28 March, 2024

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Breaking News: Chief Justice Replies The Most Serious Four Charges On Her Finances And Bank Accounts

By Colombo Telegraph

The Lawyers for the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake replied to the allegations related to her bank accounts in the impeachment motion. It replies the most serious four charges on finances. According her lawyers all operative bank accounts have been declared by her. Only accounts not declared are those which are closed or with zero balances- so there are no assets. The much talked of apartment is bought by her sister and brother in law- engineers in Australia who have sent all monies through the Bank. 

Her Lawyers  Neelakandan and Neelakandan wrote to three major media companies re the allegations. We below publish the letter wrote to MTV/MBC .

The News Director
MTV/ MBC
No.4413, Braybrook Street
Colombo 02.

Dear Sir,

We are the Lawyers for Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake.

Publicity has been given in various newspapers regarding allegations against our  Client

At present, we bring the following facts regarding her bank accounts and remittances  to your attention and through you, to the Public.  Our Client has been banking exclusively with the National Development Bank (NBD)  since  2010. Our  Client  has declared  all  operative  accounts  that have assets in  her  declaration of assets and liabilities. The Bank has informed our Client that there are a  few non-operative accounts which contain zero balances. There may be non-operative  accounts in  other banks which  our Client operated prior to 30th October 1996, which  our Client believes have been closed.  Our Client was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court on 30th October 1996. Since  then no money whatsoever has been remitted to our Client from abroad or from this  country save and  except from her immediate family (inclusive of her sister) and her  official remuneration.  Our Client’s sister and her husband, who  are employed  as professional  engineers in  Australia, reserved an apartment (for purchase by them) when they were in Sri Lanka.

Thereafter from  time  to  time,  our  Client’s sister  (through her  Australian  bank)  remitted sums of Australian dollars for the purchase of the Apartment. This was later  converted to Sri Lankan Rupees by NDB. In Sri Lankan Rupees it was approximately  Rs.27 Million. Our Client, by cheques, directly remitted to the seller in installments a  sum of approximately Rs 27 Million. The Bank has confirmed these transactions.

The sum of Rs.34 Million mentioned in your news item is not accurate. The sum of  Rs.19  Million approximately  mentioned in  your  news item is  a part of  the  aforementioned purchase consideration of approximately Rs.27  million. There  was  never a remittance of Rs 34 Million into our Client’s account.

In the circumstances, in summary:

(a)  our Client has declared all her operative bank  accounts having assets in her  declaration of assets and liabilities; and

(b)  after her appointment  as  a judge of  the  Supreme Court our Client  has  not  received any remittances from anyone in Sri Lanka or abroad save and except  the remuneration as a judge and the remittances from her immediate family.

Thus clearly there has been no financial impropriety on her part.  Our Client totally denies the other allegations and can easily refute them.  Our Client instructs us to state that she will, as always, continue to duly and properly  discharges her duties without fear or favour; she will do so, independently, impartially  and fearlessly in accordance with the Law.

Read the original text sent to MTV here

Read the original text sent to ‘The Island’ Newspaper here

Read the original text sent to ‘Ceylon Today’ Newspaper here

 

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Latest comments

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    BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO AT A TIME PEOPLE ARE SCARED OF WHITE VANS PEOPLE ONLY READ,AND ITS A GREAT SOURCE OF STRENGTH TO SEE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO WILL STAND UP TO AN UNEDUCATED THUG WHO IS SET FOR GENERATIONS. HE IS IN HIDING AND GETS THE SHAMELESS PUPPETS ON HIS STRING TO DANCE LIKE THE “RILAWAS ” WE SEE ON THE ROADS WITH THEIR KEEPERS.
    IF THIS MAN WAS HONOURABLE WILL HE KEEP HIS BROTHER IN LAW WHO WAS A UNKNOWN TEA PLANTER WHO HAD MILLIONS IN FOREIGN CURRENCY AND A THREE MILLION ROLEX WATCH AS CHAIRMAN SRI LANKAN AIRLINES.WHERE IS THE TAX MAN WHERE IS THE BOOTLICKER CABRAAL WHERE IS THE CUSTOMS.THIS WAS A SERIOUS OFFENCE.
    RATTARANG AS HE WA THEN CALLED MINISTER PORT HAD A BRIBERY CHARGE FOR UNACCOUNTED 800 MILLION, CASE UNDER CARPET.CRICKET IN THE DOLDRUMS WITH NISHANTHA RANATUNGA ANOTHER TOP HORA WHO GAVE ALL THE MONEY FOR A STADIUN IN SURIYAWWEA.YHE LIST IS ENDLESS.
    THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD CHARGE THESE RASCALS FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.HE THOUGHT THAT YOU WILL RESIGN GREAT YOU ARE MADE OF GOOD FIBRE. UNFORTUNATELY YOU OBVIOUSLY BELIEVING IN THE DEPATHNAYA ALLOWED YOUR HUSBAND TO ACCEPT A CARROT THAT WAS DANGLED IN FRONT OF HIM.THE OTHER WAS YOUR POSING FOR A PICTURE WITH THE SYNTHETIC LAWYER NAMAL.THESE ARE NOT CRIMES FOR IMPEACHMENT.THE WHOLE COUNTRY WILL BE WITH YOU AS YOU GAVE JUDGEMENTS ON FACT AND NOT TO PLEASE.YOUR GURA PEIRIS IS A SHAMELESS SUCKER ALL FOR A PORTFOLIO.

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    Our veddahs in Dambana and elsewhere are more honourable than this Native Vedda. His racialist remark is an insult to right thinking Sinhala people.

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      Saman Wijesiri says:

      “Our veddahs in Dambana and elsewhere are more honourable than this Native Vedda”

      Have you met them all?

      You say:

      “His racialist remark is an insult to right thinking Sinhala people.”

      You don’t need a Vedda to insult Sinhala people. Just like their Tamil brethren they have been doing it to themselves for many thousands of years.

      I sometimes wonder how they manage to do it to themselves. It needs different kind of skills. Sinhalese together with their Tamil brethren are best at self destruction, self harm, flawless stupidity, ………etc.

      I can see the right thinking Sinhala people electing the right kind of leadership with right kind of policies in elections after elections. If the successive Sinhala leadership was/is not an insult to Sinhala people then what is?

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        Saman wouldn’t have to have met any of the Sri Lankan Veddahs to realise that you are a small-minded racist.

        Your behavior in this forum makes it obvious to everyone, NV. The only reason they don’t tell you so is because of the legendary politeness of Sri Lankan people, their tolerance, and their respect for their Indigenous people.

        Taking the name of “Native Vedda” (without an h) betrays your origins though, troll.

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          Dr Romesh Senewiratne says:

          ” The only reason they don’t tell you so is because of the legendary politeness of Sri Lankan people, their tolerance, and their respect for their Indigenous people.”

          Politeness, tolerance, respect are words that has no meaning in Sri Lanka. All you have to do is to read the history of the island since
          1915, riots against Muslims (Tamil Sinhala cooperation against Muslims)

          1946 – 48 disenfranchisement of million people who contributed to the economy for many decades amid most arduous working conditions. (Tamil Sinhala unity against the working class)

          !956, 1958, 1977, 1983 riots against the Tamils.

          30 years of war which killed many innocent people.

          1971, 18,000 innocent Sinhala youth lost their life.

          1987 – 91 an estimated 130,000 innocent Sinhala youth lost their life.

          Ethnic cleansing of Muslims by your brethren Tamil LTTE.

          2,500 years of genocide which continues to this day.

          It is my people’s politeness, tolerance, respect for human life, simple living that you should be celebrating not the Sinhala/Tamil bigotry, greed, caste consciousness, parochialism, xenophobia,me me society, ………………….

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          Native Vedda,

          Very good response to Romesh but I must say that the people – Sinhala, tamil and muslim – appear to be at last waking up and showing tolerance towards each other, except of course for the die-hard racists – the JHU, Weerawansa and their like. The concern shown by many to the excesses of the Rajapaksa regime, particularly his attempts to push through the Divineguma bill in order to deny devolution to the tamil people, is commendable.

          BTW, your earlier comment regarding the tamil law firm representing the CJ, I feel has been misunderstood by many. This is a shame as your contributions before have never revealed any evidence of racism. Best wishes.

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    The entire country knows now what motivated the regime to impeach Chief Justice. Cooking up charges, no doubt, must be a shoddy job done in haste. Many more slips might start showing soon!

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    “SILENCE IS GOLDEN”. The present CJ has been and is silent over the false and fabricated charges of the GOSL since she knows the real truth. All, including those who originated this impeachment and those stupid signatories who signed blindly know very well that it was hurriedly done with the sole idea of ousting her as she has given the recent verdicts very bravely and according to her conscience as per the laws of the country which is not palatable at all to the present regime. We should hail such a personality with integrity and JUSTICE IS THE ONLY THING LEFT for the majority (maybe over 95%) of the Sri Lankans. Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ and all the religious leaders and most of the top and highly respected leaders of the World have been silent whenever they were accused with fabricated and bogus charges. This is the method this Very Honourable Lady has followed and has obtained the services of a Law Firm to counter the bogus charges. This has now boomeranged towards the GOSL which is full of thieves, rapists, extortionists, criminals and drug dealers. This lady is not only suitable to be the CJ but as the President of Sri Lanka instead of a highly corrupted and proved criminal behind impunity. Sri Lankans should not make the mistake again to elect to this highest position a person with lots of family members around as politicians. Long Live Justice in Sri Lanka.

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    My question is in the parliament select committee, there are seven members representing govt. and four from opposition. Therefore because of their higher margin vote, the govt. has a better chance of winning the impeachment ( 7 to 4 ) even though CJ could prove her innocence. Therefore if CJ loose by injustice, could she take this case to Commonwealth courts or Hauge or International courts or UN to get justice, as Sri Lanka is a member state of these. If anybody with Law knowledge could answer. Thank you.

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      Kamal, you have a very good point. Yes, CJ and all those who support this Lady should be prepared for that. If not, it will be a loosing battle. All of us know that she is innocent, brave and honest in all her dealings – maybe there could be minor lapses as human beings which is negligible when compared to the crimes committed by the politicians.

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        Thank you Ronny for your answer. You make me happy. Lets pray CJ win this case. Thanks.

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      No thats it.

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      NO, NO, AND NO. THere is NO relief for her if she loses here – which she will do even if the best legal representation is given to her. The thug Sarath Silva put an end to that when he ruled that UN rulings have no authority here.

      Only the people (and the monks) can make a difference in the way that this plays out – politically. Not the law. The law is useless.

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    Also I have another question…If the select committee verdict finds that the CJ Impeachment is fraudulent, and the 117 signatures were taken by duress means, or signatories signed without reading the motion, could the CJ file for damages for fraud and impeach the 117 signatories…. I need your help brainy Lawyers. Thank you…. I feel like becoming a Lawyer now….but too old….It’s becoming exciting and interesting every day. TY.

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      Are you kidding! The Select Committee is full of 7 yes men from the Govt. would they dare go against the rulers dictate?
      The result is a foregone conclusion. We now have to salvage the remains and build a rearguard action to pull the carpet from under the ruler’s feet, so he falls head first, nothing else will do.

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      The parliament vote is the final- the committee is only a prelude.

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    Is the Court of public opinion finally changing. I see no real defenders of the realm anymore. Where have they disappeared to all of a sudden? Are they sulking or completely re thinking their opinions as their slavish sucking up has finally made them realize it could be them next in line!!!

    The Govt. stooges have most to fear from their own Govt. now.

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    I herd that Govt. have mixed up dates in the motion on charges 9 and 11 which is a grave mistake. Better MR run away now and hide without waiting for the AUSPICIOUS time that could impeach him and imprison. Other wise it will become a SUSPICIOUS time. Who ever gave him the AUSPICIOUS time has duped him. Also MR Kotttoruwa (pecking bird) jumped pecking from tree to tree. But now got entangled it’s head to the CJ Banana tree HOLE and cannot get out. Let him perish there.

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    All i can say about all these comments made in relation to this case is that, i am very ashamed that this discriminations between tamils and sinhalese are still there even after the Rajapakshe family has declared that the LTTE is wiped out?
    People like Pandukabaya de Silva and his comments is why this country is not progressing and its still struggling to grow to the next level.
    To all others who take this case as it is, a client approach a law firm to appear in court for her case, there is a saying,
    “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience. ~ Mark Twain”

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      SriLankanCitizen: Quote:People like Pandukabaya de Silva and his comments is why this country is not progressing and its still struggling to grow to the next level.”Unquote. Where did he quote??

      When so many lies have accumulated the truth lies not on the leaves of the tree but at its very roots.

      I hate victims who respect their executioners. Jean –Paul Sartre.

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        Satre is spelled like this, Julian.

        Have you read the book, or just been given a list of quotes to choose from?

        I understand you are rather caste-conscious. Are you convinced of our “breeding” now? Sure we aren’t “impure” like you think your own Indigenous people that you once called “untouchable” are?

        In an endeavour to understand one of your general abuses of Sri Lankan people, the Singhalese race and the Sinhala language, I did a bit of Wikipedia research into the caste system in India. I was shocked! Shocked that this system is still operating, with terms like “scheduled caste”, “scheduled tribe” and “scheduled backward classes”. Even with bureaucratic anagrams of SC, ST and SBC. And a system of ordering and classifying the “castes” the Brahmins believed were “unnecessary” to be permanently enslaved and slowly killed in concentration camps (“reservations”).

        Scheduled for what, I wondered? And why was the British government and Indian Congress conspiring to built “reservations” for these “backward” castes, tribes and classes and promise “affirmative action”? What did these terms mean in a military sense, from a strategic sense in a mind like that of Winston Churchill?

        The same extermination policy approved by Churchill in Australia, was evidently planned, also, for the “useless eaters” in India. It too, was modified after Churchill was voted out of office. In India, negative eugenics program was characterised by a mindless bureaucracy of obedient brown clerks and were “managed” by those with “European blood” under the watchful eye of the Hindu Master Caste, the Brahmins. It was the continuation, enshrined in the Indian Constitution of 1950, of a carefully planned and executed British genocide where the “lowest castes and tribes” of British India would be put to slavery till they died of fatigue, starvation, thirst, hunger, infectious diseases and poisons. Churchill was an extremely heartless man.

        In India, the targets of this planned program of slavery and genocide of the “natives” throughout the “British Empire” were shaped by the same prejudices, racism, classism and elitism, as elsewhere but with caste-ism added in. Part of the test for being a member of the “literate” upper class was to know the difference between “caste” and “cast”. English, poor Julian, is a very cruel language, and the British are proud of this. Have you ever watched Monty Python or Yes Minister?

