Malaval, Kulu, Ginigariri Gal, Kurugamu, Kavutharu, Jalli Ba, Uthurala, Siyambala Gam, Dawlagiriy Gam, Kira, Kalantharu, Karatta Vilan, Dibal Gam, Munararuth, Kasal, Kalala Hal, Mul Charika, Giriya Gamu and Visirathala Weva. Furthermore, King Parakramabahu repaired 460 waterways’

The total number of lakes the King had constructed was 395 King Parakramabahu had created the following industries as hideouts.

570 statues.

Visitor pavilions sixty.

Other Buildings

Theatres five.

Three-story buildings.

Thirty Dharma halls for Buddhist priests to discourse for discourses.

One hundred residencies.

One hundred and twenty libraries

Ruwanwelia Seya, Abayagiriya, Jethawramaya, Mirisavatiya and repaired Lowamahapaya, which Solis ruined one thousand five hundred bricks.  

  Trade & International connections.

  During the Polonnaruwa era, some kings showed keen interest in trade. It was mentioned that the king had to be informed of any trade transactions. It was recorded that during this era, direct transactions were done with foreign nations, although under the Wijayabahu kingdom, increases in exports were recorded. King Parakramabahu made the country self-sufficient in agriculture. He dealt with tweed cloth, multi-coloured precious stones, different kinds of Prisms, diamonds and various perfumes mentioned in the old history books

 Traders

  During this period, traders who arrived in Ceylon to trade established their centres and built-up diplomatic relations with other countries. The trade was so much flourishing, and given an example of the ‘Cockbird who gets into the roof in Anuradhapura usually gets down in Polonnaruwa’ states an old saying. This was to illustrate the vast amount of trade halls in the country, it was mentioned in the ancient history books that out of the traders, there were few Ceylonese who owned ships too. It was mentioned during the Polonnaruwa period, harbours near Jaffna Dambakola Patuna, Mannar, Mahathota, North Western Province beach Mawatu Patuna, near Trincomalee Gonagama Patuna, Near Negombo Thammal Moya and down South Beach Weligama.

  During the Gajaga Kingdom, the ban on Ceylonese was on those who were ready to work at Kaveri Patuna. The paddy was sold like hotcakes at Kaveri. Therefore, there was a likelihood of losing experienced farmers by going abroad as a result of which affected national agriculture was a just presumption. However, Internal exchanges took place, the king did place money transactions.

Once the Polonnaruwa era ended, politics changed towards the South. At the end of the Kalinga epoch affected change, the majesty of the first Wijayabahu, Parakramabahu, and Nissankamalla’s glory vanished. Internal conflicts and foreign threats on the island’s external political set-up as much as the nation’s economy became weaker. The glory of the Polonnaruwa era ended in 1186 and 1235.

King Wijayabahu nurtured the culture and tradition where Parakramabahu developed the country, and Nissankamalla temporarily uplifted a certain level. Still, after the invention of foreign invaders, the country’s economy was depleted, especially after the Marg, which deteriorated at the end of the Polonnaruwa era.

tilakfernando@gmail.com

Courtesy: The writer translated into English from Sinhala from the Book by the late Prasad Milinda Siriwardena on Financial Analysis between BC 543 – 1832 (only sections of the book is concentrated to fit into publication).

Asoka Bandarage

Colonial and Neoliberal Origins: Ecological and Collective Alternatives

Volume 30 in the series De Gruyter Contemporary Social Sciences

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111203454

About this book

This book provides a broad picture of Sri Lanka’s on-going political and economic crisis as the culmination of several centuries of colonial and neo-colonial developments. The book presents the Sri Lankan crisis as an exemplification of a broader global existential crisis facing more and more debt trapped countries, especially in the post-colonial Global South. The book’s in-depth case study raises important questions pertaining to sovereignty and political and economic democracy in Sri Lanka and the world at large.

The book also explores the emergence of the crisis in the context of the accelerating geopolitical conflict between China and the USA in the Indian Ocean. It ponders if the debt crisis, economic collapse and political destabilization in Sri Lanka were intentionally precipitated to the advantage of the Quadrilateral Alliance (USA, India, Australia and Japan).

Moving beyond geopolitical rivalry, the book juxtaposes Sri Lanka’s political-economic crisis with the broader ecological crisis of climate change and sea-level rise.

The book concludes with a consideration of the ethical dilemmas behind the debt and survival crisis in Sri Lanka and across the world. It points out a range of social movements and initiatives in Sri Lanka and the Global South which subscribe to collective and ecological alternatives and a Middle Path of sustainability and social justice.

• Timely and well-researched
• A global perspective on the Sri Lankan crisis
• Offers ecological and collective alternatives as crisis resolution

Author information

Asoka Bandarage, California Institute for Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Reviews

“In this well-written, well-researched scholarly text, Asoka Bandarage brilliantly combines a detailed historical analysis of the political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka and a global ethical perspective pertaining to similar crises elsewhere in the world.”
T. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, Professor, Department of Economics, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

“A very useful analysis providing depth and background to understanding the current Sri Lankan economic crisis. Bandarage goes well beyond the standard tropes of ‘policy errors’ or culture/identity-based explanations, to locate the Sri Lankan experience in the wider context of profit-, technology- and finance-driven globalization.”
Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

“Crisis in Sri Lanka and the World is a most timely book – and urgently needed for the world that is at a critical crossroads of extreme and accelerating possibilities. For alternatives that are just and sustainable, the crisis needs to be understood both historically as well as in the contemporary context. I cannot think of very many who can do that – both with scholarship and passion – with a fusion of global as well as local and holistic perspectives as Asoka Bandarage has been able to do here.”
Sajed Kamal has taught at Boston University, Northeastern University, Antioch New England Graduate School, and Brandeis University

By Dr Tilak S. Fernando

At Westminster Abbey, Charles III was crowned as the modern King. The occasion was highlighted with pomp and glory, returning to the 13^th Century. Westminster Abbey holds every Royal occasion and retains the tombs of previous kings and queens since 1066. Westminster Abbey had performed sixteen weddings, including the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer, and Queens and seventeen monarchs. Westminster Abbey commenced functioning as an Anglican Church by Henry III in 1245.

