What can professionals do?

Rohan Samarajiva

In the course of writing an article on the apparent end of constitutionalism in Sri Lanka, I asked myself what I personally could do to resist the egregious lawless behavior that caused me to write it. My question was why the populace allowed this feudal behavior. How could I be the change I wanted to see?

While thinking about this, I happened to see a shamelessly partisan street hoarding that had been put up by an organization I had made a small contribution to establish and fund: the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka, a private limited company fully owned by the government of Sri Lanka. I decided to collect additional evidence including a copy of the ICTA newsletter entitled Catalyst that contained election propaganda for the President. I then wrote the following letter to each of the members of the ICTA Board, with copies to the Elections Commissioner and the World Bank, which continues to fund e Sri Lanka, the program ICTA was created to implement.

No response to my letter yet, but I was pleased to see the offending hoardings taken down on the 12th December. This suggests that professionals talking to professionals can yield results and slow down the slide from the rule of law. This may also be a useful decentralized way of collecting evidence for an election petition should the need arise.

7 January 2009.

Dear Member of the Board of ICTA (Pvt) Limited,

Unethical, and possibly unlawful, election propaganda by ICTA

I write as a citizen, as a former member of the ICTA Board, and as one of the people responsible for designing e Sri Lanka, for setting up the organization and obtaining the funds.

Attached please find evidence of election propaganda by ICTA. These actions may have been taken without your knowledge or approval, but the Board is responsible.

We established ICTA as an entity above politics, for example hiring those associated with the opposition at the time such as Mr Dilanthe Withanage and Mr Athula Pushpakumara. The then leader of the opposition (now President) was invited to participate in events within ICTA premises.

I hope you will discipline the responsible officers and restore ICTA to its non-partisan position. Otherwise you will be held accountable for the politicization and destruction of yet another organization designed for the common good.

If professionals do not speak for good governance, there will be no good governance. I hope you will play your part.

Sincerely,

Rohan Samarajiva
Cc: Commissioner of Elections / Country Director, World Bank, Colombo

Struggle for gender equality of Buddhist monks of Sri Lanka

(January 14, Colombo - Lanka Polity) A leading Buddhist priest of Sri Lanka, Ven. Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero lodged a complaint against the state Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs regarding non-safeguarding quality of the female Buddhist monks.

The Thero complained to the Human Rights Commission that the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs had rejected registering the monasteries of the female monks.

There are 147 monasteries of the female Buddhist monks in which 500 senior and 2000 novice monks reside, says Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero.

The Buddhist term 'Sangha' includes both male and female monks, the Thero says.

Sri Lanka President's secretary describes how Tamil Nadu Tamils were deceived by Sri Lanka and India

(January 14, Colombo - Lanka Polity)The way the Indian central government led by Congress Party deceived the Tamil Nadu Tamils ahead of the general election as Sri Lanka's war was raging in the last stage with high casualties was revealed in an interview given by Lalith Weerathunga, the secretary of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Daily Mirror website. Following is the report accompanied with the video of the interview.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa helped India’s Congress party win the General Elections in Tamil Nadu last year by reaching an agreement with the Indian government to stop using heavy weapons during the last stages of the war, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga told Daily Mirror online.

In an interview on the ‘HOT SEAT’ segment of the website Mr. Weeratunga said the President had turned down a request from India to stop the military operations last year but later reached an agreement to stop using heavy weapons in order to help the Congress win the polls.

"Elections were being held in India so if the government of India did not do something to stop what the rest of the world thought the massacre of Tamils (as it was wrongly termed) the Tamils would not vote for the Congress. They said “please stop this”. But the President said “sorry I cannot do that”. But he added “ok what do you want me to do to ensure victory of the Congress Party”? They requested that the use of heavy weaponry be stopped. This is what brought India and Sri Lanka closer. With the halt in use of heavy weaponry (with approval of the Sri Lankan Security Council that Sri Lanka would no longer use heavy weaponry) the Congress gained strength and the victory in Tamil Nadu can be attributed to this decision by the Government of Sri Lanka," he told Daily Mirror online.