        Senguttuvan has addressed you as both Julian and Wulian. He has also mentioned he’d like to meet you in Spain, sometime. When I told my mother you were a “Eurasian born in Sri Lanka” she said “you mean a Burgher”? You’ve also said that the “Principals” in your family business happen to be Dutch. Elsewhere you have recommended an old Burgher writer, by the name of Emil van der Poorten, who you announced had come back to Sri Lanka from Canada, and how his family was under threat, because of their land claims. This is what I have inferred, please correct me if I am wrong. I was just wondering about your heritage and breeding.

        When you first attacked me in this newspaper, the Colombo Telegraph, it is clear that you had been told various things about me, and assumed others. You knew, for example, that I played the guitar and drums, that my “pop” as you called him, is a “Sinhala Doctor” had given the excuse that he couldn’t go to “Geneve” because of his supposed obligations to his patients. You also publicly insulted me as needing medication for some sort of “mental illness” you insinuated I had, and that, I was lying when I said I was a doctor. I suppose, in your classy terminology, the relevant conversations went something like this:

        “he’s a nutjob, it’s his pop whose the REAL doctor, you know…he’s related to the Bandas you know”…”vich bandas?”…”you know, the buggers who own all that land out Veyangoda way, thousands of acres…we were neighbours, back then…our family also owned a lot of land”….”you mean CBK and crowd…their lot?”

        Yes, Julian, I’ve heard how you lot talk,and it’s not pleasant on the ears (even if some ARE music teachers and run “music schools” and singing classes).

        I’ve also heard rumours that a Troll attacking “yellow robed terrorists” in these hallowed pages is on the loose! Know anything about that? (No, Mango, I do enjoy extracting information from trolls…helps me diagnose them, you see)

        BTW, Senguttuvan and Gamini: Is it true that this chap is with the BJP? He’s obviously a flag-bearer for Narendra Mori. Mori apparently launched himself into cyberspace, while polishing up his English skills for his tilt at the Indian PM job. His “ELECT ME IN 2014 AND I’LL SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN SL IN 3 DAYS!” campaign. Came in with a charge, didn’t he?!

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          Romesh:Quote:“he’s a nutjob, it’s his pop whose the REAL doctor, you know…he’s related to the Bandas you know”…”vich bandas?”…”you know, the buggers who own all that land out Veyangoda way, Unquote
          You are ranting what is Veyangoda?? Some village cesspit. You get entangled to many on the forum and attribute everything to your prey- have a life romesh.

          You are just nothing but Bla Bla Bla without authentic content and if you had I would listen.

          In search of solace you take refuge at random.

          As if you have not noticed that I have mentioned Jean Paul Sartre before on the very site you were trying to impress upon me about your granddad (as if I care about your past today) you are also aware that I studied French. Sorry, your problem is from your family background and then finally the place that you live- the ones who stole the sheep were sent down under. You are unable to integrate with the locals and that is serious. My niece born and bred in Canberra and into Mining Engineering is very much Australian and prefers to live there than the US. She will definitely teach you English with the honours she received in English Literature at the same time. This last to you and mum: The folk who married the Dutch were known as Dutch Burgers, while the folk that married the English were known as Eurasian, also there is a part of Eastern Europe known as where the Eurasians live- please don’t get messy we know who we are.

          I enjoy some here because they are very thick and it’s possible to add a sense of humour to it.

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      Use your eyes carefully, you moron. I only said ‘good and measured comment? bravo Chief Justice’? See my initial post.

      If people can’t even read properly, bow can a serous contribution to a debate be expected of them??

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      Srilankan Citizen says:

      “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience. ~ Mark Twain”

      Precisely for the above reason I don’t argue with you.

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    Well done madam, Srilankan,s can see the motive of Rangoja and his clan to defame the CJ for not towing their line.But madam I have an issue with you when Rangoja,s son came to to courts to take oath (obtained 98 marks for the Law of contract paper and this is the first time in the history of law college according to Rawaya news paper article.Law college principal was made a presidents council recently for this favor.)you shouldn’t have gone there to receive this bogus lawyer who brought disrepute to thelaw college of this country.In the eyes of law any and every one is equal even they come from different back grounds.He may be president’s son he should have been treated like any other.In my opinion this action has brought your credibility in doubt to a certain extent.

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      Lanka is not England its got a long way to go.
      Its very difficult even for a sitting MP to see the PM however rich he is. The third house is very active.

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      The reason was CJ knew the MARA game plan and was waiting for her turn. It’s like baiting a fish or how a cat catch a mouse etc. MR woodpecker this time PECKED THE WRONG TREE and fell into her trap. Take my word once this case is over, even a Kakkussi Karaya (Shit bucket carrier ) won’t respect MARAS or their 117 plus robbers including the yellow robe ganaya. I don’t give a damn shit to them who lowered our country to a bottomless pit who GOT LONDON KUNU BITTARA (ROTTON EGG) TREATMENT. IT’S TIME FOR ALL TO TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY FROM THIS HAMBA HORA SATAKAYA COWARDS AND LET’S START THE STRUGGLE WITH THE HON. LADY CJ.

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      I don’t know if you have noticed this.. Lion that where ever MR goes he takes his 20 to 30 odd camera and reporter crew specially on foreign tours. He does this by purpose to get these photos published to show local population that he is a person of dignitary Hon,Exc, Phd,MDB,SOB,MAD…., just to get their VOTE. If you see the newspapers you could see this.(Russia, UK,USA, UN,Australia,Swaziland are a few) But now most of them knowing this avoid these photo shoots with him. Therefore CJ couldn’t avoid this forced request fell on her. So you have to forgive her. This is how dictators behave. Read history. Also there must be an inquiry into the one and only genius Law scholar Namal Rajapakse…how he obtained 98 marks, writhing the test paper alone in an AC room and with a computer beside. Hope I answered enough to satisfy your question.

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    Common Mdm Shirani B. Leave the CJ post graciously and organize with people for the next presidential election not far away. Be the president and bring the glory back to our motherland. YOU CAN WIN AS PEOPLES CANDIDATE.

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      Lion,
      Don’t jump to conclusions, judging by the responses here in this blog.
      This regime, led by semi-literates, were voted by the masses who are either illiterates or are semi-literates.
      Also the masses have no access to independent media to know the truth,
      since the local media is heavily controlled by the regime.
      There is only a mnority of educated, honourable citizens in this country after the exodus of many out of this island.

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    There are important issues to discuss, but the are worried about CJ’s Tamil lawyer. People are sick, the British started the division among the Tamils and Sinhalese, then the Indians took it to the next level by giving training and arms. In India 627 million people do not have access to toilet. The Indian railways is the largest open toilet in the world. So now the question for every Tamil, why would go behind the people who do not even build toilets for their own people? Now the question for the Sinhalese, why are you treating your own countrymen so badly and forcing then to get a help from the people who do not have even access to toilets?

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      Why r u connecting Tamils with India?

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        The Tamils have a lot to do with India. You are immature in politics, please do not visit this website and ask silly questions. I only opened my mouth after I competed my business degree and red hundreds of history and political books. People like you have too much freedom to say and act, but have no idea how to value your own freedom. This is one of the reasons Sri Lanka has been fighting since 1948. China would have kept you silence and forced you to do what you are good at it. That is why China is becoming the superpower. We have too many idiots with too much freedom in the Indian subcontinent. This is the reason we can’t spent our time wisely and train ourselves to excel in sport, music, acting, education etc. We have too much freedom that is why we are wasting our time to get more freedom to distroy us and our fellow countrymen.

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    There are important issues to discuss, but the are worried about CJ’s Tamil lawyer. People are sick, the British started the division among the Tamils and Sinhalese, then the Indians took it to the next level by giving training and arms. In India 627 million people do not have access to toilet. The Indian railways is the largest open toilet in the world. So now the question for every Tamil, why would you go behind the people who do not even build toilets for their own people? Now the question for the Sinhalese, why are you treating your own countrymen so badly and forcing then to get a help from the people who do not have even access to toilets?

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    There are important issues to discuss, but people are worried about the CJ’s Tamil lawyer. People are sick, the British started the division among the Tamils and Sinhalese, then the Indians took it to the next level by giving training and arms. In India 627 million people do not have access to toilet. The Indian railways is the largest open toilet in the world. So now the question for every Tamil, why would go behind the people who do not even build toilets for their own people? Now the question for the Sinhalese, why are you treating your own countrymen so badly and forcing then to get a help from the people who do not have even access to toilets? Don’t you think time to growup whether you are a Tamil or Sinhalese?

    Please remove the first two comments, because I did few changes.

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      Antany Peter says:

      ” In India 627 million people do not have access to toilet.”

      Would you help them by building a few out of goodness of your heart?

      You say:

      “People are sick, the British started the division among the Tamils and Sinhalese”

      When British started the division the Tamils and Sinhalese were so stupid they could not see through British agenda.

      Kill the Vedda, rob the Buddha, blame the Sudda.

      Dravidian Tamils and Aryan Sinhalese are two unique races indeed united in their common heritage being stupid all the time.

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        Hey, Toilets- They have 1/3 of the world’s diabetic patients and that’s a 300million counting.
        BTW : There are no Aryans even in India but Pseudo Aryans like Nehru the Kashmiri so his daughter married Feroze Gandhi a Parse (Indo European) whom Hitler respected because of purity of blood and the British too because they think different- no cast divisions were exhibited then but now yes.TATA crowd wont marry ABAN.

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    Whatever the allegations are made against Mrs. Shirani Bandaranayake like any other citizen she has the democratic right to instruct lawyers to defend herself. That is OK.

    Her lawyers letters would be scrutinized by the international world. I think she could have instructed lawyers who are well educated in English language and able to write professional letters in English.

    These letters lack any professional standard and they sound as these lawyers are thinking in Tamil and putting them in English.

    These letters reflect lack of professional standard in the legal profession.

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      Looks like you have better command in English. Why don’t you point out the mistakes.
      These firms are there for many years and have reputation over their professional activities.

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    It was Native Vedda and not Pandukabaya de Silva who made the racist comments.

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      Actually, now that I reallly read Native Vedda’s later comments, I am more and more convinced that this was word baiting which he used satirically to draw the more foolish of these commentators out! Mischievous but entertaining!

      Am I correct Native Vedda? Please enlighten.

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        Pandukabaya de Silva

        Perhaps anarchism sometimes help to clarify and expose bigots. You know what I mean.

        As a seasoned commentator in this forum you would have noticed many things others would not have seen through.

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          @ Native Vedda. Yes, great post/s by you, I must say. How many fell for it! Even those well intentioned.

          In this world of mediocrity that we are drowning in, this is refreshing.

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    Why can’t Dr.Bandaranayke advice her sister to send money to the developer directly. Wasn’t it her own money going out of the country through a black route and coming back as foreign remittance. Her husband is a very honest banker so he doesn’t know these ugly tricks.

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      Sorry you are wrong there. Everybody looks for the best exchange rate so thats the best and legal way to beat “de facto currency” 22% and receive. Totally legal- you would but you have no idea or perhaps its not yours.

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      You ask anyone living abroad. Will they trust the building firm or their family more?

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      Bandaranayake had the power of attorney for her sister. Any one who had bought a property in Sri Lanka should know that (may be unlike in the West, which is the best) that money is paid at the time the deed is written. Money must pass at the time of the deed and the Notary Public (not Public Notary as said in the badly-drafted impeachment motion) must certify whether the money was paid at the time. If paid by cheque (as in this case) the number of the cheque must be given. Who is the fool who is going to send the money to the seller before the deed is written? May be there are such fools in the West that is best. Now when the going is not good apologists for the MR regime, who think the West is the best, say CJ must have sent the money to Australia earlier. This is just surmising. How low can these people be? If CJ has done any wrong, she must face the music, I agree. But nothing should be cooked up. MP Anuruddika Fernando who was one of the MPs who handed over the impeachment motion to the Speaker said at a meeting in Kurunegala that CJ is being impeached because of the Supreme Court decision on Divineguma. So, the cat is out of the bag. this regime does not tolerate dissent. Ministers, MPs and now judges are all expected to toe the MR line.

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      @West is the best, I think you haven’t send a single buck to out side your country or you haven’t received anything from your relatives. then you will understand what was happened. Transferring foreign currency to local bank is legal and you can exchange at any time. no one can question. you may ask question when someone receive million worth of foreign currency in to your local bank account. this inquiry is to make sure your receive the money legally and not from any criminal activities or related to terrorism. but bank already took the necessary charges and you can exchange at any time.

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    one conclusion is, people who are talking about N&N law firm don’t know anything about Firm’s history. more than that these people with zero knowledge in legal system.

    i think they need to spend some time to read about N&N firm and study the cases and clients N&N appeared. We have fools in our island to talk about law firms and legal system and make racism out of it.

    I think CT should remove these kind of comments when people talking nonsense about country’s legal system and firms specially racism. I respect the freedom of expression but CT should not allow racism through comments. This is how everything stated, when the war was going, same people were talking about where Tamils came from and what they should do rather than talking about Tamils hardships during the war… what happened to 100000s of people?

    You all see the comments above, most of them are not related to the context, but replied to ‘native vedda’s comment. tomorrow someone will write a false allegations about N&N firm(this is a common practice of state media, no surprise since this is fully owned Tamil firm, people like idiots Vedda can simply make allegations N&N sponsored by diaspora then probably by LTTE).

    It will take readers into next level of comment fight which will give less important to the context and the seriousness of the present issue in this country.

    CT, please remove all the racism related comments at least for this news item. Hope CT can revisit and remove all racism comments.

    We need to respect the legal firms who have guts to represent cases like this. this is a minority’s firm (still no one can touch N&N in anyways and their history has proved that) and people like vedda force CT readers to write racism comments. This will bring unwanted comments which is not related to this news in anyways.

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      LOL:

      “people like idiots Vedda can simply make allegations N&N sponsored by diaspora then probably by LTTE).”

      I just want to clarify one thing and one thing only.

      I am not an idiot but bit thick.

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        yes, seems you are really embarrassed by my comment. forgot to mention that people like ‘Native Vedda’. You can be thin or thick that’s not a problem here and we don’t mind. You should not call your self, you are not an idiot. Your comment should tell who you are… and it does!!!

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          the thickness is all about “mind over matter” as clear as that.

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          LOL

          What is your point if there is one?

