Responding to the Colombo Telegraph story; “Exposé: Centre For Policy Alternatives Defrauded And Hoodwinked Donors” the Centre for Policy Alternatives says that it will post a response to the allegations in the next two weeks.
Dr. Sara
The CPA’s powerful Executive Director, Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu who is currently in London attending a conference titled ‘The media in post war Sri Lanka: supporting democratisation in the era of the ‘War on Terrorism’” organized by “The International Association of Tamil Journalists”.
The CPA website says; “The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is aware of an article in the Colombo Telegraph website titled ‘Exposé: Centre For Policy Alternatives Defrauded And Hoodwinked Donors’ published on 10 October 2014. The article contains a number of allegations against the organisation and certain members of the staff. As the Executive Director is travelling on work, CPA will post a response to these allegations on his return to Sri Lanka in the next two weeks.”
Alerting Colombo Telegraph to the CPA’s web clarification, a Sri Lankan good governance activist said “if the CPA is not an authoritarian organisation, why does it need two weeks to respond? It looks like ‘Saravanamuttu is the CPA’, that is how the NGO system works”. “No difference to the Rajapaksas, we everyday, hear: Mahinda, Mahinda, Mahinda Chinthana etc” she further said.
CORRECTION: The first sentence of the last paragraph of this story has been adjusted to correct a language error.
Piranha / October 13, 2014
CT, this CPA story is of negligible importance when compared to the mega swindle of public money that is taking place daily under Rajapaksa’s rule. Leave it, I say.
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Nihal / October 13, 2014
Pira, CPA is also swindling public money. Money is not coming from Saravanamuttus.
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Dodo / October 13, 2014
CT editors please stop going after easy targets like CPA and go for the big ticket corruption of the Mahinda Jarapassa regime – MR and his brothers, sons , cousins, nephews, cronies like Dhammika Perera and their KINGSBURY life style of BLING – gode to die glitter, fast cars, blonds imported from Russia etc.. Empty uncultured buggers who try to hide their lack of CULTURE behind NAME BRAND consumption patterns..
Also CT please investigate the Cabinet of Clown and why Maithripala Sirisena has not passed the national drugs policy bill and his brother who stole land from the Parakrama Samudra in Pollunnaurwa to illegally build the Sudu Araliya hotel.. Please do some REAL investigative reporting on regime corruption!!
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srilal / October 13, 2014
Dear CT Editors ,
“Alarming Colombo Telegraph on the CPA’s clarification, a Sri Lankan good governance activist said “if the CPA is not an authoritarian organisation, why does it need two weeks to respond? It looks like ‘Saravanamuttu is the CPA’, that is how the NGO system works”. “No difference to the Rajapaksas, we everyday, hear: Mahinda, Mahinda, Mahinda Chinthana etc” she further said “
Please be fair , the whole accusation is on Dr Sara himself , so it is logical for him to attend the matter and clears the air , why are you guys so pumped up on this non issue ? i’ll ask again , what benefit helpless masses going to get after all these witch hunting ? what is your real motive ? expose all the corruptions in the NGO sector ? let me suggest you to start it from LIONS club , still who are the real losers again ?
CT get your priorities right , MR is about to steam roll the PE while Ranil and his cronies covertly supporting him , you guys are going after a sprat , actually this sprat is the one who is going to stand by it’s people during the forthcoming Presidential election , after your timely revelation would he be able to perform his rightful duties as required , Juntas will destroy this sprat in no time !
PS: i’m not a fan of Dr Sara , but the bloke has the guts to challenge mighty Rajapakses , for that i salute him.
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Bageta read bias man / October 13, 2014
Looks Sirilal lokka hasn’t even read the CPA statement ; “…The article contains a number of allegations against the organisation and certain members of the staff. …”
So it’s not all about Paki. Read the article first please.
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srilal / October 13, 2014
sure it’s not , but the fact that the whole blame game is focused at Dr Sara , so his personnel input is very much needed , my concern is how is he going to perform his duties (at the PE) after this vicious personal attack on him !
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Bageta read bias man / October 13, 2014
Sirilal, read read man, According to CT story communications related to this particular EU/UNESCO corruption saga – [billing for un-held workshops, double billing scandals; i.e getting grants from two donors to do the same task and duplicating receipts, hotel bills and other bills to submit to donors (perhaps even submitting same bills to multiple donors), and hoodwinking donors by filing expenses under safe cost columns.] started 8th June. My understanding is CT has raised the all relevant questions with the CPA and its board of directors. SO why another two weeks?
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srilal / October 13, 2014
Bageta read bias man ,
come on man , your chosen name it all, who is biased here ? i can feel some thing here and i know who you represent !doesn’t matter , i still stand by my statement , enough damage has been done ,learn to have some patience man !