King Charles III’s procession began at Buckingham Palace. The Royals (King Charles III and the Queen) travelled in the Diamond Jubilee State coach drawn by six Windsor grey horses”. Inside Westminster Abbey were two thousand two hundred invitees, including politicians and celebrities worldwide. The King’s son, William, became the Prince of Wales when his father, who was marking time for 70 years to the position of King after the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, followed by his wife and children. His brother Harry attended the ceremony on his own.

King Charles III became the fortieth monarch of the United Kingdom. The coronation of the British monarchs remained unchanged for nearly one thousand years. Britton’s last coronation was in 1953, when the late Queen Elizabeth was crowned at age 27.

The Archbishop of Canterbury performed the service at Westminster. Rituals such as recognition, coronation oath, anointing, investiture and enthronement were done in line with customs and spectacle.”

King Charles III vowed to defend the Anglican church at the coronation service. After the anointing of the King’s ceremonial robe was removed. The Archbishop of Canterbury anointed King Charles III with holy oil, deliberating God’s grace upon the monarch and placed St. Edward’s crown on the King’s head, followed by everyone in Westminster Abbey cheering God save the King”. Simultaneously, the British anthem was played during the sacred parts of the ceremony. At the same time, military across the UK fired gun salutes to mark the historic occasion.

Westminster Abbey has many architectural masterpieces from the 13^th to 16^th Centuries. Westminster Abbey preserves the shrine of St Edward, the Confessor, tombs of previous kings and queens and many of the famous and the great.

tilakfernando@gmail.com

 අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

අරමුදල් සපයාගැනීමේ අපහසුතාව හේතුවෙන් අතරමඟ නවතා දමා ඇති පහළ මල්වතුඔය ව්‍යාපෘතිය කඩිනමින් යළි ආරම්භ කිරීම පිළිබඳ සොයා බලන ලෙස 2023.05.09 දින අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන මහතා ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ නිලධාරීන්ට උපදෙස් ලබා දුන්නේය.

යාන්ඔය වේල්ල ඉදිකර ඇති Sinomach China CAMC ඉංජිනේරු සංස්ථාව විසින් ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇති ව්‍යාපෘති යෝජනාවක් පරීක්ෂා කිරීමෙන් අනතුරුව අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා මෙලෙස උපදෙස් දෙනු ලැබීය.

  පහළ මල්වතු ඔය ව්‍යාපෘති ගිවිසුම සහ යාන් ඔය ව්‍යාපෘති ගිවිසුම සමඟ සම්බන්ධ කිරීමේ හැකියාව පරීක්ෂා කරන ලෙස  අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා  නිලධාරීන්ගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටි අතර ජලයේ පාවෙන සූර්ය පැනල යාන් ඔය මත සවිකිරීමෙන් මහා පරිමාණයෙන් සූර්ය බලශක්තිය උත්පාදනය කිරීමේ හැකියාව පවතින බව පෙන්වා දුන්නේය. එවැනි ව්‍යාපෘතියක් මගින් ජාතික විදුලිබල පද්ධතියට විදුලිය උත්පාදනය කළ හැකි අතර පහළ මල්වතු ඔය ව්‍යාපෘතිය නිම කිරීමට අවශ්‍ය ප්‍රතිපාදන ද ඉන් උපයා ගත හැකිය.

Sinomach හි ප්‍රධාන නියෝජිත ඇලෙක්ස් ගුඕ පැවසුවේ ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 160 ක් වැයවන ව්‍යාපෘතිය සඳහා චීන බැංකුවලින් අරමුදල් රැස් කිරගැනීමේ කටයුත්ත China CAMC සමාගමට භාර ගත හැකි බවයි. පළමු අදියරේදී යාන්ඔය ජලාශය මත පාවෙන සූර්ය පැනල තැබීමෙන් ජනනය කළ හැකි විදුලිය ජාතික විදුලිබල පද්ධතියට අලෙවි කළ හැකි වේ. 

පහළ මල්වතු ඔය ව්‍යාපෘතියට අවශ්‍ය ණය මුදලින් සැලකිය යුතු කොටසක් යාන් ඔය මත ඉදිකිරීම  යෝජිත සූර්ය බලාගාරයෙන් ලැබෙන ආදායමෙන් සපුරා ගත හැකි බව ඇලෙක්ස් ගුඕ මහතා පැවසීය.

