Courtesy The Telegraph 

Chinese projects have boosted country’s economic development, and brought tangible benefits to its people: Zhao Lijian.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian.

China on Thursday defended its massive infrastructure ventures and investments in Sri Lanka and said that they have boosted” its economic development, amid criticism from the US that Beijing’s unproductive projects and opaque loan deals were among the reasons for the country’s bankruptcy.

The China-Sri Lanka practical cooperation has always been led by Sri Lanka with scientific planning and thorough verification with no strings attached,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here.

Chinese projects have boosted Sri Lanka’s economic development, and brought tangible benefits to the Sri Lankan people,” he said while responding to a question on the criticism of China’s projects and policies towards Sri Lanka by the USAID administrator Samantha Power.

Speaking in New Delhi on Wednesday, Power said India reacted really swiftly” with an absolutely critical set of measures to help Sri Lanka tide over its economic crisis, but calls to China to provide significant relief have gone unanswered.

Power said China became one of Sri Lanka’s biggest creditors” offering often opaque loan” deals at higher interest rates than other lenders and wondered whether Beijing would restructure the debt to help the island nation.

Refuting her allegations, Zhao said, there are multiple components to Sri Lanka’sforeign debt, where China-related debts take far less share than the international capital market and multilateral development banks.”

Besides what China provides for Sri Lanka almost preferential loans with low-interest rates and long terms, which have played a positive part in improving Sri Lanka’s infrastructure and livelihood,” he said.

China’s unproductive projects in Sri Lanka, including the Hambantota port, which Beijing took over on a 99-year lease as a debt swap, have come under sharp criticism.

The unprecedented economic crisis faced by Sri Lanka has led to severe shortages of fuel, cooking gas and medicine and long lines for essential supplies, which led to massive anti-government protests.

China, which accounts for10 per cent of Sri Lanka’s debt, is reported to have resisted offering a debt cut.

Courtesy Adaderana

Sri Lanka hopes to conclude discussions with China soon” on a $4 billion aid package, the country’s ambassador to Beijing told Nikkei Asia.

Ambassador Palitha Kohona said in an email that talks were progressing. We hope that these discussions could be concluded soon, as a positive outcome would definitely assist Sri Lanka to reestablish confidence in the financial markets and recover from its unprecedented and dire financial circumstances.”

China has been a major creditor of Sri Lanka, though it remains a burning question exactly how much the latter owes the former. Since Sri Lanka plunged into a severe foreign exchange crisis this year and defaulted for the first time in May, Beijing has reportedly been reluctant to go along with debt restructuring.

But new Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was elected by parliament on July 20 after the resignation of much-criticized Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is looking to China again as he attempts to cement his grip and quell unrest.

Since early this week, police have been rounding up frontline demonstrators and leaders of the anti-government movement. A state of emergency is to remain in effect for another month after parliament approved it on Wednesday.

Persistent resentment and protests against the new government threaten to disrupt efforts to secure a long-awaited bailout from the International Monetary Fund. Wickremesinghe, in his previous role as prime minister, had expressed optimism in June that such a deal would be in place by the end of this month, but that now appears unlikely.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told Nikkei shortly before Wickremesinghe became president that the fund wanted to offer aid as quickly as possible and would work with any administration — as long as the next leader enjoys support and has the longevity to lead the country.”

In the meantime, Sri Lanka appears to be pinning hopes on the $4 billion aid package from China, which would include a $1.5 billion credit line and implementation of a $1.5 billion currency swap with Beijing.

Last Friday, the day after Wickremesinghe was sworn in, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message and promised to provide support and assistance to the best of my ability.”

Ambassador Kohona stressed that Sri Lanka had never been unable to meet its loan repayment obligations in the past. While protesters and many observers have accused the previous Rajapaksa government of economic mismanagement, the envoy said it was only an unexpected convergence of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the default.

However, with the easing of the COVID situation and the return to constitutional governance, we hope to take our discussions with China toward positive conclusions in the near future,” he said.

Average Sri Lankans continue to deal with painful shortages of fuel, food and other essentials, as dwindling foreign reserves have left the country unable to import what it needs. The energy minister said this week that fuel imports must be restricted for the next 12 months, and that fuel would be available only through a quota system starting this month.

Kohona said he has also been holding discussions with large Chinese companies to encourage them to invest in Sri Lanka and bring in more foreign currency. His sales pitch notes that Sri Lanka’s Indian Ocean location puts it within easy air and sea access to promising markets, from Africa and the Middle East to India and Southeast Asia.

A number of Chinese companies have already made commitments to invest in Sri Lanka and we are actively discussing potential investment options with others, including in steel, renewable energy, tire production, yacht building and infrastructure development,” the ambassador said.

He also said he expects that with a return to normalcy,” investors in existing big-ticket projects like Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port area will proceed with their intended investment plans.” The Chinese government, he said, is actively” encouraging companies to invest in Sri Lanka.

The ambassador rejected claims that Sri Lanka has fallen into a Chinese debt trap,” arguing that only around 10% of external debt is owed to China, though some observers have questioned whether that number covers everything.

Much more is owed to multilateral institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank,” he said. Similarly, a considerable amount is owed to institutional investors, mainly from the West, including Wall Street. The interest rates charged by the Chinese lenders have also been favorable.”

Suggestions that Sri Lanka’s financial situation has been caused by the debts owed to China are inaccurate and misplaced,” he said.

Kohona was also quick to deny that China had abandoned Sri Lanka while India stepped in with around $3.8 billion in financial assistance.

India, also a long-standing friend, did in fact come to Sri Lanka’s assistance very early and promptly, and we are indeed grateful to India for what it has done,” he said. But it is an unfair exaggeration to say that China deserted Sri Lanka during its time of need.” According to the ambassador, since 2021, China and Chinese banks have made available almost $1.2 billion worth of assistance in various forms.

Kohona pointed to China’s provision of a 500 million yuan ($74 million) emergency assistance package that included rice, medicines, fertilizer and fuel.

The ambassador suggested that over the longer term, exports to the lucrative Chinese market could help ensure a sustainable recovery. He said that Beijing was encouraging this as well, and that free trade talks were underway.

Not to be outdone, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear this week that his government also remains willing to help. India will continue to be supportive of the request of the people of Sri Lanka for stability and economic recovery, through established democratic means, institutions and constitutional frameworks,” Modi said in a congratulatory message to Wickremesinghe on Monday.

Source: Nikkei Asia

–Agencies

Courtesy Adaderana

Opaque” loans for headline-grabbing” infrastructure projects, were among the factors behind the current crisis that has engulfed Sri Lanka, said Samantha Power, Administrator, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), on Wednesday. 

Delivering a speech at the IIT-Delhi, Ms. Power praised India’s swift” action in response to the emergency in Sri Lanka and argued that India’s strength especially in the field of tackling food security threats, was nurtured over the past seven decades in partnership with the United States. 

Ms. Power cited the Upanishads and urged India to play a greater role in the world in tackling hunger and poverty, which have intensified in the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis. She made a strong pitch in favour of pluralism and tolerance” saying there are forces in the United States and India who seek to sow divisions, who seek to pitch ethnicities and religions against each other”.

Indeed, over the past two decades, China became one of Sri Lanka’s biggest creditors, offering often opaque loan deals at higher interest rates than other lenders, and financing a raft of headline-grabbing infrastructure projects with often questionable practical use for Sri Lankans,” said Ms. Power. 

China, she pointed out, has not answered calls for greater relief to Sri Lanka, and said the biggest question of all is whether Beijing will restructure debt to the same extent as other bilateral creditors”.

She said the United States extended $180 million to Sri Lanka in emergency financing in 2022 and praised India for coming to Colombo’s help, saying, The Government of India has already supplied $16 million in humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, it has exported 100,000 tons of organic fertilizer to try to help farmers stave off future food shortages, and it has supplied $3.5 billion in Lines of Credits to the Government of Sri Lanka as it attempts to steer its economy out of default and further collapse.”

Possible partnersip

Ms. Power painted a broad canvas of possible partnership between India and the United States based upon Cold War era instances of American support to Delhi, leading up to the launch of the Green Revolution. Ms. Power said India had proved itself capable of helping the Global South” soon after attaining independence.

The American official met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, on Tuesday. She announced that the U.S. will invest $ 25 million in a new partnership with India for promoting agroforestry. Across these past 75 years, India has always shown itself to be a friend to the world’s poor. Now, when the stakes have rarely been higher, India stands able to be an incredibly impactful development leader. ,” said Ms. Power.

Note of caution

Ms. Power sounded a note of caution about the cascading political effect that global food insecurity can have in the coming months. Sri Lanka’s government was the first to fall. 17 countries are facing (similar) protests,” said Ms. Power.

During a brief press conference following the speech, Ms. Power said that she recognised that despite global expectations from India to help reduce food insecurity elsewhere, New Delhi will have to rise to its sovereign responsibility” to look after food security at home first. She however, said, export restrictions are not the best way to address food security issues at home, and argued agriculture surplus countries can continue food supplies despite import restrictions for addressing grave humanitarian emergencies” in different parts of the world.

In her speech, Ms. Power mentioned the role that private capital can play in ensuring food security. When asked about the farmers’ protest against private investment in agriculture, she argued that there is not enough public sector financing” in countering critical collective challenges like climate change (and its fallouts like food insecurity) and said therefore private sector has become absolutely indispensable.”

Public-private partnership has become more catalytic. Food security resilience will come from that kind of investment, different from grand financing,” said Ms. Power.

Source: The Hindu

–Agencies

Courtesy Hiru News

An overseas travel ban has been imposed on 21 persons including Dhaniz Ali by the Fort Magistrate’s court

Courtesy Hiru News

Anthony Veranga Pushpika de Silva, the convenor of the Ruhuna University Students union arrested by the police on charges of holding protests in violation of court orders and damaging public property has been remanded until 9th August.

Sri Lanka News

An Analysis of the Pandora Papers and the Claims of International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) as well as the Anonymous Hacker Group.

The Present Crisis in Sri Lanka: 2022
• Sri Lankans revolted when the Sri Lankan economy defaulted in May 2022 for the first
time leading to severe fuel shortages, power-cuts etc.
• It was entirely blamed on the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa
and other Rajapaksa family members (yes, there was evident nepotism!)
• Powerful media and social media campaigns developed against the Rajapakasa brothers
and provoked people
• Robbing the nation and sending their ill-gotten money to overseas tax havens was the
main allegation against the Rajapaksas. This was pointed as the main reason for the
economic collapse.
• This allegation was almost entirely based on two lines of evidence: the International
Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) who implicated the ruling Rajapaksa family
in the Pandora papers” and the Anonymous Hacker group that released details of the
wealth of the Rajapaksas.
• However, is this allegation of embezzlement to the point of country’s economic
collapse true? Or is this a regime-change to oust the nationalist Rajapaksas by the West
as some analysts claim?

LankaWeb – ‘Pivot-to-Asia’ – America Executes a Lightning Coup to Take Control of a Strategic Island in the ‘Indian-Ocean’

Let’s Analyse the Claims of the Pandora Papers: Wealth of Nirupama & Thirukumar (Kumar) Nadesan Linked to Gotabaya and Mahinda R

Full Report

https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items17/Pandora-papers-and-Anonymous-claims-on-Rajapaksas.pdf

BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

Part one of this article focused on several significant points that have been developed in the country since the colonial era that are vital to understanding the background for reforms needed in the country. The working knowledge of English is essential to reduce the population of the country as a strategy to send them overseas in addition to other population control strategies. Sending people as permanent residents would use them to stay away from the country, for example, the Christian population was about 10% when independence was gained, but it has gradually decreased to less than 7% the major reason for this reduction was the Christian population has been migrated to Western countries. Using similar strategies the population of Sri Lanka could reduce by sending them overseas.

After the British invasion, the English language became the media of international communication, but English administrators limited the teaching  English medium to a few major schools in the urban area and rural schools where poor kids were learning ignored This was a critical reason for social division. If British administrators used English as the media of instruction in all schools many divisive problems would not arise.     

I can recollect when I was working in Sri Lanka before 1990, educated youth who were born in rural areas had been rejected by lower educated administrators, who insulted them because they have no English knowledge. However, administrators were not English well-educated experts, but the accusers were only able to write a few small sentences and loud-talking in English, sometimes they couldn’t write a grammatically correct sentence with ten words. I observed that my boss was correcting his letters with five sentences. The answer to the problem was to educate the English language than direct insulting educated rural youths.  This environment frustrated educated youth in regional areas and encourage the origin of a conflict between rich and poor (a social division), also supporting the hate of uneducated urban youth toward educated rural youths because they were educated in so-called big schools.

Big schools promoted playing cricket than providing subject knowledge, skills and values. In 1964, the government nationalized schools that were obtaining government assistance but churches were allowed to keep several schools under the church administration and manage them for wealthy people’s kids. The action was against Christianity and one reason to promote the conflict. Any religion must give priority to justice and if religions attempt to safeguard wealthy people it could not accept as a religion, but it is an organization that was formed by a demon. Christianity in Sri Lanka works against the policies of Jesus Christ.  

Administrators of the country knew that the environment in Sri Lanka should have been changed by various government policies, but they have not happened according to the size and available wealth in the country, Sri Lanka can provide education in English, Sinhala and Tamil in all schools in the country. Learning three languages by each student in schools is not a hard task and why government policymakers are reluctant to do it is a major question.       

Economic reforms are needed to consider the following points.

Expected changes by agitated youth are related to economic policies and since 1948 the change in economic policy stuck with the hidden influence of so-called rich people in the country. The purpose of changing economic policies is to increase the advantages of the macroeconomic factors of the country and the following points are significant. As people are fully aware the World Bank and other international Financial institutions promoted a worldwide campaign to a reduction of the budget deficit by reducing spending and promoting export earnings, they are fundamental to the economic reforms of Sri Lanka. The political system and corruption in the country have negatively impacted achieving the two major targets, increasing export earnings and reducing the budget deficit.  

• The population of the country seems to be higher and it should reduce to 15 million including all ethnic groups with a long-term population plan. Sri Lanka had a plan to maintain a lower level of population, but the plan has not been working during the past five decades, and the policymakers did not monitor the population controlling plan. The population control plan has not been working because too much ethnic bullshit poisoned the minds of ethnic groups. The population is a macroeconomic factor that is associated with a variety of issues, politics, ethnic problems, and religions. These groups are attempting to increase their population and the reduction of the total population to 15 million within the next 15 years must be the essential economic policy action plan.  This could be done by limiting a child to a family and allowing people to go overseas and support family planning. Limiting one child to a family may be a controversial issue among human rights people and it should be fluctuated from time to time.
• Lands should be distributed to people except for lands for large plantations and people who have no land for agriculture should be given and monitor how lands are used for production activities. In 1973, land distribution was done but it negatively impacted production in plantation areas, especially land distribution seemed it was done for political party supporters. The activities of land distribution by the Land Reform Commission negatively impacted production.  Organic fertilizer could be good for agricultural activities and it should apply without harming the production level.
• The contribution to the national income should consist of agriculture at 30%, industries at 25%, construction at 15%, service sector at 20% and others at 10% and a very good inter-industrial plan should be developed and export development in each sector should be given priority.
• Provision of employment should be based on qualifications and skills to achieve productivity and there should develop a practical plan to achieve productivity and should maintain it. Monitoring and remedial management should do based on monitoring results and the plan should be educated the people of the country.
• An investment role of 70% should give to the private sector and the government should invest only in the area where the private sector cannot find capital.
• Privatization of public enterprises needs to reduce the budget gap and give new administration to them
• Strikes and protests should be banned and the wages and other payments of employees should be monitored after the productivity of each employee, the excess labour should be transferred to other areas, and Thee-wheels and Salon culture must be stopped transferring to production areas.
• Foreign investments for various purposed need to attract and it might need to give tax and other support to investors.
• Education must be based on providing vocational skills and higher education and when students complete year 12 they should be given two certificates for general and vocational education. The media of education must be in three languages, Sinhala, Tamil and English. This means each student learning three languages and it will remove language problems.  When a kid completes education at year 12 he or she must have skills to communicate in three languages with vocational skills. The review of syllabi in education should be done once in three years.  
• Liberal policies for investment within the legal framework should be implemented and market economic policy based on a liberal environment to change the price by market forces and the government needs to subsidise   poor people
• Sri Lanka needs to get away from the provision of education and health services free to all and about 15% of the population can offer self-fund for these services
• The narcotic business has become a part of the economy and the inflation of the country is associated with the narcotics business. Many people in the country know or without knowing ally narcotic business and the government should take firm action to control. 

Sugath Kulattunga

It is sad to see the long never-ending queues for fuel and gas. Already the queues have claimed 25 lives. There is no light at the end of the tunnel that the supplies of gas and fuel would improve in the near future. The lost to the economy in the impact of the shortage of these commodities is immense. In addition, the opportunity cost of manpower wasted in these queues must be more than the direct cost to the economy.

It is bewildering why the smart Prime Minister, smarter Sajith or AKD nor the Aragalaya superstars have not even given a thought to an obvious and long-term solution to this opportunity of exploiting our proven resources of oil and gas. Is it that all these political vultures relish the dead economy?

For the first time, two natural gas discoveries were made in two wells out of the three wells drilled in Block M2 by Cairn in 2011. It was revealed that Norway struck oil only on the tenth well.

