BUDGET "BLUES"

If nothing else, the just presented Budget for 2013 will definitely hasten our “race” to become the “Miracle of Asia” –what with reduced duties on Racing Cars – which for an ordinary man would sound like the least important thing for this country. Further with an increased allocation of 60 million rupees for the Tamasha called “Deyata Kirula” the extravaganza clearly seems to have been introduced as a Bonanza for the Presidential Off-springs whose main hobby seems to be conducting night races in all parts of the country wasting the resources such as electricity.


As usual there is absolutely no benefit provided in the budget for those who toil in various foreign countries and remit valuable foreign exchange which in turn is used extravagantly by all sorts of politicians and their hangers on – including the Royal Astrologer! – to import luxuries such as SUVs etc. racing around the country – even killing pedestrians.

The so called “housing loan” of a few hundred-thousands offered to “foreign workers” at 10% interest is, to say the least, a big sham and insult.

As far as the allocation for Education is concerned, the Minister of Higher Education is on record having said that the government has always allocated more than 5% of GDP for education but we can see from the Budget that the allocation is going to be increased to 4.1% of the GDP – so, undoubtedly, as usual the Minister has been “economical with the truth”!

Although nothing is mentioned in the Budget, the day is not far away when petrol and diesel prices will go up heaping further burdens on the already suffering populace.

It is a pity that the President as the Minister of Finance has not thought it fit to reduce the Jumbo cabinet and various luxurious perks associated with it, which would have helped in no small measure to reduce the gap and provide more benefits to the ordinary man on the street.

Whatever it is, with foreign liquor going out of the reach of ordinary citizens, it is hoped that locally tapped toddy will be available in plenty so that we can all be reminded of the very popular song of C.T. Fernando “ Maame, Mage Sudu Maame – Raa podiyak dee, Maa Sanasanne”.

"LOW & ODOUR" IN THE PARADISE (of fools)

Of late, this so called paradise island has witnessed really funny incidents (in actual fact, very sad happenings) when it comes to law and order in the country.


• A government official being tied to a tree by a Minister who professes to hold a “doctorate” and the victim, under duress, admitting that he asked himself to be tied to the tree!

• An Army major being assaulted by some minors – who happen to be offsprings of government ministers - and the matter being dismissed as a “minor” issue when the Major himself admitted that the culprits did not assault him.

• A government MP who is suspected to be involved in the murder of a member of the same government party now claiming he has lost all his memory (but retaining the memory to claim the salary from the Parliament whilst keeping away on officially sanctioned leave)

• Several elderly women and their daughters being killed in pairs in a village in Sabaragamuwa Province by a close associate of a senior minister of the government and the killing spree still continuing even in spite of STF camps being established in the area.

• Chairmen and members of Provincial Councils having a gala time raping under-age girls and even celebrating records of “centuries” with even government ministers attending those celebrations.

And now, the Chief Justice herself is under an impeachment for not toeing the line of the Executive. The moot point here as to how the Members of Parliament who drafted and signed this motion got hold of the bank account details of the Chief Justice in the absence of a court order. This obviously is an ugly trend where an ordinary MP could go into the bank accounts of any citizen whilst they themselves earn dirty commissions and black money which are deposited in foreign accounts and of which there are no declarations as such.

“The trouble with the laws these days is that criminals know their rights better than their wrongs”

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

According to a recent news item, pesticides had been found in a “Kohila” curry which was to be served in the Parliament canteen and serious concerns had been expressed by the Speaker himself, going to the extent of suggesting that the “food tasters” should first check the food before being served to the Honourable Valuable Members of Parliament to avoid any sort of disaster happening to them.


Whilst nobody will dispute the fact that “Kohila” with its nutritional qualities especially as a cure for those with uncontrollable sudden anger is the most appropriate dish for our hard-working peoples’ representatives, pesticide is completely another issue which needs to be seriously gone into. One might argue that even pest control is a necessity when it comes to driving away pests – but that is entirely another issue!