පහළ මල්වතු ඔය ව්‍යාපෘතියේ පළමු සමීක්ෂණය සහ ශක්‍යතා අධ්‍යයනය සිදු කළේ මීට දශකයකට පමණ පෙර තමා වාරිමාර්ග නියෝජ්‍ය අමාත්‍යවරයාව සිටියදී බව මෙම අවස්ථාවට සහභාගී වූ  හිටපු අමාත්‍ය එස්. එම්. චන්ද්‍රසේන මහතා පැවසීය. මේ වනතෙක් එහි කිසිදු ප්‍රගතියක් දක්නට නොමැති බවට ඔහු සිය කණගාටුව පළ කළේය.

මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතිය මගින් හෙක්ටයාර් 38,000 කට වැඩි භූමි ප්‍රමාණයකට ජලය සැපයිය හැකි බවත්, ආහාර සුරක්ෂිතතාව සඳහා වූ වැඩපිළිවෙළ නංවාලීමට හැකි බවත් ඔහු පෙන්වා දුන්නේය.

පහළ මල්වතු ඔය ව්‍යාපෘතිය මගින් 209 MCM ධාරිතාවයකින් යුත් ජලාශයක්, මීටර් 3,590ක් දිග පස් වේල්ලක්, රේඩියල් ගේටඩ් වාන් මාර්ගය, වම් ඉවුර, දකුණු ඉවුර සහ ගංගා සොරොව්වක්, නව ජනාවාස, ප්‍රදේශයට ඇල මාර්ග පද්ධතියක් සහ බලාගාරයක් ඉදිකිරීමට අපේක්ෂා කෙරෙයි. මල්වතු ඔයේ ඉහළ ජල පෝෂකයෙන් 70% ක් පමණ අනුරාධපුර දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ පිහිටා ඇති අතර පහළ ජල පෝෂකය වව්නියාව සහ මන්නාරම දිස්ත්‍රික්කවල පිහිටා ඇත.

චීනයට අපනයනය කිරීම සඳහා හෙක්ටයාර 50ක භූමි ප්‍රමාණයක පලතුරු සහ එළවළු නිෂ්පාදනය සඳහා ආයෝජනය කිරීමේ හැකියාව සොයා බලන ලෙසද අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා Sinomach මෙරට නියෝජිතයාගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටියේය.

පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරුන් වන එස්. එම්. චන්ද්‍රසේන, යදාමිණි ගුණවර්ධන, අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය අතිරේක ලේකම් මහින්ද ගුණරත්න යන මහත්වරුන් ඇතුළු ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ නිලධාරීන් සහ ව්‍යාපෘති ඇගයුම්කරුවන් මෙම සාකච්ඡාවට එක්ව සිටියහ.

 අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

Manusha Media

රටේ අනාගතය වෙනුවෙන්, සරල, ශක්තිමත්, යාවත්කාලීන වූ කම්කරු නීති පද්ධතියක් ගෙන ඒම සඳහා පූර්ණ සහාය ලබා දීමට ශ්‍රී ලංකා නීතීඥ සංගමය එකගතාවය පලකර සිටී.

ඒකාබද්ධ කම්කරු නීති පද්ධතියක් සකස්කිරීම සඳහා අවශ්‍ය පූර්ණ නීතිමය සහාය ලබාදීමට ශ්‍රී ලංකා නීතීඥ සංගමය කටයුතු කරන බව, කම්කරු නීති වෙනස් කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් කම්කරු අමාත්‍යංශය විසින් ආරම්භ කර ඇති මහජන අදහස් ලබාගැනීමේ සැසිවාරයකට එක්වෙමින් , නීතීඥ සංගමයයේ කම්කරු නීති සම්බන්ධ උපදේශක නීතීඥ කනිශ්ක වීරසිංහ මහතා(10) පැවසුවේ ය.

කම්කරු නීතිය කඩිනමින් වෙනස් විය යුතු බවත්,එය රටේ සංවර්ධනයට හා ආර්ථිකයට ඍජුව බලපාන බවත් ඔහු පෙන්වා දුන්නේ ය. යාවත්කාලීන වූ කම්කරු නීති පද්ධතියක් මගින් තිරසර ව්‍යවසායකත්වයන්ට සහාය ලබාදෙන පරිසරයක් නිර්මාණය කිරීමට හැකියාව ලැබෙන බවත්, කම්කරුවන්ගේ සුබසාධනය සහ වඩා හොද ජීවන තත්වයක් නිර්මාණය කිරීමට අවස්ථාව ලැබෙන බවත් ඔහු සදහන් කළේය.

කාන්තා ශ්‍රම සහභාගීත්වය,තරුණ ව්‍යවසායකත්වය වැනි ක්ෂේත්‍රයන් පිළිබඳව විශේෂ අවදාණයක් යොමුකර නව කම්කරු නීතිය වෙනස්විය යුතු බව ඔහු පැවසුවේ ය. සේවය අවසන් කිරීමේ පනත වැනි යල් පැන ගිය නීති වෙනස් කිරීමට කටයුතු කළ යුතුව ඇතැයිද නීතීඥ කණිෂ්ක වීරසිංහ සදහන් කළේය.

මෙම අවස්ථාවට එක්වූ කම්කරු හා විදේශ රැකියා අමාත්‍ය මනූෂ නානායක්කාර  ප්‍රකාශ කර සිටියේ ශ්‍රමිකයාගේ අනාගත සුභ සිද්ධිය වෙනුවෙන් ශ්‍රමිකයාගේ ආරක්ෂාව වෙනුවෙන් පැරණි වැඩවසම් ශ්‍රමිකයා වෙනුවට නූතන අනාගතවාදී ශ්‍රමිකයෙකු බිහි කිරීමට අවශ්‍ය සියළු නීති හා අණපනත් හඳුන්වා දීමට සූදානම් බවයි.