Sri Lanka’s Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat (PRDS) with the assistance of regional experts estimated that the Mannar basin alone could have the potential to generate over two billion barrels of oil and over nine trillion cubic feet of natural gas(9 TCF), which would be sufficient to fulfil a substantial portion of Sri Lanka’s energy needs for the next 60 years.  

https://www.news.lk/fetures/item/27867-oil-and-gas-in-sri-lanka-are-we-on-track

It took another 10 years to enact Petroleum Resources Act, No. 21 of 2021 to provide for the establishment of the petroleum development authority of sri lanka; the formulation of a national policy on upstream petroleum industry and regulation and management structure capturing the maximum economic value of domestic petroleum resources.

The present estimate of the Mannar Bay oil and gas resources is claimed at US$ 267 billion. Cabinet approved the proposal of the then Minister of Energy to invite investors to exploit the resources on a fifty/ fifty basis. He was planning to present the proposal to a forum of oil explorers on the 15^th of March 2022 but before that the Minister was sacked.. This act of preventing the presentation of the present proposals to the international oil interests at this moment when oil prices at their peak is criminal.

We should offer one well to an investor for 10 years on a Build Operate and Transfer basis with a condition that we have the first call on the gas and oil at say at a discount of 10 percent. When this well iss in operation other investors could be invited on our terms.

So, the present crisis is a result of all governments from 1960 onwards for lack of a vision and inability to exploit a proven resource. While we were dilly dallying Ghana attracted investors, such as China Development Bank Corp, which lent $1 billion to Ghana for developing its natural gas infrastructure and resources. In 1990 a US dollar was 246 cedis but today a dollar is only 8 cedis. At this critical moment we should not be wasting time in calling for tenders. We should negotiate directly with China or Russia to invest in the first well.

Another failure in the determination of development priorities was on the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery built in 1969 with a capacity of 35,000 bbl/d. This was expanded thereafter to a processing capacity of 50,000 bbl/d to meet the domestic requirement of Petroleum fuel. Singapore, which does not produce a drop of crude oil developed a refinery capacity of 1.51 million bpd by 2018. Our vision was to build a refinery capacity to meet only the domestic demand whereas Singapore went into the export of refined products.

Sapugaskanda refinery also had a facility for the production of urea.It had a capacity for an annual production of over 294,000 tons of granulated urea valued at US $ 79 million. This facility was sold to an Indian buyer and it is mentioned that there is no information in the public domain as to how much this urea plant was sold by the Sri Lankan Government to the Indian company. (https://www.ft.lk/Agriculture/The-saga-of-the-fertiliser-industry-in-Sri-Lanka/31-700789)

Sri Lanka has a golden opportunity of holding a reserve of crude oil which even USA does, using the Trincomalee oil Farm which we got for a pittance from the British. Now that Sri Lanka has a reasonable arrangement with India for the use of the Oil Farm, they could be used to hold a strategic reserve.

Sugath Kulattunga

KAMALIKA PIERIS

Initially, there was much sympathy for JVP in villages, said Rohan Gunaratna. Many people had genuine sympathy for JVP because they too when they were young, had experienced the frustrations articulated by JVP.  The lower and lower middle class thought JVP offered a better alternative to UNP and SLFP. They had high expectations from JVP. There was also the feeling that unemployed and underprivileged youth had the right to revolt, observed Chandraprema.  

One group of commentators  saw the JVP as innocent, idealistic activists. This view was soundly crushed by others. “It was a foolish dream. This insurrection was not cruel or ruthless. It was small and beautiful. Sundara gathiyak thibba,” says Victor Ivan, alias ‘Podi Athula’.  It was nothing of the sort, replied critics. It was a well planned action against the state

Dharman    Wickremaratne said that, as a working journalist, he had associated with many JVPers. They had a broad vision, much energy and strong voices, he said.  Neville Jayaweera and S. Nadesan were also sympathetic. These commentators have only looked at the JVP student and youth base, observed analysts. JVP was not a youth rebellion at all, said Chandraprema. The youth were merely used by the JVP.

 JVP sympathizers said that the JVP movement arose primarily   due to the poverty and unemployment in the country.  It is these two factors that drove the youth to JVP. That is not so replied critics. The poor and unemployed did not run to the JVP. The JVP came after them. JVP was a shrewd, externally directed movement, which needed an obedient cadre. They got one without any difficulty.

The JVP created two groups of members. One group was kept idealistic, ignorant of the JVPs real aim. This is the group commentators drool over, remarking on their innocence and young age. For this group JVP recruited schoolboys as well.

“Wijeweera, whom we knew only as Mahaththaya, spoke a lot about cultural imperialism and advised us, students, against aping the west, said Sunanda Deshapriya. We were asked to stop going for films and parties. This was done to stop what he saw as cultural degeneration. No diversions, no romantic relationships were tolerated. He wanted us to be completely devoted to the Marxist ideals. We were also supposed to identify with the poor, move away from our comfortable middle class backgrounds and start thinking about the underprivileged,” Wijeweera was creating a cult following. When Wijeweera was discharged from prison in 1970, he was treated as a hero and garlanded.

In recruiting cadres, JVP made contact with most downtrodden and desperate    persons. These were indentified and JVP made contact with them and convinced them that they should support JVP. JVP focused on the lumpen proletariat and used them for their own purposes, said Chandraprema.

JVP knew to exploit the envy and anger of those who could not make it, those who were unemployed or in low paying jobs with no hope of advancement for their children. JVP gave them ‘the psychological factor of hope’, said Chandraprema. The notion of revolution gave the youth a zest, he added. There was also disenchantment with the traditional left, pointed out Wiswa Warnapala.  

JVP also used caste. In 1971, JVP had support from Karawa, Wahumpura and Batgam in the south. Govigama, Navandanna and Berava did not support, said analysts. Mahawatte village consisted mainly of  Batgama, Wahumpura, Durawa, Nakathi castes and most of the villagers supported JVP. Menikhinna consisted mainly of Batgam caste and was a hot bed of JVP activity.

JVP leaders however, did not come from the unemployed group or the lower classes. They came from the middle class.  They were educated and employed. This is to be expected. An uneducated group could not lead an insurgency. There were professionals among the JVP leaders. Lalith Chandrasiri was an electrical Engineer of Steel Corporation. Viraj Fernando was a mechanical engineer at Steel Corporation.

Some were in stable employment. Somawansa Amarasinghe was a technical assistant in Irrigation Department. Jude Anthony was electrical technician at St Anthony’s Consolidated. Wijepala (1971 insurgency) was an employee of Colombo Port commission. Beli sira” was a bullock cart renter at Hambantota.     One member in the   Womens division was a teacher, another was a local government employee, and a third had worked in Singapore.

The JVP Politburo of 1980 had seven University graduates or drop outs, observed Rohan Gunaratna.  The JVP top rankers also included graduates and University drop outs. J.G. Wijegunasekera was a graduate in mass communications, University Kelaniya. Upali Jayaweera had graduated from University of Kelaniya with an honors degree in economics. Saman Piyasiri has been in University of Kelaniya. Lalith Wijeratne (Aravinda) studied in the Arts Faculty at University of Peradeniya.

The JVP leadership became politicized due to various factors. Ananda Idamegama was an engineering student at Peradeniya suspended for assaulting pro UNP students.  Shantha Bandara had studied at Trinity College, Kandy and Ananda College Colombo.   He was in the Science Faculty, Peradeniya, and was secretary of Socialist Students Union.  He was suspended from the university   few months before his final exams.

JG Wijegunasekera was an active trade unionist at Coconut Cultivation Board, and Small Industries Board.  He was dismissed after the 1980 strike. Palitha Dissanayake was a school boy when he went to prison in 1971. He became a full time JVPer. One JVPer had applied for dozens of jobs, but could not get a job because of his leftist leanings.

JVP seems to have had good intelligence and knew to sniff out promising recruits. Upali Jayaweera was the son of village headman, his mother was a school teacher, his brother was an engineer and Upali was in the Medical Faculty. He went back home when University closed in 1987. He was approached   when reading at the Nuwara Eliya Public Library.

 His potential was immediately seen. Upali was appointed leader for Maskeliya, and was sent to University of Colombo for training, as Peradeniya   University representative from Medicine, together with the representatives for English, science and arts.  Rohan Gunaratne was impressed by Upali Jayaweera, and said Upali would have commanded the party, if he lived.

Those at the top of the JVP survived 1971 and 1987 and went on to become leading professionals in the country. One became a respected political theorist; another became an MP and   Minister.

Most of the 10 engineers hired for the new Housing Authority, were ex JVP members, recalled Chandra Wickremasinghe.  They turned out to be very good engineers who were very enthusiastic about their official assignments. They were all an affable and competent lot and many of them obtained their post- graduate qualifications, some even becoming academics, securing senior University positions both here and abroad.

 Juana Hennadige Premasiri from Aluthgoda,   recalled the beginnings of the 1971 JVP uprising. He was an undergraduate just completing his first year at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, where he was pursuing a degree in Political Science, History and Sinhala, occupying Room 13 in the Marcus Fernando Hall.

He was one of the numerous undergrads who went to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens  and listened for five long days, to passionate and eloquent political speeches from a  the charismatic and powerful speaker ( Wijeweera) whose clothes  had  pus (mould) patches, giving an air of unwashed attire.” They were convinced that their motherland needed a new order. The seeds for the aragalaya (struggle) were sown.

At the end of the session, the youth were allocated different areas of the country, to work in. When Premasiri was assigned Badulla, he opted for Gampaha (where Athula Nimalasiri Jayasinghe alias ‘Loku Athula’ was the leader) as he had done his Advanced Level from the Batuwatte Maha Vidyalaya , Premasiri  left University, and began working in earnest for the movement.

Indrawansa de Silva was another JVP member of the 1970s. Here are his recollections of  1971. Fifty years ago, thousands of us took to arms in what we thought was the Marxist-Leninist revolution to capture power of the state overnight. That’s what our Dear Leader promised. We were made to believe that it was a well-thought out plan of action guided by field-tested Marxist theory.

Like many of my fellow comrades I was barely 17 years old when I was hooked”  in JVP terminology, to JVP .  Everything I knew about Marxism, Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism and the glorious Cuban Revolution, I learned in my late teens from the clandestine classes and political camps as well as from  propaganda material .

We had no doubt, especially in the early days, that our leader, Comrade Rohana Wijeweera, with his commanding knowledge of Marxist-Leninist Maoist ideology and an intimate knowledge of guerilla warfare fine-tuned by none other than Che Guevara, knew what he was talking about.

Our devotion to the cause and the proletariat class made us feel unique and special. I knew” I was right and anyone who questioned what we were espousing or even dared to suggest that we could be wrong was either a reactionary, a traitor or class-enemy. Branding the enemy came quite easily. Their number would be up very soon. The secrecy of every aspect of our revolution kept my adrenaline running high at all times. . I even had my blue uniform made and waited for my tetanus shot. Ready to revolt.

I, like all of us, did not smoke or drank. No relationships. Even personal hygiene such as bathing regularly, was looked down as petit bourgeois and unkempt hair was part of the trademark. (Only later did we come to know that most of these cultist taboos did not apply to our leaders.

What would Sri Lanka have been if the JVP had captured power in 1971? I am not sure about the JVP establishing a proletariat dictatorship, but I am quite sure about Wijeweera establishing a dictatorship. And because of that, like many of my fellow revolutionaries, I am glad that we did not succeed in 1971, said Indrawansa.

Had we succeeded it is more than likely that Sri Lanka would have ended up worse than Cambodia under Pol Pot. I am not being just speculative here. The JVP has shown time after time its violent and authoritarian tendencies whenever and wherever it got even a small taste of power. The JVP doesn’t have a single democratic bone in its body.

Just take some early signs. If someone with an opposing view tried to sell a newspaper or distribute a pamphlet at our rallies they were promptly beaten up and kicked out. We did not hesitate to use power of the fist when met with opposition even within the organisation. Honest and sincere questioning of ideas and theories was seen as a threat to the movement and branded as reactionary, counter-revolutionary, or petit bourgeois tendencies.

I left the JVP in 1971 on principle, like many others, but we were always under its radar. In 1977, I was the President of the Students’ Council of Vidyodaya Campus and of the Inter-University Students’ Federation when Wijeweera was released from prison and held his first rally at the Hyde Park. He openly threatened me as we were a major challenge to the JVP on university campuses. The winds of terror were such that I left the country in the mid-1980s. There is not an iota of doubt in my mind that I would have been killed by the JVP, had I stayed.

It is quite clear that we believed in violence from the outset, said Indrawansa.. I was busy enlarging the maps of Colombo district, marking bridges to be blown up so we could immobilize the army. Pinpointing where the counter revolutionaries, reactionaries and traitors reside so we could take care” of them when we gained power.

Our writings, classes, publications, posters and public speeches were very open about our belief in violence. Destruction must precede construction, whether it is imperialism, capitalism, feudalism or the State machinery. And if we were to kill en masse to reach our goal so be it. We didn’t shy away from saying how brutal we could be. One of our posters read: The liberation of the masses won’t come until the last capitalist is hanged from the last imperialist’s bowels, concluded Indrawansa.

කීර්ති හේවාගොඩ

බලංගොඩ ප්‍රදේශයේ කූරගල පර්වතය ට බද්ධව පිහිටා ඇති රජවක වන රක්ෂිතය ජෛව විවිධත්වයෙන් පොහොසත්  සහ ජල පෝෂක වටිනාකමින් යුත් වන භූමියකි.  වර්ග කිලෝමීටර 26.33 ක වපරිසරයක ආවරණය කරන මේ රජවක වනාන්තරය සමනල වැව ජලාශයේ ප්‍රධාන ජල පෝෂකය ලෙස හදුනාගෙන තිබේ.

රජවක වනාන්තරයේ අතිශය වැදගත් කම නිසාම අංක 1577/5 දරණ ගැසට් පත්‍රය මගින් වර්ෂ 2008 නොවැම්බර් 25 වන දින රක්ෂිත වනාන්තරයක් ( reserved forest) ලෙස ප්‍රකාශය ට පත් කෙරිණ. 

එහෙත් පසුගිය කාලයේ රජවක වනාන්තරය ට කණ කොකා හැඩීමට පටන් ගත්තේ රජවකට අනුරූපව ඇති,කූරගල පර්වතය ආශ්‍රිතව  ඉදිකිරීම් සමූහයක ට   මුල පිරීමක් සමගය. 

පෞරාණික බෞද්ධ විහාරස්ථානයක් වන කුරගල සංවර්ධනය කිරීමට අදාල පිරිස් විසින් රජවක රක්ෂිතය සහ ප්‍රේරක කලාපය ඇතුලු පුරා විද්‍යා රක්ෂිතයේ භූමිය ඩෝසර් කිරීම්, මාර්ග තැනීම් , ගල් පර්වත විදීම් සහ මහා පරිමාණයෙන් කොන්ක්‍රීට් ඇතිරීම් කිරීම මගින් භෞතික පාරිසරික වෙනස් කම් කරන ලදි.  

ඉන්පසු ඉතා සංවිධානාත්මක ලෙස  මෙම 2022 වසරේ මැයි 4 දින අංක 2278/04 ගැසට් පත්‍රය මගින් රජවක රක්ෂිතයෙන් හෙක්ටයාර 27.3684 ක් රක්ෂිත භාවයෙන් නිදහස් කරගෙන ඇති අතර , මෙලෙස රජවකින් කඩා ගත් හෙක්ටයාර 27.3684 කොටස හා වෙනත් ඉඩම් සමග හෙක්ටයාර 53.7583 ක් මායිම් කොට,  මෙම 2022 ජුනි 8 වන දින අංක 2283/29 ගැසට් පත්‍රයෙන් “කූරගල රජමහා විහාරස්ථාන පූජා භූමිය ” ලෙස  පවරා දී තිබේ. එමෙන්ම එය “නාගරික සංවර්ධන භූමියක් ” ලෙස නම් කොට තිබේ.

උක්ත කොන්ක්‍රීට් ඉදිකිරීම් සහ රක්ෂිතය කඩා ගැනීමේදී පිලිගත් පාරිසරික ආඥා පනත් අනුව කල යුතු පාරිසරික සාක්‍යතා අධ්‍යනයන් සිදු කරන ලද්දේද ? ඒ යටතේ පාරිසරික සාක්‍යතා වාර්තා ( EIA ) අනුමත කොට ඇත්ද ?

ජාතික පාරිසරික පනතට අනුකූලව වර්ෂ 1993 ජුනි 24 දාතම  අංක 772/22 දරණ ගැසට් ප්‍රකාශය අනුව හෙක්ටයාර 1 කට වැඩි වනාන්තර ඉඩමක් හෙලි පෙහෙලි කොට වනාන්තර ආශ්‍රිත නොවන ඉදිකිරීම්   කිරීමට කලින් පාරිසරික ඇගයීම් ක්‍රියාවලියක් කොට ලිඛිත අනුමැතිය ලබා ගත යුත්තකි.

දෙවනුව , පුරා වස්තු ආඥා පනතේ වර්ෂ 2000 දී ගැසට් අංක 1152/14 ප්රකාශයට (සංශෝධන ) අනුව  හෙක්ටයාර 2 කට වැඩී වපරිසරයක් එලි කිරීමට පෙර පුරා විද්‍යා හානි ඇගයීමක් කල යුතුය.  

