Hot on the heels of Canada’s threat to pull funding for the Commonwealth Secretariat for its role in allowing Sri Lanka to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo next month, reports have surfaced that Britain has also imposed budget cuts on the 53 member body.
William Hague
The British Government has pulled funds over concerns about the Commonwealth’s leadership and performance, the UK Telegraph newspaper reports.
The UK is the Commonwealth’s top funder, making Canada the second largest with 10 million sterling pounds per year.
Concerns over the Commonwealth’s direction after the organisation decided to go through with CHOGM in Sri Lanka against whom there are mounting concerns about human rights violations, have seen major donors scale back contributions to its budget, the newspaper said.
“Whitehall has imposed cuts of £3 million over two years from its grant to the Commonwealth Secretariat. Stephen Harper, the Canadian prime minister, provoked fears of a funding crisis this week by warning that Ottawa was looking at the scale of its own “financing”,” the Telegraph reported.
The newspaper quotes a senior former official at the Commonwealth Secretariat, which is based at Marlborough House on Pall Mall, who said Commonwealth Members were increasingly unhappy with Kamalesh Sharma, the secretary-general.
“William Hague has recently conceded to critics of the Commonwealth leadership that a change would be desirable,” the source said. “It is a pity but Mr Sharma is the wrong man for the job. The Commonwealth has a big job to do helping to improve official work in its member states but Mr Sharma is not interested.” A spokesman for Mr Sharma refused to return calls for comment on criticism of its secretariat from its members.
The UK based newspaper reported sources as saying Whitehall had imposed annual cuts of £1.5 million from a portion of the grant it gives the Commonwealth to spend on improving government standards in its member states.
Thiru / October 10, 2013
Kamalesh Sharma shame on you Shill, you have done insult on injury to Tamils> Resign and get another job with Mahinda elsewhere, take Oku with you too.
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Burt / October 10, 2013
He has damaged the reputation of India and Indians. Media should investigate the story behind the story. Something looks fishey.
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Dodo / October 10, 2013
the Rajapakse dictatorship has banned all protests in Colombo in Novemebr for the month of the Commonwealth of Clowns circus (CHOGM), while ironically the David Camarodn British PM says he is attending the Commonwealth summit to raise the RIGHTS issues!
Instead The British PM should BOYCOTT the Rajapassa dictatorship’s CHOGM show and ask them NOT TO BAN PROTESTS in the name of SECURITY in – November if he is concerned about people’s RIGHTS and refuse to attend CHOGM circus if the ban on protests in not lifted.
CHOGM has become the pretext for the Rajapassa dictatorship to abolish citizen’s right – including freedom or movement and expression and yet Camaron is talking about defending rights by attending! What a bloody British colonial hypocrite!
Lankan citizens’s whose funds are being wasted on the CHOGM circus to boost Rajapassa’s military dictatorship, should defy the ban on protests and have a massive protest in November at the CHOGM circus!
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Silva / October 10, 2013
Exactly Dodo! Massive scale protests must be held in Colombo during the whole period of Commonwealth Clowns meeting. How can this bloody MARA fucker prohibit peoples right to protest? Let the fuckers go to hell and lets arrange a massive influx of protests to Colombo so that the true nature of the rogue regime is shown to the whole world!
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Silva / October 10, 2013
The protests should also be directed against the Sharma and Uku bastards!
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / October 11, 2013
Will you guys be hitting the streets in Colombo or organising your own keyboard protests from your ghettos in Toronto and Croydon :-)
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Ben Hurling / October 10, 2013
I have no idea what kind of a guy Sharma is.
What is clear is the leverage LTTE Die-Ass-Pora wield in certain western capitals.
Ottawa has caved in already. London is struggling to withstand the pressure.
Die-Ass-Pora wants Sharma’s head on a platter for allowing our “King Wannabe” to host the CHOGM at home in SL.
Not only Sharma, New Delhi’s Manmohan is in a tight spot too. Under pressure from South Indian extreme Tamil ethno-nationalism. He can’t even confirm his visit to CHOGM a few weeks before the summit. Tamil seperatist nationalism is gradually starting to bite India’s behind itself. Well, we say it is about time India. You have earned it yourself.
The day Tamil Nadu seeks seperation from India is not far away.
Terrorism is not something you can nurture and then get rid of in a hurry according to your self interests. You are about to pay the price to LTTE Die-Ass-Pora.
Good luck Manmohan! And Sharma!
Cheers!
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Piranha / October 10, 2013
This has very little to do with the Tamil diaspora, mate. The core issue here is that a country ruled by a corrupt and dictatorial regime that flagrantly violates the basic principles of Commonwealth values is allowed to be the host of CHOGM and chair it for the next two years.
People blame, sometimes rightly, the Tamil diaspora for all the ills of the Rajapaksa regime but in this case the diaspora’s influence was not of any significance. Apart from Canada there are other countries that have quietly expressed their displeasure at Sri Lanka hosting the meeting.
The cause of this furore is entirely due to the Rajapaksa regime’s blatant violation of accepted democratic norms as stipulated by the Commonwealth charter. Period.
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Ben Hurling / October 10, 2013
Piranha,
Rajapassa does not deserve the limelight of gigantic international forums. I agree.
Yes, Rajapassa’s despotic family has destroyed Sri Lanka’s fragile democratic institutions.
However, those who are mounting an opposition to unseat Rajapassa must come clean on their support for Sri Lanaka’s status as an independent, united nation.