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    I guess we have better things to look into then think about the lawyer’s race Sinhala or Tamil. I thought that we had very prominent Tamil lawyers.
    http://www.mnlaw.lk/
    Partners
    Kandiah Neelakandan
    (Precedent Partner)
    Sashidevi Neelakandan
    Saravanan Neelakandan
    Kandiah Neelakandan

    Called to the Bar: February 1970
    Number of Years with the Firm:
    41 Years – currently the Precedent Partner of the Firm
    Academic/Professional Qualifications:
    ◦Attorney-At-Law, Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (1970)
    Areas of Practice:
    ◦Banking and Finance
    ◦Foreign Investment
    ◦Syndicate loans and Structured Finance
    ◦Energy / Power Project
    ◦Insolvency / Corporate Restructuring
    ◦Telecommunication and IT
    Work Experience: January 1970 – to date: Neelakandan & Neelakandan

    Consultants
    S. ThuraiRaja
    M. Kiritharan
    Name:
    S. ThuraiRaja
    Called to the Bar:1969
    Number of Years with the Firm:
    32 Years – currently the Consultant to the Firm
    Academic/Professional Qualifications:
    ◦Solicitor of England & Wales (1994 );
    ◦Attorney-At-Law, Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (1969)

    Areas of Practice:
    ◦Intellectual Property
    ◦Conveyancing / Real Estate
    Work Experience:
    – to date: Murugesu & Neelakandan

    Associates

    A. H. Sumathipala
    M. D. R. Mannapperuma
    Shehani Ratnaweerage
    Angelin Niroshan
    Mohamed Irshad
    Pratheepa Sriskandarajah
    Julian Francis
    Pranavan Neelakandan
    Maya Jayarathne

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      Vipula

      Thanks for your clarification.

      I feel much better.

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      Looks like a well set, experienced and well qualified firm. Never herd before but know now. Already gone international. Great.

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    The many comments on this matter reflect a lot about what goes on in the vengeful domain of Sri Lanka politics; some hilarious, others sublime and a few frankly ridiculous. It is true that a community deserves the government that it elects, even if many or most around this specific discussion would have never imagined the Machiavellian extents to which this current regime has gone to entrench itself for perpetuity as rulers of this land.
    This happens when elected representatives of the people and those holding high office shed their character.
    For instance, summarising some of the comments already stated above,

    -why were these MP-s allowed to cross over (rather than resigning and standing for office again on this important matter of principle – and puleeeeeze don’t tell me that elections cost money, for they are held quite whimsically in Sri Lanka) and vote with the government on the 18th amendment?

    -what did the constituents do to voice their protest (assuming of course that they are aware of their fundamental rights as electors)?

    -why was the petition at the supreme court relating to this dismissed, when it was patently oppositional to the mandate on which these MP-s were elected?

    -why was it deemed ‘appropriate’ (even if legal) for the spouse of the CJ to accept a high profile position in a government owned institution?

    -why did the CJ participate in the taking of oaths of Rajapakse ‘the younger’ outside of normal traditions, giving rise to so much of adverse comment from a confused public?

    and the list goes on.

    By the way, has anyone noted the scale of the protests now happening in Argentina, where the people are seeking redress from the high inflation, massive corruption and (specifically) a concern that President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner is thought to be seeking to effect a constitutional change to grant her the right to be President in perpetuity… (sound familiar?)
    QED.

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      No, “Easton Scott”. You are misinformed.

      Elections are not held “quite whimsically” in Sri Lanka. They are held in accordance with the Sri Lankan Constitution and various laws and customs in Sri Lanka that have evolved over the past five-thousand-or-so years, by Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka. It’s a complex history, and you are likely to learn a great deal about it in this forum. Suffice to say these customs include courtesy and friendliness, for which Sri Lankans are famed.

      But they say fools rush in where angels know not to tread. Or maybe they should, whoever “they” are, when it comes to commenting on politics and the law…It’s not all about fear…though there seems to be a bit of fear-mongering in a propaganda exercise to convince the “IC” that “under” the popular Sri Lankan government things are “worse than it was during the Tigers Time” and that “Now Rajapaksa is going to turn his guns on his own people”. They’ve been talking rubbish about non-existent “genocide” and “concentration camps” in non-existent “Rajapakistan” for many years, while the adjacent genocide and concentration camp (reservation) system of the British Empire has continued, unchallenged and bureaucratically expanded, in India.

      Don’t take it all to seriously, Easton. In fact, don’t take it seriously at all. Just read, and enjoy!

      It’s just pre-election banter and gossip by the cultivated members of the Sri Lankan expatriate community in London and elsewhere….the usual interesting conversations and debates sparked by inflammatory headlines, stories and pictures in the Colombo Telegraph have attracted lots of excited readers and commentators…even a few hostile Indian Trolls have rolled in!

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        Poor guy.. another Dr from kelaniya?

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      Easton:
      That’s a pretty good and open minded analysis of what you have read from this site.
      I witnessed the first socialist/north Korean backed insurrection of the southern Sinhala Buddhist back in the 60’s and then finally Black July of 83 by the Sinhala Buddhist. I have not been there subsequently because there are better places to enjoy .I have not seen the north because I lived in the Capital.

      You may hear the romance of the past glory from folk who have not seen it so that is good for just a moment in time with a glass of wine, a romantic book and by the beach on a moonlight night.

      We live today and can dream of a better tomorrow provided we are realistic today. Reason is not automatic.

      Wealth is the product of man’s capacity to think. How does it sustain its 20 million by sending house maids to the Arabs, garment workers (without GP+ they cannot work but the overvalued dollar at 130 is for imports) and a shrunken agricultural export due to the government driving away the sterling companies and making the land derelict, etc. etc.

      Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.

      “Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others, merely because you were born in it”. Patriotism is to politics what faith is to religion: The unquestioned acceptance of information that is either unverified or that may actually be in conflict with factual evidence.

      “In Sri Lanka Race and Religion have been the incubators of wars”.
      However, no matter what excuse politicians dream up for waging war, the underlying cause of all wars is economic in nature.

      Similar to religion, patriotism is an emotion, as opposed to a rational thought process.

      Everything else is not going to happen because the Sri Lankan politicians by nature are decidedly undecided lot hood winking all the time therefore, like Sikkim, Nagaland it would be wise to have Lanka as a Sinhala Buddhist Secular State of India (that’s how the Brits governed from East India Company Calcutta) Advantages are as 30% reservations for employment, education, subsidized food as in Kashmir so that Tamil Nadu may not break away and the Chinese don’t make it a war zone.

      Then it’s possible to have an island wide referendum like the Scots. Now it goes nowhere and it’s like Franco’s PP hanging onto the citizen where 90% have an I.Q of below 75%.

      Oh Argentina! Que Guapa! Repsol and Spanish/European effect similar to taking over of the sterling estates in Ceylon(70/77) and the folk started looking for food in the bins for the first time.Uduran Kana Pakshya the same rajapakistan.

      They can say what they like but when the Lankans give up going to war they would become civilized.

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    Now the government has nominated seven member team to a Select Committee to investigate the charges in Impeachment Motion against the CJ. One of the member of the above team is a Minister who was caught red handed by his wife when he was in an adultery act with his lady secretary, in his Ministry office, during CBK time. Does he has a any morale right to sit in a committee to Investigate the behavior of CJ (One of the charges against CJ)?

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      Another Minister appointed is alleged to have misused vehicles belonging to a State Corporation under his Ministry for personal use.

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      Family accountable for 70% of national funds
      This is cakes and patteis.

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      I’d imagine, Kotiya (which means both Leopard and Tiger in Singhala, for our Tamil, Hindi, Parsi, Sindhi and other readers, lest you misunderstand), that the morale of all the members of our reformed Sri Lankan judiciary has improved considerably. This turn of events is good. Very good, in fact. And their judgement is sound, in this first step of returning the wealth of Sri Lanka to its rightful owners.

      Not everyone at CT seems to agree that “CJ”, as you call her (or have been told to type), is corrupt. In my opinion, however, she should be sacked, and she should go to jail or permanent exile from this beautiful country, with no right of future ownership of land in Sri Lanka, at the least, for her evident corruption.

      The land and property that she and her “immediate family”
      (Bandaranayake/Bandaranaike/Karyavasam INC) and their ancestors have stolen over the past 200 years should be distributed among its rightful owners – the people of Sri Lanka. With no delay, and despite the expected protestations of the patently corrupt and greedy Banda/Bandara Clan and their Govigama exclusivists. The “landowning caste” has become all bada and no brain.

      Not knowing anything about this woman until Colombo Telegraph published this article, I did some background research on Wikipedia. What I read there about the positions, qualifications and honours bestowed upon Shirani Bandananayaka, her meteoric rise to the powerful position of Chief Justice of the “independent judiciary” in war-time Sri Lanka after being given the OK by Harvard and the UK, made me very suspicious of what she, her family, the British and the Americans had been up to during the entire period of her professional career.

      I started getting a longer perspective on what’s been going on, when I read about the previous “CJ” (one Asoka de Silva) having presided as an “International Judge” in “Trial Chamber III” in the sham “Rwanda Genocide Trials” in Tanzania. I found the “ICJ” and their masonic ring at AI and ICRC are “trying” the victims of the “Rwandan genocide”, in an exercise to framing selected young West African French-speaking Blacks who, the Whites Masons and their brown quislings like Asoka de Silva say “fought with the rebels”.

      They are busy trying to set “legal precedents” against Black Africans, while they, themselves, enjoy impunity for the REAL genocide OF “Black Africans” by the African White Supremacist faction of the Masonic Order and its American, Australian and British allies. And who was in charge of the sham Rwanda Genocide Trial? None other than Indian Tamil South African judge Navi Pillay, who has been trying to frame the GoSL using the same modus operandi being used in Rwanda, using her role at the UNHRC (which is closely connected with the ICJ and ICC).

      THE MEANS OF MASS-MURDER AND GENOCIDE FOR CARPETBAGGING:

      The Cambridge/Harvard secret plan for global genocide has always used the warfare techniques particularly favoured by Churchill and his “Allies” – “unconventional weapons” – ones that were not “banned by treaty”. Chemical, biological, radiological and psychological weapons, in other words.

      This is where Australian scientists and academic lead the way in the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s. They had the greatest scientific expertise in killing people by destroying their immune systems using germ warfare. The program was top secret in the 1950s, when there was a clandestine arms race, led by Melbourne, to “get there first”. To develop “killer germs”…”killer bugs”…and then “killer-viruses”. It turned out to be a lucrative industry, but it had long been known that the privatization of warfare would make a lot of money for those who invested in “biomedicals” and “atypicals” and “pharmaceuticals”.

      The identity of the biological, zoological, pharmaceutical and chemical companies that had “security clearance” to manufacture and develop such agents has always been “classified”. But the big names in biological and chemical warfare today suggests that Belgian, Swiss and Jewish businessmen were first in on the market. The Saudi Royal Family and United Arab Emirates provided capital, which was distributed to various “trusts” and “funds”. The Tamils and Singhalese of South India and Ceylon were middle-men, doctors, accountants and engineers.

      It is sad to contemplate the pillage of the treasure of Ratnadvipa – Ratnadipa – Island of Gems – and its mysterious, fabulously wealthy capital city: Ratnapura – City of Gems or more directly translated, Gem (Ratna)-City (Pura): The Gem City in the Pearl of the Crown of the Empire…looted by the savages of Eurasia, when it belonged to the civilized people of Gondwana.

      The Indigenous languages of our part of the world, including those of cultures in Africa, India, Lanka and Australia are all related as are our people. The British, of whom Churchill is just one notorious leader, employed a calculated, carefully premeditated strategy to destroy ALL of our languages, so the English could become the “Lingua Franca” of the modern world. And now it has. How very ironic.

      The real history of these sophisticated civilizations, of people who the South African whites differentiated between as “Coloureds” and “Blacks”, but Captain Cook just called “Indians”, “Savages” or “Natives” is still to be discovered, still to be photographed, still to be talked about, discussed, debated and documented. Thank goodness for the Internet Age, Wikipedia and, not to forget CT!

      RETURNING TO THE IMPEACHMENT:

      When I read about Shirani Bandaranayaka’s Tamil “businessman” husband’s role in the National Banking System and the large number of accounts in her name that have been open and closed, any remaining doubt about this couple’s guilt evaporated. They seem to have been caught red-handed trying to hide the loot. Just lists of “closed accounts”. Why were there so many accounts being opened and closed? Sounds like what you’d expect to find if “money-laundering” was going on.

      We’re not talking about millions of rupees that may have been sent in and out of the country, we’re talking about billions of dollars…maybe more. It depends how much a Sri Lankan Rupee is worth compared to an Australian Dollar (and the Rs:SLR:AUD:USD:YEN:EUE:YUAN ratio). And how much it would have been worth if the war had never been inflicted on this peace-loving nation.

      According to the fundamental principles of justice, Domestic and International Law, and Natural Law, all the property stolen by the many profiteers, the carpetbaggers of the LTTE’s declared and promoted, privately-funded “Eelam Wars” I, II, I and IV should be returned to its rightful owners, and those judged guilty by the International Community (which the perpetrators call, officially, the IC) and International Criminal Court (ICC) should be held accountable according to International Law (IL). This much goes without saying.

      A vast amount of gold, jewellery, coins, precious books, writings, sculpture, paintings, furniture, music instruments, photographs, antiques, body parts, human tissue, valuable human tissue samples, native animals and plants (living and dead), entomological specimens and cash was plundered and taken overseas during the “30 year war” with the “Tigers”. More was taken in the first 400 years of European pillage of Lanka/Ilankai including the vast and priceless treasures of Ratnapura, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruma, Kataragama, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Mannar, Jaffna, Kotte, Kandy…and so many other ancient Buddhist and Hindu cities.

      DOCTRINES OF ENDLESS WAR

      Permit me to explain, Mr/s Kraut-Liar, what I understand to be the basic principles of what you people call “Development” and “Industrialization” (with a “z” in the USA and a “s” in England).

      It’s all about the British Bright Idea followed by Cunning Plan of an Industrial Revolution where everyone else’s ideas were stolen by the Brits and claimed to be “Their Idea”. So they invented patent laws, global patent lawyers and legislature, and proceeded in specializing in the mass-production of guns, nails, tyres and precision screws. And the mass-production of drugs. The Brits put themselves forward as the model of a powerful “industrialised economy”, with lots of “hard-working” slaves in factories fuelled by “perpetual warfare”.