However, it is yet to verify if Sri Lanka actually bowed to this pledge as no independent inquiry has been undertaken regarding the allegations raised by various quarters including the ex-Army Chief that war crimes including shelling hospitals and no-fire zones took place in the final phase of war.

Soon after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, citing a UN source, the Times of UK reported that 20,000 people were killed in the final throes of the civil war, mostly by government shelling. However, one UN official described the method used to calculate the toll – which appeared to involve multiplying the figure recorded by doctors by five – as dangerous extrapolation. The Sri Lankan government rejected the Times report. Earlier UN said 7,000 civilians were killed and 16,700 wounded in the fighting from Jan. 20 until May 7 before the final battles.

Major-General Ashok Mehta, a former commander of Indian peacekeeping forces in Sri Lanka, said that India’s role was “distressing and disturbing”. “We were complicit in this last phase of the offensive when a great number of civilians were killed,” General Mehta, who is now retired, told The Times. “Having taken a decision to go along with the campaign, we went along with it all the way and ignored what was happening on the ground.”

Tamil Nadu with 60 million Tamils was the last bit of straw for the Sri Lankan Tamil nationalists that  were ahead of the imminent defeat of the armed struggle for a seperate Ealam state for Tamils. They begged for mediation to prevent their defeat but for no avail.

Almost all the Tamil Nadu politicians raised Sri Lanka's war as their main issue but Chief Minister Karunanidi's DMK allied with the Congress Party registered a landslide victory in the parliamentary election following the central government's statement that Sri Lanka government had agreed not to use heavy weaponry against the civilians trapped in the contracting rebel-held territory. Hours after  the election were finished in India, Sri Lanka eliminated the leadership of the Tamil Tigers Velupillai Prabakaran and wiped out the rebel movement from the island.

Sri Lanka presidential election enters a phase of violence

(January 13, Colombo - Lanka Polity) The campaign for Sri Lanka's presidential that is scheduled to be held on January 26 entered into a phase of violence as terrorists suspected to be sponsored by the government opened fire on a bus carrying supporters of the opposition killing an elderly woman and injuring two others.

The incident took place close to the village of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and a van and a motorcycle blocked the way for the bus before opening fire. The terrorists fled following gunning down 60 year old Somawathi Kuruppuarachchi on the spot. The vehicles used in the terror attack were later recovered by Hungama police as they were abandoned. However no arrests had been made so far despite the government stated "The Government of Sri Lanka is appalled at this tragedy, vehemently condemns it, and will not tolerate any such acts of violence in the midst of this democratic electoral process. All steps are being taken to bring those responsible to justice. Instructions have been given to the authorities to bolster security at political events up to and on polling day to ensure that all Sri Lankans can participate safely in the electoral process."

Expressing concern over the incident the US called for a peaceful election in Sri Lanka.

The area has a history of political violence and the group of victims was travelling to attend a propaganda meeting held with the auspices of United National Party Deputy Chairman Sajith Premadasa, the son of the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa who was killed by a suicide bomber on May 01, 1993.

Since there is a pitch battle for the presidency more incidents can be expected in the coming couple of weeks ahead of the election.

A Presidential fear of a teledrama

(January 12, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Upeksha Swarnamali is an actress cum dancer that became popular acting the role 'Paba' in a mega teledrama telecast by public-owned Independent Television Network of Sri Lanka.

She is popular although she is not a clever actor. However, she is a brave woman who is not afraid to express her conscience publicly regarding the presidential breaking the taboo in the field she is employed. She appeared in the platform of opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka and expressed support to him outraging the state media bosses that subsequently imposed an unofficial ban on her.

