Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Executive Director of the Center for Policy Alternative, one of Sri Lanka’s major think tanks, told Colombo Telegraph earlier this morning that Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala must choose. “Given the information now in the public realm,” he said, “ I believe that the two positions – one within Dialog which blocks Colombo Telegraph and the other within Friday Forum which champions democratic governance – are incompatible. In that position, I would choose between them.”
Jayantha Dhanapala
Dhanapala is an “Independent, non-executive” director of Dialog Axiata PLC and also a leading member of the Friday Forum, which states it is committed to supporting the “rule of law,” “freedom of information and expression,” and “an independent media.”
Earlier, on the 19th of March Dr. Saravanamuttu had said that, “I am sure that Ambassador Dhanapala will act within the framework of good corporate governance and in so doing uphold the best principles and practices of governance in general.”
Even though the blocking of CT by Dialog is an established fact, and has even been reported by an uncontested 2013 US State Department Human Rights report on Sri Lanka, Dhanapala continues to serve on the board of Dialog Axiata PLC, the holding company of the broadband telecommunications provider, which is one of the larger corporates, traded on the Colombo Stock Exchange. He has also said, he only learnt about the blocking from Colombo Telegraph itself, and also maintains that he can not speak for the company.
In earlier statements to Colombo Telegraph, Dr. Kumar David, Dr. Nirmal Ranjit Dewasiri, and Dr. Pradeep Jeganathan all pointed to the grave ethical issues raised by Dhanapala’s continuing presence on the board of Dialog. Dr. David, has as wondered if Dhanapala,“..may be influenced by the apparently large payment he receives for his services on the Board.”
While Colombo Telegraph has no direct information of the quantum of compensation Dialog pays Jayantha Dhanapala, the 2013 annual report of lists an amount in excess of 76 million Rupees, as directors compensation for the entire board of 8 members, who meet 7 times a year.
Dr. Dewasiri said, in an earlier statement to CT, “ Perhaps business interests are more damaging for freedom of expression and right to information than the state repression because the former is more subtle.”
Contacted for comment a few weeks ago, Dr. Jeganathan’s said, “It is certainly fair to say that Ambassador Dhanapala can not speak for Dialog Axiata PLC. But certainly, he can consult his conscience and speak for himself. And more importantly, act ethically…I have a deep disquiet about the very concept of ‘good governance’ – which implies that public affairs, and common interests can be ‘managed’ in the same way as a for profit company. This is perhaps where we need to rethink our collective ethical stance.”
Related posts;
Picture Evidence: After Dhanapala Addressed BASL Meeting Dialog Blocked Colombo Telegraph Again
Dialog Unblocked Colombo Telegraph For Dhanapala To Address A Public Meeting
Jayantha Dhanapala Is A Liar; Caught Lying Over Silence On Colombo Telegraph Blocking
Jayaratne Says Dhanapala Will Stand By Best Practices, Dhanapala Pussyfoots On Illegal Web Blocking
International Press Institute Urges UN To Ensure Interference With Colombo Telegraph Ends
Article 19 Slams Ban On Colombo Telegraph Website
Dhanapala May Be Influenced By Large Payment He Receives From Dialog – Professor Kumar David
‘Dhanapala’s Position Ethically Untenable’ Says Dr. Pradeep Jeganathan
Sri Lanka Blocks Websites And The President Lies On Twitter
Once Again Colombo Telegraph Blocked; Dialog And Etisalat Tamper DNS Responses
TRC Blocks Colombo Telegraph, Warns Service Providers To Maintain It’s A ‘Technical Glitch’
Colombo Telegraph Blocked, How To Reach Us Now: Sri Lanka Telecom And Mobitel Joins The DPI Club!
Sri Lankan Govt. Periodically Blocked Colombo Telegraph In 2013: US Human Rights Report
History of Colombo Telegraph blocking
First -December 26, 2011 – We are blocked but we will not be stopped
Second – May 8, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Blocked Again
Third – March 29, 2013 – Sri Lanka Blocks Colombo Telegraph and Selected Tweets: Colombo Telegraph Unblocked
Fourth – August 23, 2013 – Colombo Telegraph Blocked, How To Reach Us Now: Sri Lanka Telecom And Mobitel Joins The DPI Club!