Otherwise you will easily be branded a traitor by a compliant media in Sri Lanka.
Rajapassa will then play Sri Lanka heroic King to the patriotic, rural Sri Lankan gallery. He will secure a whole block of votes for the next rigged election in Sri Lanka. Through your stupidity.
Get my point? Harper is a HR hypocrite. Beyond that Harper is tarnished by Toronto Die-Ass-Pora. He cannot have any impact on domestic politics in Sri Lanka. Apart from indirectly galvanizing Rajapassa’s base.
Rajapassa is a very smart dictator.
Cheers!
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BeeraPandyan / October 11, 2013
Rajapasaa is a silly Singaliis kunt who thinks by acting dumb infront of the international community he could get away with the crimes he committed. Rope to his neck very soon.
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ram / October 10, 2013
First Sri Lanka, and India at a later date. The meaning of ” A little now, More later ” becomes clearer everyday.
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jansee / October 10, 2013
Ben Hurley:
Don’t worry, the same Buddha who supported the bloodshed murder of more than 40 thousand civilians will bless your king to the Commonwealth pedestal.
There is no doubt that even the most stupid donkey on earth would doubt that Kamalesh Sharma has secured his financial future darn well – thanks to MR.
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David Blacker / October 10, 2013
You should ask the same Buddha to teach you to count.
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jansee / October 11, 2013
Sorry Blacker:
I don’t believe in him anymore – not after seeing the Sri Lankan buddhists thugs and murderers. May be this was what/how the actual Buddha was? Yo can sleep with him in the same bed or carry him in your bosom, do I really care?
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Anpu / October 12, 2013
Tell this to Rajapakse brothers.
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Ajith / October 10, 2013
You like men violence against women!
You like Sinhalese violence against Tamils!
You like Rajapakse killing journalists!
You don’t like voices against corruption!
You don’t like voices Against white van abductors and murders!
You don’t like voices against Sinhala Buddhist nationalism!
You don’t like equality, human rights and democracy!
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Ben Hurling / October 10, 2013
Ajith
I actually support fully all those causes you have mentioned above.
“You don’t like voices against Sinhala Buddhist nationalism!”?
I like voices against all forms of ethnic nationalism in Sri Lanka. Including Tamil ethno nationalism. That is a big problem too. Not just Sinhala Buddhist nationalism.
I also fight for equality, human rights and democracy! Just like you.
I just do not want anti Sri Lankan, Ealmistas involved in that fight. Coz’ their end game is something else.
Cheers!
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Javi / October 10, 2013
Ben
How can you be rational when you see only one side? The Sinhala boys have a very powerful lobby like free masons in the UK while the ltte is low class fishermen in the UK. Did you see Liam Fox meeting Rajapassa privately when the heat was on in London?
Hague (now center right)has to do the balancing act because of right wing UKIP who want to be out of EU and revitalise white commonwealth.
India has always been ruled by Shiva and lanka is low class (all buddhist are low in India) like ltte.Its like the north south divide of europe. Get your facts right for analysis than being emotional.
Even EU nations want decentralization because central rules and regulations are hurting all. I doubt TN will go for separation because they are used to neglect from centre all along but are survivors. As long as the bridging language is English India is one. Village jackals play Race Religion mother tongue to come to power and then send their kids to Oxford Cambridge Harvard like the Chinese Communist party.
Preme Sr. became dear to the heart with his “did you know which place which family you would be born? Neither did I- UK is always for the underdog.
Its all in the “economics” how much one can make.
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BeeraPandyan / October 11, 2013
Ado potta clown Ben Ponslington. You have to blame Tamils for no matter what reason. Shut your mouth and sit in a corner you wasteman.
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Snowdon Asange / October 11, 2013
don’t forget to take Navi Pillai along too… Anywhere there is someone with Indian roots, there is a stench… Ban Ki Moon need to rethink of who should be the next Human Rights Commissioner..
There was always a conflict of interest when Navi Pillai was appointed… IT’s like asking a fox to care for chicken…
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Yehiya / October 10, 2013
Kamalesh well paid.He is very near to end.
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Burt / October 10, 2013
What was he paid with: dollars or women?
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Rohan / October 10, 2013
diamonds?
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Hooker / October 11, 2013
Rohan – Charles Taylor who bribed international officials with diamonds, money and women has been sentenced to 50 years for
HR and other violations. R2P is growing in strength and significance to the nightmare and horror of swollen-headed despots. Ung apita kelanda hadanawa?? Not the language of leaders of respectable countries. But what the hell – api apey minissungwa
shape karanda one neyda?
Hooker
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BeeraPandyan / October 11, 2013
Kamalesh is paid with a shot at Mahinda’s ass.
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Deepal / October 10, 2013
Commonwealth is not be a stooge of rich member countries. SriLanka has protected the right of tamil giving equality to live in free and safe in Sri lanka.
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Saro / October 10, 2013
There is a very heavy presence of Sinhalese speakin military in more than 75 camps and police to ensure ‘eqaulity’ to Tamil speaking citizens in the east and north. What is more the governors of these provinces are also Sinhalese speaking and from the military. Sinhala Only Act will make sure the equality of citizenship to all Sri Lankans.
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Thiru / October 10, 2013
Keep up your sense of humor, this way the Sinhala chauvinists can be taught!
