"Miracle of Asia" all set to lose Asian Youth Games thanks to its Beggar Bowl..LOL !!!

Sri Lanka face danger of losing hosting rights of Asian Youth Games 2017

Two years after convincing the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to award the country hosting rights for the 2017 Asian Youth Games, Sri Lanka looks set to give up the job over lack of preparedness and concerns over finances.

The government is unable to foot the bill for the facilities and venues to host the expected 5000 participants representing 45 nations in Asia’s biggest sporting event for budding athletes, authoritative sources said.

After heavy lobbying in April this year, Sri Lanka secured a three month extension to meet OCA requirements and, thereby, retain hosting rights. But with a month already gone, little progress has been made.

“It’s very unlikely that we would host it,” confirmed an official close to the National Olympic Committee. “We have fallen absolutely behind in preparing for the Games. One month has elapsed and I don’t see a concerted effort by the authorities to put things together for the Games.”

Sri Lanka has estimated that it would cost a staggering US$ 300 million, approximately Rs. 40 billion, for a successful hosting of the event. But since winning the rights in 2012, it has done little to justify selection.

In January it became clear that the OCA was unhappy with progress. OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah wrote to Sri Lankan authorities requesting to expedite preparations or face the consequence of being stripped of hosting rights.

“Even after one-and-a-half years of the allotment of the Games we see no progress in the conduct of the Games,” the letter states, adding that, “no one is taking responsibility for the organisation”.

There followed a fact-finding mission by Wei Jizhong, Life Vice-President OCA, and Haider Farman, Director, and the Asian Games Department OCA in March 2014. They, too, concluded that Sri Lanka was well behind in preparations.

“You have a very promising global plan but it’s a big challenge,” Mr Jizhong said at a press conference on March 13.

“The implementation of this magnificent plan started a little bit too late. So you should take all necessary measures from now on. Any delay may bring in negative impact because in today’s changing world, uncertainty under any circumstances, you do not have time to remedy the problems.”

“On the negative side there’s no master plan, no programme at ground level and we only saw the same proposal that we saw back in last November today,” Mr Farman said, also at the press conference.

No official decision has yet been taken and it looks inevitable that Sri Lanka will lose the Games with urgent requirements not being met. Hambantota was chosen as the venue by the OCA in 2012 after seeing off competition from Qatar, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, as well as Indonesia.

Insidethegames.biz, a UK based website, reported on April 1, 2014, that Hambantota will be stripped of the hosting rights, although this is unlikely to be officially confirmed for several months.

Sri Lanka has never played host to any multi-disciplinary event at Asian level and their 2006 hosting of the South Asian Games had cost an astounding Rs. 1 billion with the government pumping in nearly two-thirds of the total cost.

US ignores the "Terrorist" charges against Tamil Diaspora while South Africa puts Sinhala lanka on notice..

US joins Canada in rejecting Govt's list of terrorists

The United States became the second country to ignore the UPFA Government’s prohibition order on 16 Tamil diaspora groups and 424 of their members on grounds that they are allegedly involved in terrorist activities. Some of those listed were among those who were at the Department of State in Washington DC last Thursday. They were part of a delegation that met Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia. It was organised by the United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC).

The USTPAC itself is not a prohibited body. However, it is a constituent of the London-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) which has been prohibited. They were actively campaigning in the past three years with the GTF over consecutive US resolutions on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC. They have travelled together with GTF and Tamil National Alliance members to canvass support from member countries of the United Nations Human Rights Council. USTPAC’s immediate past President Elias Jeyarajah, who is one of the 424 listed persons, was present at the meeting.

The hour long meeting focused on a number of issues including matters arising from the last US resolution moved at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva in March. US officials including those who were in Geneva were present.Members of the Tamil Diaspora groups wanted what they called “targeted sanctions” imposed on Sri Lankan leaders and officials. They were alluding to similar sanctions imposed by the US on selected Russian officials. This came after Moscow ‘annexed’ Crimea, a part of Ukraine, as Russian territory after a ‘referendum.

Biswal had given a briefing to some 15 members of the delegation from six different groups on matters relating to her last visit to Sri Lanka and had expressed her disappointment over lack of progress on the part of the Government to US initiatives. All of the opposites of what the US and the World had wanted were happening, she is learnt to have said.