Other attempts
October 26, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Was Hacked
August 9, 2012 ColomboTelegraph Password Cracking Attempt Blocked
Freedom House Report: Freedom On The Net 2012, Sri Lanka Is A Country At Risk
Amarasiri / April 9, 2014
Jayantha Dhanapala,
You want to have your own cake and eat it too!
Once upon a time, there was a war between the mammals and the birds.
When the birds were winning, the “wavula”, the bats, told the bird, we are birds because we fly like you.
The situation changed. The mammals invented the bird missile, and the birds stated losing. Then the “wavula”, the bats, went to the mammals and told them we are mammals, as we have teeth and we give milk to our young.
Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala, what are you?
1. A bird
2. A mammal, or
3. A wavula, Bat?
/
Bedrock Barney / April 9, 2014
The revised version sounds better though. ‘He wants to eat his cake and have it too”.
A little harsh I think, to expect Mr Dhanapala to resign. If the GOSL deems CT as subversive, then his resignation will have no bearing at all. CT will still be banned in SL. All it will do is make people who don’t like feel better.
/
Alaska / April 9, 2014
No Mr Barney, if CT is officially banned, of course Dialog will be required to block access AND it will publicly declare that it has received a banning order.
To block a site without a banning order is ILLEGAL and violates the Telecommunications Regulations. Therefore Dialog and Dhanapal are parties to an illegal act.
If Gota has picked up the phone and told them to do it, and that is why they block, while concealing this from the public, that makes both Dialog and Dhanapala lick-spittle stooges.
/
Wickramasiri / April 9, 2014
Alaska, You are absolutely right. In any event, whether Dhanapala resigns or not, he is finished, his standing as an honourable, upright man is totally shattered. So also is the reputation of those self righteous preachers of the Friday Forum, now proven to be a bunch of intellectual frauds with feet of clay. As for Dialog, it is time the Malaysians removed the Board including it’s Chairman for sullying the reputation of the Company.
/
Bedrock Barney / April 10, 2014
Good point Alaskan, but Rajapak-sir Sri Lanaka is wired completely wrong. The way state media is uesed as a UPFA propaganda tool is a complete violation of broaddcast ethics.
The point I was trying to make was that in this graft ridden business environment, sometimes good people get caught in the crossfire. Perhaps it is wrong to pick on Mr Dhanapla and not the environment he forced to survive in.
/
Ben Hurling / April 9, 2014
Bedrock Barney,
I feel a degree of sympathy for Mr. Dhanapala too.
He is indeed in a bit of a pickle. An unenviable situation.
Yet, he must speak out clearly on behalf of us Sri Lankans. Given his reputation as a man of integrity and professionalism.
By serving on Dialog Board as Alaska says below Dhanapala is colluding in illegality. Trademark of the current regime.
A bit sad.
/
Amarasiri / April 11, 2014
Bedrock Barney
“A little harsh I think, to expect Mr Dhanapala to resign.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_can't_have_your_cake_and_eat_it
Well, the same hard versions from different languages, below. Take your pick.
Other languages
Various expressions are used to convey similar idioms in other languages:
Albanian: (Te hysh ne uje e te mos lagesh) – To take a swim and not get wet.
Bulgarian: И вълкът сит, и агнето цяло – Both the wolf is full, and the lamb is whole.
Bosnian: Ne možeš imati i jare i pare. You can’t have both a lamb and money.
Czech: Aby se vlk nažral a koza zůstala celá – The wolf is full and the goat stayed whole.
Chinese: {{{3}}}’ (pinyin: Yòu yào mǎr pǎo, yòu yào mǎr bu chī cǎo.) – To want a horse that both runs fast and consumes no feed; or 魚與熊掌不可兼得 from Mencius – You cannot have both the fish and the bear’s paw (as a rare delicacy) at the same time.
Danish: Man kan ikke både blæse og have mel i munden – You cannot both blow and have flour in your mouth.
Dutch: Je moet kiezen of delen – You have to choose or partition. This is based on Dutch civil law where in a division of property one person divides the property in two parts and the other person chooses the part he likes most.
Estonian: Hundid söönud, lambad terved – The wolves have eaten, [and] the lambs are whole.
French: Vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre – to want the butter and the money from (selling) the butter. The idiom can be emphasized by adding French: et le sourire de la crémière (“and the smile of the female buttermaker”). In familiar context, “the smile” can be replaced by “the daughter” (French: et la fille de la crémière). In vulgar context, “the smile” is often replaced by “the ass” (French: et le cul de la crémière).
