Rajapakse regime of Sri Lanka has no alternate to lousy casino business to bring FDI

Rajapakse regime, deviated from respectable foreign direct investment to give it a lifeline, seems bloody serious of making Colombo a casino hub.

For a start, a very attractive tax relief has been granted to James Packer. It is a Packer only measure and the other players lured in Packer centered casino hub will have to pay more taxes. Otherwise, we will pay it definitely with what we will earn by means of prostitution and other evil stuff.

Gone are the Buddhist extremists. They who see crocodile in each vessel if it is related to a minority nationality or religion seem seeing no evil in this lousy business. More and more racism and religious hatred will be needed for them to circumvent the blame from the government.

In my perspective, a dubious government with no international respect from less dubious world democracies, has no alternative except this type of filthy business.

Do Sri Lanka Cricket male officials attempt to extort from the beggar's bowl of women cricketers?

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed Channa Weerakkodi as the manager of the women's cricket team.

Former women's team manager, selector and the Chairman of Umpire's Committee A.R.M. Aroos has been suspended by SLC from the posts.

Sri Lanka women's team captain Shashikala Siriwardene last week complained against Aroos over attempting to extort a part of money she earned through a TV commercial.

SLC pays far less to women cricketers than the male cricketers. While cricketers in the men's team are paid an ODI fee of 3500 US dollars, that is Rs.440,000.s, women cricketers are paid 100 US dollars which converts to Rs.12500 rupees.

Sri Lanka women's team manager ARM Aroos has resigned from all his posts connected to the women's game in the country, following the board's sanctioning of a formal inquiry against him because of a complaint made by captain Shashikala Siriwardene last week, accusing Aroos of extortion.

SLC appointed retired senior superintendent of police, Hemachandra Dias to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the matter, and he recommended to the SLC's executive committee that the board conduct a formal inquiry into the allegations.

SLC executive committee subsequently appointed a panel to carry out the inquiry, and following that Aroos submitted his resignation.

Sri Lanka Railway strike ends; bus strike looming ahead

Sri Lanka's railway strike ended today as new threats on a private bus strike came out.

An official of Sri Lanka Railway Graded Employees' Union said that the strike was ended following agreements at a discussion between trade unions and the officials of the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance and the Salaries and Cadre Commission.

The strike was originally planned to be held for 48 hours and accordingly it was to end midnight today.

Train services paralyzed due to strike are still to be normalized. 

Meanwhile All Island Private Bus Owners Association Chairman Gemunu Wijerathna said that the private bus operators will launch a strike since midnight tomorrow in protest of not granting the 10% bus fare hike they demanded.

Are Buddhist extremists planning to create a bigger movement of violence manipulating state military or will they venture into terrorism of Al Qaeda type?

Indian police is after two Muslims who are suspected of planting bombs in World Heritage Buddhagaya (Bodhgaya), Buddhists' sacred shrine where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.

Sri Lankans have a Buddhist temple in Mahabodhi temple complex where more than a dozen such temples are located. It is a place belonged to India but common for Buddhists from all over the island.

Originally Buddhism is a religion based on non-violence. In recent times, certain Buddhist monks in Burma and Sri Lanka inculcated extremist doctrine specially against Muslims and other minority religions in their countries.

These monks are in politics and I think they chose Muslims to extricate their wrath not because they are any actual threat to Buddhism but they are already in war with powerful Western super powers. The political Buddhist monks in these countries have always being with power. They are unarmed. They do not need arms because they attempt manipulating entire state armed structures for their purposes.

To prove my logic, I can say that conversions were extremely few in the country from Buddhism to Islam. Conversions from Buddhism to evangelical Christianity is much higher than that and there was a fight against them launched by radical Buddhist monks. But the enemy was too big for them and they gave it up for a weaker but formidable Islam enemy that is already under siege.

The Buddhist extremists have now achieved their basic object which is gaining international fame. Time magazine covered the subject and the Buddhist terrorism has been now introduced to world as a formidable power. They lured Muslim extremists to their trap and OK now its on the go full throttle.

I have one question to ask from the Buddhist extremists. Are you planning to create a bigger movement of violence manipulating state military or will you venture into terrorism of Al Qaeda type?

I pity you, I am a secular man.

Doggy life, rabies and animal lovers

Dogs unofficially slaughtered in Buttala before the state Vesak festival this year

Sri Lanka health authorities say that the country's canine population may have increased and their estimate is 2.5 million. It seems there is a dog per each four persons.

I ride my mobike mostly for travel and I have noticed that I meet more dogs than people on my way. Stray dogs are a nightmare to the riders. So many have broken limbs and some die thanks to the stray dogs. I have run over stray dogs two times and in one incident had all kinds of bruises all over my body. Once a herd of stray cattle also ran before me and one hit the headlight of my bicycle before I managed not to fall.

Stray dogs are dollars for some animal friend NGOs. I have never seen they conduct their so called sterilization clinics in our area. To the Sinhala Buddhist leaders also of this country, stray dogs are not like stray Tamils and they like to spare them. 

But stray dogs have doggy lives without food, shelter and care. This is their breeding time and scores of them are on the road as one or two bitches tied to dogs and being dragged as people chase them. Sex is human right as well as dog right too, isn't it?

The cost for the rabies vaccine has gone up and as a result the death rate has gone down. Sometimes back Udaya Gammanpila's nephew died due to rabies. He has been a young boy who naturally loves animals. I too have a kid like that and I am always in fear of her animal love.

Like humans, dogs also must have not mere lives, but decent lives. A thing the capitalism is failed to grant.

Tapping the phone of Sri Lanka Defense Secretary

A Sri Lankan Sinhala language newspaper reported that the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa thoroughly suspected that his phone is tapped. The Defense Secretary had told to The Sunday Divaina newspaper, as reported, that whenever he took a phone call, the signals weakened and the quality of the service dropped.

He had told to the newspaper that the foreign embassies and the high commissions had facilities to eavesdrop to the mobile phone dialogues.

The news was reported by two 'prominent' defense reporters of the newspaper Keerthi Warnakulasuriya and Norman Palihawadana.

Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa raised the issue previously as well.

The strict Defense Secretary backs the Buddhist extremist movements like Bodu Bala Sena and he can be considered the dominant power that pushes the government towards hard and fast Sinhala line. Despite being a senior public officials who should be politically impartial, he expresses ideas openly against the 13th amendment of the constitution which paved way to power devolution.

Rajapaksa is a US-Sri Lanka dual citizen but he has stayed in Sri Lanka most of the times while Tamil Diaspora attempts to bring him and his brothers into book for the alleged war crime charges.

Sri Jayawardenepura VC's thesis on ethics of Sri Lankan academics

I am pleased to inform you that you have been appointed as a Visiting Lecturer to conduct 150 hours of lectures, writes Dr. N.L. Karunaratne to Dr. N.L. Karunaratne.