A scene that alluded she was kidnapped was shot and Upeksha Swarnamali simply vanished from the teledrama. The melodrama did not end from there; public-owned print media propaganda organ of the Rajapaksa regime, Dinamina Sinhala daily ran a concocted story in which Upeksha Swarnamali's mother Nirmalee de Silva had reportedly blamed Fonseka's campaigners for misleading the 'ignorant' actress.

However, the mother and the daughter appeared before media yesterday and denied the report published by The Dinamina.

Many of the popular artistes appeared in the advertisement series of President Mahinda Rajapaksa's son Namal Rajapaksa that urge people to vote to a 'sensitive leader'. Reportedly, they were compelled to appear in the advertisements by making a fear psychosis of tarnishing the future of their career if they failed to support Mahinda Rajapaksa. The punishment given to Upeksha Swarnamali is believed a lesson taught to the rebels in the art field.

War cost country Rs 23 trillion – Siyambalapitiya

We re-publish this article by Mario Andree (The Island) since the facts and the arguements in it are vital. Thanks go to the writer and the newspaper. 

Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that the Government had spent a total of Rs 23 trillion on the three-decade war. 

This works out to Rs. 920 billion per year in the 25 years of war, which is now a saving for the government in addition to the targeted revenue budget per year.

The 2009 targeted revenue was Rs. 855 billion, and the government spends only around Rs. 2 billion on ministers, and Rs 278 billion on development.

According to the previous situation, compared to the current, the tax and price situations have not changed but have increased.

The expenditure towards war can be used for the benefit of the citizens by reducing taxation and prices of daily needs as the expenditure towards war is a balance after the liberation.

He also told the media on Sunday that the policy statement of Gen (Rtd) Sarath Fonseka is an impossible statement to be implemented in the current situation. To provide some of it, an additional funding of Rs. 350 billion will be required apart from the yearly targeted budget.

These statements’ implications definitely will lead to a high amount of currency circulation within the country which will increase the inflation rates of the country leading to a catastrophe of the livelihood, he pointed out.

He also said this is possible with the high tax amounts charged from the public. An amount of Rs. 1,500 will have to be additionally charged from individuals of the country.

Fonseka’s statement

The policy statement states a salary increment of Rs. 10,000 for all government servants.

This would mean that for a staff of 1.2 million the total salary payment would be increased by Rs 144 billion from the treasury, adding another 10 billion on payments of over time and EPF, Minister Siyambalapitiya pointed out.

The media team of President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced a salary increment of Rs. 2,500 for public servants on on Sunday. This will also need an additional funding of Rs. 36 billion, adding another 2.5 billion for other payments.

"With no proper production and value additional developments, will there be a possibility to provide such increases stated in Fonseka’s Policy Statement?" Siyambalapitiya asked.

The restructure of the pension anomalies will for the increase by Rs. 25 billion, yet according to Fonseka’s policy how this is done is unclear and unstated anywhere in his statement, Siyambalapitiya said.

The minimum Samurdhi benefit to increase to Rs. 500 will need an additional funding of Rs. 5 billion, also 98 billion to provide a Rs. 2,000 monthly payment to the youth and the senior citizens and Rs. 900 million to provide the Rs. 3000 to the estimated unemployed 25,000 degree holders with a Rs. 3000 monthly payment, Siyambalapitiya said.

There is also a further requirement of Rs. 30 billion to provide the fertilizer at Rs. 350. Currently, urea is provided at Rs. 350 while the actual amount is Rs. 9,000, this expense is unnecessary as the agriculture segment is gaining at a rapid pace, Siyambalapitiya said.

He has also stated Rs. 27 billion will be needed to pay all Golden Key investors.

Tax benefits

Sarath Fonseka’s policy statement also states the reduction and removal of some taxes on some food items.

Currently rice has no tax charge, the dhal and sugar tax is at Rs. 1 per kg, onions and potatoes are charged at Rs. 5 per kg.

The tax is to protect local producers. If the tax is removed, they will be in a drastic situation.