Now the moot point is who actually cares for the general public who are forced to eat all sorts of vegetables, including Kohila, grown in various nooks and corners with all the attendant germs, worms etc. which comes as a total package albeit at a heavy price as well. The poor consumers are forced to buy whatever is available in the market to suit their purses and eat whatever they cook just to fill their stomachs for the day. Perhaps, the ordinary folks have by now grown immune to germs etc. and have no time or inclination to go into such matters as pesticides used by the growers to keep the pests away. Food Tasters is a luxury they cannot even afford to dream of !

Perhaps, the Honourable MPs should also seriously consider bringing a “buth packet” from home – what with an army of servants at home – just like our ordinary office worker whose wives have to get up at the break of dawn to prepare the lunch parcel.

But then, when one thinks of the heavily subsidized prices at which the rich meals are served to the so called “servants of the people” how could they even dream of bringing a home-made “buth packet” – because, they, more than anybody else know the real cost of living!

THE DEMISE OF DEMO-CRAZY

In the late sixties, citizens of this country woke up to read a strange Obituary in a newspaper which announced the tragic death of one Mr. D.E.M.O’Crazy, loving father of T. Ruth and beloved husband of Justicia who died under tragic circumstances, cortege leaving villa “Anduru Wela”.


They say that history has a habit of repeating : first as a comedy and then as a tragedy. Now it is time for tragedy to envelope this country – significantly under another government of the same ilk as in the sixties where they almost buried our age old tradition of Democracy, free will and justice to all.

It is pretty obvious even to the uninitiated that this indecent haste in bringing up an Impeachment Motion against the Chief Justice is due to the judgement delivered by the Supreme Court in respect of the “Divi Neguma Bill”, which although outwardly projected to the citizens as is name suggests – to raise the standard of living of the people – but the real intention being to concentrate the major share of the country’s assets and funds in the hands of one Family. In other words, a “Divi Nasana Bill”. And that explains this undue hurry to get the Bill passed in the Parliament by whatever means, disregarding all Constitutional provisions.

It is said that most evil deeds happen not due to actions of evil men but due to silence of the good men. That has been the bane of this beautiful country where we are now saddled with a lifeless opposition with its members being bought over with filthy lucre to achieve the sinister plans of the government. A moot point to consider here would be how “legal” is it to declare a two thirds majority by buying off MPs elected on opposition party tickets because obviously the people voted for the party that is opposed to the government party. But then, even this exercise has been “sanitized” by a controversial judgement delivered by a former Chief Justice who now cries “Mea Culpa”.

They say that when God wishes to destroy someone, He first makes that person mad.

That exactly is what is happening in this country today. All what we can do is to wait and see how and when this madness ends.


CALISTUS JAYATILLEKE

SRI LANKA: A COUNTRY WHERE ALL ARE NOT EQUAL UNDER THE LAW (and some are more equal than others)

“The Courts can only issue orders for implementation of the country’s laws.  It is upto the law enforcement entities to carry out such orders.  If the Police and other law enforcement entities delay or ignore such orders then there is nothing the Courts can do”

The above statement had actually been made by a sitting judge in open court recently which clearly shows the law and order situation in the country.  This statement was made by Colombo additional magistrate Prasanna de Alwis in connection with the murder case of ex-Presidential Adviser, Bharatha Lakshman, where the CID failed to arrest the suspect, Duminda de Silva, who is a Member of Parliament of the government party.

Over 4 months have passed since a court order had been issued by Kaduwela Magistrate to arrest the Deputy General Manager of Independent Television Networks (ITN), Sudharman Radaliygoda ,  over a charge of fraud.  The charges against him relate to the issue of fraudulent documents for the sale of scrap iron belonging to Sri Lanka Telecom.  This is an offence coming under Public Properties Act and hence unbailable.  All these 4 months the Police have meekly reported to the courts that since Radaliyagoda is not available at home, he could not be arrested. But, this very same Radaliyagoda, whom the Police claim is untraceable, took part in the last May Day rally under the flag of the UPFA led by the country’s President himself and many had seen him live on Television.