Shenali D Waduge

Mr. Imran Khwaja, the Deputy Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC), is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka today (May 9) on a 2-day fact-finding mission on political interference in cricket administration.

It would be prudent for Mr. Khawaja and his team to also inquire into why ICC has been unwilling to give due recognition to a Sri Lankan for inventing the Decision Review System (DRS) which is internationally used in Cricket and several other types of sports. The person in question is lawyer Senaka Weeraratna who conceived the concept of ‘Player Referral’ in 1997. Yet, even after 26 years after his groundbreaking invention, he is pleading for justice and appealing for ICC recognition as it is his concept of ‘Player Referral’ which is the lynchpin of the Decision Review System.

Critical Question

The critical question that is emerging is ‘Is it the colour of his skin that is denying him being given due recognition by the premier cricketing body?’

Does ICC have an alternate contender claiming authorship alongside Senaka Weeraratna? As far as we know, so far, no one has come forward. The concept of DRS did not drop from the sky. It had to be invented. If Senaka Weeraratna has all the evidence to support his claim of authorship, why is ICC reluctant to give him a fair hearing? Does this not constitute a breach of natural justice? A form of corruption within the ICC system as well.

Has the ICC thought of Third-Party Arbitration or Mediation to resolve this contentious matter? Already in cricket circles all over the world, the failure of the ICC to address this issue fairly and objectively has brought shame and disrepute to the good name of the ICC.

Given that ICC has come to investigate corruption in Sri Lanka, who will investigate ICC’s wrongdoing and lapses?

Cricket Ombudsman 

There is no mechanism within the Global Cricket Order to subject the supreme controller of Cricket to any form of investigation or probe. It can get away scot-free laughing all the way to the Bank despite mounting evidence of ICC falling short of adhering to the gold standard.  The cricket world is badly in need of a ‘Cricket Ombudsman’. An Institution that will entertain grievances from players, institutions, and even cricket lovers. The ICC is a cricket monopoly with its own agenda of rule in a fiefdom. It hands out perks to officials of affiliated bodies and buys their silence. Cricket commentators and journalists work in fear. They have no freedom of expression. The moment they step out of line they are fired. ICC functions like an unfriendly corporate entity unaccountable to none.

Accountability

The countries presently demanding accountability for human rights violations were the world’s worst violators of human rights during over 500 years of colonial rule & include a plethora of crimes under the neocolonial rule as well. All these crimes have not been investigated nor accounted for. It is unfair to chair justice while committing injustice. This is an unpalatable truth.

It is not a secret anymore that having the wrong skin colour can impede one’s advancement in white-dominated institutions, especially in sports like ‘King’ cricket. The use of people with ‘ sepoy’ mindsets from the Indian sub-continent as emissaries of the ICC may not necessarily straighten out deep-seated grievances of victimization. The growing demands for Accountability and Reparations from former colonies is a case in point.   The former British colonies in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean Islands have a shared past and are united in their determination to achieve Justice in the form of an Apology, Reparations, and Repatriation of stolen artifacts.

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The visiting ICC officials in Sri Lanka cannot erase the past. They must not hesitate to make a statement to the Sri Lankan cricket-loving public and the Government of Sri Lanka as to why the ICC has failed to conduct a proper hearing with respect to Senaka Weeraratna’s genuine claim to authorship of the DRS. The ICC is brushing aside the claimant without even a nod of acknowledgment or a sincere pat on his back. If the claimant had come from say, (Apartheid) South Africa, New Zealand, England or Australia would the treatment be the same? I think not.

Senaka Weeraratna is the unsung hero of the DRS now used globally. It is time he was given due recognition & felicitated.

Let racial discrimination not continue in ICC-administered cricket any longer than it has. The world needs a fairer system of international cricket administration that resonates with the true spirit of cricket.

Shenali D Waduge

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

 අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා මේ බව සඳහන් කළේ  2023.05.08 දින මහරගම ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම් කාර්යාලයේ පැවති ප්‍රාදේශීය සංවර්ධන කමිටු රැස්වීමේදීය.

පාසැල් හැරයන දරුවන් පිළීබදව පැහැදිලි තොරතුරු නොමැතිව එම දරුවන්ගේ  අනාගතය පිළිබඳව නිසි වැඩසටහන් ක්‍රියාත්මක කරන්නේ කෙසේදැයි ගැටලුවක් ඇතිවන බව අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා මෙහිදී පෙන්වා දුන්නේය.

 සාමාන්‍ය පෙළ සහ උසස් පෙළ අවසන්ව විවිධ හේතූන් මත පාසැල් හැරයන දරුවන්ට ඉදිරි අධ්‍යාපනයක් නොමැති  වුවහොත් ඔවුන්ගේ පෞද්ගලික දියුණුව මගහැරී යෑම මෙන්ම සාමාජීය ගැටලු නිර්මාණය විමටද හේතු විය හැක. සාමාන්‍ය පෙළ දක්වා හෝ උසස්පෙළ දක්වා පාසැලේ ලියාපදිංචි වී සිටි දරුවන් පාසල හැරයාමේදි ඒ පිළීබඳ  ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම් කාර්යාල මට්ටමින් වාර්තාගත වීම අත්‍යවශ්‍ය කරුණක් බව ද මෙම දරුවන් විභාගය නොකර හැරෙන මාර්ගය කුමක්ද, එසේ සිදුකරන්නේ කුමන හේතුවක් මතද යන්න සොයා බැලීම අනිවාර්ය බවද අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා පෙන්වා දුන්නේය.  