The sender Dr. N.L. Karunaratne is the Vice-Chancellor of Sri Jayawardenepura University. The recipient Dr. N.L. Karunaratne is also the the Vice-Chancellor of Sri Jayawardenepura University.

Somebody recently told at a training workshop that she sends herself SMS in regard of important matters. I have also sent SMS to myself to document telephone numbers, email addresses etc.

This is not mere letter but a thesis on ethics of Sri Lankan academics. You appoint yourself, you pay yourself and you do whatever you want to the public money in your control. It is bloody normal here, isn't it?

Again a Sri Lankan Minister's son; this time panicks plane passengers

Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and family. cricketer at his right

It's again a Minister's son. This time, Ramith Rambukwella, the son of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, as reported. 

The passengers of a British Airways flight from St Lucia to Gatwick were panicked yesterday when the Minister's son tried to open the cabin door at 35,000ft, searching for a lavatory. 

Rambukwella is a member of the Sri Lanka - A team which was in the flight after playing against the West Indies. The British Airways flight was carrying 229 passengers. 

The cricketer is accused of being drunk. 


Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced today that it wished to announce that it was disappointed to hear of a Sri Lankan player's behavior and an inquiry will be conducted based on the team manager's report. 

Disciplinary action will be taken on the player concerned if found guilty, the SLC statement added. 

Ramith Rambukwella, 22, is a left-hand batsman and right arm off-spin bowler who has been playing club cricket after playing for Royal College. His inclusion into Sri Lanka - A side also became a controversial matter.

Tours in and out of Sri Lanka to bargain amendments to the 13th amendment

Sri Lanka Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapakse, the younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse, will tour in India this week to make aware the Indian government regarding the amendments mooted to the 13th amendment to the constitution.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa will leave for India on July 04 and he will stay there until July 07, government sources say.

Government sources say that the Minister will meet the Prime Minister Manmohan Sing, Foreign Minister Salman Kurdish, Foreign Secretary Ranjith Mathai and other senior leaders of the Indian government.

Meanwhile, Indian National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon will also arrive in Sri Lanka on July 07.

All tours in and tours out are focused to the proposed amendments to the 13th amendment of the constitution.

Sri Lanka government has planned to take back the powers devolved to the Provincial Councils introduced under the influence of the Indian government in 1988. 

Asia Pacific Young Entrepreneur of The Year 2013 exposed as Moonshine seller by Sri Lanka Police

Sri Lanka Excise Department officials yesterday raided an office what they call an illegal online liquor outlet.

The liquor outlet has been running since eight years based on Kapruka website that ran a service of delivering of gifts to locals on behalf of expatriates and foreigners.

The business belongs to Dulith Herath, son of a former secretary of the Ministry of Buddhist Affairs .

Police say that the web based liquor shop had been run without the impact of any legal restrictions prevailing in the island and sans a license to sell liquor too. They had delivered liquor to houses 24 hours 365 days, even on Poya days through online orders, police say.

The illegal liquor store was in Kirulapona area in the Colombo city.

ICTA (Information Communication technology agency of Sri Lanka ) adjudged  Kapruka as Sri Lanka's best e-commerce application at e-Swabhimani.

Dulith Herath has won the Asia Pacific Young Entrepreneur of The Year Award in 2013.

Excise tax is a major source of income of the government and it is always hard on poor man's moonshine, Kasippu sold bypassing taxes.

It is not selling liquor the issue but selling them without license. License means tax. Why Dulith Herath did nor apply for something he could easily get god knows.  

The raid in TV news:

Sri Lanka's female journalist under threat of Buddhist extremists

Sri Lanka's Derana TV journalist Dilka Samammali has complained to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that she is receiving constant death threats following a recent TV interview with a Buddhist extremist leader.

Samanmali interviewed the secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organization Buddhist monk Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero  in Derana 360 Degrees  programme this week.

As Gnanasara Thero was stating that BBS was vehemently against alcohol, the conductor of this programme Dilka Samanmalee pointed out that the Gnansara Thero had been charged and fined in courts for an accident caused after drunk driving. The monk failed to provide a decent clarification and unsuccessfully tried to say that he was impersonating to save face of a military official who he claims was with him. Definitely, an insult to court. He appeared as the driver, OK, then, did he appear as the drunkard too? How did he blow that alcohol test balloon to prove that he was the drunk driver?

This Buddhist monk was video recorded few months back in a camera phone at Kottawa exit point of the Southern expressway scolding police officers on duty in extremely filthy language as they stopped their vehicle for a traffic offense. After involvement by some higher authorities, the monk and his crew escaped from punishment.

Meanwhile, another Buddhist monk whose name was mentioned by the BBS secretary at this interview as a person who engaged in monetary frauds using the goodwill of the BBS, held a press conference today and denied the allegations. He urged the Gnanasara Thero to return the equipment robbed from his possession after harassing him. Thiis monk Mahamithawa Pannarathana Thero was earlier introduced by the Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero as a Investigative Chief of BBS.

A blog blocked in Sri Lanka for the first time

For the first time in Sri Lanka in my perception, the government has blocked access to a blog in the country.

The blog is AnverManatunga.com which apparently is run by a Sinhala Muslim person.

The blog is written mainly in Sinhala language and it was discussing a lot of controversial issues.

The major focus of the blog was safeguarding Muslim rights and promoting Islam.In the recent times, the blog was highly critical on the government.

The blogger Ahmad Anver Manatunga says that the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission contacted via his lawyers has informed him that the blog was blocked under an order of the Ministry of Defense.

Buddhist extremist kangaroo court Ravana Balaya excerts hatred on evangelical Christian group

Sri Lanka's Buddhist extremist Ravana Balaya organization which is raising its head as a kangaroo court style terror squad today rounded up a group of evangelical Christians that were distributing a religious magazine in the outskirts of Colombo city and handed over them to the police.

The group of persons that came under the threat of the Buddhist monks of the Ravana Balaya was Jehovah's Witnesses who were distributing the Sinhala version of an international magazine called 'Awake!.

Although there was no law to arrest such persons, police summoned to the scene by Buddhist monks took them to Mulleriyawa police station and held them there. They were released after the involvement of officials from the headquarters of the religious organization and news videos showed in television the leader of the Ravana Balaya Ittekande Saddhathissa Thero severely warning them right inside the police station.

Ravana Balaya involved in a number of similar kangaroo court  trials in the last week. They forcibly entered as a mob into the Met Department to question the officials regarding failure to forecast . Rushed into Sri Lanka Cricket to inquire why a Hindi song was played as lion flag was carried to the ground at the inauguration. In another incident, which I actually did not read but one of my friends reported, Ravana Balaya bullied a bucket maker who had used some discarded paper with Buddhist symbols for making Vesak lanterns.

This is an interesting phenomenon and recalls the kangaroo courts of the People's Liberation Front (JVP) in the 1987-89 insurrection period. But the JVP's campaign was bolder and bloodier. They touched all social evils and succeeded in banning things like heroine though temporarily. JVP banned lottery tickets as well. But interestingly, this Buddhist extremist group is totally dumb before the rise of casino in Sri Lanka under the patronage of the top level government officers.