German: Man kann nicht auf zwei Hochzeiten tanzen. – you can’t dance at two weddings (at the same time).
Switzerland: Du chasch nit dr Füfer und s Weggli ha – you can’t have the five cent coin and a Swiss bread roll.
Greek: Και την πίτα ολόκληρη και τον σκύλο χορτάτο – you want the entire pie and the dog full.
Hebrew: אי אפשר לאכול את העוגה ולהשאיר אותה שלמה – you can’t eat the cake and keep it whole.
Hungarian: Olyan nincs, hogy a kecske is jól lakjon, és a káposzta is megmaradjon. – It is impossible that the goat has enough to eat and the cabbage remains as well. Also, Hungarian: Egy fenékkel nem lehet két lovat megülni. – It is impossible to ride two horses with one butt. (The meaning is similar to the Russian translation.)
Italian: Avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca – to have the barrel full and the wife drunk.
Kannada: ಅಕ್ಕಿ ಮೇಲೆ ಆಸೆ, ನೆಂಟರ ಮೇಲೆ ಪ್ರೀತಿ – Desire over rice, love over relatives.
Lithuanian: Ir vilkas sotus, ir avys sveikos – to have wolf fed and the lamb safe.
Macedonian: И волкот сит, и овците на број – Both the wolf is full, and the sheep are intact.
Nepal: दुवै हातमा लड्डु – having laddu (a sweet candy) in both your hands.
Papiamentu: Skohe of lag’i skohe – choose or let choose
.
Persian: هم خر را خواستن و هم خرما را – wanting both the donkey and the sugar-dates.
Portuguese: Querer ter sol na eira e chuva no nabal – Wanting the sun shine on the threshing floor, while it rains on the turnip field.
Polish: I wilk syty i owca cała – Both the wolf is full, and the lamb is whole.
Romanian: Nu poți împăca și capra și varza – You can’t reconcile the goat and the cabbage.
Russian: И рыбку съесть, и в воду не лезть – wanting to eat a fish without first catching it from the waters.[18]; И волки сыты, и овцы целы – The wolves are full, and the lambs are whole.
Slovene: Volk sit in koza cela – The wolf [is] full, and the lamb [is] whole.
Serbian: Не можеш да имаш и јаре и паре – You can’t have both goatling and money, and Serbian: Не можеш сести с једним дупетом на две столице – You can’t sit on two chairs with one butt.
Spanish: Querer estar en Misa y en procesión – wishing to be both at Mass and in the procession, and Spanish: estar en Misa y repicando (or Spanish: estar en Misa y tocar la campana – to be both at Mass and in the belfry, bell-ringing.
Argentina: Spanish: la chancha y los veinte – the pig and the twenties. (Comes from the old piggybanks for children that used to contain coins of 20 cents. The only way to get the coins was to break the piggybank open – hence the phrase. This can be emphasized by adding Spanish: y la máquina de hacer chorizos – and the machine to make sausage.
Tamil: மீசைக்கும் ஆசை கூழுக்கும் ஆசை – desire to have both the moustache and to drink the porridge.
Turkish: Gülü seven dikenine katlanir. – If you like roses, you have to put up with the thorns.
/
Amarasiri / April 11, 2014
Bedrock Barney
“A little harsh I think, to expect Mr Dhanapala to resign.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_can't_have_your_cake_and_eat_it
Well, the same hard versions from different languages, below. Take your pick.
Other languages
Various expressions are used to convey similar idioms in other languages:
Albanian: (Te hysh ne uje e te mos lagesh) – To take a swim and not get wet.
Bulgarian: И вълкът сит, и агнето цяло – Both the wolf is full, and the lamb is whole.
Bosnian: Ne možeš imati i jare i pare. You can’t have both a lamb and money.
Czech: Aby se vlk nažral a koza zůstala celá – The wolf is full and the goat stayed whole.
Chinese: {{{3}}}’ (pinyin: Yòu yào mǎr pǎo, yòu yào mǎr bu chī cǎo.) – To want a horse that both runs fast and consumes no feed; or 魚與熊掌不可兼得 from Mencius – You cannot have both the fish and the bear’s paw (as a rare delicacy) at the same time.
Danish: Man kan ikke både blæse og have mel i munden – You cannot both blow and have flour in your mouth.