මෙරට අධ්‍යාපනය නැංවීමටත් තරුණ පරපුර තාක්ෂණයෙන් පිරිපුන් කිරීමටත් විදේශ ආධාර ඇතුළු සියලු දේ ලැබෙන නමුත්  අවශ්‍ය දත්ත පද්ධතිය සම්පූර්ණ කිරීමට නොහැකි වීමෙන් එම වැඩසටහන් ක්‍රියාත්මක කළ නොහැකි තත්වයක් උද්ගතවිය හැකිය.මේ හේතුවෙන් පැසැල් හැරයන දරුවන් පිළිබඳ  දත්ත වාර්තා කිරීම කඩිනමින් අරඹන්නැයි  අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා විසින්  මෙහිදී රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන්ට උපදෙස් දෙනු ලැබීය.

පාසල් දරුවන්ගේ වෙසක් සුබ පැතුම් පත් නිර්මාණ ප්‍රදර්ශනය සහ අනුර දහනායකගේ සම්මානිත මුර්ති ප්‍රදර්ශනය මෙහිදී අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයාගේ නිරීක්ෂණයට ලක් විය.

 මෙම අවස්ථාවට බස්නාහිර පළාත් හිටපු මහ ඇමති ඉසුර දේවප්‍රිය, බස්නාහිර පළාත් හිටපු මන්ත්‍රීවරුන් වන උපාලි කොඩිකාර, සලෝචන ගමගේ, මහරගම ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම් දිල්රුක්ෂී වල්පොල ඇතුළු රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීහූ සහභාගී වූහ.

 අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

By A. Abdul Aziz – Chairman, Press & Media Desk, AMJSL.

Ahmadiyya Khalifa Urges Good-Faith Negotiations In Peace Plan For Ukraine As He Inaugurates New Complex Of Britain’s Biggest Mosque Rebuilt After Fire In 2015

On 4 March 2023, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad delivered the keynote address at the 17^th National Peace Symposium hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK.

The event also served as the inauguration of the new five-story building in the Baitul Futuh Mosque, which was rebuilt after a fire in 2015.

Prior to the formal proceedings of the Peace Symposium, His Holiness unveiled a plaque and led the attendees in silent prayer to mark the inauguration of the new complex which includes two multi-purpose halls, office space and guest accommodation.

The event was attended by more than 1500 people including 500 dignitaries and guests who had gathered from 40 countries, comprising of Ministers, Ambassadors of State, and Members of Parliament.

During the proceedings, His Holiness presented Barbara Caroline Hofman, founder of the charity ASEM, with the 2019 Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace, in recognition of her charitable work to provide for children orphaned by war.

His Holiness also presented Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba, former mayor of Hiroshima, with the 2022 Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace for his efforts towards campaigning for nuclear disarmament.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize is awarded annually in recognition of an individual’s or an organisation’s contribution for the advancement of the cause of peace. The prize was first launched in 2009.The Prize includes a monetary sum, which is normally set at 10,000 pounds sterling.).

In his address, His Holiness warned of the perilous trajectory of the war in Ukraine and urged world leaders to strive to find mutually acceptable terms of agreement” and make urgent efforts to find peace, lest the cycle of incessant violence” rotates with ever greater fury.”

His Holiness said that a Third World War is dangerously close and presented verses of the Holy Quran to outline solutions that are direly needed to find a way out.

During his address, His Holiness also highlighted the true purpose of building Mosques and drew attention to the link every Mosque must have with the Holy Kaaba in Mecca.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further said:

All our Mosques spiritually mirror the Holy Kaabah, wherein they serve not only as an abode of worshipping God Almighty but are also a means of fulfilling the rights of mankind and establishing peace in the world.”

His Holiness mentioned that for several years, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been hosting events such as the Peace Symposium in its efforts towards establishing peace.

Turning towards the present-day war in Ukraine, His Holiness showed how these Islamic principles are extremely pertinent.

The Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said that despite the war in Ukraine showing no signs of abating, certain political leaders are proclaiming that once the war does end, Russia should be subjected to extreme sanctions and made to pay for its actions.”

Shining light on the dangers of such statements, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad commended an article in the British press and said:

Recently, a column by the journalist Matthew Parris was published in The Times stating that such statements, in advance of any meaningful peace talks, are ill-judged and serve only to further inflame a volatile situation… I believe he is right to serve this warning. What incentive will Russia and its leaders have to cease hostilities if they know that their withdrawal will lead to their certain ruin?”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued and said:

The objective of the intervening parties must remain, at all times, to establish peace instead of seeking revenge or humiliating the aggressor. Nor should the underlying intention ever be to line one’s pockets or to exploit the conflict to advance vested interests. Otherwise, those who have been demeaned will undoubtedly harbour a sense of injustice and resentment. Such frustrations are bound to eventually boil over and lead to further conflict and so the cycle of incessant violence will continue to rotate with ever greater fury.”

His Holiness warned of how the war in Ukraine could ignite further conflict and warfare.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

The truth is that war often begets war. There are genuine concerns that the Ukraine conflict could spread or that other nations could be emboldened to abandon diplomatic efforts to resolve their disputes and resort to force. For example, the situation in Taiwan is becoming increasingly precarious as China seeks to assert its control. Hence, world leaders, the media and others should not fall into the trap of thinking that the war in Ukraine can be easily contained.”