According to the laws of the country, Radaliyagoda is a suspect under arrest warrant issued by a court of law.  A similar warrant had been issued by Colombo Fort Magistrate against the son-in- law of General Fonseka, Danuna Tillekeratne, But in this case, the Police did not report that they could not arrest him as he was not at home but pasted posters all over the country telling that Danuna Tillekeratne is under an arrest warrant and anyone who gives a clue as to his whereabouts would be given a reward of 10 lakhs of rupees.  They also announced this over public address systems in the city of Colombo and paid visits to houses of his relatives and friends looking for him.  At the end, they filed a case against the 80-year old grand mother of Danuna Tillekeratne on the charge of giving temporary shelter to him.  It did not take even 3 months for the Police to do all this work.

Susil Kindelpitiya, who served as a Director of Sirasa Television Network, contested the 2010 General Elections for Colombo district from the UNP.  Within just a matter of two weeks from nomination date, he was arrested and jailed on a charge of kidnapping and issuing death threats to a woman.  Late on he was released by the courts as the woman complainant herself declared that the incident was a total fabrication and not true at all.

All those who serve in Police, Attorney General and the judicial courts are bound to abide by the Constitution of Sri Lanka.  According to the Constitution, all citizens are equal before the law and every person has a right to be treated equally.  In fact all officials of the President’s government never fail to announce at the top of their voices that in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, no one suffers injustice.  But, let us further examine how the law is actually operated in the country.

General Sarath Fonseka was the common opposition candidate at the December 2009 Presidential Elections. After he lost the elections, in February 2010, he was taken into custody by the Army and was jailed on a military tribunal verdict.  General Fonseka presented a Fundamental Rights Petition to the Supreme Court in March 2010 pleading to declare the verdict of the Military Tribunal null and void.  The Supreme court was unable to take up the case for a hearing even after 2 years and 4 months, when he was released from prison on a Presidential pardon.  The election petition against the results of the Presidential election was rejected by the courts.  Also, the Fundamental Rights petition against the verdict of the military tribunal was also rejected by the courts.  The Supreme Court which failed to take up this case even on the expiry of a period of 2 years and 4 months, took only 4 hours to dispose of the withdrawal of the petition by General Fonseka after he got the presidential pardon!

The Attorney General’s Department which was hitherto under the Ministry of Justice, was taken over by the President after the 2010 Presidential Elections.  Accordingly, now the political leader in charge of the Attorney General’s Department is also the President himself.  Following is a record of activities which took place after the AG’s Dept. was taken over by the President.

Three cases filed against defeated Presidential Candidate, General Fonseka. For the first time in the history, the Attorney General was instrumental in filing two cases in a military tribunal against General Fonseka.  Cases filed against three family members of General Fonseka (Son in law, Danuna Tillekeratne, Mother in law Jayanthi Tillekeratne and Sister in law Asoka Tillekeratne)

Legal actions against MPs, Abdul Khader (Kandy), Earl Gunasekera (Polonnaruwa) and Lakshman Seneviratne (Badulla) who crossed over from the UNP to the government side, were suspended or withdrawn.  The crossing over of these three MPs helped the ruling party to obtain a  2/3 majority to pass the 18^th Amendment to the Constitution.  The case filed against Abdul Khader for misappropriation of public funds to the tune of 10 lakhs of rupees was withdrawn by the Attorney General.  The court ruling to the effect that the illegal hotel constructed by the sister of Earl Gunasekera in Minneriya reservation area be demolished, never saw its implementation.  The case against Lakshman Seneviratne for non-payment of a loan of 65 lakhs of rupees taken from the Bank of Ceylon, has since been suspended. The murder charges filed in the supreme court against ex Colombo District MP, Chandana Kathriarachchi, were withdrawn by the Attorney General.

The excuse trotted out by the Police for their failure to arrest MP Duminda Silva, who is a suspect in the killing of Presidential Adviser, Premachandra, is that they had not received Attorney General’s instructions.  Mr. Shani Abeysekera, Asst. Police Superintendent stated in open court recently that although they sent written requests for instructions from the Attorney General with regard to the arrest of Duminda Silva, they had not received any response so far.  (Although there is provision in the law for the CID to seek Attorney General’s opinion on orders received by them from lower courts, it is not mandatory to do so as per the country’s laws.)

