By Rajeev Sharma –
The Dragon’s shadow is lengthening over Sri Lanka with every passing day. China has committed since 2005 contracts and investments worth US$ 6.4 billion, as per treasury records. So far, $ 3.6 billion has been disbursed. Projects worth $ 2.8 billion are waiting to be signed. In another three years, the Chinese investment in Sri Lanka will nearly double and touch $ 12 billion.
Is Mahinda Rajapaksa, the sixth president of Sri Lanka, lily white like the shining white dress he wears in public? The answer is a resounding no for a wide variety of things and facts that are surfacing as he entered the seventh year of his presidency.
Rajapaksa, who began his life by testing his luck in the tinsel world as an extra and clambered the political ladder with ruthless ease, is not a man of the masses as he presents himself with an earthy brown shawl to remind his interlocutors of his rural roots. His family rule puts to shame the Sukarnos, Bhuttos, Burnhams and Mugabes of the world.
Let the facts speak.
The Dragon’s shadow is lengthening over Sri Lanka with every passing day. China has committed since 2005, as per treasury records, contracts and investments worth US$ 6.4 billion. So far, $ 3.6 billion has been disbursed; projects worth $ 2.8 billion are waiting to be signed. In another three years, the Chinese investment in Sri Lanka will nearly double and touch $ 12 billion.
As the African experience with Bamboo capitalism shows, China’s investment is not benign but is aimed at cornering raw materials, markets and profits. It is also routed through middlemen to reduce risks.
The First Family
In Sri Lanka context, the gateway appears to be a close family friend of the Rajapaksas. And the friend has the word ‘gateway’ in the name of his very company.
Like in Africa, here also, commissions are paid to agents and front companies and these are really hefty probably because of the competition the Chinese are facing in grabbing local business.
Available data shows that the First Family (FF) stands to receive in commission anywhere between US$1.2 to US$ 1.8 billion during 2005-15. It works out to an annual ‘intake’ of $120 to US$ 180 million from the Chinese projects.
An intricate web of front companies is in place to receive and disburse the commissions, as is the practice with the Chinese.
The Chinese generally walk the extra mile to cover the tracks leading to the real beneficiary. But they have slipped up badly in their Colombo enterprise. So milestones along the way are clearly visible.
Names of two businessmen figure prominently in the shady business deals of the First Family. One of them, Bandula Weerawardena, Sri Lanka born British passport holder-businessman, is more or less history, as he gave way to the new star, Prabath Nanayakkara, the Chairman of Sri Lanka Gateway Industries.
A little known businessman, Prabath’s meteoric rise ran parallel to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ascent to power. The sobriquet of FF insider has helped him bag massive construction contracts and licenses for TV and other media network.
Prabath’s mainstay is said to be Dilshan Wickremasinghe (38). He is the son of the President’s brother-in-law, Nishantha Wickremasinghe, who is also the Chairman of Sri Lankan Airlines.
Dilshan is CEO of Asset Networks (Pvt) Ltd and Asset International, both subsidies of Prabath’s Asst Holdings Pvt Ltd.
Chinese Projects
Chinese funded projects are mostly handled by five companies, and the FF hand is behind all of them, according to local business circles, though they are economical on details.
The FF is said to be pumping in four billion US dollars into Trincomalee, where decks are cleared for setting up a deep water jetty, bulk commodities terminal, and power plant amongst other facilities as a composite venture on develop, operate and manage basis.
Like in all other FF involvements, in Trinco deal also, Prabath signed the agreement with Board of Investment (BOI) on June 13, 2012. His Asset Holdings Pvt. Ltd is a partner in the Mitchell Consortium of Australia which had won a contract for setting up a heavy Industry Zone in Sampur.
Spread over 1200 acres, the project will see an investment of US $ 2 bn. It will be completed in three phases and the first phase would come up at a cost of US $ 700 million. The Rajapaksa cabinet approved the project on 23 February 2011.
The Mitchell consortium comprises four companies – Mitchell Group of Australia, Salva Corporation (mining services), Asset Holdings Pvt. Ltd (of Prabath Nanayakkara) and an unnamed Brazilian partner. Inquiries show that Mitchell Group could be a paper company acting as front for Prabath.
If so, could it be a case of rerouting of ‘money’ earned by the FF in the Chinese projects with Prabath acting as the Front Man of an Illegal Empire? Could it be a case of creating a long lasting vote bank in the South?
All questions with no ready answers. Only a deep probe can ferret out the truth.
Bandula Weerawardena
Prabath’s association with the FF pre-dates Dilshan’s involvement with Asset Networks (Pvt) Ltd and Asset International, in a manner of speaking. It began in 2005 when Bandula Weerawardena, who was then the sole liaison man for Chinese investors, switched his allegiance from President Chandrika Kumaratunga to Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Bandula’s dealings as local agent for the Chinese companies were carried through his Bahama based Celweera Trading Limited. The scene changed by end 2006. Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President and his family set up several front companies to deal with the Chinese investors.
