Those Defending Minister Bathiudeen Because he is a Muslim or a Rajapaksa Acolyte are Feeding the Monster of Impunity

Minister Bathiudeen

By Tisaranee Gunasekara
“This accursed, shortsighted statecraft!” – Heinrich von Kleist (Prinz Friedrich)
The Eastern province, multi-ethnic and multi-religious, is Sri Lanka’s Achilles Heel. Mishandle the East and the outcome will not be a cleanly bifurcated separatist war.
Mishandle the East and the outcome will be a ‘war of all against all’, involving every ethnic/religious group in Sri Lanka (plus several foreign powers in supportive roles), and infecting every nook and cranny of the island.

Muslim Nationalism has many Lessons to Learn from and be Informed by Tamil Nationalism

by Rauf Hakeem

Minister Rauf Hakeem

The Tamil political landscape with the exclusive Tamil Congress and the emerging alternative voice of the Federal party had great legal luminaries as GG Ponnambalam and SJV Chelvanayakam.

The Late Sivasithamparam was a unique blend of all these greats filling the knowledge gaps and emerging as a personality in his own right. That is the picture I glean from rereading his work.

‘Patrimony of the Rich’ to the ‘Inheritance of the Poor’:

6% of GDP in State Investment for Education

by Ahilan Kadirgamar
In presenting the recommendations of the Special Committee on Education to the State Council in 1944, C.W.W. Kannangara, then the Minister of Education, famously rephrased the quote of a 19th century Scottish jurist and politician: "Sir, it was the boast of the great Augustus that he found Rome of brick and left it of marble. How much nobler will that be for this State Council when we shall be able to say that we found education expensive and left it cheap; that we found it in a sealed book and left it in an open letter; that we found it the patrimony of the rich and left it the inheritance of the poor."

An action plan that is basically dishonest

One cannot fail to be amazed at the considerable ingenuity if not wild imagination with which the government’s National Plan of Action to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission has been drafted. Some responses invoke chuckles of glee whilst other promises invoke far more heated reactions given the sheer chutzpah with which they have been made.

Hold referendum on PCs and 13A, Editorial, Sunday Times

Last week marked the 25th anniversary of a controversial agreement officially known as the ‘Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement to establish Peace and Normalcy in Sri Lanka’, more commonly called the Indo-Lanka Accord. In a few months, we will mark, though not necessarily celebrate, the 25th anniversary of the 13A (the 13th Amendment to the Constitution) and the creation of Provincial Councils in the country.

Navi Pillay team coming; Govt. changes policy

Sri Lanka submits comprehensive Action Plan, willing to cooperate with UNHRC
Experts from the UN Human Rights Council will arrive in Colombo next month to “offer advice and technical assistance” to the Government towards implementing the US-backed resolution on Sri Lanka.
In what seems a change of heart, the Government has responded to a letter from UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay, that it would receive the expert delegation. Earlier, as revealed in the Sunday Times of May 27, the government was poised to reject the move. The acceptance has been conveyed through the External Affairs Ministry.

Sri Lanka be bilingual within next five years: Vasu

In a bid to make all Sri Lankans bilingual within the next five years, the National Languages and Social Integration Ministry has taken measures to decentralise its services and set up Provincial Language Centers in all nine provinces.“Our objective is to create a bilingual Sri Lanka within the next five to ten years to eliminate the language barriers and pave the way for inter-ethnic harmony and peace among all communities,” National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva S. Nanayakkara said.

Police defied Elections Department: CAFFE

The Eravur police had defied a request made by the Department of Elections to hand over the Key of the Eravur Post Office which had been used by a ruling UPFA candidate contesting for the Eastern Provincial Council, Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CAFFE) alleged yesterday.

Military intelligence in JVP meeting of candidates

A meeting of the candidates contesting the Eastern Provincial Council election for Batticaloa District from the JVP was held at Rivera Resort hall at Kalladi today (4th) chaired by Parliamentarian Sunil Handunneththi.
The meeting that commenced at about 3.00 p.m. was attended by candidates of the JVP and a stranger. The stranger had come in a motorcycle having reg. no. EP XQ 0948. Only candidates of the JVP contesting from Batticaloa District had been invited for the meeting while the JVP suspects that the stranger was a member of the Army intelligence unit.

Indian mantra for merry ties!

Ministers Sharma & Basil R

Setting out an ambitious plan, India yesterday outlined extensive investment potential in Sri Lanka centred on infrastructure, tourism and pharmaceuticals apart from offering preferential access to double trade to $ 10 billion by 2017.
Indian Commerce, Industry and Textiles Minister Anand Sharma, who is on a three-day visit to the country, stated at a press conference that the two countries had agreed to establish a Manufacturing Investment Zone in Trincomalee.

Universities Need To Be Given Better Resources As Higher Education Is An Investment In Human Capital

Arts Faculty,
University of Sri Jayewardenepura

by Prof.Wiswa Warnapala
At the beginning, university education in Sri Lanka began as a middle class preserve, as it, in the very initial period, catered to the demand of the students from a select number of public schools in the country.
university education, in the early period, was built on a theory of elites, which, in turn, represented certain aspects of the then existing class structure.

Sri Lankan Govt deeply unwilling to prosecute soldiers and police for atrocities

Mourners present flowers at a Memorial Service for ACF Aid Workers executed by Sri Lanka Troops

The Sri Lankan government’s failure to hold accountable those responsible for the execution-style slaying of 17 aid workers six years ago is indicative of its deeper unwillingness to prosecute soldiers and police for atrocities, Human Rights Watch said today.