His Holiness said that world leaders and the media should not fall into the trap of thinking that the war in Ukraine can be easily contained” and gave example of the conflict over Taiwan to caution that the war may spread further if other nations abandon diplomatic efforts and resort to force.

His Holiness provided practical solutions for ending the cycle of warfare in view of Islamic teachings.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad stated:

The world is well versed in supporting victims and those suffering injustice, as is the case with the Ukrainian nation at this time. Yet, it may surprise you to hear that Islam teaches Muslims to help not only the victim or the persecuted but also the perpetrator and oppressor. Of course, this does not mean you provide the aggressor with the means or freedom to inflict further cruelties. Rather, to ‘help’ an aggressor means to stop them from committing further brutalities and injustice.  

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

Whatever wrongs are being committed by the Russian State, we must keep in mind the broader picture that if the war is not brought to an end, it will lead to a deepening global crisis with potentially catastrophic results.  Opposing blocs will become further entrenched.  Hatreds will become even more deeply-rooted, increasing the likelihood of a world war. Hence, as they continue to support Ukraine as it defends itself, world powers should also be making every possible effort to end the war through peace talks and good-faith negotiations.”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad expressed his grief at seeing what the future may hold and said:

For many years, I have warned of the risks of a full-scale world war and have spoken of how its deadly and destructive consequences are far beyond our comprehension. Having long warned of such a war, I take no satisfaction in the fact that we are moving ever closer to it and that others are now expressing similar sentiments and fears. Rather, I feel only grief and anguish as I see the world hurtling ever faster towards a terrifying world war in which the lives of millions of innocent people will be lost or permanently destroyed.”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

What kind of future will we leave behind to those who are yet to come? Instead of bestowing a legacy of peace and prosperity to our future generations, our parting gift to them will be nothing except death, destruction and misery. Certainly, it is my grave fear that today’s geopolitical tensions could spiral out of all control and ultimately lead to a nuclear war… Thus, with all my heart, I pray that may Allah the Almighty have mercy upon humanity and may the people of the world, especially its leaders and policymakers, see sense before it is too late.”  

Prior to the keynote address, whilst accepting the Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace for the year 2019, Barbara Caroline Hofman, founder of ASEM, said:

I am very pleased to share this award, this honour you gave me tonight with all my people, because I didn’t do it alone, we did it together.”

The 2022 recipient of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace for the year 2022, Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba said:

You [the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community] were one of the first in the world to recognise and protest nuclear weapons in humanity and evilness back on August 10^th, 1945. The Second Caliph declared on that day that, ‘It is our religious and moral duty to proclaim to the whole world that we do not consider lawful such bloodshed.’ Belatedly, the world finally came to the same conclusion…Words of Your Holiness give us direction.”

Source: Press Ahmadiyya.

John Rozario  Karnataka, India.

Recently, Bangladesh and Myanmar have launched a bilateral pilot project to repatriate the Rohingya. Myanmar has dedicated 15 villages to repatriating Rohingya refugees from Cox’s Bazar. Initially, Myanmar will take 1140 Rohingya. A Myanmar delegation has already visited the camps in Cox’s Bazar. But the initiative is facing harsh criticism from INGOs and NGOs such as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Human Rights Watch (HRW). NGOs are against such initiatives citing the situation in Myanmar.

A delegation of 17 members from Myanmar came to Bangladesh on March 15 to verify the information of the Rohingyas on that list. They returned after verifying the information of 480 Rohingyas enrolled in the repatriation pilot project. Then last Friday, a delegation of 27 members including 20 Rohingya went to visit Myanmar Rakhine State. They check whether the environment there is suitable for repatriation of Rohingyas. Returning to the country Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) in Bangladesh camps Md. Mizanur Rahman expressed satisfaction with the goodwill of Myanmar.

After the Rohingya delegation returned from Myanmar’s Rakhine state, there was a mixed reaction to the issue of repatriation to Rohingya camps. Many arguments are going on between those who support repatriation to the camp and those who are not interested in repatriation. Most of the Rohingyas claim that there is no opportunity for the Rohingyas to adopt a different path except repatriation.

According to media reports, regarding the speech of the members of the Rohingya delegation who visited Myanmar’s Rakhine state last Friday, the speech they presented in the media may be their personal opinion. Therefore, it cannot be accepted that the process of repatriation of Rohingyas will be stopped. Repatriation is the right of Rohingyas. If someone likes, they will go, if someone wants, they will not go, so it does not mean that all Rohingyas will not go. The Rohingyas will be repatriated if the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar want. Their statement is also clear about the claim collection. They are saying, first take the Rakhine land in Myanmar, then I will give all the demands from there. It will be much easier for the Rohingyas to stand on their homeland and claim their rights. Many people are passionate about the country. There are the graves of many relatives, mother and father. They have very little rights in Bangladesh camps either, they are somehow living in a floating life. The happiness of dying in one’s homeland is much greater than that. It should not their concern whether anyone will go or not, Rohingyas will return to Myanmar if they are called.