The FF ventures soon took over Bandula’s Chinese liaison work and sole agency work to his dismay though he had funded liberally Rajapaksa’s bid for presidency. He has either been replaced or his role is drastically reduced in the process; he is still around though; he shuttles between Communist China and Colombo, and spends time mostly in China.
When and how Prabath entered the scene is shrouded in mystery. He appears to have started his association with the FF in partnership with Bandula himself. And the decline of Bandula heralded the growth of Prabath Empire. `
Till five-six years back, Prabath Nanayakkara, mainly owned and ran the hereditary ‘Mount Jean Tea Plantation’, which employees about 200 workers. Today, it is difficult to estimate the exact worth of his business empire.
Prabath and Dilshan’s hand has become omnipresent with several projects that span the entire spectrum from highways to expressways and from roads and bridges to buildings.
Metallurgical Construction Co. (MCC), China Harbour Engg Co. (CHEC), Sinohydro Corp, China National Machinery & Equipment (CMEC), and China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corporation (HQCEC) are the main Chinese players in Sri Lanka. These companies are doing virtually all the Chinese funded projects in the countries. Prabath’s Asset Holdings is representing them though it is said that the tie-up with CMEC isn’t exclusive.
The Commission
As local agent, its commission depends on the value of the project negotiated. Generally, it is said to be range between 10 and 15 percent of the contract value. Sometimes, it can be a little more depending upon the circumstances of the deal like, for instance, competition.
· CHEC and Sinohydro has implemented the first phase of US$ 360 million Hambantota port; both are in talks to take up the second stage worth US$ 1.0 billion plus.
· CHEC is also implementing Hambantota International airport; it executed a part of Southern Expressway at a cost of US$ 200 million.
· Sinohydro is mostly into road projects. It recently bagged US$ 252 million Moragahakanda Reservoir project.
· CMEC is setting up coal fired Norochcholai project to generate 900 MW. The project cost: US$1.5 billion.
· HQCEC executed Hambantota Bunkering& Tank Farm project (US$ 76.5 million) and is negotiating modernization and expansion of Sapugaskanda refinery (US$2.0 billion).
The Lankan Tilt for China
It will be patently unfair to say that the tilt towards Beijing is a Rajapaksa innovation to win the Wanni War. The credit for taking Sri Lanka into China’s fold goes to Chandrika’s mother, Sirimao Bandaranayke, while her predecessor, JR Jayewardene, opened the windows to Pakistan.
Under Rajapaksas the ties with Beijing and Islamabad have become deepened and widened. Yes, he has personally ensured the successful sailing of several Chinese projects, while letting the Pakistani leaders put their money in the Lankan bourses.
Informed observers say that the commissions to the FF would be much more than US $ 120 to 180 million per year projected at the outset in this article. The projection factors in only pure vanilla commission through Chinese projects alone, according to them.
So what would be the real ‘intake’? It would be anywhere between US $ 400 and $ 500 million per year, say the knowledgeable.
——
*The writer is a New Delhi-based journalist-author and strategic analyst who can be reached atbhootnath004@yahoo.com.
Related posts;
WikiLeaks:80% Says MR Is Corrupt And 85% Says His Family Is Corrupt
JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA / October 27, 2012
that is peanuts compared to the looted from S L COFFERS.
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Don Stanley / October 27, 2012
China is looking to set up a military dictatorship in Lanka – now that it is fast loosing Burma to the west as the Burmese people have refused to let all their resources and water be stolen by the Chinese.
Also, to secure the Indian Ocean sea lanes – what better way than cultivate and boost the Rajapakse dictatorship particularly, Gotabaya the racist goon of Lanka.
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Justice / October 27, 2012
Don Stanley,
Once the military dictatership is established,sri lanka will auffer the same fate as Tibet, where horrendous human rights violations have compelled ongoing self immolations by citizens and monks.
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Don Stanley & Justice
It is in India’s interest to see off intruders. Do you think Sri Lankies have the capabilities to prevent Chinese peaceful rise in India’s Ocean just because they defeated LTTE?
Remember Sri Lanka is the Sinhala state of India. India treats Chinese intrusion into Sri Lanka the same way it treats aliens (Chinese, Pakistanis, Bengalis … invading its own territory.
If the Lankies think they are smart enough to perform a balancing act between India and China then the Lankies would pay dearly.
Good luck to the Lankies.
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Mahela / February 23, 2013
Rajapakses are playing Russian Roulette by accomodating China and it’s political Model towards governing Sri Lanka.
MARAs trying to isolate West and embrace China for their long term power grab and political dynasty.
Using BBS is part of the plan to achieve their ambition.
This should be stopped immediately with the help of UN before people start eating Punakku (coconut dust) and Grass as their main meal.
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kumudini / October 27, 2012
Sharma being Indian and based in India has an axe to grind with china . Somebody has to sign the contracts, if not there are no deals.He talks of data but has not produced the data . How has he calculated the commission . It will be interesting to find out. When a person wants to hog the limelight they produce sensational headlines.
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PresiDunce Bean / October 27, 2012
Aiyo kumudini. So you believe that what Rajeev Sharma has written is a load of crap and everything he has written here is a bunch of lies? :O
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Liyange C / October 27, 2012
oh Kumi, He is Indian so his writings are crap. What a racist you are?