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Snowdon Asange / October 11, 2013
May be so… BUT u got to understand, SL is recovering after a three decade old BLOODY war …. what was achieved by losing SO MANY lives from both sides cannot be given away on a platter ONLY to go back to square one. So it may take a lil time, which we have to grant… BUT not years…
I don’t advocate the presence of MILITARY not only in the north but also in the south. They need to be in barracks, where they should rightly be…. and NOT involved in civilian activities… like selling vegetables, building the PROPERTIES of the RULING ELITE and be used as a TOOL by Goat-a.. People of all communities and walks of life in SL need to rise up to make a difference..
goes an old saying…. “United, we stand… divided, we FALL “
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jansee / October 10, 2013
Deepal:
Free and safe my foot. Did you read what had Navi Pillay to say about this? Or did you read what the foreign observers said about this in their report on the NPC election? With member countries like the African terrorists, SL murderers and human rights perpetrators, the Commonwealth has not only become a laughing stock, it has become a disgraceful organisation.
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.medalankara de choppe / October 11, 2013
Deepal, when did descend to this world – five minutes ago?
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selva / October 10, 2013
This is going to be the acid test for the contributors if the meet takes place then what a shame ,by all means it must be scrapped off please change to another country.
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Thiru / October 10, 2013
Only when the shameless Sharma leaves CW can be straightened. Out with Sharma . Whistle blower in CW secretariat please show up now.
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jansee / October 10, 2013
The problem is by the time he is chased out, it would have cost irreparable damage to the Commonwealth as an institution. It will be interesting to know how much the members of the committe headed by the Bangladesh FM had been paid to support holding the event in SL?
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punchinilame / October 10, 2013
When even the the very high status UNHRC with all its memebers cannot
warn SL enough to put their act right, how does Cameron believe that his
visit to the next Meeting will be a warning to MR – the president-elect?
SL HR matters are not even in the Agenda inspite of the CW Lawyers taking
up CJ Shiranis all important constituional breach.
Kamalesh has been given the road-map for the next two years by MR and
is working with it, for a rich retirement awaiting him. This is the
hidden CW agenda. MR has done such moves successfully with cheap
henchmen of Indian origin.
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Thiru / October 10, 2013
Commonwealth may implode in Colombo in November with enough ammunition piled up – taking with it Sharma, Oku and all.
Sharma has become the undertaker for the Commonwealth.
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Sunil Perera / October 10, 2013
Swollen head, stubborn and wicked Rajapakses do not care a hoot what happens to Sri lanka, it’s people and to it’s reputation,and loosing millions of CW funds and loosing Billions of businesses and jobs which would have helped thousands of poor people.
Where is MR planning to take our country……..and it’s people.
They pretend to be Patriots for out siders, but actually murdering our country and it’s people.
It’s time CW teach their values, reputation, direction and good governance to Sri Lanka’s rulers.
People have to unite and stand against corrupt, tyranny and should voice for their Justice, rights and democracy.
Sri lanka is going through a bad and dangerous period and we all need divine intervention with fasting and prayers.
Peace and love to all.
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Muslim / October 11, 2013
We are living in a wrong world ,where the wrong people rule, so what can we do?either we go to the next world or grin and bear until the Almighty sends his punishments and his judgements on The wrong doers.One thing is for sure no one can escape the reaction of ones action.
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sooriya / October 10, 2013
Right person for the job is Callum Mcray,the[Edited out]
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ilyasfazly / October 10, 2013
Finally, they have found a scapegoat to blame their inability to take a decision within themselves. shows what the caibre of politicians are of today.
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ilyasfazly / October 10, 2013
Finally, they have found a scapegoat to blame their inability to take a decision within themselves. shows what the caliber of politicians are today.
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Park / October 10, 2013
It is time for a No Confidence Motion to be moved against Kamalesh Sharma at the Commonwealth conference. Only reason why UK is participating with the attendance of the Prime Minister David Cameron is because Prince Charles is attending. If Prince is not attending UK would also boycott the event. Sri Lanka has ensured the demise or weakening of the Commonwealth movement and it is going to happen when Rajapakse sits as the Chair Person. What a shame.
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winston devalliere / October 11, 2013
The Commonwealth, the whole of it that sanctioned the resolution for Sri Lanka to host the CHOGM in Colombo, needs to answer to all right thinking people who are de facto citizens of the commonwealth, for having sanctioned this. In a release issued in Canada a couple of days ago the Canadian government said it “believes that if the Commonwealth is to remain relevant it must stand in defence of the basic principles of freedom, democracy, and respect for human dignity, which are the very foundations upon which the Commonwealth was built.”
SRI LANKA CERTAINLY DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE cOMMONWEALTH, LET ALONE BEING GIVEN THE HONOUR OF HOSTING CHOGM IN COLOMBO. Worse still, the backgrounder says, is that, as host of the summit, Sri Lanka WILL BECOME CHAIR OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND A MEMBER OF ITS MINISTERIAL ACTION GROUP charged with monitoring violations of its values”.
The statement predicts that, “the world will be watching to see how the Commonwealth reconciles the actions of its incoming chair with the values and principles enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter.”
