New Automatic Weather Stations system in Sri Lanka meteorological Depatment malfunctioning

(Lanka Polity - July 20, 2009) Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) system provided to the Department of Meteorological by Japan (JICA) following the tsunami in 2004 is reportedly malfunctioning and giving out wrong weather data, reliable sources say.This system was handed over to the Ministry of Disaster Management officially on July 13 in a grand ceremony attended by the Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and the Japanese Ambassador of Sri Lanka. .

This system provides data such as air temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, rainfall etc. These data are proved erroneous and the Department is not currently using them for forecasts, sources say.

However, the department pays a satellite bill of millions of rupees monthly, in addition to the high  maintaining costs for this Automatic Weather Stations system .

This project was worth Rs. 650 million. The project bore a large cost as the expenses like five star hotel bills etc. for the Japanese staff that came for installation. Some equipment imported for this system under investigation and the experts say that some equipment imported from China are low quality and cause much of the errors in data.

Sri Lanka's military strategy to curb Tamil nationalist sentiments among IDPs under pressure

(Lanka Polity - July 20, 2009) International media reports and unofficial local reports say that Sri Lanka government's military strategy to suppress the nationalist sentiments among the Tamils displaced from the formerly rebel-held Vanni in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka is under pressure due to international human rights concerns, lack of resources to hold people for long period of time and also due to the unrest among the inmates of the military-run refugee camps.

The government tirelessly counters media and other reports regarding the situation in the refugee camps. Government officials presented facts last week to prove that the skeptical media reports on the mortality rate in the camps were inaccurate and the rates were within the accepted parameters. However, the government has pressed the aid workers to sign agreements to prevent leaking out information regarding the camp life to media. The government has to permit the aid workers to enter into the well guarded camps since they are a vital part for running them. The inmates of the camps are restricted to move out and the outsiders sans the permitted individuals are allowed into them.


The camps cost nearly $400,000 (over Rs. 45 million) a day to operate. The U.N. called for $270 million in aid to Sri Lanka this year, but only $96 million has been promised. "The lack of funds forced aid groups have cut back on fruit and vegetables for the camps, leaving many with little more than rice and lentils," AP reported.

In January, the government asked international donors to help build five camps — with 39,000 semi-permanent homes, 7,800 toilets and 390 community centers — to hold civilians for up to three years. This proposal came under heavy criticism from the Western nations. The government says to India and other international players that the majority of the refugees will be resettled within this year.


In June, chicken pox was rampant and cases of typhoid, tuberculosis, skin and respiratory infections, hepatitis A, scabies and diarrhea have begun cropping up, according to U.N. reports. The camps currently have only about 9,215 toilets while 15,000 are needed, UN officials said. There is not enough suitable land to build more toilet, they point out. 

More than 35 percent of children under 5 are suffering from wasting, or acute malnutrition, according to a July 3 government presentation leaked to the AP.

The Sunday Times reported on July 19 that 14 new encephalitis cases were detected in the Vavuniya General Hospital over the past week. With that, Vavuniya-based United Nations staff providing relief services to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been advised to keep away from the hospital due to the outbreak of meningitis and encephalitis, the paper said. Sunday Times further said while the fatality rate of meningitis cases treated in all government hospitals in Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2005 had dropped to less than five percent, the fatality rate in the Vavuniya General Hospital is about 50 percent.

"Tents meant for five are packed with up to 15 people, water is scarce and the seasonal rains expected in the coming weeks could create a health nightmare, several foreign aid workers said. Relatives are not allowed to visit, although many gather at the barbed wire fence hoping to get messages to their loved ones. Opposition lawmakers are barred as well, and independent journalists are only allowed in on rare, military-guided tours.
Signs of unrest are growing. Several weeks ago, inmates held a protest demanding they be reunited with family members in other fenced-off sections of the camp, aid workers said. Military troops shot in the air to disperse the angry residents," AP reported.

Several hand-written posters were put up in a part of the camps supporting the militarily defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) several weeks ago alerting military intelligence regarding the developments among the camp inmates.

Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapakse said in an election rally in Uva Province last week that the authorities released 3000 over 60 years of age people from the camps and a number of aged LTTE supporters got freedom with them.