It took only 24 hours for the Police to arrest and produce before courts an MP of the Opposition UNP who got involved in a fight under influence of liquor with a businessman. In that instance, the Police did not ask for Attorney General’s instructions to arrest a sitting Member of Parliament. It had been reported in the media that the businessman involved is a good friend of the President!

The investigations into the murder of Sunday Leader Editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge, are now going on for the last 3 years.  During the 2010 Presidential Elections all of a sudden the case was handed over to the CID hinting that General Sarath Fonseka was involved in this murder.  But, according to available information, the investigations reveal that accusing fingers are being directed at very high places in the government itself. Due to this, the requests for Attorney General’s opinion are now lying inside cupboards.  The only accused in this case who was under arrest, Pitchai Jesudasan, was found dead inside the prison on 13 October 2011 under mysterious circumstances.

Minister of Public Relations, Mervyn Silva announced at a public meeting in Kiribathgoda that he is the one who assaulted and broke the limbs of Journalist, Poddala Jayantha.  The Police spokesman, Ajith Rohana, announced that the Police will conduct investigations within two days  into this claim but nothing was heard thereafter.  Instead, a week later, Minister Basil Rajapakse (President’s brother) spoke at a coordination meeting in Kelaniya praising the work of Minister Mervyn Silva. The Police, unfortunately, had not even been able to get a statement from Minister Mervyn Silva still.

The latest episode in this saga of unequal application of law, is the incident when burglars broke into the house of Nishantha Wickremasinghe, Sri Lankan Airlines Chairman who is a brother of the first lady, Shiranthi Rajapakse and stole a massive amount of foreign currency and an expensive Rolex watch – all running into millions of rupees.  The Police were able to solve the case within no time and the stolen money and the watch recovered.  But the real point here is how did Wickremasinghe get into possess such a large amount of illegal and undeclared foreign currency.  The law enforcers in this case have been very lenient due to his high connections.  The rules of the country’s Central Bank state that for anyone carrying over US$2000.-foreign currency to the country it is mandatory to register the amount with the Customs.  Sources from the Customs say that there has not been any record within the past year of either Wickremasinghe or any of his family members bringing foreign currency worth US$2000.- or above in to the country from overseas. Obviously, one law for the First Family, their relatives and those belonging to the government party and their supporters and another one for those who do not agree with them.

All the above incidents show very clearly the direction Sri Lanka is going now.

But the tragedy is that the so called majority has no clue or do not care at all about these happenings.  They are still dreaming of the promised “Miracle of Asia” when in fact it would only end up as the “Debacle of Asia”

BREAKING NEWS: AMERICAN ECONOMY CRASHES

It has been just been reported that the United States of America is facing its biggest economic collapse in the entire history of its existence.

The American stock market has already totally collapsed. There is imminent danger of large Multi-National corporations and banks getting closed and hundreds of thousands of employees in those institutions losing their jobs.

The American government is helpless in the face of this disaster and it is learnt that President Obama has already submitted his resignation.

Economic experts in the world believe that the main cause of this disaster is the call made by Sri Lankan Minister, Weerawansa to boycott American services and goods.

With Mr. Weerawansa deciding to close his G-Mail account and stop using Google search engine, Google had closed down immediately and its President and Chief Executive have already committed suicide.

It is also learnt that American Vice President, Secretary of State and other senior members of the government have already left for Sri Lanka and the main objective of their visit is to meet the Honourable Minister Weerawansa, apologise to him and beg him to reverse the decision taken by him to boycott American services and goods.

(The photo above shows Mrs. Shashi Weerawansa, beloved wife of Minister Weerawansa enjoying an American fast food meal at KFC in Colombo.