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / October 27, 2012
“Available data shows “? *gasp* “it is said to be”? Oh my! “observers say”? Woah! “say the knowledgeable” Holy Jesus!
LOL, but I can understand, “Liyange” (sic), how some numbers plucked out of thin air and garnished with weasel words is gospel for you – after all that’s all your ilk have ever been able to come up with.
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Liyange C:
“What a racist you are?”
All Sinhalese and Tamils are racists in their own ways. I have no doubt about it.
You say:
“He is Indian so his writings are crap”
He is not Tagore therefore his writings must be crap.
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ayanthirkg / October 28, 2012
Kumudini ,it is because of Sri Lankans like you , that the country is in this position. If you are a frog in awell stay there please do not croak.
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kumudini / October 29, 2012
Ayanthikrg or what ever . The truth hurts .Please advise sharma to write about Sonia Gandhi’s corruption which will put any one to shame . Allegedly she has taken out most of the priceless antiques from India and established a shop in Italy for her sister . Can Sharma investigate how much she has made from this venture ?? Aynthika krg you really are a toad in the well.
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
kumudini
“Can Sharma investigate how much she has made from this venture ?”
Sharma cannot be everywhere you want him to be.
However, there are thousands of other journalists continuously investigating into all forms of corruptions without fear or favour. They are not threatened by white van ride.
Please read reports published in Indian media. You would be surprised to know why Sri Lankan media is so primitive when reporting corruption among their politicians and state officials.
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PresiDunce Bean / October 27, 2012
Most patriotic Sri Lankans should be grateful to Rajeev Sharma for this expose. Thankfully for him he happens to live in Delhi. If he lived in SL it would have been curtains for him like it was for Lasantha and many others. I hope this article could be translated and printed in Sinhala and Tamil newspapers as well.
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ayanthirkg / October 28, 2012
Well said sir, we need more smart people like you. Kumi shd shut up
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
ayanthirkg:
“Well said sir, we need more smart people like you. Kumi shd shut up”
Why should she shut up? The more she writes she exposes herself as the stupid one. Let her enjoy her right to be very stupid.
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Panda / October 27, 2012
It is mind boggling to think that one dishonest family, can benefit such large amounts of money, as a reward for corruption and disgusting methods of cheating the Sri Lankan people. When a leader appoints over 200 members of his own family, in top positions, mocking the rules of democracy, there is no doubt it must be for dishonest reasons. Sri Lanka has a good share of qualified candidates to fill in these posts, so there is no reason why Rajapaksa and company limited, should behave like dictators in a banana republic.
Every project given to alien countries, may show evidence to back this article. Investigations whether from International bodies or within the country, will never be encouraged, and the regime will only belittle and attack the source. All the efforts in beautifying this country, bridges, road, ports, and grand projects only means that someone in the Rajapaksa ruling family, is getting his off shore account bigger.
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N.Wimaladasa / October 27, 2012
Mr sharama is an Indian who opposed Sri Lankan natioanl econommic developement.He has own mission to undermine Sri lankan economy progress and make sinsiter move undermine China’s investment in Sri Lanka.He is double-dealer.
First Creat anti- China policy among Sri lankan people.Then block the Chinies Investement INFRASTURE PROJECTS in Country.
Second He is owen INSTIATOR OF DISTROT FACTS ALLIGATION OF Rajapaksa’s corrupation cover up facts and undermine our NATIONAL ECONOMY PROGRESS.
OURS INFRASTURCTURE PROJECTS ARE THE DRIVING FORCE OF ONGOING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF SRI LAND AFTER END OF WAR 2009 MAY.
Without Rajapakasa role and its leadership it was quite impossible to WIN WAR AGAINST LTTE TERROIST since 2005.
Most of corrupation charges are fabricated by Sharama and his team.Still he tries to cover up his real motive of anti-China policies of Hegemonies vested interest.
Sri Lankan is concern,our is an independance nation, China ever-never intetrfere our SOVERGNITY SINCE 1957.We need investment CAPITAL FOR OUR REVITILIZATION OF ECONOMY.REGARDLESS AS LONG AS INVESTMENT COME FROM ANY PART OF WORLD WE WECOME SERVE OUR PURPOSE OF DEVELOPMENT.
Samilar policy adopated by Rajakapasa Govt of China as well as India and other countries.
Sri Lankan is open DEMOCRACY and open land for foregin Capital even under the Rajapakas’s Governmnent.
Our natioanl priority of economy developent agenda must suited to any foreign INVESTEMENT.
In fact China is having large Huge surples in Forex closed to US $ 3.3 Trillon dollrs. They owen over US $ 1.3 trillion dollas of US tresuary bonds.And thay have grant many billions Dollas to IMF and World Bank.China is cerditor nation and second world of GDP.
Small country like us take loans for our INFRASTUCTURE PROJECTS FOR ECONOMY DEVELEPNET WANT HARM OUR DEBT PROBLEM IT WILL HELP US TO PAY BACK LONG AFTER LUNCAH PROJECT INCOME-GENERATED BY OUR PEOPLE.THIS ALL PROJECTS ARE NATIOANL INTERSET OF NATION WELL BEING.