      It was assumed that “war generates growth of the empire’s economy”, by plundering the conquered land and stealing all its treasure, of course, by all the European Empires and aspiring empires…long before Hitler publicly announced it, and Mao is said to have repeated the phrase that, as my father loves to say in his arguments for war, “Power Grows through the Barrel of a Gun”…or words to that effect. (When quoting “what Mao said”, its so easy to forget that what one hears is what has been translated from the Chinese script into Anglo-American Cold Warrior Grammar, based on what the “Anti-Soviet Allies” insisted on calling “Mao’s Little Red Book”). This revolutionary guideline for “Maoists” was distributed “on the blackmarket” to one group of “Commie Rebels” and Marx’s literature was distributed to the more intellectual “Marxists”. Then in came the agents provocateur…

      COMPETING WITH THE NASTY NAZIS

      The British called the German Nationalist/Supremacist version of this doctrine “NAZI”, back in the 30s, a Churchill-esquian play on the word “NASTY”, standing for “Nationalist Socialist Party” in German. He made the joke about GERMANS being GERMS, part of the medical lexicon. Medical students were trained to laugh at these sort of quips:

      “Take these pills, we’ve got to kill those nasty Germans…I mean, NAZI germs…sorry, nasty germs!”

      Churchill’s armies of scholars at Oxford and Cambridge universities, “OXBRIDGE” as it was known in the Mother Country, were the masters of expertise in killing, torturing, and extracting knowledge using such things as words, codes, gestures, stress positions. It had long been an asset to them in their quest for global supremacy of the British Educational System the British Academic Tradition and the English (not British) Language…

      Churchill’s language of war became the lingua fascista of Oxford. The extremely official language of the British Empire at War. The Written Word of Churchill. When World War II ended, and World War III began, with the Churchill Publishing House merged with the Livingstone Publishing House, Winston Churchill was free to become the unseen hand behind the MK Programs and other Cold War Mind Control programs.

      From what I have read, Winston “Winnie” Churchill “delighted” in “puns”. He’d think up new rude rhymes about “buns” and “butts”, and a cruel ones about “guns” and “mutts”. He employed his armies of spies and scientists to gather information, make and break codes, and poison the minds and bodies of his “enemies”. He thought up little tricks to confuse, humiliate and embarrass people when he met them. The “subtle put-down”. The double meaning:

      “Ha, Ha, Old Chap, did you hear how Winnie called that little
      Indian fellow, Gandhi, a ‘naked fakir’…..I bet that got them all
      stirred up.”

      “Ha! Ha! Very droll, Old Fellow.”

      “Oh, yes, yes, “fakir” sounds just like “fucker”, doesn’t
      it…haar! haar! bound to make the natives most upset…then he
      can explain how they don’t understand the complexities of English
      spelling and they’re a bit thick, I say…just short of a
      moron…Haaar!
      Haaar! Haaaar! I’ll drink to that!!
      Absolute genius with crushing people in an argument, Winnie is!”

      Churchill, whose cult still reigns in Australia, unfortunately, was also an expert in colonization, and genocide of “useless eaters” for the British Empire. He’d always known how to put a positive “spin” on mass-murder and the benefits of concentration camps as a “humanitarian way of treating the enemy”, when he “reported” about the “progress of the Boer War” – the war he made a name for himself in by “playing the game” and showing that he was “officer material”. He knew how to “keep mum” about what the public “didn’t need to know”. “Loose lips sink ships”, after all.

      CHURCHILL’S WAR GAMES

      Churchill planned a perpetual war, in which the Armies of the British Empire would proudly and publicly triumph in battle after battle of the perpetual war, the “Great Game”, between the “Great Powers”. Then they could have annual, and biannual parades, memorials and marches, where they could pump up their bulging egos with more pomp and pageantry with assorted, stolen war-medals pinned on their puffed-out chests. War Games, “training exercises” and ritual celebrations of “special events” in Churchill’s War History that went on forever, and ever, ad nauseum.

      CHURCHILL’S DISCPLES’ FATTEST GIFT TO MY FAMILY

      Churchill planned, executed and reported on wars all his “professional life”. In this capacity he “gave orders” and “made notes”, with the odd boring speech, always carefully prepared and rehearsed over and again to get his “delivery” right. He gave boring speeches in Parliament and uninspiring drunken rambles to “rouse the troops”, forever getting fatter. He emphasised to the the long-suffering people of the British Isles that he and his men would NEVER SURRENDER!…(rather like some of the LTTE cheerleaders). These dull public appearances of Churchill were routinely reported by his media machine to be a masterpieces of oratory.

      After Russia won the war against AXIS in Germany and the USA defeated Japan with a nuclear bombs, Churchill wrote, rather, he dictated to a “secretary”, his “memoirs”. He called this monumental Cold War propaganda work, his magnus opus, “History of the British Empire”. He was the main star, needless to say.

      Before he was sent on his global mission to spread the word and train the “medical students” in the “underdeveloped world” under the classified section of the Colombo Plan, my father was given the entire series of this “History”. Several large, bound, hard-back (of course) volumes. It was meant to be his Reference Text on History. I have never opened it…

      CONCENTRATION CAMPS AND RESERVATIONS: CHURCHILL’S INDIAN PLAN

      Today, Took the Troll dropped a few hints.

      I followed up on some of the leads he’s given us…

      The commentator with the Code Name of Wuliangguibinjiu, who I have been teasing as being “Pook the Troll”, has slowly revealed his true identity (Senguttuvan, our Tamil elder here, subtly told us that his name is both Julian and Wulian – he is, after all, a frequent traveller to Spain…and elsewhere).

      Julian suggested, being a BJP Indian Nationalist campaigning for a right-wing Gujarat politician called Modi (who he assures us, rather unconvincingly, is known in the West as “Mr Clean”), that Sri Lanka should be made into another state of India and the “Sinhala” race must be made into another “Scheduled Caste” like the other Indigenous people in India…

      Scheduled for what? I wondered.

      So I checked “Scheduled Caste” on Wikipedia, and discovered about Winston Churchill’s adaptation for the “Indian Subcontinent” of the “Concentration Camps” experiments he had reported to his superiors about in South Africa, when he served as a military propagandist and spy for Lord Kitchener, during the Boer War. In South Africa, the target population for death by over-crowding, constriction and slow crushing (“concentration”) was the Boers. Just like the British liked to kill wild boars and make them “squeal”.

      “Squeal, little piggy, squeal! Squeal you black bastard, squeal!”

      The Boers spoke a hybrid dialect of German and Dutch their British enemies couldn’t understand. So the term Double-Dutch, meaning “spoken nonsense”, was added to the long list of British insults, covert and overt, withering, and crushing, and sometimes so very subtle.

      The British have such a cruel culture. In so many ways.

      The Germans enjoyed that sort of thing too, they liked to eat their human bush-meat victims in buns, with a slice of salted-pig since the olden days “Burgers”, “Burghers”…”ham burgers”…So did the Polish, Australians and all the others who participated the most actively and enthusiastically in the Second World War…promoted throughout the world by Churchill’s hate-media, the BBC, as the War to End All Wars.

      And the loyal Indian Royalists and Royalists from the other Colonies, offered to fight against the Royal Enemies. Provided they were allowed to rule themselves when the “War To End All Wars” ended.

      The pre-independence “Indian category” of “Untouchables” included all the people the Brahmins regarded as “unclean”. The Brahmin scriptures taught that they would be made “impure” by touching such people – the dark-skinned Indigenous people of India and Ilankai. These “untouchables” were punished if their body passes within the shadow of a Brahmin. Just the sort of “aristocratic” Indians the British East India Company liked. They had whiter skin, too. Just the sort of chappies the Sahibs needed to keep the natives in their place, and keep them busy.

      The people the British Administration classed as “untouchables”, and tried to exterminate were, I now understand, the Indigenous people, the Original people of India…the last surviving members of the Aboriginal people of India…and British had them all scheduled for “extermination” after the war. Extermination as if they were “pests”. Churchill hated those “pesky Indian pests”. But then he cheered up when he thought of how clever he’d been to have thought of such a witty pun.

      Pook the Troll’s admission of ghastly caste and colour-based prejudices against the Dalit people led me to some startling discoveries about Winston Churchill’s calculated genocide of what his professorial experts advised him were “unnecessary” castes, tribes and classes in India.

      In Winston Churchill’s opinion, and according to the doctrines of Social Darwinism and eugenics, evolution of superior and inferior “blood lines” was part of an ongoing and evolving race, a “struggle for survival” between “rich and poor” between “haves and have-nots”.

      Churchill was born into the “haves” and he was born, according to British law, history and traditions, extremely rich. That is, of course, why he got the jobs, the “plum positions”, he was given. Given by “Royal Assent” because he was “On The Square”, and he was “A Stout Fellow”. Because he was “The Leading Old Boy” and a discreet Mason. He was the best that the hereditary aristocrats of the “British Empire” could manage from among the snobby elite, the “high achievers” among their corpulent spawn. Their little minds over-filled with big words.

      India was, of course, “colonized” (attacked, plundered and enslaved) according to strict Masonic rules about hierarchy (such as who would “Read Out The Riot Act” if their was “restlessness” or signs of “rebellion”, “mutiny” or “civil disobedience”.

      The Dutch administration and system of law in Ceylon was also adjusted to accomodate the Masonic hierarchy of British “Royal” institutions in the school education system. Royal College, Trinity College and the Lions Club are three of the Masonic institutions that are well known. they introduced Cricket and Rugby “tournaments”, teaching the bright young Ceylonese children that these “games” and “matches” were “good” for them. They should “cheer” for their “house”, cheer for their colours, and cheer for their school. But not for Lanka, Ilankai, or even Ceylon. That’s the way Churchill liked things. Ordered. And with total loyalty from the “subjects” of the British Empire. That could be “drummed into them” at school.

      The distant drums of war…and the drummer boy leading the charge…always looking for a place of peace, harmony, tranqillity and timeless beauty.

      Meticulously trained to lead the mob with the big drums and the bigger guns…and then they started making bombs, and the population exploded.

      Time to bring all the bits and pieces back home to Mother Lanka/Ilankai, I think. Including, but only, the missing money. In fact, that’s the least of it.

      Romesh Alagaratnam Senewiratne

      10.11.12

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        you don’t know anything about CJ until Colombo Telegraph published this article? who appointed CJ to this post? if current CJ wanted to go out of country then Sri lankan people (Who have powerful weapon called votes ) will list down 1000s of individual’s name who are looting billions of rupees money. We also did search about you in Wikipedia and couldn’t find anything about you.. what a comment you made

        [she should be sacked, and she should go to jail or permanent exile from this beautiful country, with no right of future ownership of land in Sri Lanka, at the least, for her evident corruption.

        The land and property that she and her “immediate family”
        (Bandaranayake/Bandaranaike/Karyavasam INC) and their ancestors have stolen over the past 200 years should be distributed among its rightful owners – the people of Sri Lanka. With no delay, and despite the expected protestations of the patently corrupt and greedy Banda/Bandara Clan and their Govigama exclusivists. The “landowning caste” has become all bada and no brain.]

        Shall we do the same (What you listed down above) for everyone who are doing this? as a citizen of this country, we can immediately do this. I’m not sure your name also will be in the list, its up to CT’s readers to write here

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    The only difference between native Vadha and Dambane vedha is that Dambane vedha will go on hunting to feed his family where as native vadha will cheat some body to earn his living.

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      Athula M

      How long did you spend to make this observation.

      May I suggest that you got it completely wrong.

      Go back to your field research and collect good authentic verified data which might help you to come to different conclusion.

      By the way have you had any chance of repeating the same controlled experiments among the Tamils and Sinhalese.

      If you have may I have your anthropological conclusion.

      The greatest anthropologist Gananath Obeysekre may have one or two things to learn from you.

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        Gananath Obeysekera the “greatest expert”?

        This fellow in Princeton?

        Who can’t even [Edited out]

        Wants more tissue samples?

        Sounds like the OBEY A SEKARA way!!

        His “anthropology studies” and “lecturing” are patent nonsense.

        Just white-washing history for the White Man…something of a family tradition, I believe…OBEY! SAY “CAR”!

        I only obey and say “car” when I see a car…not just because the boss tells me to say it!

        BTW: We’d like all the collected data and specimens returned.

        We have the right to all of the remains of our family members and friends.

        DR. ROMESH SENALAGARATNAM

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          Gananath Obeysekera; “Just white-washing history for the White Man…”. I cannot agree with you more.

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          Dr Romesh Senewiratne

          Please stop tickling me.

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    I wish courage to the chief justice to face this difficult time. May justice win at last, and may people realize that rule of law is important for a safer envrionment for their young ones. Corruption and nepotism at the top layers of political leadership is ruining the country. Drug gangs are mushrooming under political patronage. Obviously they would see independence of judiciary as a tall wall on their way. May people of Sri Lanka see the value of voicing for their own good.

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    Piranha comments:

    “This is a shame as your contributions before have never revealed any evidence of racism. Best wishes.”

    You are rest assured I am not a racist. If ever I become a racist I will be the first one to tell me off. If you would care to read rest of the comments you will see a barage of racist comments aimed at me.

    I believe Tamils and Sinhalaese should be insulted on a regular basis for their flawless stupidity and I am the right Vedda to do it, of course free of charge.

    Please read comments below that will shed some light:

    Pandukabaya de Silva raised a query:
    November 9, 2012
    2:18 am

    Actually, now that I reallly read Native Vedda’s later comments, I am more and more convinced that this was word baiting which he used satirically to draw the more foolish of these commentators out! Mischievous but entertaining!

    Am I correct Native Vedda? Please enlighten.

    Reply by Native Vedda
    November 9, 2012 8:26 am

    Pandukabaya de Silva

    Perhaps anarchism sometimes help to clarify and expose bigots. You know what I mean.

    As a seasoned commentator in this forum you would have noticed many things others would not have seen through.

    Pandukabaya de Silva’s acknowledgement:
    November 9, 2012
    12:06 pm

    @ Native Vedda. Yes, great post/s by you, I must say. How many fell for it! Even those well intentioned.

    In this world of mediocrity that we are drowning in, this is refreshing.

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    WHAM! Here comes the truth, and the Chief Justice just pulverized the liars and the trumped up charges by producing evidence that makes her accusers the biggest liars. Dirty, disgusting, arrogant criminals, who accuse others of what THEY are doing right now. Perhaps the Rajapaksa’s can now produce their bank documents to show THEIR integrity and honesty. How about that? Be open and honest with the Sri Lankan people, and stop the witch hunt on the Chief Justice.