It was on March 21 that the Government promulgated regulations through a Gazette notification designating “groups” and “persons” who are attempting to commit or facilitate “terrorist acts.”On April 24, this issue formed the subject of a briefing to Colombo based diplomats by External Affairs Minister, G.L. Peiris. His news release on the event said “….there is compelling evidence regarding the remittance of substantial sums of money from overseas for planned terrorist activity. As a result of extensive investigations in recent weeks, the government is aware of the sources of this funding in several instances and the bank accounts into which the money had been paid. 65 arrests have been made, and 19 persons have been released after questioning…..” At least two diplomats, whose countries are mentioned in the prohibition order, sought to obtain details and declared their own agencies would then be able to probe the matter further. However, Peiris replied that it could not be done immediately. Once the investigations were over, he said, the details would be made available them

The first to reject the move last week was Canada. Foreign Minister Baird and his deputy, Minister of State Lynne Yelich issued a joint statement in which they expressed “concern” over “the listing of 16 entities and 424 individuals for purported links to terrorist activities, including some with ties to Canada.” They said, “Sri Lanka’s action has no legal effect in Canada; it does not constrain the freedom of listed groups and individuals to lawfully express their views in Canada.. Thursday’s meeting by Assistant Secretary Biswal with the Tamil Diaspora groups confirmed that the US has ignored the prohibition order too.

It is perhaps due to the Government not being able to make available to Washington proof to confirm there indeed is a resurgence of terrorism. In Britain, a Foreign Office spokesperson said that it was up to the Colombo Government to make available evidence to confirm its assertions. The spokesperson held that the prohibition order “should not be used to prevent or stifle free speech and legitimate criticism.”

These developments come as South Africa, which has launched an initiative for “peace and reconciliation” in Sri Lanka is setting the stage for a visit to Colombo by its special envoy, Cyril Ramaphosa.

It is not only the Colombo-based envoys who took part in Doidge’s briefing. A delegation from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was also present. It was headed by TNA leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan. He is now away in India for medical reasons. M.A. Sumanthiran who took part in the event told the Sunday Times, “Yes, we did take part in a briefing on South Africa’s peace initiative at a private location. Besides our leader, others who took part were Selvam Adaikalanathan, Mavai Senathirajah and myself.” He said that Sampanthan also gave a briefing on the TNA’s position vis-à-vis the South African initiative. HC Doidge, he said, answered questions raised by envoys on his country’s initiative. The Sunday Times learns when the South African initiative gets under way, Pretoria will ask both the Government and the TNA to name their principal envoys to the dialogue.

According to Sumanthiran among the envoys who were present were those from the United States, France, Germany, Switzerland, India, Japan and Russia. He said that some 15 envoys took part and the event ended with a dinner hosted by Doidge. However, there were no representatives either from the UPFA Government or the main opposition United National Party.

The South African peace and reconciliation initiative, which its High Commissioner in Colombo wants to keep a “top secret,” will no doubt play out concurrently. That would give Rajapaksa some relief that a main issue in the US resolution is now being addressed. However, the woes arising from them are far from over. The conduct of the country’s foreign policy remains in shambles, and it will not be an easy task. Not even when some of the friendly countries who have cautioned Sri Lanka are willing to help.

Allowing time to pass with little or no action has cost the Government heavily. Hence, damage control will no doubt have its limitations now.

Is Sinhala lanka going to strike Fishermen deal with TN ???

Ministerial leval talks on fishing issue

Ministerial level talks will take place after the second round of talks between fishermen from India and Sri Lanka in Colombo on May 12, the Fisheries Ministry said today.

Fisheries Ministry spokesman Narendra Rajapaksa said that following the talks between fishermen associations, it has been decided to have Ministerial level talks on the same issue.

Rajapaksa said that India has named a three member committee to take part in the Ministerial level talks with Sri Lanka following the May 12 talks between fishermen associations. He however said the date of the Ministerial level talks is yet to be agreed on.

He said that a delegation from Chennai is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on May 11 to take part in the fishermen talks in Colombo.

He said that the date for the talks was agreed upon by Sri Lanka following a request put forward by the Indian central Government.

The talks were scheduled to take place earlier but had been postponed twice following conditions put forward by the Tamil Nadu provincial Government.

Rajapaksa said that the Sri Lankan Government is making arrangements to host the talks on the new date and 28 representatives from India and another 28 from Sri Lanka are set to participate in the discussions.

He said that both sides will attempt to reach a final solution to the fishing dispute between both sides which arises when fishermen cross the maritime boundary line dividing India and Sri Lanka. 

Sinhala GOAT preventing the "Reconciliation" of Communities in Sri lanka

Gota preventing president from going ahead’

Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is preventing president Mahinda Rajapaksa from implementing the recomendations of the LLRC, government minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara has said in an interview.