THAT’S THE ENORMITY OF THE FAUX PAS THAT LEADING MEMBERS OF THE C’wEALTH HAVE MADE IN ACCORDING SRI LANKA THIS HONOUR AND THIS HAS DRAGGED DOWN THE cOMMONWEALTH TO THE LEVEL OF A VULGAR JOKE.
lOOKED AT IN THE LIGHT OF UN AND UNHRC ALLEGATIONS OF WAR CRIMES AGAINST THE COUNTRY, IT’S TANTAMOUNT TO THE COMMONWEALTH THUMBING ITS NOSE AT THE uN AND ITS BODIES , TRIVIALISING WAR CRIMES ALLEGATIONS AND THEREBY SNEERING AT THE SUFFERINGS AND DEATHS OF THOUSANDS OF tAMILS AND IN FACT GIVING SRI LANKA A CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL.
THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT’S STATEMENT, AS ONE COMMENTATOR IN CANADA PUT IT TERSELY, IN EFFECT SAYS THAT THE COMMONWEALTH HAS BECOME A FARCE.
\
eVEN IF iNDIA DOES ATTEND CHOGM THE FACT REMAINS THAT INDIA SHOOK UP COLOMBO VERY BADLY BY VOTING FOR THE UN RESOLUTION FOR A WAR CRIMES PROBE IN SRI LANKA…A RESOLUTION TABLED BY THE US AND SECONDED BY CANADA.
CAMERON COULD ALWAYS BE EXPECTED TO SPRING A SURPRISE AT CHOGM IF MY READING IS RIGHT. SHOULD THAT HAPPEN, THE GOVERNMENT’S TAKING NO CHANCES AND WILL HAVE PLANNED A HUGE MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO MINIMISE ANY DAMAGE EMERGING FROM CHOGM. ON THE PRETEXT OF NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS.PRINCE CHARLES ,IS TODATE, A DARK HORSE AND ONE IS NOT SURE WHY THE QUEEN SENT HIM IN HER STEAD. IT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THAT SHE SET HER SEAL TO THE COMMONWEALTH’S AMENDED DECLARATION OF VALUES AND PRINCIPLES ENSHRINED IN ITS CHARTER.
CHARLES JUST MIGHT HAVE BEEN DELEGATED TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF CENSURING THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS GAFFE IN COLOMBO.AND THAT’S ANOTHER POSSIBILITY THE GOVERNMENT HAS SURELY CONSIDERED. HENCE A HUGE MEDIA CAMPAIGN WILL ALREADY HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO NEGATE OR AT LEAST CONTAIN ANY DAMAGE GENERATED BY ANY NEGATIVE SPEECHES OR RESOLUTIONS MADE AT THE CONFERENCE.
TO EXPECT THIS CONFERENCE TO RUN ALONG THE LINES OF EARLIER CONFERENCES WOULD, I THINK, BE SIMPLISTIC.
ANYONE EXPECTING ‘BUSINESS AS USUAL” AT THIS CHOGM MIGHT BE MORE THAN FAINTLY SURPRISED AT WHAT IT WILL ACTUALLY TURN OUT TO BE. THAT’S MY GUESS, GIVEN THE EXPLOSIVE FACTORS CONVERGING ON THOSE ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE. I AM WILLING TO BE PROVED WRONG AFTER THE CURTAIN HAS FALLEN ON THE EVENT.IT’S GOING TO TRIGGER PERHAPS THE MOST UNPLEASANT EVENT IN COMMONWEALTH HISTORY AND CUT AN UGLY SWATHE ACROSS THE GLOBAL POLITICAL SCENARIO.
KAMALESH SHARMA, HAVING SWEPT UNDER THE CARPET A DAMNING STUDY [ THOUGH PRIVATELY SOLICITED] ON THE LEGALITY OF DR.SHIRANI BANDARANAYAKE’S UGLY OUSTER FROM OFFICE, WILL NOT ESCAPE THE LOCAL AND FOREIGN MEDIA IN THE COURSE OF OR AFTER THE SUMMIT. mORE THAN A MERE ONE OR TWO C’WEALTH MEMBERS WILL BE WANTING TO DISCUSS HIS CONTINUATION IN OFFICE, WHICH TO-DATE, HAS BEEN TAINTED WITH MORE THAN A FEW SNIDE REMARKS FROM CANADA AND THE BRITISH fOREIGN sECRETARY.cANADA’S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE C’WEALTH HUGH SEGAL WENT SO FAR AS TO CALL SHARMA AN UNPRINCIPLED STOOGE OF THE SRI LANKA GOVERNMENT. BRITAIN MADE A SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT OF A STERLING 1,3MILLION CUT BACK ON FUNDING FOR THE SECRETARIAT FOLLOWING HARPER’S STATEMENT THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WOULD LOOK AT A HUGE CUT OFF OF FUNDING TOO.
IT’S A SUDDENLY TOTTERING C’WEALTH THAT’S MEETING IN COLOMBO. IT’S A COMMONWEALTH THAT HAS NEVER BEFORE BEEN SO TARNISHED THAT’S MEETING IN COLOMBO.
THE QUEEN COULD CERTAINLY NOT BE EXPECTED TO CAST ASIDE HER HONOUR AND DIGNITY AND PRESIDE OVER SUCH A CONFERENCE SURELY ? LET ALONE SHAKING HANDS WITH THE LANKAN GOVERNMENT’S LEADERS, HOW COULD SHE BY ANY STANDARDS BE EXPECTED TO EXTEND HER HAND IN GREETING TO SHARMA WHOSE NAME HAS BEEN SULLIED WITH VILE ALLEGATIONS OF GRAFT?
IT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE THE C’WEALTH CLUB IS ON THE VERGE OF A MAMMOTH CRISIS FROM WHICH IT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO EMERGE UNSCATHED. AS IT IS TODAY, IT HAS LOST ALL ITS RELEVANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF ITS FOUNDING VALUES AND PRINCIPLES.