No hard feelings pal .
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dingiri / October 16, 2014
At least Sara’s money is not coming from the Sri Lankan public. If the expenses are endorsed by his donors it is not really any concern of ours. He is answerable only to his donors as to how he uses his budget. Not us.
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Anpu / October 13, 2014
Thanks CT. But I agree with Piranha.
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Kamani / October 13, 2014
Mr/Ms Prihana, this looks like a tip of an iceberg. Will see how is goes. But you are correct, because the Rajapaksas are dealing with “Trillions” they rob according to that budget and the Sarawanamuttus/CPA get millions and they rob according to that budget. LOL
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Jim softy / October 13, 2014
Hi Kamani:
You are after a long time.
These Stupid Tamils[Edited out].
So, do we !, We can not escape the cycle.
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Peace Lover / October 13, 2014
CT looks like your on a personal vendetta against the CPA and this is just what the Govt and its stooges need
Grow up CT and stop being jealous of CPA
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K.A Sumanasekera / October 13, 2014
Did Paikiosothy take P. Lover also for a drinks at the GFH….
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Peace Lover / October 14, 2014
no he did not but i heard he was looking for you as he wanted to thank you K A Sumanasekera for the donations you had given to CPA!
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K.A Sumanasekera / October 14, 2014
P Love,
If I had the Dosh , I will help more Dalits in the East, South , West and the North by giving them cash to buy cloths or books or even Dhall for a meal…..
But not through those rouges who parade as do gooders and enjoy fine dining and expensive booze with donated dosh.
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Peace Lover / October 14, 2014
but thats not what happened with Lee Potter isnt it athal sumane?
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Jim softy / October 13, 2014
Piranha is a member of the LTTE rump. Saravanamutttu is elite colombo -tamil also was talking for the Tamil solution.
So, they same blood except the different castes.
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Jim softy / October 13, 2014
CPA needs two weeks to cook up the figures.
Wait and see the result.
Probably, the out come will be that Saravanamuttu spent money from his pocket and he did not get his salary or other expenses for months.
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Vibhushana / October 13, 2014
When the focus of a non-profit mission turns to monetary gain two things happen.
Even when the objective of the mission has largely become redundant – it pretends that it hasn’t. It refuses to acknowledge the new reality purely because it loses its income.
It then creates bogus issues out of thin air – just to continue to survive.
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eshan g / October 13, 2014
Sauce for the goose is……..
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Harry Hatton / October 13, 2014
The question is not what others make but how Dr Sara who poses as a advocate for honesty and good governance has conducted himself. One thing for sure although he has not achieved anything by his NGO, not changed one vote, not made any policy alternative the guy has managed a very comfortable life for himself running a NGO.After Jayalalitha in India and Raj Rajaratnam of USA ( both now behind bars) he is the third pretender. Why doesnt he declare his assets and income and come clean ?
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Boo / October 13, 2014
This is real nonsense something that happened nine years ago. As someone said in the article by Malinda- this is mambo jumbo accounting and a concerted strategy of harassment against liberal intellectuals, first ICES, then Dhanapala,and Friday forum, then Sanjana and now Dr. Sara. Just before elections begin the smearing campaign. On the one hand it is serving the agenda of the MOD but wit regard to people like Malinda who are behind these campaignalso may be borne of envy, hypocrisy and a real chip on the shoulder. They love attacking the best and the brightest in our society because everyone knows they are kinky people!
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Pooo / October 13, 2014
Ayyayyo Boooo, What is this ICES issue? You mean Radhika hiding Human Rights commission report? or anything else?
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/radhika-now-says-she-received-the-suntheralingam-report-and-ordered-to-release-it/
Dhanpala blocking Colombo Telegraph ? why did he resigned if didn’t do anything wrong? Don’t forget Dr Sara himself ask Dhanapala to resign. Read;
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/dhanapala-must-choose-says-saravanamuttu/
Sanjan for harassing a female ;
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/cpa-removes-groundviews-editor-from-senior-staff/
Or hoodwinking donors by filing expenses under ‘safe’ cost columnshttps://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/exposed-rights-advocacy-a-gateway-to-lavish-lifestyles/
Dr Sara for what?
So MOD and Mahinda Rajapaksa may have asked them to do dirty things!! LOL ;) ;) :)
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / October 13, 2014
So there is Lime for beatle chewing in side, every body’s satchel.
And Jarapassas Clan’s Satchels [actually, gunny bags with looted money] are deeper than Sarawanamuttus/CPA’s Satchel.