The government had ignored a list of proposals put forward by a group of ministers, including himself, to implement the LLRC recommendations, introduce a political solution and to cooperate with the northern provincial council, he has said.

The minister has said the president might be listening more to his brother, the defence secretary, than him.

Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is preventing president Mahinda Rajapaksa from implementing the recomendations of the LLRC, government minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara has said in an interview.

The government had ignored a list of proposals put forward by a group of ministers, including himself, to implement the LLRC recommendations, introduce a political solution and to cooperate with the northern provincial council, he has said.

The minister has said the president might be listening more to his brother, the defence secretary, than him

Is LTTE raising army again ???

US says LTTE getting diaspora funds

The United States (US) says the LTTE uses its international contacts and the large Tamil diaspora in North America, Europe, and Asia to procure weapons, communications, funding, and other needed supplies.

In its latest annual report on terrorism, the US State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism says the LTTE employed charities as fronts to collect and divert funds for their activities.

“Despite its military defeat at the hands of the Sri Lankan government in 2009, the LTTE’s international network of sympathizers and financial support persists. In early 2009, Sri Lankan forces recaptured the LTTE’s key strongholds, including their capital of Kilinochchi. In May 2009, government forces defeated the last LTTE fighting forces, killed LTTE leader Prahbakaran and other members of the LTTE leadership and military command, and declared military victory over LTTE. There have been no known attacks in Sri Lanka that could verifiably be attributed to the LTTE since the end of the war, but LTTE’s financial network of support continued to operate throughout 2013,” the report said.

The report, which notes that the LTTE is still listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation in the US, said that the rebels are known to be operating from Sri Lanka and India.

The report also notes that the Government of Sri Lanka remained concerned that the LTTE’s international network of financial support was still functioning. It also says that the Sri Lankan government continued to maintain a strong military presence in post-conflict areas and continued to voice concern about the possible re-emergence of pro-LTTE sympathizers.

How to catch a Panni-Part 2

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How to Catch a PANNI

India cannot dictate terms says Sinhalese Govt....

The Sri Lanka government has denied it is under pressure from India to devolve more powers to provinces.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, who heads the government delegation for talks with Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said its apparent U turn over land and police powers has nothing to do with India.

"No no no no, there was no pressure. Neither India nor other country can dictate how our country is governed," he said in response to a question by BBC Sandesaya.

The government, he said, is "always prepared to discuss land and police powers as well as the re merger of the north and east."

Only SLFP'

The minister, however, clarified that the team led by him only represents the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main constituent of the ruling coalition.

The TNA that left talks with the government citing the government's failure to respond to a ten-point plan submitted in March, later re-initiated talks on the government's request.

In a statement issued on 4 August, last year, the TNA called on the government define and state the government's policy on the structure of governance, the division of subjects between the centre and the devolved units and fiscal and financial powers before continuing the dialogue.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a recent meeting with newspaper editors has said that the government was not willing to devolve land and police powers to the regions, in line with the 13 amendment to the constitution.

The Indian government, responding to the release of the war panel report, urged Sri Lanka to fulfil it's continuous pledges to implement the 13 amendment that devolved land and police powers to the provinces.

A Sinhala nationalist partner of the coalition government has, meanwhile, criticised the response by India to the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which was submitted to the parliament on 16 December.

Saying that the present government has not given any assurances to India to devolve more powers to provinces, the Jathika Hela Urumaya asked India "to clarify which Sri Lankan government has given this assurance."

    

Eelam Tamils Civil Society wants no engagement with Stinky Lanka....

TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society of Eezham Tamils

Prominent members of the Tamil civil society of all walks of life presented a memorandum to the Tamil National Alliance leadership on Tuesday, strongly condemning deception and deviatory polity of the leadership while times demand well-defined solutions to a long struggle. The civil society members urged firmness of leadership in political stand in convincing India and the US of the indispensability of addressing fundamentals of the aspirations of Eezham Tamils, i.e., nation and the right to self-determination. Tamils are not a `minority` requesting concessions, but a nation demanding self-rule, the memorandum said. The impressive list of signatories included prominent religious leaders, academics, educationalists, professionals, trade unionists and community leaders. For the first time the TNA leadership faces such an open challenge of the first magnitude from the civil society.

The uprising of the civil society of Eezham Tamils, coming from a realization that nothing but fundamental solutions only could guarantee their existence, is inevitably impelled by the brutal and suffocating oppression committed on them by occupying Colombo, political observers in Jaffna said.