According to social media reports and ground information, ordinary Rohingyas in the camp in Cox’s Bazar want to return. They want to go to their homes at any cost. A large part of the Rohingya want to use the opportunity of repatriation. Only a particular group of Rohingyas who are enjoying various immoral facilities and abuse their position in the camps do not want to return. A part of the Rohingya supported by international organizations has also been added. It is known that the Rohingyas have taken a stand against the issue of repatriation in Rohingya camps in Ukhia and Teknaf. On May 5, a 20-member Rohingya delegation returned to Myanmar after inspecting the infrastructure prepared for the Rohingyas and expressed a negative attitude towards the repatriation of journalists. However, other Rohingyas in the camp are unwilling to support their attitude. A conscious section of the Rohingyas is expressing their reluctance to stay as refugees in Bangladesh. They decided to stir up interest among other Rohingya in the camp by campaigning to return to Myanmar.

Cox’s Bazar Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC). Mizanur Rahman said, we along with the Rohingyas have just come to see the villages and infrastructure prepared for the Rohingyas in Maungdoo, Myanmar and its surroundings. There will be further talks between the two countries, hopefully the repatriation process will progress.

The real place for Rohingyas is Arakan in Myanmar, not the Rohingya camp to make demands. Those who talk about citizenship, security and visas in terms of repatriation, are not really thinking about the Rohingyas. Even in Bangladesh they have no citizenship, no lands. The security that the Rohingyas once had from terrorists is now gone. So, if they can live without these things in this country, then why not in Myanmar? Myanmar will ensure maximum security for the repatriated Rohingyas. Because the eyes of the whole world will be on them. If any wrongdoing is done by taking the Rohingyas there, it will spread all over the world thanks to the internet. Rohingyas should go bak to their homeland Myanamr now as a whole population cannot spend years in another country in refuge from another situation. Rohingyas have the right to go back to their own nation, their own territory, and their own homes — where they can exercise all of their civil rights to strive toward constructing a better life and future for themselves and their offspring.

Currently no Rohingyas are safe in the camp. Each camp has its own criminal gangs. This is where the Rohingyas suffer the most insecurity. There is no guarantee of life in the camp now, who is shooting and running away from which side. Much more happiness if you can go to the country and taste the native land.

A section of the international community is playing politics with the Rohingyas in the camps in Cox’s Bazar. Due to this, their repatriation process is becoming difficult at times. Unfortunately, we are noticing that various international circles are doing their own style of politics with the Rohingyas. It is difficult to say how much these quarters will see the interests of Bangladesh, or the Rohingyas. The Rohingyas are expected to return to a slightly better environment than the environment from which they crossed the Myanmar border into Bangladesh. Because the state system of Myanmar will not change overnight. This may not change even in the next 10-20 years. While the junta is killing people day after day, the hope that the Rohingyas will be repatriated to a different status with full citizenship is simply not realistic. This is a harmful thought for the Rohingyas. It is now important to ensure the status they had earlier.

While Bangladesh and Myanmar are preparing their returnee lists and facilitating the repatriation, INGOs and NGOs are expressing concerns over the plan. They are mainly objecting that the environment in Rakhine is not conducive enough for any repatriation at this moment. They are also condemning the Junta and labeling the plan as an eye wash. Prominent INGOs and NGOs including UNHCR and HRW have already given statements clearing their stance on the plan. They want Bangladesh to halt the program. Burmese Rohingya Organization UK has also called the process a Public Relation rather than repatriation.

Perhaps, Junta’s controversial image are the prime reasons behind the stance of the NGOs concerned about the Rohingya. The Rohingyas should also think, if they do not start repatriation now or do not go, it will benefit Myanmar. Because, Myanmar always wants the Rohingyas not to come and they create various pressures for this. Myanmar wants the Rohingyas to say that the status is not created, the environment is not created and not to come. Now the repatriation process needs to be started to challenge Myanmar. It will not solve the problem if only one and a half thousand Rohingyas return. But Myanmar can be told that you have recognized your citizens, now take measures for the rest.

Myanmar’s interest in Rohingya repatriation has increased for a number of reasons. By exploiting this interest, Bangladesh should start the process of repatriating the Rohingyas. We are very optimistic about the repatriation of Rohingya this time. Because the Rohingya issue is a geopolitical equation. In the current military, political and economic situation in Myanmar, the integrity and ethnic unity of the Myanmar state is at great risk. Now if they want to make their state safe, they have to solve the Rohingya problem. The Rohingya problem was not created only because of Bangladesh and Myanmar. There are other parties involved in creating this crisis. If the reasons for creating this crisis are not met, then they will not play a role in solving the crisis. Now the cooperation of the third party, the international community, is needed in the matter of repatriation. Rohingyas should play a role in creating housing and other facilities. International pressure should also be applied. The more the international community can be kept active on behalf of Bangladesh to solve the problem, the more opportunities will be created to solve the problem. This opportunity should be used.

For more than two years now, Junta is administering the state of Myanmar. The international community and the great powers did little to pressurize the Junta to repatriate the Rohingya. Prior to Junta, the international community also failed to convince the democratic government to repatriate the Rohingya and bring the perpetrators to justice.

At this moment, Junta is formally in power, even though it faces a serious legitimacy crisis and resistance at home. But it is the only formal authority in Myanmar.

Bangladesh has been facing a refugee crisis for six years now. It has tried bilaterally, trilaterally, and multilaterally for the past six years for a viable solution. It has left no stone unturned, yet found nothing. Bangladesh eagerly wants to explore the initiative as something is better than nothing. Moreover, Bangladesh cannot remain indifferent to the Junta question. Owing to bilateral political, economic, connectivity, and economic issues, Bangladesh has to engage with the authority of Myanmar- that is Junta currently. 