We can assume that how V P and clan accumiliated their Satchels. [actually, gunny bags with robbed, ill-gotten and ,looted money and gold] ,
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K.A Sumanasekera / October 13, 2014
Wonder what the Food and Drinks Bill would be after this junket..
A steak costing USD 40 upwards in even descent pubs nowadays, and a beer up to 5 Pounds or 10 Dollars , the GFH bill would look like a breakfast bill.
Unless Pasiokothy is in Tamil Nadu advising the new CM there on Alternative Policies which wouldn’t land the new CM also in the Slammer in the future…
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Boo / October 13, 2014
Anyone or any organization can be made to look like a racketeer depending on how the facts are presented. CT does an expose- usually againstt as I said some of our best and brightest who are challenging the government. even photographs are added to make the person look silly. Next day or next minute Malinda writes a column in his Nation shaming the person. In the old days Rajiva and Dayan would jump in. Perhaps followed by Gomin Dayasiri and SL Gunasekere. This is what you call a silencing operation- an attempt to silence the only decent voices we have. However now it falls flat because nobody is fooled. We know Dr. Sara is made of sterner stuff despite the flower in his hair!
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Pooo / October 13, 2014
Hello Boo, Dr Sara is paid to do those things, it is his paid job like any bus driver. Sara is not doing those things voluntarily. He is a paid worker in the Human Rights Industry.
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Meera / October 13, 2014
[Edited out] Boo/ Meera /Spitzer – Please use one name to comment – CT
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george jilmart / October 13, 2014
I think that CT is making a mountain out of a molehill in this instance. It is obvious that CT has received some information from a disgruntled former employee who has made some allegations. This employee has lost all credibility and CT has acted on this information and published a statement with no evidence to back up what it is saying. Frankly my advise to Dr Sara is to tell CT to get lost. What god given right has CT to request or demand an explanation from CPA. Its stuff like this reported by CT that causes problems for other journos. All that Dr Sara has to do is to ask the donors to make a statement that the expenditures in question is acceptable to them and in line with their objectives. This should shut CT up. Also CT should realiZe that no one is answerable to them. CT is a website and they have no right to ask for explanations. CPA and Dr Sara, please continue to do the good work that we citizens of Sri Lanka are seeing from you and do not let yourself be sidetracked or demotivated by clowns who appear to have lost the plot in this instance and cannot see the wood from the trees.
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Jila lost / October 13, 2014
Mart Jila lost his temper. At least Jilo can you explain why CPA asked and received 4 bills for the same amount under different description? Looks like Jila also a big Jilamart man like CPA ? Only against the Rajapakasas?
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Javi. / October 13, 2014
It is a well known fact in Europe that EU mainly unelected is a gravy train for front line party folk. EU don’t have financial discipline and the budget don’t really exist.EU is what WW 2 did not want.
If they have taken funds from EU for work not done then it is common to EU funding.
Go to Brussels and see the set by the unelected- they have permanent homes etc in a new city. In this case they say job done to EU ( the folk awarding) who are generally clueless of SL happenings.
CT apply for funding as there are professionals who can fill that charity form to pass through and see the fun. 100k is pea nuts
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thondamannar / October 13, 2014
Sara on his to the Mars ??????????????????????
OR
Gone [Edited out]?
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Cyril / October 13, 2014
The SL government has launched a poster campaign titled, ‘Why is the NGO gang afraid of the President?’ in Sri Lanka, while the CT has launched its campaign against the CPA alleging fraudulent financial practices, some of which seems to have been recycled from archives. There seems to be more than meets the eye to the timing of these two campaigns.
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Kirri Yakka / October 14, 2014
I think Sara should buy the CT editots the cocktsil that thry are craving for . Poor fellas are under pressure to pull down Saras Sarong. Never seen that bugger in a veshti.
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Scott / October 16, 2014
In the absence of civilized governance, NGOs play an important social and political role. Many honest citizens reposed great trust in the integrity of the NGO community. The CT’s revelations about CPA strike at the root of the credibility of NGO system as a whole. These provide ammunition for the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist propensity to brand the NGOs as anti-national, and to bundle them together with imperialists and the Tiger diaspora. NGO haters are grinning ear to ear with glee. This is both shocking and sad.
The irony is that the organizational structure of the CPA appears to be as dictatorial and centralized as the country’s presidential system of which the CPA is an outspoken critic.
It’s hard to readily agree with those commentators who justify the CPA’s conduct as nothing compared to the pillage of the country by the Rajapaksa regime. This in effect is to say that a little corruption is OK. That’s like saying that a little pregnancy is OK.
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Bulla / October 24, 2014
Waiting read this Muttu’s reply. Now 14days passed.
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