Teachers of Sri Lanka already knelt before politics made further kneel down by politico

A ruling party politician of Sri Lanka made a Sri Lankan lady school teacher kneel down inside the school to counter punish her for reprimanding his daughter on disciplinary grounds.

The incident has outraged the polity but in reality the teachers have been kneeling down before the politicians since decades. Almost everything in the school system has been politicized and the teachers have helped it immensely at least through their silence.

Ceylon Teachers' Union says that stern trade union action will be initiated unless the government takes action to punish the politician. The teachers' union has not clearly expressed the demand. The Provincial Council member Ananda Sarath Kumara has been arrested and remanded. Teachers unions must demand sacking him from the Provincial Council.

Ceylon Teachers' Union secretary Joseph Stalin Fernando said that the Provincial Councillor had followed the example of Minister Mervin Silva who tied a public official of Kelaniya into a tree and escaped without punishment for the breach of ethics.

A lady teacher of Nawagaththegama Navodya School of Puttlam district has complained to Nawagaththegama police that Northwestern Provincial Councillor Ananda Sarath Kumara made her kneel down in school as a punishment.

The teacher says she faced the situation as she had warned the daughter of the Provincial Councillor who was wearing a shorter school uniform.

Beware! Sri Lanka's Sapugaskanda refinery producing low quality petrol

A gas station featuring five en:Octane ratings, somewhere near the Missouri/Iowa border (can't remember...). Photo taken by Bobak Ha'Eri. September 3, 2006.

Sri Lanka's Sapugaskanda petroleum refinery is giving enough troubles and it is to be closed again since Monday, this time due to drop Octane rating of refined petrol.

The petrol refined there now is Octane 88 and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation cannot issue them to the local market since the Octane numbers of the locally marketed petrol are 90 and 95.





The Octane rating of petrol tells you how much the fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites in the engine cylinder. Usually, the air and petrol mixed compartment in the engine is compressed to one eighth of capacity by the piston before the spark plugs ignite the mixture. Low Octane petrol may self ignite before the spark plug ignites. When gas ignites by compression rather than because of the spark from the spark plug, it causes knocking in the engine. Knocking can damage an engine,

Our studies showed that the lowest Octane number used in some countries is 87. However, high performance engines require high Octane petrol.I don't know if the engines of the most of the cars used in Sri Lanka can withstand a low Octane rating such as 87.


Ceylon Petroleum Corporation sources say that the reason for the loss of quality is using crude oil imported from Oman. The refinery used to refine petroleum imported from Iran before US embargoes against Iran disturbed the supply.

Reports say that the refinery has stored 3500 metric tons of low Octane petrol without issuing to the market.

Sri Lanka Minister Wimal Weerawansa, unregistered website and the Buddhist extremist Bodu Bala Sena

Sri Lanka's Buddhist extremist organization Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has sought police headquarters support to locate the owner of LankaCNews website which the BBS claims linked to Minister of Housing, Construction, Engineering Services and Common Amenities Wimal Weerawansa.

BBS officials Vitharandeniye Nanda Thero and Dilantha Withanage complained that the Lanka C News website had posted derogatory news stories affecting their reputation. They cited a news story posted in the website that reports about a brawl which it says took place among two BBS officials.

They said that the website had not been registered under the Ministry of Information and Media as stipulated recently by the government.

The plaintiffs also say that the State Engineering Corporation and the National Housing Development Authority which come under the Ministry of Housing, Construction, Engineering Services and Common Amenities have provided financial assistance to run this website. Two flash banner ads displayed right below the master head of the website links to the websites of the above mentioned public corporations.

No regret from Sri Lanka's Met Department as death toll rises

Sri Lanka Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources released a list of names of 42 fishermen killed in the rough seas in Saturday night.

The report was based on information received as of 2.30 p.m. today and further 22 affected persons were being treated in hospitals.

43 fishermen are still missing with 24 boats. A Ministry spokesman said that the death toll might rise by tomorrow and a number of persons might remain disappeared. The highest number of deaths were reported from Balapitiya in the Southern coast.

Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources criticizes the Met Department for not issuing strong warning timely to the fishermen.

However, the Met Department insists they had issued warnings ahead of the disaster. No regret and apologizing from the weather body that depends on the public money.

However, the senior officials of the Met Department apologized before an NGO last week and made an offering under the NGO's order for naming a cyclone after an ancient king called Mahasen who built many reservoirs.

Breakthrough of CCTV evolution of Sri Lanka

We are in an age of Closed-circuit TV or CCTV, yes, in Sri Lanka too. Big Brother is looking at you.

Last week saw a major breakthrough in CCTV evolution in Sri Lanka.

In one incident a Chicago type Rs. 7.5 million robbery was filmed in Hollywood style by CCTV camera. Sadly, the 55-year-old  victim passed away days after of a heart attack. The money he had withdrawn was to be used for his daughter's wedding.He was followed right from the bank and the story of the bank's CCTV camera is yet to be revealed.

The other incident was treacherous. A man contracted to kill another man whom he was indebted millions of rupees. They ate together and drove off to the trap laid by killers. The contracted killers took the victim away. The man who gave the contract drew the car off to desert it somewhere. Later he was posing as desperately looking for his friend. He was caught red-handed when a CCTV camera of a house near the roadside where he deserted the car showed him slip away after parking the car there.

Interestingly but essentially not unexpectedly, the contract killers have been the members of  security staff of a senior Deputy Inspector General.

He is one of us (A man on the roof top of the Welikada prison of Sri Lanka)

This man is on the roof top of the Welikada prison of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo since Wednesday. He is not visible to the Baseline Road which runs in front of the prison. I captured him from the second floor of Nagarodaya Hall where I am participating in a training.

He seems a convicted man who has something to say to the world. But only a few local media reported the story even though very carelessly without digging into find the man's voice. 

He is one of us. He has a story to tell. He wants the world listen to him. That's why he is on this roof top.

Read the full story in Sinhala

Sri Lanka government should produce evidence for disappeared journalist's existence in France

Sri Lanka government today announced that the journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda claimed to be disappeared lives in France.

The statement in this regard was made by a back bench MP Arundika Fernando but in the parliament, if it is not a place meant to lie. In an earlier occasion  present Chief Justice Mohan Pieris then the head of Government’s delegation to the UN Committee Against Torture claimed that Prageeth was living abroad. When Prageeth's wife challenged him to produce evidence he simply retracted his statement to the UN Committee Against Torture and said he was unaware where Prageeth is.

MP Arundika Fernando expressed this observation as he was addressing the debate on bill to amend the Press Council Act. The MP argued that the opposition is making false allegations that the government is suppressing media.

Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda disappeared hours before the 2010 Presidential election which was held on January 26. He supported the Presidential campaign of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

I have met him once and I have written about him in Sinhala.  He was a writer with passion and drew interesting cartoons which you can see here.