While Bangladesh- the guardian of the Rohingya on the global stage is trying heart and soul to repatriate the Rohingya to their birthplace, the NGOs are not doing enough for the most persecuted community of our time. The UNHCR and other NGOs are only maintaining the camps. Due to other emerging crises and donor fatigue, these NGOs are also reducing their effort in every aspect after six years. Recently, WFP reduced its monthly per capita ration from only $12 to $10 citing fund shortage.

Advocacy networks such as HRW, and Amnesty International failed to create effective pressure on Myanmar. Like the NGOs, the Great powers also failed to pressurize Myanmar effectively. As a result, Bangladesh is carrying the burden alone. And Bangladesh, which did not see any result in the last six years cannot but explore the option. The declining fund, deteriorating camp conditions, growing insecurity, and adverse impact of the refugees on the host community have made Bangladesh a desperate host looking for reducing the burden, where its international partners are only performing their formal duties within a set boundary. This crisis is also destabilizing regional security. The Rohingya cannot consistently receive food, shelter, and medical care due to our limited economic capabilities. It is important to note that aid for the Rohingya is decreasing daily. The current Ukraine conflict has the entire world on edge. Although the world community has lost sight of the Rohingya humanitarian issue as a result of the war in Ukraine

Moreover, the ‘conducive environment’ debate is also a politically biased one. As the Junta is repatriating, it is guaranteeing their safety. The other stakeholders of Rakhine and Myanmar, the Arakan Army (AA) and the National Unity Government (NUG) have already recognized the Rohingya. Furthermore, it also has the responsibility of international community to provide an external guarantee for Rohingya’s safety upon repatriation. Therefore, it may not be unsafe to explore the possibilities of repatriation with the Junta. It seems the NGOs are driven by their own compulsion of lengthening ‘projects’ and squeeze their donors displaying the plight of the refugee community.

In a nutshell, the repatriation plan will reduce Bangladesh’s burden at least to some extent. The pilot project will also increase Bangladesh-Myanmar engagement. The World community should not go against it; instead, they should come forward and engage effectively to ensure the rapid repatriation of the rest of the refugees. The NGOs and Advocacy networks should also scale up their activity rather than reacting compulsively. we can consider the Rohingya pilot project as the beginning of the long-overdue repatriation, which might inspire more people to return Myanmar from Bangladesh in the future. Myanmar must ensure that the return of Rohingya Muslims is continuous, dignified, and sustainable. Myanmar needs to have goodwill in order to interact favourably with Bangladesh. The Rohingya situation needs to be resolved successfully and permanently, according to the entire globe. For the Rohingya people to return from Bangladesh to Myanmar with safety and dignity, the successful implementation of the pilot project is necessary.

Courtesy The Telegraph Online

Lanka court issues restraining order against events commemorating Rajapaksa’s fall

Gotabaya RajapaksaFile picture

A Sri Lankan court on Tuesday accepted a request by the police to curb the commemoration of the events which led to the resignation of the bankrupt government of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa a year ago.

On May 9 last year, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters outside embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s office.

Last year, thousands of demonstrators protested across Sri Lanka seeking the resignation of President Gotabaya and Prime Minister Mahinda, as the Sri Lankan government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines, and electricity supply.

Police on Tuesday said the Colombo Fort magistrate has issued a restraining order on commemoration of the protest preventing them from entering key installations such as the president’s house, presidential secretariat, finance ministry, and the prime minister’s official residence.

The restraining order was issued by the Fort Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday based on a request made by the Colpetty Police.

Sri Lanka today marks one year since the countrywide unrest that broke out on May 9, 2022.

The unrest broke out after Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) supporters attacked anti-government protesters at the Galle Face Green in Colombo.

Some of the government politicians were accused of attacking the protesters who urged for the resignation of Gotabaya for his bungling which led to the island’s bankruptcy for the first time since 1948.

In March, Sri Lanka received USD 330 million as the first tranche of the IMF bailout programme after hectic parleys. This will pave the way for the debt-ridden country to achieve better “fiscal discipline” and “improved governance.” Mahinda resigned on May 9 hours after some of his supporters attacked peaceful protesters who had been camped out in front of government offices. Dozens of people were injured. Retaliatory attacks on government ministers’ homes were reported across the country.

Nearly 100 government parliamentarians suffered arson attacks on property throughout the island nation.

Three days later, the current president Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the prime minister who soon began tackling the economic crisis.

People suffered in the economic crisis with long queues for essentials which were in short supply, fuel, and over ten-hour power cuts.

Two months later, an even bigger protest led to the resignation of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Under the Sri Lankan Constitution, if both the president and prime minister resign, the Speaker of Parliament will serve as acting president for a maximum of 30 days.

Wickremesinghe later succeeded Gotabaya for the balance term of the presidency which runs until September of 2024.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Claiming that plans were afoot to set on fire some 100 houses of politicians including SJB MPs and political leaders on May 10 last year, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said today these plans were foiled as armed forces were ordered to shoot on sight.

He told Parliament that a list of 100 houses had been prepared to be set on fire on May 10 and some SJB MPs and political leaders were on top of this list.

“Having learnt of the information, we informed the defense secretary to order the armed forces to shoot at sight. They carried out three shootings. One in Rathgama, another two in Angoda and Pitakotte. If not for these three shootings, there would have been at least more than 100 houses set ablaze,” he said.

The Minister said houses and offices of SLPP MPs were destroyed on May 9 through a prepared a list. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)