One SL military personnel for every 12 civilians in Jaffna, and for every 4 civilians in Vanni is the gravity of the nature of the military occupation. The international community ostensibly plays down the crucial fact that the occupying military cannot be considered a State military, but in this context is an ethnic Sinhala military of genocidal intentions and potentiality, the political observers said.

Taking advantage of the plight of Eezham Tamils gagged in the island, sections lured by collaborative polity in the diaspora used to project every truthful Tamil opinion coming from the island as fabricated ones, by citing them as `unnamed`. But now, surging above all the oppression and pressures from the powers, the Tamil civil society in the island is openly up in arms, shaming the section of the impotent critics in the diaspora, the political observers further said.

For how long the simulated leadership in the clutches of powers attempting to hijack diaspora politics is going to sit on any uprising in the diaspora, they asked.

Representatives of the civil society of Eezham Tamils, after conducting a convention, handed over a 7-page memorandum signed by more than 75 signatories to TNA Secretary General Mavai Senathirajah MP at Uthayan Guest House in Jaffna on Tuesday evening.

Mr. Senathirajah`s objection to the presence of journalists along with the civil society members and his enraged comments over the role of Tamil media in spoiling TNA`s agenda, resulted in verbal exchanges between him and the journalists on the occasion.

The journalists later left the scene.

TNA Warns Srilankan government not to place new impediments in talks for 13++...

Reiterating the commitment of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to continue the talks aimed at arriving on an amicable political solution for the Tamils in Sri Lanka, the TNA on Saturday urged the government “to honour the mutual agreement reached and not to place new impediments to achieving an acceptable political solution that is desired by all the Peoples of Sri Lanka.”

Leader of the TNA R.Sampanthan said in a statement that after the talks resumed last month, and as per modalities agreed upon and confirmed in the minutes, it was “agreed that the bilateral talks between the government delegation and the TNA would continue and the consensus arrived at would be placed before the proposed Select Committee of Parliament. The TNA reiterates that its nomination to the PSC must await substantial consensus being reached at the bilateral talks, as was agreed.”

Outlining the manner in which the talks proceeded after resumption on November 16, he said that parties identified the issues to be discussed and agreed upon in evolving a political solution. The parties agreed on the specific order in which these issues were to be discussed and for this purpose scheduled four meetings - December 1, 6, 14, and 15. Thereafter, a time-table setting out these dates and issues was also circulated.

At the first of these meetings held on December 1, the Minister of External Affairs, G.L. Peiris indicated that without the TNA nominating its representatives to constitute the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), the bilateral talks could not progress as previously agreed, Mr. Sampanthan said.

When the TNA reminded the government of the commitment already made, it requested time to deliberate and consequently a new meeting was scheduled for December 3. “Today despite lengthy discussions, the government delegation's position remained inconclusive,” he said.

Since the government – TNA talks began on January 10 this year, about 10 meetings were held. On August 4, the TNA walked out of the meeting, stating that no meaningful and purposeful dialogue could commence as the government had not responded to the TNA’s comprehensive proposals and that no purpose would be served by fixing a further date for talks unless and until the government made its response available.

Thereafter, after considerable back-room manoeuvrings, the TNA and the government agreed to recommence the dialogue.

"Debacle" of Asia Sinhala lanka assaults Law Student for trying to thwart Stinky Princes Record break....

Lanka law student 'assaulted again'

International human rights organisations have expressed serious concern over the safety of a Sri Lanka law student who has previously complained about alleged malpractices of the Law College (SLLC).

DM Thushara Jayaratne, the whistleblower of alleged exam malpractices by Namal Rajapaksa, MP, says he was assaulted by a group of assailants on Thursday at a safe house.

Though he was not physically injured, say activists, he is suffering from post-assault trauma.

"The recent attack follows threats and intimidation last year when Thushara publicly complained that President Rajapaksa's son received preferential treatment in his exams at the Law College," Yolanda Foster of Amnesty International told BBC Sandeshaya.

Lack of investigations

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), has also raised serious concern over the lack of investigations into the continued attacks on the rights defender.

Human rights organisations have protested against this treatment and requested a credible inquiry into his allegations. However, no such inquiry has been conducted," AHRC director Basil Fernando, said.

Mr Jayaratne was previously abducted, assaulted and regularly intimidated after he lodged complaints against President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son, according to a complaint lodged earlier this year with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders.

While the national human rights commission has refused to entertain his complaints, the police have failed to launch any inquiry, the UN was informed.

"We are concerned about his security and call upon everyone to request from the government to inquire into this matter and also to provide him the security that he is entitled to," Basil Fernando added.