Wimal Weerawansa urges boycott of US products
News | March 14, 2012 8:25 am SRI LANKA MIRROR 14.03.12
________________________________________ (Srilankamirror) – Minister Wimal Weerawansa has urged Sri Lankans to boycott American products because the US-sponsored resolution on the island at the UNHRC would encourage separatism.
He was speaking yesterday (Mar. 13) at a rally against the resolution tabled at the UNHRC session in Geneva.
Mr. Weerawansa said the resolution would be destructive to the postwar atmosphere.
“Instead of promoting ethnic reconciliation, it will hamper that process and would increase acrimony and rancor among the communities,” he said.
“If we submit to this resolution, Tiger terrorists will raise their head again.”
He called on people to boycott American brands such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, KFC, McDonalds and Google’s email service Gmail.
“We must show our protest even in a small manner to US for the ill-treatment they are throwing at us,” Mr. Weerawansa added.

4 Comments1.
Anil says:
March 14, 2012 at 9:45 am
Stop visiting Disney land with your family
2. F Jurangpathy says:
March 14, 2012 at 10:34 am
What a idiot idea, imagine to ban gmail and google that shows how educated this bastard is
3. Calistus Jayatilleke says:
March 14, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Another “gem” from the Joker of the Pack who is suffering from verbal diahorrea. He should himself set an example by removing all e-mail and internet connections from his home (if any) and from his Ministry because most of these are innovations, not only Google and Gmail, being maintained by the USA. Further, he should stop going to Disney Land with his wife and children as it is in the USA. Also, that Gel he is using on his hair, is also a product of either US or UK. How about that I-Phone, which is also a Product of the West. Finally, he should stop wearing trousers as it is a mode of dress of the West and he should set an example to the hoi-pollois here by wearing an “amude”. And then start a “farce” unto death and wait for someone to bring some “Thambili” water. One is constrained to wonder if the President of the country is also an idiot for keeping such jokers as Ministers in his cabinet. Or else the President might be trying to revive the ancient practice of Sinhala Kings to keep “palace jokers” to entertain the members of the Royal family. No wonder, with jokers like this Pacha Wansa and “Duraacharya” Maravin, the whole world is laughing at us. In the not too distant past, when this country was ruled by educated gentlemen, and not “village thugs” Sri Lanka had earned a respectable reputation as a country with intelligent people but, alas, it is no more, with these jokers, drug dealers, rapists, bribe-takers and murderers becoming Law Makers.


4. Calistus Jayatilleke says:
March 14, 2012 at 5:18 pm
Oh, another thing Mr. Weerawansa. Also, Boycott the American citizens who hold high positions in this government of which you are a part and tell them to go to Hell to prove your patriotism.

"GENEVA COUP" OF THE MAD HATTERS

Renowned Sri Lankan scientist, Doctor E. W. Adikaram, in one of his essays had mentioned that a “Racialist” can be classified as a mental patient, based on his theory that one who believes there is something when there is actually nothing, is in fact a mental patient. There is nothing called “race” and therefore, the person who acts based on the belief that there is actually something, is in fact a mental patient.

If one is to adapt this theory of Doctor E.W. Adikaram to our present situation in the country, it would be like this. There is nothing to say that America and other European nations are trying to put Sri Lankan leaders on the electric chair. Those who behave as if there is something like that, are in fact mental patients.

Within that meaning, it is a tragedy that one has to categorize a considerable number of Sri Lankan citizens as mental patients. In actual fact there is no such plan by either the Americans or the Europeans to take Sri Lankan President, Defence Secretary or any other army officer to the electric chair or to the gallows. Therefore, to show that there is such a move through the kept media, and shouting, demonstrating and pounding their chests on the streets, is an act of mad hatters or mental patients.

But, this drama was scripted, produced, directed and staged by the government using their cohorts, all over the country last week. Those who gathered in about 150 towns or junctions, protested to the hilt by shouting slogans to the effect that they had gathered to save the country’s leader, defence secretary and armed forces from being taken to the electric chair by the evil United States and the Europeans. There had been orders from the top for the MPs and Ministers from the areas to also take part in these protests. Usually, most the participants in these protests are government servants who are given a packet of lunch, a few drams of liquor and half day off including free transport. In some cases, force had also been used to bring people for these protests.