HER GARMENTS ARE SOILED AND TATTERED AND ALL THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SHARMA’S WATCH.
I FEAR PRINCE CHARLES JUST MIGHT HAVE A VERY UNPLEASANT MESSAGE TO DELIVER AT THIS CONFERENCE.
IF VESTED INTERESTS EXPECT EVERYONE ATTENDING CHOGM TO REPLICATE SHARMA I AM AFRAID THEY’RE IN FOR SOME RUDE SHOCKS.
THE BRITISH ARE NOT LIKELY TO ALLOW THEIR MOST CHERISHED HISTORICAL INSTITUTION TO BE DRAGGED INTO THE MUD BY THE LIKES OF SHARMA AND HIS HANDLERS.
THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT IS NOT MADE UP OF MORONS. BRITAIN’S OWN MORAL INTEGRITY IS AT STAKE IF SHE KEEPS MUM OVER RECENT TRENDS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE C’WEALTH . pROFESSOR pHILIP mURPHY,DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF C’WEALTH STUDIES AT THE UNIV. OF LONDON SAID WEDNESDAY THAT THIS [CHOGM IN COLOMBO] WAS ” DAMAGING THE COMMONWEALTH ITSELF” AS IT’S BEEN HELD IN ” AN OLIGARCHY…[THAT’S]INCREASINGLY AUTHORITARIAN AND MAKES THE COMMONWEALTH LOOK RIDICULOUS” AT THE VERY MOMENT IN WHICH IT GETS GLOBAL ATTENTION.
MY BET IS THAT THE QUEEN AND THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT, MUCH LESS PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMERON, WILL WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT BEING MADE TO LOOK RIDICULOUS TOO !!
THEY’D LOOK A LAUGHING STOCK SHOULD THEY HAVE NOTHING TANGIBLE, AND RELEVANT, TO SAY ABOUT HOW ITS MEMBERS HAVE MADE A LAUGHING STOCK OF IT ALREADY.
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Snowdon Asange / October 11, 2013
What Canada thinks IS NOT the FINAL Agenda of the COMMONWEALTH… where was CANADA, when GW bush invaded Afghanistan and Iraq? Countries with MUCH stake than a tiny Island… is it because NOT many Afghan’s and Iraqi’s are in CANADA as Refugees who add up the vote bank of the SELFISH politicians?
Weren’t they in bed with the Americans? Selective representation of World Civilians?
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srilal / October 11, 2013
Winston ,
The whole blame must go to Britain, why on earth Foreign ministry confirmed David Cameron’s participation in the month of May without any pre condition ? why did Prince Charles participation confirmed months in advance ? Remember Alistair Burt’s big talk earlier in the year , about level of his government participation , he repeatedly assured they will carefully weigh and scrutinize the ground situation before make any decision , have they done their home work ? what is the real reason behind the soft diplomacy ?
Take India for instance, Manmohan Sing has been very shrewd on this issue from the beginning, he is yet to confirm his participation, why? he has put forward number of prerequisites before MR , most obvious ones are
1) holding the Northern Election
2) signing of Sampur power plant
3) implementation of 13 th amendment
MR had no choice but to go along with his demands , why couldn’t Briton demand common wealth values to be implemented (reinstate CJ , revoke 18 th Amendment etc )before giving the confirmation , hasn’t Royce Rolls deal surpassed every thing ?
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winston devalliere / October 11, 2013
Yes Srilal, I’m inclined to agree with you to a great extent. But looking at it from how serious this matter is to England, and further considering what it portends to the British Monarchy itself, I guess the past few month would have seen hectic discussions at all levels in the UK , from parliament, to individual ministers, the British PM etc not only in their official capacities but within the context of personal integrity and commitment to what [ at least to them] is a very, very special organization.
Most members attending the CHOGM are wary of what a broad boycott will result in: will it push Lanka completely and irrevocably into the Chinese vortex? What regional and global geopolitical dimensions need to be weighed with sobriety on that core ? What longer term repercussions will it have ? Let’s remember that the government is seriously considering turning Sri lanka into a significant weapons manufacturer. Obviously it’s a move that has originated in China but made to look as though it’s emanating from Colombo.
A CHINESE ARMS CAPABILITY WITHIN REACH OF THE MIDDLE-EAST [ READ US SIXTH AND SEVENTH FLEETS AND THE US BASE IN THE mALDIVES] AND AT iNDIA’S DOORSTEP ? UNTHINKABLE. AND AN EXPLOSIVELY THREATENING DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL POWERFULLY CHANGE THE REGIONAL AND GLOBAL BALANCE OF POWER EQUATIONS.
IT’S A DEVIL OF A SITUATION THAT’S BREWING BEHIND THE SCENES. AS I SAID, CAMERON AND CHARLES MIGHT WELL HAVE A STRONG MESSAGE TO DELIVER IN COLOMBO. MY SYMPATHIES ARE WITH THE UK BECAUSE IT’S A DIFFICULT AFFAIR TO IGNORE WIDER REALITIES EVEN WHEN DEALING WITH PAROCHIAL IMPERATIVES.
The stupid and myopic Rajapaksa ego continues dragging Sri Lanka inexorably into perhaps her worst blunder in history, compromising the nation and its peoples security by its ill-advised China card.