Sinhala majority of the country widely support the government's policy on the displaced Tamils and the ruling party is slated a landslide victory in the upcoming elections.

Traders of Sri Lanka seek freedom for trade to and from Jaffna

(July 19,2009) The traders of Sri Lanka seek freedom for trade to and from Jaffna peninsula. They point out that the producers as well as the consumers may benefit if the high transport cost can be reduced.The licensed lorries that transport between Jaffna and Colombo levy high charges. For instance, the transport charge of a 15 ton lorry is over Rs. 130,000 and the Jaffna - Colombo traders say this can be reduced to Rs. 75,000 if their lorries are given permits.

The government has provided limited access to the A-9 highway from Vavuniya to Jaffna after clearing the Vanni areas from the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The lorries to and from Jaffna are unloaded and checked at Omanthai check point and the operation costs tens of thousands of loading and unloading costs per a lorry. Further, it takes hours for a lorry to be unloaded, checked and reloaded.

All private vehicles from Northern Province are banned entry to the Southern areas of the country beyond Medawachchiya checkpoint in Anuradhapura district. The traders have to change lorries from there.

Is the leader god, king or man?

In Sri Lanka, the leaders try to appear as kings and actually act as God.

This phenomenon was clearly seen in Prabakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE).

Today, the President Mahinda Rajapakse is appearing as King of this country.

But in West, with the paradigm shift in which Obama came into power, the leader is depicted more and more as a human being.

But we are anti-Western and think we have better values.

Wimal in President's entourage; Nandana shows a different body language

(July 19, 2009) Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse is displaying ex-revolutionary People's Liberation Front (JVP) member and present leader of the National Freedom Front (JNP) Wimal Weerawansa in a way the revolutionaries get frustrated about their one time idol.

Rajapakse accompanies Weerawansa in his entourages to foreign countries and media give wide publicity to Wimal's participation.

Observers say that the President is trying to show that the ex-revolutionary has become an obedient partner of his bandwagon.

The President similarly petted the militant leaders like Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) leader Champika Ranawaka and ex-military wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) Karuna Amman till their image was tarnished and dropped them later.

Meanwhile, New Minister of Tourism Nandana Gunathilaka (JNP) who is not in good terms with Weerawansa has issued a poster in which he appears before the President Mahinda Rajapakse who is bending before him taking both of his hands. This body language is displayed in a poster that is said published by the friends of Peradeniya University.

 

  

 

Dayan Jathilaka fired from his post as permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva

(July 18, 2009) Sri Lanka government has fired diplomat turned scholar Dr. Dayan Jathilaka from his post as permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva.

The government has informed him by fax that his contract will be terminated effective August 20, 2009.

Reliable sources say that the reason for his removal from the post is his views supportive to the 13th amendment to the constitution. The Sinhala chauvinist forces have succeeded in the government in pressurizing the President to sack him since he is considered one of the foremost academics that strongly upholds the implementation of the 13th amendment to the constitution in the post-LTTE era.

Sri Lanka's new state policy; 'One country; one underworld'

(Juy 17, 2009) Sri Lanka Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka said that the state had declared war against drug dealers, ransom takers, thugs and murderers following the victory against terrorism. He made this statement addressing a ceremony held to declare open a new building in Mulleriyawa police station. 


A direct link between the killing of a number of underworld goons during the recent past and this declaration of war against underworld can be guessed. 


Over 100 individuals suspected to be the members of underworld gangs were arrested recently from Maligawaththa of Colombo city. One person named Fajee said to be a leader of an underworld gang has reportedly fled from the country as a member of his gang was killed this week in Colombo. 


Anamalu Imitiaz, the leader of the rival gang was abducted and killed last week.


These underworld gangs supported the candidates of both the ruling party and the opposition United National Party (UNP) at the past Western Provincial Council election especially in Central Colombo electorate. 


However, another underworld gang that is supported by a powerful government politician is enjoying impunity from this so called declaration of war, observers say. 


A section of this underworld gang that is active centering to Bloemandhal area in Colombo city abducted, tortured and assassinated one Ranjith Rupas Fernando, a fisher community businessman for ransom taking. His son is still in hospital due to serious injuries committed to him by the goons. This gang is reportedly linked to a number of assassinations in recent past.