උප කදුකර වනාන්තර ( sub montane forests)  සහ හුදකලා ගල් කුලු  ආශ්‍රිතව සුවිශේෂී පාරිසරික පද්ධති සහ සතුන්ගේ ක්ෂුද්‍ර වාසස්ථාන (micro habitats) ඇති රජවක වැනි වනාන්තරයක් කැබලි කර දීම කෙතරම් අපරාධයක් ද?  උක්ත ඉදිකිරීම් නිසා සහ පූජා භූමියෙන් රක්ෂිත වපරිසරය ට එල්ලවන අධික විදුලි ආලෝකය  නිසා වන ආලෝක දූෂණය, ශබ්ද  දුෂණය සහ රක්ෂිතය ට වන කැලි කසල ආදී අපද්‍රව්‍ය  බැහැර කිරීම විශාල ගැටලුවකි. මෙලෙසම හෙට දිනයේදී සප්ත කන්‍යා කදු සහ මරගල කන්ද ආදී සුවිශේෂී කදුකර වනාන්තර තුලත්  ආගම ආවරණය කොට ගෙන මහා පරිමාණ වනාන්තර කැබලී කිරීම් සහ වන හායනයට ලක්  කිරීමට ගිය හොත් කුමක් වනු ඇත්ද?

මේ සමග අමුණා ඇති ලේඛන සහ ඡායාරූප අනුව දත්ත අධ්‍යනය කල හැකි වේ. වර්ෂ 2021 මාර්තු මස අදාල භූමියේ චන්ද්‍රිකා ඡායාරූපය සහ එහිම මෙම 2022 ජුලි මස තත්ත්වය පැහැදිලිව දැක ගත හැකි අතර අනෙක් සිතියමේ  කූරගල පුජා භූමියට පවරා දී ඇති මුලු වපරිසරය දම් පැහැයෙන්  දැක්වේ.

ආගමික, දේශපාලනික, ව්යාපාරික, මිලිටරි  මැදිහත් වීමෙන් සහ   බලය අවභාවිත කරමින්  මහජනතාවගේ පාරිසරික උරුමය සහ පාරිසරික සුරක්ෂිතභාවය කොල්ල කෑමට ලක්වේ නම් එය අපරාධයකි. ශිෂ්ඨ සමාජයක සම්මුතීන් වලට එරෙහිව යාමකි.  

මාගේ දැනුම සහ නිරීක්ෂණ අනුව මේ ලේඛනය නෛතිකව, සදාචාරාත්මකව සහ විද්‍යාත්මකව   අනුකූලව,  පරිසර ක්රියාකාරීයෙකු ලෙස සහ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පුරවැසියෙකු ලෙස මාගේ සිවිල්  වගකීම (  civil responsibility) යටතේ රටේ මහජනතාව, පරිසරවේදීන්, රාජ්‍ය ආයතන,  ජාතික සහ ජාත්‍යන්තර ජන මාධ්‍ය සහ සංවිධාන  වෙත  දන්වා සිටිමි.

කීර්ති හේවාගොඩ

26 ජුලි 2022

KAMALIKA PIERIS

University of Peradeniya was the one of the main centers of JVP activity,  in the 1987 insurgency. It was the epi-center of JVP activity in 1989. Some members of University minor staff and University security were in the JVP military wing. Instructions for prison attack and central command attack in Kandy were issued from Hilda Obeyesekera Hall, Peradeniya.

Universities were paralyzed in the period 1987-1989. JVP dominated the university through the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF).  It was well known that these University campaigns were carried out by IUSF and the Deshapremi Sishya Viyapraya, said analysts.    

 The JVP members who were active in the University included final year students and university staff.  There was also a group of third-liners,  who were clearly followers not leaders.

University agitation started in March 1987. Students would walk in unannounced to the VC office and made demands with impunity. Staff were threatened not to report to work. University staff was held hostage.

University teachers were compelled to march the streets of Peradeniya, recalled Channa Ratnatunga. Doctors, nurses and professors were marched to the Peradeniya Bridge, buses were stopped, passengers also made to join, and walk in front of us. The guy with a gun who was handling the event was the lift operator in a hospital nearby.

JVP made undergrads demonstrate and protest at the slightest thing. Students were made to go in procession; they hung flags, put up posters, distributed leaflets, sprayed and wrote on buses.

In the 1987 insurgency, Peradeniya was the hot bed, and several JVP leaders came from the Medical Faculty. Several final year students in the Medical Faculty at Peradeniya were   JVP. Well dressed males with executive bags were      seen coming to the canteen in the Medical Faculty. The five lectures were being delivered.

Of a batch of 150 medical students only about 2/3 sat the finals, rest were missing, said Dr Channa Ratnatunge of the Department of surgery. Medical student Podibanda was from Dambulla Maha Vidyalaya .There was no teacher for physics or chemistry there. So he bought books and studied on his own. He got high marks at A levels and entered    Peradeniya medical faculty. He joined the JVP and was killed.

these JVP medical students would make subtle threats if we did not comply with their requests, which we didn’t, recalled .Channa. They demanded that Channa attend a JVP meeting. when he refused, he was reminded of what happened to Stanley Wijesundera, VC at Colombo, who was shot dead. Channa had got death threats because he had given priority to the Registrar of the Medical Faculty when he was in the surgery queue.

JVP medical students did not attend classes but quietly got JVP members admitted to wards in the hospital. These patients came with infected wounds, one with gangrene of the limb.  The rest of the patients had to face delay when the JVP patients arrived at the hospital.

JVP used to roam about the Faculty of Medicine and enter the wards in the hospital. In1989 a gun toting JVP walked into the ward, recalled Channa and wanted an ambulance to bring an injured to hospital. the Director of the hospital said no, ambulance was for armed services only. He left after threatening them.

Dr.  Sarath Edirisinghe, who taught at the Medical Faculty, Peradeniya, spoke of his encounters with the JVP in the University in the Bheeshanaya period. One day a group of medical students who were JVP informed us lecturers that they were going to have a meeting in Physiology Theater and all the staff must attend. We all trooped in there, a medical student activist spoke, and scolded us for not being receptive to the vast changes taking place. We must respond to the youth uprising. They said, among other things, that they had to     right to stop and check any vehicle passing Wijewardana. We were not allowed to voice our views, said Sarath.

On one occasion Sarath watched the captive medical staff of Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, carrying placards against the IPKF, herded along toward Peradeniya road junction. A consultant had told him later that they had been taken to Peradeniya Bo tree bus stop, given paste and told to paste posters on the buses that stopped there.

Once there was a huge commotion at the turn off to Wijewardana Hall. There was a huge crowd and much chaos. Sarath saw a man tied to a tree. Someone started beating him.  He was later taken away.  We heard later that he was the driver of a passing vehicle owned by a UNP MP. He was found murdered in a nearby quarry.

The Meewatura University house complex, where Sarath lived, had been visited by JVP and identity cards confiscated. Electric transformers in the area had been bombed or vandalized. On dark days” the residents did not switch on the lights. Sarath was pulled up for putting on lights when all round it was dark.  These JVP were definitely University students, said Sarath.  

JVP said they were going to send him a set of instructions to be conveyed to the rest of the houses. Sarath had said how to read instructions when there are no lights. He was told that around 3 am, instructions would be pushed through the door and to comply. Use torch to read it. However, since they had a baby, he was told to have a 15 or 25 watt bulb in a back room.

The document arrived. They were told to display a large placard saying that IPKF must leave Sri Lanka, also hang a black flag. Their activities would-be closely watched throughout the day. At dawn Sarath saw a row of University houses with black flags. Some had torn umbrellas to get the black cloth.

Then the army came. Sarath and others were warned in time, they pulled the black flags down. An army jeep came, with two rows of unsmiling soldiers scrutinizing the houses, When the army left the academics put back the placard and flag. Throughout the day, there were young men on motorcycles checking our houses.

Then JVP bombed the Water Purification plant, nearby, which meant no water for the houses.  The Vice Chancellor appealed to JVP by poster   to get the plant working. JVP complied.    The    ‘Reply’ poster came, saying plant will be repaired and water will be issued for two hours a   day.

One day, Sarath found that there was no one in the Medical Faculty and he went along to the Dean’s room, where he found Dean and the Senior Assistant Registrar, Miss Jayasuriya. While he was there, the door opened with a bang and a well dressed, bearded young man came in and wanted to know why the Faculty was open, it was a hartal day. Miss Jayasuriya had shouted back and said the man had no business entering the Dean’s office and ordered him to leave immediately. The man said something threatening but left the office. The man was a technical officer in the Medical Faculty, said Miss Jayasuriya.

After several murders had taken place at Peradeniya campus, a dozen senior academics, from the Medical Faculty, led by Prof Ralph Panabokke had gone to see Vice Chancellor Arjuna Aluwihare, by appointment. There were three student activists there, recalled Sarath. We were introduced to the students.

 Prof. Panabokke said his say which was translated to the students, who said very eloquently in Sinhala that there was a liberation movement taking place and we should recognize the fact and as academics we should extend our support. Panabokke said that murders by University students should be stopped.  The students looked agitated, they had a short discussion among themselves and the leader blurted out that they had no control over these activities.

Sarath and his family then went to Nugegoda, where again they met the JVP.  Sarath’s wife, Jayanthi visited an uncle who was a retired army man. when she knocked on the door,     a young man holding a gun pulled her into the house. Jayanthi, who was a lecturer in the University, guessed that these were probably University students.  She shouted at the gang telling them she was a University don. She asked them to leave the house immediately. They had a whispered conversation and left, warning her not to leave for one hour and not to get the police. They had cut the telephone wires beforehand. They had vanished into thin air, there was no sound of a motor cycle.

Sarath and his family   returned to Peradeniya . A Senior Assistant Registrar had been killed near Senate House. In retaliation, around ten youths  were killed and  their severed heads placed round the Alwis pond. ‘One can imagine how brutal the government backed counter terrorist activities were at the time,’ said Sarath.

Towards the end, there was fear, panic and danger everywhere. Militant students patrolled the area on wheels and on foot. They were checking vehicles. They expected a showdown with the government and counter preparation were being readied by them.

The showdown came soon after. In the biting pre-dawn, Sarath and other academics  living in Meewatura heard  students in Hilda Obeyesekera Hall, ( then a male student hall) calling out  names of lecturers and begging those lecturers to come  and rescue them as they were surrounded by the army.

Instead of running to the rescue, the lecturers in the Meewatura houses were all in their back gardens watching. We did not see any army activity until a helicopter came by. The cries of students rounded up by the armed forces could be heard, then there was silence, said Sarath.

Helicopters kept swooping down on  the Halls of residence till mid day. There was also bus after bus transporting students out of the campus. As they went past Meewatura to Gampola  villagers hooted, some shouted don’t come back.” The Bheeshanaya was blamed on University students and  the  surrounding villages were relieved to see the student evicted from campus. The  Campus was closed,  concluded Sarath.

Wiswa was  teaching political science  at University of  Peradeniya , during the Bheeshanaya  period. The    violence inside the University  particularly University of   Peradeniya   was such that the University could not control it,  said Wiswa. No one was safe inside the campus. The Inter University  Student  Federation  formed Action Committees and  these committees were behind the violence.

The frightened University authorities gave recognition to the Action Committee, in order to avoid open confrontation and prevent destruction of life and property. The Action Committee   turned itself into a parallel administration  making use of the University administration and issuing orders to University officials.  There was  sporadic stoppage and boycott of lectures. No Department could function steadily. Academic programmes came  to a standstill, said Wiswa. ‘Palamuwa mawbima devenuva upadhiya’ said the slogan.    

Wiswa observed that the  JVP leaders in the University  came  not from Arts faculty, but from science, engineering and medicine. This was  strange  because they  were sure of getting jobs and rising in life,  but these   students, unlike in the past, came from different social backgrounds. The undergrad community of the 80s was entirely different to that of the 50s, they were more militant and aggressive.  Wiswa was a strong critic of the JVP. He got a threat on his life.

Violence, threats and killings were the order of the day inside  Peradeniya  campus. Nobody  was safe inside. Any trivial matter was enough for the students to indulge in violence and they were armed with lethal weapons, said Wiswa.

A Senior Assistant Registrar was shot at the entrance to Senate House at 12 noon by a JVP who came on a push bike. Victim died leaning on a car. Over one hundred staff and students saw  the killing take place in the early afternoon. Gunman escaped in a push cycle warning the audience in the Senate  building not to come out or use phone. No one dared to stop them. Culprit escaped and no attempt was made to apprehend him.

On another occasion, there were ten bodies in front of the arts theatre.   it was rumored that this was done by the state, which shot them one by one as a message to the JVP. this murderous act  was a part of the reprisals of the state. Those responsible for this terrible event blocked the roads so they could commit the crime with impunity . This act devastated the academic community, said Wiswa.

One activity of these students was to watch the comings and goings of the academics. When Wiswa’s brother in law, a Brigadier in the army  visited Wiswa,  the JVP ‘had the audacity  to come and question me as to why there was an army visit,’  said Wiswa.  When  B.S. Wijeweera, one of his post graduate students had visited Wiswa at home, JVP  thought that Rohana Wijeweera had visited .

Osmund Jayaratne, a lecturer in Physics said in his autobiography, that he was informed, after he left Peradeniya that the academics living in Mahakanda had put up a notice saying ‘Osmund Jayaratne no longer lives in this housing scheme’.  

Prof. Hudson McLean

During the Collapse of the Circus, the Clown or the Joker becomes the King!  

BUT – Sri Lanka Has Talent! —-  Read Below!

“President Wickremesinghe in a light tone asked some of the diplomats if protestors could illegally occupy the President’s Office in their respective countries”

This is proof that Ranil Wickremasinghe is No Leader!  

As the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, appointed by ex-President Gotabaya Rajapakse, when no other Law Maker wanted to take the offer of PM, Ranil Wickremasinghe, a PM with experience, accepted and did let the protestors run riot, looting & setting fire to Government property.  He did not even try!

Now Wickremasinghe asks a Diplomat his/her opinion of the protestors or rioters taking over the official buildings. 

This demonstrated that Ranil Wickremasinghe is No Leader!

Now that the “Horse has fled the Stable”, Sri Lanka needs a young dynamic Leader with Honesty, Innovation, who is able to create a Team to Resuscitate the Sri Lanka economy.

Whilst China & India are willing and able to offer Emergency Aid to stop the bleeding, Make the Next Move!

The President should harness the intelligence of the Top Business community, as published below.

https://www.toptwenty.live/2020/09/top-20-richest-people-in-sri-lanka.html

Many of the above have developed their successful acumen through hard work, intelligence, innovation, and connections, which should be harnessed to move the country forward.

Here are 10 Sri Lankans domiciled abroad, who may offer advice and support to the ailing government. 

Get the Sri Lankan Diplomats abroad to earn their keep!

Currently, there are No Sri Lankan politicians, who are Able to Lead the Island out of the conundrum due to their past reputation of Dishonesty, Lethargy, Professional Capability, and Lack of Credibility.

Sri Lanka now should turn the table and bring in New Young Sri Lankan Blood!Express Your Opinion – Read What Others Say!
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ලෝක සිතියමෙි ලිබියානු රට පිහිටා ඇත්තේ අප්‍රිකානු මහද්වීපයේ වන අතර ඉතාම දිළිඳු රටක් ලෙසින් 1969 ට පෙර පැවත ඇත.ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය ප්‍රමුඛ බටහිර රටවල්වලට යටත් රූකඩ ආණ්ඩුවක් එහි පැවතිනි.රාජාණ්ඩුවක්ව පැවති ලිබියාවෙි පාලකයා ලෙස කටයුතු කලේ ඉන්ද්‍රිස් නැමති නායකයාය.රට තුල පැවති ඇතැමි ඛනිජ සමිපත් බ්‍රිතාන්‍යන් ඇතුළු බටහිර තමන්ට රිසි සේ සූරා කමින් පැවතුණි .

නන්නත්තාරව පැවති ලිබියාවෙි පාලන බලය 1969 වසරේදී හමුදාවෙි කර්නල්වරයෙකු වූ මුවම්මර් ගඩාපි විසින් අත්පත් කර ගන්නා ලදී.

70 දශකයේ ඔහු විසින් ලිබියානු පාලන තන්ත්‍රය කෙසේ විය යුතුදැයි න්‍යායික ලිඛිත පැහැදිලි කිරීමක් තම හරිත කෘතිය නැමති වැඩපිළිවෙළින් රට හමුවෙි තබන්නට විය.එම කෘතිය ලිබියානු ජනතාවගේ ඉමහත් ආකර්ශනයක් දිනාගත් අතර ඇතැමි ලිබියානුවන් මෙම කෘතිය හැඳින් වූයේ මාඔිසේතුංගේ රතුපොතට සමාන කරමිනි .තවත් පිරිසක් මෙම කෘතිය හඳුන්වනු ලැබුවෙි කුරානයට සම කරය.

1969 සිට 2011 දක්වා ගඩාපි උග්‍ර අධිරාජ්‍ය විරෝධියෙකු ලෙස තම රට තුලත් බාහිර ලෝකය තුලත් සාඩමිබරනීය අනන්‍යතාවයක් තහවරු කර ගන්නා ලදී .