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    Helping Hambantota investigation
    INTRODUCTION
    The Tsunami funds scandal popularly known as the Helping Hambantota case
    On December 26, 2004 a devastating Tsunami hit Sri Lanka’s southern and Eastern Coastline. It rendered hundreds of thousands homeless and took the lives of 30,000 Sri Lankans. In the wake of that Tsunami Sri Lanka was to receive more goodwill and financial aid than it had ever done before. At that time Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse was still Prime Minister. It would only be in the election of November 2005 that he would take over as President. Overwhelmed by the tragedy and moved by the plight of its victims money poured in from every corner of the world. My investigations found Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister was siphoning off Tsunami funds into a private account maintained in his father’s name. I then wrote a series of investigative articles, which ultimately resulted in Mr Mahinda Rajapakse returning most of the money. By this time then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse had identified me as more than a nuisance in his climb to power. Articles 2-4 are part of that investigation.
    EXCLUSIVE
    (1)The Disappearing Tsunami Millions From The PM’s Fund
    http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20050703/spotlight.htm
    The disappearing tsunami millions from the PM’s fund

    The Presidential directive which was flouted and Shiranthi Rajapakse’s letter to Hatton National Bank

    Amounts claimed to have been received for ‘Helping Hambantota’

    HELPING HAMBANTOTA – The Investigation by the Press:
    “By Sonali Samarasinghe
    Published 03 July 2005: Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and a handful of select officials have siphoned off a colossal Rs. 82 million of monies given to the Prime Minister’s Fund as tsunami relief and reconstruction, into a private account called ‘Helping Hambantota’ maintained at the Standard Chartered Bank in direct violation of Presidential directives. The actions of the Prime Ministerial team may also raise serious issues, which may border on offences under the Public Property Act, given that the four signatories to the account are private persons not connected to the Prime Minister’s office.
    Signatories to the account
    The signatories to this account are Prof. Epasinghe, a long time friend of the Prime Minister, who does not work in the PM’s office but is paid a salary of Rs. 40,000 plus fuel expenses. Mahinda Gunawardena, another loyalist, Deputy Minister, Plantation Industries and brother of the Prime Minister, Chamal Rajapakse and Udaya Abeyratne of the Road Development Authority who is the chief accountant of the Prime Minister’s ‘Maga Neguma’ Project. The account named ‘Helping Hambantota’ maintained at the Rajagiriya branch of the Standard Chartered Bank bears A/C No. 01-1237322-01 and as at June 29, had an account balance of Rs. 103,094, 966 (over Rs. 103 million). The account is still receiving funds and recently a direct cash deposit of Rs. 54,200 was made.
    If there was one time in the history of Sri Lanka that prompted worldwide sympathy and good will towards the nation it was the days after the tsunami. Apart from government to government pledges, private companies, the Sri Lankan diaspora, NGOs and foreign missions literally sent sacks of money to the country to meet the urgent needs of the tsunami affected.
    Many of these donations made its way to Mahinda Rajapakse as prime minister of Sri Lanka. Certainly money was flowing in, and steadily. At the time no special accounts

    The cheque for Rs. 82 million transferred from the PM’s fund to the private ‘Helping Hambantota’
    were in existence and the Prime Minister was in control in the absence of the President who was still in London. For a Prime Ministerial team to then arbitrarily decide with no official record of the fact except a verbal assurance by the PM’s Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga that a large chunk of these moneys was given especially for the reconstruction of Hambantota raises serious issues of public accountability and transparency.
    In any event all donations received by the Prime Minister or by the Prime Minister’s office were donations given to the country as a whole and not to Mahinda Rajapakse to nurse his own constituency for personal political gain to give a generous interpretation to what has taken place. The fact that the monies have not yet been used but kept in an account for future use – and this is admitted to by PM’s Secretary Weeratunga (see box) – makes the action even more heinous, considering the untold suffering that victims in temporary shelters are still going through.
    Transactions
    The Sunday Leader learns that since the commencement of the ‘Helping Hambantota’ account, 14 outgoing transactions, each of which was less than a million, have been made totaling a sum of Rs. 9 million. This means the account had over Rs. 112 million. That is Rs. 30 million more than what was initially deposited from the Prime Minister’s ‘Punarjeewana’ fund. However Prime Minister’s Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga says no money has been deposited to this account after the initial Rs. 82 million and no account movements have occurred. Remember, President Kumaratunga was in England when the tsunami struck and it was the Prime Minister who took over disaster management efforts. Indeed, during those heady post-tsunami days and after her hasty return to the country, President Kumaratunga was to scoff at Rajapakse’s inefficiency publicly and berate his one-man-show attempt privately.
    Be that as it may, from December 26 onwards, monies received by the Prime Minister personally or by the Prime Minister’s office were deposited in the government account called ‘Secretary to the Prime Minister’ as there was no other account available in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.
    It is pertinent to note however that following the calamity there was no record to show the amount of money donated and the amount deposited. Simply put, due to various reasons – most of which were logistical – there was zero accountability. Sources at the Prime Minister’s office confirm that monies handed over in the presence of other officials at the office were however documented.
    President’s directive
    On her return from London, President Kumaratunga was quick to notify all ministries concerned that monies received for tsunami relief should be deposited into one account. Therefore, on December 29, 2004 by Presidential Secretariat Circular No. PA/272, President’s Secretary, W.J.S. Karunaratne sent out a directive to all secretaries of ministries and heads of institutions not scheduled under ministries. It said inter alia: “On the direction of the President, a special bank account has been opened at the head quarters branch of People’s Bank to accept cash donations for relief operations that are now in progress.
    Name of Account: ‘President’s Fund for Disaster Relief’
    Bank : People’s Bank – Head quarter’s branch
    Account No. 204 100 190 136245
    Type of account: Current account
    Swift Code: PSBKLKLX
    Sort cord: 204-7135
    Online transfer: Facility not available
    “You are kindly requested to bring this information to the notice of all your staff of your ministry / institution, and any other institutions coming under your ministry and the general public who wish to make donation in cash for this very worthy cause.”
    Note this: “In the circumstances, you are kindly advised not to open any separate individual bank accounts to collect funds for relief operations.”
    We do not doubt that the PM’s Secretary, Weeratunga would have received this circular. Notwithstanding, on December 31, 2004, two days after President Kumaratunga’s directive, Weeratunga opened an official account in the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund’ account No. 014100170136270 at the People’s Bank. The signatories to this account were Weeratunga, Additional Secretary Gamini Senarath, Senior Assistant Secretary Sunil Hewapathirana and Accountant S. Subasinghe.
    Thereafter, on the same day a sum of Rs. 73,926,516.74 of tsunami relief monies received into the ‘Secretary to the Prime Minister’ government account from December 27, 2004 to December 31, 2004 were deposited into the newly opened Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana account. Other donations were also now being deposited to this account and as at June 09, its account balance was Rs. 2,628,821.90.
    Violation
    While strictly speaking the opening of this account was a violation of the President’s specific advice “not to open any separate individual accounts,” it is still an official government account with the signatories being officials of the Prime Minister’s office.
    However, the Prime Minister and a select few of his officials including Weeratunga lost no time in also opening a separate private account called ‘Helping Hambantota’ at the Standard Chartered Bank, Rajagiriya without even any proper documentation. A website was also launched calling the project the ‘Hambantota Tsunami Relief and Disaster Programme.’ (See box)
    The project partners named are the government of Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister’s office of Sri Lanka, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN agencies, international and national NGOs, the corporate sector, professional bodies, religious institutions and communities of those effected.
    Whatever the site claims as the project’s partners, the board of directors of the project are in fact PM’s Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga , HNB Chairman, Rienzie Wijetilleke, Shasheendra Rajapakse (son of Chamal Rajapkse and nephew of the Prime Minister), Director, Road Development Authority (RDA), M. Mowjood and Accountant, RDA, Udaya Abeyratne. Its governing council consists of again Shasheendra Rajapakse, Lalith Weeratunga and Rienzie Wijetilleke.
    The Prime Minister and Weeratunga also told the PM’s office staff that of the donations received by the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana fund, a certain sum was received specially for the development of Hambantota only as requested by the donors. These particular donations had been marked in the funds register by Weeratunga.
    On December 27, both Prime Minister Rajapakse and Weeratunga verbally directed that Rs. 106,983,247.70 (over Rs. 106 million) be transferred to this private account. Later the amount to be transferred was changed to Rs. 82,958,247.70 (over Rs. 82 million). Accordingly on January 31, a People’s Bank cheque No. 179127 in the name of ‘The Manager, Standard Chartered Bank, Rajagiriya, A/C No. 01-1237322-01 , Hambantota Tsunami Disaster Relief and Development Programme’ for the sum of Rs. 82,958,247.70 signed by Accountant S. Subasinghe and Weeratunga was issued to facilitate the transfer.
    However, this cheque was returned as the payee’s name was wrong and another People’s Bank cheque No. 179128 dated February 3 was issued for the same amount to be paid to ‘Helping Hambantota A/C No. 01-1237322-01.
    On December 31, 2004, Prime Minister Rajapakse directed his office to send the remaining moneys in the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana fund to the National Fund for Disaster Relief, Central Bank A/C No. 4669. The relatively small sum of Rs. 28,363,135.04 donations received from December 27 2004 to January 5 was accordingly transferred by People’s Bank cheque No. 179126. That was to indicate to the President her directive was being complied with as regards the monies received by the PM’s fund.
    Small driblets
    Thereafter, as all good little boy scouts would do, the Prime Minister’s office kept sending, in comparatively small driblets, a percentage of the funds received by the prime minister’s office to the Central Bank National Relief Fund in keeping with the Presidential directive. For instance on February 8, a sum of Rs. 11,42,780 was sent by People’s Bank cheque No. 179129 and again Rs. 441,618 by cheque No. 947362. On March 16, a sum of Rs. 15,124,891.13 was sent to the Central Bank by People’s Bank cheque No. 179132. These monies were donations received between December 28, 2004 and February 15.
    Meanwhile, for good measure, the Prime Minister’s office ran a full page advertisement in the state media on February 2, publishing a list of 55 donors and randomly dividing them into two sections. Twenty-two donors for Hambantota and 33 for Sri Lanka as a whole.
    By a happy coincidence for the Prime Minister and his select team, those 22 donations were hefty ones amounting to over Rs. 82 million. Donations received to the National Fund though larger in number amounted to only a little over Rs. 28 million. Neither did the advertisement mention the private account ‘Helping Hambantota’ maintained at the Standard Chartered Bank but merely mentioned instead a generalised Hambantota Tsunami Disaster Relief and Development Programme.
    Consider the following:
    The donations arbitrarily and personally selected by Weeratunga as ‘Hambantota only’ donations were in fact received by Mahinda Rajapakse as Prime Minister for Sri Lanka and not as MP for Hambantota. The tsunami was a national disaster not an isolated calamity in the south. In any event the 22 donations identified by Weeratunga as aforesaid were made from December 27, 2004 to January 11. On December 27, 2004, one day after the disaster, no government fund had yet been set up. Neither had this private account called ‘Helping Hambantota.’
    If the Prime Minister’s office says that some monies were given to be used in Hambantota only then as a government body this must be properly documented. There should be written indication of this by the donor. A arbitrary pencil mark by the PM’s Secretary is insufficient. These are monies belonging to the Sri Lankan public and not private funds.
    No proper documentation
    When the monies were transferred to the account, ‘Helping Hambantota’ was not a properly registered and/or constituted trust, partnership, company or NGO (see box). When the private account was set up at the Standard Chartered Bank it was done so without proper documentation and only on the verbal assurances of the Prime Minister’s office. The bank had not insisted on the proper documentation usually required to open a bank account of this nature. However, the identity cards of the aforesaid four signatories were perused and the account opened merely on the instructions of the PM’s office.
    This account, which contains public money, is now in the hands of private individuals and has been moved away from the control of public officials. It is not subject to financial regulations and other governmental directives and circulars that govern public money. Furthermore, if this money is to be used for reconstruction, then proper tender procedures must be followed. Is this not a misappropriation of public property and a criminal breach of trust? But happily for the Prime Minister’s office, these government funds are now in a private account.
    The very fact the Willie Gamage (see box) finds is necessary to hide the fact that Chamal Rajapakse is a signatory to the ‘Helping Hambantota’ account and insists there are only three signatories shows that a game may be afoot. Even though Gamage states there is only a balance of Rs. 67 million, The Sunday Leader reliably learns that as at June 28, the balance was over Rs. 103 million.
    By giving this exercise a veneer of legitimacy with a large newspaper advertisement, select officials of the Prime Minister’s office have opened this private account to direct transfers of moneys. Certainly the account has swelled considerably since February this year. As at June 28, its balance was already over Rs. 103 million.
    The Rs. 82 million question
    The Rs. 82 million question is also this – If the money was indeed for tsunami relief and reconstruction of Hambantota, why pray, is it, that six months after the tsunami, when victims are still languishing in tents and makeshift structures, has the money not been used? Is it being saved for some other purpose over which the government has no control since it is managed by private individuals?
    It is reliably learnt that the money has now been deposited into a call deposit to generate interest. While this money purportedly to help tsunami victims is generating interest, thousands of victims are still living in harsh conditions.
    Surely politicians who receive donations on behalf of the state as a whole after a national disaster cannot set up private accounts for various districts such as ‘Helping Galle’ or ‘Helping Batticaloa’ depending on their area of interest for personal or political gain? And who knows at the end of the day where this money will end up?
    If, for example, Rajapakse is no longer Prime Minister tomorrow, the state will have no control over this money and the private individuals controlling it can for all intents and purposes use it to buy houses in the Bahamas.
    Case of the missing moneyThat money was lying around the Rajapakse residence was evident. Come February this year the Rajapakse family was in a dither. Rs. 400,000 had gone missing from the premises and the alleged prime suspect was a Tamil servant woman called Chandra who had recently left the home not only in a huff due to a matter of the heart involving another Prime Ministerial minor employee but also with a pocket stuffed with Rs. 400,000 allegedly stolen from the Prime Ministerial residence. Having found out about the alleged theft, Rajapakse’s wife Shiranthi lost no time in writing a letter marked ‘Urgent’ dated February 3, to the manager, Hatton National Bank in Colombo 8, requesting him to freeze the account of the servant woman as a police investigation had already commenced. (See box) On the strength of this letter when the servant woman went to the bank to withdraw a small amount, the bank informed the police and she was arrested. However, the Prime Minister intervened and she was released before the incident about the money could leak out to the press. The only salient question here in the public interest is this. Why would Rs. 400,000 be lying around in the Prime Minister’s home in the first place? And why was the police investigation subsequently dropped?* * *PM’s Secretary responds…Secretary to the Prime Minister, Lalith Weeratunga admitted that no monies from the ‘Helping Hambantota’ fund had been used as yet. When asked why that was the case even six months after the tsunami, he said many donors had come to construct houses and give relief and thus it was not necessary. He also said this money may be used at a later date for community centres and infrastructure development. He revealed the ‘Helping Hambantota’ account had approximately Rs. 80 million in it and also stated no more monies had been sent to it. Weeratunga also said in deference to donors wishes they had to separate the moneys as donors approached them wanting to help Hambantota specifically and / or to help Ampara or another area specifically. When asked whether separate accounts were also opened for Ampara and other areas he stated the PM’s office did not receive such donations as donors were aware of the Prime Minister’s connection to Hambantota.* * *Helping Hambantota, PM’s office styleThe Hambantota Tsunami Disaster Relief and Development Programme has launched an impressive website – http://www.helphambantota.org. The objective of the project is stated as follows: “To bring together and combine the strengths of the government, the corporate sector, religious institutions, the UN community, international and national NGOs, professional bodies and the communities of those affected in bringing relief to the people of the district and in bringing about sustained development in the area. To facilitate, support and synergise the rehabilitation plans for the district, and to coordinate with relevant state agencies in order to expedite relief and development work.” What may well distress bona fide donors is also this. The site names as its many grandiose rebuilding projects, the following: Andaragasyaya Housing Project, ASPIC Village Housing Project, Cine Oska Village Housing Project, Haritha Housing Project, Helping House Housing Project, Kelani Temple Houses Housing Project, Kirindagama Housing Project, Obesekaralabima Walloya Housing Project, Porondugama Red Cross Housing Project, Samadigama Housing Project, Siribopura Housing project, Temp. Houses Kirindagama Housing Project and Tissapura Housing Project. Each is accompanied by pictures of houses under construction. However, Weeratunga told The Sunday Leader that none of the ‘Helping Hambantota’ funds had been used and that donors and aid agencies were building houses and therefore the ‘Helping Hambantota’ project was keeping the money for possible infrastructure development at a later date. This brings the credibility of this website into serious doubt. If the website is already claiming to have completed so many projects and even shows pictures of these ongoing projects, the Prime Minister’s office may be guilty of duping donors into sending money into an account that does not do anything. However, the website very passionately calls for donors to ‘Help Hambantota NOW.’ The site invites donors to feel free to write immediately and gives the following details. Programme name: Hambantota Tsunami Disaster Relief and Development Programme; Address: Prime Minister’s office, Temple Trees, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka; Telephone: +94 11 2 32 14 06 ; Fax: +94 11 2 2 54 29 18; E-mail: info@helphambantota.org, and gives the account details for money transfer as ‘Helping Hambantota’ A/C No. 01-1237322-01 ; Bank: Standard Charted Bank, Sri Lanka; Branch: Rajagiriya; Swift Code: SCBLLKLX. It also states that online donation facilities via Visa or Master would be available soon.* * *Gamage gives PM a helping handSenior Advisor to the Prime Minister and Desk Officer for ‘Helping Hambantota.’ Willie Gamage told The Sunday Leader that ‘Helping Hambantota’ was a temporary programme to handle tsunami relief and was a fund management programme. On asked whether it has been registered Gamage replied in the negative. Excerpts of the interview follow: Q: Is it part of the PM’s office? A: Not really but it is supported by the PM’s office. It is a temporary programme to manage funds earmarked for Hambantota. (He also stated that except for Lalith Weeratunga and Shasheendra Rajapakse all other members of the governing council of this programme were private members.) Q: Who are the signatories? A: Udaya Abeyratne is an accountant, Prof. Epasinghe is from the academic field and M. Gunawardena is a private person. Q: Only three signatories? A: Yes. (Of the Rs. 82 million deposited in the account Gamage said that approximately Rs. 15 million has been spent on kitchen utensils, construction of 15 permanent houses and incidental expenses such as project surveys.) Q: Has any more money been put to the account? A: No. As at June 15, we have spent Rs. 15 million. Q: What is the balance now? A: The balance is Rs. 67 million. Q: When was this account started? A: Early January, I think. Q: Were you not in violation of the Presidential directive not to maintain separate accounts issued on December 29, 2004? A: We were not in violation. Anyway, direct those questions to the secretary. Q: You say these were monies earmarked for Hambantota. Who earmarked them, was it the donors and was it in writing? A: It was in writing. For instance, Plan International was one. I am not authorised to give you the other donors. Q: But you took out a full page advertisement in the state media on February 2, where you listed 22 donors. The list names the Korean Ambassador. Did he give you a request in writing? A: Yes Q: Could you give me some letters of donors in the list who have requested that their monies go to Hambantota? A: Those are with the secretary but even I may be able to find one or two letters. I’m out of office, I can give them to you on Monday.* * *Accountant refuses to commentThe Sunday Leader contacted Chief Accountant, Prime Minister’s office, S.Subasinghe for his comments on the transfer of over Rs. 82 million from the Prime Minister’s fund to a private account. Subasinghe declined to comment stating he was a public official and that all questions should be directed to Secretary to the Prime Minister, Lalith Weeratunga.