The government repeatedly claims that Prageeth lives. Then why can't it produce proof?

Thanks Lal Kantha!

A series of agitations against the increase of electricity tariff has been scheduled in Sri Lanka this month by three fronts.

It is remarkable the way the People's Liberation Front (JVP) is conducting their agitations. They launched a general strike as their first step on May 21, mass agitation in Colombo on May23 and now they have come to cities. The next stage may be the work place or village level. A complete new strategy and it clearly appears a way of killing or ebbing a mass discontent in a way no damage is occurred to the system.

JVP has planned to hold a series of agitations against the increase of electricity tariff on June 05 at several places of the island. JVP says that protest marches, demonstrations and petition signing campaigns will cover all the districts.

Most of the agitations are scheduled to be held at 4 o' clock in the evening and a few are to be held later in the evening. The venues of the agitations are Nugegoda, Avissawella, Gampaha, Kaluthara, Anuradhapura, Mawathagama, Galgamuwa, Alawwa, Galle, Rathnapura, Pelmadulla, Kandy, Hatton, Chilaw, Bibila, Wellawaya, Ampara and Kaduruwela.

Meanwhile, the major opposition United National Party (UNP) has also planned to re-commence the agitations against the electricity tariff hike since June 13. The UNP agitation will be held at the Kandy city. The trade union coalition against the increase of electricity bill has also scheduled to hold three mass agitations in Kandy on June 06, on June 11 at Galle and on June 16 at Anuradhapura.

Probably, this will be the end of the road. The people have now received the electricity bill and they have clearly understood that mo relief will come their way. They did not participate in the premature general strike and they have lost the trust on the so called leaders of the masses if they still had any.

They will work harder to pay the bills and to lead the unavoidable miserable lives ahead of them.  

The agitations will have some really, really good photos at which the government will glance with their tongues in cheek. Thanks Lal Kantha!

Bodu Bala Sena's Associations with Little, Little Smiles

(by Ajith Parakum Jayasinghe) On March 09, 2013, Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa inaugurated ‘Meth Sevana,’ the Cultural and Training Centre of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), in Pilana, Wanchawala in Galle.

The Head of Meth Sevana, Ven. Embilipitiye Vijitha Thero said that training programmes for bhikkus and laymen will be held at the Center. It was introduced as a leadership training institute as well. BBS announced that this academy would be developed into a full-fledged Buddhist University in the future.

The latest news which was partially reported in Lankadeepa website on May 29 said that Galle Additional Magistrate Gunendra Munasinghe had ordered BBS to evacuate the Meth Sevana Center in Galle.

The order was issued after hearing a petition by Batagoda Gamage Asanka Amarasiri. BBS secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, Embilipitiye Vijitha Thero, Vitharandeniye Nanda Thero and the Little Smiles Association, an NGO, were the defendants of the petition. 

The petitioner stated that the BBS forcibly occupied a three acre land belonged to him since December 16, 2012. He has filed the case against BBS on February 14, 2013 after complaints in police did not lead to solving the problem.. 

We were curious to know what this Little Smiles Association.

On 17 February 2002, the Little Smile Association was recognized as a non-profit NGO by the Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The head office of the Association is established at Little Smile Village, Lower Ampitithanna Estate, Koslanda in Wellawaya.

The Association's objects and motives are given as follows:

The motive of the establishment of this social organisation is to work for the welfare and well being of the children and women with children who become orphans, helpless and deserted in the world due to various reasons.

Therefore this Association, as a social welfare organisation in Sri Lanka shall adopt various programmes and projects in Sri Lanka as well as over-seas, and execute and give effect to such programmes and projects.

• Organisation and execution of various projects for the welfare of the orphans and deserted and helpless children and woman who are victimised due to various reasons in the world.
• Establishment and execution of various programmes and projects for the welfare and well being of the children who have become orphans in Sri Lanka.
• Operation of various programmes and projects for the welfare and well-being of the women having children and who have been deserted in Sri Lanka due to various reasons.
• Assisting and giving support to social welfare organisations already operating in Sri Lanka.
• Establishment and maintenance of orphanages and Childrens' homes, and also homes for the deserted and helpless woman with children in Sri Lanka.
• Establishment and operation of institutions and operations owned by LSA and from which all profits are used solely for financing the projects and goals mentioned here under points a) through e).
• For the orphans and deserted woman, the operation of following programmes:


• Making avenues to receive English education.
• Providing computer training.
• Providing vocational training.
• Operating a guardianship programme for the orphans.
• Collaboration with other social organizations worldwide and with the government of Sri Lanka.
• Involvement and intervention in affairs which promote the success of the above-mentioned activities.

The head of the Little Smiles Association is  Michael Kreitmeir, a German national who says in Facebook that he lives in Koslanda. He says that he was former Former Regisseur und Filmemacher at BR - Bayerischer Rundfunk.

Can you identify the monks in this photo which was in Little Smile Association website?

 

The website of Little Smiles Association says with the above photo, "After the long journey from Koslanda on the South coast to Galle, Michael Kreitmeir prays for a good start for the new culture and meeting centre. He kneels at the little temple in front of the building, in which for many years the white Buddha from the children’s village has been more than just a symbol for the fact that mutual respect and the acceptance of different religions, races and convictions, just as it is practiced in the children’s village Mahagedara, will also become reality in the centre Meth Sevana. A few hours after this silent prayer the centre will be inaugurated."

The website of Little Smiles Association  identifies this place as Meth Sevana. But Batagoda Gamage Asanka Amarasiri who claims for the ownership of the land says that BBS named this place as Meth Sevana and alludes that it was done without his consent.

The website of the Little Smiles Association says "After purchasing the land near Pilane in 2005 there were further purchases in 2006 and 2008 and the area was thus expanded up to its current size of 2 hectares." (see this page) Then who is this Batagoda Gamage Asanka Amarasiri? Has a legally registered mon profit organization purchased land under person's names? Why, a big WHY?

Defense Ministry website says, "The Methsevana was constructed and offered to Maha Sanga by Mr. Michael J.A Kreitmeir of Germany. Mr. Kreitmeir also handed over the official documents of the property to the founder of the Buddhist Cultural Centre Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Thero during the ceremony. The Buddhist cultural centre is dedicated to restore the values of Buddhism in Sri Lanka."

It seems that Little Smiles Association inaugurated the disputed center in Galle as a meeting center. Their website says, "After the end of the civil war in 2009 it became clear that it will take a long time till the deep gaps which almost three decades of separation and violence have left, will be overcome. One important prerequisite for its success is mutual understanding, not only in terms of language differences, but especially in terms of religion, ways of thinking, cultural differences. And this is why LSA builds a meeting center in Galle." Visit this page for more information on this center.

It is unclear how BBS occupied this place in a way a person who claims the ownership of the premises had to go to courts to oust them. Reportedly,  Michael Kreitmeir was also in the gathering as Defense Secretary opened the so called Cultural and Training Centre of BBS although he was not given prominence. Apparently, the BBS misled the German philanthropist who disillusioned late but hit back venomously. 