Right to Information Act: Media organizations attack Herath

Apropos our front-page story captioned "Govt. won’t introduce ‘Right to Information Act’ at the expense of national security", based on remarks made by Media Secretary Charitha Herath at a recent workshop for journalists from SAARC countries, Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, the editors’ guild of Sri Lanka and Free Media Movement issued the following statement through the Sri Lanka Press Institute:

Politicians dodging responsibility to curb violence against women - ‘Free Women’

Violence against women, sexual harassment and suppression had reached unprecedented levels in Sri Lanka and the lives of women were at risk. The key to solving the issue was not just punishing those responsible, but also conducting awareness and educational programmes, said Dimuthu Attygalle, President of ‘Free Women’, an organisation espousing women’s rights.

HRW slams government on ACF probe

The Sri Lankan government’s failure to hold accountable those responsible for the execution-style slaying of 17 aid workers six years ago is indicative of its deeper unwillingness to prosecute soldiers and police for atrocities, Human Rights Watch said today. HRW said that despite compelling evidence of participation by state security forces in the killings, government inquiries have not progressed and no one has been charged with the crime.

Blacklisted fuel company mystery behind the re-listing

A three-member committee has been appointed to ascertain how a blacklisted company connected to the latest contaminated-diesel controversy was re-listed by the former Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman disregarding a cabinet subcommittee direction that the registration should not be renewed. A Petroleum Industries Ministry source said yesterday the committee was appointed by th Ministry Secretary R.H.S. Samaratunga and mandated to find out why former Chairman Harry Jayawardana renewed the registration of the blacklisted Vitol Asia Pte Ltd. of Singapore even after a cabinet subcommittee headed by Senior Minister A.H.M. Fowzie had advised against it.

Post War Sri Lanka Needs Trust and Confidence for Peace and Reconciliation

As post war Sri Lanka experiences a high level of militarization, the northern provinces of the country continue to face serious humanitarian and human rights problems. Three years after the end of a protracted conflict and war that ravaged the country for quarter of a century, the people and communities are struggling to attain a sustained peace and reconciliation.

 

Photo: Children of war victims in a shelter run by the Anglican Church in Kilinochi, Sri Lanka.

Excellent results in North, East rehabilitation and resettlement – top UN Official

  Sri Lanka has achieved excellent results in its Northern and Eastern   rehabilitation and resettlement programme and post-conflict economic  development drive. Other countries with similar problems can learn a lot from Sri Lanka on these issues. Therefore, Sri Lanka should share its experience with other countries.

These views were expressed by John Ging. Director, Coordination and Response Division, UN Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – OCHA, at a meeting with senior advisor to the President and Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa.

Full implementation of LLRC action plan will benefit all citizens: US

The United States Thursday welcomed the release of Sri Lanka's National Action Plan on the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) proposals saying its full implementation will help achieve reconciliation and long term peace. The post war commission appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is seen as a home grown mechanism that suggested measures for accountability and reconciliation in the aftermath of a three decade conflict with the separatist Tamil Tigers.

Sri Lanka’s Release of Key Suspect in the killing of Human Rights Defender Pattani Razeek Questionable

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned over the news of the release of Nawshaad, one of the key suspects of the abduction and killing of human rights defender Mr. Pattani Razeek in Sri Lanka.

“We fear that the release of the key suspect may lead to interference of the evidence and witnesses, especially since the police have not made public the investigation results,” said the Bangkok based regional human rights group.

Will costly projects in Hambantota District be worth the investment?

Mattala International Airport

by Kath Noble
It’s hard to know when to take official statements seriously. The government isn’t known for taking the quiet, cautious approach.
Indeed, its spokesmen very often make obviously false claims, such as that Mervyn hasn’t done anything wrong or that no civilians were killed during the war. They seem to think the public are idiots.

Sri Lankan government moves to gag web sites

Minister Rambukwella

By Vilani Peiris
Sri Lankan Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella announced on July 12 that the government planned new regulations under the draconian Press Council Act to control web sites. Once the cabinet approved the amendments he would present them to parliament for approval within weeks, Rambukwella added.
The regulations would extend the coverage of the Press Council, a government tribunal that can fine and jail journalists, to web sites as well as other media outlets.

The struggle to go home in post war Sri Lanka: The story of Mullikulam

Ruki

In 2011, a young Advanced Level student from Mullikulam in the district of Mannar, living as an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) in a camp in Thalvupadu, Mannar, shared with me an assignment she had done about her village and effects of displacement. She proudly described the richness of her hometown in terms of natural resources, culture and traditions. But soon, her mood turned to one of despair as she asked me and a priest who was accompanying me, when they could go home.

Z-score muddle: 1,675 students complain to HRC .

Students protest all over the country

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has received as many as 1,675 complaints from students whose Z-scores had changed after the re-calculation based on a Supreme Court ruling, officials said yesterday.  Commissioner Pratibha Mahanama said the authorities concerned could not go by the previous Z-score calculations, which were declared null and void by the Supreme Court.

Lesson Plan: Sri Lanka briefs diplomats on LLRC action plan

Sri Lanka Tuesday briefed diplomats on the implementation of recommendations of a post war commission that looked into the root causes of the island's ethnic conflict, ahead of a key UN human rights review later this year.
 External Affairs minister G.L. Peiris and secretary to the president Lalith Weeratunga has met Colombo's diplomatic community for a 'comprehensive briefing' on the work carried out to implement the proposals of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), the ministry of external affairs releasing a statement said.