බටහිර විසින් සූරාකමින් තිබූ ලිබියානු සමිපත් වහ ජනසතු කරන ලද අතර එතැන් පටන් ඔහු අප්‍රිකානු මහද්වීපයේ දළිඳුම රාජ්‍ය වූ ලිබියාව දියුණුම හා ප්‍රබලම රාජ්‍යක් බවට පත් කරන ලදී.අකුරු සාක්ෂරතාවය සියයට අනූවටත් එහා ප්‍රතිශතයකට ගෙන ආ ලිබියානු නායකයා අධ්‍යාපන, සෞඛ්‍ය, ජලය ,විදුලිය ඇතුළු ප්‍රබල පහසුකමි ජයග්‍රහණ රටෙි ජනතාවට ලබා දීමට කටයුතු කලේය.
රට අභ්‍යන්තරයේ ඛනිජ සමිපත් රටෙි වෙිගවත් දියුණුවකට යොදා ගන්නා ලදී.

අධ්‍යාපනය,සෞඛ්‍ය පහසුකමි විදුලිය ගෑස් නොමිලේ ලබා දුන් අතර විවාහවන තරුණ විවාහකයින් වෙත මාගේ මතකය නිවරදිනමි,ඩොලර් පනස්දහසක් ආණ්ඩුව තෑග්ගක් ලෙස ලබා දෙමින් නිවසක් සහිත පහසුකමි ද රජයෙන් ලබා දී ඇත.සරල දිවි පෙවෙතකට හුරු වී සිටී ලිබියානු ජනතාව තුල මුදල් සංසරණය ද දියුණු තැනක තිබූ බව සඳහන්ය.

අප්‍රිකානු මහද්වීපයේ රටවල් එක්කොට බලවත් කලාපයක් නිර්මාණය කිරීමට නායකත්වය ගෙන කටයුතු කල ලිබියානු නායකයාට දිගින් දිගටම දැඩි සේ වෛර කරමින් සිටියේ ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය ප්‍රමුඛ බටහිර රටවල්ය.ඒ ඔවුන්ට රිසි සේ ලිබියානු ඛනිජ සමිපත් ඇතුළු වෙනත් දේ සූරා කෑමට තිබූ අවස්ථා අහිමි කර තිබීම හේතුවෙනි .

ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය ප්‍රමුඛ බටහිර රටවල් නිහඬව නොසිට කුමන්ත්‍රණ පොකුරක් දියත් කලේය.
වත්මනෙහි ලංකාවෙි ක්‍රියාත්මක වන ඊනියා අරගල කරුවන් පිරිසකට සමාන පිරිසක් කවා පොවා අන්ඳවා හදාවඩා ගනිමින් ලිබියානු ජනතාවට ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදය ලබා දීමට යැයි වහසි බස් දොඩා අවස්ථාවක් විවර වූ විගසම කුමන්ත්‍රණය රටට ඇතුල් කිරීමට කටයුතු කලේය.අප්‍රිකානු මහද්වීපයෙන් හඹා අරාබි රටවල්ද යට කරමින් පැමිණි අරාබි වසන්තය හරහා ලිබියානු විශ්ව විද්‍යාල සිසුන් පිරිසක් (හරියටම ලංකාවෙි අන්තර් විශ්ව විද්‍යාල ශිෂ්‍ය බල මණ්ඩලයට සමාන)
බෙංගාසි නගරය පාදක කරගනිමින් කැරැල්ල ආරමිභ කලේය.
ගඩාෆිට එය පාලනය කරගත නොහැකි වූයේ ඇමරිකාව ප්‍රමුඛ නේටෝව ලිබියානු කැරැළි කරුවන් යොදා ගනිමින් ගුවනින් හා සතර දෙසින් ප්‍රහාර එල්ල කොට මුළු ලිබියාවම වනසා සමූල ඝාතනයක් කරමින් අවසානයේදී දියුණුම රාජ්‍යක් දක්වා වර්ධනය කරන ලද ලිබියානු නායක ගඩාෆි පණ පිටින් අල්ලා ලෝකයටම පෙනෙන සේ දසවද දී ඇමරිකාව ප්‍රමුඛ නේටෝවෙි අනුග්‍රහය සහිතව ලිබියානු කැරළිකරුවන් අතින්ම ඝාතනය කර ලිබියානු ශක්තිමත් දියුණු රාජ්‍ය බිඳ වැටිටුවෙිය.

ලිබියානුවන්ට තිබුණු රාජ්‍යත් පෙන්වන ලද රාජ්‍යත් දෙකම අහිමිව අදවන විට යළිත් අප්‍රිකානු මහද්වීපයේ හා අනෙකුත් මැදපෙරදිග රටවල්වල ඉතා දිළිඳුම කැබලිවලට කැඩුණු අරාජික රටක් බවට පත් කර සියළු ලිබියානු සමිපත් ඉතා තදබල ලෙස ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය ප්‍රමුඛ බටහිර රටවල් සූරාකමින් තිබෙි.දැන් ලිබියානු ජනතාව ශාප කරමින් සිටින්නේ ලිබියානු කැරැළි කරුවන්ටය.කැරැළි කරුවන් ද තමන්ටම ශාප කරගනිමින් සිටින්නේ ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය ප්‍රමුඛ බටහිර රටවල්වලට ගොදුරු වී දියුණුම තම රාජ්‍ය විනාශ කිරීම පිළිබඳවවය.

2011 දී ලිබියානු රට විනාශ කිරීමෙන් පසු මෙි තාක් රටට ආණ්ඩුවක් පාලකයෙක් නැත.රට හැම තැනම මංකොල්ල කෑමි මිනී මැරුමි ස්ත්‍රී දූෂණ බහුලව සිදුවෙයි.රටෙි එක් එක් කොටස් පාලනය කරනු ලබන්නේ පාතාල නායකයින් රස්තියාදුකාරයින් මංකොල්ල කාරයින්ය.ගඩාපි ජනතාවට දුන් කිසිදූම පහසුකමක් හෝ සහනයක් දැන් ලැබෙන්නේ නැත.දිනපතා ජනතාව නීති විරෝධීව රට හැරදා බෝටිටු පාවිචිචි කර පලා යති.එයිනුත් විශාල ප්‍රමාණයක් සාගරය මැදදී ජීවිතක්ෂයට පත් වෙි.

ලංකාව දෙස හැරී බලමු.

ලංකාව දියුණු රාජ්‍යක් නොවෙතත් ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය ප්‍රමුඛ බටහිර රටවල්වලට භූ ගෝලීය වශයෙන් ලෝක යුධමය තත්වයකදී අත්‍යාවශ්‍යම රටක් බවට පත්ව ඇත.ඔවුන්ට අවශ්‍ය භූ අභ්‍යන්තරයේ හා මතු පිට සමිපත් ඇත.
ඉහත කී රටවල් මෙන්ම ඉන්දියාවද අපට කෙදිනකවත් නැගිටින්නට දෙන්නේ නැත.

ඇමරිකන් තානාපතිනියගේ මෙහෙයවීම යටතේ අරගලයට මුවා වී ඔවුන්ට අවනත බලවෙිග සියල්ලම මෙි කරමින් සිටින්නේ ලිබියානු පන්නයේ විනාශයක් කිරීමටය.අරගල භූමිය වසා සිටින සියළු බලමුළු ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය ප්‍රමුඛ බටහිර රටවල්වල ඩොලර් මත යැපෙමින් ලක් මාතාව වරක් නොව සිය දහස් වාර ගණනින් දූෂණය කර මරා දැමීමට ඉතා සහසික ලෙසින් සූදානමින් ක්‍රියා කාරී වී ඇත.පාර්ලිමෙින්තු ව තුල සිටත් ඉන් පරිබාහිර පුද්ගලයින් ලෙසත් බලවෙිග ලෙසත් ,අරගල කරුවන් සාමකාමී අරගල කරුවන් ලෙස අර්ථ කථන දෙන්නන් ,පොලීසිය හමුදාව අසරණ කරන අධිකරණ ,නීතිඥ කුමනත්‍රණත් සියල්ල ඇමරිකානු ,ලංකාවට එරෙහි දුෂ්ඪ සැලැස්මෙි හා න්‍යාය පත්‍රයේ කොටස් බව අප හඳුනාගනිමින් මුහුණ දියයුතුය .

අවසන් වශයෙන් ලංකාවෙි අරගලයට මුවාවී සහසිකත්වය මුදා හැර ඇති ඩොලර් හා රුපියල් මත රට අරාජික කර සදාකාලිකව විනාශය කරා රැගෙන යන මොවුන් ජනාධිපති මන්දිර ලේකමි කාර්‍යාල අගමැති මැදුර බලහත්කාරී ලෙස යටත් කර ඇතුල් වී විශාල දේපල හොරකමි කර ඇත.පහරදීමි මිනීමැරුම් කර ඇත.පොලීසියට හමුදාවට පහර දී ඇත.ගිණි අවි පැහැරගෙන ඇත.මෙකී සියළු අපරාද කරන ලිබියාවෙි බෙංගාසි කැරළිකරුවන්ට හා තලෙයිබාන්වරුට සමාන මොවුන් සාමකාමී නිරායුද අරගල කරුවන් ලෙස හඳුන්වනු ලබන්නේ කුමන වර්ගයේ පිස්සන්දැයි ජනතාවට නොතේරේ.මෙම අර්ථකථන සඳහා ඩොලර් යහමින් ලැබීම ඔවුන්ට ප්‍රමාණවත්ය.එය ඔවුන්ට අඛණ්ඩව ලැබෙමින් පවතී .

රටට එරෙහි ඊනියා අරගලය තුල බෙදුමිවාදී LTTE සිටිති.වෙනම කිලකස්ථානයක් ඉල්ලා සිටින මුස්ලිමි මූලධර්මවාදී වහබිවාදීන් සිටියි. ඉතා සූක්ෂම ලෙස බුදු දහම වනසන මූලධර්මවාදී ආගමික නිකායන් සිටී .අගරදගුරු කාදිනල් හා අනෙක් අගරදගුරු ඔිමල්පේ සෝභිතත් සිටියි.ජෙප්පො පෙරෙටිටෝත් සිටියි.පෙරෙටිටන්ගේ සන්නද්ධ බලඇණියවන අන්තර් විශ්ව විද්‍යාල ශිෂ්‍ය බල මණ්ඩලයද සිටියි.සාමකාමී අරගල දරුවන්ට ගහන්න එපා කියන වෛරයෙන් මුසපත්ව ඇති පොනීත් සිටියි.ඒ ඇතුළු ඩොලර් මත පාවාදීමෙි අසහය පාර්ලිමෙින්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරුන් පිරිසක්ද සිටියි.පාතාල නායකයින් කුඩුකාරයින් IRC කාරයන් ගණිකාවන්ඳ වෘත්තීය සමිති ඊනියා නායකයිද සිටියි.

ඉතින් අපි එක්ව මෙි ලංකාවෙි තලෙයිබාන්වරු එහෙමත් නැත්නමි ලිබියානු බෙංගාසි කැරළිකරුවන් හැම අතකින්ම පරාජය කිරීම රටෙි අවශ්‍යතාවයක්ම නොවන්නේද?

ජයවෙිවා ..!

පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී නිමල් පියතිස්ස

New Zealand Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights (SPUR NZ)

New Zealand Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights (SPUR NZ) in a letter addressed to key Sri Lankan Ministers has condemned the recent actions taken to silence the voice of the youth of Sri Lanka.

Our motherland, with a long established culture that values Peace and Stability, has in recent times reached a historically critical juncture. Unprecedented shortages of essentials like petrol, diesel, gas and fertiliser have crippled the economy and people’s livelihoods.

There is no doubt that the government (2019 -2022) caused the current precarious state of the country by making patently unwise economic decisions and committing financial mismanagement. The callous attitude of the rulers toward the sufferings of the people has worsened the problem with every passing day.

We witnessed some minor protests and uprisings around the country towards the end of

2021. The rural farmers, fishermen, housewives, teachers and university students spearheaded

vehement demonstrations that engulfed the whole country within a very short period of time.

Gradually, Galle Face Green in Colombo became the centre of the protests. The youth who took the lead at Galle Face emerged as the mouthpiece of the voice of Sri Lankans of all denominations. The IT-savvy modern generation, combined with more mature elderly supporters, portrayed the frustrations and anger of the vast majority of Sri Lankans. Galle Face became a household name, as a

Peaceful Platform, for the protests against the government that was indifferent to the people’s sufferings. As thousands of highly charged student communities stood behind them, the Galle face

Youth” appeared to be the only hope for a paralysed nation, as all the established political

Parties lacked the means to generate a widely accepted base.

It is a well-accepted fact that both Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksha and President Gotabhaya

Rajapaksha ultimately had to leave their respective positions due to the hyperactive but peaceful

protests by the Galle Face Youth backed by thousands of concerned citizens.

In the period between the resignation of the Prime Minister and the President, the Galle Face

Protest groups were transforming into a non-partisan front. They have started consultations with various mainstream political parties and civil society groups to resolve the current economic crisis and to find quick solutions to people’s grievances. Galle Face Green was transforming into an informal gathering place for everyone interested in finding solutions to the age-old problems faced by the country. Their makeshift tents appeared to be a perfect alternative to meeting halls, libraries, cinemas and theatres to demonstrate their feelings in a more vibrant and creative environment. The country‘s renowned artists, academics and professionals visited the site to encourage the youth groups.

During the protests, the Prime Minister and the President of the country were forced to declare their resignations, and four huge official mansions that they occupied came under the control of the Protesters. By 21 July 2022, the protesters had handed back three buildings back to the government and were planning to hand over the remaining building – the Presidential Secretariat at Galle Face, in the afternoon of 22 July 2022.

However, the events that unfolded in the early hours of 22 July 2022 that were transmitted to the world through the social media on were shocking. It was an explicitly savage use of excessive force on a peaceful group of people at Gall Face in front of the Presidential Secretariat. Scores of unarmed people including women were brutally assaulted and their huts and their belongings were destroyed by the armed forces sent by the newly appointed President Ranil Wickramasinghe who was elected by the Parliament on the previous day.  It was apparent that it was a calculated attempt to intervene at a most opportune time chosen by the government forces.

The attacks on the media personnel, including the BBC correspondent, indicated an apparent need to hide some pieces of evidence from the world at large.

At this crucial juncture, Sri Lanka expects nothing but full respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law not only from the general public but also from the government and its armed forces.

We are at pain to notice in this instance that the government forces under the President Wickramasinghe have not paid any respect to freedom of speech and assembly, which are fundamental democratic rights of Sri Lankan citizens.

It could have been a golden opportunity to the new government of President Wickramasinghe to win the hearts and minds of the youth groups if they opted to engage with them in a meaningful dialogue instead of assaulting them willy-nilly.   It is with heartfelt sorrow that we notice that all successive governments of Sri Lanka during the past 74 years after gaining Independence have not had any meaningful dialogue with the younger generation.

The non-partisan Galle Face Youth who won the hearts of every Sri Lankan for their brave and,

peaceful interventions on behalf of the Sri Lankan people, could have been utilised as a very effective conduit to obtain the views of the younger generation. Unfortunately, this attack has negated all such hopes. Civil leaders consider it an assault by the government on the whole youthful generation.

The New Zealand Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka ( SPUR NZ) unconditionally condemns in the strongest possible terms this brutal attack on an unarmed peaceful group of youth and journalists by the Sri Lankan government authorities. We emphasize that the young generation of Sri Lanka needs to be meaningfully engaged in dealing with the current crisis and creating a stable and secure future for them in Sri Lanka. We hope sanity prevails over all the involved parties.

On behalf of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights (SPUR NZ),

Niranjan Patabandige                                                     Mahinda Attanayake

President                                                                            Secretary

By P.K.Balachandran Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, July 27 (newsin.asia): In his interaction with foreign diplomats last week, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressed their concerns about the application of force to oust protesters from the Presidential Secretariat on the night of July 21-22.  

The US Ambassador, Julie Chung, had tweeted saying that she met President Wickremesinghe to express her grave concern” over the crackdown. She described the military cum police action as an escalation of violence against protesters” and termed it unnecessary and deeply troubling.”

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She went on to instruct the Lankan government on its duties saying: The President & cabinet have an opportunity and an obligation to respond to the calls of Sri Lankans for a better future. This is not the time to crack down on citizens, but instead to look ahead at the immediate and tangible steps the Government can take to regain the trust of the people, restore stability, and rebuild the economy.”

On his part, President Wickremesinghe reaffirmed to the diplomats, Sri Lanka’s commitment to upholding the rights of peaceful, non-violent assembly. He stated that both Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 14 (1)(b) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, which governs the rights of peaceful assembly, would be upheld by the Government.

But at the same time, he pointed out that the protesters had not acted as per norms, which do not allow protesters to violate the sanctity of the institutions of the State such as government offices (and even private space without the consent of the owners of the private space).”

Wickremesinghe pointed out that even in the US, there are clear norms regarding protests as stated by the American Civil Liberties Union (see: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights). The ACLU states that protesters are not permitted to block government buildings and interfere with other purposes the property was designed for.”

The ACLU instructions went on to say: Your rights are strongest in what are known as ‘traditional public forums,’ such as streets, sidewalks and parks. You also likely have the right to speak out on other public property, like plazas in front of government buildings, as long as you are not blocking access to the government building or interfering with other purposes the property was designed for.”

Wickremesinghe told the diplomats that measures had been taken to ensure that non-violent protests were allowed to proceed within the city without endangering property or lives. Facilities within Colombo, such as the Open-Air Theatre at Viharamahadevi Park, the New Town Hall, Hyde Park and Campbell Park were all being made available to non-violent protests.