We tried to contact Little Smiles Association via its local phone number but the phone was not answered. However, it was after the office hours. You can vies contact details of the Association in this page.

Little Smile Association has raised funds for this center in Galle from various donors. (See this page) Have they informed the donors that the center will be used by an organization like BBS which is ill famous for its anti minority chauvinist stances and hate campaigns.

We found a report by Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regarding arrest of this Michael Kreitmeir in 2010. Read it.AHRC says the arrest was based on fabricated charges. We couldn't find what happened to the case filed against Michael Kreitmeir.

There is lot of mysteries behind the Meth Sevana drama which should be clarified both by the BBS and Little Smile Association. 

Michael Kreitmeir

Sri Lanka's Swarnavahini TV needed to be brought to book for assisting a Buddhist monk to attempt self-immolation

Sri Lanka's Swarnawahini TV videoed all from beginning to the end of the self-immolation attempt of a Buddhist monk near the entrance of the Buddhist Temple of Tooth of Kandy where a relic tooth of Lord Buddha is placed for worship.

The TV crew seemed of being well aware of the crime the Buddhist monk was about to commit but did not do anything to prevent it, a clear legal offense by a citizen.

The monk Bowatte Indrarathana who was earlier a Jathika Hala Urumaya (JHU) local government member of Pelmadulla Pradeshiya Sabha who lost the position due to absence. He has been an activist of other Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist movements like Sinhala Ravaya.

The monk seems an honest kind of racist. Definitely a victim of the vicious campaigns of the opportunist racist campaigns. 90% burnt, the 31 year old monk may suffer throughout his entire life mentally, if not physically but we have no other option than to wish he will live. 

Update: The monk passed away in the evening of May 25. 

Sri Lanka entering an age of violent Buddhism

Sri Lanka which sees the rise of Buddhist extremism in recent times passed a breakthrough as a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk committed self-immolation today at Kandy city. Kandy is a sacred city of Buddhists where the sacred relics of Lord Buddha is housed in the Temple of Tooth.

The monk had told that he would commit self immolation against the slaughter of cattle.

The monk has been identified as B. Indarathana Thero who resides in a temple in Kahawatta.

The incident took place before the entrance to the Temple of Tooth.

The monk doused himself with petrol and set ablaze. Hospital sources say that the monk's body is 90% burnt and his condition is very serious. He was transferred to Colombo national hospital.

Sri Lankans eat meat since generations although the Buddhist religion the majority of them follow advocates peace on the lives of the animals also.

However,  the Buddhist extremist elements intensified the campaign against the cattle slaughter. But the same Buddhist extremists do not protest the killings and forcible disappearances of ethnic Tamils of the country. In recent months, the Muslims were also the focus of the wrath of the Buddhist extremists.

Cattle farmers who are mostly Buddhists sell the bulls and old cows for meat as an additional income since long ago.

Snake phobia and killing pythons

Researchers stretch out alongside Florida-record Burmese python. Photo courtesy of the University of Florida

Python is a harmless reptile that lives in woods especially in South Asia. But its size is so enormous that the man who is generally snake phobic may be terrified. There are lots of fiction about pythons swallowing men alive. This fiction has extended to internet graphics also.

I have lived with a python when I was in a torture center in 1989 era. The python was used to frighten the prisoners to get them to divulge information. But it was an innocent creature. Very rarely it bit like a cat when it was extremely hungry as it was not given food.

The python was kept in a box and an old prisoner was trained to feed it with eggs and meat stuffed forcibly into the mouth gaped with the use of two sticks. I think the keeper, one fine day, kept the lid of the box half open and let the creature escape.

Python is a specie under threat of extinction in Sri Lanka. It is a pity that the people tend to kill this reptile when they see it in their environment.

Today I read a story about a man being honored for killing a massive python in Florida. The serpent is called a Burmese python.

Americans, perhaps who went to war brought this specie from Asia to be kept as pet. Now they have escaped to environment and become a threat to wildlife.

In Florida, where they’ve been released as pets and escaped from wildlife facilities, there are thousands of them, mostly within the Everglades ecosystem.

As such a large and voracious invasive species, they’re a threat to native wildlife. The state would like to eradicate them, if that were possible.

Read the story.

King Mahasen of past 'Sri Lanka' and cycone Mahasen

Sri Lanka government is in another blunder as the Sri Lanka Meteorological Department apologized for naming a cyclone after an ancient king called Mahasen.

Meteorological Department announced that the name Mahasen would not be further used for the turbulence. However, S.R. Jayasekara, a director in charge of weather forecasting defended the name pointing out that the name was suitable since cyclones rendered a service by taking away the heat from the tropical areas and causing rain to provide water for cultivation.

The officials of the Meteorological Department surrendered to the Sinhala Buddhist extremist organization Ravana Power which protested the manipulation of of the past to name this cyclone.

The secretary of the Ravana Power Ven. Ittekande Saddhathissa Thero named the use of the name as a foolish decision. He further said the organization would not oppose naming it as 'Prabakaran', the slain leader of the minority Tamil's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam rebel movement which led a three decade war.

Meanwhile, another person called Nimal Weerathunga, a Coordinating Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development, has lodged has written to the Director General of the Met Department demanding a probe regarding proposing the name of the said king to the New Delhi meteorological base.

King Mahasen ruled the country during 277 - 304 AD. He is remembered as a king who built a large number of resevoires including Minneriya weva in Polonnaruwa district. He also helped immensely to the Mahayana Buddhism and built Jethawanaramaya which became the third religious center in Anuradhapura.

Air Arabia flight suspension; first major blow to new Mattala international airport of Sri Lanka

As the first major blow to the mythical Mattala international airport's flight wonder, Air Arabia has cancelled Sharjah – Mattala route, reported airlineroute.net website.

The service was cancelled just 6 weeks after it became the first foreign carrier to operate the newest International airport in Sri Lanka.

The airline previously operated twice weekly services to Mattala airport.

Reservations on the airline’s website is no longer available.

Launching the service on March 18, Air Arabia said that the twice weekly service would be increased to four times weekly in future.

The airline operates nine flights a week to Katunayaka Bandaranaike International Airport from Sharjah.

As the airport built with public money borrowed at high interest rates from international finance markets is landing to its reality, now, reports say the government is taking another step towards pushing it go. It is shutting the main Katunayaka airport for several hours everyday in the guise of widening the runway and diverting the aircraft to Mattala. Let us wait and see its practicality.

A political fable on South Asian politics if not world politics

Nice story. It is an anecdote or a fable. A tongue-in-cheek analysis on South Asian politics if not world politics.

Rahul Gandhi walks into ICICI Bank to cash a cheque. As he approaches the cashier he says, "Good morning Ma'am, would you please cash this cheque for me?"

Cashier: "It would be my pleasure sir. Could you please show me your ID?"

RG: "Truthfully, I did not bring my ID with me as I didn't think there was any need to. I am Vice President of the Congress Party. Future Indian PM.