Harassment, intimidation and attacks against human rights defenders who expose abuses in Sri Lanka are not uncommon, according to Amnesty International.

"Many victims of human rights abuses feel an increased sense of insecurity as there is a lack of credible domestic mechanisms for filing and investigating complaints," added Ms Foster, AI's researcher on Sri Lanka.

Sinhalans Stop the Colombo - Tuticorin Ferry Service for settling Eelam tamils from Tamilnadu...

Colombo-Tuticorin ferry service suspended

The Colombo-Tuticorin passenger ferry service which was started in June has been suspended indefinitely amidst some confusion with officials of both countries giving different reasons.

The Ceylon Shipping Corporation, the general agent for the ferry service, was informed by the Indian counterpart Flamingo Liners Ltd that the Scotia Prince ferry service would be halted due to “technical difficulties,” a CSC official said.

However, CSC General Manager Sunil Obbodage said the ferry service was suspended because not many people were using it. The Scotia Prince ferry started operation following an agreement between the Sri Lankan and Indian governments last year. Flamingo Chief Executive Officer R.C. Thimaiah said the ferry service was suspended due to operational difficulties.

He also denied reports that there was an outstanding amount to be paid to the Sri Lankan fuel supplier and said they were clearing the outstanding credit facilities.However, the local fuel supplier has filed a case at the Colombo Commercial High Courts against Flamingo Liners.

Currently, the Scotia Prince ferry has been detained by port authorities on a court order until the outstanding bill of more than US$ 400,000 is paid.

Losers Liars Rotten Commission Report will go the way of all commisions of Stinky Lanka....

Work on translating the voluminous report of the committee that had studied the years since the collapse of the truce with the LTTE in 2002 to the end of the war in 2009 is set to begin soon.

One official in the know said the report prepared by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, which submitted its report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 20, will be presented to Parliament in three languages — English, Tamil and Sinhalese.

“The report will form the basis of reconciliation attempts by the government,” said the official.

Dismissing the criticism that the translation of the report, prepared in English, was yet another ploy to delay the start of genuine attempts to offer a solution to the Tamil minority, the official said it was imperative that everyone was able to read what the report contained. While the government does not intend to table the complete report, it is certain that the recommendations will be tabled in English and the translated versions.

The official assured that there would be no delay in the report being presented to Parliament. The government had aimed for tabling the report in December, and it would stick by the deadline.

World Wide Eelam Tamils Mourn for the Sacrifices made by Valiant Warriors with ...

Eelam Tamils Call For War Crimes Tribunal

As Tamils gathered this week to remember those who died in the civil war, the call for an independent investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka is getting louder, writes Brami Jegan

Yesterday I joined hundreds of thousands of Tamils across the world — in the UK, France, Germany Switzerland, America and India — to remember those who died in the 26-year struggle for our independence. It was day of haunting sadness.

The day is called "Maaveerar Naal". Veerar in Tamil means "warrior or hero". Maa means "great". Naal means "day".

It is held each year on 27 November, the date the first Tamil Tiger, Shankar, died in combat in 1982. I was two years old.

Alongside 2000 Tamils at a park in Silverwater in Sydney’s west, I wept for the 40,000 Tamils that were massacred by the Sri Lankan Government in 2009. I paid my respects to those who sacrificed their lives for my freedom.

I remembered the months of paralysing fear my family went through while my father was in the former conflict zone. I went to bed each night petrified of waking up to news he had been killed in an aerial attack by Sri Lankan Kfir jets or drones.

I honoured my dearest friend K, and the hours of laughter we shared together. A night I will never forget is when we sat under monsoon stars in Tamil Eelam in 2006, talking about life and love, war and peace till 4am in the morning. He kept the electricity generator running for me, even though it would have cost him more than he could afford because he knew I was scared of the dark. He died fighting for my identity.

The Sri Lankan Government is on a witchhunt to silence anyone that dares speak out about the atrocities committed against the Tamils. I have the honour of being on their list. This has only strengthened my resolve.

When people ask me where I am from, I say "I am Tamil". I am not a Sri Lankan. A regime that has brutalised, terrorised and murdered, does not speak in my name.

The Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of Sri Lanka, is interpreted by the country’s rulers as "proving" that Sri Lanka is a Sinhalese Buddhist island. It can equally be read as the story of how the Sinhalese and Tamils founded the country together. In the story, the Tamil King Elara ruled with equal justice and was accepted by both communities.

As a diaspora Tamil I have struggled to understand my privileged place in the west. There is nothing I want that I can’t have. But since I first returned to Sri Lanka in 2002, I have had no peace of mind.