    (2) Cabinet note and documents that damn PM’s defence
    http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20050710/spotlight.htm#Cabinet

    The Rs. 82 million cheque sent on January 31 t a private account before the cabinet note, Cheque for Rs. 28 million sent to Central Bank, Cheque for Rs. 82 million sent to private bank account, Voucher transferring funds from PM’s Fund to the Central bank as per the President’s directive, The minute detailing the PM’s instructions to transfer the money to the private account, Voucher transferring funds from the PM’s Fund to the private account, Rajapakse’s cabinet note and Mahinda Rajapakse are in the picture

    By Sonali Samarasinghe
    PUBLISHED 10 JULY 2005: Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse’s attempt to defend the siphoning off of a colossal Rs. 82,958,247.70 of tsunami funds into a private account has proved futile, with the defense turning out to merely exacerbate the offence.
    Last week The Sunday Leader exclusively broke the story of how Prime Minister Rajapakse and a coterie of select officials in the Prime Minister’s office transferred over Rs. 82 million of tsunami donations from the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund specially set up to collect tsunami relief into a private account controlled by private signatories, including his brother Chamal, held at the Standard Chartered Bank.
    Consequently, Prime Minister Rajapakse publicly took up the position that he had in fact presented to cabinet a note on February 2 regarding the deposit of these funds before the account was opened and had also published the names of the donors in several English and Sinhala newspapers.
    Cabinet note
    However, a perusal of the cabinet note and several documents in the possession of this newspaper reveal that the Prime Minister has not only misled cabinet but has also been involved in an exercise of subterfuge, as it becomes abundantly clear that he personally transferred these tsunami funds into a private account at a private bank even before he presented the cabinet note on the matter.
    This fact is further revealed in a minute signed by the Chief Accountant, Prime Minister’s Office, S.A.N.R. Subasinghe, a voucher approved by Prime Minister’s Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga and the very cheque that was issued in order to make this transfer. (Documents reproduced elsewhere on this page)
    Furthermore, the voucher written by Subasinghe and approved by Weeratunga clearly states that the funds in question were in fact transferred from the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund – an official account controlled by government financial regulations – into the ‘Helping Hambantota’ private account. They are not, as the Prime Minister attempts to assert, donations that came in especially for Hambantota and therefore needed a separate account. (See box)
    Meanwhile, a top Finance Ministry official confirmed to The Sunday Leader that details of this account did not reach the Ministry, no approval was given to establish this account, it has been set up outside government regulations and is not under its control.
    Master of his trade
    Smoke screens and red herrings, artifice and stratagem are familiar stuff to politicians and Prime Minister Rajapakse is often considered a master of his trade. Alas, however, this time Rajapakse’s cabinet note cover up is in fact rather décolleté.
    Another vital distinction has to be made at the outset. The significant difference between a cabinet note and a cabinet memorandum. A note is merely dissemination of information and has no approval or consent from other members of the cabinet. A memorandum is different. It is discussed, approval is sort for and granted after consideration and the contents thereof ratified within two weeks. It then becomes a cabinet approved decision.
    Cabinet meets every Wednesday. This note was presented to cabinet on Wednesday, February 2. Cabinet would meet again only on February 9 and then again on February 16. Make no mistake. There was no approval sought and none was given. This was only a cabinet note.
    Meanwhile, the opposition is likely to raise the issue, accusing the Prime Minister of not only misleading cabinet but also parliament following the tabling of an adjournment motion on July 7 by UNP MP, John Amaratunge and seconded by Dayasiri Wijesekera.
    Consider the PM’s defence:
    The Prime Minister’s position on the disappearing tsunami funds is this. That he presented a cabinet note on the subject of disbursement of tsunami funds on February 2. This was a Wednesday and the cabinet secretary received it also on the same day. The PM says this account is not a secret account and neither is it his private account.
    He also states he presented to cabinet details of tsunami relief funds received by the Prime Minister’s Office. The cabinet had taken cognizance of the fact that this was published in the newspapers and that all funds had been duly accounted for. The next day cabinet had accepted this position. He also states he only started this account after first informing cabinet. (See box for the PM’s position)
    The facts
    Now consider the facts:
    Firstly the Prime Minister says the account maintained at the Standard Chartered Bank is neither secret nor private.
    Wiser men may think otherwise. The four signatories to this account are private persons, namely, Prof. Epasinghe – a long time friend of the Prime Minister, Mahinda Gunawardena – a loyalist, Chamal Rajapakse – brother of the Prime Minister and Udaya Abeyratne – chief accountant, Road Development Authority.
    The account, named ‘Helping Hambantota’ is maintained at a private bank – Standard Chartered Bank Rajagiriya Branch – and bears account number 01-1237322-01 . As at June 29 it had an account balance of Rs. 103,094,966. But more on what happened to the money later.
    This account and the monies in it are as private as a shy curate’s underwear and we will tell you why. The moment this large amount of public money was transferred into the Standard Chartered Bank account, the government lost control of it. The money was now not subject to financial regulations and in the confusion that followed the disaster, once spirited away it was soon to be forgotten.
    Remember this. The money was donated to the nation, not to the Prime Minister in his private capacity as Mahinda Rajapakse of Hambantota. There are procedures in place, quite rightly, to decide how donations should be disbursed and spent or where they should be deposited.
    One thing is certain – all donations must be subject to government procedures. But with one stroke of a pen on January 27, the Prime Minister transferred this astronomical sum of money out of government control and into private hands, all the time publishing accuracy-challenged advertisements in a number of newspapers to blow smoke screens around what had in fact happened.
    Secondly, the Prime Minister asserts the account is not secret. But in the advertisements placed – and we refer particularly to The Daily News publication of February 2 to which the Prime Minister himself alludes in his public defense of the issue – the advertisement does not mention the private account ‘Helping Hambantota’ maintained at Standard Chartered Bank . It merely mentions a generalised Hambantota Tsunami Disaster Relief and Development Programme.
    In the cabinet note he presented on the same day (reproduced elsewhere on this page) again he appears to be misleading cabinet by being economical with the truth. The cabinet note deals with monies received by the Prime Minister’s Office up to January 2.
    It states a sum of Rs. 113,262,539.89 by international money transfers and cheques was received by the Prime Minister’s Office. It also gives sketchy details of a sum of foreign currency that was received and states that donations received through the website, http://www.emerge-ncydonations.gov.lk, deposited in the Sampath Bank account amounted to Rs. 5,438,299.
    How the money was disbursed
    The cabinet note then sets out how the Rs. 113 million stated above was disbursed.
    National Disaster Relief Fund (Central Bank A/C 4669) – Rs. 28,363,135.04.
    On account of the special requests of the donors the money deposited in the Hambantota Disaster Relief Fund – Rs. 82,958,247.70.
    Funds allocated to be sent to the National Disaster Relief Fund (Central Bank A/c 4669) – Rs. 1,941,157,15.
    This amounts to a total of Rs. 113,262,539.
    The note states all these monies have been duly accounted for and Mahinda Rajapakse signs the note.
    Now let’s look at the cabinet note.
    What strikes one immediately is that the Prime Minister is being very diligent when giving details of the other accounts but is reticent in even providing the most basic details about the ‘Helping Hambantota’ account. While generous with information about the Central Bank account numbers, he does not reveal to cabinet that the lion’s share is really going into a private account.
    Indeed he does not mention anything except that it is going into a Hambantota relief fund. No mention of the fact that it is going into a private bank and no mention of the account number as with the other monies. This appears to be selective secrecy.
    Out of government control
    Even if donors requested these moneys be used for Hambantota, it must necessarily be done through the proper financial channels and be under the control of the government. It cannot be siphoned off and taken out of the purview and umbrella of government control.
    Nor does the Prime Minister think it fit to set down details of the donors who gave these monies supposedly for Hambantota. Last week when questioned by The Sunday Leader, Desk Officer, Hambantota Fund and Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister, Willie Gamage stated that donors had given this request in writing. He stated he may be able to find one or two of these written requests. We wait with bated breath.
    Certainly the newspaper publications list out a number of donors as having requested that their money only go to Hambantota. Among them the Ambassador, Korean Embassy, Lanka Bell (Pvt) Ltd., Keangnam Enterprises Ltd., Unilever Sri Lanka Ltd. and Samsung Networks among 22 others. But this is neither here nor there.
    What is on the button is the lack of accountability by the Prime Minister with regard to Rs. 82 million of the nation’s funds. Funds not yet utilised while tsunami victims all over Sri Lanka are still living in makeshift camps.
    Is it the Prime Minister’s position that if he is given a donation as prime minister of Sri Lanka of a sum of Rs. 100 million with a special request that he build a house in London with it, he would be able to do that with impunity? Obviously not. Same principle. Nor does publicising a wrong in a newspaper make it magically right.
    Even heads of state who receive gifts by visiting dignitaries cannot treat these gifts as their own. They belong to the state and are under the control of the state. Likewise with funds received after the tsunami.
    Thirdly, the Prime Minister is adamant these were funds specifically given for Hambantota. Let us take the Prime Minister’s own documents on the issue.
    The voucher
    The Prime Minister’s Office voucher (reproduced elsewhere on this page) dated January 26, clearly states a sum of Rs. 82,958,247.70 is payable to ‘The Manager Standard Chartered Bank, Rajagiriya Branch – A/C No. 01-1237322-01 Hambantota Tsunami Disaster Relief and Development Programme.’
    Note this well. In the description column of the voucher it states thus: ‘Donations received for the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund being deposited into the Hambantota Tsunami Relief Fund.’ This voucher was approved and signed by Prime Minister’s Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga. If there was any discrepancy in the description of what the funds were for, he could have changed it. He did not do so. Also note the January 26 date. That is well before the February 2 cabinet memo.
    Furthermore, smaller amounts of money from the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund that were in fact duly transferred to the Central Bank National Relief Fund attracted similar wording in vouchers relating to them. For instance, on March 14, a voucher was prepared for Rs. 15,124,891.13 payable to the National Fund For Disaster Relief, Central Bank and the description on the voucher was identical as above except for the name of the receiving bank and account.
    If, as the Prime Minister states, there was a difference in the Rs. 83 million, why did the sum also attract the identical voucher description?
    Now let us take the minute made on January 27 by Chief Accountant, Prime Minister’s Office, S.A.N.R. Subasinghe. It states thus:
    “The donors have made a request to the Prime Minister that of the funds received into the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund, a certain amount is allocated only for the development of Hambantota. The Secretary to the Prime Minister has indicated what these funds are in the Funds Register.
    Therefore, on the verbal instructions of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Secretary, I seek approval to transfer a sum of Rs. 82,958,247.70 from the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund into the Hambantota Relief Fund” (see box). Secretary Lalith Weeratunga gave signed approval for this transfer on January 27.
    Another minute on the same page rather forlornly states:
    “While a sum of Rs. 82,958,247.70 from the funds received by the PM’s Punarajeewana Fund has been transferred to the Hambantota Development Fund, approval is sought to deposit the balance available (Rs. 28,363,135.04) in the National Disaster Fund at the Central Bank.” Again Weeratunga has given signed approval.
    It appears then that Prime Minister Rajapakse – a man known for his frugality – has been equally frugal with the truth. His own office documentation contradicts his explanation, and casts doubts on the contents of his cabinet note. It is clear from these documents that funds from the official Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund were in fact siphoned off without any cabinet approval to a private account.
    Fourthly, the Prime Minister states the said Standard Chartered Bank account was opened only after cabinet approval was granted. We have already established there was no cabinet approval as this was only an information note with a veneer of legitimacy due to a lack of information on the crucial said account.
    Dates
    Now consider the following dates. Before that, recall that the cabinet note was presented on February 2.
    January 11: The private account ‘Helping Hambantota’ A/C No.01-1237322-01 at Standard Chartered Bank with four private signatories unrelated to the Prime Minister’s Office was opened under a trust set up in the name of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse’s father, D.A. Rajapakse. The Rs. 83 million that was transferred from tsunami funds, according to documents from the Prime Ministers Office, were those received from donors between December 27, 2004 and January 11, this year.
    January 26: A voucher was presented and approved by Secretary Weeratunga for the Rs. 83 million to be transferred to this private Standard Chartered Bank account.
    January 27: A voucher was prepared to transfer the remainder Rs. 28 million in the PM’s Punarjeewana Fund into the Official Central Bank Disaster Relief Fund.
    As The Sunday Leader revealed last week, the decision was to transfer Rs. 106,983,247.70 at first but this was suddenly changed. The gesture was no doubt prudent as in that case only a mere pittance of not even Rs. 7 million would have reached government coffers. This may have raised too many eyebrows too soon. (See minute reproduced elsewhere on this page)
    The Prime Minister himself in his cabinet note states his office up to January 2 received a sum of Rs. 113,262,539.89.
    January 31: A cheque was issued for the transfer of Rs. 83 million into the Standard Chartered Bank A/C No. 01-12373-22-01 while on the same day another cheque was made out for the remainder of Rs. 28 million into the Central Bank Disaster Relief Fund. However, Standard Chartered Bank returned the cheque stating the payee name was wrong.
    February 3: A fresh cheque with the correct payee name of ‘Helping Hambantota’ was issued and sent to the bank.
    Superficial spin
    The Prime Minister appears to be master of superficial spin for long before the cabinet note was presented to cabinet, the said account had been opened and the money deposited.
    Therefore, has the Prime Minister not mislead cabinet by presenting a note of deliberate insipidity on February 2 when his own office documentation and bank details show that he had every intention of sending this money out into a private account outside the control of the government of Sri Lanka?
    Is Rajapakse, who now aspires to be the president of this country, only to be the president of Hambantota? Certainly in his capacity as Prime Minister, he seems to have confined himself to his own constituency.
    That is if one is to give a generous interpretation to the establishment of the account notwithstanding the fact these monies were not used for the benefit of the tsunami victims even six months after the disaster.
    Fifthly, the Prime Minister states he has travelled to Batticaloa, Ampara, Point Pedro and Jaffna after the disaster. Whatever his own views on the matter, one presumes that he was appointed Prime Minister of the nation as a whole. He may surely have received monies where donors expressed some interest in other areas of the country. Did he set up separate accounts for these areas too? Such as, for instance, ‘Helping Ampara,’ ‘Helping Batticaloa’ and ‘Helping Jaffna.’
    It sounds ridiculous, because it is ridiculous. This is akin to President Kumaratunga, (not that we say she has) deciding to open up separate accounts for every district if a donor at the recently concluded donor forum held in Kandy made a comment in passing that they would like this money to be used for a particular purpose or area.
    Speaking of the Head of State, Kumaratunga’s silence on this issue is deafening. It is up to her to call for a full inquiry. In fact it is she who publicly announced that not even five cents of aid had been received by the country. The Treasury too made no bones about how little had arrived.
    The Prime Minister cannot absolve himself by stating that newspaper advertisements were placed. Sherlock Holmes was once to observe in cracking the case of the Naval Treaty that it was often the obvious that goes unnoticed. And there is a quiet subtlety in publicising half-truths in a cavalier manner in order to cover up the big lie.