The President appealed to the diplomats not to go entirely by social media reports but fact-check with concerned officials of the government before tweeting their comments.

Attack on Capitol

On January 6 2021, federal security agents had to use force to clear the the Capitol housing the US Congress, when it was invaded by right-wing extremist followers of defeated President Donald Trump. The mob had stormed the building to force Congress to declare Trump as the rightful winner and not Joe Biden. In the melee, a lady protester was shot dead, while four others died due to causes other than violence inflicted on the occasion. It was an ugly confrontation, in which, initially at least, the protesters had the upper hand. Some of them were armed with lethal or non-lethal weapons.  

The ruling Democratic party described the attack as an insurrection”, while the Republicans considered it an expression of pent up emotion against Trump’s loss in what to them was a ‘stolen’ election. While confusion prevailed outside, the Capitol police were also divided and extremely unprepared despite advance warnings about Trump’s followers going berserk after listening to his incendiary speeches and tweets. The police were also short of arms as these were not easily accessible, having been locked up.

Although many officers fought with the mob (one rioter was shot to death and one officer later died of injuries) others took selfies and offered no resistance. The relatively lenient handling of the invaders was deeply troubling to many Americans. But Americans were divided on racial lines on the issue of police action. While Whites desired tough police action, the people of color desired restraint. Apparently, the cops at Capitol were also divided on class lines, with the non-so-well-heeled right wingers siding with the protesters.

Be that as it may, even a liberal, left-wing administration of Joe Biden is unlikely to be soft on protesters invading and occupying State buildings and that would bring government work to a grinding halt. It is against this background that the Lankan President told foreign diplomats that while protests are legitimate, invasion and occupation of government buildings, could not be condoned.

The protesters at the SWRD Bandarnaike statue at Galle Face had been given the court order asking them to clear the space within 50 meters of the statue, but they took no notice of it. According to the police, the protesters were not intending to vacate the Presidential Secretariat until Wickremesinghe resigned.

It is for this reason that the Wickremesinghe government is proceeding with legal action against those who had violated the laws and court orders. About 150 protesters who had vandalized the Presidential Secretariat and the Presidential palace have been identified by the CID and the young man who stormed the studios of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and telecast a speech was arrested as he was about to fly to Dubai. There is a travel ban against a few leaders.

Role of Governmental Instability

In the US as well as in Sri Lanka, violence broke out not so much because activists had violent elements among them but because the State was unsteady. While in Sri Lanka, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was unsteady with his morale at its lowest, in the US, it was a time of transition from the Trump Administration to the Biden Administration. In both cases, the law and order machinery was found to be wanting. This enabled protesters to be whatever they wanted.

On May 9, a pro-Mahinda Rajapaksa group bashed up peaceful protesters on Galle Face and in the night anti-Rajapaksa elements burnt 40 to 60 houses of ruling party leaders. Many buses were torched in Colombo. On July 9, anti-Rajapaksa protesters stormed the offices and official residences of the President and the Prime Minister and burnt the latter’s private residence. This was because the law and order machinery was defunct due to the absence of orders from the top. The top had atrophied.

However, in Sri Lanka as well as the US, the system did come back to life within days and peace returned to the land.

Courtesy CGTN

The Sri Lankan Supreme Court has summoned former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appear in court on August 1 to make submissions in response to applications calling for an investigation against those responsible for leading the country and the people into bankruptcy, local media reported on Wednesday.

Rajapaksa fled his crisis-ridden country to Singapore after a popular uprising forced him to resign in mid-July. At the time, the Singapore government said he had not been granted asylum, and was in the country on a private visit. 

Rajapaksa has been permitted to stay in the island republic for an additional 14 days, meaning he could stay until August 11, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

“It is my belief he may eventually consider returning to Sri Lanka but there is no definite political or other stance on this,” Sri Lankan government spokesperson Bandula Gunwardena said on Tuesday.

If Rajapaksa returned to the country, the former president may not be protected under law if any charges were filed against him.

By Gagani Weerakoon Courtesy Ceylon Today

Independent MP Wimal Weerawansa yesterday (27) said in Parliament that there is a conspiracy to take the State towards anarchy in the guise of ‘Aragalaya’ and that attempt should be defeated.

Weerawansa made this remark during the debate on Emergency Regulations.

The country has reached to a critical junction at this moment. Everyone knows we voted for MP Dullas Alahapperuma in the poll to elect a President with the other opposition parties in Parliament. However, that election was won by Ranil Wickremesinghe. If Alahapperuma won, we could have established an All-Party Government. We proposed an All-Party Government for the first time to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 8 April. But, he did not accept it,” he said.

To solve the current crisis situation, the administration should be recognised by the people. It should have validity. The current administration does not have the approval of the people. However, this administration is legal. It is established according to the Constitutional frame work, he noted.

Owing to the hardships caused mainly by the economic crisis, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Colombo to send the former President home. Following that mass scale protest, the former President stepped down peacefully. This Aragalaya was started under the banner of Gota Go Home. The society accepted it because of the hardships they have to go through. But what has happened now? Even when Gota has gone home, this Aragalaya still continues. What is the point of this?” he queried.

Now these so called protesters demand Ranil Wickremesinghe to go home. What are they doing? Are they going to demand everyone who is appointed as the President to go home? When will it stop? The easiest way for them is to make it clear about who they want as the President, Then we can make that person the President, Weerawansa stressed.

Why are they doing this? Don’t they want to see the country is breathing freely? Don’t they want to find solutions for the economic crisis? We too have problems with the current administration. It is true that we do not agree with some of its conduct. We can deal with them in a different way. But this ‘Aragalaya’ is trying to portray the country as another Libya by giving interviews for the international media every day.”

I am not condemning the genuine grievances of the people. I am not condemning the efforts of youth of this country who want a system change. But this is an attempt to destroy the State. It should not be allowed to happen. It does not matter whether I am in the government or the Opposition. I would not allow that to happen. I do not want Minister Posts from Ranil Wickremesinghe. Such posts are not valuable for me. But the State is valuable for me. I need my State, he said.

They occupied Presidential Secretariat, the President’s House and the Temple Trees. Are these attempts peaceful? How can anyone say these are peaceful? Even after that some group wanted to occupy Parliament. The security forces prevented that sinister attempt. What will happen if they occupied Parliament on that day? Those people mercilessly beat soldiers. Our Army is one of the best armies in the world. You can check it with UN Peacekeeping Mission. Even after the attack against them near Parliament, the Army behaved professionally. The so called strugglers should not take that patience as cowardice.”

I will tell you what is happening now. First they burned down houses of 73 MPs and emotionally blackmailed and mentally intimidated them. They did the same for clergy, artists and the Police as well. If a suspect is arrested and produced before the court, hundreds of lawyers go to the Court. This is an indirect intimidation on the Judges. They might think If they do not give a favourable verdict, the next arson attack will be on their houses.

If these so-called strugglers occupied Parliament on that day, will there be a State? After that they only have to occupy the Supreme Court building, SLRC and ITN. They will then say everyone should dance according to their tune. Is this what we really need? I though we need to overcome the economic crisis, not these unnecessary dramas. Even if we are in the Opposition we have a responsibility to do our part for the country to solve the current crisis,

Following our discussion, top level officials at a Russian oil company visited Sri Lanka. They had discussions with Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara and the CBSL Governor. They left the country on 9 July. After seeing some videos filmed inside President’s House such as the people having baths in swimming pool, they told us that they understood the attitude of Sri Lankans. I did not reply to that comment. What can I say? This is the image that the international community have about us now.

That Russian Company has sent a MoU. Now we have to say whether we agree with the MoU. If we agree, then they would send us an Operational Agreement. We can obtain fuel for a lower price that the global market from them. But, an official of the Legal Division of the CPC has informed in written that it is dangerous to agree with the MoU without screening the legality of this oil company. This is a loan from the Russian Government. Why are we checking the pedigree of the company that comes in our aid in a crucial time like this? This is not the suitable time for that.

If we try to carry out our personal agendas, we will not allow such a deal to happen, as if we sign this agreement with Russian company the fuel shortage might come to end and the government will be stable after that. That is how many think. But we are not like that. We do not want to destabilise the country. We do not want to ruin the State. I told this to the current President as well. However, it seems that some people are trying to block that attempt.”

It is very clear that some external force is trying to use Sri Lankan economic crisis for destabilise the State. Everyone should understand that. They use the genuine agitations of the people as a cat’s paw to carry out their own sinister agendas.

National State has both pros and cons. The State gives us free education and free healthcare. There are cons too. But the State should be stable before doing anything. It is a crime to attempt to destabilise the State. Countries like Sierra Leone and Haiti did that mistake and now the people in those countries are suffering. I saw some people in ‘Aragalaya’ have gone to the UN and request for international intervention. TNA MP Sritharan has asked for a foreign army to be occupied in North and East. If this continues, Siritharan will come in front of army camps in the North and demand the troops to abandon the camps. Then they will go to the religious places like Kuragala. The whole country will be fallen into anarchy if this situation continues.”

MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala was killed in broad daylight. He did not do any wrong. We can understand the suffering of the people, so we can bear such incidents. But we cannot simply stay and watch the attempts to destabilise the State.

There was a movement called ‘Yellow Shirts’ in Thailand. It was an endless struggle just like the one in Sri Lanka. If you search, you can find that a Bar association was behind that movement too. The U.S. provided funds to the struggle through that Bar association. I would like to present a document. Ths document states about an organisation called NED attached to the CIA.  It was initiated in 1983. This organisation is working in bout 100 countries. This organisation has given colossal amounts of grants to several Sri Lankan organisations.  Some of those grants have been used through the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.  Now you can understand. They are emotionally blackmailing us. They even can attack us after this revelation. But we cannot surrender to such attempts.

Also, some persons are trying to intimidate the military. I saw a video that a young person screams at a soldier that Prabhakaran was better than the Sri Lankan military. How can they say such things? The Sri Lanka Army serves the people in every difficult situation. Why these people try to mentally intimidate the military like this?

I listened to the speech of Field Marshal Sarah Fonseka. He ordered the army not to attack the protesters.  He ordered the army not to do anything. Is he saying that if the so called strugglers occupy Parliament, military should simply watch such attempts? They are not strugglers, but anarchists. We have to face these anarchists strongly.”

However, if the government use the Emergency Regulations to suppress the rights of the civilians, we will vote against it next month. I know that our votes are not crucial to pass the Emergency Regulations. But we have to stop this crime of destabilising the State. We will not be a part of that crime. That U.S. organisation I told you about before has provided money to many organisations in Sri Lanka. Some Youtubers have been also funded by them.”

The representatives of the Russian oil company had passed by Galle Face. They told that the same thing happened in the Ukraine too. Thousands of people gathered at a park to chase away the President who had friendly ties with Russia. They said the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine funded those protesters. They said the U.S. Ambassador is above the President of Sri Lanka. I think that is correct because former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa used to meet the U.S. Ambassador at least thrice a week.  The Amabssador emotionally blackmailed the former President. He did not take correct dicisions at the correct time. At the end, he did not receive any support from foreign countries.”

Majority of people does not want to chase away everyone who becomes the President after Gotabaya Rajapaksa. It is a need of certain persons who are funded by foreign forces. Therefore, I think the current President should work to gain the trust of the people. For that, an All-Party Government must be established.

We have already presented our proposals for an All-Part Government. Everyone needs to act with a responsibility at this critical juncture. We should not let Sri Lanka to become another Libya. The youth who genuinely want a system change should not allow the anarchists to win. I saw on social media that the method used to arrest the person who forcibly entered into SLRC is wrong. That person stopped Poya Day programme broadcasted on Rupavahini. Is that correct? I do not have anything against the youth who are honest and took the streets because of the genuine agitations. But the persons like the one who stormed into SLRC are not in that category. The honest strugglers should not be deceived by such persons.”

Also, a leader of a political party had told a rule beyond the current constitution should be established. This is their plan. What will happen if this becomes a reality? The State will be collapsed. The anarchists will rule the country. There will be no law and order. I would like to make a request to the Police and Armed Forces. You (the Police and Armed Forces) should protect the State. You do not have to protect us. Do not let the anarchists to destabilise the country. We are with you in that mission.”

BY Gagani Weerakoon and Methmalie Dissanayake

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Claiming that the protesters who are engaged in the struggle are attempting to destroy the State tactfully with the backing of external forces, Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa today said such moves should be defeated.

Speaking at the emergency debate, he told Parliament that they would vote in favour of the proclamation of emergency regulations, because they wanted to prevent the state being destroyed.

Weerawansa said the people protested to evict former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and that they could not approve of the moves to evict all the rulers who come to power.

“If the activists continue to protest to evict everyone who is in power, we cannot do anything. We have to accept that this is a legitimate government, whether we like it or not. We cannot allow the country to become another Libya. These protesters are trying to destroy the State with vested interests,” he said.

He said the protesters with a massive crowd behind them and supporting them, took over President’s House, Presidential Secretariat and Temple Trees, and said the protest cannot be called as a peaceful struggle. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

he Police released a set of photographs of a group of suspects wanted over the incident of setting fire to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private residence in Colombo on July 9.

Police said the investigations into the arson attack on the President’s private residence was being carried out by the Criminal Investigations Department.

They said the investigators were looking to identify a group of persons identified as the main suspects involved in causing damage and setting fire to the house based on the CCTV footage and the video footage.

Accordingly, the police released 14 photographs of suspects in order to identify them and take the necessary legal action.

The police requested the public to inform the CID to the following phone numbers 071-8594950, 071-8594929 or 011-2422176 through WhatsApp or calls if they have any information about the people in those photographs.  

Earlier, the police arrested four suspects arrested over the incident and were remanded till August 10 by Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.

President Wickremesinghe’s private residence on 5th Lane in Colombo has been set on fire by the protestors after a tense situation erupted between the protestors and security forces on July 9.(DSB)

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

An activist of the Inter-University Students Union and the ‘GotaGoGama’, Anthony Veranga Pushpika has been arrested by the Colombo South Divisional Crime Detective Bureau (DCDB) today in connection with causing damages to public property during a recent protest near the Police Headquarters.

It was reported on social media that the activist who was returning on a bus after taking part in a demonstration in Colombo had been forcibly taken away by an unidentified group in a blue coloured jeep in Fort.

However, the OIC of the Colombo South Division said there was no truth in him being abducted. He said the police had taken him into custody and he will be produced in court by the Fort Police.

Veranga Pushpika was also the former President of Ruhunu Maha Shishya Sangamaya.(Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)

Courtesy Adaderana

Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Sri Lanka should kick off debt restructuring talks with its bilateral lender China, while the island state’s government seeks a financing loan from the Washington-based fund.

China is a big creditor, and Sri Lanka has to engage proactively with it on a debt restructuring,” Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

The island of 22 million is currently engulfed by its most severe economic and political crisis in recent history.

Six-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was recently appointed as president after a popular uprising ousted his predecessor following months of severe shortages of fuel, food and medicines. 

The government recently decided to restrict fuel imports for 12 months. 

The country owes Beijing some $6.5 billion in financing including development bank loans and a central bank swap, according to data from the Institute of International Finance (IFF).

The world’s second-largest economy has invested in projects such as highways, a port, an airport and a coal power plant. Japan and India are also bilateral creditors to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has to engage with its creditors, both private and official bilateral, on a debt workout to ensure debt sustainability is restored,” Srinivasan said, as he pointed out that technical talks on a new IMF program are ongoing with both officials from the finance ministry and the central bank.

Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry and central bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China’s embassy in Sri Lanka did not immediately respond.

The South Asian nation has requested an IMF rescue plan to overcome its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. The country defaulted on a bond payment debt earlier this year on its $12 billion overseas debt with private creditors, as it struggles to pay for imports of basic goods.

There are some areas where we need to make further progress,” Srinivasan added, but declined to specify the top reforms Sri Lanka should address in other to reach an agreement.

An Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme from the IMF, which would be the fund’s 17th plan for the nation, requires countries to make structural economic reforms.

Maldives and Laos are other examples of countries in the region that are facing onerous debt situations.

Srinivasan said the fund is advising countries to spend more in alleviating the impact on the poor and vulnerable but keeping budget neutral by reducing expenditures elsewhere or raising revenues where feasible.”

It’s not just public debt, but also corporate debt and household debt – and that has implications for policymaking,” he said. The debt issue is very significant.”

Source: Reuters

–Agencies

Courtesy Adaderana

Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage has ordered to further remand the 04 suspects who had been arrested on suspicion over the incident of setting fire to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private residence, until the August 10.

When the case was called before the Court today (27), the magistrate has also granted permission to name Ivon Andrew Perera, on whom a foreign travel ban has been imposed, as the fifth suspect in the incident after considering a request made by the Crime Investigation Department.

The CID officials informed the court the suspects are being investigated under the Public Property Act and opposed the granting of bail to the suspects at this time, as the investigations regarding the incident are yet at an initial stage.

The CID further said that they are working to obtain assessment reports regarding the damages caused to the official vehicle provided to then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and 03 vehicles belonging to the police including a fire engine, during the incident.

The magistrate who considered a request made by the Criminal Investigation Department, granted permission to obtain a report from the Government Valuation Department on the harm caused to the relevant vehicles.