Dutch: Je moet kiezen of delen – You have to choose or partition. This is based on Dutch civil law where in a division of property one person divides the property in two parts and the other person chooses the part he likes most.
Estonian: Hundid söönud, lambad terved – The wolves have eaten, [and] the lambs are whole.
French: Vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre – to want the butter and the money from (selling) the butter. The idiom can be emphasized by adding French: et le sourire de la crémière (“and the smile of the female buttermaker”). In familiar context, “the smile” can be replaced by “the daughter” (French: et la fille de la crémière). In vulgar context, “the smile” is often replaced by “the ass” (French: et le cul de la crémière).
German: Man kann nicht auf zwei Hochzeiten tanzen. – you can’t dance at two weddings (at the same time).
Switzerland: Du chasch nit dr Füfer und s Weggli ha – you can’t have the five cent coin and a Swiss bread roll.
Greek: Και την πίτα ολόκληρη και τον σκύλο χορτάτο – you want the entire pie and the dog full.
Hebrew: אי אפשר לאכול את העוגה ולהשאיר אותה שלמה – you can’t eat the cake and keep it whole.
Hungarian: Olyan nincs, hogy a kecske is jól lakjon, és a káposzta is megmaradjon. – It is impossible that the goat has enough to eat and the cabbage remains as well. Also, Hungarian: Egy fenékkel nem lehet két lovat megülni. – It is impossible to ride two horses with one butt. (The meaning is similar to the Russian translation.)
Italian: Avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca – to have the barrel full and the wife drunk.
Kannada: ಅಕ್ಕಿ ಮೇಲೆ ಆಸೆ, ನೆಂಟರ ಮೇಲೆ ಪ್ರೀತಿ – Desire over rice, love over relatives.
Lithuanian: Ir vilkas sotus, ir avys sveikos – to have wolf fed and the lamb safe.
Macedonian: И волкот сит, и овците на број – Both the wolf is full, and the sheep are intact.
Nepal: दुवै हातमा लड्डु – having laddu (a sweet candy) in both your hands.
Papiamentu: Skohe of lag’i skohe – choose or let choose
.
Persian: هم خر را خواستن و هم خرما را – wanting both the donkey and the sugar-dates.
Portuguese: Querer ter sol na eira e chuva no nabal – Wanting the sun shine on the threshing floor, while it rains on the turnip field.
Polish: I wilk syty i owca cała – Both the wolf is full, and the lamb is whole.
Romanian: Nu poți împăca și capra și varza – You can’t reconcile the goat and the cabbage.
Russian: И рыбку съесть, и в воду не лезть – wanting to eat a fish without first catching it from the waters.[18]; И волки сыты, и овцы целы – The wolves are full, and the lambs are whole.
Slovene: Volk sit in koza cela – The wolf [is] full, and the lamb [is] whole.
Serbian: Не можеш да имаш и јаре и паре – You can’t have both goatling and money, and Serbian: Не можеш сести с једним дупетом на две столице – You can’t sit on two chairs with one butt.
Spanish: Querer estar en Misa y en procesión – wishing to be both at Mass and in the procession, and Spanish: estar en Misa y repicando (or Spanish: estar en Misa y tocar la campana – to be both at Mass and in the belfry, bell-ringing.
Argentina: Spanish: la chancha y los veinte – the pig and the twenties. (Comes from the old piggybanks for children that used to contain coins of 20 cents. The only way to get the coins was to break the piggybank open – hence the phrase. This can be emphasized by adding Spanish: y la máquina de hacer chorizos – and the machine to make sausage.
Tamil: மீசைக்கும் ஆசை கூழுக்கும் ஆசை – desire to have both the moustache and to drink the porridge.
Turkish: Gülü seven dikenine katlanir. – If you like roses, you have to put up with the thorns.
/
mike / April 9, 2014
None of the above. Dhanapala is nothing but RAW (Rajapassa Arse Wipe)!
/
Sengodan. M / April 9, 2014
Some people like to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds!
Sengodan. M
/
Boom Boom / April 9, 2014
Sengodan you sound like a paragon of virtue of “freedom of expression”!
So Dhanapala can only express certain types of ideas. He should not express others?
The stupidity and dishonesty of you people is staggering.
/
Javi / April 9, 2014
broom broom,
Honesty is the best policy but the man who follows it is not a honest man,
Politics is sandwiching with lies so you are hated like the plague.