The Rajapaksa thinking has gone berserk both domestically and in its foreign policy.Sponsoring racial/religious extremism and hatred at home and stupid political posturings with the China card to threaten India and the world community in general are FACTORS WHICH WILL GENERATE DANGEROUS RESPONSES FROM INDIA AND THE US.
THE NATION IS IN THE HANDS OF MEGALOMANIACS AND ONE CAN’T BLAME THE uK TOO MUCH FOR TARRYING OVER INCISIVE DECIIONS.
FAR TOO MUCH IS AT STAKE THAN MEETS THE EYE.eVEN AT THIS LATE STAGE IT WAS SMALL SOLACE TO HEAR hAGUE LASH OUT AT sHARMA. oNE HOPES IT WILL ONLY BE A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT IS TO COME FROM THE MOUTHS OF CAMERON AND CHARLES.
PERHAPS MANY HAVE YET NOT REALISED THAT THERE’S BEEN A MASSIVE ..AND SO FAR SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT BY THE RAJAPAKSA REGIME . TO HIJACK THE COMMONWEALTH. SHARMA HAS BEEN A MOST COOPERATIVE PLAYER IN THAT PROCESS, PERHAPS SINCE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LAST CHOGM MEET IN AUSTRALIA.
PAROCHIAL INTERESTS HAVE UNFORTUNATELY MADE c’WEALTH MEMBERS ABUSE THIS FORUM FOR SELFISH OBJECTIVES. THEY HAVE OPTED TO VIRTUALLY POUR SCORN ON GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES PERPETRATED ON COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS.
tHE BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND THE qUEEN MIGHT WELL BE SQUIRMING AT THI BLATANT HIJACKING OF THE COMMONWEALTH INSTITUTION.
WHAT AN IGNOMINIOUS END…IF IT HAS TO EB THAT !
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winston devalliere / October 11, 2013
sORRY, THE LETTER ‘S’ DOEs NOT FUNCTION WELL ON MY MACHINE. PLEASE FILL IT IT WHERE MISSING.
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srilal / October 11, 2013
Wiston ,
regardless of Britain boycotting or not MR has already made the decision to go along with china , china knows how vulnerable siblings are and taking the full advantage of the situation , just look at the countries MR associating , sooner or later MR will be exposed to the world and western countries may not welcome him and most likely a travel ban is a possibility . insignificant countries like common wealth (Except Aus,NZ,UK,SA, Malasia , India etc )countries will be the ideal bosom pals for him in the foreseeable future ,Sudan president Al Bashir’s fate comes to my mind.
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srilal / October 11, 2013
sorry , Winston it is a Typo (Wiston)
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Sunil Perera / October 10, 2013
I only left to cry and feel sad at the state of our beautiful country Sri Lanka, which now the misery is brought upon it’s people by the rulers for the sake of the existence of one Dictatorial family.
What a pathetic and sorry situation we are fallen into, now humiliated by the International community after waiting 30 years to finish the war,when people were dreaming for a happy future now scattered in the air.
The absolute Greedy, power hungry, swollen head ruling morons never want to listen to anybody while taking the country further into destruction.
Now Sri Lanka has become a pariah and a wound to the world simply because of one crazy family.
WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO IS TO CRY AND ASK FOR DIVINE POWER TO INTERVENE TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY AND THE CITIZENS. SRI LANKA IS HEADING FOR A DISTRUCTIVE PATH MUCH MORE WORSE THAN 1983 CARNAGE AND I KNOW ONLY DIVINE POWER WILL HELP, PROTECT AND GUIDE US THROUGH THIS CALAMITY.
SATAN THE WOLF IN SHEEP CLOTH IS WORKING VERY HARD TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY, BUT WE HAVE TO PROTECT IT. SATAN EVEN WILL DESTROY THE WHOLE COUNTRY JUST FOR IT AND IT’S FAMILY’S EXISTENCE, AND WE SHOULD NOT GIVE INTO IT.
LET’S ALL FAST AND PRAY TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY FROM SATAN AND EVIL SPIRITS.
ALSO PLEASE HELP ALL OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE IN GRIEVE IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR RACE, RELIGION OR SOCIAL STATUS AND SPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE BEEN SUPPRESSED, OPPRESSED, WEAK AND THE POOR.
WE NEVER SAW THIS TYPE OF DICTATORS GOVERNING OUR COUNTRY IN THE HISTORY OF SRI LANKA. HISTORY WILL WRITE THIS PERIOD AT A SORRY AND SAD STATE.
SRI LANKA IS GOING THROUGH A BAD AND EVIL PERIOD AND LOT OF PRAYERS, FASTING AND SACRIFICES NEEDED TO OVERCOME THIS BAD PERIOD AND SPIRITS.
PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL OUR SAFETY,PROTECTION, DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND TRUTH TO PREVAIL IN SRI LANKA.
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Javi / October 10, 2013
S.P.
“PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL OUR SAFETY,PROTECTION, DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND TRUTH TO PREVAIL IN SRI LANKA”
Forwards is god= backwards dog and you find many dead on the new highway.
God helps those who help themselves. Is there any point in sitting on your hands digging in your feet and calling for the divine who is beyond man’s ability to comprehend?
So do something constructive eh?
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Dun / October 11, 2013
But more practical would be you guys being in the country could do more in making rural folks better aware about the current abusive politics of the rulers. TG is doing her best. We need more of TG s kind of sinhala skilled writers to do so. Why the media men and women stay stand still – is not comprehensible us looking from outside of the country.