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PresiDunce Bean / October 27, 2012
@N.Wimaladasa
Why are the Rajapaksas obsessively intent on getting the Divi Neguma Bill through?
Why is the regime orchestrating a campaign against the 13th Amendment?
Why were principals of 23 leading schools made to undergo a week’s ‘Leadership Training’ and made brevet colonels?
Why have the police failed to catch the assailants of JSC Secretary and High Court Judge Manjula Tilakeratne?
Why does the government spend on buying/maintaining a satellite the money unavailable to install rail-gates at 950 unsafe rail-crossings?
Why do they politically promote their kin while imposing strict kinship-restrictions on other SLFPers?
Why are lesser Tiger suspects being incarcerated, often under inhumane conditions, while the highest surviving Tiger leader lives the good life, at public expense?
Why is there no provincial council in the North, to approve/disapprove the Divi Neguma Bill?
***
Post-war, there are certain aims the government pursues, with no consideration for cost or consequence. Winning elections for example; the replacement of the democratising 17th Amendment with the 18th Amendment (which enhanced presidential powers and removed presidential term-limits, enabling the President to contest again and again); the Leadership Training Programme, the Lotus Tower, the Commonwealth Games…..
The commonest of the common denominator in these seemingly disparate projects is their capacity to increase Rajapaksa power and enhance its’ glory, further its’ interests, satisfy its’ whims and realise the fancies. Therein can be gleaned a fundamental law of this rule. They always pursue their interests and their desires; they fight for themselves. Supporting them, helping them, obeying them is good; hindering them, questioning them is bad.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/why/
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Liyange C / October 27, 2012
Oh Sinhala Sumandasa or Rajapaksa Dasa, He is Indian so his writings are crap. What a racist you are?
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Nisal Amarasingha / October 28, 2012
Your defense of the Rajapaksa family corruption is as as bad as your rotten English. I dont think you are a well educated fellow to grasp the intrcacies involved with shady international finnacial deals that are made by this corrupt family. So dont throw mud at the messenger.Thank you Rajeev Sharma for this fearless expose.
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JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA / October 28, 2012
N.Wimala daaaaaaasa.
You are a daaasa to them, M R regime.
but we canot be daaasa to any body.
because sri Lanka should have backbones, And those Hambam thota malabari descendant do not care about sri lanka.
you said;
THIS ALL PROJECTS ARE NATIONAL INTEREST OF NATION WELL BEING.
I dare to say ;
ALL THOSE PROJECTS ARE MADE TO GET INTEREST FOR RAJAPASSES’S WELL BEING
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / October 27, 2012
The geopolitical stance of China is exponentially more benevolent and compassionate than what the US/EU stance had been over the decades if not centuries.
In fact, China has helped develop many African and South American countries and uplifted the welfare of their peoples in the last decade or so, whereas the West has only either devastated oil-rich but poor countries or made the dependent ones impoverished via institutions like the WB and IMF.
That is not to say that the Chinese will see opportunities and still not exploit them, as most progressive countries do, in furtherance of their economic goals.
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ayanthirkg / October 28, 2012
Lasantha ,you are right but, that is not the problem . China ,India or the west we, do not need to sign projects that are white elephants just to receive commissions. This is the basic story.
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ayanthirkg / October 28, 2012
We also have to look at the terms and conditions of these loans , it is only then that we will be able to find out the extent of their benovalance.
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Beyond surprised / October 30, 2012
Lasantha Pethiyagoda
You seem to labour under the impression that using polysyllabic jargon constitutes “erudition.”
What you have had to say about China promoting the development of third world countries cannot, in any way be substantiated. It is just NOT TRUE. They have simply exploited the natural resources of sub-Saharan Africa beginning with the oil in Sudan, the proceeds of which the Sudanese government used to visit atrocities on Darfur and they will continue to do the same – as they have in Sri Lanka – as long as it serves their own narrow economic interests.
Your definition of China as a “progressive” country and your rationale for calling it that truly defies description!
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kaputa / October 27, 2012
This is an Indian crowing about Sri Lanka. India is a haven of corruption, crimes and every evil known to humanity. When an Indian writes about corruption in SL involving China, what all you have to tell this Indian lunatic is what about Sonia, and her mafia deal with Italians that Professor Subramainam has established beyond any doubt, and have you done anything about that. I for one who prefer hundred times corrupt Sri Lankans and Chinese to chicanery, duplicitous, backstabbing Indians getting a foot-hole in anywhere in the island. So, Mr. Sharma, my answer to you is F… off.
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Liyange C / October 27, 2012
Oh Kaputa, , He is Indian so his writings are crap. What a racist you are? Kaputo too like JARAAVA :)
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Senguttuvan / October 27, 2012
There was this lady, now in forced retirement, who vain gloriously once boasted “Politics is the business of our family” The Rajapakse dynasty, always on the sharp look-out for the wrong example, simply
pounced on this gem and are now busy turning this into a fine art.