The attorneys representing the suspects, presenting facts before the court, pointed out that the Criminal Investigation Department has not submitted any evidence to the court to prove that the suspects caused damage to the vehicles and property in this incident.

They questioned as to how charges can be leveled for offences under the Public Property Act in such a situation and requested the court to release them under suitable bail conditions. 

However, rejecting the bail applications, the magistrate stated that although no information has been submitted proving that the suspects had definitely caused harm to government property and vehicles, they have failed to show cause as to why they had entered President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private residence without an invitation. 

Courtesy Adaderana

Dhaniz Ali, the man who was arrested last night while trying to leave for Dubai on a flight from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has been remanded until the 05th of August.

He was produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court earlier today.

The 31-year-old, a resident of Webada in Kurunegala, was taken into custody in connection with the forcible entry to Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and attempt to disrupt telecasts on July 13.

On July 13, a group of protesters including Dhaniz Alia forced their way into the state-owned media institute, demanding that only anti-government protests-related news be broadcast thereafter.

Two of the protesters then appeared on a live interview, after which the channel suspended its live and recorded telecasts for brief period of time.

The police later initiated investigations into the incident to identify the protesters in question.

According to a statement issued by the police, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court had previously issued a warrant on Ali for failing to appear before the court over a case filed against a protest staged in front of the Finance Ministry on June 20, when a delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) met with a group of ministerial officials.

Further, he had been released on bail by the court over a case against alleged damaged caused to public property during a demonstration staged opposite the Police Headquarters on June 09.

Courtesy Adaderana

Proclamation on the state of emergency declared by the then Acting President under the Public Security Ordinance approved in Parliament of Sri Lanka by majority vote.

The Proclamation on the state of emergency declared by then Acting President under the Public Security Ordinance was approved in Parliament today (27) by a majority of 57 votes with 120 voting in favour and 63 voting against it.

Parliament convened today at 10.00 am and the debate started after the Leader of the House, Minister Susil Premajayantha, presented to the Parliament the resolution regarding the declaration of state of emergency announced by the Acting President under the Public Security Ordinance. 

At the end of the debate, which continued until 5.20 pm, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella asked for a division and accordingly the voting was held.

Then Acting President Ranil Wickramasinghe had declared that the provisions of Part 2 of the Public Security Ordinance shall come into operation throughout Sri Lanka from July 18, 2022 through the Proclamation dated 17.07.2022 under Section 2 of the aforesaid Ordinance.

It further states that Parliament is duly informed in terms of Article 155(4) of the constitution that the purpose of the above Proclamation is to the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.

According to the Public Security Ordinance, this Proclamation will be valid for a period of one month if approved by the Parliament within 14 days. If the approval of the Parliament is not obtained within 14 days, it will be cancelled. 

Also, the state of emergency can be extended once every 30 days with the approval of the Parliament.

It is stated in the gazette that this proclamation has been issued in accordance with the powers vested in the President in terms of the Public Security Ordinance to ensure public security and the protection of the public order and the maintenance supplies and services essential to the life of community. 

Shenali D Waduge

Are we barking up the wrong tree? We often target the politicians little realizing that most often they act on advice given to them. In such a scenario, have we omitted to look into the role of senior offilicials & questioned if they could have misled the governors & the govt? Did they suggest to take $12b ISBs? If they didn’t, have they made any notes of their objections? Did they negotiate debt repayment before opting to default? What are the options they looked at before declaring Sri Lanka would default repayment? The role of Finance Minister Sabry is also to be questioned.

Questions for Indrajit Coomaraswamy (IC)

The primary cause that made debt repayment unsustainable was the $12billion international sovereign bond loans taken by Central Bank Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy (2016-2019) – did he do so on his own initiative or was he advised? If he did so on his own will, what was his intention?

Questions for Central Bank Top Management (CBTM)

• Did CBTM advise IC to take $12b ISBs

• Was CBTM getting any external advice to promote taking of $12b ISBs or even defaulting repayment?

• Was there a particular reason for CBTB to advise the Governor to take $12b ISB loan especially when they were aware of the roll-over maturing debt status

• What was done with this $12b ISB loan

• Was CBTM aware that taking $12b ISB loan would make Sri Lanka economically vulnerable on account of roll-over maturing debt repayment?

• Did CBTM initiate discussions to delay repayment – if they did, do they have evidence of this? If they did not, why did they chose not to or did anyone ask them not to?

• Why didn’t CBSL officials think of repaying debt using the inflows from 25% export conversions of $750m & roll-over maturing SLDBs of $363m (total $1133m)

• Why didn’t CBTM consider utilizing the $1b plus trade loan of $1.5b from China that was to be received end of May 2022?

• Why didn’t CBTM consider the Indian line of credit of $1b plus another $500m from postponement from Asian Clearing Union settlements?

• Why did CBTM along with Finance Minister Sabry decide to declare Sri Lanka defaulting on loan repayment when there was 4 options available to them (renegotiate loan repayment / Chinese loan / Indian Credit line & export conversions/roll-over SLDBs)

• With all the above options at hand, why did Finance Minister Sabry, present CBSL Governor & Mahinda Siriwardena opt to declare Sri Lanka would default on 12 April 2022 supported by the cream of Sri Lanka’s business circles and so-called politician econimists and financial gurus.
• The above team are to be personally held responsible for reversing 74 years of debt-honoring by Sri Lanka – embarrassing the country beyond measure.

Questions for present Governor Nandala & then Finance Minister Sabry

• Did you both take consent of CBSL Monetary Board & Sri Lanka’s Cabinet or even the Parliament before deciding to declare default on 12^th April 2022? If not, who gave you both the green light to make such a public announcement that would impact the entire country?

Did the CBTM & Governor & former Finance Minister lead  Govt & Sri Lanka astray?

What the then Finance Minister Sabry & Central Bank Top Management were aware of 

• In 2022 Sri Lanka had to repay a debt of $7100m

• $1166m had been repaid in March 2022 (balance $5934m to be paid)

• $244m debt servicing to be paid in April 2022

• $789m debt servicing to be paid for May-June 2022

• $1033m debt servicing total for April-May-June 2022

• Sabry-Nandalal-Siriwardena’s decision to declare default on 12^thApril 2022 was without approvals of Parliament, Cabinet or Monetary Board & fully aware that China was to extend $2.5b and India was to assist with $1.5b by end May 2022

What top businessmen/women were ignorant of in pushing to default repayment

• A bevy of top businessmen/women issued statements appealing to default repayment in January 2022 arguing that the money should be used to buy essentials. They made public presentations to this effect.

• In April 2022, Sabry-Nandalal-Siriwardena declared default, as a result not only did Sri Lanka become a country globally declared untrustworthy to deal with, there was no forex to buy essentials which was far more than what was required to pay off loan repayments. Rating agencies placed Sri Lanka under D” default status.

• Suppliers refused to give on credit & demanded up-front payment & inability to do so left people in queues.

• Sabry & CBSL cannot claim they were unaware of the outcome of Sri Lanka being declared defaulting & should have known what would happen.

Why did they decide to take such a risky decision impacting entire country & its people & embarrassing the credibility of Sri Lanka too?

• If they took a decision without consulting others – they should have had a backup plan as well – did they have one? what happened to that?

• Is their only back-up plan to go running to the IMF? If so was it on their advice that no negotiations to defer payment of loans took place & instead they decided to float the rupee (IMF requirement) and thereafter declared default?

• Why aren’t this group being held responsible for the default status of Sri Lanka unilaterally decided by them?

Either way it is not the Govt but CBSL Top Management and the CBSL Governor who are answerable along with the professional economists who also pushed for defaulting on loan repayment. Why are public not demanding accountability from them?

Shenali D Waduge

Shenali D Waduge

Let us compare how the international community reacted to 2 incidents of riots targeting State buildings in US & Sri Lanka & the hypocrisy of those issuing statements in response to both incidents. Let us also compare how the world reacted to law enforcements clear the rioters in US and the manner they reacted to how law enforcements attempted to clear rioters in Sri Lanka after almost 2 weeks of illegal occupation. The hypocrisy is prevalent resulting in the sitting President Ranil Wickremasinghe pointing out to the US envoy why she or no other envoy uttered a word when his personal residence was burnt to the ground!

On 6^th January 2021 groups of pro-Trump protestors forcibly entered Capitol Hill while Senators were inside refusing the accept election results. US troops had to be called in. 5 protestors died as a result and scores injured including US police.

https://www.voanews.com/a/congressional-panel-lays-out-findings-on-2021-riot-at-us-capitol-/6611610.html

On 9^th July 2022 groups of people who had created an autonomous area inside the Capitol began forcibly scaling the walls, breaking gates and illegally occupying Sri Lanka’s Presidential Secretariat, Prime Ministers Office, President’s House and Prime Ministers official residence & burning down the private home of PM Ranil while also taking over 2 state television networks. Colossal damage, destruction and plundering antiques and valuables took place.

This was how the world reacted to US rioters entering Capitol Hill.

From the above statements what can be deduced is:

• Democratic process in US cannot be allowed to be subverted through unlawful protests (which is what took place in Sri Lanka)
• Peoples’ aspirations must be realized through constitutional framework (not riots that took place in both Sri Lanka & US)
• Protests in US were seen as unacceptable assault on democracy” – if that was so in US, it could not be any different in Sri Lanka.
• The will of the people is expressed in elections & results must be respected (this is not what happened in Sri Lanka)
• Looting & violence were abhorred in US (if so it should be same in Sri Lanka)
• Extremism and violence is not the way forward (was this said to the protestors in Sri Lanka)
• UK PM described the manner of violence as disgraceful” – did he do the same for Sri Lanka?
• If riots in Capitol Hill was an attack on democracy – why is it not considered the same in Sri Lanka?
• If violence will not succeed in overruling will of the people – what makes Sri Lanka’s riot different?
• If acts of violence & vandalism is rejected in US – why is it not done in Sri Lanka?

Pro-Trump rioters stormed Capitol Hill on 6^th January 2021 at around 1p.m.  smashing windows, breaching barricades but Capitol Hill was cleared shortly before 6p.m. Curfew was imposed in Washington DC. Besides the Capitol Police the National Guard was also brought in as well as police from other states. Police officers were also injured as rioters clashed with the police.

What ensued on 6^th January 2021 in US Capitol Hill comes nowhere near the devastation that took place on not just one state building but numerous – The President’s House, the Presidents Secretariat, The Prime Ministers official residence, the Prime Minister’s Office, 2 State TV stations were attacked, gates broken, barricades breached, scaling over walls, illegally occupying, destroying, damaging and stealing state belongings. The present President’s & former PM’s personal residence was burnt to the ground along with all of his personal belongings.

All those that lined up to condemn what is certainly minimal damage in US should have condoned the attacks of 9 July 2022 in Sri Lanka – but did they do so? If not, why are their responses different?

Here’s where the discrepancies in reporting by international & local media & reactions by international community prevails

• Heavily armed police used to secure US Capitol is acceptable – but not in Sri Lanka
• US police using tear gas to push mobs away is acceptable – but not in Sri Lanka
• Pushing past barricades & forcing themselves inside US Capitol is unacceptable – but in Sri Lanka it is ‘people’s right’.
• US police shooting killed 5 persons including a woman is acceptable – but using batons by Sri Lanka police is not.
• Scaling walls of the US Capitol is declared violent protests but scaling the walls of public buildings in Sri Lanka was never condemned.
• US mobs carrying arms and related dangerous objects were condemned but rioters forcibly taking guns of Sri Lankan police became just a passing statement.
• Police officers were using pepper spray on the crowds – if Sri Lanka police had done so UNHRC would have slapped resolutions

In July 2021 – 4 police officers related how they were beaten, taunted with racial insults, threatened kill him with his own gun” and even thought they would die when they tried to defend Capitol Hill. This was no different than the brats of youth touch the uniforms of the soldiers & berate them. Was this part of the NGO training given to youth across Sri Lanka under the guise of ‘democratic inclusiveness”?

The US police officers called the rioters terrorists” for attempting coup” but what would have happened if Sri Lanka Police & Armed Forces did the same?

More than a 100 US Police officers and armed guards were injured and their stories are proudly relayed but what about Sri Lanka’s police & armed forces, some of whom still lie in hospital bruised after being attacked by mobs. One of the US policemen had even pleaded for mercy yelling he had kids – didn’t some of the police in Sri Lanka do the same? Were there anyone to relate their stories? Are they not human too?

However one thing was common – there were some people in both US & Sri Lanka trying to whitewash the mobs referring to the hooligans as martyrs.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/capitol-riot-hearings-prime-time-1.6483847 this footage shows rioters beating police in US – while these are condemned by all and quite rightly so, those that condemned attacks on US police have preferred to be numb on rioters attacking Sri Lanka Police & Armed Forces. We are baffled and wonder why?

https://fb.watch/eu8M5du9nr/

When compared to the damage 4 state buildings were subject to in Sri Lanka while the personal residence of the PM was burnt to the ground, the attacks on Capitol Hill looked like nothing yet the US Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards herself injured called the riot carnage & chaos”.

https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_four-us-police-officers-grippingly-describe-january-6-attack-us-capitol/6208799.html

On 6^th January 2021 itself Capitol Hill was freed from rioters within 6 hours and everything returned to normal. Curfew was imposed and no one opposed. In Sri Lanka it is prominent political lawyers who openly opposed encouraging people to even defy the curfew.

The same did not happen in Sri Lanka when 4 state buildings became illegally occupied on 9^th July 2022 and 2 state tv stations were also taken over.

Sri Lanka: US Backed Colour Revolution in Colombo

Actions by police was always pre-empted by diplomatic statements or arm-twisting threats and human rights charlatans appearing with their ‘freedom’ songs while the premier legal fraternity who was seen appearing free of charge for the rioters and clapping when they were given bail, while others joined a human change in Galle Face Green, were openly presenting the notion that rioters had every right to riot. This gave the rioters the freedom to do as they liked and a carte blanche to believe that whatever they did the lawyers would be at hand to provide legal services.

https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-bar-association-opposition-eu-slam-assault-on-protestors-uk-us-concerned-97783/ It was therefore no surprise that the Bar Association would join US, UK & EU to slam the GoSL and vilify the forces. It looked more like taking the opportunity to chastise the army & police under whatever excuse they could conjure up.

When images of the carnage slowly began emerging primarily from boasting selfies of the rioters themselves, the legal fraternity feeling embarrassed as their role was getting exposed, tried to denounce the acts of carnage  however the posts that covered their initial jubilation of the actions of the rioters are now being filtered as evidence of their aiding and abetting in the carnage. Given their profession, they are likely to get off scott free and the ignorant youth will no doubt end up the scape goats while the business community, revenge seekers, sports stars, artists and others aspiring to enter the political game would also slyly disassociate themselves in the days to come. These entities are the shields that the external lobbyists use to cover what took place in Sri Lanka on 9 July 2022.

While 5 were shot by US police not a single rioters died since 9 July 2022 however when Sri Lanka’s police & armed forces attempted to take back what was illegally being held tweets and calls from embassies flooded to prevent it. Doesn’t this seem strange that the very mouthpieces that denounced rioters in US would be encouraging rioters in Sri Lanka? The very mouthpieces that supported the US police & armed guards would be chastising the Sri Lankan police & armed forces. Would you know why they are reacting like this?

Sri Lanka has been too familiar with the manner that a drama is concocted to justify or vilify by the usual culprits – the narrative always has groups of journalists claiming ‘we are media, don’t hit us’ but they hardly cover the correct picture or do a very one-sided version or angle the story in such a way the truth is kept undisclosed and left for people to make their own warped versions.

While people storming the buildings, climbing over gates and walls, breaking gates and barricades is never denounced, security forces arriving to clear areas that have been blocking entry to Presidents Secretariat are given negative media coverage presenting the notion that the rioters were in the right & the armed forces were doing wrong to them. This was a complete misrepresentation of the facts.

Even the OHCHR statement claims property belonging to the protestors, including tents, IT equipment & kitchen items were destroyed or confiscated”. What the OHCHR statement conveniently left out is that these were illegal structures on a public place not meant for only protestors – water, electricity used by them throughout the 100 days were not paid for nor have they got permission from the municipality to be located on the venue. Where have you heard of protestors taking over a public area by force and keeping it for 100 days? If such is allowed any group of people can claim to be protesting and put up tents and refuse to move from any public site. Can such be allowed? Protests should be allowed – but these cannot be 24x7x365 days and beyond and entail temporary fixtures becoming permanent ones. Surely, UN must be aware of this? Would protestors be allowed to do the same in UN or any other country’s public venue. It took just 6 hours to disburse the rioters in US who had also created an autonomous area. When this site was broken down did OHCHR also write a statement similar to the one issued against Sri Lanka? If not, why this hypocrisy? https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2022/07/comment-un-human-rights-office-spokesperson-jeremy-laurence-raid-sri-lanka?fbclid=IwAR0R48H5GZQ1PekthJvokPZt9ey0Oy50BzLqQXXCAGOLnHPbhX0rEEubh9E Read the hypocrisy behind the statement issued to Sri Lanka but not to US!

Shenali D Waduge

KAMALIKA PIERIS

1987–89 JVP INSURRECTION

JVP staged a second uprising which lasted from 1987 to 1989. This was not an open revolt, but a low intensity conflict with the JVP resorting to assassinations, raids and attacks on military and civilian targets. With these practices of fear and intimidation, the JVP was able to bring the country to a standstill. This campaign virtually brought the country to a standstill confirmed Indradasa. It was known as period of terror.