The reduction of tax on household LP Gas; the current tax is Rs. 108.75 per 12.5 kg cylinder, the total consumption of the country per year is at 850,000 cylinders the reduction will cause a 1,100 million decline of the state revenue, Siyambalapitiya said.

The reduction of petrol prices, as proposed by the court. It was suggested that petrol is supposed to be supplied at Rs 100 per litre. If this is activated, the government will lose Rs. 31,925 million.

Currently, Siyambalapitiya said the government gains Rs. 22,000 million from diesel, Rs. 550 million from kerosene oil and Rs 9,375 million from petrol.

Totally the government will have to lose 350 billion by providing the promises in Sarath Fonseka’s Policy Statement. The reduction of some taxes will lead to high increases in other taxes which will not suit the Sri Lankan Citizens, Siyambalapitiya said.

Implementing the salary increment announced by the current government would also lead to a tax increase or introduction of new taxes.

The Deputy Minister of Finance strongly stated that he would resign from his position the second Sarath Fonseka or his team proves how he is going to find the funds without heaping burdens on the people by increasing or introducing any other taxes.

A Sinhala activist addresses the funeral of Prabakaran's father challenging taboos of the polity

(January 11, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Dharmasiri Lankapeli, a journalist and trade union activist who is also a member of Nawa Samasamaja Party and the Kaluthara district representative of Left Front presidential candidate Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratna was arrested and later released by Velevetithurai police of Jaffna. The reason for the arrest was his Sinhala language address at the funeral of Veerasami Thiruvengadam Velupillai on January 10th. Late Velupillai is the father of Velupillai Prabakaran, the founder leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE), who was killed in the final battle with the Army on May 18 in the last bastions of the rebel-held Vanni in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

Mr. Velupillai was a peaceful man who never followed his youngest son's extremely violent path for the liberation of the Sri Lankan Tamils. He lived most of his life since 1983 to 2002 in south India and settled in rebel-held Mallavi during the Norway-brokered ceasefire. He was arrested by Sri Lanka security forces from a IDP camp following the defeat of the Tamil Tigers and the government says he was kept in protective custody in Panagoda Army camp since then.


He passed away on January 07 and with the legal permission of the dead man's sons and daughters, the body was taken by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.K. Sivajilingam to his village Valvetithurai for cremation. Dharmasiri Lankapeli accompanied Sivajilingam and he dared to address the funeral in Sinhala language challenging the taboos of the Lankan polity over Prabakaran and his family.


Prabakaran's siblings Manoharan (Denmark) Jegatheeswari (India) Vinodini (Canada) decline President Mahinda Rajapaksa's offer to come to Sri Lanka for the funeral.


Photos of the dead bodies believed to be of late LTTE leader's two sons and daughters were in internet and the taboos do not open space for questioning these killings. The killing of the youngest son of Prabakaran, 12-year-old Balachandran was also readily approved by the Sri Lankan polity that is predominantly Buddhist in religion wise.


According to Buddhist history Suprabuddha was the father of Devadatta who conspired to assassinate Lord Buddha. He was also the father of Yasodhara, the wife of Siddhartha Gauthama who attained the Buddha status later. No one denounced Suprabuddha for being Devadatta's father. In the same way, no one denounced Yasodhara for being Devadatta's sister.

Sri Lankan media did not dare despite all of their so-called liberal policies to address this dead man as ‘Mr. Velupillai’ although he is completely innocent. Mr. Velupillai was a loyal public servant who retired as a district land officer. He hailed from the reputed "Thirumeni" family in Valvettithurai. The family holds hereditary trusteeship of Velvettithurai Sivan temple.


Mahawansa, the prominent historical chronicle venerated by Sinhalese describe how the hero of the Sinhalese King Dutugemunu respected his enemy Tamil King Elara who was defeated by him. That history did not repeat even before the children and the elders of Prabakaran.