Senguttuvan
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Kapila / October 27, 2012
It is better if anyone could tell China that the money they loan to SL will not be paid back, simply because SL don’t have much reserve. It is similar to Greek bonds. If china wants their money, they could get them from MR family and not from SL people. Moreover many of these projects have not brought any results and many are white elephants.
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Leela / October 27, 2012
Rajeev Sharma,
$12b deals from 2005 to 2015; 10-15% commissions all round, and pocket $1.8b in just ten years. WOW! That’s fantastic business in ten years for just one family. Imagine the whole heap of Rajapakse’s ministers, advisers and catchers must have been making.
If we go by various creations of the rumor mills at the last Presidential election, Appolo (Lanka) hospital, Swarnvahini media house, a chunk of Air-tel, etc and etc, and every other big house in Colombo and estate in the country is already owned by Rajapakses. With these projections by Sharma and at this rate, Rajapakses would end up buying every real estate and business houses in Lanka. Not just that, they would end up buying chunks of Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis as well.
But there is a slip. Just a little piece to point out; writer had elucidated us of many a globetrotting front men outside the family extracting 10-15% for them. But be had omitted to place the position and the situation of the globetrotters’ share. Surely such people wouldn’t be working for summa. To my knowledge they grab the lion’s share. Ask Killy Maharaja of Sirasa how they made a kill.
Last time entire opposition flocked together but failed to sell their rumors. So, what make Sharma think the opposition in complete stray will succeed this time? No chance.
When you write a like story next time; narrate tales of Premadasa stashing millions, Lalith gobbling ships, Gamini redirecting Mahaeli and of cause about few cons Maharajas did as middleman with ‘economic hit men’ for numerous conglomerates of the west.
I say Rajeev Sharma, take a leaf from Victor Ivan’s book, ‘Bandit Queen’ and write your story more convincingly.
Leela
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Liyange C / October 27, 2012
Leela, what is Victor Ivan’s that book? all gossips , it is only a good name for a book. Can you quote any corruption case against CBK from that book? Of course she corrupt, but that book is just a gossip book.
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kaputa / October 27, 2012
Liyange fellow: ….
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
http://colombotelegraph.com/comments-policy/
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ayanthirkg / October 28, 2012
You could not publish what kaput a wrote these are the ones crowing for you know who
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Sam Fernando / October 27, 2012
If the writer VICTOR IVAN is still existing – in an era where almost everything has reached over corrupted LEVELS sometimes to excessive levels as never before in the history, why does the same writer stay mum ? That book “Bandit Queen” on CBK as liyanage commented should just be a gossipy book or has anyone have got any references to prove ? I dont think Viktors can ever be considered as serious -just rhetorics only.
Leela, can you give us the readers any references to check this out please ?
In contrary to this, there are adequate evidence against Tsunami Fund embazzeler instead :( as I recently heard – there are record high billions of funds that have been abused since 2005.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezXvdeas-fs
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Sam Fernando / October 27, 2012
International publication on lanken corruption levels:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiONjgNdzrE&feature=related
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Leela / October 28, 2012
Sam,
In an interview published in ‘Mawbima’ today, ex-CJ Sarath Silva says, Kabir Hashim has made a complain to CID against MR for embezzlement of tsunami funds in 2005. It was rumoured at the time that MR was about to be arrested by Chandrika’s police. Besides, it was a common knowledge at the time that ChndrikaK didn’t want MR to win. It was in those circumstances, MR filed case in SC and shown that he was about to be arrested and it was a deliberate act to put him at a disadvantage at a time of the Presidential election where he is a major contestant. Three judges gave a judgement to prevent his arrest. Kabir Hashim, police or anyone else hadn’t filed a case against MR for embezzlement of tsunami funds at the time or afterward. That is what ex-CJ Silva said. And I believe him. Now we can decide a judgement the way we want.
‘Bandit Queen’, is a compilation of various articles written by Ivan himself to his tabloid Rawaya on weekly basis. Whether contents therein were true or false, one could certainly conclude articles as well as the book have been a dire indictment on the elected President of Sri Lanka. None can deny ‘Bandit Queen’ has sullied ChandrikaK’s name beyond repair.
In the circumstances, ChandrikaK should have filed a civil case against Ivan and claim a symbolic damage of ‘one Rupee’ to bring back her reputation. Ivan challenged ChandrikaK to file a case against him if she could. He said he was ready to prove every word in his book. ChandrikaK backed off. What does that mean, eh?
Leela
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Sam Fernando / October 28, 2012
Thanks for the posts, but sad reality is: Sarath N Silva is accepted by almost everyone to have made injust to the country by his judgements. I have not lived in the country for the last 2 decades, but what bothers me the manner that everyone considers these alarming issues.
“Sydney Smith once said, “Nations fall when Judges are unjust, because there is nothing the multitude thinks worth defending.” “
This is the consequece that the country is going through today.
Please read:
http://uvindukurukulasuriya.wordpress.com/tag/mahinada-rajapakse/
For me, alone getting those donations transfered onto his private bank accounts is a criminal act – unfortunately, people incl, you would even think of the impact of that – never expect from PM of a country to react in that way. But his all tactics are powerful to make you poor people to sweeten and forget everything easily.