Cashier: "Yes sir, I know who you are, but with all the regulations and monitoring of the banks because of imposters and forgers and requirements etc., I must insist on seeing your ID."

RG: "Just ask anyone here at the bank who I am and they will tell you. Everybody knows who I am."

Cashier: "I am sorry sir but these are the bank rules and I must follow them."

RG: "I am urging you, please, to cash this cheque."

Cashier: "Look Sir here is an example of what we can do. One day, Sachin Tendulkar came into the bank without ID. To prove he was Sachin he pulled out his bat and played a beautiful shot across the bank. With that shot we knew him to be Sachin and cashed his cheque."
"Another time, Mahesh Bhupati came in without ID. He pulled out his tennis racquet and played a fabulous shot when the tennis ball landed in my cup. With that shot we cashed his cheque.
So, sir what can you do to prove that it is you, and only you, future indian PM, Rahul Gandhi?"

RG stands there thinking, and thinking, and finally says:
"Honestly, my mind is a total blank... There is nothing that comes to my mind. I can't think of a single thing. I have absolutely no idea what to do; I just don't have a clue".

Cashier: 'Sir, 500 or 1000 rupee notes?'

Crocophobic Sri Lanka hosts the 22nd Working Meeting of the IUCN - SSC Crocodile Specialist Group

Sri Lanka is a country with wonderful nature and wonderfool people. When they see a crocodile they mob and harass it finally to bind it. Photo and video journalists gather round the arrested criminal croco and photograph them to be published competitively. You also focus your mobile phone to collect a souvenir show to your friends. One may dare to sit on the back of the croco and pose for a photo.

The wildlife officials come late and the poor reptile will be dislocated from its habitat and will be carried to Who Knows Where.

There were talks the Wildlife Department would establish a crocodile park in Muthurajawela marshes situated just south of Negombo but now the talks have ebbed. Reports say the land is being grabbed.

Meanwhile, the 22nd Working Meeting of the IUCN - SSC Crocodile Specialist Group which is called the World Crocodile Conference has been organized to be held in Sri Lanka from 20 to 23 of May 2013 at Goldi Sands Hotel in Negambo. According to their website, the IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG) is a worldwide network of biologists, wildlife managers, government officials, independent researchers, NGO representatives, farmers, traders, tanners, fashion leaders, and private companies actively involved in the conservation of the world's 23 living species of alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gharials in the wild.

Sri Lanka is a unique location for the conference since there are nearly 75 protected areas under the Department of Wildlife Conservation in the country which covers approximately 13% of the country’s land area.

Around 250 not crocodiles but crocodile experts, specialists, biologists, independent researchers, government officials and a host of other attendees are expected to be present at the conference. This conference is aimed to highlight the significance of working to protect the crocodile species and discuss about crocodile related ideologies, environmental issues and conservation principles.

Section 120 of Penal Code of Sri Lanka and the Azath Salley's interview

Sri Lanka Prime Minister D.M. Jayarathna said in the parliament that the arrest of former Colombo Deputy Mayor Azath Sally was made under section 120 of Penal Code of Sri Lanka.

This is the said section 120 of the Penal Code:

Whoever by words, either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs; or by visible representations, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite feelings of disaffection to the Queen or Her Government in Ceylon, or excites or attempts to excite hatred to or contempt of the administration of justice, or excites or attempts to excite the Queen subjects to procure, otherwise than by lawful means, the alteration of any matter by law established, or attempts to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the Queens subjects, or to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different classes of such People, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years.

This is the English translation of the Tamil written interview which published in Vikatan website of India:

MUSLIMS WILL ALSO TAKE UP ARMS- SAYS AZAD SALLY
(Saturday, 20 April 2013, 06:50 AM GMT) (VIKETAN)
We met the participant at the seminar on  ‘The Right of Sri Lankan Tamils’ organized by the Popular Front of India, in Chennai.
Q:  There is news that attack against Muslims has started in Sri Lanka?
A:  The first attack in Sri Lanka was against Muslims in the riots of 1915 between Sinhalese and Muslims.
Recently in 2011, after the war with the Tigers, a Dharga in Anuradhapura was demolished  by Buddhist monks in the presence of the police.
In 2012 a mosque in Dambulla was demolished.  By demolishing over 10 mosques and madrasas, the Sinhalese have started attacking the Muslims openly.
No one pays any attention to the fact that soldiers are harassing Muslim women wearing the burqua.
Their intentions can be gauged from the statement of the Rajapakse-supporting Sinhala party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya, that a war like that of  1915 is unavoidable.
As a first step to this war, the issue of Halal certification has been banned in Sri Lanka.
If so, there will be no alternative to taking up arms.  For saying this, the The Bodu Bala Sena has said that I should be arrested.
Q:  What actions have you taken to ensure the safety of the Muslims?
A: When America brought forward the resolution on Sri Lanka, I submitted an appeal that the safety of the minority Tamils, Muslims and Christians should be also assured.
Further, we requested the Ambassadors of 24 countries, including those of 8 Muslim countries supportive of Sri Lanka and demanded that they speak on behalf of  the minorities.
We are trying to bring this issue to the attention of the world community.
Q:  There was information before that the Tamils and Muslims were alienated. How is the situation now?
A: The Muslims were driven out of the territory under Tiger control before. From then the Muslim organizations started to differ.  The Tigers should not have done that. If they had embraced the Muslims, the situation could have developed differently. Prabhaharan missed several opportunities.  This has been beneficial only to the Rajapaksa family.
 Q:  The actions (activities) of Rajapaksa?
A:  His only proclamation is that he has won against the Tigers.   The Rajapaksa family which was without anything is today being transformed into the most prosperous family in Asia.
His relatives who were working abroad in super markets and petrol stations are ministers today.
They are travelling to neighbouring countries for discussions. They have captured the media.   Only the Rajapaksa family members are at the head of all governmental agencies.
Gotabaya is guiding the Bodu Bala Sena with the intention of taking the message amongst the Sinhala people that Rajapaksa is the only soldier (Hero) for the Sinhalese.
They think the Rajapaksa Senior is the president and Gotabaya, Basil and Namal are also presidents.  Confiscating people’s properties is Namal Rajapaksa’s occupation.
They divided various occupations among themselves: taking commissions on government tenders is Basil’s share and changing Sri Lanka into a Buddhist country is Gotabaya’s share.
It is on the basis of this confidence that he has changed the rule that one person can be president for only two terms, to that where  one can be president any number of times.
Presidential elections can be held now only once in four years, but the president is engaged in actions to make it possible to hold elections every three years.
Because his party has the majority now, he plans to hold the presidential election again, win and then conduct  the general elections.
However, Tamils and Muslims will not vote for Rajapaksa. He cannot win the confidence of these communities ever.
 (extracted from   Colombo Telegraph)

Sri Lankan cinema actor Ranjan Ramanayaka speaks up for Sri Lankan housemaids in Saudi

Popular Sri Lankan actor Ranjan Ramanayaka delivered an excellent speech in the parliament on May 07, 2013.