    The Prime Minister’s position
    The Prime Minister’s position on the disappearing tsunami funds is this. He says this account is not a secret account and neither is it his private account. He also states he presented to cabinet details of tsunami relief funds received by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Cabinet had taken cognizance of the fact this was published in the newspapers and that all funds had been duly accounted for. The next day cabinet had accepted this position. Therefore, he says he only started this account after first informing cabinet.
    He also says he informed cabinet in the note that on account of donors’ special requests he deposited monies in a separate Hambantota Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund. He states thus: “When the donors requested him to use these monies for Hambantota I gave these monies to the Secretary for the Prime Minister. Normally the money went into the general Prime Minister’s account. It is because of donor requests that I had to open this separate account. What donations I received as Prime Minister generally, I deposited into the National Disaster Relief Fund at the Central Bank 4669. On the same day I presented the cabinet note on February 2, I also published these facts in the newspapers. I wish to state that under the ‘Helping Hambantota’ scheme even Sajith Premadasa has signed agreements to build houses. So this is not an account opened for me to secretly squander.
    “We have dedicated ourselves on behalf of those victims of the disaster. We have done our maximum. I am not confined only to Hambantota. I went to Batticaloa and Ampara Districts as well. I went to Jaffna with former Minister Anura Dissanayake and Wimal Weerawansa. We went to Velvetithurai and to Point Pedro. We went to Trincomalee. We were attacked. Those are not problems. But we will not take advantage of people’s disaster. I say this has been done very openly and the programme has gone to cabinet and has been approved by cabinet. The beauty of it is this. I am also asked why I have not spent this money. On the other hand, questions are raised in other instances when money comes in, that it was spent on this and that or it was stolen. I think this has been done solely to throw mud at me. I am thankful to the newspapers for bringing this out so I can explain it. I will be more thankful if they also said I had got cabinet approval,” he said.
    Ins and outs of the pvt. account
    The ‘Helping Hambantota’ bank account at Standard Chartered Bank Rajagiriya branch bears A/C No. 01-1237322-01 .
    On July 1, no sooner the Prime Minister’s Office became aware this newspaper had the issue under investigation, a sum of Rs. 82,958,250 was transferred into a call deposit at the same bank at a low interest rate of four percent whereas the government interest rate is 8-9 percent. Therefore, by keeping these public funds in a private account, the Prime Minister is also losing interest which belongs to the public of this country.
    Recent transactions are as follows:
    January 12: Rs. 3 million was transferred to this account from the Bank of Ceylon Parliament Branch.
    January 20: KIA Motors deposited Rs. 8,777,549 into the account.
    March 21: Rs. 3 million was withdrawn from the account.
    April 27: Rs. 2 million was withdrawn from the account.
    May 20: Rs. 1.5 million was paid to W.W. Gamage.
    Willie Gamage is senior advisor to the PM and desk officer for the ‘Helping Hambantota’ programme, which he himself told The Sunday Leader was a temporary programme to handle tsunami relief funds.
    The balance in the account at the time of going to print was Rs. 19,125,056.00.

    (3) Funds transferred in violation of cabinet decision
    Mahinda has misled cabinet and parliament
    http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20050717/news.htm#Funds
    Cabinet fixes PM on tsunami scam
    By Sonali Samarasinghe
    PUBLISHED 17 JULY 2005:Evidence has surfaced that the cabinet of ministers had rejected Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse’s cabinet note on the disbursement of tsunami funds contrary to claims he made that cabinet approval was obtained.
    Rajapakse, on July 5 answering charges he had siphoned off over Rs. 82 million of tsunami funds received by the Prime Minister’s Office into a private account at Standard Chartered Bank, claimed he had received cabinet approval to do so on the basis of a cabinet note submitted by him on February 2.
    The minutes of the cabinet meeting of February 10 revealed that cabinet, having taken into consideration the Prime Minister’s cabinet note had unanimously agreed that all tsunami funds received both locally and internationally should be deposited in the official Disaster Relief Fund established at the Central Bank.
    This was in keeping with the circular issued by the President through Secretary, W.J.S. Karunaratne on December 29, 2004 that no separate account for tsunami funds was to be established.
    The cabinet decision rejecting the Prime Minister’s cabinet note on the issue had been communicated in writing to the Prime Minister’s Secretary for action by Cabinet Secretary, D. Wijesinghe and Additional Secretary, P. Hapangama on February 17. Copies were also sent to the President’s Secretary, Finance and Planning Ministry Secretary and to the Auditor General.
    The Prime Minister, who received large sums of money following the December 26 tsunami disaster, is accused of opening an account named ‘Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund’ on December 31, 2004 at the People’s Bank and depositing over Rs. 73 million in contravention of a Presidential directive dated December 29, 2004 not to open any separate bank accounts but to credit all monies received to the President’s Fund for Disaster Relief, maintained at the Central Bank.
    The Prime Minister and Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga had subsequently directed Accountant S.A.N.R. Subasinghe to transfer Rs. 82,958,247.70 to a private account established at the Standard Chartered Bank in Rajagiriya on January 29 this year, under the name ‘Helping Hambantota.’
    The original cheque dated January 31 was returned due to a wrong payee name and a fresh cheque dated February 3 signed by Weeratunga and Subasinghe was issued with the amended payee name ‘Helping Hambantota’ A/C No. 011-237322-01 .
    The signatories to the private account included Prime Minister Rajapakse’s brother Chamal Rajapakse, a close associate, Mahinda Gunawardena and another confidant Professor Epasinghe.
    Following The Sunday Leader exposing details of the private bank account, the Prime Minister informed parliament on July 5 that he submitted a cabinet note and had obtained approval. However, even in that cabinet note there was no disclosure of the private account that was established at Standard Chartered Bank or the transfer of monies to it from the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund.
    The Prime Minister’s cabinet note was dated February 2, while the private account was opened on January 11, and the first cheque deposited on January 31.
    The cabinet rejected Prime Minister Rajapakse’s note on February 10, and communicated the decision in writing on February 17 by circular number AMP/05/0155/002/002.
    It is now revealed that despite the cabinet decision on February 10, the large sum of tsunami funds continued to remain in the private account outside the control of government and state financial regulations. On July 1 these monies were transferred into a call deposit at the same Standard Chartered Bank at Rajagiriya on a fixed interest rate.
    The cabinet decision communicated to the Prime Minister’s Secretary on February 17, specifically said action should be taken in terms of the February 10 decision to transfer all monies received by the Prime Minister to the Disaster Relief Fund at the Central Bank.
    However, the Prime Minister and his officials did not implement this decision but instead transferred the monies at the Standard Chartered Bank to a call deposit in the same bank.
    The cabinet circular in Sinhala dated February 17 states a decision taken at the cabinet meeting of February 10 is attached for necessary action.
    It then goes on to set out specifically item (c) 40 in the cabinet agenda stating that cabinet has take due cognizance of the Prime Minister’s cabinet note dated February 2 number 05/0155/002/002 titled ‘Description of tsunami relief funds at the Prime Minister’s Office,’ which says that details of all donations have been published in the newspapers and that all donations have been duly deposited into accounts.
    The cabinet of ministers unanimously agreed that all tsunami funds received locally and internationally should be deposited in the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the minutes also state. The cabinet circular calls for the action of the Prime Minister’s Secretary on this matter.

    (4) For PM, charity begins at home

    Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, Chamal Rajapakse and Unilever’s letter addressed to Ranil Wickremesinghe
    By Sonali Samarasinghe
    Published 24 July 2005 : More damning facts have come to light on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse’s private account into which he siphoned off under a thick mantle of secrecy, an astronomical sum of over Rs. 82 million of funds donated for the tsunami victims in the aftermath of the disaster.
    It is now revealed that the address of the Helping Hambantota account given to the Standard Chartered Bank when it was originally opened was No.166/A, Pangiriwatte Road, Mirihana, Nugegoda.