At the age of 22 I came face to face with the horrors of war: orphaned children; adults and children who had lost their arms, legs and eyesight; Tamil women who had been raped by the Sri Lankan army; men who had been tortured. The memories are endless and terrifying.

How do I reconcile my fortunate life with these stories? How do I explain to my western friends the pain and suffering I have witnessed? How do I not let their pain become a part of me?

I feel incredibly lost in post-war Sri Lanka as do many other diaspora Tamils. What is our role now?

Two and a half years ago genocide was committed against the Tamils of Sri Lanka and the entire international community did nothing to stop it.

The horrifying images of war crimes and crimes against humanity shown in Channel Four’s ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ were a stark wake up call to the world. The broader understanding and perception of the Tamil struggle is shifting.

UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, our former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser have come out strongly in favour of an independent war crimes tribunal for Sri Lanka. As has the UN Secretary General’s Panel of Experts, Amnesty International, International Crisis Group, and Human Rights Watch.

Shamefully our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister won’t add their voice to this call for an independent investigation.

I don’t know if there will ever be an independent war crimes tribunal for Sri Lanka. But the Arab Spring has shown the world that anything is possible. Hope must continue in some form.

The war no longer defines me. But the struggle forever will. I am a Tamil and with that comes a responsibility. A responsibility to myself, to my father, to K and to the Maveerars to honour the sacrifices and strength of my ancestors: "Because you died, we continue to live".

Sinhala KING threatened Buddhist Mottai Monks with Bomb attacks...

“The Fonseka arrest has led to a rift between the Rajapaksa leadership and four mahanayakas (chief monks) of the largest Buddhist sects. The arrest sparked the monks to raise broader issues of democratic governance and to call a Sangha Sabha (council of clergy) to discuss the situation. But the council was indefinitely postponed after the monks received bomb threats. Government apologists retaliated by promising that 500 temples would be split off from the main Buddhist sects and re-aligned with a lesser-known sect from Rajapaksas’ home region in the south.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

A leaked US unclassified diplomatic cable recounts the reaction of the Buddhist monks after the arrest of the opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka followed by the presidential election 2010. The Colombo Telegraph found the cable from WikiLeaks database. The cable was written on February 26, 2010 by the US Ambassador to Colombo Patricia A. Butenis.

On February 14, Mahanayake of Asgiriya Rev. Udagama Sri Buddharakkitha, Mahanayaka of Malwatte Rev. Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala, Mahanayake of Ramanna Nikaya Rev. Weveldeniye Medhalankara, and Mahanayake of Amarapura Nikaya Rev. Divuldena Ganissara in a joint statement said the arrest of Fonseka was unjustified and unacceptable” the Ambassador wrote. Placing a note she said “In the recorded history of over two thousand years of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, there have been very few such councils of monks. A Sangha Sabha was summoned only when the king exceeded his limits, and the monks felt duty-bound to ask for governance.”

US Ambassador wrote “ The mahanayaka of the Malwatta Chapter went further to criticize attacks on journalists and the current state of democracy in the country.” “Statements by the monks criticizing the Fonseka arrest and warning that democracy on the island was at risk reportedly enraged the Rajapaksas. Two days before the Sangha Sabha was to open, Buddhist contacts from the provinces informed us that temples had been told that bombs would be hurled at buses transporting monks to the council. On February 16, the mahanayake of Malwatte announced the assembly had been indefinitely postponed due to security concerns.”

Placing a comment Butenis wrote “Contacts have told us that the monks’ rebellion against the Rajapaksas was unprecedented insofar as monks disregarded their traditional cast differences to come together against what they saw as abuses by the Rajapaksas.”

Sinhala asses play gambling on friendly stocks using the Gullible workers hard earned money.....

EPF loses, gaming stock market for friends

Trade unions charge that the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has incurred a loss of Rs1000 million investing in the stock market, and through two transactions that took place recently.

Inter Company Employees Union Secretary, Janaka Adikara said that the EPF has a fund amounting to Rs one trillion at present and has seen increased investing in the stock market, from five per cent of this sum (Rs50 billion) last year, to seven per cent (Rs75 billion) in 2011.

“Our main concern is that due to the influence of certain high ranking persons, the EPF is buying shares in underperforming companies that belong to friends and relatives, and is making heavy losses. But their friends are making millions by way of profits every day  thanks to the EPF funds that have been invested. For example a share of Grain Elevators Company (GEC) was trading at Rs75 and it was artificially brought up to Rs238 for a short period recently. When the GEC shares were at a peak, the EPF bought five million shares of GEC at Rs238 a share. After few days share prices dropped to Rs98. The loss is Rs700 million from that transaction alone,” Adikara charged.