I do not consider Ramanayaka as a worthy actor but his political carrier has some value due to his long standing struggle for the rights of the Sri Lankan expatriate workers in Middle east.

Addressing the debate on the no-confidence motion against Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion Dilan Perera over the government's failure to save the life of housemaid Rizana Nafeek, Ramanayaka said that all who voted in the parliament in favor of the government were guilty of this assassination.

Rizana Nafeek was beheaded by Saudi government for an alleged killing of an infant she was looking after there after migrating illegally under a forged passport while being an underage girl of 17. But the Saudi government claimed that Rizana was an adult according to the passport issued by Sri Lanka government.

The ruling coalition signal post MPs defeated the no-confidence motion. Ramanayaka said that all who voted in favor of the motion had hand in the murder.

Age of 3D printed guns and how 3D printing evolved

A news about a revolutionary 3D printed hand gun which you can download and get printed using a 3D printer and fire to cause destruction has made a controversy in international news.

What is this 3D printing?

3D printing is is the creation of solid objects out of plastic or soft metals.

A 3D printer prints a design created in sophisticated 3D modeling software. It works like a common ink jet printer. The melted plastic (or the metal in advanced printers) prints in layers as thin as 100 microns (.1 mm) slowly to make the 3D object.

Watch how a 3D print is made in this video:



This is a 3D printed toy aeroplane. Printing is done part by part and then assembled.



MakerBot and some other companies sell 3D printers that are of the size little bigger than the normal desktop prnter. Two such models are the Replicator 2 ($2,200), which can construct objects as large as 11 x 6 x 6 inches, and the Replicator 2X "experimental" 3D printer ($2,800, pictured above), which can create objects 9.5 x 6 x 6 inches.

The gun Liberator is also printed part by part and assembled. It is fired and tested for robustness. It may be highly dangerous production due to its highly individualized production technology.


The first 3D printed gun has been produced by Defense Distributed headed by a law student 25-year old law student, Cody Wilson.  His website states that his goal is to “produce and publish a file for a completely printable gun.”

Availability of a blueprint of the gun online will make it simple for those without expertise to print a gun.

We are entering a new gun age, aren't we? 

Cody Wilson, 25-year old 'father' of printable gun age

Sri Lanka Muslim leader Azath Sally tapping the door of the jail

Azath Sally, a leader of a small Muslim party of Sri Lanka has been arrested. He is accused of saying that the Muslim youth must take up arms, according to pro-Sinhala media.

Sally is a man who broke away from the regime due to personal dissatisfaction over power. People like him will have to go to jail to serve further to the regime to terrify others who want to be too brave to break away.

He is near the threshold of being jailed under draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act while the Buddhist monks and others who broke Muslim shops in public are enjoying immunity publicly.

Perhaps, this may be another chance for Sally to build up the identity as the saviour of Muslims, an identity he is trying hard to achieve. Few months in jail will pay him back with power which he will be able to use to bargain with Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, United National Party or the regime itself, who knows. He is a substantial opportunist.

Meanwhile, the major Muslim party Sri Lanka Muslim Congress sources say that the party supreme committee meeting that will be held on May 07 would be a decisive one since a powerful group of people's representatives of the party are forcing the SLMC leadership to leave the government coalition.

A breakaway may cause a sever imbalance of power in the Eastern Provincial Council.

However, another group of people's representatives say that the SLMC must be patient and stay in the government coalition further, the party sources say.

We predict that the party will stay with the regime. Whatever difficulty may the Muslims in the country face, the bigwig agents of the government in the party will do their duty of fastening the outfit to the regime. Expect a severe warning! False. 

Promoting Hitler in Sri Lanka

I found this banner shared by one of the students of my school. He is a handsome, pleasant kid of around 18 years of age who belongs to the Sinhala community.

This boy is a prefect of the school and also a scout of a highest medal.

He is a very polite, decent and lovable guy. In the multi cultural school he learns, I have never seen him behaving disrespectfully to the teachers or the students that belong to other communities.

He is a friend in my Facebook and I have observed that the majority things hat he shares there are extremely racist especially against Muslims.

I once invited him to have a chat over a cup of tea regarding our opinions on ethnic relations which are worlds apart. He readily accepted the invitation to come to my house but we both were busy in the past weeks, he getting ready to sit for the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) examination in August in science stream.

"I know your views Sir, but it doesn't matter, let us talk," I remember he said.

Yesterday, he had shared this banner.  I still like him very much but I can't understand what has happened to boys like him.

Thirty years back, when I was in his age, I too was extremist.But if there was Facebook I might have promoted Che, Bob Marley, Marx, Engels, Lenin etc.

But he is promoting Hitler. I don't know what to say.

Sri Lanka People's Movement Against Increasing the Electricity Bill

Sri Lanka People's Movement Against Increasing the Electricity Bill has called for a series of actions against the government decision to amend the power tariff.

As an initial step, the movement has sent a letter to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa stating that people are not responsible for the wastes by the government and demanding to minimize waste and grant relief to the ailing Ceylon Electricity Board.

The movement has planned awareness campaigns on April 30, May 03 and May 06 ahead of a protest march scheduled for May 09th.

The People's Movement Against Increasing the Electricity Bill comprises of a number of trade unions and other civil society organizations including Health Services Trade Union Alliance, Ceylon Teachers' Union, Ceylon Bank Employees' Union, Federation of University Teachers' Associations, Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, Railway Services Trade Union Joint Front, Telecom Trade Union Collective, Transparency International, CAFFE etc.

Sri Lanka MP Duminda Silva back in politics to lead lumpen

What is ahead?

Duminda Silva is out released on bail. Looks sound and vows to be back in active politics.

His lawyer Hemantha Warnakulasuriya might be further clever to prove what he told to courts about MP Duminda Silva's health.

Government needs him. He is a promising man who can mobilize Colombo lumpen better than Thilanga Sumathipala or Mahinda Kahandagamage.

These lumpen when summon to streets may help the government to sabotage the struggles of the working masses.

Be careful! Duminda is out!

‘Me loves she’ type Sinhala grammar

This is a banner I picked from Facebook. This type of sentences are often written in newspapers and we can hear them in radio very often.

Many Sinhalese do not worry a bit about this blatant seduction of basic grammar in Sinhala.

This type of sentences are similar to an English sentence like this.

Me loves she.

Subject  verb and object are grammatically wrong.

How much the Sinhalese would worry if this type of sentence is seen in English!
(www.parakum.com)

Sweet pineapple; market place specially for the fruit in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Ministry of Economic Development has decided to establish a pineapple market in Gampaha district.

The Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa revealed this as he met the pineapple traders on Colombo - Kandy road.

On this road, pineapple shops spread in a two kilometer stretch from Balummahara junction towards Kandy. Many of these shops are to be removed from the present places with the highway development.