    This is the residential address of the Prime Minister’s sister, Gandhini. Pangiriwatte Road is dotted all over with the residential abodes of the Rajapakse family. While there is no offence in the Rajapakse clan wanting to form a Pangiriwatte click, certainly there is an offence in giving the private address of his sister for a fund into which the Prime Minister had stashed away public monies. Mind you a private account of which the Prime Minister’s brother Chamal including three other close confidants, were made signatories.
    Meanwhile President Chandrika Kumaratunga last Wednesday summoned Prime Minister’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, directing him to bring her all the files pertaining to the account. Following a scrutiny of the files, she summoned Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and informed him that an inquiry must proceed on the matter.
    On Friday the CID went into Temple Trees to commence investigations on the Helping Hambantota bank account scam. Secretary to the Prime Minister Lalith Weeratunga was quizzed by the CID officials in the morning and asked to produce all files pertaining to the account. Accountant S.A.N.R. Subasinghe was questioned that evening.
    Consider the extent of fault. Not only does the Premier illegally transfer large sums of public money into a private account, but also gives the account the residential address of his sister and makes his brother a signatory to it.
    Note this. Chamal Rajapakse is also the deputy minister for plantation industries. By making himself a party to the Helping Hambantota account he positions himself in a conflict of interest situation.
    Article 91(1)(e) of the Constitution states that no person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of parliament if he has any interest in a contract made by or on behalf of the state or a public corporation as parliament shall prescribe by law.
    Not above the law
    Some years ago a judgment was made against Rajitha Senaratne, MP under this same provision for his involvement in a dental supplies contract. Chamal Rajapakse as a deputy minister in this government is not above the law.
    The Prime Minister’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga himself earlier told The Sunday Leader that the monies may be

    Lalith Weeratunge
    used for infrastructure development of Hambantota at a later date. Construction and development would require contractual dealings that may be prohibited by law.
    Furthermore if the Helping Hambantota account was an official account of the Prime Minister’s Office then why was it that the Prime Ministerial Secretary was not appointed as a signatory to the account? The Secretary is by law also the chief accounting officer.
    In fact by contrast the Prime Minister’s Punarjeewana Fund was opened by his office on December 31, 2004. This fund was opened at the People’s Bank and the signatories are all public officials attached to the Prime Minister’s office. It is from this account which in any event went against the Presidential directive of December 29, 2004 not to open any accounts at all but deposit monies in a National Disaster Relief Fund, that the PM siphoned off the said monies.
    The Prime Minister, to give the fund a veneer of legitimacy, also appointed a board of directors which includes his nephew Shasheendra Rajapakse. The others are Secretary to the PM, Lalith Weeratunga, Chairman HNB, Rienzie Wijetilleke, Director/Road Development Authority (RDA), M. Mowjood and Accountant, RDA, Udaya Abeyratne.
    The question is this. Under what law or authority was the board set up since no legal documentation existed either in the form of a certificate of incorporation of a company and a subsequent resolution, trust deed etc.
    The Annual Report 2001 of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka gives banks guidelines on customer due diligence and

    Rajitha Senaratne
    ‘know your customer’ procedures. It advises all licensed, commercial banks and specialised banks to follow strict procedures in order to prevent the unchecked use of the financial system for money laundering and transactions related to terrorism and subversive activities.
    The report states the bank should insist on a certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association, a partnership agreement, to establish the legal status of the customer. The documents must also include a resolution to open the account by the directors.
    Meanwhile, despite the Prime Minister’s protests that the monies were specifically handed over by the donors for Hambantota, large donors like Unilever who gave a colossal sum of Rs. 25 million have denied the prime minister’s claims in writing and have instead stated that the monies were given for the National Disaster Fund and not for a particular area.
    Another donor, Tania Polonowita of Gemunu Mawatha, Subathipura, Battaramulla transferred a sum of Rs. 1 million into the Helping Hambantota account at the STB from an account maintained at Pan Asia Bank called the Sri Lanka Tsunami Relief Fund.
    Polonowita subsequently told The Sunday Leader that she transferred Rs.1 million into the Helping Hambantota Fund for bona fide housing projects in the Hambantota area but was unaware at the time it was a private account and not under government control.
    Last week The Sunday Leader exclusively reported that the Prime Minister’s Cabinet note regarding the accounts dated February 2, 2005 had been unanimously rejected by cabinet on February 10 and communicated in writing to the Prime Minister’s Secretary for appropriate action on February 17.
    Today The Sunday Leader looks at the legal aspects of this astonishing case that has plunged a nation already reeling from a natural disaster into an abyss of desperation.
    The Constitution
    Chapter XVII of the Constitution deals with finance matters. Article 148 states that parliament shall have full control of public finance. Under the constitution two funds could be maintained.
    a. The Consolidated Fund
    b. The Contingencies Fund
    Article 149(1) states that public funds not allocated by law to any specific purpose shall form one consolidated fund

    Rienzie Wijetilleka
    into which shall be paid the produce of all taxes, imposts, rates and duties and all other revenues.
    According to Article 150 (1), neither can any sum be withdrawn from this account except under the authority of a warrant under the hand of the minister in charge of the subject of finance.
    Article 151(1) provides for the Contingencies Fund, which parliament may create for the purpose of providing for urgent and unforeseen expenditure.
    However withdrawals from this fund is quite a process. The finance minister if satisfied that there is need for any such expenditure and that no provision for such expenditure exists may with the consent of the president, authorise an advance from this fund.
    Apart for the above two funds, others may exist only if allocated by law under special acts for special purposes.
    Thus there is a President’s Fund into which the Development Lottery monies are deposited for example. This fund is a special fund from which withdrawals are made for scholarships, medical operations etc. Likewise there could be a Prime Minister’s Fund. But these have to be constituted by law, by a special act.
    The Finance Act
    Part IV of the Act No 38 of 1971 deals with the establishment of special funds to receive voluntary contributions in money made to the government for charitable purposes.
    Section 25(1) states that any voluntary contribution made to the government for a special purpose may be held in deposit in one or more accounts in the General Treasury or in any such kachcheri in the island as may be determined by the minister of finance. In any event Section 26 provides that payments from such account may be made by the deputy secretary Treasury subject to the control of the minister of finance.
    Sources at the Finance Ministry have confirmed to The Sunday Leader that no approvals warrants or endorsements of any kind have been made by the Ministry on the Helping Hambantota Fund which was rejected by cabinet in any event.
    Financial regulations
    Let’s look at Section 870 on the subject of State Gifts. It clearly states that gifts received by a minister, member of parliament or a public officer, from a head or representative of a foreign state, should be regarded as received by him solely in his capacity as a representative of the Government of Sri Lanka. The disposal of such a gift attracts a number of checks and balances.
    Firstly, the gift must be reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If the recipient feels he received the gift in his personal rather than official capacity he should present his case in writing to the Foreign Ministry. All gifts must in any event be valued by the director general of customs. Gifts valued at Rs. 150 or less should be returned to the recipient while the recipient will have the option to purchase the gift if valued over Rs. 150 at the assessed price. If not the gift should be transferred to the National Museum.
    This is the hard road public officials and politicians have to tread under the financial regulations even with regard to gifts. A road that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, by his ingenuity and prestidigitation has with regard to donations, transformed into a cakewalk.
    Gifts of money
    Take a hard look at this. F.R. 170(2) deals with Gifts of Money. The importance of this section warrants that it is reproduced in full.
    “When a department receives gifts of money from members of the public with requests that the gifts should be used for specific purposes, the amount received should be temporarily held in a deposit account and the donors informed politely, under registered cover, that the proposed expenditure can be incurred only with parliamentary approval, and that therefore no assurance can be given that their proposals will ultimately be implemented.
    They should be made aware that if the donations are accepted, they have to be credited to the revenue, and no refund could be made thereafter, even if the parliament disapproves the proposals.”
    If the donors are agreeable to the conditions, the amounts would be credited to the revenue or otherwise refunded to them. If no replies are received by the donors reminders must be sent stating that if there is no reply within two weeks the money will be accepted into revenue.
    F.R.170(b) states that “when gifts of money are credited to revenue in terms of (a) above, provisions may be made in the draft estimates of the following Financial Year for implementing the specific proposals for which the donations were received subject to approval.
    (c ) Gifts of Money received, other than for a specific purpose, should be credited to revenue.
    The section also sets out how monies credited to revenue should be classified and in F.R.170(e) states that the following particulars (1) The name and address of the donor, (2) Amount of gifts, (3) Date of credit to revenue, (4) Purpose if any, for which it is donated, and (5) If donated for a specific purpose, which action has been taken, should be notified to the director general, Department of State Accounts, Treasury, without delay so that he could include same in the statement relating to gift of money received during the financial year which is published along with annual accounts.
    F.R. 170 is abundantly clear. Even if a donor requests that a donation should be used for a specific purpose this cannot be done and there is provision to inform the donor of the financial regulations on this issue. Instead all monies must go into either the Consolidated Fund or the Contingencies Fund as government revenue.
    No steps can be taken without parliamentary approval. The public has known for the past two weeks and Prime Minister Rajapakse has known for a hefty six months that he did not have parliamentary approval for his dodgy Hambantota account, which in any event has not even gone to help Hambantota. (See next page)
    State banks
    The Prime Minister we presume, being a seasoned politician is a man well versed in the financial regulations of this country. He would also be aware that all public monies must be deposited in one of the three state banks. The Central Bank, People’s Bank and Bank of Ceylon. Ditto for his secretary, Lalith Weeratunga.
    F.R.381 provides for the opening of bank accounts. In order to open a bank account an application must first be made to the Treasury. The application to open an official bank account should be made through the chief ac

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      Rajapakistan rules by the gun for the with the gun so all you can do is set a thief to catch a thief. The gaame gode orthodox artist familia will not fade away for another 30-60 years and you may find yourself in another tsunami when no westerners are around then its kota uda.
      Alternatively become a special Sinhala Buddhist State of India like Kashmir where you have nothing to worry everything is piñata and no immigrants are permitted to reside even from adjoining states. The best of an India with a growth rate of 8% and on the rise because of the no to China by the west. Of course prepare the ground for entry after the 2014 election because the existing coalition is 10 times more Graft than rajapakistan. Jayawewa.

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      Vedda Diaspora

      Is this another ploy by the LTTE Diaspora to tarnish the image of the country and king?

      Nevertheless I welcome you to this forum.

      As long as you are mindful of Vedda traditions (free will) you can count on my support. If you are another Sri Lankan carrying the usual baggage please count me out.

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        This is very interesting the Extranjeros and Nativo.

        Only time will tell how individual the thinking;)

        Cheers to a potential thick lot.

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        Kind is [Edited out]

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      I believe this Helping Hambanthota case should be reopened and not only MR but former CJ Sarath Silva also should be under scrutiny. Thereafter all should be punished. All Politicians who can not account for their wealth should be confiscated.

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        I would also add the recent Lands appropriation bill under which Sevanagala Sugar Industries was taken over. Daya Gamage acquired a 100 Million loss burden and turned it around to a 200 million profit making entity. He helped the poor masses in the Sevenagala area by giving subsidies and encouraging them to grow cane. This was apart from the numerous acts of charity he did across the ethnic divide. He was expanding which would have given more employment till he was confronted with one of the most draconian acts of parliament – all done in a twinkle of the eye with only sadistic revenge as a motive. Let the judiciary review and decide that this was Mala Fide legislation especially because no attempt has been made to pay compensation and the parameters of non performance in the first instance has been far superseded by the present management.

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    King is [Edited out].
    King is the one who ate Tsunami foreigner’s sh..t. Dirty f…g dog.

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      Rajpka, What bloody King for this SOB, MF, Rajapaksaya? Munta mona Raja pattamda? Mun Paddangeyth Paddo. Anthima Thirisannu.

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    gamini

    Didn’t the three prelates of Buddist Sanghas bestowed a long title on the warrior king MR just after winning the war in 2009?

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      Native, not after Victory, the title Janaranjana was conferred by the Humbugs of Asgiriya and Malwatte before he became President.

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        Gamini

        Please refer to the news item below check the link as well:

        President conferred with the highest national honour

        His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces has been conferred with the highest national honour Vishawakeerthi Sri Threesinhaladishwara .

        The prelates of Malwathu and Asgiri chapters awarded the title to the president at the national ceremony to mark the reunification of the country and honour and invoke blessings on the President and war heroes for liberating the country and nation from terrorism held at the historic Magul Maduwa of the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy today (May 23).

        http://www.gemunuesra.lk/President_conferred.html

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          Native Vedda. So MR duped the prelates also, he is having many more honorary badges like…Exc, Hon, LMD,KP, S_B,S__T etc. What happened to the friendship he had with the Prelates now…. I herd he won’t talk or listen to them now. Have become chandiya …..

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          Native my apologies. After the title Janaranjana it appears these Athi Panditha, Baka Panditha Malwathu and Asgiri Buggers have conferred a further title. Never in the History of this country such titles have been awarded or even heard of. I believe it is about time that the laity stopped giving these buggers Dhana. I stopped offering Dhana to these buggers a long time ago. Instead I feed the stray dogs on the roads and I get immense satisfaction for the greetings they offer in return. I wish all sensible follow same.

          Like Gadaffi in his suit of badges, when this bugger MR is purged one day he can be in his amudey with these titles tied around his neck.

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    Native Vedda:

    National honor Title: Vishawakeerthi Sri Threesinhaladishwara .

    What Funny hora title is this… given to MARA by three prelates: Can you explain the meaning…. Also if you could send this to Guinness world record book for the Longest and the most prestigious title in the world…..

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      Rajpka

      Please note I have no interests in these titles. Please don’t award me one.

      VP did crowned himself as Right Honourable & National Leader……… etc.

      These practices come from feudal times. Therefore I conclude Sri Lankans are still living in the Feudal mind set while enjoying modern facilities.

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    Thanks for your comments, Romesh and Wuliangguobinjiu (whatever inspired this nom de guerre? – sounds a mix of Chinese and Korean!!)

    Romesh: Granted, some of the comments maybe off-key, but there certainly seems to be a manifest outpouring of concern that I hear loud and clear from a number of quarters indicating that all is no well in the state of Lanka and that if its denizens don’t watch out, they will end up claiming a banana republic for their home.

    Bottom line is that like many in developing nations, the majority of Lankans have become victims of manipulative politicians ever since independence and are stuck in a groove of either indifference, fear or complete obeisance reminiscent of feudalistic times.

    Having said that, I cannot fathom why Sri Lankans as a people have got stuck in a groove, rather than take a good introspective look into how they have been manipulated and put in place the necessary steps to instil national harmony amongst themselves.

    Why for instance, do people in Sri Lanka (India too?) proclaim their ‘race’ (ethnicity) first rather than “I am a Sri Lankan”? Why does the Sri Lankan birth certificate still require “Race” to be declared upon the birth of a child? I am sure that wiser persons have asked these questions, but tellingly, what have the people of the country done to rise above the divisions, speak with homogeneity and push for true ethnic harmony in that beautiful little tropical island?

    Or, should they simply resign themselves and reflect on the words of Albert Jay Nock, who in 1939 wrote, in “The Criminality of the State”, (in an American context of course, but relevant perhaps elsewhere too):

    “The State’s criminality is nothing new and nothing to be wondered at. It began when the first predatory group of men who clustered together and formed the State, and it will continue as long as the State exists in the world, because the State is fundamentally an anti-social institution, fundamentally criminal. The idea that the State originated to serve any kind of social purpose is completely unhistorical. It originated in conquest and confiscation – that is to say, in crime. It originated for the purpose of maintaining the division of society into an owning-and-exploiting class and a propertyless dependent class – that is, for a criminal purpose.

    No State known to history originated in any other manner, or for any other purpose. Like all predatory or parasitic institutions, its first instinct is that of self-preservation. All its enterprises are directed first towards preserving its own life, and, second, towards increasing its own power and enlarging the scope of its own activity. For the sake of this it will, and regularly does, commit any crime which circumstances make expedient.”

    Also, watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yETTgJY0SM for a reading of some relative comments.

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