The situation in 1987 was different 1971 said Air vice Marshal Sosa. The strategy this time was to avoid direct confrontation with the nation’s defence mechanism but harass the public to a state of despair.

The day the insurgency broke the JVP assassinated Member of Parliament of Tangalle Jinadasa Weerasinghe and burnt to the ground the residence of MP for Ambalantota Dr P M B Cyril. Bus depots were set ablaze along with the buses. All light poles (wooden) were cut down, trunk roads were blocked by felling trees, shops had been ordered to close and Public Servants to keep away from work.

JVP had some support initially among the public, especially in the southern and central districts, after JVP challenged the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord.  JVP seemed to enjoy public support in Matara, Hambantota, Moneragala, Badulla, Kurunegala and in the Uva Province as well and successfully carried out various strikes, work-stoppages, protests and boycotts, in 1987 

JVP resorted to sheer terrorism to bring about work stoppages, disruption to transport services    and trade . JVP burned down post offices, robbed the collections from bus conductors, and destroyed their ticket machines, damaged industrial and domestic electricity and water meters. JVP forcibly collecting vehicle revenue licenses. JVP destroyed records held in kachcheries including files on local taxes and land registers.

 Almost two thirds of the country did not have an electricity supply for more than six weeks, because the power pylons in Matale were destroyed by the JVP.  JVP repeatedly went for electric transformers. There were other acts of sabotage with the destruction of Government property.    There was also a campaign to boycott Indian goods.

JVP crippled the country with violently enforced general strikes for two years. Many individuals or organizations were warned or intimidated with messages dropped in the night in front of homes and with posters or graffiti on walls. Those that did not cooperate were brutally killed, with the repercussions extended to their family members. Grama Sevaka were directed to hand over their resignations under threat of death.

JVP issued death threats to professionals, to lawyers and doctors so they could not work.  JVP called for hartals and work stoppages. JVPs repeated warning to State-owned media personnel to stay away from work and increasing threats led to resignations. As a result, trains were not functioning properly, schools and college did not hold exams for almost two years.

 For four years no one had graduated from any of the state universities. Medical College was not functioning for almost five years. Factories and work place were forced to close down for long periods resulting in the workers undergoing severe hardship and production suffered.  Strikes paralyzed key government departments. Tourists were walking past immigration and customs   counters freely as the officers were not there.

JVP called upon the public to engage in a civil disobedience campaign by refraining from paying taxes and other dues such a bus fares. Posting letters’ without stamps. JVP said people must observe curfew and not leave homes, work places should shut down, transport must cease to operate, blackout must be observed from 6 pm. People should refrain from listening to radio or watching TV.  The public  were ordered not to go out of their homes. “Lights off” and “switch-off Radio and Television” orders were given.

Schools were targeted. In 1988  Several Colombo schools shut down   and  students of several small schools in Kandy boycotted classes. School Principals were ordered to confine themselves to their offices whilst the students were encouraged to stone all passing Police or Military vehicles. Principal of Polonnaruwa Rajarata Vidyalaya was threatened when he took down a black flag on Independence Day hoisted by pupils.

JVP regularly  organized demonstrations in schools.  There were widespread protests by school children in  1987-1988. These were well organized  within the JVP district and division structure.

Demonstrations spread to Colombo and Kandy as well with Isipatana Vidyalaya in Colombo and Vidyartha in Kandy joining in.  Demonstrations erupted in Anuradhapura at St. Josephs College and Anuradhapura Central.  In Anuradhapura school children had stoned a police patrol and injured six policemen. In Matale, students of St. Thomas, Wijeya College and Science College had also joined in the street demonstrations.

In remote areas of south and Uva striking school kids were heard calling out ‘Colombata kiri apita kekiri’. These  demonstrations centered on the  elite schools of the provinces. But none of the English speaking schools such as Royal , St Thomas , Ladies College in Colombo were involved, only the schools of the ‘Sinhala elite’ were in the demonstrations.

Ellawala Medhananda recalled that when he was principal of Anura Maha Vidyalaya, Getahatta, his pupils informed him that they were ordered not to attend school and to congregate outside. Or they will be killed. They had to go on strike in school. Pupils were told they would be killed if they did not strike for at least   three days. The pupils obeyed, after informing Medhananda.

Medhananda also received a letter, from Kirti Vijayabahu”, threatening to kill him.  His temple received a letter telling  both monks to leave the temple .The two monks did so. Medhananda went back to the school and hid there.  In the night the JVP came to the school and searched it, watched by  Medhananda  who had hidden in a loft in the school.

The main feature of the October 1988 agitation was the large scale involvement of school children. On October 3 about two thousand children for the elite schools of Galle, St Aloysius, Mahinda, Richmond, Southlands Balika, Sanghamitta Balika and Ripon Balika demonstrated in Galle. Schools in Hambantota, Tangalle, Ambalantota, Tissamaharama, and Debarawewa were            closed following agitation fRorm children. In Matara students of Rahula College and Sujatha Balika were tear gassed.In Ambalantota an army detachment was attacked with stones by demonstrating school children.  In Kalutara the demonstrating school children had been tear gassed and chased away.

Soon afterward all schools were closed indefinitely. Later it was announced that 115 schools would remain closed while others would re-open. The schools to stay closed were the privileged schools in each district.  In Colombo it was Ananda, Nalanda, Thurstan, DSS Senanayake, Isipatana, Mahanama, as well as Ananda Sastralaya Kotte, Dharmapala Pannipitiya and Prince of Wales Moratuwa. In Galle it was Richmond, Mahinda, St Aloysius, and Ripon Balika. In Ambalangoda it was Dharmasoka, In Matara it was Rahula, Sujatha, St Thomas and St Thomas Balika.

Later when school reopened, demonstrations erupted again. Schools that were not previously affected now came out on strike. In Colombo district, Carey College, Lumbini, Mahabodhi, St Thomas ,Veluwana Maha Vidyalaya (Dematagoda), Janadhipathi (Kotte), Samudradevi ( Nugegoda). 

In June  1989, a group of students at the Peradeniya University seized a jeep, killed the three inside, and burnt their bodies within university premises. A similar incident took place at Sri Jayewardenepura University. In July 1989 all universities were closed down indefinitely.

Initially the public did not take JVP orders seriously. But JVP started killing and the public realized that they dare not disobey these orders. Teachers who resisted interference of JVP activities were assassinated. JVP selectively conducted attacks on shopkeepers, drivers of public and private vehicles,   trade unionists, management staff of government and private institutions and burning buses of both private and public companies. These acts of terror served to create fear among the public.JVP made it a point to track down those who resisted  opposed or betrayed them and punished them. Principal of Mahakumbura College who opposed JVP shot and killed two daughters.

From 1987 to 1989, the JVP  was  able to dominate in the affairs of the country. The  UNP government tried to appease it. 1988 JVP Imposed ban on Sinahla New Year, shops in south ordered to close before that. University exams not held due to threats .Spectacular jail breaks in  Welikada, Bogambara, Badulla. Welikada escape was  done with inside help. JVP had support from the air force personnel guarding the prison. In 1988 at Pelawatte rehabilitation camp most JVP escaped through a tunnel they had cut. In Nov 1988 ,there were  prison riots at Colombo, Kandy, Mahara, Anuradhapura , Negombo and Pelawatte.

At the height of the JVP’s attempted destabilization, police officers in and around Colombo given the task of fighting the JVP had to live by their wits. They found that they could not hold conferences in police stations as the JVP had informants inside. They found themselves having conferences at odd hours in places like Galle Face Green and the Parliament Esplanade.

JVP reacted violently to exposure of their activities by newspapers, TV and radio. Newspaper agents were killed, vehicles transporting newspapers were burned, and employees of TV stations, Rupavahini, ITN and SLBC were threatened and ordered to give up employment. When these were ignored JVP killed important media personnel, including  DG of Rupavahini and SLBC,  a director of SLBC,  a radio and TV announcer. Gladys Jayawardene, Chairman of the State Pharmaceutical Corporation was also assassinated for not stopping the import of Indian pharmaceuticals.

Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya (DJV)   the military wing of the JVP  was the division responsible for the violence of the 1987 period. DJV trained it members, in the  jungles in the southern and western quarters, in central highland and a few in India. The training tactics were a closely guarded secret. JVP   first said that DJV, was a separate  organization which was being supported but not directed by the JVP. Later, they abandoned this position.DJV openly  received instructions from JVP said Attanayake.

The head of the DJV was Keerthi Wijebahu”. Keerthi Wijebahu was the pseudonym of Saman Piyasiri Fernando, leader of the military wing. There was also another military wing, Deshapremi Sannadha Balakaya also under Keerthi Wijayabahu.

DJV  consisted of full time member. They had a cell structure. Communicating between one cell and another was  tightly controlled, so that even if one was caught he could not give info on more than ten members. Many gave  useless information  and stayed silent under extreme pressure when caught.

DJV   used the army. Soldiers who went on leave were used to attack security force installations.  Some were asked to desert and bring a weapon with them. DJV also roped in  those who were  suspended from the army.  The three who started the JVP  military campaign in south  were three deserters from the army in the north. DJV also used common criminals  and contract killers.

The DJV carried out a large number of murders. It killed more than 70 Members of Parliament between July 1989 and November 1989. The DJV murdered probably thousands of people, said analysts. Killings took place in both urban and rural areas . DJV targeted opponents.  On December 15, 1986, the DJV abducted and murdered Daya Pathirana, the leader of the Independent Students’ Union (ISU) of the Colombo University, which was a rival students’ union.. Analysts see this as the significant starting point of  political assassinations.

Executions were mostly carried out at night with armed groups entering homes of victims and carrying them away to be tortured and executed. Occasional bombings also took place. There was a bomb in Gampaha in 1989.

Funerals of these victims were not allowed to be held.  Traditional final rights were not allowed and the caskets had to be carried below the knee level as a mark of disrespect.

There was also   a JVP Bhikkhu death squad called Kudahapola Balakaya, operating in the JVP insurrection in 1980s. These were Buddhist monks who were also terrorists.  At night they would done civilian clothes and go out and commit murders and as monks would do the last rights later on, said Chandraprema.

It is estimated that over 100 monks had disappeared  or were killed in1989 . Ven. Kotuhene Premawansa, chief prelate of  Nawalawatte temple in Tudella and Pohoddaramulle  Premaloka were killed in temple premises. Ven.Upali of Dickwella was killed in temple. Others were abducted. The abducted monks  included  Ven. Balangoda Dhammissara, Gonadeniya Sirinanda, Medirigiriye Sumana, Godakande Mahinda,  Wattala Piyadassi, Kakuranpala Dhammananda. Parts of  four bodies           of Bhikkhus who had been abducted   while visiting a temple in Galle were found on Hikkaduwa beach .

In 1988 there were  more than fifty monks in custody.  They included Ven. Nakkala Kusalnyana of Kumbukwella temple Galle. Kottegala Gantana of Ruhuna University  and  Ratanesa Upali.

When the security forces and the vigilante groups launched an offensive against the JVP, younger monks were very vulnerable as they had been identified for having spearheaded public agitations. Many monks gave up robes, some died or disappeared.  By early 1990, there were 45 Buddhist monks, mostly university students, in detention camps. Some had surrendered. They criticized the JVP for misleading them and started supporting the government. Their statements were given wide publicity in the media.

KAMALIKA PIERIS

From 1987 to 1989, the JVP was able to dominate the country. A wave of violence swept in after 1987. There were suddenly large number of people who were willing kill. And a larger number who were willing to accept this. There was a general increase in murder, rape, abduction and holdups, said Chandraprema.

1988 started a phase of open confrontation.  Trees were cut and placed across roads, power pylons and transformers damaged and telephone exchanges were sabotaged,   and hospitals were not functioning. JVP ordered the closure of Gampaha hospital in 1988. The letter had come to Gampaha hospital.

Forces personnel were regularly killed, defense installations attacked.  The family of senior Police officer Udugampola were shot and burnt in their ancestral home.  His mother, brother, brother’s wife, and their children died. Prominent persons and intellectuals died every day, many left the country. 

From September 1988 JVP imposed unofficial curfew at least once a week. Sometime for over a week in a town or village, district or province. Those who defied were killed. JVP wanted to keep the urban areas of the country constantly on the boil.

On Sept 12 1988 in most part of country, not a single shop or pharmacy opened, no buses, few people on the road, streets of villages deserted, no sounds of radio, TV.  Banks were closed, buses did not run, harbor was dead, postal service were crippled, no supply of water no electricity and not even food.

From mid 1988 JVP made officials, government servants, families of MPs and Provincial Councillors, prominent business men and their families who supported the government   paste JVP posters, stitch and hang flags, distribute leaflets and even collect money.

On the orders of JVP trade unions, professionals, student bodies, religious Association s and even old boy Associations of certain schools marched in the funeral procession of Thrimavithane in 1988,   with prominently displayed banners. Intelligence videoed the entire procession and this was used later to identify JVP.

The situation in October to November 1988 was unlike anything before, said Chandraprema. Wave of terror continued and many families were gunned down. Robberies and arsons were 100 per day and average of 20 people killed each day in 1988. Death rate was 100 per day in Dec 198.8

JVP ordered a strike on Oct 1988.  It was a total success. Workers all over the country were told not to go to work on October 26. Trains were stopped by threatening letters. Tulhiriya textiles mills closed down. Government establishments in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Panadura, Matale, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya were closed. A threatening letter brought out demonstrators in Eppawela. At Mattakkuliya CTB depot 150 workers stopped work.

On November 3. 1988, JVP ordered all shops, offices, hotels, business establishments, state institutions to close. Also banks, state and private transport,   petrol stations. No one should watch government TV or listen to government radio, ordered JVP. Switch off lights till midnight. All houses and institutions to hoist red and black flags. The order was signed Keerthi Vijayabahu. This protest was a great success. All obeyed orders to the letter, reported Chandraprema. 

In November 1988 JVP ran the country, said Rohan Gunaratne.  It was in a state of near anarchy. People were threatened and they kept away from work. Bank, postal and telecommunications came to a halt. There was a shortage of petrol. Public transport forbidden. Bus drivers who defied orders were   killed.  Shops closed for weeks. There were queues for kerosene. There was a food shortage.

On December 12, 1988, 170 JVP detainees escaped after breaching the prison walls in two simultaneous operations launched outside and within the prison. It stunned the UNP Government.

In June 1988 JVP said the first to go to vote for Southern Provincial Council election would be shot. In Hambantota an early voter was shot dead. At the 1988 Presidential election despite JVP there was a turnout of 65%. On day of election four killed near polling booth at Tissamaharama, but still people voted and were relieved to have had elections, said Chandraprema.

JVP had a good spy network which they used to extort money. In 1989 JVP came to home of garments exporter Ramya Weerakoon and demanded money. Come out you and your daughters, api deshapremi jatika sahodarayo, they said.  They mentioned a bank account to which Ramya had received a remittance for a shipment sent out earlier. 

 She said the payment was for raw material for the new shipment. We don’t care the sahodarayo said. Our leaders have ordered us to take Rs 50,000 from you. We will come here tomorrow. Have the money ready. The next day they came at 9.30 pm and took the money away. 

1989 was the last year of the JVP terror. It was also the year in which government started to get on top of the JVP.

In May 1989 there was a spate of strikes in all sectors. 1989 SLTB strike was the crucial tug of war between government and JVP. at the start SLTB could not say why they were on strike. Two leading JVP in CTB were killed. This shook the JVP and gave confidence to the public. Strike was a defeat for JVP.  It was the beginning of the end. 

June 1989 saw much JVP activity. Gam Udawa celebration in Mahiyangana  were attacked . There was a spate of violence in south  in June 1989. In august 1989, JVP forced  government hospitals ,private hospital and dispensaries to stop work. There was also a partial hartal of government Departments, transport, banks after JVP issued threatening letters. This was JVP ‘s last hartal .

Killings continued in 1989. There was arson, robbery, death squads murdered in large  numbers  Mahaweli had an average of 70 bodies floating every day. In April 1989 there was a  landmine war  in south which showed signs of spreading . At the end of the June JVP had killed an estimated 130 SLTB employees, and destroyed about 200 buses, in order  to keep the terror level ‘ high’. 

in 1989  there were huge, well attended rallies  organized by JVP.  public  were brought in forcibly.  In June 1989 JVP held a massive rally at Nugegoda. This was its last public show.

KAMALIKA PIERIS

B.J.C. Perera was Consultant Pediatrician in Kurunegala in 1988.  In Kurunegala there was a lot of public support for JVP and people in the area were openly sympathetic to the cause said BJC. JVP   were in almost total control.  Hospital had JVP sympathizers on the staff. Two of his House officers were also JVP.  They tried to disrupt the working of the hospital. ‘’But I did not allow them to disrupt ward activities,’ Said BJC.  

The hospital was not closed for even one day. Kurunegala was one of the few hospitals which functioned normally, he said. Kurunegala child Immunization clinic was over loaded, with about 300 children brought from outstation in lorries and cars, since the other clinics were not working. ‘We managed to immunize them all,’ said BJC.  This  service was provided for several weeks.

JVP was watching him and liked his concern for his patients. They sent him a message that since he had a baby at home, he could use the electric lights in the house. JVP   had ordered the public not to put on electric lights. BJC refused, saying he would be labeled a JVP sympathizer, so they told him to use thick curtains and only a couple of lights.