Ravaya Editor is mum – his kind of journalism helped MR to win the hearts of the voters ( majority uneducated masses) across the country. U should be well aware, ours are a nation that would easily forget things within hours… unfortunately they dont have good memories. That is a distinctive feature of the nation.
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Vibhushana / October 10, 2013
Well. forget Mahinda Rajapaske’s misrule. Constant harping on these human rights businsess is an irritation. This is largely driven by con artists such as the GTF. That is ok. This will only hasten Commonwealth pivotting towards new centre of world gravity anyway.
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Javi / October 10, 2013
“This is largely driven by con artists such as the GTF. That is ok.”
You cannot cover the face of your own kind and slam the base biscuit boofer when its badagini.
Do something narerala.
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Native Vedda / October 10, 2013
Vibhushana
“Constant harping on these human rights businsess is an irritation.”
Yes of course it is irritaing, only to those in war crime denial. I sympathise with you.
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Radish.S / October 11, 2013
Sidath Sri Ramphal,Q.C. was once the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. Now this man. How time and standards have changed.
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Leon / October 11, 2013
Sharma will not resign. He has to be kicked out.
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jansee / October 11, 2013
No one seems to be asking why Sharma didn’t object to the suspension of Maldives? Of course, he has secured his future from the purse of MR.
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winston devalliere / October 13, 2013
JANSEE, NOT TOO SURE THE FOLLOWING STUDY WILL THROW SOME LIGHT ON YOUR QUESTION. I BELIEVE SHARMA ‘S ROLE IN sRI LANKA AND NON-ROLE IN THE MALDIVIAN FIASCOS CAN BE SEEN A BIT CLEARLY WHEN VIEWED AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF MY STUDY.BY THE WAY, ALL THIS BULLDUST ABOUT THE MATARA UNP ANTI-RANIL MARCH ETC HAS BEEN ORGANIZED WITH THE GOVERNMENT’S ACQUIESCENCE TO DIVERT ATTENTION AWAY FROM SUCH INPORTANT TOPICS AS THE ONE WE’RE DISCUSSING.THE SUCKERS ON THE NEWSPAPERS HAVE FALLEN FOR IT WITH A BANG.tHE DIVERSION WORKED TO THE GOVERNMENT’S BENEFIT. Due to space considerations I have edited out many sentences and the end result might not read very well contiguously…but I hope they can be stringed together.
BESIDES THE POINTS I HAVE RAISED THERE IS ALSO THIS TO BE CONSIDERED: THE MALDIVIAN LEADERS ARE NOT SCARED SILLY BY WAR CRIMES CHARGEs HANGING OVER THEM AND HENCE HAVE NO MOTIVE STRONG ENOUGH TO BUY UP SHRILLS SUCH AS SHARMA. I doubt that having missed the boat in Sri Lanka, the US,India and the UK would have tolerated ONCE AGAIN A RAJAPAKSA TYPE MALDIVIAN REPLICATING A SAGA SUCH AS THAT IN WHICH SHARMA STARRED VIS-A-VIS sRI LANKA.
May I now present a sketchy study of China-centric developments in Sri Lanka and the Maldives and project them within the perceptions of big players in this geopolitical region.
Information has been inadvertently released over a period of about seven years or more regarding the covert use of and operation of ‘bases’ or recon-stations by the Maldivian National Defense Forces in cohesion WITH THE CHINESE in various uninhabited islands of the maldives. Underwater Military Bases are also believed to be under serious consideration by Beijing at least on the drawing boards and are feared to have been embodied into more agreements with the maldives.
SERIOUS ENOUGH FOR iNDIA, THE US AND UK TO WANT A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT IN mALE ?
Suspiciously, the Maldives National Security Data has been discovered by the US to be maintained in an unknown location !The Maldives baulked endlessly before being “persuaded” to ENTER INTO a SOFA Agreement with the US.
Was that because of a hidden agenda IN THE PIPELINE with the Chinese ? Was that why Rasheed began snubbing India? Was that why India did not intervene when he was arrested and ousted though India saved gayoom from the PLOTE attack? ? Was China behind the failed PLOTE attempt to oust the former hated dictatorial Gayoom because they could not make progress with him ? TheSE are all serious matters for conjecture.Indian decisions can now be seen to have been made on the basi of geopolitical considerations and not on what is necessarily right or wrong. Security of its citizens and survival against outside enemies after all are the end objectives of a government.
The current US envoy in Colombo Ms. Sisson will know the whole story as her predecessor Butenis did especially about how the US used what was described in diplomatic circles as ‘aggressive diplomacy’ to try to force the Maldives to capitulate to the SOFA agreement. In those days there was a flurry of meeting and telephone calls between Rasheed and Rajapaksa. AT CHINA’S BEHEST? I believe rasheed’s wife and family are safe somewhere in Colombo as Rajapaksa’s hosts?
If Sharma is a stooge of Colombo, whose stooge then is Colombo ? You guessed right!
As far as India and the US were concerned, the according of full diplomatic status to China on the eve of the last SAARC summit in Male indicated a worrying extent of Chinese penetration in the Maldives. I stand corrected but I think that besides SAARC nations CHINA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY TO HAVE FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE MALDIVES.
And since that development in Male there’s been the Hanbantota Harbour and the Mattala airport within spitting distance of the US base in the Maldives now.