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Sam Fernando / October 28, 2012
Sorry, corrections to my previous one:
IT SHOULD BE:
unfortunately, people incl, you would NOT even think of the impact of that …etc
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PresiDunce Bean / October 29, 2012
What would happen if Victor Ivan wrote a book and called it “Bandit King?” :)
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
PresiDunce Bean:
“What would happen if Victor Ivan wrote a book and called it “Bandit King?””
Would there be a follow up book titled Bandit Queen? Whom does the story be based on, Phoolan Devi?
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PresiDunce Bean / October 28, 2012
@Leela
What Premadasa, Lalith & Gamini did is kindergarten stuff compared to what the Rajapaksa family is doing. Have you ever ever wondered why MR used his powers to bring in an 18th amendment doing away with term limits so he can be president for life? MR is immune from any prosecution only as long as he is presidunce. He knows that if he loses the presiduncy he will have to spend the rest of his life in courts for cases bought against him for all the under hand dealings he was involved in while he was in power. Just like what happened to Chandrika over the Waters Edge deal. Like Lord Acton said, power has corrupted him and his family absolutely. Read Tisaranee Gunasekara’s article…it’s very interesting like all her articles are.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/why/
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ayanthirkg / October 28, 2012
Two wrongs will make a right? Think man think. We elected this because that was bad. Now what?
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
ayanthirkg:
“Two wrongs will make a right? Think man think. We elected this because that was bad. Now what?”
How about three wrongs?
You didn’t elect him, it was LTTE that elected Rajabakse. They deserve each other.
Now you put up with him or get out of the country like so many other Lankies.
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Rama / October 27, 2012
anyway they can afford to retire in monaco with as many puppies as they like.
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N.Wimaladasa / October 28, 2012
I am not racist of PEOPLE OF INDIA IS CONCERN,but Mr Sharama more or less represtaitive and symbloised by Indian expanding hegemonist internal and external politicl-power base.” The Indian case has also been quite differant from east asian developmrnt state..the burecautic elite was not partuclatly probusniess,eighter by inclination or ideology or in terms of social compations…of cause overtime a well-oiled machinery of delivery of requistie permit all licenses in exchange for bribes and political funding for ELECATION DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN PRIVITE AND THE POLITICAL CLASS….bureaucratic and political leadersship also change overtime with increasingly active particaprtion of busniess,tradres and farmers families and other cast gropues in politics and aministration.” This what Indian writes of PRANAB BARDHAN mention his book in Awaking Ginats.
The Indian NEW ENTRERENEURE WORKING ON TOWARS HEGEMONY CAPITAL EXPLORATION AND EXPANSION OF GLOBAL MARKET. AS WELL AS INTERGRATE ONGOING GLOBLE incoming new order .
No doubt MR Sharam more or less agent and service FOR of such emerging CLASS OF INDIAN HEGEMONY? or HEGEMONISM?
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Nisal Amarasingha / October 29, 2012
Please get a lesson in writing legible grammatical English, before you start your nonsensical posts again .This is a waste of cyberspace. Guys like you should go back and get your education at Medamulana University.
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Anti-Boru / November 4, 2012
Nisal Amarasingha:
You are WRONG because this guy obviously DID get his education at Medamulana University judging by what he writes and the way he writes!
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Hussain Fahmy / October 28, 2012
All Dictators/Despots ill gained wealth will eventually be consumed by the Thugs (Superpower Alliance). Recent History has proved with Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
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Senguttuvan / October 28, 2012
To the super-power Alliance one must also add its leading silent constituents – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and
the like. All of whom have most of their investments in the
the safe vaults controlled by the USA, Britain and Switzerland
in the main. And, need we speculate who own most of these financial institutions.
If you disagree – refer to documentary film-maker Michael Moore.
Senguttuvan
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Gamini Chandra / October 29, 2012
One thing can be said in favour of the Chinese connection.The USofA,the UK and other western countries who have been after Sri Lanka’s blood and guts at the behest of the Tamil diaspora have been reluctantly compelled to keep their vile hands off my country as they all fear the inscrutable Chinese dragon.
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Beyond surprised / October 30, 2012
Gamini Chandra:
Now I’ve heard it all: “The inscrutable Chinese dragon.” Is this another attempt by a Rajapaksa English Scholar to sound erudite? It certainly defies definition within the English idiom!
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne / November 3, 2012
You’re such a bully, “Look Surprised”. “Inscrutable Chinese Dragon” is a rather catchy, clever phrase. Combines the classical English claim that the Chinese are “inscrutable” – meaning the English had difficulty “reading” them, with the concept of the powerful “Chinese Dragon”: the Dragon Economy following the previous rise of the so-called “Tiger Economies” in South-East Asia in the 1980s and 1990s.