/
punchinilame / April 10, 2014
Have you ever heard – Honesty is the best Policy, but
Poverty is the reward of Honest Fools!!!
/
EW Golding / April 9, 2014
Want to take a bet? He has already chosen. Otherwise he would have quit Dialog by now, instead of being ridiculed by all and sundry. He cannot bring himself to give up the large stipend he earns as a director of Dialog.
He will quietly ease out of Friday Forum soon and stop taking about democracy, free speach and the like.
What’s the bet; cash or kind?
/
Dev / April 9, 2014
Of course, he has chosen, his silence speaks for itself !!
/
srilal / April 9, 2014
“He will quietly ease out of Friday Forum soon and stop taking about democracy, free speach and the like. “
or
give it another a couple of weeks , every body will forget about it , JD will continue his admirable work in both places , pretending nothing has happened.
/
Navin / April 9, 2014
Dhanapala will not resign. I never believed his rumblings on democracy and what not. For the same reason I do not believe what Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu writes either. Should the opportunity present itself I’m 100% sure he too will behave in the same way.
/
lal / April 9, 2014
Dhanapala sits comfortably where he is. Sara has the bigger problem as does the extremist members of his community. Where will Sara and his mates should be when they demand a separate state? Will they relinquish their right to live in Sri Lanka as of now and set up camp in Jaffna/Chennai?
Extremist members of the diaspora have to consider the fate of Tamils and their immovable belongings who live outside of Northen Province of Sri Lanka when they talk of separatism. This is a problem for Sara to address that Dhanapala need not worry about.
/
Harry Hatton / April 9, 2014
Is it ok for a member of the Friday Forum or any other such NGO to hold stocks, shares or even a phone from Dialog ? By doing that are they participating in or profiting from the activities of Dialog or at least supporting them in some way.
By the way as a multinational company is it the declared policy of Dialog to not give bribes, gifts or any other form of inducements to politicians and public servants ? If they are or have given bribes or gifts to public servants how can Jayantha Danapala be in that Board which is indulging in corrupt practices in another country?
/
A / April 9, 2014
This is really turning out to be a boardroom farce or rather an orgy of moral masturbation. Dhanapala should not be bullied and vilified into resigning. In fact I rather admire his testicular fortitude in not giving into feeding frenzy pack. His resignation achieves exactly what – some moral brownie points and significant loss of income for him. Far better and far more constructive for CT and the doctoral triumvirate of David, Dewasiri and Jeganathan to engage with other board members of Dialog as well, engage the world bank and bankers association draw attention to Mushin and Prelis (demand they be blacklisted from memberships)and the malaysian board members as well. The objective should be to leave a trail of their complicity on the web free for the most casual web search to reveal.
The challenge is to make this issue bigger and name and shame the entire board’s complicity – including writing to various Chambers of Commerce, ( including the Institute of Charted Accountants for instance and demand they expel James Maclaurin from their membership for his complicity) etc.
Its a sight more constructive to launch a well thought out flanking maneuver than get between a good man and his Balvenie. Meanwhile Dhanapala – here looking at you kid!
Thats big thinking and smart strategic collective pressure.
/
Palmsquirrel / April 12, 2014
He doesn’t need to resign from Dialog but he needs to be booted from Friday Forum. He wants to have the cake and eat it too.
/
Nimal / April 9, 2014
Udder the circumstances members of the Friday Forum should be held accountable for keeping Dhanapala on board. Colombop Telegraph should write to Friday Forum and ask for an explanation. It should formally publish a list of all the members of the FF and ask each of them to make his or her position clear on this issue. Until this issue is resolved CT should stop publishing news from Friday Forum and articles from all its members.
/
JimSofty / April 10, 2014
[Edited out]
/
Thondamannar / April 11, 2014
What has an Independent non Executive Director got to do with blocking of CT ????????????? [Edited out]
/
Thondamannar / April 11, 2014
Like S.J.Emmanuel & the likes of those 200 Catholic Clergy who signed for a petition orcestrated by Rayappu to the UNHRC…..
THEY ARE FIRST TAMILS THEN CATHOLIC CLERGY REPRESENTING THEIR MASTER JESUS CHRIST……………….
So What……….
Jayantha Dhanapala is FIRST a Sinhalese, then serve the suckers who dole him the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
IT NO DIFFERENCE………..
/