“In another transaction, a share of Laugfs Gas Company was trading at Rs38 for two months and the prices went up to Rs48 on October 10 around 11 am. The EPF then bought Rs1800 million worth of shares and on the same day, at around 2.30 pm the price of Laugfs shares dropped to Rs40. So the loss for a single day was Rs300 million,” he added.

He says that similar losses have been incurred after purchase of shares in Browns and The Finance Company, and adds the EPF fund is in danger of being drowned in losses due to these imprudent investments.

When contacted, the superintendent of the EPF, Rupa Deerasinghe said that share prices fluctuating in a short run is usual, and explained that the EPF is making long term investments in shares in good companies after evaluating their performance. “It is wrong to say that EPF investments in shares have made losses because we are a long term investor in shares. A well qualified panel of investment advisors recommends purchasing shares, and nobody takes individual decisions. They carefully analyze the strengths and growth potentials of companies and recommend purchasing of shares. The decision of our team is subject to questioning by the Monetary Board as well.”

Will Stupid Sinhala lanka also take over these "Under Performing" asse(t)s...!

Unpaid Sri Lankans give rise to fixing fear

Fears of corruption in cricket were again raised yesterday as it emerged that Sri Lanka's players have not been paid since February. Although they have played several Test and one-day series in the last seven months and reached the World Cup final, none of the players has received any of their agreed salaries or match fees from the board.

The amount owing is believed to be almost $6 million (£3.9m). There is no suggestion that there has been any sharp practice in the matches but the team's form has dipped alarmingly recently.

Since reaching the World Cup final, when they lost to India, Sri Lanka have lost all their Test and one-day series, to England, Australia and Pakistan. The players have been silent until now, determined to give the board every chance to keeptheir repeated promise that the money was on the way.

The International Cricket Council are profoundly concerned that unpaid players can become disaffected and more open to the approaches of illegal bookmakers or others seeking to make money from the outcome of matches.

Tim May, the chief executive of Fica, the international players' body, said: "The players have been very patient, they are proud to represent their country and their people, but this situation is now becoming very worrying. It will serve as a warning sign for many other countries."

The case of Sri Lanka shows the vast gap between the haves and have-nots in cricket. The board are broke after over-spending on stadiums built or renovated to stage their part of the 2011 World Cup.

Without any large dividend from TV rights, Sri Lanka cricket is dependent almost entirely on ICC funding or loans from other cricketing bodies. It is hardly helped by having a perpetually unstable administration, with new elections due in January.

Fica and the ICC fear that problems could easily occur in the West Indies and other smaller nations, while India control 80 per cent of the game's revenue.

Balless Buddhist racist Stinkala army prevents Hindu Tamils from exercising their religious freedom...

Exposing SLA temple sanctions to BBC brings in attack on house in Jaffna

Attackers believed to be from the Sri Lanka Army opened fire and lobbed grenade and petrol bomb on the house of the head of the civic council (Piratheasa Chapai) of Kaarainakar, Mr Anaimukan Velayutham, a TNA member and a leading trader in Jaffna in the early hours of Saturday, causing minor injuries to his aged mother. The attack comes hours after an interview by Mr. Anaimukan to BBC Tamil, Friday evening, in which he exposed that the occupying SLA had instructed temples in his civic division not to toll bells, not to light torches and to cease any use of loudspeakers during the Heroes Day observation week. His house situated in Thirunelveali in Jaffna was attacked by 1:30 a.m., Saturday. Mr. Anaimukan when contacted by journalists in Jaffna on Saturday condemned the attack and said whoever the attackers were, he was not going to allow himself to get threatened by such acts.

In the Interview to BBC, Friday evening, Mr. Anaimukan said that he had personally witnessed seeing the worshipers at Kaarainakar Ma'natkaadu Kumpanaayaki Muththumaari Amman temple in a disturbed situation while attending the prayers these days. The occupying SLA at Aaladi had given the instructions to the priest of that temple, he confirmed to the BBC.

Mr. Anaimukan also told the BBC that he objected to military threat against religious freedom and said such threats had come even when the temple or community leaders like himself were not involved in observing Heroes Day at the temple.

When asked by the BBC whether any political action on the military threat had been taken up by him through his party (TNA), he replied in negative citing the non availability of TNA leaders in Jaffna. Mr. Mavai Senathirajah had gone to India, he said, adding further on the futility of taking up any complaints against the SL military.