These are small people playing in the big league like two idiots . Bad enough to seriously tir up anger in India, the US and UK.
Against the backdrop of these developments it will come as no surprise to me to hear that India and the US were instrumental in the CW ONLY SUSPENDING THE MALDIVES FROM THE CW, A STATUS QUO THAT HAS BEEN LYING IN THE BALANCE SINCE. to SACK the Maldives entirely FROM THE CW would have created conditions THAT WOULD HAVE PUSHED a new president in Male towards China’s waiting arms.
GEOPOLITICAL IMPERATIVES WILL, I FEEL SURE, DECIDE WHO THE NEXT MALDIVIAN PRESIDENT WILL BE AND THIS MAY BE WHY THE MALDIVIAN JUDICIARY IS also ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH WHAT HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN FLAWED DECISIONS ON ELECTION RESULTS and processes. Mind you, the CW also had a monitoring delegation there which subscribed to a statement declaring the election free and fair and transparent !!!
Containment might well be the name of the game relating to Sri Lanka and the Maldives as far as India, Britain and the US are concerned. China’s friend Mahinda Rajapaksa has had a “hail fellow well met’ approach to Gayoom, Rasheed as well as Waheed who was installed in power after Nasheed was ousted in a bloodless coup.
The world looks on while the Maldivian Supreme Court once again voids the election results of last week in which Nasheed won 45% of the vote and Waheed only 5%. Nasheed was to face a run-off with his closest rival who bagged only 25% of the vote. Waheed has opted out of the race.In the secondn run hi vote bank will very probably flow to Rasheed’s opponent’s. And this time around a bit of smart rigging could easily make him the winner by a slender majority !! So much for free and fair elections when it comes to geopolitical interests.
The courts annulled the result and set a new round of elections for later this month despite all international observers applauding the conduct of the first-round election.
Besides Nasheed’s supporters, nobody has seen fit, India, UK or the US…or anyone else, to condemn the blatantly flawed verdict of the Maldivian SC that has men with questionable credential on it. .
NOT A HUM FROM THE CW !!!!! After all, the Maldives is a suspended member !!!! or from the US or India.
Two years ago when a woman activist demonstrated against bogus Judicial Service Commission sittings SHE WAS STABBED BUT MIRACULOUSlY SURVIVED. What hope does Shiranee Bandaranayake have in such a vile cauldron ?
NO ONE INTERFERED.
Recently when lawyers demonstrated against CJ Shiranee Bandaranaike’s sacking THEY WERE MERCILESSLY ASSAULTED BY GOVERNMENT THUGS.The police did not call the army in. the cops merely looked on as newspaper photographs showed the next day.
NO ONE INTERFERED.
These China related events in Male and Colombo took place just after the Rajapaksa brothers began courting Beijing. One Indian commentator put it succinctly “ Delhi failed to realize what was happening behind closed doors until they found that Rajapaksa had been sleeping with the enemy !!
I might say the same of Britain, the CW and the U!! Now there’s a flurry of arm-twisting diplomacy, aggressive approaches and nations and governments apparently idly watching the comedies enacted in Male.
I say “ apparently” ! But there’s more to this than meets the eye.
I’d say that India, the Us and Uk would like to know that the next President of Maldives will be a man who will not fall for Beijing’s seduction as Rajapaksa did.
Remember the old song about that hilarious Sino-Lankan duet sung by a Lankan and Chinese leader?
It went like this : The Chinese leader sang ” Mulu lankawa magey Athey” to which the lankan leaders responded in lilting tones ” Mulu Cheenawa magey Pu..y”
After all these decades that loving conjugal posture appears to have not changed.
In both countries we have a revival of religious extremism : Islamic extremism in the Maldives and Buddhist extremism in Sri lanka.
Coincidencs ? Think again. Who is behind whipping this thing up ? It serves to keep governance in male in abeyance until a ‘suitable’ anti-China president is found in male and keeps the Rajapaksa clan ensconced firmly in power under a military mantle.
Britain still has entry rights to ports and airports in the Maldives. But the Chinese factor could make those rights difficult to exercise. Now, the US presence in the Maldives means British vessels and aircraft can share space with them under extended treaty clauses to counter the growing Chinese threat in the region.
All these complex matters would have been pushed around in closed door discussions, and will continue to be pushed to and fro and examined in miniscule detail especially by the three giants in determining their individual and collective approaches to the Chinese threat which has suddenly ballooned out of proportion thanks to the myopic and stupid foreign policy choices of Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
The three giants have not been caught napping really. Who could guess that Lankan’s leaders can be so bloody naïve and stupid as to be suckered by Beijing and persuade the Maldivians to follow his stupidity ?
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Bensen Burner / October 12, 2013
It is surprising indeed that Haig took such a long time to discover a bloody rogue like sharma. Bensen
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Scoorias / October 13, 2013
Kamalesh Sharma is the right man
for the wrong job.
He should not be Commonwealth
Secretary General. He should be given
Sri Lankan citizenship and made the
Minister of External Affairs.
He will sure outsmart G.L. Peiris,
the master juggler of words.
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Motta Mola / October 15, 2013
Winston de Valeer seems to have written
a thesis on the Commonwealth. why not
give a lecture in Colombo on the subject?
They say fools rush. This is a case of a
damn fool saying silly things. Good for a
Sunday laugh. Otherwise it is gibberish and
rubbish.
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Rama / October 22, 2013
kamalesh sharma should become a kitchen porter in tamarind.
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