Gampaha is the major pineapple growing district of Sri Lanka where the cultivation is spread in 1,998 hectares. The second major cultivator of pineapple is Kurunegala district. Sri Lanka has cultivated pineapple in 5211 hectares.

In 2012, Sri Lanka exported 476 metric tons of pineapple worth of Rs. 193 million, the Minister said.

Featured posts by Ajith Parakum Jayasinghe

• Another 'Humanitarian Operation' Proposed for Sri Lankan Expat Employee Heroes Stranded in Jeddah

• Mahinda picking Muslims individually while Gota helping to genaralize hatred against Muslims

Rice production and consumption gone up in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's Anuradhapura Post Harvest Technology Institute points out that the per capita rice consumption has increased.

D.P.C. Swarnasiri, the Additional Director Research and Technology Promotion of the Post Harvest Technology Institute pointed out that the per capita annual consumption of rice was 86.80 kilos by 1973. By 2010, the annual per capita rice consumption has increased to 116 kilos.

The rice production has also increased during the period considered. In 1973, the rice production in the country was at 1.315 million metric tons.

By 2010, the country's rice production increased upto 4.301 million metric tons.

The official said that the rice production in 2012 was 4,200,000 metric tons and it exceeded the domestic consumption by 13%.


Featured posts by Ajith Parakum Jayasinghe

• Another 'Humanitarian Operation' Proposed for Sri Lankan Expat Employee Heroes Stranded in Jeddah

• Mahinda picking Muslims individually while Gota helping to genaralize hatred against Muslims

Heart diseases on the increase in Sri Lanka; a heart rending issue

Sri Lanka Ministry of Health says that the island is experiencing a severe increase of heart diseases.

The Ministry pointed out in its communique that an average of 7440 patients die annually due to heart diseases.

Each day 600 patients with heart problems are admitted in hospitals and of them 20 die everyday.
223,200 patients are treated annually by government hospitals every year.

eavy consumption of liquor, smoking, wrong food habits and lack of exercises have been identified as the major causes for the heart diseases.

Featured posts by Ajith Parakum Jayasinghe

• Another 'Humanitarian Operation' Proposed for Sri Lankan Expat Employee Heroes Stranded in Jeddah

• Mahinda picking Muslims individually while Gota helping to genaralize hatred against Muslims

•  

Another 'Humanitarian Operation' Proposed for Sri Lankan Expat Employee Heroes Stranded in Jeddah

(an old photo)

Sri Lanka government calls them Rata Viruwo in Sinhala language meaning Expatriate Heroes or more meaningfully Foreign Employee Heroes. True, the government must worship them in the morning and in the evening because they are the primary donors for the politicians' extravagances. They are the major foreign exchange source of the island economy. The Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion Dilan Perera says in the Ministry website, having received about US $ 4.1 billion in 2010, "remittance income is by far the highest foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka, providing 33% of her foreign exchange. Remittance income is 8% of Sri Lanka’s GDP, gained from Sri Lanka’s work force abroad. This work force is about 17% of Sri Lanka’s total labor force."

But a part of these heroes sleep in an open space under a bridge in Jeddah city tonight also since they are considered by Saudi kingdom as illegal migrants who must be repatriated. The number is well over 750 including more than 60 women, sources say.

The fate is similar for a number of other migrant workers from countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Jeddah is a hub of present day slave trade and the issue of the stranded migrants is also part and parcel of the city.

United National Party (UNP) MP Ajith P. Perera says that they are needed to be brought back immediately. He said that some of these employees have migrated to Saudi Arabia via foreign employment agencies and they have failed to secure employment due to regulations of Saudi government. Other sources say that the bulk of these Lankans had travel led to Saudi Arabia on short-term visas and later over-stayed with the intention of securing employment. There are also those who had entered Saudi Arabia on religious pilgrimages and later stayed behind. There are others who have fled from the workplaces violating the service agreements mostly due to inhuman treatment. Most of them have registered in the Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia and awaiting expatriation.

The UNP MP proposed the government to bring them back home in a chartered plane considering the pathetic situation they are facing. A good campaign. This is what the government of Sri Lanka wants to shun. The government preferably awaits until the kith and kin of the bereaved migrant employees collect money and send them to bring them home. Saudi police may have already informed the Sri Lanka embassy to take action to repatriate them.

Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau said last week that the government of Saudi Arabia had agreed to provide temporary jobs for 5,000 Sri Lankan expatriate workers who were staying in the Kingdom illegally. Perhaps this may help them to fetch some money to buy their air ticket.

Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau says that the government of Sri Lanka is facing difficulty in bringing back them to the home country. However, 30 to 35 of these expatriate workers are brought home, the Bureau says.

Over 600,000 Sri Lankans are employed in Saudi Arabia. The majority of them are housemaids and other domestic aide.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa said on March 12 addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Rata Viru Piyasa programme of building houses for Sri Lankan expatriate workers at the Galagedara that it was the foreign exchange earned by expatriate workers which enabled the country to purchase much needed weaponry and aircraft for the successful conclusion of the humanitarian operation which liberated the country from terrorism.

Then why don't the heroes about whom we speak here deserve a humanitarian operation? It will be an actual humanitarian operation after all.

- Ajith Parakum Jayasinghe

Mahinda picking Muslims individually while Gota helping to genaralize hatred against Muslims

President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his tour of Kataragama visited the mosque situated in the Kataragama Sacred City on April 15. Having been welcomed by the Moulavi of the mosque, the President participated in religious observations and received his blessings. Uva Chief Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa, Indigenous Medicine Minister Salinda Dissanayake and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa accompanied the President during his visit.
Picture by Nalin Hewapathirana (Daily News)

This happens in a time the President's all powerful defense secretary brother is openly supporting the Buddhist extremist Bodu Bala Sena (BBS).

The BBS succeeded in forcing Muslims to stop issue of Halal certificates for the benefit of devout Islam followers. Halal protest was against charging money from all consumers for a certification which was only  for a section of the society.

Can anybody protest any such certificate issued free of charge displayed on products for the benefit of Muslims? One can refrain from buying such products based on personal dislike to it and to Muslims. But no one has ethical or moral right to protest it.

But, see what is happening now. I found this banner and a link to a related blog post in Facebook where hate campaigns freely go on with no control of BBS or whatever. One may perceive this as the online stuff is spilling to society but what actually happens is the reversal.

How can we understand what the government  is doing in ethnic front, in this backdrop? The government is generalizing hatred against Muslims and Islam while individually picking up Muslim leaders before media cameras. Personal relationships of the Muslim leaders with the President prevents them leading the masses against the injustices caused against them.

This approach not only marginalizes Muslims in Lankan society but also liquidates their protests and weakens their efforts to stand as equal citizens. This further appeases the Muslim countries that may worry about the fate of the Muslims in the country. Remember, the government also summoned the Colombo diplomats of the Muslim countries with the hope of continuing their support in the following day the above photograph was taken.

Muslims should be very careful about this racist approach of the government.

-Ajith Parakum Jayasinghe