The previous bullies of Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands are indeed alarmed at what they call the “Rise of the Chinese Dragon”. And they are desperately trying to understand it. Here in Australia, the government has belatedly embarked on a campaign to teach children Chinese in schools (as well as Hindi, Indonesian and Japanese). Meanwhile, a new American military and naval base has been set up in Darwin, in Australia’s north. The British Lion, and the American Eagle, symbolically speaking, are trying to contain the Chinese Dragon. And trying to understand its seemingly inscrutable visage.
Nice concept, Gamini Chandra, “Inscrutable Chinese Dragon”!
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Anti-Boru / November 4, 2012
Romesh Senewiratne:
You now seem to have extended your “defensive reach” beyond your masters, the Rajapaksas, to their acolytes as well!
Phrases, brilliantly coined or otherwise, are supposed to evoke something. “Inscrutable Chinese dragon” only combines a racist expression with regard to the “inscrutability” of orientals and a tired “Chinese dragon.”
Anyway, your interjections seem to prove that you haven’t heard that old expression about keeping one’s mouth shut and letting people think you’re stupid rather than opening it and confirming the fact.
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Gamini Chandra:
“they all fear the inscrutable Chinese dragon.”
Come again…..
The Vietnamese taught the Chinese a lesson in the mid seventies that the Chinese will never ever forget. The Chinese can only bully India not rest of the world. India deserves it.
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Wuliangguobinjiu / November 3, 2012
Hello words worth boys! Now that is the type of English a practical man like me cannot put up with.
Our language of communication is 2 dimensional and leaves much to for interpretation.Seeing is 50%, touching is 75%.
I deal with China and industry on a daily basis if not weekly. Have a closer look at “Sudan now” where is the Oil and where is China which had 90% of all Sudanese contracts in exchange for arms and infrastructure? Then have a closer look at Maldives its new harbor, middle class tourism (one million) etc. which forms a better necklace in the Indian Ocean for the Chinese. In any case China is not the hub a workshop of the world for beyond this decade as the Japanese; Taiwanese Koreans etc. are creating the infrastructure in the ASEAN where there is a degree of democracy and rule of the law. Saw what happened at the slightest provocation ah ha they came back to work and demanded more wages from all those companies when the last 10 years they have received a 7 fold increase.
Cheers
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Anti-Boru / November 4, 2012
Wuliangguobinjiu:
Not understanding simple, grammatical English might be your problem. However, trying to decipher your attempts at “sophistication in English” becomes ours! Why don’t you try to express yourself in SIMPLE English instead of confusing everyone with an attempt at goodness-knows-what? That way, we’ll all understand what you are saying and we’ll all be happy. Right?
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Lester / October 29, 2012
So, China does shoddy construction work, and the Rajapakse’s pocket a hefty commission. I have consistently maintained that Mahinda Rajapakse is a greater threat to the future well-being of the nation than was the LTTE. And here we have incorrigible proof. Most of these Chinese projects are of such poor quality that they will have to be redone. That means the Sri Lankan taxpayer will be paying twice. On the other hand, one cannot say that the average Sri Lankan is without blame. After Mahinda was elected the first time, and failed to abolish the Executive Presidency, he should not have been elected again.
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Leela / October 30, 2012
Lester,
You are complaining shoddy work of Chinese projects. I agree with you that European construction work should be superior to Chinese for they often do end up charging twice the original contract sum by the end of the job. This I say with firsthand knowledge for European companies have been experts in contract management than construction management.
Let me give you just one example for over charged European construction can also be shoddy. Samanalawewa project was designed by Alexander Gibb & Partners and constructed by Balfour Beatty of UK. Has everything gone right? No. Approximately 1,800 liters of water per second started to leak no sooner the project was commissioned in 1992. The designer and the contractor charged but hadn’t control the leak to date. Sri Lankan taxpayer have been paying Europeans twice.
Now about the Chinese projects. To date there are no big flop in any of the Chinese projects. That temporary short coming at Norachchola coal power plant had been rectified by the Chinese contractor at no extra cost to Sri Lankan taxpayer. Besides, Chinese are much cheaper than Europeans.
Leela
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Lester / October 30, 2012
Leela,
Chinese construction work is indeed shoddy. The main reason is that in China, labor regulations are extremely lax. Quality control is often neglected. Why do you think no one (who can afford to) drives Chinese-made cars? Cars are relatively cheap to produce, but China has no major niche in this market. China simply cannot compete with the Japanese or German car manufacturers, who consistently score off the chart when it comes to safety testing and other measures of reliability. As one German observer put it, “…mid-range sedan developed for the European market by Chinese carmaker Brilliance scored only one out of a possible five stars in a crash test, German auto association ADAC said on Thursday. “In the event of a side crash, the strain on the driver’s chest and abdominal area would be so high that a person would have little chance of surviving in a real accident.”
Now let me ask you this. If the Chinese cannot design a simple car, what makes you think they can build (to quality) bridges, roads, and ports? I do not want to get into the details of Norachcholai, but that is definitely evidence of subpar Chinese engineering. Just like the power plant, the other projects will come crashing down, wait and see.
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Lester
“Why do you think no one (who can afford to) drives Chinese-made cars?”
The only part which does not make noise is the horn.