 Towards the end of the insurgency, both army and JVP were active in Kurunegala. An army officer came to the hospital, said BJC. He spoke separately to doctors, and asked them to continue the good work, told nurses, separately that any saboteurs would be treated like insurgents, told laborers that he knewexactly who JVP were. He will kill the two of them and hang them for all to see at the entrance to the hospital. He will personally shoot them through the heads, said the army officer.

In 1988 JVP made final error in Kurunegala, said BJC. They had dragged out a supporter of the government His children had come running and hugged the father. JVP killed the children as well. This disgusted the public who went to the police and army and told them details of JVP activity in the entire Kurunegala region. The force and police came out at night, rounded up the JVP.  Nothing was heard of them after that. They were    apparently eliminated and burnt in the jungles and forest areas of Kurunegala. The insurgency collapsed virtually overnight in 1989 in Kurunegala, concluded BJC Perera.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE.

Government of Sri Lanka eventually defeated the JVP. Intelligence cells set up in police stations  had good penetration and advance information was received on JVP activities. The government set up the Operation Combine, the Joint Operations of the armed forces (“Ops Combine”) . In  July 1989 Ops Combine underwent certain changes. The Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) was given specific tasks and a new intelligence service unit was formed. One of the concepts of the “Ops Combine” was the capture of special targets secretly. 

In 1988 a large section of the elite was willing to bend over backwards to accommodate the JVP, but in 1989 JVP’s excesses had upset them. The Government was therefore able to obtain help from a wide spectrum of society including the opposition parties and particularly the Left in crushing the JVP. The Government was thus able to deploy methods from the crudest to the highly sophisticated.  They used persons who knew to handle different groups of people accordingly, said Rajan Hoole.

In December 1987 the army  had started to break through JVP , and gain control of  Embilipitiya area. Embilipitiya area was  cleared  in 1988. This was not easy,  there were  vast jungle tracts. They found an underground armory there, 9 feet long. A JVP   member had led army to a hideout at Kakkangodella on Embilipitiya Middeniya road. Ruhuna ranahanda” had been issued from there.  JVPers also led the authorities to  another hideout at Bando Kokkayaya near Panamure. Sophisticated radio equipment was discovered in a concrete bunker near a  latrine.

By 1989 JVP Colombo had been successfully infiltrated  Intelligence  knew  a least some JVP  centers, such as one in Ratmalana. Intelligence  had even worked their way into   the Ratmalana outfit.  State Intelligence  had videoed the entire procession  at the Thrimavithane funeral. Informants with inside knowledge of the JVP were  brought in, given lists of names, shown the video and told to identify the people as faces appeared on the screen.

The government  attitude changed in 1989. The government decided not to give in. during the General strike in June 1989. Army   drove the buses and ensured there was public transport. And navy took charge of unloading food ships in port.

Around June 1989, media personnel resigned or kept away from work. Security forces took over the work and the media functioned. Newscasters were navy men.   When Thevis Guruge, head of SLBC was assassinated in 1989  for ignoring the threats of the JVP,  security forces took charge of the radio and television Stations . The news was read by armed service personnel.  

The  government under President Premadasa responded militarily in 1989. The army and police started shooting suspected JVPers and their families and burning their houses. In Kandy road barriers were put up at night time,   in places like Lewella  in Kandy. 

At mid-year,  1989 the Government began a massive crackdown on the JVP. It detained several thousand JVP suspects. By the end of the year, security forces had captured or killed much of the JVP’s top leadership. Anti JVP operations of government   after July 1989 were effective and sophisticated. Impact felt only after August 1989.  Most cadres  were caught   through information given by JVP activists in custody.

Intially there were five intelligence agencies working on JVP .They were National Intelligence Bureau, Counter Subversive Unit, Colombo Detective Bureau,  Military Intelligence,  and Operations Combine . They had not been able to function effectively because there were political barriers,   bureaucratic intervention, and operation  difficulties, said Gunaratna.

Secretary Defence, Joint Operations Command and the army  could give orders for Ops Combine. Army now asked for and obtained full  control of Ops Combine .   Ops combines was restructured. It was put under a single authority,  troops better deployed , a new intelligence unit set up and Rapid Deployment Force was given specialist tasks.  Ops combine was to capture special targets covertly. Ops combine  in Colombo was given a lot of security forces.

The operations were  carried out by platoon commanders and corporal s,  specially trained to work in small numbers Army detachments were sent into jungles and villages throughout Sri Lanka . Troops moved light, often out of tents in mini groups. Most of the time they were out on operations moved by foot, keeping enemy under pressure. They divided into three, guard group to guard camp,  reinforcement group, and deep penetrating group. JVP  was now deterred from using small number attacking patrols,  forces also operated in small  numbers

Troops checked vehicles day and night. There were cordon and search operations as well. Sudden road blocks were  set up,  every time at  a different  place . Troops  were positioned there and also undercover . Troops in civil  were also at bus stand, tea boutiques and eating houses. Trailing suspicious persons, keeping watch on houses.  They also engaged in ambushes, these were done mostly at night after 10 pm and would last till early hours of dawn.  Persons were picked up late in night or early morning. A lot of work was also done by police.

Operations teams isolated themselves from the rest and kept mum about their work. Army used code words and were vigilant about infiltration.   Army watched soldiers when they went on leave.

 The teams were also asked to obtain public support. To encourage information from public, ask them identify infiltrators  and to indicate land mines. The teams were told that  they should go out and patrol impressively with canopy removed from the truck. They should give the  public confidence.

From August 1989 reprisal killings against JVP became common. Bodies began to appear on road daily. 16 decapitated heads were placed around the pond in University of Peradeniya . JVP had killed three army families in Anuradhapura . In relation, decapitated heads appeared on stakes, all over Anuradhapura district. The  public now realized that state was getting the upper hand.

War against the JVP was a hit-job war. It was not superior weapons or training or numerical strength, it was accurate information and element of surprise. It was not difficult to kill off the JVP , observed Chandraprema.

A new element had   also come in. There was a new urban guerilla movement against the JVP  Private armed groups emerged to counter JVP terrorism. JVP were killed by private vigilante groups,  such as  Black Panthers, Yellow Scorpions and the Peoples Revolutionary Red Army, PRRA.

These persons  arrived at the most unexpected  times, and killed with cold blooded ruthlessness. They had accurate inside information, and had probably heavy infiltrated the   JVP. There was a  spate of killings of JVP .

When JVP issued death  threats,   these vigilante groups issued counter threats. Posters appeared which said ape ekata thope dolahak.”

The ‘Deshapremi Sinhala tharuna Peramuna’ circulated a letter to JVP.  This letter said  Dear father/ mother/ sister, your son, / brother/ husband has taken the lives of mothers like you, also sisters and innocent children.  They have killed the family members of heroic Sinhala soldiers who fought the Tamil tigers to protect the motherland.  Is it not justified  to put you also to death? Be  ready to die. May you attain Nirvana. Sgd Patriotic Youth Front. ( abridged )

Estates  employed private defence groups known as Green Tigers.  JVP had killed 17 estate superintendants. Lawyers who took up the causes of JVPers were also killed by these vigilantes. It was not possible for the security forces to  protect all threatened persons, so they encouraged the creation of these vigilance groups and provided them with shot guns.

By October, 1989  it became clear that although the JVP was still in a position to organize strikes and hit out at key state installations, its capacity to seize  state power had weakened considerably. It was running out of weapons and manpower. The fact that the JVP had been unable to kill more than 20 people from the ceasefire on 27th to the end of September, was an indication of their limited  strength. Most of the JVP cadres were liquidated in  October 1989.  The moment  an arrest was made the  victim was blindfolded  . Police did not give the bodies back.   

Death squads and Joint Operations did not hesitate to take away any youths from their homes and no complaint was accepted by the police or army posts regarding those youths. The authorities kept quiet about the abductions and investigations were closed after the abductions took place.  Strict censorship of the mass-media prevented any coverage of events. On the whole, the result was terror and near-anarchy in the country. 

From August 1989 onwards, reprisal killings against the JVP became a regular feature. Bodies began to appear on road sides. Bullet riddled and burnt bodies were a common sight in rivers, wells, pits and by the road sides. That was the only evidence about how many youths were abducted per night.

 Analysts had had much to say about the state operation against the JVP.  Certain analysts were more upset about the state killings than the JVP killings. This period, according to observers was as bad as the JVP offensive. Death squads were dominant and the government allowed them to function.

There seemed to be no difference between State armed forces and secret death squads. Both had only two objectives: eliminating subversives and injecting as much fear in the public mind as possible. As a result of this double violence the highest number of killings in Sri Lanka took place in August 1989.   The target list of the JVP had also expanded at this time.

There was the issue of the  abduction and disappearance of 31 students of Embilipitiya.  In 1994 Ravaya was told where the grave was, at Suriyakanda, Rakwana.  Information as a student of Moratuwa University employed as a technical officer in a private engineering company. They were going to build a road and this was going to cover the grave forever. The grave was in Sinharaja forest, there had been an artillery camp there and the abducted from neighboring areas were brought there and killed. And buried there. He gave a detailed map of the graves. They dug there and found remains of the bodies.

A section of the JVP cadres made use of the ceasefire declared by the government over a period of three weeks and surrendered to the armed forces. The government announced that over 7,200 were under detention for involvement with the JVP.

In October 1989, Raja Mahattaya, the Colombo district division number two leader, was arrested. From information the army received from Raja Mahattaya and from others, they were able to trace D M Ananda to the Ratnapura area. His arrest was a major breakthrough for the government.

D.M.Ananda was the functionary number 1 in the JVP . He was also the political cum military leader of the Colombo/Sabaragamuwa area, the leader of the bhikkhu, women’s and workers’ fronts and the leader of the Jathika Kmart Satan Madyathanaya. These  made him the single most powerful person in the organization.”

Ananda was held in the Mattegoda army camp, where he divulged that Araliya Estate in Galaha was the group’s headquarters in the region. A special operations team of the army arrested Piyadasa Ranasinghe and H B Herat in Galaha. They were JVP leaders who met Rohana Wijeweera frequently.

Under interrogation, they told army investigators the whereabouts of Wijeweera and a few hours later Wijeweera was arrested at Ulapane, Kandy, at the estate bungalow where he lived, masquerading as a planter under the name of Attanayake. The next day, Upatissa Gamananayake, who was the General Secretary of the JVP, was also captured. He was captured in Panadura, where he was running a small shop under the pseudonym of Dias.

By November  1989 Rohana Wijeweera  and  12 of  the 13 JVP Politbureau members  were arrested.  The only  Politbureau member to survive was Somawansa Amarasinghe who had fled the country as soon as the first arrest took place.

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando

People waiting in a queue to purchase cooking gas. Picture by Sulochana Gamage

The current economic crisis is exacerbating day after day. People line up in extended queues, although the Government advises not to line up in long rows. The general public does that because they may lose their place in the queue once they leave. Therefore, desperate folk stand in queues day and night and sleep wherever possible because of this problem. The Sri Lankan people have never seen such a predicament in the last 74 years since ‘Ceylon’ gained Independence.

Ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has left Sri Lanka and is in hiding, initially in the Maldives. The latest news is that he has travelled to Singapore, but his permanent residence is still unknown. Also, that US immigration rejected his visa to enter the U.S.! Meanwhile, Basil Rajapaksa, who attempted to flee the country was blocked at the Katunayake airport and had to return.

According to the Minister of Transport, the current problem is due to the wrong fiscal policies followed by the respective Governments since Ceylon gained Independence. The fundamental problem is that Sri Lanka’s budgetary policies were mistaken; as a result, expenditure was more than the income. That is why Sri Lanka’s budget showed a deficit every time. Sri Lanka’s loan payments have increased tremendously due to the dollar fluctuation and the lack of foreign exchange.

Sri Lanka has defaulted on its foreign loans. As a result, one of the creditors filed a Court action against Sri Lanka. It was caused because the officials in high-ranking positions had used Sri Lanka’s Foreign Reserves in a boundless fashion. It is crystal clear that the majority of the Sri Lankan administrators were unenlightened or naïve on such issues.

Insensitive attitude of all

What is needed now is to increase the Government’s income by exporting goods to overseas countries. It shows a complete lack of enthusiasm by the Government officials who make such decisions on innovations. Every innovation seems to be limited to television exposure only. There was an interesting interview on the YouTube channel: ‘Truth with Chamuditha’ on the fate of the first man who introduced electric cars to Sri Lanka, Anuruddha Lihinikaduwa.

Anuruddha Lihinikaduwa said: Including the Minister of Finance at that time, during Yahapalana regime, and officials of the Customs wanted commissions to release his 37 cars from the port.” He was a person who did not believe in bribery and corruption. So, he closed down his plants, including ‘charging stations’, which were imported from Sweden at expensive amounts and he became a cultivator! He said that ‘the age of the battery life of the electric cars is only five years. The Yahapalanaya regime did not allow him to import batteries and officially but increased the import tax’.

Instead, the opportunity was afforded to the ‘black-market dealers!” So, the cars imported over five years ago do not have batteries for replacement, forcing the owners to abandon the vehicles after paying expensive sums. Fortunately, another ingenious attempt by a Sri Lankan to convert electric cars to hybrid models is in the market, but at an additional cost to the owners. This is the fate of Sri Lanka.

United Kingdom

The U.K. Government encourages the public to go for electric cars in the future. As an incentive, the U.K. Government authorises electric vehicles to be exempt from Road Tax. There are ample charging stations spread across the country. However, for any person who intends to drive his electric car on a long destination where there are no charging stations available, the agents are supposed to give the owner an alternative vehicle, which runs on petrol. The Westminster Council allows electric cars to enter the Central London area free of the congestion charge, which is expensive.

In Sri Lanka, people are faced with a fuel problem. Had the previous Governments inclusive of the Yahapalana regime, not concentrate on bribery and corruption, it would have been an excellent choice for electric car owners to travel up to 300 km before it needs charging again. It would have served in the present fuel crisis to transport , at least schoolchildren to school and back. Anuruddha Lihinikaduwa intended to promote the electric car as a second family car in Sri Lankan society. He was so fed up with the officials then that he hadn’t approached the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime either!

Corruption and bribery are the biggest problems in Sri Lanka. Corruption exists from top to bottom! Various innovators and latest novelties are introduced often, but such inventions are confined to television displays only. The Sri Lanka Government does not seem to stretch any helping hand to any new originalities!

In the writer’s article on June 10, 2022, the Daily News highlighted how to increase the Dollar income in Sri Lanka. The writer went into detail on a company that manufactures Silicon semi-conductors out of Tiruwana power. In this regard, the writer mentioned a company in Castle Street, Colombo 8 (using journalistic ethics) that earns dollars by exporting ‘Tiruwana’ power to Japan, Korea, Israel, Malaysia and the USA to the tune of US$ 15,000 dollars a year.The writer went into detail about this particular organisation currently producing 2,000 tonnes, and they can increase the capacity to 5,000 tonnes by expanding their output by 33%. That would have augmented the Government’s income, automatically by doubling the revenue. The firm states there are numerous Government-owned lands full of Tiruwana stones. Still, administrators who control these lands have become a hindrance rather than extending a helping hand to the company and the country to bring more dollars, especially in the present economic crisis. The Chairman of this organisation wished to meet with the Prime Minister or the President (who now fled the country) to explain in detail the company’s current predicament. There was no response from the Government or even to the writer to find out about the company!

Current economic crisis

There is no political solution to the present economic crisis. The Government needs to find more avenues to earn foreign exchange. Just printing alone creates more money in a haphazard manner. Printing money will not help, but it increases the Cost of Living. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka projects the Cost of Living may go up to 70% in the future. Multiple causes aggravate the current economic crisis. The primary roots are corruption and tax reductions by the ‘chased’ out Government at the initial stages when they came to power.

Regarding the textile trade, all garment exporters need to import most of the raw material from abroad, which reduces the net amount of dollars they earn from their exports. They are compelled to purchase and import quality textiles and accessories such as thread, labels, which reduce the dollar earnings.

There are two aspects to the current crisis – domestic and foreign. Apart from it, Sri Lanka managed to earn apprx. US$ 600 million per month from expatriate workers. Still, with the COVID-19 pandemic, such incomes have gone down to US$ 250 million. During the current economic crisis, a few Opposition members of particular political parties urge foreign workers not to send money to Sri Lanka! Little do they realise by punishing the Government it is their kith and kin in this country who are made to suffer more and more. The ‘Aragalaya’ means a peaceful demonstration against the rulers, but such statements contradict the thuggery and looting. Such information will not help any foreign nations to help.

It would be advisable for the new ‘Citizen-friendly Government’ to introduce new regulations to ban all ‘petrol-guzzling’ cars. These luxury SUVs consume 3-4 litres per kilometre! Another area would be to restrain the qualification of the MP’s pensions after five years.

The Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) constantly requests to give more ‘teeth’ to COPE to bring those who are found and proven guilty to entrap them into the legal framework. The COPE Chairman pointed out that the whole country is in a huge crisis today due to the decisions of a few officers who led the economy in a haphazard way; it should be considered a crime and investigated immediately.’

What is the purpose of appointing the COPE Committee without facilities to bring those guilty and responsible for fraud and corruption before the law? A new ‘people friendly Cabinet’ should consist of young brains and not the same ‘old senile pensioners’!

tilakfernando@gmail.com