The19th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is currently underway in Geneva, Switzerland. There is a proposal by the United States and other European countries to bring a resolution before this Council with regard to Sri Lanka. The gist of this Resolution is that these countries are prepared to extend their cooperation if the Sri Lankan government has a definite plan to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt Commission, within a specified period of time. The Lessons Learnt Commission is a commission appointed by the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapakse himself on 15 May 2000, to enquire into certain incidents which took place during the period of 21 February 2002 to 19 May 2009. It was headed by none other than a great pal of the President himself, the former Attorney General C.R. de Silva. The President appointed this commission in order to investigate within the country itself, and find answers to the accusations leveled by some countries at the Sri Lankan government during the period of war.

The LLRC Commission, after completing their investigations and carrying out evidence gathering, submitted their report to the President on 16 December 2011. The President, Mahinda Rajapakse, had publicly undertaken to implement the recommendations of this committee, more so because he had a moral obligation to do so being the appointing authority of the commission.

All what the Americans and the Europeans are going to propose to the Human Rights Council is to urge Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of the LLRC. What one cannot comprehend is what is actually wrong in asking for implementation of the recommendations of a commission appointed by the President himself and chaired by one of his close friends. Looking at it from the point of Human Rights, it is definitely a good move and there is nothing adverse in it to anyone.

Let us just look at some of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt Commission.

First, the government should re-introduce legality in its administration rather than individuals governing the country. In other words, all activities in the country should be carried out in line with the law of the country and not according to the whims and fancies of some people.

Secondly, the safety of persons taken into custody should be assured by the government. At the same time, the government should acknowledge the rights of the next kith and kin to know the whereabouts of those who are taken into custody. The government should take steps to look into cases of disappearances and take all measures to trace them and hand over to their families. There should be a mechanism to investigate and punish those responsible for deaths and disappearances during the past period of war. It is also imperative to investigate cases of deaths and disappearances and issue death certificates where applicable.

The Commission has also recommended to the government that it should take steps to stop the activities of the para military outfits carrying arms and engaging in illegal activities in North and East of the country.

Further, the Commission has accepted the right of the people to information and has recommended that the government ensure that this right is implemented by framing suitable legislation. It is also important to put a stop to the attacks on free media and journalists.
It has also been recommended that the Police should function as an independent body and towards this, an Independent Police Commission should be established.

The Commission has further recommended the appointment of a commission of enquiry to go into various accusations leveled at the armed forces and also to take suitable steps to go into a form of power devolution to eliminate the grievances of the Tamil people.

Now the question that arises is, how could the implementation of these recommendations affect the human rights or sovereignty of a country. When one considers these recommendations individually, it is very clear that all those are for the benefit of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people of the country. Therefore, how could the proposals emanating from various countries requesting for a timeframe for implementation of these recommendations and pledging their support towards that end can ever be classified as an “International Conspiracy”?.

True, there could be a danger too, as the countries led by the USA are proposing that the recommendations of the LLRC be implemented within a specific period of time. In case this does not take place, then there is a danger of some steps being taken against the country. But then again, the key for getting out of this issue is also with Sri Lanka. That is by way of implementation of the recommendations within a specific period of time. In this respect, of course, Sri Lanka’s record is dismal. The LLRC report was released in November 2011 but there have been no steps taken by Sri Lanka government for implementation of these

Although the President says that a programme for implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC was tabled in the Parliament on the same day the report was presented to the Parliament, nobody had seen or heard about such a programme. Also, although the President had announced to the media chiefs that they will call for an All Party Conference to solve the ethnic problem, nothing had happened in that respect too. But, the President had taken action on two issues, One: Appointing of members to the Police Commission. But this Commission is not an independent commission as recommended by the LLRC but a commission which includes rabid racists like Elle Gunawansa Thero, a Buddhist monk. There is nothing such a Commission can do to ensure independence of the Police.

Also, all of a sudden the Army Commander has appointed a military court comprising of army officers to investigate if there are any allegations against the army, which is actually like a case of appointing the thief’s mother to find evidence of robbery carried out by her own son.