Earlier, speaking to media, the commander of the occupying SL military in Jaffna, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe, had denied military ordering any sanctions against temples during the week.

Tamils in the island increasingly feel that their postwar subjugation through occupying Sinhala military, aimed at making them accept structural genocide and any nondescript political solution, is a joint agenda of Colombo as well as the powers that give tacit support to it.

The SL Army established camps in Kaarainakar since last December, while the old base of the SL Navy also continues.

According to legends and old records, Ma'natkaadu Maariyamman temple was the only temple in Kaarainakar that was not touched by the Portuguese who destroyed all the other temples in the islet, after the conquest of the Kingdom of Jaffna in the early 17th century. Legends say that the Portuguese, who were then suffering from the epidemic of Small Pox, spared the temple fearing the fury of the deity.

Sinhala lanka, THE Miracle of Asia became Laughing Stock of Asia...

Sri Lanka stx down 2.8 pct to 14-mo low

Sri Lanka's stock market closed down 1.04 percent on Friday, bouncing back after an erroneously entered trade triggered a panic selloff that forced a 30-minute trading halt when the sensitive Milanka Price Index dropped more than 5 percent.

Investors dumped shares amid fears of higher inflation and interest rates after this week's currency devaluation, and an erroneous trade in Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC triggered panic.

The plantation sector index fell 2.53 percent on Friday, extending its weekly fall to 13.24 percent in reaction to a budget proposal to redistribute 37,000 acres of unused state planting land to small farmers.

The bourse has fallen 14.4 percent since Oct. 1 and it is Asia's 11th-best performer with a year-to-date loss of 12.5 percent.

The bourse saw a net foreign inflow of 18.2 million rupees on Friday ending six straight outflow sessions, but thus far in 2011, offshore investors have sold 17.3 billion, and a record 26.4 billion in 2010.

Two currency dealers Reuters spoke to said the central bank had sold at least $120 million since the devaluation to defend the currency at the new level amid depreciation pressure.

Stinkies can run, but not hide from war crime charges...

Sri Lanka said on Thursday it was counting on its own how many civilians were slain at the end of its bloody civil war to counter claims that tens of thousands were killed and fend off international calls for a war crimes probe.

Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also acknowledged for the first time that soldiers may have committed unspecified 'crimes'. He promised to investigate and punish them.

Both the count of the killed and the admission of misconduct were a major shift for a government that had sworn its soldiers were beyond reproach and insisted for more than two years that not a single civilian was killed by its forces during the final stages of the war.

Rajapaksa's speech to a conference on postwar ethnic reconciliation was the government's latest attempt to show it was taking action on its own and blunt the calls for outside investigations into the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels

Rajapaksa said the census department's count, which is near completion and will be released soon, shows a very small number of civilians died because of military action. He said deaths due to natural causes, accidents, those who fled the country illegally, died fighting for the rebels or were killed by the rebels were also counted in order to reconcile the number of people unaccounted for.

"It has been possible to identify by name all such persons (dead or missing)," Rajapaksa said.
"As a result of the census we already know that the real number of the dead and missing is far too small to provide any substance to absurd allegations of genocide and war crimes that have been made."

A U.N. report released in April said tens of thousands of civilians may have been killed in the last months of the decades-long war that a final government offensive ended in May 2009.

The government had insisted there were 'zero civilian casualties' in that fighting, conceding only in August that civilian deaths did occur but they were unavoidable.
The U.N. report said most of the casualties came from government shelling and called for an independent international investigation into what it called credible allegations against the government and the Tamil Tigers, who fought for more than 25 years to carve out a separate state for ethnic minority Tamils.
The government has also dismissed as fabrications video footage apparently showing soldiers shooting bound, blindfolded prisoners. Christof Heyns, the U.N.'s independent investigator on extrajudicial killings, said the video was authentic and provided enough evidence to open a war crimes case. Human rights groups have also called for a war crimes probe.
The government appointed a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission last year, which submitted its report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier this week. The government has said it will submit that report to Parliament before making it public.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said while Sri Lankan soldiers in general act professionally, there could have been bad elements.
"It needs to be understood during the three and a half years of humanitarian operation, the Sri Lankan military had to be expanded at a rapid pace. In the circumstances, it is possible that a few individuals who lack the capacity to withstand the pressures of the warfare with the required composure may have been recruited," he said.
He said the government would carry out any recommendations by the Lessons Learnt commission to investigate military abuses and steps for ethnic reconciliation but ruled out any international involvement.