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Palitha / October 30, 2012
yes China is investing in construction projects but India invested in terrorist projects in Sri Lanka for years and tried to annex part of the country in the guise of Tamil grievances when the Tamils in Sri Lanka had always been better of than their counterparts in India. India failed so now it is sour grapes for the many Indian journalist.
This is the history and no body can deny it.
Whatever the levels of corruption in Sri Lanka it is still far below that of India.
So kudos for Rajiv Sharma and his partisan perspectives.
Palitha
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Palitha
“So kudos for Rajiv Sharma and his partisan perspectives.”
There is no partisanship about corruption among Tamils and Sinhalese. They are corrupted to the core without exception. There are two unifying traits among Tamils and Sinhalese, stupidity and corruption.
Corruption is written in their genetic codes.
Show me one person who did not indulge in corrupt practices in the past.
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srilal / October 31, 2012
U.B wanninayake
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne / November 3, 2012
“Corruption is written in their genetic codes”? You’ve got some strange ideas about corruption, Native Vedda. Not to mention racist ones. Calling specific races genetically “stupid” and “corrupt” is, as I have mentioned to you before, the sort of idea that Hitler and the Nazis had about particular races.
Besides, your repeated pseudo-scientific statements about DNA studies you have failed to understand and interpret sensibly are, frankly, nonsensical. People may corrupted by their experiences, their schooling their training, even their culture, family, peer-groups, political leaders and religious ones, but no one is born corrupt because it is in their “genetic codes”.
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Gene_Leela / November 3, 2012
How dare you rule out this in this way ? what is not discovered can still be found out in the years to come. More of this kind of research have not ADEQUATELY been carriet out sofar.
Btw, I did some search for the articles, unfortunately none of them gave me reliable info in this regard :(
Why is that then some criminals (with the combination of XYY) are said to be inherited their crime actitivities ?
In the same manner, it should be the case with corrupted mind set. I though did not go into details yet searching for the focused genetic regions that express exclusively in such family bound corrupt politicians.
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne / November 3, 2012
If you look more deeply into the XYY genotype and the 1960s studies of institutionalized criminals with this genotype in the USA, you may realise that the widely publicised and TV-popularised claim that carrying this genotype resulted in “born criminals” is false. It has since been scientifically rejected and the initial studies claiming this criminality have been disproved and refuted.
Unfortunately, the acceptance by the medical, psychiatric and scientific communities that this was an incorrect, hasty conclusion was not made before many young men (mainly African-American) who carried this genotype in the USA were chemically castrated in the 1970s, using injections of female hormones under the false impression that these would “improve behaviour” by “lowering aggression” (based on another false assumption that XYY men have higher levels of testosterone, which they do not). Most of these young men gained huge amounts of weight, and some committed suicide.
Jumping to conclusions about genes and inheritance “in the blood” is foolish and dangerous, and spreading such false “genetic theories” plays into the hands of racists.
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Sam / November 3, 2012
Agree with you the fact that none other than the fools can do so:
“Jumping to conclusions about genes and inheritance “in the blood” is foolish and dangerous, and spreading such false “genetic theories” plays into the hands of racists”
However, interestingly I have found the an article that says “Adoptees who are genetically predisposed to antisocial phenotypes are at risk for being formally processed through the criminal justice system”.
Biol Psychiatry. 2011 Feb 1;69(3):282-7. Epub 2010 Nov 10.
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Ranjith / October 31, 2012
Sharma you better look after your top to bottom corrupt politicians in India specially in Tamilnadu. You have no right to pork your finger in our country.Get lost
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Anti-Boru / November 4, 2012
Ranjith:
You’d better be careful about the words you use. The word “pork,” even if used in a manner that displays total stupidity, could upset people of particular religious persuasions.
By the way, is it only “pandankarayas” of the current regime that you think should be commenting on their activities?
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Ranjith / October 31, 2012
Sharma is a ..
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Paul Kuruwita / November 1, 2012
When the Indian PM visited US as the first foreign dignitary to come to US in the Obama administration, he went around weeping and wailing about terrorism. He did not mention a word about the suffering that Lankans underwent for 30 years.
Well, if you read Prbhakaran’s biography you know that the Indian government issued Indian passports to Lankan terrorists to avoid capture by Interpol. They trained LTTE. Indian military brass behaved as if they have occupied the entire country during the IPKF mission.
India is not to be trusted. It may be that there is bribing involved in Chinese dealings, but nothing to the scale it is happening in India. China is better than US and Europe in their so-called foreign aid. US is wooing China and why not Lanka, especially when there is obvious treachery by India?
It is sad that India who is the mother of Lankan Buddhist culture, betrays the little island that has nothing against India.
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Larief / September 25, 2013
China will do anything and everything.I know i have worked with Chinese in and they make sure competition is killed very cunning way. Rajapaksa plays big double game with many countries. There is end date for this
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real sri lankan / December 15, 2014
rajapaksa did the right job on behalf of his mothorland. we are always with him.we never allow to divide this country. we sacrify my life in order to continue the territorial dignity of my country. my blood is always ready to bleed to protect sri lanka.
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