What the government is doing is playing a cat and mouse game. Mahinda Rajapakse government has a well-known unpleasant history in this game: The murder of 5 students in Trincomalee, the killing of 17 relief workers in “Action Fame”, murder of MP Ravi Raj, etc. The Udalagama Commission appointed by the President to look into these killings, was cut short by the Rajapakse government itself before the commissioners could even complete their task. The report of commission headed by Supreme court judge Shirani Tilakawardene to go into alleged shady dealings in procuring arms and ammunitions during the war, is still lying in a locked cupboard at the Temple Trees. Also, the report of the Commission headed by Tissa Vitharane which was appointed by the President as soon as he became President to go into solutions for the ethnic problems, is also lying in some waste paper basket at the Temple Trees.

The report of the commission appointed to go into the murder of Roshan Shanaka at Katunayake Free Trade Zone is also not to be found anywhere.

Going by the past record of the government in disregarding reports of various commissions appointed by the government itself, it is no wonder that the international community has no faith in the promises made by the government asking for more time to implement the recommendations of the LLRC. On 27th of February, addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Sri Lanka’s special envoy on Human Rights, mentioned that the government needs more time to implement the recommendations of the LLRC. But the international organizations dealing with human rights based in Geneva, look at these requests for more time, as merely time wasting strategies.

Amnesty International’s Yolande Foster says that these requests by the Sri Lanka government for more time are nothing new as all promises made by successive Sri Lankan governments have ended up merely as broken promises. She further says that the Sri Lankan government has not even implemented the interim recommendations of the LLRC which had been made over a year ago. There was a recommendation by that commission to issue a list of those kept under custody for information of their immediate family members, but so far no such list has been issued by the government.

Director of Human Rights Watch, Brad Adams, says if Sri Lanka has an honest intention to look into human rights violations, time is really not an obstacle for it. He further says “Sri Lankan government had promised, even before the war, that they would look into human rights violations. But, the international experts committee appointed to look into the Udalagama commission report, resigned en masse. It is hard to believe that the government which did not do anything even two and a half years after the war, is now saying that they will do something”

Therefore, what is wrong in asking for a proper time frame and road map to provide answers from a government which has a bad track record in postponing everything? How does that request become a conspiracy? Actually, the Sri Lankan citizens who are concerned about their human rights should, with one voice demand the implementation of the LLRC commissions. We should also ask the international community to put pressure on Sri Lanka government to implement these recommendations.

But instead of doing that, all what the slavish subjects of the country are doing is, to put their citizenship and humanity at the feet of war heros and get on to the streets to shout slogans against America.

The most unfortunate thing is that even the media in Sri Lanka are standing alongside these slogan shouting jokers – and sometimes the media is even standing behind these jokers. These mediamen are not interested in exposing the real side of this false façade. Anyone scrutinizing the headlines of Sinhala newspapers over the weekend and during week days would be clear on this unfortunate situation. These kept mediamen – both printed and electronic – depicted the recently held street protests by government supporters as Sri Lankans getting ready to declare war on aggressors. One could hear battle cries and patriotic songs over the radio and television as if the country is going to face a Third World War.

The United Nations Human Rights Council sits twice a year, in March and in September. If a resolution is passed during March sessions asking the Sri Lankan government to implement the recommendations of the LLRC, and if the government fails to do so, then it is possible that the council may go another step forward in its next sessions in September. But, the resolution to be moved by America and other members during the current sessions is not at all adverse to either Sri Lanka or its people.

If the Sri Lankan government goes ahead in implementing the recommendations of the LLRC according to a proper plan and timeframe, then only the government would be able to escape sanctions at the next session in September. Therefore, if there is an iota of intelligence in those who run the government, the best thing to do would be to make use of the opportunity and implement the recommendations in an open and honest manner. But, without doing that, if the government opts to listen to card-board heroes like Wimal Weerawansa, who is well known as not-farsighted but only short-sighted, and follow the advice of other racist jokers in jumping on to the streets along with paid supporters to conduct protests against the perceived “imperialists”, then it is asking for dangerous trouble voluntarily.

We have all heard of the story of the King who kept a monkey to look after him and how the stupid monkey in trying to shoo away a fly who was disturbing the king in his sleep, in the process managed to kill the king with his own sword.

Unfortunately for us and our country, our so called King too has a lot of such monkeys kept in his Palace as advisers.